A Dawn of Burning Skies - A Novel (1-2)
The year is 2040, five years after the end of World War III. Nuclear weapons, electro-magnetic pulses (EMPs), biological weapons and other weapons have destroyed most of civilization as we know, leaving vast wastelands in their wake. Ninety percent of the world's population is dead. Most of those that survived are either sick, injured or near the brink of death. Hundreds are dying daily. The governments that haven't been completely annihilated are rumoured to be hiding in bunkers underground. There is no law, no police, and no prisons. Street justice rules now. The small part of the population that are healthy enough to survive usually form groups, since many skills and high numbers of people are needed to survive and counter threats. Some are populating cities and hope to rebuild them, but this will surely take time. And without any electronic devices or modern technology that work, people are essentially back to the Dark Ages. Hunting, foraging, farming and stealing are the only ways to get food. Life is very hard.
This is the story of Humphrey and his group of friends. We will follow them on their many adventures as they fight for survival in the unforgiving wilderness that is their home.
I awoke to the feeling of the sun's warm rays dancing across my face. Temporarily blinded by the brightness of the light, I sat up on my bed and rubbed my eyes. Looking outside, I see that the sky is cloudless. I'm pleased that the weather will be good today: a rainy day usually means being cold and wet, with mud and water everywhere, and also acid rain. The toll the war took and the damage caused on the earth and its atmosphere is irreparable. Now, whenever it rains, it brings chemicals down with it, stinging our skin and even eating away our clothes. The radiation is also widespread, but our location in a valley between mountains offers some shelter from it. Nevertheless, all of us are afraid of the effects of radiation. We have heard many stories of mutations and other grisly defects caused by the radioactive mist that now covers most of the earth. Iodine is in great demand because of the resistance it creates to radiation and we have managed to obtain a bottle containing a small amount but, thankfully, we have had no need to use it yet.
EMPs have also destroyed nearly every electronic device on earth. Only those that were in Faraday cages were safe. The only people who possess those electronics are the governments and rich people, or what's left of them. Most are hiding in underground bunkers.
Rumours have been making rounds that some governments have come out of hiding and are planning rebuilding cities, but they remain just that: rumours.
I turn over onto my side and look at Adrienne in the bed to my right. She is still sleeping. I think back to our many childhood memories together. We were born in the same suburb and went to the same kindergarten, primary school and high school. It was in my senior year and her junior year that the war started. The school sounded its fire alarms, and we all rushed to the assembly area. Everyone thought that it was just a fire drill, so we were quite shocked when police officers appeared and started herding us into buses. As I climbed up into the nearest bus, trying to keep pace with the sudden surge of students rushing towards the buses, I saw Adrienne already in the bus, sitting near the back. I pushed through the throng of bodies and found a seat next to her.
"What's happening?" I asked. "This obviously isn't a fire drill."
"It sure isn't," she said, looking worried.
I stood when I felt the bus rock slightly as it pulled away and walked forward along the aisle toward the driver. I recognized him as the old Scottish man who lived next door. He had signed up to be a substitute driver for the school.
"What's happening?" I had to raise my voice over the din of the din of the chatter of children's voices. "Where are we going?"
I noticed the worried look on his face. The creases that it made made him look older than he actually was. This worried me: he was known to always be upbeat, even in hard times.
"Sorry sonny," he said. "I'm not allowed to tell ya. Jus' go sit back down in yer seat. Everythin'll be fine."
"But can't you just tell us where we're going?" I pleaded.
"Listen sonny," he said, becoming slightly irritated. "It's the coppers' orders. Now go sit back down in yer seat. You’ll find out soon what’s up."
Reluctantly I walked to the back of the bus and sat down again.
Adrienne looked at me questioningly. I just shook my head. I looked up to find quite a few heads turned in my direction. Everyone had heard my exchange with the driver. Everyone was worried.