(This is the story about a boy named basil who is bullied by guys from school and neglected by his parent, until he met a friend by the name of Liam) Basil is 12 and Liam is 15,

I’m panicking. One day the world all went black, in the blink of an eye I got the opportunity to hear everything I love slowly disappear.

As I sit uncomfortably on a bed made entirely of concrete, with a blanket thin as paper for my warmth. I feel immensely lonely as I worked my life away for what?

I had the biggest house on top of the hill, I had the cars that hit zero to 60 in 3 seconds, I lived the lavage life that any young boy could imagine! I slaved my hands to bones to prove everyone wrong, and I did just that.

But as my feet hit the floor from the bunker I stored myself in and the doors open up I see the world for all it in tells things, the beauty once the necular warfare passed over, green grass has grown flowers blossom.

“How long have I been in here for”

Time passed in that bunker like the blink of an eye, It’s been a year now!

Well now that I’m finally free I’m finding some joy of what remains.

I drove down what was left of the worlds roads in the only super car I had that survived. With a cigarette in my mouth I made the best of this day laughing, exploring, amusement at its finest I was used to finding joy alone

And that’s what I did.

When I wake up, it’s not bright out yet, but I still feel well rested. I haven’t slept this well in days. Ever since the robots took over, life has been a struggle.

I get up and unzip the opening to the tent, pausing a moment to take in my surroundings before stepping outside into the crisp autumn air. Soon it’ll be winter, I realize. Food will be scarcer. Just another difficulty to add to my current list.

It’s been six months, I realize, since April 30th. If I could forget that day, I would. The Electronic Uprising, as it is now called, was, to say the least, an unpleasant experience. I’ve survived for half a year. All thanks to my own resourcefulness, of course. I’m always on my own.

I’ve been migrating from place to place for a while, almost like a bird. A few times, I’ve stumbled across communities, like this one. Humans are social creatures, so I guess it does make sense that they would band together. Safety in numbers, they say. I don’t stay at communities for either of those reasons, though. I’ve always been better on my own. Probably because I don’t trust people, at least not anymore. The last time I did that, it didn’t go so well. Once bitten, twice shy, I guess. Honestly, I’m not even sure if that’s what the saying means. My education was interrupted by the Uprising, so why should I?

I used to think my life was hard. Sure, my parents were lower class citizens. I didn’t live in a mansion, didn’t have the latest Chanel bag that was all the rage, didn’t have the new iPhone, didn’t have enough money to follow the short lived trends that were popular in my school. But money isn’t everything. Money doesn’t make it easier to survive a robot attack. High school now seems easy to me, compared to post-apocalyptic life.

I breathe in the cool air and gaze out into the distance. I’ll continue my journey east, towards the sun, which I use as my guide. If the rumors are true, there are less robots there.

I will begin my journey once the sun rises high enough in the sky to guide me, I decide. The thought of leaving this village caused me considerably more sadness than I had anticipated. I realize that I have grown quite attached to this small group of people. Perhaps it is because they are so determined to survive against all odds, similar to myself.

But I know I should leave. I never do cope well when I stay in one place too long. I’m nomadic at heart.

I return to my tent and begin packing my things. It doesn’t take much time, and before long, I’m ready to go.

I sling my backpack over my shoulder and take a moment to enjoy the view. I probably won’t be able to see it again. A sign advertised the names of the village in big print: Lakeside. The place is named appropriately. It’s after that wooden post where the scenery really begins. A forest rings the tents on the west side, and a field of grass surrounds the north. A lake extends for what looks like forever into the distance to the south, and mountains rise up in the east. I hope that the mountains won’t provide too much of a challenge. Maybe I could take a detour around them, but I decide against it. It would take too much time away, and I didn’t want my journey to take much longer than it needed to. I am unsure of my destination, but I hope that I’ll know the right place when I see it. As I am about to start my trek, I hear a squeal from behind me.

“Trin! Play with us!”

I turn around to see a few of the community kids running up to me. I consider walking away or telling them no, and then I feel like a jerk for even thinking about it. I just wouldn’t feel right to leave without spending a little more time with them. This would give me a chance to say goodbye. I’ll stay for just a bit longer.

I set down my bag and they run around me energetically. Looking at them, it’s a marvel these three are even alive. They’re so young, and it makes my heart ache to think of how they never got to live a normal life, but instead one of grief and fear. Maybe people think that when they see me. I’m only seventeen, but I don’t feel that young anymore. I have to admit, though, these children have blossomed even in this messy world. I feel it’s my duty to make sure these children still get to be kids, despite being orphaned and living during an apocalypse

I smile and say, “What do you want to play?”

I’m twenty years old now, and I’m still at Lakeside. I couldn’t leave the kids. They don’t have their parents anymore, and I had grown quite fond of them and the little village. It’s bigger now, and I’ve even begun to let myself hope that our world is recovering. There’s talk of even merging with PurpleBrook, the nearest village.

I always wonder what would have happened if the kids hadn’t stopped me that one day I was ready to leave Lakeside. I’ve always wanted to roam, always been a wanderer at heart. Even after the apocalypse, maybe I could have fulfilled my dream of exploring. But then I think, no, these children are worth more than anything, even my old dreams.

Despite all that I’ve been through, I’m happy.

It’s been 125 years since Armageddon and the toxic waste and radiation has subsided… Or so we thought.
Ms. Heather has not seen anything but four walls of concrete from her ww1 bunker in 8 months. There has been a breach in protocol and she has to venture out to collect samples. Samples that will further allow her to assess her strategy for the next ten years. Along the way she has acquired 18 WW2 aircraft’s that she keeps on property on her personal airfield. Last week a 3 point buck breeches the perimeter and it unfortunately was rabid with oozing sores, so she shot it and collected the blood to further study its properties. Now I’m sure everyone’s wondering, why?! Well,a contaminated specimen hasn’t been seen in 50 years so for there to be one now is quite bizarre. The specimens fifty years ago were contaminated with radioactive fallout that rained down for 85 years. But then came the aftermath. Human beings and the population of mammals and invertebrates began developing sores, pustules and cancers that appeared on the skin. Ms. Heather knew for the survival of not just herself and the world she had once known around her but for the earth and humanity as a collective, who depended on her

After months, the day finally arrived. The day she had been waiting for.

Ruby raced down the stairs, her tail wagging as she looked around her cheerful house. Balloons, wrapping paper, juice…and…Ruby sniffed the air to make sure her nose wasn’t fooling her. ..CAKE?! The small merle-colored poodle scrambled to the table where a beautiful frosted cake was sitting on the rosy pink table. Her tail wagged so fast she was sure it would fall right off. She couldn’t believe it, she hadn’t had cake since she was around three years old…before the reptilian infection started.

Ruby shook the memories from her mind and focused on what was infront of her. She reached forward to grab an already cut slice, when a slender yellow paw pulled it back. She looked up to see Jackson, her bubbly golden retriever friend, smiling at her while still holding her paw. She grinned at him and tackled him to the ground, making him laugh and wheeze.

"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!" she exclaimed, her words jumbling together. Jackson sat up and ruffled her fluffy gray and brown head, his golden ears twitching and his warm brown eyes sparkling, "You're welcome, Ruby!" But it wasn’t just me who set this up. Daisy helped too.” He smiles, gesturing towards Daisy, another one of Ruby’s dog friends, who was quietly standing by another table arranging flowers.

Daisy noticed Ruby staring at her and walked over to her, her tail wagging happily. “Happy Birthday, Ruby! I made you this!” Daisy barked, handing Ruby a beautiful ruby and diamond necklace with a golden string. Ruby hugged Daisy, “thank you so much!!” She exclaimed, slipping on the necklace.

“We invited a few friends.” Jackson said, opening the door. A cute Chinchilla, Henry, and a sweet Siamese, Erin, walked in, holding presents. Ruby couldn’t believe it, and ran to hug them both. She was barely containing her excitement, feeling so bubbly and warm inside as they all sat down to talk.

She couldn’t believe Henry was here, especially since half of his tail and paw had been mutated because of the infection. But at last, all of them were together. Laughing, talking, smiling like they used to. Before the infection, and before the darkness. No lizards seeking murder, and no bodies laying near there once beautiful flower field. Ruby soaked it all in, trying to memorize every feature of the moment. She was just so happy she couldn’t contain it. After all the hard work to find peace once again, everyone was together.

Jackson leaned over and grabbed her paw, squeezing it gently as his warm eyes glistened. She could tell they were feeling the same thing. For the first time in forever, it was joy. Pure, unconditional joy. Ruby would remember her fifteenth birthday forever. For the first time in about twelve years, she experienced peace and happiness on her birthday surrounded by her friends, and she wished to hold onto that feeling forever.

{I hope y’all enjoyed this! I sort of got bored so I just wrote this at like almost eleven o’clock at night where I am. It’s probably not great, but I enjoyed writing it! }

“The sky is so blue it looks like a video screen.” He thought to himself.

Then he realized it had been seven years since he’d even seen a video screen. Or electricity for that matter.

But he didn’t miss it. There was a time he did. A time when he wished and prayed and chanted and sang everyday about wanting things to go back to the way they were. Thinking it was always right around the corner.

He now realized that was useless. Useless because it wasn’t going to change things, and useless because there’s no point in hope.

As he walked down the giant gorge and over to the river, he took a long deep breath. And the breath overtook his body in a way it hadn’t done in years. No anxiety, no jitters, no panic, no heart flutters. Just calm and easy.

Pools of oily liquids punctuated with foamy loaves of fungus dotted the pea gravel. A corpse yellow shore clutched a murky sea of sludge. Two Androids standing on stark rock outcroppings surveyed the wreckage once know as Fogo Island.

“Welcome to Olde Earth, doll face, isn’t it grand!” Mills exclaimed.

Twirling, the powerfully built Android smiled at his girlfriend. Acrid sea breezes wafted off the stifled water licking at their faces. Dora turned. Suddenly her new life melted away and she was back swabbing decks on the Martian barges. Instinctively, the renowned synth-psychologist analyzed the fluorocarbons and radiation levels. She calculated the grey hours to sanitize one square meter of surface with a solar canon factoring in air quality, temperature, optional peroxide cleanser and—

“Dora, sweetie peach,” Mills said more quietly.

With a nervous giggle, he dropped his outstretched arms. Mills considered how much he might have screwed up his romantic gesture. He cross-referenced his research on ancient courtship customs. Close to shore, a curious cat whale poked its whispers up tasting the air. Shaking her head, Dora came back to herself. Mills headed towards their rental hover ship.

“Last one in is a rotten egg!” Dora shouted.

Running and stripping, Dora negotiated the craggy landscape. Nimble as a deer, she squealed laughter. Confusion breaking into joy, Mills chased after her. Bottom up, he slipped into an oil pool. Dora helped him up a little and then pushed him back. Mills caught Dora’s heel. Scrambling towards the water, the Androids wrestled among the toxic mushrooms. With a back flip, the cat whale swam away.

Casey took a piece of pizza from the box Leo was holding. "So this is 'grabbing a slice'? I don't get it."

"Wait for it..." Mikey smiled.

Casey moved the slice closer to his mouth and took a bite. His eyes sparkled. "So much better then rats!"

Everyone nodded.

"He-" Splinter stopped himself.

Leo put his arm around Casey. "Hey, the rest of the world we saved is pretty great too." he winked.

April pulled Splinter by his tail and wrapped it around her phone. "Alright everybody, look up here!"

Splinter moved his tail up high and the camera flashed. Casey now looked down at the picture on April's phone. Mikey laughed from on a stack of pizza boxes and Casey looked up with a smile.

Suddenly, a tiny message bubble appeared in the top left corner of April's screen.

"April, you just got a message from someone named Cassandra?" Casey handed her her phone back.

April took it, hit the bubble and scrolled through the pictures that were sent. "Woah!" She faced the screen toward everyone else. "Looks like our friend Cassandra here has been busy!"

Casey shook his head in shock. "That's my mom!" he exclaimed.

Donnie widened his eyes and stared straight ahead. "There goes the space-time continuum."

Mikey and Splinter widened their eyes too.

Raph walked over to where Leo was dangling his legs over the side of the building with pizza in their hands and sat beside him. "You did it, little brother. You really did it." he turned to him. "I'm proud of you."

Leo swallowed his pizza and looked out over the city. "This wasn't about me. It was about all of us, doing what needed to be done. Because we're heroes."

Raph laughed. "You said heroes." he held his pizza up.

Leo smiled and touched his pizza to Raph's.

Everyone stood up now and looked over the city before them.

"There it is, gentlemen." Donnie smiled. "Our home. What a town."

"Beautiful." Mikey whispered wistfully.

"And if it needs defending, we'll always rise to the challenge." Leo finished.

"Speaking of which. You know which challenge I'm gonna rise to?" Raph looked down at Leo and pushed his head down playfully. "Beatin' that record!"

"Yeah!" Everyone followed after Raph.

"No way!" Leo laughed a little. "Okay fine." he followed too.

Donnie dropped a bunch of pizza boxes onto Raph's head and he stumbled and turned around, making his way toward the thin rope connecting the platform they were on to a much higher platform above.

"Raph Raph Raph Raph Raph Raph Raph!" Everyone encouraged him.

Raph tried to steady himself and continued on the rope up. Everyone still encouraged him and shouted his name. Halfway up the role, Raph's clumsy nature got the better of him, and he tripped. Nearly half of the boxes fell off the top.

"Darn it!" Raph grumbled. "And I was really close to the top too."

"Well...it looks your attempt to beat me didn't work!" Leo smirked. "Better luck next time, big bro!"

Raph folded his arms. "Yeah sure. I know I'll get it next time. For now, let's just get back to the lair, alright guys?"

Raph made his way back down the rope and dropped the rest of the boxes at Leo's feet before leaping off the side of the platform and leaving.

"He seems a bit more...flustered then usual." Donnie remarked.

"Tell me about it." Leo agreed. "But he's right, we should be heading back to the lair." Leo followed Raph off the platform.

"What's the rush to get back to the lair?" April wondered.

"We saved the world, we should be out celebrating! Not hiding." Splinter added.

"Celebrating does sound nice...but Raph and Leo will miss it..." Mikey trailed off.

"Purple, Orange, go get your brothers and meet us at Hueso's after. Got it?" Splinter told them.

"On it." Donnie's battle shell opened and four helicopter-like blades came out spinning. "Come on, Mikey."

Mikey followed his brother to the edge of the platform and lifted his arms. Donnie grabbed his arms tightly and they left.

"Now that they're gone, let's get to Hueso's before they get do. Casey?" Splinter turned to him.

Casey nodded and the rope flew out, latching onto something a few feet away. April grabbed onto Casey's arm and Splinter climbed onto his back. Casey ran and leaped off the side of the platform, swinging them back in the direction of the city. And toward Hueso's with Splinter's weak directions.

Donnie dropped Mikey down on the tracks and the four blades disappeared. "All we have to do is get Leo and Raph." Donnie said.

"I'll check Raph's room." Mikey said.

"Oh please let me check Raph's room, I beg you!" Donnie shouted.

"No, you're checking Leo's room, I'm checking Raph's. That's it. Then we get out with them and go to Hueso's." Mikey stated.

Donnie groaned. "Ugh fine. Meet back here when you have Raph, got it?" he told Mikey.

"Got it!" Mikey rushed off in the direction of their big bro's room.

Donnie headed toward Leo's room. He peeked inside and saw him on his bed facing away from the entrance.

"Leo?" Donnie called.

Leo shifted but didn't turn in Donnie's direction.

"Leo." Donnie said again, going closer to the bed.

"Uh, Donnie?" Mikey poked his head into Leo's room.

Donnie turned around to him. "What is it?" Where's Raph?"

"That's the thing." Mikey laughed nervously. "Raphs not here."

"What do you mean he's not here? Did you check the arcade? The skateboarding ramps? The kitchen? The... the uh..." Donnie paused. "Where else could Raph possibly be...?"

"He went to Metro Tower." Leo whispered.

"What? He went where?" Donnie spun back around.

Leo had sat up on his side of his bed. He looked up at Donnie. "Raph went to Metro Tower. I saw him heading that way when I was heading here. I don't know why he went, he just...did."

Donnie started pacing. "Okay, well if Raph is at Metro Tower, then we'll just have to get him there." He decided. "And for the record Leo, Splinter will be worried if you don't show up at Hueso's with us like he planned." He added.

Leo sighed. "If it's to celebrate, then I don't feel like it. Tell Splinter I was too tired." he laid back down and faced away from his brothers.

"Look Leo, I get you sacrificed yourself and were almost beaten to death by that Krang guy, but we got you back with Mikey's mystic hands and the world is back to normal so it's time to stop sulking and go to Hueso's for more pizza, got it?" Donnie grumbled.

"Leo, please." Mikey whispered.

Leo grabbed his bed covers and scrunched them in his hand. He pulled a piece of paper from his invisible pockets and stared at the picture of everyone Casey had brought with him. He wiped away the tears starting to drip from his eyes. "I said I didn't feel like it...and I meant that."

"Leo, come on. Do it for us, please." Mikey begged.

"I said no, Mikey." Leo waved his hand for them to leave.

Donnie turned and headed for the door. Mikey stayed where he was. Donnie stopped and turned his head to Mikey.

"I didn't save you for nothing Leo." Mikey said. "So, if you're going to act like this." he paused and motioned at Leo. "I might as well have not saved you at all." Mikey turned. "Let's go, Don."

Donnie left with one last glance at Leo. A worried one at that.

Leo hadn't taken his eyes off the picture in his hands. More tears ran down his face as he listened to his brother's foot steps fade into the distance.

Donnie's battle shell had released the blades again and he was holding Mikey's arms. "Mikey, did you really mean that back there?"

"No! I was just...worried..." Mikey whispered.

Donnie sighed. "So am I, Mikey. So am I."

The duo flew quickly toward Metro Tower and spotted Raph sitting with his legs dangling on the top. Donnie flew them down and dropped Mikey before retracting the blades again.

"Raph?" Mikey called.

Raph jumped up and stepped out of the shadows. "M-Mikey? And Donnie? What about... Leo?"

Mikey rushed forward and hugged Raph tight. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Yes yes, everyones glad Raphs okay. But we better get to Hueso's now. Who knows what Splinter is doing. Or saying. As for Leo, he just needs some time alone." Donnie told them.

"How are we going to get there now though?" Mikey asked. "Oh right."

While Donnie flew over all the buildings, Raph and Mikey jumped from each of them to reach their destination.

"There." Raph said eventually, pointing to the graffiti wall. "Dad, April, and Casey must be inside already."

The trio headed down to the alley and went into the restaurant. They spotted the other three quickly and went over to sit down.

"Good, you three made it." April said.

"Where's Blue?" Splinter demanded.

"Oh uh he's..." Mikey trailed off.

"He said he was tired." Donnie replied a little too quickly.

Splinter narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Donnie said.

"Good the pizzas I ordered for us should be here in a second. Or so says that guy." Splinter told his sons.

Leo sat up and dangled his legs over the edge of his bed. He stumbled up and out of his room, leaving the picture behind.

Someone clears their throat behind him as he heads down some steps. He turns around to face whoever it is only to see Baron Draxum.

"Oh it's you." Leo turned away and stared into the darkness of the train tunnel before him.

"I heard everything your brother's said and I agree. Leo, you-" Baron Draxum was cut off by Leo.

"You don't know me or my brothers, okay? Just because supposedly you and Splinter are both our dads doesn't mean you know who we are." Leo growled.

Baron Draxum took a deep breath. "You didn't let me finish. And I know you don't want to listen to me like you didn't want to listen to your brothers. Mikey was especially right. He and the other two saved you by opening that portal. Mikey could have died if he opened it, you know. But he didn't. He lived and is still here to tell the tale. Leo, go to Hueso's. Be with the people who saved you. Who you sacrificed for. If not for the city, go for them, okay?" the Baron asked.

Leo sighed and looked up. "You really have a way with words. Don't you, Baron Draxum?" he turned his head to the guy behind him.

Baron Draxum smiled slightly. "If only to get people on my side. Or to convince them to do something."

Leo laughed and left the lair. He swiftly made his way to Hueso's and inside. His family spotted him before he could see them.

"Leo!" Mikey exclaimed. "You came!"

Leo looked towards everyone and walked to the table. "What can I say? Celebrating with my family is worth it. No matter what happens."

It’s been five years, my daughter has only known dirt, no plants, just dirt. Today we found a little green blade of grass still as fresh as a rose. Not that roses are fresh anymore. The food we have been eating has been expired and all made before it happened, there has been no plants to grow any new food. With all this struggle we managed to survive, and seeing this blade of grass with my daughter. It’s given me hope and realization that our world is being rebuilt. As we were sitting there crouched over our little blade of hope, it started to rain. I don’t think either of us cared one bit though, because we just got up and started dancing, I can’t believe it either,but we were smiling It wasn’t one of those smiles of pity like when we finally found a new canned dinner, or when I brought home some new worn out cloth to use as a blanket. No, this smile on me and my daughters face was genuine, I feel bad for all the people who died before today and didn’t get to enjoy our little blade of hope.

The wind is blowing through my hair and it’s hitting my face and whipping my clothes around and I’m screaming.

Screaming from the top of the cliff that looks over the destroyed city and into the world.

This obliterated husk of a world.

I’ve been keeping quiet for so long, staying hidden and trying not to be killed.

But I’ve decided to give up.

I can’t do this any more. I don’t care what happens. I don’t see any point in surviving, when my life and everyone I ever cared about is all gone.

The earth has died, so why shouldn’t I?

I’m screaming. My heart is bursting with sadness and grief and fear and the relief of letting go.

I’m free. I don’t have to try any more. I’m done.

The earth has died, and now I shall too.