How long has it been?

A week, maybe…

No, that’s not right.

I shift out of the small mismatched hamlet and fall to my feet, the pieced-together material swaying as I make my way out of the hovel I had built for myself. The sound of the tweeters chirped out the closer I approached the mouth of the structure. The sound of water slamming into the rocks below caused the air around me to feel fresh and calming. Even more so when the water hits the algae growing on the concrete.

It’s been years since I’ve been here, alone, unsure if there are more people out there. My mother said this city collapsed centuries ago, before I was even a thought in her mind—maybe even longer, according to her. It felt even longer since I’ve seen her. She had caught a sickness and told me never to venture out past the walls of the isolated city.

The concrete pillars that were once high and pristine sat in grass-covered rubble from wars before. Now, in the center lay a stream that you could follow that ventured into a waterfall. I lived under that waterfall.

A home, a place where my mother said the gods blessed her for her good deeds.Though what did that mean for everyone else? As for good deeds, I always took it as my mother raising me was her good deed. From what she said, anyhow.

I reached my hand out towards the opening, and the cold water kissed my hand. I would need to venture out soon to collect food and a few more resources. It was just another day. Days like this, though, had me missing my mother.

A sigh left my lips as I ventured back in to collect what I needed. I put my hair up and hid the long strands in my hoodie, and then put on a pair of broken-down black boots. Mud coating the bottom of them.

“Let’s go, Lucky!” My voice echoed against the stone structure, and then a small yelp in response echoed back, followed by paws hitting the floor. Just to show the Large beauty that was Lucky. His large build was a surprise, considering I found him small and fragile in a ditch outside of the small city. My mother had torn into me that day, but I was happy to have the small companion at the time.

Lucky was bounding over to me and collided with my feet, almost causing me to fall over, and laughter left my lips. I was sure he knew what day it was as well. Both of us are enjoying the venture and the fun.

A bit of the way out, I had found nothing for resources; most likely, I would need to go further out. I had reached the last pillar of stone marked at the edge, looking out at the desert before me.

A whine escaped Lucky, and I sighed.

“Yeah, I know, but we have collected nothing in the last few hours, and at this point, I might have to eat you.” I looked down at Lucky, who had now stopped wagging his tail. In turn, making me bark out my laughter.

“Who is out there!” A voice calls, making my eyes widen.

“Did you just talk?” I asked Lucky, but his ears were up and pointed, and then a soft rumble left him. Shit.

My mother always warned me that others were out there, not to trust them or even entertain them with talk.

“We just need help! Please!” The voice calls out again.

“We ain’t got nothing here, go away!” I shouted back.

“We are thirsty and have no water!”

“There isn't water anywhere, and if you have some, please! Just a drop.”

What an odd thing to ask for, isn’t there water all over? Unless they just came from the barren wasteland I was about to venture into.

“What do you mean no water?”

“We will even take the synthetic! Please.” Finally, two people came into view: an older-looking woman and a bald man. The woman held a small bundle, and her lips were chapped and sick-looking.

“We have been walking for miles and- we are just thirsty.”

I bit my lip and looked down at Lucky, who was still cautiously watching the newcomers.

“There is a stream down here, you can get some and go, but there are no resources here. I was about to go get some.”

“A stream?’

The woman looked confused.

“Yeah, my mom says that's what you call a small bout of water.”

“Your saying there is water here?”

I nod, now the one confused.

“We haven’t had water in ages, and it’s been here the whole time?” She looked at her husband, who looked back at me. We have been living on synthetic water and have been getting it in rations.”

Something about all of this was odd, and for the first time in a while. I wanted to know so much more.