(Raven)

I ran as fast as I could through the forest, the trees flashing by. They were on my heels and I was out of breath. My lungs screamed for air but I still pushed myself.

Shit shit shit, I might actually die. I still ran on barely holding on.

I could hear them shooting at me but I still kept running. Juniper squawked but he was too late. 

I could barely stop before I tumbled off the cliff. Rocks and dirt flew around me as my hand caught something

I was hanging in midair suspended by a root growing out of the side of the cliff. I sighed in relief but sucked the breath right back in when I heard the blanks right above me.

I prayed that they wouldn't smell me. 

I could hear them sniff around but the wind had changed direction. Pebbles pelted my face but kept silent. 

I counted to 30 until I could no longer hear them. By now my arm was burning from my weight and I couldn't hold on any longer. I whistled for juniper just as I let go. I caught on to his legs just in time.

I let him drop me on the ground below before he headed back to the sky. 

I was in a fairly small town that looked completely looted. The town was pretty destroyed except for some buildings still partially intact. Withered trees grew in all directions disrupting the blank sheet of grey rubble. Little bushes here and there grew in small cracks. Lumps of ash were scattered throughout the scene, twisted and gnarled bones poking out of the masses. I gulped, not wanting to think about what they could be.

I unstrapped my bow from my back, glancing from side to side before starting forward to the center of the town. A huge spire was set in the concrete, shiny metal catching the little sunlight almost blinding me. 

I'm extremely sensitive to sunlight.

The spire looks like it was made out of real metals, which is an odd sight for a poor little town like this. I wondered how they could afford it. 

I strung an arrow on my bow and shot the top of the spire, ducking behind a melted car. Sure enough, a fleet of blanks came marching out of their hiding spaces, forming a tight circle around the spike. They raised their guns searching the nearby rubble for whoever shot the arrow.

I ducked behind the car again pushing my back up against the twisted metal.

I didn't have much time before they noticed me.

The blanks started to walk off in different directions, shooting anything that moved.

Now I really didn't have any time to think.

I shot the nearest blank, its body falling to the floor silently. All the blanks head's snapped to the body of their fallen brother.

I jumped out of my hiding place to shoot the next blank.

They raised their guns to me, aiming for my heart. I dodged their bullets, narrowly missing each time. I shot back with my bow, nailing one in the chest, piercing their thick armor. 

I threw my knives at the farthest one, catching it between the eyes. 

The next ran at me with a machete, aiming for my head. I retorted by snapping their neck with the butt of my own machete. Blood covered my knife and me, the smell coming off as thick and slimy, I ignored it, charging at the next blank at full speed.

I lodged the tip of my knife in its chest, blood spurting out of the wound. I pushed the body to the ground, going for the next one.

This one was bigger than the rest of them, probably the leader. This type was strong but not very fast so I could use that as an advantage. I slid between the legs of the next one to turn around and stab in in the back, their only weak spot. This one fell to the asphalt with a loud crash. 

The sound echoed throughout the little plaza, bounding off some of the glass walls. I tensed, listening for any more sounds. The circle stayed silent so I collected my knives and a couple more machetes for trading. 

I spotted a still intact convenience store and ducked inside swinging my ratty backpack off my shoulders and gathering what was left of the food there. Not much was left but I would still take it. 

I exited the store and crept to a nearby alleyway and jumped up to the roof of the place. I surveyed the little town closely, keeping an eye out for any signs of life. This place really seemed deserted which could be good but also could be bad. A breeze whipped me in the face, sending my long hair tumbling wildly. I huffed and put it up in a ponytail with a hair tie that I had found not too long ago. I was really grateful for it now.

I jumped down from the roof, replacing my backpack on my shoulders. I didn't resheathe my bow though, just in case. 

I looked for a place to set up camp for the night. Most of the buildings were ash or destroyed but a lucky few had survived all the disasters. I found one that wouldn't collapse on me and crush me in my sleep and set out my sleeping bag. Well, it was more like a tarp but I didn't mind. 

Juniper glided through one of the shattered windows, landing on the ground. He quacked at me and pecked the ground.

"Okay okay, I'll get you some food," I huffed at him. He was very demanding when it came to food. 

I dragged my backpack closer to me and searched for the rat I had caught earlier that day. I held it out to him.

"here, this is all I could find,"

He turned away from my outstretched hand.

I rolled my eyes. I swear this bird is a brat.

"Fine then, starve," I dug in my backpack for a can of whatever I could manage to scavenge. Juni eyed my food suspiciously.

"If you try to steal mine your sleeping outside tonight," I growled at him. I swear he rolled his eyes and picked up the rat and started chewing noiselessly. 

I finished my can and laid back down on the tarp, looking up through a hole in the roof. The stars were bright tonight, shining and twinkling in the dark sky. I reached up to the night, a longing feeling lingering in my heart.

I missed not having to run for my life every day.

I sighed, knowing that I couldn't go back to the life I used to live even though it wasn't the best. 

I slowly drifted into a dreamless sleep, thinking about my mom who had escaped to the bunkers in time.