Urban Decay

[Jeremy Hunter]

Jacob stopped at a small shack in the woods. After clearing it, Jacob grabbed his link.

"Social Credit, this is Forge. Those sons-of-bitches who ambushed to gunship have been diagnosed with bullet-in-the-head syndrome."

Jacob put the comm down. He took a swig of water. Second of the day. No more. Jacob picked up his knife and searched the shack.

"hey..." Jacob found an ancient roll of twine. "No metal...no PVC...hm..." Jacob went outside and looked,around until he found it. "Bamboo."

Cutting three equal shafts, Jacob returned to his stuff. Grabbing everything, Jacob moved towards New,Hangzhou.


The second town he entered sent a feeling of dread into him. Bringing his rifle up, Jacob moved in. As he began his journey through the town, he spotted a hardware store.

"Maybe..."

Jacob went in, gun raised in the gloom. He clicked the front-mounted red light. He moved quickly until he found the first item.

"Charcoal...check." Jacob grabbed a small bag.

Exiting the department store, Jacob made for the town library.


Kicking the door down, Jacob entered, Vindicator raised. Glad it was empty, Jacob searched for minerals.

"Here."

Pulling a decomposing book from the shelf, Jacob flipped through the volume until he found the last two ingrediants.

"Great...sulfur is common, but the saltpeter is hard to find..."

Putting the book back, Jacob unslung his rifle.

Something hit the ground. Jacob whirled around, gun raised. He moves towards the exit slowly. He paced his breathing. He turned the light off. One step. Two. Three.

"They fall in line, one at a time, ready to play..."

Something burst from the right. One burst to the head felled it.

"I can't see them anyway."

More drew from the gloom, cloaked in shadows.

"No time to lose, we got to move, steady your hand."

Another burst. 78 rounds left.

"I am losing sight again."

Single shot. Two bullets to the brain.

"Fire your guns, its time to run, blow me away."

He was almost there. He could see the door. He ran.

"I will stay unless I may."

Another single shot. 75 rounds left.

"After the fall, we'll shake it off, show me the way."

Jacob burst out of the library, and swung around.

"Only the strongest will survive, lead me to heaven when we die."

His shadow was on the wall; the sun set.

"I have a shadow on the wall."

The creature, probably the alpha, erupted from the door. Jacob fired two bursts.

69 rounds left.

The creature hit the ground and died.

"I'll be the one to save us all."

Jacob lowered the rifle, slit it's throat, and made tracks away toward where the book had said sulfur and saltpeter could be found on the way to New Hangzhou.

"I'm screwed up...singing during every fight? I should request a music player if I survive; I'm creeping myself out now. Not to mention it will probably annoy people."

Jacob exited the town as darkness reigned.

---

May you ever walk in the Light, Shizune.