[ WP ] WWIII happens , and when people come out from their fallout shelter , they find a sprawling civilization

We kicked them out. We had to. They had to know that. There was only food for the 50 of us, and even rationing it would barely last the 10 years. A lie, but no one questioned me. Those four had to go. Maple was the last. Never asked his first name, and never GOT to ask before he left, looking at us with pity 
 
 They were selfish! Only thinking of themselves. The needs of the many, you know? It was tough. Those years. I kept us together though. That's what I did. I led. That's why Maple had to go. There could n't be two leaders. We'd kill each other. But I was n't about to let that happen. A few crumbs here, a couple wrappers there, and they became convinced him and his band were bleeding is dry. The vote was unanimous. I barely hid my smile when the door locked behind him 
 
 The hours leading up to Resurface-Day were slow. People were anxious, but I kept them calm. We were now a group of 56, the youngest was 7. Each of us put on a respirator and took our radiation pills. The land was going to be hostile, for certain 
 
 00:00:00. The clock shut off. The doors unlocked. Light poured in. Natural light, not that electric fluorescent crap. I walked outside. And what I saw... 
 
 I should have walked back in. Should have said the truth. Should have said that our shelter was self sustaining to a population of 100. I did n't. I was struck dumb. The ground was green, the sky was blue, and air blew calm over the hills. But I did n't focus on that. I focused on the men in front of us 
 
 They were stepping out of cars, clean, working cars! Their clothes were clean, and they looked like law enforcement. They smiled when they looked at us 
 
 `` Hey! More Shelts!'' He tapped a radio on his shoulder, still smiling. `` Johnny! That tip payed off! More Shelts just rejoined when we got here! Yeah, tell'em! Tell the Census Officer, too!'' 
 
 I blinked. Shelts? Clean? Nice? Nothing made sense, but the man ushered us into a sixteen wheeler's cargo box, which had been modified to carry people comfortably. He sat with us. 
 
 `` How rude! Did n't even introduce myself! I'm Mark, and you are...?'' He extended his hand, but I was too dumbstruck to take it. `` Still shocked are ya? It's fine most Shelts, guys from the shelters, find functional society to be a bit jarring!'' 
 
 He went on to explain that when the war happened, before even all the nukes were fired, when people like me had holed themselves up, the world came to their senses. Nukes were deactivated mid flight, and there was very little damage to clean up. The rest of the war went on unabated, so most governments collapsed, but there was very little fallout. Now we were in a new country of a few million, which I was told was the northeastern USA and parts of Canada called the Sterling Federation. 
 
 `` Well, we've nearly reached the capital! It's tradition that President Maple greets all new Shelts! He came from a shelter like you, Ya know. Said he was kicked out by their leader, but hey, look at him now!'' 
 
 `` Yeah,'' I muttered, `` look at him now''
