[ WP ] - Earth is a Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland . Tell Me What Happened and How People Are Surviving .

She closed her eyes and just listened to the sounds of country music coming from the old, crackling car stereo. It had been a long time since the war. It took them twelve years to drop that bomb. But the second it touched down, thirty more were set off. Jolie was lucky enough to be saved. Shipped off to a safe house. But when food ran short there ten years in, they knew they had to get out. When they emerged, life was completely different. The world they knew was a wasteland of its former self. 
 
 A day on the outside, they were attacked by a group of bandits in this lawless world. Jolie ran. But her parents, friends, and everyone she knew was slaughtered and robbed. 
 
 But that was three years ago. Jolie was a survivor. 
 
 She took a sip of foul water from an old beer bottle. Even now, she could remember the taste of clean water. She would never have that again. 
 
 “ Momma? ” a little blonde child asked Jolie. Jolie looked down at her. Anika. They found her a few days ago in the rubble of an old house, crying. She had likely been born in a bunker or, God forbid, in the wastelands of this dreadful world. 
 
 “ I ’ m not your mother, ” Jolie said for what felt like the thousandth time. 
 
 Anika ’ s head tilted in confusion. She couldn ’ t have been older than four. She was small and frail, but with big blue eyes. Jolie had a memory of a small girl from years ago who was sent away to a different shelter. Her sister. 
 She quickly pushed those thoughts out of her mind. The past was in the past. 
 
 “ Momma, ” Anika asked again, “ When can we go home? ” 
 
 Jolie looked at her. Where was home for the child? The ruined house? A bunker? A rundown van somewhere near a river? Home didn ’ t exist for Jolie anymore. 
 
 “ Soon, ” Jolie replied, “ Soon, Anika. ” 
 
 “ Okay, ” the child replied and tried to climb into the Jeep with Jolie, but couldn ’ t quite pull herself up. Jolie took another sip of the bitter water and turned away from the child. 
 
 “ Jolie, ” someone said as they approached, “ We found a house. Elderly couple. No weapons. They have food. ” 
 Jolie looked at the man who had just been out scouting. She smirked. She climbed out of the Jeep and grabbed a worn backpack and a handgun. She loaded the gun and tucked it into her jeans. 
 
 “ Is this right? ” the scout asked as she began to set off. 
 
 “ In this world, ” Jolie replied, “ It ’ s kill or be killed. ”
