[ WP ] And as the world burned , he began to laugh .

The silhouette stood on the edge of a cliff. He overlooked a sprawling cityscape once known as Los Angeles. The smoke from the crater rose higher than the leftover ruins of the skyscrapers in the downtown district. It billowed black into the western sunset, and blotted out the stars forming in the eastern sky. 
 
 The warnings had blared across the country only hours ago; the Russians, the Chinese, North Korea? No one knew who had launched the assault. The president of the United States did not hesitate starting a counter initiative. The scientists, diplomats, someone must have warned him; someone must have known the consequences, but it made no difference. Every nuclear equipped country retaliated against an unknown enemy. In those moments rockets were launched into the stratosphere in all directions only to rain down upon the earth ravaging it's surface. 
 
 Atop his mountain, he let a small smile creep along his face. The burning city set before him, smoldering and falling deeper into chaos. He had known. He had told them, his friends, family, and coworkers. He had been telling them for years that this would happen. None of them had listened. They all laughed, acted like he was delusional, crazy. The man had stockpiled weapons, food, and water. He had made a fortress out of his mountain shelter. 
 
 Years of prepping had set him up for years of survival. No one had heeded his warnings, his invitations. He wanted them to survive. They were weak, but he wanted them there still. Survival alone was purgatory. No amount of 70's rock or DVDs would be the same without human contact. 
 
 It was unfortunate none of them had joined him on the mountain but there would be more, there will be others, he knew this. He would search them out in the hills for months to come. He would allow them sanctuary, a safe haven, but for a price. That's just how the world would be now; he knew that as well. Nothing would be free, nothing would be easy, only the strong would survive, by using the weak. 
 
 They had all laughed. They had all sneered, and joked. Now they were dead. It was his turn, the delusional prepper. 
 
 As the world burned, he began to laugh.
