[ WP ] A mountaintop city resides in an otherwise featureless sea of clouds . Every evening at sunset , the city seals itself off from the outside world until morning . Your main character is stuck outside one night when the doors close .

We where dropping loot packs trying to pick up speed. The rusted out city gates where slowly closing to the sound of engines running. The outpost guards pointed at us making bets on if we would make it or not. Tony was ahead throwing down a duffle bag full of books. The gate was feet from sealing off for the night and we all picked up the pace. Tony jumped forward trying to make it in. His foot got caught on a stray reinforcement pole and was slowly crushed. An agonizing scream filled the air making even the guards flinch. We stood defeated staring at the mess of garage door, pipes, barbed wire, and stop signs. Tonys foot was still hanging out and we could hear the doc running out surely ready to amputate. He was the lucky one, id trade in both arms to be inside camp. I turned around looking at the rest of my group. Amy putting up her hooding obviously hiding tears. Zip punching the ground shouting to himself. Finally there was Dave who stood silently who seemingly dared the dangers to come at him. The clouds went out for miles covering up the rest of the mountain. We knew what would happen if we waited in view of the guards. 
 
 `` We have to go back down'' i said to everyone. 
 
 `` Fuck you'' Zip yelled out. 
 
 `` You know what will happen'' Amy sobbed. 
 
 `` We can take it, we have weapons for a reason.'' I said pointing to Amy's rifle and then Zip's AR. 
 
 `` He is right'' Dave said to no one in particular. 
 
 `` Fine... but you lead'' Zip said. 
 
 `` Lets go'' i said. 
 
 We descended downwards through the ocean of clouds. It got darker by the minute and morale was at an all time low, well incept for Dave of course. We had reached what most in camp called `` the Shit Show''. It was a popular bandit market where all were welcome but never safe. Kidnappings, drug deals, shootouts where all expected in the small shanty town. Our party walked through the roads not making eye contact with any of the criminals. We all wore ragged clothes and carried weapons so no one drew to much attention. I walked over to a weapons merchant knowing we would need some bigger guns if we where to make it to a different town. 
 
 `` Watcha need hot shot?'' The old man said showing off his arsenal. 
 
 I pointed towards the black sawed off shotgun with four barrels, two of which seemed rusted and bolted on. 
 
 `` It'll turn anything into a nice red slush'' he said smiling as he put it on the counter `` anything else?'' 
 
 Amy walked up and began to look through the bucket he had filled with ammo. She places ten bullets on the table each with a different colored skull sharpies on the side. 
 
 `` each color shows the effect, i wont bore you by getting all technical but just remember the darker the color the more dead your targets gon na be'' he said taking a drag from a cigarette. 
 
 `` The bunker buster grenade, two of them'' Dave said coldly. 
 
 `` Well this will be one helluva payday for me'' the merchant said happily `` how ya wan na pay?'' 
 
 I heaved the duffle bag of books onto the counter and waited for a response. The cigarette in his mouth dropped to the steel counter. His apprentice took a few steps back. 
 
 `` How'' he said looking up at us. 
 
 `` Were scrappers, found a school a few miles out from here. Are you gon na take em or no?'' I asked. 
 
 `` Ye-yeah yeah, and come back here if you get any more'' he said grabbing the duffle bag looking around nervously. 
 
 We grabbed our new gear and began to walk out towards the next city when they attacked. A armored car slammed into the makeshift booze fountain in the center of town. A mounted LMG began releasing fire upon the civilians of the Shit Show. Well armed militia men exited the vehicle wielding flamethrowers. Shop owners and bandits alike fired furiously at the invaders to no avail. Amy shoved a red skull bullet into her rifle and took aim at the car. A deafening shot louder than all the screams and gunfire caught everyone's attention. The bullet flew through the air peircing the cars front hood. A fire rose from the hole and the townspeople saw it as a chance. The man firing the LMG attempted to jump out but was to late as a fire ball consumed him and the car. I bolted towards one of the flamethrowers pumping my newly acquired shotgun. He spun around to face me and was about to release hell and then, pop. A brown haired man wearing a scarred ancient US military helmet and a black shiny suit walked up. He was holding a snub nosed revolver with a smiley face sticker on the polished wood handle. I aimed the shotgun at his chest and he remained their unflinching. His gun was still pointed at where the mercenary just stood. 
 
 `` Whats a nice little civilian like yourself doing out here fighting against the big boys?'' he asked with a southern accent. 
 
 `` Im no civ you maniac'' i said thrusting my shotgun forward. 
 
 I noticed that the shooting had stopped. His men stopped where they where as if they had been paused mid rampage. The shop owners and bandits stared at me with awe. 
 
 `` A maniac you say? No no no no young man a maniac would use a weapon like this'' he said shoving his gun in his suit and pulling out a rusted machete with un readable scribbles on the side. 
 
 With lighting fast movement he had the tip of the blade at my throat. My gun was still pointed directly at his perfectly done purple tie. Shop keepers gasped. Bandits laughed. 
 
 `` You appear to have more courage than intellect'' he said smirking. 
 
 `` Shut the hell up you-'' was all i could get out before Zip threw a knife. 
 
 `` I got you'' Zip yelled bravely. 
 
 The man caught the knife by the blade between his fingers using it as a distraction as used the machete to push my shotgun aside. A stabbing pain hit me in the collarbone and i fell on my side feeling warm blood drip down on my neck. The shootout resumed and so did the screams. 
 
 `` Take the knife thrower with us, burn it to the ground, loot what you can and come back to camp'' the southerner said walking back. 
 
 All i could see where the legs of those around me. The black shining dress pants of the leader walking to a truck. Zips boots as he was dragged towards the same car. Dave's military pants as he dragged me into a concrete bunker. Then blackness as i fell asleep on the hard cold floor. 
 
 I looked around only to realize where i was. I was underwater, but breathing. I began to get up feeling my collarbone, there was n't even a scratch there. Looking back ahead i saw Tony with both feet walking towards me. For once he seemed calm and collected walking with confidence. His white t shirt was perfectly cleaned as he spread his arms out to greet me. I tried to say hello but water filled my lungs silencing me. I fell to my knees trying to get a breath as Tony laughed at me. He unholstered a snub nosed revolver and quickly put it towards my head. I looked up feeling my lungs burning into the eyes of a scratched up smily face sticker. I heard the click of the trigger. A deafening shot awoke me. I shot up and immediately felt the stinging in my collarbone again. Amy was at the door way firing at unseen soldiers surly advancing on our position. 
 
 `` we have to leave'' Dave said `` can you walk?'' 
 
 `` Yeah yeah lets go'' i said feeling the wrapping around my injury. 

