Snippet #1626798

It’s a crazy ol’ world all right.

Y’know, ever since the machines went crazy, I’ve spent a lot of time in this village. I’ve seen people come and go, bringing ideas, wonders and even war. Some things I’d like to forget. Others leave their mark on your mind forever. But there was this one...

They turned up a few months ago, lookin’ for shelter. They’d been through the worst of this new world and were trying to settle somewhere. Turns out, they jumped ship a few weeks ago. But while they were here, I lis’ened to their story. Wrote down some o’ the hard bits. You heard of them bards from years ago, before the media? I’m gonna be one o’ them, and I’m gonna tell this story. Who knows, it may help someone someday.

Oh, look. You don’t want to hear me rattle on. Let me see, how did they start it?

It began shortly after the event. When the sky crackled and machines fell, they kept their little ol’ head and made it to one o’ them military compounds in the forests. By this point, command had broken down and many forces were out lootin’. But these were the good folks, the ones who hid off the beaten track. Four other civvies made it there too. They stuck round; lasted the winter doing stock and things. *Sigh*... that winter. Folks lucky like them were few and far between. But, then, not like there was much we could do.

Life went on for the compound. Inventories, charts, data, theories... they didn’t talk much about this time, mainly ‘cause o’ what happened next. You throw a stone now you’ll be lucky not to hit a bandit, or a raider, whatever you call ‘em. It was April the next year. Three jeeps turned up in the morning, when the guards were most tired. Overrun, they took anything they could. Mainly food, some medicine and weapons, women and children, whoever was useful. Trashin’ the place as they went. But them five, they all made it... right place, right time I guess. A quick look round confirmed what the lot of ‘em feared. They were gonna have to leave.

On their last day, they gathered round the main gate, the five-stories o’ concrete empty behind them. One o’ the first times they had all been alone together. I remember, they told me they had a few last words before they left...