Jane Pekin

Burning Red

The stupidity of humans fascinated Briar. With almost everybody else dead, she had time to ponder it. The cost of jealousy is not one to be overlooked. Briar was sifting through the old rubbish dump, trying to find anything she could sell to make a profit for her family, the putrid smell constantly wafting into her face. This activity had become a daily necessity, however, she just wished she could become accustomed to the smell, every day the smell seemed to get worse. As she rummaged, she saw a faint glow out of the corner of her eye. As she gazed upon the item, a scowl grew on her face. It was a locket. A fearful sight in these times. One single gold heart locket had meant the end for approximately 7 billion people.