The Flash and the Locket

The Flash and the Locket Mark A Noble

The Sun, yes, it's good to feel the Sun again, now that we are in the After. We are almost through the hard part. No Food...Little Water...Bad Air... but that is not the worst of it. The Flash...it causes great damage to our sight. Seems like the only ones left that can make out this world really don't want to. Why would they want to see what we have become? Me...I'm OK with it...hit reset...slow down...time out for Humanity. Now it's the little things...things we used to take for granted...as we moved through life. Not me, I'm not getting caught up in that way of life...more more more...and it's not enough...it's never enough.

Oh...sorry you're very young...maybe you don't know what the Flash was. No, not a Bomb, although it was that Bright. They say it came from another Dimension. All we really know is things got to where we could see, a lot of people could see it all. They were the first group to fall into decay...just math...no vision...no help...and it really didn't take long. Famine!

That's when I found it...The Locket. I had been out all morning...just doing my routine, looking for water, a scrap of something to eat or wear or...well, anything of value really. It was about 1,000 yards out...just a glimmer. As I moved through the rubble...closer and closer...I realised...

I was not alone...I couldn't see anyone but that feeling was there...like the chill you get when you know something that would rip you to pieces has targeted you. We call them ''Grinds."

It wasn't worth the risk. I memorized the location for future, quick retrieval and disappeared into the shadows like a shadow caught in the rain.

Funny, as humans we really are great at adapting . Climate, location, population large or small number...we figured it all out. But one thing we never got was the ability to change our primal instincts...''curiosity'' is an ancient bitch. I weighed the risk and anted the price. Crack Of Dawn and I was near the mystery item and ready for a quick and silent extraction. Just one problem, on the other side of the field was a pair of eyes looking right at me...then the...well, whatever it was...I knew I had to go now or watch whatever it was disappear. Fine... step up or step back. I'm good...go for it...

It was like we were a mirror of each other...moving, watching out, getting closer to the thing and each other at the same time. I made it there first. What was this strange shiny object...they used to call them hearts...yeah, a heart as jewelry...a locket heart with a picture inside. I pushed the latch and there she was...the most beautiful vision I had ever seen. As I scanned the picture I was transported back to everything before, a world where I might have known her, met her, loved her...but that was long ago. I looked up and realized...there ''she'' was. ''That's mine...give it to me,'' but we had more pressing problems. A Grind...

In the ''After'' all bets are off...no society exists. Survival is the only rule. The Grind is part human, part cannibal, a max predator. They say you can hear them grinding your bones as they eat you. I'm not finding out...I didn't have to outrun the grind...I had to outrun her. As I broke from the clearing I felt this whisper fly by...damn it...she was fast. Okay, Plan B...I only had one shot left...so I took it...and when it cleared the grind was down. Okay, meat's back on the menu...no just joking...it's a line from an old movie. Anyway, she came out and looked me up and down...I truly believe she was surprised that I was still breathing. ''Give me the Locket." ''No, you owe me for running past me.'' ''Well, you need to be faster.'' ''I'm still alive...guess I'm not a complete loser. ''

''Okay, let's talk trade.'' ''I haven't been with a female for a long time.'' ''No chance of that buddy!'' ''No no no, that is not what I'm talking about...I meant there is something I can't do alone.'' ''Again, no chance bud.'' "Please just hear me out. There is a place...it has great treasure in it...but it can only be accessed by both a man and a woman....food and water. It's amazing, but it's guarded by a computer." ''No way, they're all gone.'' "No, I'm serious." ''Okay, give me the Locket and I'll think about it.''

I flipped the Locket to her...she turned to run... but there it was...curiosity'..ha ha. We made it to the spot where we could finally escape this insane world. The DNA reader opened a small door and we squeezed through. The other side was so amazing...it was this beautiful Garden. "What's your name?" I asked. She said, ''Whatever you want it to be.''