The Locket

As he stared out across the remnants of the city, the wind swept through the derelict monoliths of days gone by. They reached ever upward, even as nature sought to reclaim what was once her own. The buildings screamed silently, unlike the wind that passed around their forms. An everlasting monument to mankind’s hubris. Even in death they stood as a perverse mockery of what once was. This place was now a grave and he had no business paying any respects to whatever inhabitants may have lingered there.

His journey had been an arduous one. Life completely changed the day the bombs fell. Civilization as everyone knew it was dissolved as quickly as one would discard the ash off a cigarette. There was no stable way to get food or water. No way to easily communicate and to know what was going on in other parts of the world. Everyone reverted and started to fend for themselves. The only person he was able to rely on was her; until recently.

They had been able to avoid the groups of raiders by hiding out in an abandoned mining shaft. It was a place that was nestled up in the mountains away from everyone else. Both of them lost count on how many days were spent there in solitude. The only inclination of the passage of time was the changing of seasons. Even then, they did not pay too close of attention to this. The landscape and weather had changed too much for them to notice.

Plants that were native to the region had become sparse. Animals became sick and died. Leaving behind nothing to scavenge but flesh and bone. Coming across clean water was an impossible task. Everything had become irradiated and simply drinking any source of water made the consumer ripe with sickness.

In the end it was too much of a burden for both to bear. With the malnutrition ravaging their bodies, it was only a matter of time before one of them succumbed to their condition. Plasticity was not enough to save them. As he cradled her in his arms before she died, she whispered something to him.

“Go home and get it, please. For me” She whispered as she smiled weakly.

With tears welling up in his eyes he nodded and softly replied “I will. Anything for you. Now, rest.”

Those were the last words he had spoken to his wife. They reverberated throughout his mind, body and soul. It had become a plague upon him. One that followed him through his dreams. If anything was the hardest part of his journey, it was the lack of rest that he had been getting. Every waking moment was spent in this dystopian nightmare. Sleep no longer brought release or comfort.

He awoke to the sun peering through the myriad of yellow and green skies. It reminded him of the sickness he carried inside. Mentally and physically. He was aware that if he didn’t play his hand right, he wouldn’t make it home. His body was frail from grief, and lack of resources. The restless nights weren’t giving him any catharsis either.

As he lay in the darkness beneath a makeshift shelter, he heard packs of wolves and other animals in the distance. Life continued on regardless of the way it had changed for him. He pulled up on the blanket he had to ward off the chill of the night. Whatever lurked in the darkness could stay there. He had no inclination of finding out what it was.

When he awoke he packed up what little belongings he had scavenged before continuing his journey. For the most part, he avoided the main roads. Vehicles sat abandoned along them. Adorning them like insects stuck to fly paper. Seldomly he would take the chance to see if he could find anything useful from them. Before making his way towards a group of cars, he sat and waited. He didn’t want to act too hastily and make a mistake. After what seemed like forever passed by, he finally made his move.

Leaves crunched under his feet as he crouched around the cars. He wiped sweat from his brow as the cool air offered a reprieve. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he moved onward. He remained vigilant as he found a few canned goods and some small materials, such as rope, a multi tool and a first aid kit. When he was about to approach another car, he heard a noise from the tree line.

Freezing where he stood, he didn’t dare to make a move. Whether it was wildlife or something else, he avoided making any quick movements. It wasn’t until a few seconds later that he heard voices and his heart sank into his chest. This was the last thing he had wanted to encounter. Paranoia began to run rampantly throughout his mind as he envisioned the multitude of scenarios that could play out. Once he collected himself, he slowly crouched down and tried to assess the situation further.

The cries of elk could be heard close by, and their footsteps began getting closer. Is this a hunting party, or are they looking for something else? He shook his head and licked his lips as he tried to formulate a way to get out of there. A step was taken that would prove to be a disastrous one. Once he moved, one of the cans he had retrieved fell out of his rucksack and hit the pavement. The resounding thud and metal rolling on the pavement echoed through the still forest.

Shouts from the unseen group could be heard, but it was already too late. He was running full pace away from them. His intuition seemed to pay off, because the next thing he knew gunshots were ringing out behind him. Bullets whizzed past and struck the trees and vehicles around him. Glass exploded and shattered, adding to the frenzy of the cacophony. He stayed low and weaved between the vehicles as he tried to get away. Only stopping momentarily to gauge what was going on and to catch his breath.

A clearing to his right caught his eye. He picked up a stone and waited to cast it. Once the moment was right, he threw it with all the might his frail body had. Some of the pursuers called out to one another and started heading that direction. Breaking off to the left, he made an escape away from the group. Only one of them saw the figure dart out before him before giving chase.

Running through the forest wasn’t an easy task. Craters lined the hillside and there were strips of land that had little to no foliage at all. Yet he continued to press on. No other options laid before him. He had to return home and get what she asked of him. Even if it meant trading his final breath to do so.

The exact moment he leaped over a crater; another shot rang out. A bullet grazed his leg. This caused him to roll when he landed. Tucking in his arms, he tired to break the fall as much as he could. Unfortunately for him, he began to tumble downhill. Earth merged with the sky and back with the earth again. Head over heels, he tumbled downward. Until he met an abrupt end.

The air was knocked out from him, and he made a pitiful, gasping sound as he attempted to breathe in. Any attempt to stand was met with failure. His equilibrium was far too battered to make a recovery just yet. There was only one thing that centered his attention and that was the low growl he heard emanate from behind him. This one thing kicked his survival instincts into overdrive.

Immediately he stood up and turned around. If the fall did not knock all the air out of him. The sight that was before him made sure of it. Before him was a bear cub. Emerging from the dark den in the hillside was a mother bear. The only thing he could think to do, was slowly reach around into his bag and reach for some food he managed to grab.

He slowly tossed it in front of the approaching bear and backed away slowly. The bear sniffed the food yet returned its feral gaze to the intruder. Slowly tossing another piece of food and her, he backed up even more. This time she did stop and begin to eat what lay before her. Turning around he made as much distance as he could before he slipped and rolled down the hillside some more.

When he managed to stop himself, he stood up as quickly as he could and kept moving. He kept running until there was nothing but darkness around him. Only then did he stop to tend to his wounds. After patching himself up as best as he could, exhaustion laid claim to him. Upon waking, he recognized where he was. He was nearly home.

Making the last leg of the journey, the sun rose again as he entered the field before his homestead. A smile flashed across his face when he laid eyes on his old home. The door was ajar as he walked up to it. It let out a slow and resounding creak as it opened. Walking through the rooms, it was evident there had been looting. Observing the wreckage, memories played back through his mind. Better days and better times once played out here, but no longer. The happiness faded and peeled away like the wallpaper that once was.

Collecting himself he went up into their old bedroom and pried up one of the floorboards. He reached inside and pulled out a small box that was wrapped in a white cloth. Dusting off the cloth, he opened the box and was relieved to see that it was still there. He fulfilled his promise. Everything that transpired hit him like a train in that moment. He let out a cry that pierced through the roof and reached the heavens. Quiet sobs were the only sound the walls heard now.

Perching himself up against the wall, he clasped the object in his hand. Once he was calm, he opened his hand. What he held was a heart shaped locket. After all this time, it was still in the same condition. The immaculate memento was a testament to joy he once felt. The happiness he once shared here with the love of his life. It was a reminder to the better days that he could remember. Albeit ones that he would never get back.

Opening the locket, he looked on the image of him and his wife on their wedding day. He forgot what the photo had looked like. Seeing it once again brought tears to his eyes. They were not tears of sorrow. This time around, they were tears of joy. Catharsis had finally found him once again. Closing the locket, he hung it around his neck. Closing his eyes, he let the wave of happiness come over him. I did it. I made it home. I got it. Just like you asked. I hope that you know this. I hope you are watching over me.

He would try to rebuild here. The locket reminded him of the hope he once had towards the future. While he did not have much and the world had crumpled down around him. With renewed willpower he felt the strength to face a new day. Hope no longer felt hollow or carry an empty meaning. The locket that now hung next to his heart withstood the trial of time. He vowed to make sure he would do the same.