The Light in The Darkness

Five years...it had been five years since our lives had become hell in our quadrant. In the year 2035 the U.S government had decided to separate the states into different quadrants as a way to maintain some semblance of order and keep the quickly depleting resources from drying up. As more time went on, the government realized that even separating the quadrants would not help the country and came to the conclusion that some quadrants had to be sacrificed as to allow the country to fully heal and advance. California, being a highly populated quadrant, was one of the first to be abandoned.

After just one very short year of relative peace, the people had decided to band together and form their own separate factions within the quadrant. Some factions decided to try and save the quadrant by helping each other, while others took it upon themselves to help only themselves.

I had sadly learned the importance of carrying a fire arm with you at all times. As I reloaded my pistol that was always by my side for self defense, I looked at the ruined cities that used to be California and saw how far people had gone to ransack homes and businesses to try and find any food and medicine. With me I carried very few items but all with importance in an age where survival meant knowing what to carry and what was deemed unnecessary.

The only item I carry that would be considered unnecessary would be my locket. A locket given to me by my husband for our one year anniversary with a photo of myself and my husband. In the photo was my husband with his tan skin and his kind brown eyes along side him, I stood in a warm embrace with my golden hair hanging in my ponytail when I had decided to dress up for our important anniversary. The locket was a simple heart shaped piece with a golden color to it, my husband said that it was to show that my heart was pure gold to him and that our relationship was a true treasure. The locket and my memories of him were the only things that pushed me onward in these hellish times.

As I was getting ready to leave towards my next destination I heard a rustling sound in the bushes behind me. I pointed my pistol towards the trees and yelled out "come out with your hands in the air and I might not shoot you" "please wait, I don't want to cause any trouble" said someone that sounded like a man in his thirties. As the man into view he appeared to be a man in his early thirties with light brown hair and chocolate colored eyes that appeared very tired. "Who are you?" "My name is James and I don't want to cause you any trouble, please, I'm only asking for some help" "what kind of help?" "If you have any medicine that you could spare I could trade it for some of our spare food" "what kind of medicine, you should know that any kind is very difficult and rare to come across" said the woman.

"I'm aware but still please, I'm begging you. It's to help my son, he's been injured and needs the medicine" said James. "Bring him to me, I want to examine him" "not a problem I can do that" he said as he ran back into the bushes. A few minutes later James returned carrying a small boy that appeared to be about seven years old with the same features as James albeit with his eyes appearing to be less sleep deprived. "This is my son, Rudy, please if you can help him I'm begging you, please help him" "I'll see what I can do" she said as she approached James and Rudy cautiously. The woman began to look over Rudy to see what had happened to the small boy, even the smallest of children weren't spared from the hell that the quadrant of California had become.

"It looks like his leg is just twisted, it's not too bad so it should be fine as long as he's off of the foot and takes some pain killers" "are you sure? That's all that it is, just a small twist?" "Of course I'm sure, before all hell broke loose I was a nurse at a large hospital, so I'm sure hoping I know what I'm talking about" said the woman. "Who exactly are you?" "I just told you, I used to be a nurse" "no I meant your name? What's your name?" "Oh you're right I didn't introduce myself, my name is Rebecca Garcia" "I'm grateful for you Rebecca, I was so worried that my son had something that we would need some type of machine to fix" said James with a relief. "It's nothing that serious, just a simple brace for a week or two and he'll be fine to keep going. In the meantime remember to have him keep off of his foot and keep that brace on him" said Rebecca as she started to grab some sticks that were lying around along with a medicinal tape and pain killers that she carried in her backpack.

"Now that I've held up my end of the bargain I expect the same of you, any food that you've got to spare I'll take" she said "of course, not a problem" said James as he took out packets of dried meat and fruits. "This'll do, I appreciate it" "it's the least I could do after you helped me with my son" "there's a town not too far from here, you'll be able to take refuge there" "wait there is?" "If you head out now and keep heading west you'll reach it before the sun goes down." "If you don’t mind me asking you Rebecca, why are you telling us about that town. Not many people nowadays would help us by telling us about it” “well it’s simple, even tho now people will fight like savages to try and survive for their own future, there was a time when myself and a lot of other people were trying to do all we can to help people out. Think of it as me trying to keep my oath as a nurse and trying to keep a promise to my husband” said Rebecca as she gathered her things.

“As fun as this has been I’ll be on my way now, I have to keep moving if I want to try and survive” she said. “We’ll I hope that you can continue and survive and hopefully we’ll meet up again one day Rebecca” said James extending his hand out to shake it. “I do too, I’m sure that next time your son will be well enough so we can talk” she said taking the hand.

As James and Rudy wondered off towards the refugee camp Rebecca couldn’t help but reminisce about her time with her husband and think aloud. “In this day and age people will try and kill each other over any amount of medicine and food, but there are still people who can see the value of helping each other out. Those people are honestly the light in this darkness.