World War Three ravaged the continents, leaving nothing more than wasteland and death. Those who survived found themselves struggling to find food or water, creating a famine that swept throughout what remained of the world. The food that was left had been hardened into a brick-like substance that humans couldn’t digest. Some found a way around the struggle, learning to break down what they were eating with technology. Others, however, weren’t so lucky. Without the materials needed to create these machines, those who weren’t as fortunate began to see a change in their bodies. In the early days of it, the only difference was how it had become easier to digest their food. But as time wore on, the changes became much more noticeable. One baby was born with strange blue stripes lining his skin, and another had hair the shade of deep purple. These children were acidic to the touch, burning people without the same mutations they were afflicted with. While this helped the children eat and kept them safe from harmful pollutants in the air, many saw it as an abomination from God. And, as history goes, those who were different weren’t left free. 

The ground crunched beneath Kara’s feet, the trinitite giving way to soil, or what was left of it. While there had once been a burnt smell in the air, it had long since been blown away by the wind, leaving only a slight hint of chemicals in its wake. A feeling of dread permitted the atmosphere, slowly consuming each and every person’s thoughts, leaving behind an all-consuming feeling of pure terror. The area around them was mostly flat, save for a few mounds that disrupted the plane. No one had dared to settle down here, not even the mutated. Kara had heard the stories, seen the people affected. This place was the burying ground of more than she could count, whether it be from the initial blast or the effects that followed. Despite the century and a half between when the nuke had first dropped and now, the area still wasn’t safe. Knowing how dangerous it was, how with each step she took she got closer to her own death, left her face drawn and her steps reluctant. The shackles binding her weighed heavier than ever as she and her people marched to their doom. 

Someone behind her poked her back, making her jump. With a quick turn of her head, she saw Casey’s concerned eyes staring back at her. His hair was tangled; its typically purple hue turned nearly black with grime. His once-glowing skin seemed even paler than usual. The patterns of blue and purple that circled his arms before going behind his shirt nearly faded completely. His next words were whispered, just loud enough for Kara to hear. 

“Are you okay? You keep on slowing down.” 

 Kara shook her head, trying to clear out the fog that had infiltrated it. Her response came a few seconds later, equally as hushed. 

 “I’m fine, just tired.”

 A distant yell cut off any further conversation, prompting Kara to turn back around and continue moving.  

The shuffling of feet and the occasional wail of despair were all that could be heard. It hadn’t always been this way. Back when she was a child, Kara and her family lived as good of a life as they could after the war. They had a nice house and plenty of food, unlike some. Her parents had good jobs, and she and Casey were in their second year of high school, both top of their class.  

Then the year came that their lives were stolen from them and given to others who said they were superior. Following that, Kara’s parents were fired from their jobs, and eventually they were all taken from the streets and chained together, forced to work. The family had been separated a long time ago, leaving Kara and her brother to fend for themselves. After all the abuse they had gone through, they were now being taken to Ground Zero, likely to die. 

The person moving in front of Kara abruptly stopped, causing her to bump into them. She cursed lowly, stumbling back. Casey quickly grabbed her arm to steady her, and they both looked above the crowd to see what was wrong. In the distance a man had broken out of his shackles, and he was in the process of tackling a guard. People began to cheer, unrest sweeping the procession. Kara just watched in amazement at the man who had now taken down three guards. Hope fluttered in her chest, the feeling foreign. Then, just as soon as it began, it ended. 

 A single gunshot tore through the noise, followed by three more. Silence fell over the crowd as a guard lowered his gun; his face obscured by the suit he was wearing to keep their acidic skin from burning him. Somewhere in the crowd, a child started to cry. No one said a word. 

“If any of you try something like that again, we’ll fire at all of you. Understand?” 

Kara slouched back down. The burning feeling of hope dampened, leaving despair in its wake. The line began to move again, this time slower than before.  

Time droned on, the sun setting into darkness. The air became thick as the wind blew harshly, chilling everyone to the bone. Casey had long since given Kara his hoodie, yet even with it on, she was still shivering violently. She knew they were nearing their destination since a metallic scent had started invading her nostrils. The guards had started to lag back, letting everyone else move forward alone, as the guards weren’t as resistant to the atomic residue as they were. The line was going so slowly it almost seemed like there was no movement at all. Parents had taken to carrying their children to allow them to sleep, if only for a moment. Kara herself felt dead on her feet. 

The guards abruptly yelled for a halt, stopping all movements. One raised his voice so that all could hear him. 

“We have just been informed that four chosen people will be taken back to the capital.” 

Murmurs ran through the crowd, some excited and some nervous. Kara simply shook her head. She didn’t want to dream that they would choose her. 

“We were given the following names. Emanual Ika,” 

A boy was pushed forward, looking to be around Kara’s age. He seemed angry, as if he didn’t want to be chosen. 

“Leslie Pandu,” 

A girl came to stand next to the boy, an excited gleam in her eyes. 

“Johnathan Boskey,” 

Another boy walked forward, slouching. 

Casey took Kara’s hand and squeezed, hope gleaming in his eyes. She squeezed back once before turning back towards the guard. 

“And finally, Kara Randolf.” 

Kara mind went blank. They had actually chosen her. Why?  

Casey was smiling as he hugged his sister, whispering in her ear. 

“Be careful Kara, okay? I love you.” 

He then nudged her to the other three who were in the process of getting their shackles unlocked. None of them spoke to each other as they were walked away from the procession that had started moving again. Kara took one look back to her brother, tears springing to her eyes as she was ushered into a car and driven away from the hell that was Ground Zero.