Young Writers Society

Alexander

I was surprised at how well spoken she was for only barely being eighteen. She looked away from her peaches for a moment, stared off into the distance.

"D'you think anyone else is on our side? Or do you think they all work for the Harrison man. The savage side? They scare me a little--well a lot."

This talk about savages... was getting to me. I had to be careful not to let it slip, especially since they bothered her so.

"I figure there must be more people on our side. And don't let them scare you. Most of them are just poorly trained idiots with a weapon they barely know how to use."

I scooped out another slice of peach and gulped it down, giving me a second to figure out how to change the topic.

"But anyway. Your name... Rampion. What's it even from or whatever?"

Kelli
As I rounded the corner I was met by the sight of two strangers. Pulling out the sword I had stolen from my father's study I advanced closer, eager to hear what they were saying.
The had not spotted me yet, and I wasn't eager for them to do so. I shrank back into to the shadows as I approached.
"Apples, lettuce, nuts.. No meat. We'll have to hunt a deer or a boar." A young girl was reading off the back of a bag. The man wrinkled his nose.
He looked quite young, but the dirt and frown on his face seemed to age him. As for the girl, she looked innocent enough. Should I go up and introduce myself?
It was at that point I noticed a body on the ground. This, of course was not unusual, but she didn't look as though she had been plagued by the virus. In fact, she looked perfectly healthy aside from being knocked out. What were they doing with her?
Almost in answer to my question one of them picked up the girl and they headed through some doors. Well, I thought, it was now or never. And I began to follow.

Rampion

"But anyway. Your name... Rampion. What's it even from or whatever?" He finishes assuring me that the savages are nothing to worry about, and I am sure they aren't when you have a gun. But when all you have is a stupid cast-iron frying pan they still seemed, frightening. And now we were moving on to my name. Always the first question or remark when I met new people. Those few times I had met new people. I laughed a little.

"My parents, like I said, they were English majors. And Rapunzel was their favorite fairy tale. They both adored the brothers Grimm. And so when they had their only kid they wanted a name from the book. And since apparently Rapunzel is too ridiculous for them they chose...Rampion. Which is what they call Rapunzel in Germany." I talked fast, probably a little too fast. But the story was well rehearsed. They had told it to me fondly many times. I rolled my eyes inwardly.

Finishing the peaches I placed them and the spoon gingerly down on the floor by the leg of my chair. I traced the dents and the rim of the frying pan with my index finger and chewed on my bottom lip. A habit my father had hated but he never could make me stop.

"What do you do up here? Wait for other people?" I asked suddenly, looking at him closely.

Harrison

We entered the suit in the hotel and I left the door open, no one was robbing any one, I was armed and there was nothing worth stealing anyway. Except for the food. I smirked.

Just then I thought I heard something in the hall, a footstep? A creak in the floor? Maybe it was just the old building settling and moaning. Lord knew most of the buildings around here did. But it always paid to be certain.

"Hello? If there is a person out there it is completely unnecessary to hide. As I will find you and there is nothing to be afraid of." I said loudly, the girl, April, looked at my with an eyebrow raised and I placed the still lip body of the semi-Ferrel girl on a nearby couch.

I walked out into the hall and placed a hand over the pistol in my jacket. Taking off my hat and letting it hang from my hand at my side.

"Please. Join us." I said simply laughing at how formidable I was speaking. As if I were a real aristocrat. And I would be soon enough. If enough people would form a society around me.

Alexander

So it meant Rapunzel. Explained the hair. She set the can of peaches on the floor and spun around, looking at me.

""What do you do up here? Wait for other people?"

I leaned back, drank the last of the syrup from the can, and then tossed it across the room into a hole I'd put in the wall to use as a trashcan.

"Whatever strikes me, really. Sometimes I just sit up here and think or clean my gun. I do have to go forage for food every few weeks though. Considering how few people are left in the world, there's an abundance of canned stuff. Just gotta know where to look is all."

I draped my arms across the back of my seat and crossed my right leg over my left.

"So after you left your old home... where exactly did you intend on going?"

Olivia Atkinson

I followed Rampion and the man close by. Apparently, Rampion is pretty much a real life version of Rapunzel, appearance and all. I nodded. That makes sense.

"I'm Olivia by the way," I piped in. They stopped for a minute. Oops. The man asked a question.

"Sorry for interrupting..." I trailed off.

"Alexander," he answered. I nodded.

"Alexander," I finished. I caught up to them and stood beside Rampion. Alexander sighed and turned to Rampion, and he started walking again.

"Where did you intend on going?" he repeated.

(I'm sorry I haven't been posting! School has brought me down. -.-)

Rampion

"So after you left your old home... where exactly did you intend on going?"

"Oh I don't know. I just wanted to get out of my house. For like, the first time ever." I pulled at a piece of hair hanging in my eyes and laughed. "I didn't want to be in the same house as my parents anymore. After they died."

Alexander nodded and I twirled around a bit. Slightly bored and slightly relieved to be off the street.

"Sorry for interrupting..." Chimed a voice behind me. I spun towards it. The girl. Olivia. I smiled after jumping a bit.

"Olivia! Nice to meet you." I said walking over to her from across the apartment and offering my hand. She took it slowly and I shook it a little. Still smiling. I walked back over towards the window and leaned on the still a little. I didn't think I could ever get used to the quiet.

At home, when I was younger, after my parents had gone to bed I would look out my window, open it even and listen to the yells and curses and laughs and horns from below me. I loved it and I loved the lights and the sounds at night. And now there was nothing, no lights, no yelling. I rubbed at my eyes and turned back towards the small company that had gathered.

We could probably build our own society. With enough people, start again. Away from here. Away from the nasty people that lived in the city, that had survived the plague but were just as evil as the virus that had destroyed most of America. I was sure there had to be more than the three of us.

Alexander

Olivia wandered into the apartment and Rampion strode over to the window and looked out across the city. MY eyes wandered about until I saw movement in the street below. S shushed the two women and crept slowly to the balcony. Out in the middle of the street were three deer. They sniffed around, looking for a spare blade of grass to eat. Slowly, I made my way to Sheila. I picked her up and then lifted up a seat cushion on the couch and pulled out my silencer I kept hidden for such an occasion. I quickly screwed it onto the barrel before flopping to my stomach and letting the barrel hang off the balcony. I breathed slowly before squeezing the trigger.

The round landed right where I wanted to, and the deer slumped over. As loud as the gunshot had been, I doubted anyone would be able to tell it was a gunshot. Silencers weren't quiet, but they certainly dropped the sound significantly. I slung Sheila across my back and addressed the two ladies.

"I'll be right back."

I pulled a long knife from under the couch and rappeled down the side of the building. Soon as I landed, I strutted across the asphalt to clean the deceased animal and carry the meat up to my apartment. Deer was tasty, I thought, and I'd seen some stuff that could get a decne tifre going... tonight I'd... well, we'd eat like post apocalyptic kings. And queens too, I guess. Whatever.