The sun bore down on Alex as she walked down the crumbling road. Wasteland stretched all around her in every direction save for one, straight ahead. Trees lie dead and decaying and vegetation was sparse if not entirely absent. The lonely expanse was welcoming, but frightening. Bandits were common and the law was dictated by the heavier armed. It was no place to be, and not a place she planned on being in any longer. 

A gust of wind kicked up sand and she used her hand to shield her eyes from the assault. The barrage caused her eyes to water forming tears that rolled down her dirty sunburnt face. When the gust finally would calm she cast her gaze forward. Finally, civilization came into view. Alexis could feel her spirits lift with each step. Tonight, at least, maybe she wouldn't be sleeping outside. 

The town was only a mile or so ahead, a mere hop, skip, and jump compared to how far she's walked thus far, but damn it seemed like so far. She was thirsty, more likely than not dehydrated. She looked down at herself as she walked. Her hoodie tied around her waist, her jeans and tanktop all dirty. Her once fair skin had since sunburned and now had a thin layer of sand from all the dust devils of the wasteland. She felt disgusting. 

Closer to the town she came to a large crumpling overpass. Most of it had long since fallen away, and what remained hardly reminded her of something structurally sound. Her biggest fear, was still bandits. She had a pistol, and had proved to be quite tenacious despite her small 5'2” frame. Years of farm work would do that to a body. Still, she knew she couldn't take someone on if a fight broke out, her best bet was the weapon and she knew it. 

Her body went on high alert as she approached the structure. Her eyes were keen and her ears sharp despite the throbbing of blood in her temples. Her heart was racing and adrenaline was already making its way into her veins. Then it happened. Her ear picked it up first. A footstep. She froze.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” 

She turned to see a large man emerge from one of the crevices of the overpass. 

“You lost little girl?”

She felt her heart sink as the adrenaline now filled her body. No time to think, no time to grab her weapon. She took off running towards town. She heard the metallic click of a weapon behind her with an order to freeze. Not a chance. She bolted with all she was worth. Pumping her arms for speed she felt fear envelope her. This was it, her worst fear realized... bandits. 

Still, her mind did not forsake her, she made a point to abruptly zig-zag as she ran. Then it happened....

Gunfire rang out behind her as the sound of whizzing metal zipped past her, some would even kick up the dirt around her. One she could swear she felt the wind off of. 

Yet, as quickly as the fire started, it stopped. Alexis, however, did not. All the way into the town she ran. Passing into the small jungle of buildings she finally stopped at the corner of a sidewalk along a crumbling street. Placing her arm against an old lamppost she gasped to catch her breath. She looked up at the buildings and people around her. A few strange stares, but most didn't seem to give a second glance. 

Her hair was now disheveled, her skin burnt and caked with sand, her stomach running on empty, but she was safe. For now.