In the depths of the land known as Eden, humanity's last refuge, awaits a mazelike city filled with dirty and unmaintained buildings. Inside those maze-like streets lays a rundown government building with a line stretching blocks long, if the city’s structure could even be described with blocks. Although the rations are few as the officials are clearly underfunded, the people are many. This leads to the currently unfolding situation, as tension in the air could be cut with a knife, and more and more malnourished people add to the line, a person throws a rock, then another follows suit, and soon part of the town is ablaze.
Through but a few mere walls in the center of the city lies a section of this city embalmed in glistening white pristine buildings. In one of these buildings, a group of people tinkers and adjusts a complex device. After completing their preparations they exit the room and enter another filled with measuring equipment, its wall a sterile white with one glass window that peers into the room they left. In the center of the testing chamber lies an ovoid capsule around 9 feet in height, with two pillars a few feet away parallel to it.
A man steps forward to a control console, and after looking at his watch, "Test 9548 authorized, begin in 3.. 2.. 1.. Start."
Another person steps forward and presses a series of buttons on the console. Soon after, the two pillars start with a whir and spin around the capsule, steadily gaining speed. Soon the pillars have gained significant speed and electricity begins to arc between the pillars and the capsule. Earsplitting crackling occurs as the electricity gets to a blinding level. Suddenly the city undergoes a blackout as the two pillars reach a stable speed, and but a few moments later begin to slow to a stop.
The man from before forms a smile and proclaims with joy, "Test 9548, success, Project Seeding confirmed."
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As Sophie retraced her way out of the city. She had to avoid the supermarket as she heard a few too many crunching noises coming from within. After a minor detour, she stepped back into the dunes and started towards a nearby market.
She had a long walk ahead of her, it was about a half days journey to the market but she may have to head to another after she got there as her current location was a rather remote location within the borderlands, where the human presence was not very significant.
Sophie's current location was in the far north of the borderlands but still a safe distance from the true wastelands beyond the borderlands that few dared to tread. Typically in the borderlands, the further west you went, the more people and oases you could find. Eventually, it stopped being the borderlands and became the land known as "Eden". Eden got its name from being the last known truly habitable zone for mankind.
If Sophie wanted to travel into Eden she would have to travel for a few weeks, as well finding a way to travel through the border built by the powers inhabiting Eden. It was notoriously hard to pass the border and it was strictly controlled. Even within Eden resources weren't plentiful compared to before the resource wars, and this contributed to the reluctance to let people through. And of course greed.
Sophie made her way to the market without incident, and with her quick pace managed to make it there as night was falling. The town ahead had less than thirty buildings and a market that was currently closed. Many towns like this centered on a market and inn where wanders, scavengers, and the like could stay in and trade without having to travel too far from ruins. Towns like these typically only had a few actual residents, the rest were going through or merchants trying to buy scavenged goods for cheaper, like a convenience store, but for selling things. This town in particular had a large old brick home that was kept in relatively good condition that acted as an inn. Sophie jogged up to the inn and entered.
Inside the inn was a tall room, dimly lit by a handful of candles made from lower-tier mutant fat. On the other side of the room behind a wooden counter was an old man fallen asleep in his chair. He almost seemed dead, if it wasn't for the loud snoring sounding out from him. On the left and right were doors leading to other areas of the house and directly to the left of the counter was a staircase that led to the second floor with a balcony overlooking the entrance.
Sophie walked up to the desk and rang the bell on top of it. Upon pressing the button, nothing happened as the bell was broken. Frowning Sophie lightly grabbed the man's shoulder and shook him a little. Blinking awake, he rubbed his eyes without an ounce of hurry and noticed Sophie waiting there.
"Oh, hey there.. you’re a customer right? I assume you'd like a room? 5 coppers per night, 5 coppers per meal." He said in an uninterested tone.
After a bit of shuffling, Sophie pulled out 5 small coins brown coins and handed them over.
The innkeeper took the money and after opening a drawer, dropping the coins in, and closing it asked, "Any room, in particular, you'd like?"
"..." Sophie blankly looked at him without saying a word.
The innkeeper stared for a moment before leaning down to grab a key and handing it over. "Alright then, up the stairs 2nd room on the left." he simply stated before leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.
Sophie didn’t need to be told twice, taking the keys she went up the stairs into her room. Locking the door she paused for a moment before taking the room's chair and putting it against the door as well. Looking around the room there was a bed with the bare essentials, a small table without a chair, and a single candle atop the table. Sophie put her bag beside the bed and laid down on the bed. The bed felt nearly no different from laying on a wooden board and the blanket was practically see-through. Despite the shortcomings, this inn was pretty good for being so far out in the borderlands. Sophie closed her eyes and shortly fell asleep.
An interesting story shame that it is kinda dead...
I might get around to updating it sometime, but school takes up a bunch of time. And I actually got to get myself to do it.