#creative dystopia

[theussa]

Elias Petrova’s Presidency

2004: Elias is Boris's son, who followed in his footsteps becomes vice-president. Educated in both Soviet and American institutions, Elias was known for his strategic mind and political acumen. As President, he continued his father's legacy of centralization and state control, accelerating both.

Elias Petrova’s presidency built upon his father’s legacy by advancing the nation’s socialist framework while introducing his own reforms to address new challenges and opportunities. His administration was characterized by a focus on environmental sustainability, technological advancement, and international cooperation. Elias navigated complex geopolitical landscapes, responded effectively to natural disasters, and promoted cultural and educational reforms that reflected both socialist values and modern American identity. His leadership ensured the continued prominence and stability of the Soviet States of America on the global stage.

2009: Rising tensions with China over trade and territorial disputes lead to a brief military standoff. Elias’s diplomatic skills prevent escalation, resulting in the "Pacific Peace Accord" which fosters cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

2010: Elias signs the "Pan-American Socialist Defense Treaty" strengthening military and economic ties with Latin American socialist countries, ensuring mutual defense and cooperation.

2011: A severe tornado outbreak in the Midwest causes widespread destruction. Elias oversees the implementation of advanced early warning systems and improved infrastructure resilience programs.

That same year, Elias expands the "Unified Education System" to include vocational training and higher education programs focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), aligning the workforce with the nation’s technological and economic goals.

2012: Elias Petrova's policies lead to economic growth but at the cost of individual freedoms. The Petrova family cements its control over the political landscape through a combination of popular support and political manipulation.

Deployment of peacekeeping forces in the Middle East to stabilize the region and protect socialist-aligned governments from insurgencies. This move underscores Elias’ commitment to supporting global socialism and maintaining international stability.

2015: Establishment of the "Global Health Alliance" with several nations to address global health issues, such as manageable diseases and access to healthcare. This initiative emphasizes collaboration in medical research, vaccine development, and healthcare infrastructure.

2016: The discovery of vast untapped oil and natural gas reserves in the Arctic region around Alaska sparks intense international interest. With global energy demands rising, Canada lays competing claims over parts of the Arctic seabed, citing international maritime boundaries and historic exploration rights.Elias orders the deployment of the USSA’s Northern Fleet to secure the Alaskan coastline and assert control over the disputed waters. A standoff ensues between SSA and Russian naval forces.

2017: Facing the prospect of a prolonged and potentially devastating effects of the “Alaska Conflict”, international pressure mounts for a ceasefire. The United Nations intervenes, and a temporary truce is brokered.

2019: Elias Petrova announces his surprise retirement after his term is over. It would later be revealed to the public that Elias had become terminally ill, resulting in his death in 2022. His niece Elena Petrova, a young, charismatic woman is groomed to take over. The election is carefully orchestrated to ensure her victory in the coming year.

[damien-wolfram-art]

The Uchiha Clan leader's slow descent into madness

"I longed for The Flame- stared into it for so long that I became blind to how it wounded me. Now, I can hardly see, and the fire is consuming me."

This is a submission for, @hashimada-week

@anannua hint hint

[yl0w]

fanart of Atom Smasher!! (@captainhoers)

GO READ SUNJACKERS NAOW ITS GOOD ! 1!!

https://askthesunjackers.tumblr.com/

[whereserpentswalk]

You're the personal subject of a vampire. You have been since you were young. You were taken from human lands as a child, before you had any memories. Whoever your birth parents are they're not alive now.

Your only job is to give your vampire blood. Other than that you're almost entirely free. He takes blood around once a month, it hurts a bit but it's not like when other humans have it happen because you don't struggle. You're always a bit pale and weak, and you have trouble putting on weight, but you're mostly ok. He's always so nice to you, he pets your head, and let's you live in his castle, and buys you cute clothing and pretty things.

You know you're not undead like most people in the place you live. But you've been here so long you don't really think of yourself like the normal mortals undead kill. You don't scream or struggle, you don't speak a strange language or follow strange gods. You're technically below things like wraiths and ghouls and revenants when it comes to your rights, but your vampire is a lot richer than most of them so you're treated so much better. You even have some ghoul servants who take care of your needs.

You feel closest to other mortal subjects of vampires. Humans and orcs and dwarves and all sorts of mortal races who are in similar arrangements to you. But even amoung them you're pretty high status. You are allowed to walk around the city without an escort, and see all it's wonderful things on your own. Your vampire tells you nice things, and is so sweet to you.

A lot of the other subjects are hit or slapped or worse by their vampires but you never were, or at least you never disobeyed in the way that would make him want to. Like most subjects he had you neutered, it was a quick and painless process, before your first period. Because of how your neutered body developed and how your vampire treats you, you kind of felt like you never stopped being a kid.

You've seen human ambassadors negotiate with your vampire. They look so strange, wearing clothing, and speaking words you don't understand. You saw one with a sword, it's so weird to think of a human as having a sword. Part of you wants to want to be them, but you can't anymore, even they'd see you as strange and other to them.

Of course there will always be things subjects can't do. Even though he let's you walk alone in the city you have to be home by sunrise. Nomatter how loyal you are it's dangerous to be outside when everyone is supposed to be asleep. You're expected to dress as not to expose your skin especially around your neak, so no undead are too tempted to want your blood, there's a lot of things you aren't supposed to do because you don't want undead to try to eat you. And you can't own land or weapons of course, and can't pray to human gods or learn human languages. And of course you have to obey him, you never disobey him, but you know that you can't.

But for the most part it's nice. You get to draw and study and write. You even have a few books published. You're in your mid-twenties, it's been so long it all feels so normal. You have a safe comfortable life. But part of you secretly hopes you'll be turned into a vampire someday, as strange as it sounds, you'll see vampiric red knights, or wealthy vampire traders, and you'll wish you could be them. You could do it, you'd just need to grab your master for a few seconds, and let him bite you for longer than he's supposed to. You'd be on the streets when it was over but you'd have the rights to not be punished for it, for nearly anything.

[artsy-writy]

You’ve heard of isekais with the protagonist going into a book…but have you ever read a novel with the protagonist’s ORIGINAL world being the book and them going to their author’s world? Well, I’m going to write one like that. The question is, would people ACTUALLY want to read a book like that?

Incase someone wanna actually read something like it: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/92976/do-not-care

[skill7spark04]

Death and Debt.

Bobby was down on his luck. his life was long over, but the world didn't give a fuck. and yet even post mortem, his debts are still due. and when he found out, he near blew a fuse. he was stuck at a dead end Job, had nobody to love, his "heart" had long stopped and he often lost his head for hours on end. and the creaks in his joints often would pop. even after death, his debts are still owed, the corporations that bought him commanded that he was owned and now he regrets taking the money they had loaned. I guess you could say, in a way, he was boned.

[run2yujin]

...❤️‍🔥⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

[bonnibellexox]

Describe how your characters would react upon receiving a warm hug by surprise!

I’ll do you one better....

Status Quo

Chapter 10- Horrors of Humanity -Scene 2

~As Phylum and Canopy take a day to learn each other’s unique alphabets, it becomes clear that Canopy is leaving him in the dust. So Phylum, having spent his life in a society divided by intellectual skill, begins to spiral back to a childhood of stress and unimaginable pressure...~

“Hey, you alright?”

Blinking back into the moment, I felt Canopy’s hand on my shoulder, rested on tense muscle. I needed to get a grip.

“Yeah, sorry… This is a bit of a sore spot.” I smiled dimly, hoping to put her worries to rest, but she tipped her head with concerned curiosity, urging me to continue.

“It just that… When I was a kid, learning to read and write was hard for me. I would stutter and get lost and forget which letters meant what. It was really embarrassing and I took years to catch up.”

Taking my book from her, I opened back to her alphabet, seeing nothing but indecipherable code. And as my anxiety grew, I habitually chewed my bottom lip, being met with a split in my flesh, heeled over, but still permanently indented in my skin.

“What happened? I've been meaning to ask.” The sweet girl next to me wondered softly, elbow brushing mine.

“Oh, it’s old. I was studying for the PhD entrance exams and I fell asleep.”

Waiting expectantly, Canopy slouched when I didn’t elaborate.

“So, what? Did you bang your face on the desk or something?” She asked optimistically. Caught off guard, I paused, shifting in place.

“No… My parents caught me. They were furious.”

Silent, her face twitched with confusion as she gazed at me, before her eyes fell back on the scar, and horror spread over her face. Suppressing a gasp, her hands flew over her mouth.

“They… hit you?” She whispered with glossed eyes.

All I could do is shrug and turn away, shrinking under her heartbroken expression. I should have known she’d be like this, so why didn’t I lie?

“I don’t think she meant to do it that hard. They were just upset, it wasn’t really that bad.” I muttered defensively. But she didn’t waver, if anything, I made it worse.

“…How old were you?”

Don’t answer that.

“Twelve. I should have known better by then so-”

Without warning, her hand reached across and cupped my cheek, drawing me back to look at her. I tensed at first, breathing hitching, but when I saw the way she was looking at me, pure, pained empathy, I melted into her palm. Her hands were always so soft and warm, so gentle.

“Tell me you know it wasn’t ok.” Her voice cracked slightly, the words barely audible.

“Maybe… Maybe it was a little overboard. But hey, I was always top of the class after that, so no harm done.” I laughed dryly, her uncharacteristically serious expression making my skin crawl.

Words of wisdom weren’t getting through to me, not after years of rewriting and rationalisation. So, rising up onto her knees, Canopy slid her hand over my shoulder and drew me in, her arms binding around me. And for a moment I’ll never forget, the world went quiet.

“You didn’t deserve it, okay?”

It wasn’t a request, it wasn’t something I could smile through, force a brave face and convince her that everything was fine. She knew. She could see the tears that should have stained my cheeks and the bloodshot eyes that were a near-nightly occurrence before every test. She could see how I became the boy in her embrace. And I decided to trust her.

“Are you sure?…” I breathed into her pulse, my hands creeping up her spine.

“One hundred percent.”

She sounded lighter, sensing my denial collapsing under its own weight. And as I let every tightly drawn thread in my body go slack, a shaky sigh spilled over her shoulder. Satisfied, she went to pull away, but my grip flinched in a desperate attempt to make her stay. And so she did, her nails ghosting over my shirt in sweet circles until I was ready.

“Okay… If you say so.”

It was so hard to let her go, but when I did, I couldn’t stand the way she looked at me, like she’d just finished reading a tragedy. Was that I became? Something miserable to think about. Still holding her waist as her wrists rested on either side of my neck, I agonised over her expression until finally, she graced me with a soft smile. Her eyes on my lips, mine on hers, we drifted sombrely towards each other, the forest around us still absolutely silent.

We were only a world apart when a chilled breeze swept through our embrace, whisking us back to reality. A soft, trembling giggle stumbled out of her.

“Wow, it’s late... Wanna start walking back?”

Stuck in place, I shook off my goosebumps and eventually wobbled onto my feet, pulling her up with me. We barely said a thing for the long journey home, and when we reached our least favourite spot in the world just outside my camp, she smiled at me for longer than usual.

“So… I’ll see you next time?”

Struggling to find a single word, I nodded, smiling too. She took a moment to go, looking back over her shoulder at me one last time, before finally leaping into the trees as the branches waved me goodbye.

And even though I knew the swirling in my chest would pass, just as it had every time we went our separate ways, there was a tiny part of me that hoped it would stay until the next time I could see her.

(I had this bad boy lined up and thought, hell, why not? I hope it answered your question at least a bit. Unfortunately, the main 4 all have moments like this and I ain’t spoiling anything else so drink up kids. Its the best youre gonna get.)

[theeccentricraven]

World Building in 5

Thank you again @kaylinalexanderbooks for the tags. I'm making this for this tag but couldn't remember if that was the original post I did my first Blood Cleaners post (because Tumblr posts don't have dates....) but because of this open tag here I can say this is for that 😎❤️

Rules: post 3-5 pictures that capture a setting in your world and tell us about it! Remember to cite your sources and include image IDs to make your post accessible!

I've done this before for The Blood Cleaners link 1 link 2

Now I'm doing this for Sanctuary Calling!

Sanctuary Calling is a YA Dystopia set in a future where human civilization lives on Mars, the moon, and space stations, but only a few live on earth. It all began when human civilization was collapsing as a worldwide economic depression caused the governments of many nations to fail. The remaining few who held power formed a world government called the World Council or WC for short. One of the first measures they passed was declaring earth a reservation or "sanctuary", ordering the whole human race to evacuate earth and live in space. The only humans allowed to live on earth were societies that didn't use modern technology - the Maasai, the Inuit, the Sami, various tribal societies, and the Old Order of the Amish.

Nari is an ingenious teenage girl who has lived in a biodome on Mars her whole life. Decades after the evacuation order and many generations living in space, some humans are forming a secret rebellion to earn the right to return to earth. Nari joins the rebels who infiltrate a way back to earth. The plan goes wrong when Nari crash lands near the ruins of Cleveland. She uses her ingenuity to craft a device that flies her south, where she finds an Amish community. Nari's life has turned upside down now that she's gone from her high-tech life on Mars to a quiet electricity-less Amish farm.

Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3 | Source 4 | Source 5

Tagging: @ddgraywrites @gioiaalbanoart @happypup-kitcat24 @orphanheirs and OPEN ✨

[ventsesh24]

Pixelated Chains

In a world consumed by technology, do you still feel free? 

The digital world is both beautiful and terrifying. 

In just three minutes, you laugh, cry, feel insecure, then laugh again, and repeat.

You exit the app, but your finger instinctively reopens it out of muscle memory, before you even realize what you’re doing.

With every swipe, you expose yourself to a whirlwind of emotions—curiosity, fear, joy, inspiration, sadness, anger, confusion, envy—all cycling in rapid succession.

It’s as if you’re trapped in a mental prison,

irresistibly drawn to the digital realm, 

yet leaving with a sense of unease every time.

People often use social media or video games in their free time, 

which is contradictory, because it doesn’t seem to be liberating; it feels like entrapment.

This oversaturation of content restricts free thought and hinders inner peace. 

You go online to unwind, only to find yourself bombarded with the urge to buy new products, change your style, eat less, socialize more, or prepare for disasters that don’t even affect your region. 

None of these thoughts would have naturally crossed your mind.

These ideas invade your consciousness like a virus infiltrating a computer. 

You clicked with excitement, only to be stung by negative programming.

It makes me wonder: is it truly free time if it's being stolen and tainted?

-H

[theussa]

Boris Petrova’s Presidency

1996: The influential Petrova family, with roots in both America and the Soviet Union, rises to prominence. Boris Petrova, a charismatic, but no-nonsense politician, wins the presidential election, promising stability and a new era of prosperity under a socialist framework.

“Today, we embrace a new dawn where the power of the people transcends the chains of capitalism, forging an America where collective effort and shared prosperity will guide us to a brighter, socialist future.”

– Boris Petrova, from his first inauguration speech.

Boris Petrova was a former US diplomat who served in Soviet Russia. He was born in the United States, his father a Russian diplomat living in the US. Boris moved back to the U.S. in the late 1980s and quickly rose through the political ranks due to his charisma and connections. He became President in 1996, leading the country with a vision of socialist transformation.

During Boris Petrova's presidency, the United States underwent significant transformations. His administration dealt with major natural disasters, initiated substantial military reforms, and navigated complex international relations. Domestically, his policies focused on centralizing economic control, expanding social welfare, and promoting cultural and educational reforms aligned with socialist ideals. These efforts aimed to stabilize the nation, improve living standards, and align the U.S. with its new identity as a socialist state under the influence of Soviet principles.

1997: Introduction of the "People’s Welfare Act" which expands social welfare programs, including universal healthcare and free education, funded by the nationalized industries.

1998: A massive earthquake strikes California, causing widespread devastation in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Boris Petrova’s administration mobilizes federal resources for reconstruction and introduces the "National Disaster Response and Recovery Act" centralizing disaster management under federal control.

1999: Tensions escalate with NATO over Eastern Europe. Boris Petrova adopts a stance of military readiness, increasing defense spending and modernizing the military to ensure the U.S. remains a formidable force despite Soviet influence.

In that same year, the establishment of the "National Economic Planning Act" which sets up a centralized economic planning committee to oversee industrial production, agricultural output, and technological development, ensuring alignment with socialist goals.

2000: Boris Petrova consolidates power, aligning the U.S. more closely with Soviet principles. Nationalization of key industries and increased state control over media and education ensue.

Hurricane Allison wreaks havoc along the Gulf Coast, leading to significant flooding in Texas and Louisiana. The Petrova administration deploys federal troops for rescue and recovery operations and establishes a comprehensive flood defense program.

2001: The "Great American Military Reform" is enacted, integrating military forces into a single, streamlined command structure to improve efficiency and control.

In the same year, the U.S. and Soviet Union sign the "New Harmony Treaty" aimed at reducing nuclear arsenals and promoting peace. This treaty marks a significant thaw in U.S.-Soviet relations and establishes joint space exploration initiatives.

2002: Launch of the "Five-Year Plan for Technological Advancement" focusing on state-funded research and development in technology and infrastructure.

This went hand in hand with the Implementation of the "Unified Education System" standardizing curricula across the nation to emphasize socialist principles, Soviet history, and collective values alongside American history and civic responsibility.

2003: Boris Petrova plays a key role in the formation of the "Global Socialist Coalition" a political and economic alliance with other socialist-leaning countries, aimed at counterbalancing the influence of NATO and capitalist nations.

2004: Boris Petrova's Son Elias Petrova, becomes Vice President, signaling the beginning of a political dynasty. The Petrova family manipulates elections and uses their influence to maintain control through the media, educational institutions and financial compensation.

Elias is Boris's son, who followed in his footsteps. He becomes vice-president. Educated in both Soviet and American institutions, Elias was known for his strategic mind and political acumen. As President, he continued his father's legacy of centralization and state control, accelerating both.

2005: Boris pushes for and ultimately begins a “centralization” of the states. Borders are altered to create four districts to help consolidate power and reduce citizen autonomy.

The Atlantic District:

- Consolidated into a single administrative unit, the Atlantic District, this region would focus on education, technology, and maritime industries.

- Major cities like Boston and Hartford would serve as distribution centers for this district

- [Former] New York still acts as the entertainment capital of the country. However, it is a far cry from what it used to be in the days of the Republic.

The Great Plains District:

- Former states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas merged into the Great Plains Collective District, emphasizing agricultural production and food distribution.

- Large state-run farms would dominate the landscape.

The Pacific District:

- Former states California, Oregon, and Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Utah and Arizona form the Pacific District The region as a whole dedicated to technological innovation, research, and development as well as the home to many federal agencies.

- Silicon Valley would be a hub of state-controlled tech enterprises.

- The Federal capitol moves from Washington D.C. to Las Vegas. It’s desert surroundings and existing infrastructure made it the ideal location.

The Industrial District:

- Former states in the South, including Texas, Louisiana,South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Alabama, would be grouped into an industrial zone focusing on energy production, petrochemicals, and manufacturing.

- Key cities like Houston and New Orleans would be central to these activities.

- Miami serves as the capitol of this district given it’s location to allied Cuba.

2006: Boris Petrova negotiates the "Pan-American Socialist Agreement" with several Latin American countries, fostering economic cooperation, mutual defense pacts, and cultural exchange programs to expand socialist influence in the Western Hemisphere.

2007: Boris Petrova negotiates the "Trans-Atlantic Socialist Partnership" with European socialist countries, enhancing economic and political collaboration across the Atlantic. This partnership aims to create a powerful bloc counterbalancing NATO and capitalist countries.

2008: Boris Petrova retires and Elias Petrova is elected President in a landslide victory. The country sees further centralization of power, and dissent is increasingly suppressed.

[daughterofbearsandrivers]

Horror | 1.0 `yautja`

(<<) (>>)

Vague imagery of honey dipped college memories suddenly tainted with screaming and the indescribable sensation of hearing literal bodies being torn into pieces. The cracking of ribs so each bone snapped from the sheer pressure, flesh squished together as blood vessels burst and spewed out geysers of blood mixed in with their bodily fluids. The stomach lining, organs, soft fleshy innards not covered by bone was consumed like hard liquor on Saturday club night.

Being hit by a car or shanked for belongings in parking lot would've been considered a calculated mercy or bittersweet memory compared to the last moments of the town's population in the past forty-eight hours.

The faint scent of gasoline tingled her nostrils, sending a very faint high to her brain like the chemicals in the pools does. Resisting the urge to cough to flex the muscles of her body in the cramped space of the trunk, the female waited several moments in silence for the slightest shifting of movement or prowling seekers looking to harvest on the strength inept species. Feeling around for the latch on the backseat, bright midday sun poured in through the opening, she inched it forward as she paused every second or so.

'Goddamn it's bright.'

She noticed the torn edges of her emerald painted nails once she fully leaned the seat forward, stringy grime matted locks absorbed the rising heat in the car. Glints of other vehicles windshields momentarily made blackish spots float in her vision, she opened a water bottle once she slid herself out of the car's trunk. The milk spoiled, eggs overheated and bread crusty.

'Good morning America, today's going to be sunny clear skies, maybe chance of rain showers, highs in the whatever seventies and lows- oh shitzerdoodle.'

Leaning on her side to stay within the cover of the car's seat position, she peeked around the edges of the leathery seat, seeing a black mass creep by the front of the vehicle. Ducking down though avoiding on moving her weight around too much, the female stayed in that awkwardly tense angle until she heard it bash through a boutique's doorway a street down.

Sorting through the groceries, she salvaged whatever wasn't affected by the mid summer day heat. Collecting granola bars, a flashlight, screwdriver and some bullets, she found scattered underneath the driver's seat, into a fanny pack. Pressing the button for the window, it slowly slid down. Immediately the intense heatwaves of summer hit her skin, soaking into her body as her clothes suddenly felt too thick to wear at the moment once she eased herself out. 'In this heat I bet ice cream and water would boil. Why couldn't it be a hazy day of clouds.'

Crouching down a little she steered clear from fragmented and little clusters of splintered glass, her footsteps being silent as she could manage. Keeping herself fully aware to pause every few minutes to take a thorough survey of the area, ensuing she didn't have any creatures tailing secretly. Her eyes and top of her head peeking just over the edges of windows, hoods and tailgates of vehicles left stationary in the main street. The crevices of her body's figure little by little condensed with sweat.

Padding herself down a little, she silently lamented as she felt the grains of sand, smears of oil further clogged her pores. All that hard work going down the drain the longer she stayed in the heat and in these ripped and frayed clothes. Without notice her heartbeat sped up, an automatic nearly cemented reaction to the soft skittering of talons, menacing hisses and breathy snarls passing through frosted razor sharp teeth. She crouched down, doing a quick three sixty view of side to side, top to bottom. Seeing all the possibilities where her position made her vulnerable and potential to life ending choices. The vehicles were spaced enough for running and could be jumped across by anything. Though not many of the vehicles had high suspensions to crawl under. And several of the vehicles blocked her in, preventing her from crawling over the hoods from how big or sloped the hood is. Calculating the estimated seconds it would take to jump up, crawl onto the vehicle, run then do the same thing. Another raspy hiss, like sizzling acid in a softer tone. She flinched, her body contracting to still every nerve then slowly releasing to edge forward in a slight crouch.

They were moving by her, a mere vehicle apart.

A few feet away from her fate of being harvested and once again encapsuled in goop to be the fertilizer of an alien colony. She thickly swallowed, forcing back images depicting her chest being tore open from the inside, the sickening sensation of crunched bones. One step, the next and then her body responded in kind. Her fingers kept thumbed over the smooth fabric of her fanny pack, a small assurance against an illusion of control.

'My nails are so damaged and cracked. I should take them off.... though those charms are pretty.'

Her hands turned a bit red from touching hot asphalt. The shattering of a window made her heart burst into a flurry of emotion though she made herself keep stationary. Slowing peeking back over a window, she noticed they had rummaged through a van. More glass sprinkled to the ground. A bony black mass that showed every ridge of it's unnatural existence skittered then body slammed into a vehicle as they fought over scraps of a child.

'Damnit, that's so disgusting- don't, don't think about it. Keep moving.'

Hurrying in the most silent way possible, she crawled underneath a truck and stayed there for a moment to reassess the situation. Her heartbeat had calmed to a considerable pace without her having to manually breath slower. What she didn't calculate is the sudden crashing sound on the truck's roof, making it cave in as the vehicle itself sunk down a little from the weight. Seeing it's shadow on the asphalt, she realized it's the other creature.

He's crouched, his head swiveling around for a quick moment as it let out a roar. A shinking noise of a blade. Those spindly creatures screeched and lunged for him or a very few ran away.

Curled up beneath the vehicle, she felt it's weight shift and sway as the muscular thing fought. A couple vehicles exploded. Heat razed the ground, acidic blood dripped and splattered onto metal and paved rock. Melting it cleanly beyond repair.

'I can't stay here.'

The truck's undercarriage smacked against her head only solidified that thought. She let out a yelp then instantly felt her heart speed up, the accompanying blush and her mind working nanoseconds ahead. She turned her head and saw one of the black creatures hissing loudly at her while the two species created carnage just on her other side. It tried to reach it's talons inside, she fumbled for her screwdriver in the fanny pack.

Yanking it out, she hit the asphalt several times but got her few strikes in against the black alien, making it rethink it's strategy. Knowing it'll likely try to crawl in, she kept wildly swinging her screwdriver around while she felt around in the fanny pack for the few bullets.

The humanoid creature in weird armor slammed a black alien into a car.

She flinched as more acidic blood dripped down from it's broken skeleton. Finally pulling out a handful of bullets, she tossed the shells across the street and right by the burning vehicles destroyed by a plasma cannon blasts.

A roar and an answering screech, more limbs being cut and slashed into individual pieces.

Letting out a sharp exhale, she swung and frantically swiped at the black creature now joined by two more. One of their talons cut into her lower calf, nearly dragging her out before the tossed bullets ignited. They went off and ricocheted, startling the black creatures a few feet and making the beige colored creature snap it's attention to find the source.

Without hesitation she made a break for it, keeping ducked down as she rolled out on the other side of the truck, scrambling to her feet and sprinting hard. She vaulted, slid over the hoods of vehicles to the other side of the street. Noticing some other black creatures crash out of boutiques and whatever woodwork they came from, chased after her.

She wasn't from here though she did know which streets and areas had been the tourist hotspots. Bigger buildings, more hiding spots. Running barefoot on the hot streets of the town, she didn't look back and she didn't stop or veer off to hide. Pumping herself faster than ever, the female saw the distant shining chain link fence of the fair grounds. Darting to her right, she went down a sandy hill of pointed stones, passing by a few tall cactus before coming right up to the fence.

Jumping it, she crawled up and felt the links snag on her jeans to sharply pinprick her skin. Throwing herself over it to land in a puff of dust, she heard them crash into the fence and scramble up it as she continued to run.

She passed through the carnival, her feet sinking a little into the fine sand and feeling the gravel drag on the soles of her heel. Her sights settled on a merry go round, heading over to the controls, she bashed her hands against everything until the ride turned on and the music blasted out of the speakers. Every noise being amplified in her mind.

Their screeches raked her eardrums and made her body turn cold despite the very dry summer heat.

Running in the opposite direction, she went into a house of mirrors. Her figure reflected on the narrow figure warping surfaces. Taking a breath of air, she slowed her footsteps and moved deeper into the entertainment house. Her cheeks red and bright from exertion and anxiety, her heart thundering in her ribcage, she closely listened for any sounds of the black creatures as her breathing seemed to drown out everything else, even her thoughts.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧┍━☽【❖】☾━┑✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧*ੈ✩‧₊˚

A shift of movement as the female rubbed her upper arms, one of her hands keeping a hold on the flashlight she had. She stared at her reflections, the afterthought of an idling mind being how she needed a shower and change of clothes. As she still kept finding small pieces of that secreted goop on her person she'd been cocooned in only hours ago.

Rubbing away the crusted blood on her wrist, the female let out a silent sigh. Slowing getting up, she paused every few moments with her head slightly tilted and her body making minimal movement to determine whether or not she's safe to breathe.

Measuring her footsteps she walked to the exit that's aesthetically covered by a curtain, listening for another moment she heard nothing. Though her heart pounded a bit harder. Holding onto her flashlight, she noticed no sun shined at the bottom of the curtains or made the fabric seem thinner from it's light.

It must've been hours but at this point, hiding and waiting out for hours seemed to become her only source of exercise and constant state of what her life has come to. Peeking out, she drew the curtain to the side with the end of her flashlight's handle. The orange bulbed lights of the solar controlled lights were on, the sky completely black and the desert terrain standing still just like her.

As if the world now knew the events of what happened in the last five days changed the course of mankind's present and future forever.

The female gently tested her weight on the wooden steps before descending down the short staircase. On a last second thought, she took the curtains with her. Wrapping it around her figure like a jacket and dress, she quietly walked through the fair grounds.

Popcorn bags, cotton candy cones and some push toys laid on the dirt. Some lights of rides flickered like a dying candle running on the last threads of it's wick. Her flashlight in one hand and currently unlit, she went to a small gift shop. There was no phone or landline and no internet for the working iPhone she found dropped on the floor. Picking out a shirt one size smaller than normal, couple water bottles and some paper towels despite no one being around, she still went behind the cashier counter to change.

Uncapping the lids of the water bottles, she dunked the paper towels in the water, wiping it over her skin as she took most of the dirt off. Scrubbing and washing away the grime, blood, sweat and essentially the memories that came with the reason there's blood in the first place.

Sliding on the new shirt, hoodie, wrapping the curtains around her shoulders like a strap for future purposes. She found a water basin for apple bobbing, she dunked and shook her hair free what she could. A relief of one problem being dealt with settled her thoughts. Still no shoes to wear.

That night she opened one granola bar for dinner and slept in the cubbyhole of where they kept the extra plushies and boxes of other prizes.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧┍━☽【❖】☾━┑✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧*ੈ✩‧₊˚

There was no hurry to leave or go anywhere though one designation remained present in her mind the next day when she woke in the afternoon. Her family- well her grandparents had a place up in Alaska. If her memory served her right, which both fortunately and unfortunately did, there'd be enough canned food and natural resources for her to survive there without any worry. They hadn't sold the property but kept it as the ideal family vacation house in the winter.

With that her mind she gathered up four water bottles, dozens of granola bars, candy and some pop tarts from the fair grounds remaining food supply. Finding another flashlight, some batteries and a phone charger in the abandoned vehicles nearby. Apparently no one had kept extra shoes in their once day to day work life. Sliding on her backpack and keeping her fanny pack, she walked the cactus and brush ridden terrain.

SIDENOTE | reblog, comments and lmk if you wanted to be tagged for the next part.

[novlr]

[whereserpentswalk]

Your new job is to sit at a desk, looking at a single camera feed monitoring a small white room, writing down everything that happens in the room, and then reporting it back to your bosses. The first day, two men are brought into the room, possibly unwillingly, and are instructed to fight to the death. Neither of them think to refuse, one of them wins. You realize there's very little you can do. Though you can hear what's going on in that room from your office, it's in the same building as you, the feed is live and it is near you and there's nothing you can do.

You write the report. Your bosses say it's good work but you need more detail, they'll give you further instructions. The next day the same happens, two men are brought in, two men fight, one man lives. You can hear it all going on across the hall. But you know to add more detail, your bosses love it, they love that you gave the amount of information that you did, they say you have a good eye for these things.

Every day at your job is the same. The men are different most times but survivors come back sometimes. Sometimes they have more then two men, sometimes on teams sometimes not. Sometimes they give them weapons, things that you would find in a hardware store. Sometimes there will be special rules. Sometimes it's just two men fighting to the death. Occasionally it won't be equal, but it will always be fair, but sometimes it'll be something like a man with a fireaxe agaisnt a man with a baseball bat, or three elderly men agaisnt one man in his prime. But it's always fair.

You write down the details well. You always typed fast. Everything anyone would need to know. Anything they said. Every move each of them made. How each injury effected them. The way the blood splatters. If when a man wins if it's because someone dies or because someone is too injured to fight, if he tries to kill of an injured man or let him bleed out. If a man uses his left or right hand to hold a knife. How long a man tries to run or dodge before he starts throwing punches. It eventually stops becoming like a real thing that's happening in the same small building you work in, and more like a game, and it's a game you're winning.

Your bosses might not be human. They never show themselves, and say that you'd be horrified by them if you ever saw them. They refer to humans as separate from them, as a type of synapsid, which is technically true but still. They also just don't talk like people. They could be billions of years old, all of this could be so meaningless to them. They could be demons, or aliens, or creatures from another dimension for all you know. Or they could be rich and powerful people doing their best to scare those who work for them, though they'd be putting a lot of effort into not appearing human if that was the case. It almost seems like them being aliens or something is the less conspiracy minded answer. But still, it doesn't matter, you don't have time to question it. This job pays better then anything else, it's getting you through college, it's gotten you a much nicer apartment in a much better neighborhood then you could with any other job. Who cares if they're demons, they're paying you.

There was one day where you saw a wounded man limping out of the room where the fight had happened. It was the first time you saw someone from the fights in the flesh. It was horrifying, you wanted to turn away, not because of his wounds but because you didn't want to be a part of this. You're just someone who watches it, just someone who reports on it, you're not going to actually be involved.

There was also a time someone screamed at the camera for someone to do something while his opponent was stabbing him to death. There was nothing for you to do, but it was strange to write about. You questioned if you should describe him as begging the camera for help, or begging you for help. But it felt weird for the reports to contain the word "me", you don't think your bosses would like that. You just wrote that he was begging for someone to help, it was the easiest way to describe it after all.

There was one fighter who you really enjoyed seeing. He was young, handsome, and very good at fighting. He wore a smirk when others wore frowns, and had these beautiful blue eyes. He knew how to taunt his enemies and get in their heads. And you always rooted for him to win, and he always did. You started thinking about him more and more, reading into the smallest movements, theorizing about why he was so good, about his past, his hopes and dreams. You read his personality into all of his actions, and loved him so much for it. Part of you hoped you'd accidentally meet him on your way out, and that you'd get to know eachother. Once you even touched yourself to the thought of him with you, but the act gave you a weird type of shame. You never knew his name. After one rough fight he was too injured to fight anymore, mostly blinded from slashes to the face it seemed. You were sad about him for a bit, and then moved on.

Your bosses want you to do a major report on the fights. You get to choose the specifics and your thesis, almost like a college paper. It's so cool and exciting to get to have so much creativity in your job. You wonder what they'll do for you next. You still don't know what your bosses are but they've been talking about a promoting. You're so lucky to have gotten this job.

[californyankat]

Is a society that kills all the people that break its major laws a utopia or a dystopia. The society has a flawless justice system that always gets the person who did the crime 100% of the time, and has not, nor will it ever fail. Please discuss. I will also be surveying other groups and friends.

[the-broken-pen]

When the zombie apocalypse started, you felt only a sense of sour humor. Like on those nights when you wished you could sleep and never wake up, some cosmic entity heard you, and was taking a kind of sick vengeance.

Your friends laughed and stole liquor out of locked cabinets and took shots in the name of doom.

You went home and turned the tv all the way up and locked every single door twice. It wasn’t enough.

Don’t approach someone if they appear sick, they said. Avoid them and dial 911.

After a week they disabled emergency service lines.

Stay indoors. Only go out when necessary. Keep your distance from one another, they said.

Online, people called it a hoax.

But that footage they showed on the news, people emptied out and filled with some creature that knew only hunger, that snarled and lunged for those around them without hesitation…something in you knew without doubt that it wasn’t fake.

The government gave blinding smiles and sent every army they had. They promised everything would be fine.

Nothing would ever be fine again.

Bullets did nothing. No matter how wounded, those humans that were empty and vicious dragged themself with bloody nails after anything that pumped blood. Those soldiers died and came back, killing their friends and family and comrades.

The government stopped going on tv.

With all your precautions, with every warning you gave your friends who didn’t give a shit anymore, who took this as a sign to give up, with every tip you got from the news, it didn’t save you in the end.

Thousands, millions were dying every day and you…

One week after the start zombie apocalypse, you saw a dog. A pitiful, sick dog that whined at you and gave you mournful eyes, and you froze.

And you stopped.

And you knelt down next to it because you with your fear and your kind heart wanted to be a vet.

Because you, with all of your precaution and all of those warnings forgot everything.

A week and a day after the zombie apocalypse started, you lost control of your own body. You were filled with something so hungry every bone in your body ached.

That’s fine, you thought. I’ll die soon anyways. The people on the news said the host always died. That there wasn’t anything left inside.

Two weeks after the zombie apocalypse starts you realize that the people on the news were wrong.

You start screaming. No one bothers to try and save you.

The creature inside of you has been dragging you across this wretched planet for a month, and you crave death with the same fervor that it craves flesh. The news people, your neighbors, your family, they flee from you.

They cannot hear you begging for them to burn every scrap of you alive.

You wish they would.

Two months after the start of the zombie apocalypse the creature inside of you has run out of things to eat. You are starving. Everything hurts. Your heart is giving out.

At some point, the creature inside you starts to consume your body.

You should be dead by now

It won’t let you die

It eats your vocal cords. Rips them apart with your fingers, tears out your tongue. Peels off your flesh.

The pain consumes every thought until your nerves fry.

You count it as a blessing.

You lose your eyes, your fingers, every piece of you soon after.

You cannot bring yourself to care.

A year after the zombie apocalypse starts, your body gives out. You lie on something that feels like asphalt. The remains of your muscles and tendons and joints and bones twitch as the creature pulls once, twice, again, but you do not move.

You feel it then, as it leaves you lying there. The utter cruelty of it as it leaves you lying on the ground, when it has been the only thing keeping you alive for eleven months.

You have been dying for over a year. You have been dead in your mind for far longer.

You regret every thought you ever had about the zombie apocalypse, about the notion of quick death and reanimation.

You regret the things you didn’t do. The things you did. You can feel your heart, finally, give out.

You wish you could see the sky one more time as you slip into the dark.

But you haven’t had your eyes for a long, long while.

And with one last breath, you die alone on an empty street, with only the uncaring creature that stripped you for parts and murdered you slowly to watch you go.