Anonymous
Guest
(This is a reposted version of Charlotte's Ending from What We Become)
It was midday, with the sun high over the charred skyline of what was once the city of Chicago, Illinois, the suns rays reflecting off the abandoned skyline of what was, three years ago, a massive metropolitan American city. However, like many other places in the country, it started to decay rather quickly, after the firebombing.
A blue pickup drove along I-94, driving on the side of the road with little traffic, drove towards what was Downtown, Chicago, until it came upon a portion of collapsed freeway, where it came to a stop, over looking the vast metal skeletons of the skyline.
Charlotte stepped out of her car, grabbing her purse with her, as she stepped out. The smell, still had a tinge of both burning metal and flesh in the air, which made Charlotte recoil a bit, but she stepped forward, and leaned against the hood of her pickup truck.
Chicago, the place where her life went to hell. She fled the city after Stephanie's death, in order to return home, only to learn that both her parents were dead and she had no home to go back to. Everything at this point, had been taken from her.
She returned to the Valley Station in Mid-2016, where, all she found were the ruins of the mall, burnt to the ground, and the place abandoned. She managed to make contact with the Rangers from Shepardsville, which confirmed the worst. She ran again from her problems, and more people were dead. Sam was dead. Chelsea was dead. Yen was dead.
Charlotte looked back at the skyline, towards the Charged Remains of the Willis Tower, still standing, despite three years of weather and a firebombing. The surrounding buildings weren't doing much better, but they were also still standing. It is likely impossible to get closer, due to sheer amount of debris in the way. Scavengers in the area made it very clear that downtown Chicago was extremely dangerous to get through.
She then returned home, to Lebanon, finding her Parent's home already ransacked by scavengers and an otherwise overrun town. She headed to the High School where she ended up breaking into the main office, and immediately heading to one on her right reading "Mr. Emerson - Principal." The office was in poor condition, being picked over 5 times. Her father's computer was destroyed, however, she managed to pick up a picture from a smashed frame on the floor, an old family photo, recently taken, back in December 2014. It made a bit more sense, her dad the other photo on him since he was replacing the one in his office. But, other than that, there was nothing left, except some old New Orleans Saints flags and some cheese motivational posters with things like "Success" written on them with a black background.
Charlotte took out the photo once again, to look over it. It might as well be the last time the three of them were happy, yet... something about this means that she might have to let it go. She then realized that she had no photo of Stephanie, or anyone else who was important in her life. It was as if anyone she regards as important to her dies. She put the picture back in her purse, and sighed. She had to do this, at least, to confirm with her own eyes. There were still infected in Chicago however, so she could only hope that Stephanie's corpse was put down turning the fire bombing, but... if she wasn't, she knew what she had to do.
Running away from her problems led to the deaths of people she called her friends. The only true way to deal with her problems is to deal with them head on for now on. She would drive to the place where Stephanie was bit, and look around, if only to find some sort of confirmation that she truly is...gone. Then, she doesn't know what she'll do next, maybe head back to her dorm, if only to find something of hers, to remember.
Charlotte stood up from the hood of the pickup, and entered the car, starting the engine, and returning the way she came...
It was midday, with the sun high over the charred skyline of what was once the city of Chicago, Illinois, the suns rays reflecting off the abandoned skyline of what was, three years ago, a massive metropolitan American city. However, like many other places in the country, it started to decay rather quickly, after the firebombing.
A blue pickup drove along I-94, driving on the side of the road with little traffic, drove towards what was Downtown, Chicago, until it came upon a portion of collapsed freeway, where it came to a stop, over looking the vast metal skeletons of the skyline.
Charlotte stepped out of her car, grabbing her purse with her, as she stepped out. The smell, still had a tinge of both burning metal and flesh in the air, which made Charlotte recoil a bit, but she stepped forward, and leaned against the hood of her pickup truck.
Chicago, the place where her life went to hell. She fled the city after Stephanie's death, in order to return home, only to learn that both her parents were dead and she had no home to go back to. Everything at this point, had been taken from her.
...
She returned to the Valley Station in Mid-2016, where, all she found were the ruins of the mall, burnt to the ground, and the place abandoned. She managed to make contact with the Rangers from Shepardsville, which confirmed the worst. She ran again from her problems, and more people were dead. Sam was dead. Chelsea was dead. Yen was dead.
...
Charlotte looked back at the skyline, towards the Charged Remains of the Willis Tower, still standing, despite three years of weather and a firebombing. The surrounding buildings weren't doing much better, but they were also still standing. It is likely impossible to get closer, due to sheer amount of debris in the way. Scavengers in the area made it very clear that downtown Chicago was extremely dangerous to get through.
...
She then returned home, to Lebanon, finding her Parent's home already ransacked by scavengers and an otherwise overrun town. She headed to the High School where she ended up breaking into the main office, and immediately heading to one on her right reading "Mr. Emerson - Principal." The office was in poor condition, being picked over 5 times. Her father's computer was destroyed, however, she managed to pick up a picture from a smashed frame on the floor, an old family photo, recently taken, back in December 2014. It made a bit more sense, her dad the other photo on him since he was replacing the one in his office. But, other than that, there was nothing left, except some old New Orleans Saints flags and some cheese motivational posters with things like "Success" written on them with a black background.
...
Charlotte took out the photo once again, to look over it. It might as well be the last time the three of them were happy, yet... something about this means that she might have to let it go. She then realized that she had no photo of Stephanie, or anyone else who was important in her life. It was as if anyone she regards as important to her dies. She put the picture back in her purse, and sighed. She had to do this, at least, to confirm with her own eyes. There were still infected in Chicago however, so she could only hope that Stephanie's corpse was put down turning the fire bombing, but... if she wasn't, she knew what she had to do.
Running away from her problems led to the deaths of people she called her friends. The only true way to deal with her problems is to deal with them head on for now on. She would drive to the place where Stephanie was bit, and look around, if only to find some sort of confirmation that she truly is...gone. Then, she doesn't know what she'll do next, maybe head back to her dorm, if only to find something of hers, to remember.
Charlotte stood up from the hood of the pickup, and entered the car, starting the engine, and returning the way she came...