The first sense to come back to me was my hearing. At first I could only make out a few murmurs, but the volume increased over the next few moments. Twitching my finger slightly to test my sense of touch, I was startled to realise my hand was being held between two small, soft ones. 

   "I still don't understand why you felt the need to actually shoot her, Charlie," the sweeter voice spoke. I slightly remembered it belonging to the caramel skinned woman, Genni. 

   "I had to see what her reaction would be. I've already told you this, and she didn't seem to process what was happening. It still baffles me as to why she made no noise, she didn't cry, she didn't plead for her life, nothing. There's something off about that, Genni," the more authorative voice replied. She was the one who held the gun, and the one with the piercing eyes that seemed unforgiving. 

    I felt as if I could open my own eyes now, but I decided against it since my interest was peaked. The pain from my back had finally dulled to a small throb thankfully, but a new ache filled its place. A sharper, more distinct pain was felt on the outer edge of my right ear. The feel was like fire, and I recognized it. The darker woman must not have been bluffing about shooting me. 

    "Maybe she was in too much shock at the moment," Genni tried reasoning, but something told me that Charlie wasn't one to listen to the voice of reason. Only instinct. I felt a certain respect for that. 

    "No, she was in shock when she passed out. That's her type of shock. She would have done so much sooner if she was merely startled. There's something deeper than what's lying on the surface," Charlie said in such a way that it sounded as if she was only speaking to herself. 

    My throat felt parched at the moment. I didn't know how long I had been out, but it must not have been terribly long since they still seemed on the subject of the shooting. One of the hands released my own and started moving hair away from my sweat-covered forehead. I hadn't realised before how warm it was down here. 

   "(Y/n).... Can you hear me?" The childish voice of Hanna asked. 

   "(Y/n)? Is that the girl's name, little one?" Genni tried to verify. 

   "Yes... At least that's what she told me," Hanna replied. 

   "So she's able to speak?" Came the deeper voice of Charlie. 

   "I don't think so... She was only able to communicate through writing," Hanna explained to the best of her ability. 

   "Ah, so she's a mute. That'd explain her lack of vocality from before," Charlie stated. Seemingly ignoring her statement, Hanna began stroking my forehead once more. 

   "Come on, (Y/n). Wake up. Orson's starting to get fidgety," Hanna informed me. Her grip on my hand seemed to tighten as she said that. 

   "Who's Orson?" Charlie asked, but received no answer from the greenette. 

   "I won't ask again, girl. I feel no sorrow in shooting you as well," came a darker response from Charlie. 

    "CHARLIE! Stop it! There's been enough bloodshed for one day, don't you think?" Genni said in a startlingly loud voice. 

    "There's never enough bloodshed when it comes to our safety, Genni. When will you realise that you can't be a good-two-shoes forever?" Charlie responded in an agitated tone. 

    "I know very well that I can't live all my life without getting my hands dirty, but that time won't come for awhile. So until then, I won't allow you to hurt that innocent girl. Nor will you harm the larger one any more than you already have," Genni said. She hardly knew us, yet she was sticking up for us. I guess there still are at least a few good people out in the world. 

   "Very well. But if if they do anything, and I mean ANYTHING suspicious, they're gone. Understand?" Charlie asked. I could just imagine the scowl gracing her face. She obviously didn't like being challenged. 

    Taking this moment to open my eyes, I crept my lids up slowly. Even in doing that the intensity of the light was a bit much. A small gasp of air was heard from my left side as the grip on my hand released, quickly to be replaced by a large hug that brought me into a sitting position. 

    Looking around me groggily, my sight landed on the long pink locks on both sides of Genni's head. The woman herself seemed like a petite person. If feminine still had a name, she would be the epitome of it. She clearly had a tribal tattoo, which led me to question just what this sweet human could have done to be kicked out. 

    Charlie, on the other hand, held a fierce aura around her. Just how did these two polar opposites wind up together in this torn apart world? Her blue eyes clearly held distrust as she appeared to look down on me. This time though, she seemed less intimidating from her lack of weapon. She wouldn't be a human I'd want to meet anywhere other than here. 

   "Well on that happy side note I'm going to go have some alone time. Just because you stood up for then doesn't mean they like you, Genni. Keep that in mind," Charlie continued to speak as she walked away with her arms folded across her chest. Her heeled boots made faint clicking noises as she walked across the small room to a wooden door. Her long, light brown skirt swished around her muscular legs as she strode across the cement floor as well. Quickly opening the door, she slipped around it and quietly shut it behind her. 

    A few moments of silence passed as the tense atmosphere began to slip away, only to be filled with a more awkward one. Hanna let my torso go and sat on the uncomfortable surface beside me that served as a bed. Genni finally turned to face us once again as a small sigh left her dark tan lips. 

    "I'm terribly sorry for how she acted. You'll get used to it after a while. Oh, dear me. I never properly introduced myself. My name's Genesis Betherland, but most people call me Genni," she said, quickly crossing the distance between us and holding out a small hand for me to shake. Holding my own (s/c) hand out to her, I shook it, incapable of saying my own name in return. A smile lit up my face as I tried to appear more friendly. 

    "I'm Hanna. Like I said before, her name's (Y/n). She helped me. She's not bad," Hanna tried explaining in a special ten-year-old way. A tiny laughter came from Genni as she released my hand. 

    "Don't worry, little one. I never thought she was," responded Genni while she ruffled Hanna's messy green hair. 

     "So, (Y/n), are you really a mute?" Genni curiously asked. 

      In response to her question, I nodded my head. A large smile spread across the woman's face in front of me. 

     "That's pretty cool. I've never known a mute before. All I've ever known is that they're super rare. Oh, sorry. That may have just sounded like I made you an 'it' instead of an actual person," Genni said with a worried face. She seemed like a genuine, sincere person. It didn't seem right to meet someone who actually cared about you emotionly. I used a small smile in an attempt to tell her it was okay, and she seemed to accept it. 

    "I met her in a house we just came from today. We must have travelled a gazillion miles just to get here. Then these bad robots came after us. (Y/n) made us hide under a huge piece of rubble, then we ended up here. Speaking of here, where exactly are we?" Hanna finally ended. She sure seemed like a little chatter box. 

    "Well, as of right now you're underneath the Rubble City in a safe house that Charlie and I came across. We were in about the same situation as you are now," Genni explained. She continued to speak, but I didn't really listen to what she was saying. 

   'So we really are in Rubble City. I have to get out of here as quick as possible. Hanna could stay if she preferred, a little girl like her would be much happier with someone like Genni. At only possible moment a robot could come down that pipe and then we'd be close to done for. I need to go,' I thought. A worried expression must have flashed across my face when I glanced at the pipe because Genni stopped her conversation and put her attention on me. 

    "Is something the matter?" Genni asked. I couldn't exactly tell her what plagued my mind, but she seemed trustworthy enough. No fear crossed my mind that she was a secret robot force. She was far too genuine, and that's something you can never perfectly program into an AI. 

     Pointing towards the pipe, I began making hand movements and mouthing words. My movements must have been to frantic for the pinkette to fully understand because she asked several times for me to slow down. Eventually I must have gotten my message across though for a light seemed to click behind her amber eyes. 

    "Oh, you're worried about the robots. Me and Charlie used to be afraid they'd find us too, but they never have. So that has to be a good sign. We may be off their radar down here," said Genni, trying to relieve my stressed nerves. Shaking my head to show I still had distrust in that statement, I motioned a person walking and pointed upwards. 

    "You really want to leave? You'd be so much safer down here, I promise," Genni said. She seemed a little sad that I wanted to leave already. Her eyes showed it as well. Thinking it over in my mind for a little while, Hanna clung onto my right arm. 

    "(Y/n), I trust them. We just gotta stay!" Hanna exclaimed. A softer expression appeared on my face as I made my decision. I'd stay here for a little while, but not too long. A small break after so many years would be nice. 

    "We also have running water down here. Excuse me for saying this, but you really seem like you need a bath," Genni said while her nose slightly wrinkled up, signifying that I must have had a terrible body odor. After so many years I hadn't really paid attention to my cleanliness, nor my appearance.   

     Releasing a sigh of defeat, I finally noticed my bag was amiss. Quickly getting up, I began frantically scanning the room for any sign of it. My heart started beating out of my chest and the ache in my back intensified ten fold from moving so quickly. 

     "Are you looking for the bag you came down here with?" Genni's soft voice questioned. Turning on my heel to face her, I vigorously nodded my head with wide (e/c) eyes. 

    "Charlie moved it onto the table over there, and it must have been REALLY heavy because she seemed to be struggling and she's probably the strongest person I know," Genni started rambling as my sight fell on the back bag with a large lump in the middle. Orson must have crawled into it at one point and never came out. I shook my head at his goofy tendencies and took long strides to the table. 

     Unzipping the largest zipper revealed a sleeping pizzly bear. His tiny snores could be heard as I stroked his small snout. A sigh of relief left my parted lips as a noise of confusion sounded from behind me. 

    "What does she have in her bag?" A soft whisper could be heard. 

    "Oh, it's just Orson. Her pet pizzly bear she found. He's really cute, right, (Y/n)?" Hanna called out to me. Turning my gaze back to them I nodded my head and smiled, motioning for Genni to get closer. 

    "Oh, I don't really know if I should. I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to animals," Genni said in a worried tone while waving her hands around to bring more expression to her words. 

    "That's a shame. He's super soft too! Oh well, maybe you day you'll be able to pet him," Hanna trailed off. Genni only grew quiet and nodded her head in reply, staring at my hand that was still inside the bag. Pulling my hand away, I zipped up the bag leaving a small space open so Orson could breath.

    Finally turning back around fully, I examined Genni's clothing choice. She wore a black shirt with sleeves that went down to her elbows that also showed a small bit of her stomach. A white fur shawl was placed across her shoulders that came together with two white strings with puffy white fuzz balls that tied together. Two black gloves ran up her arm and stopped just beneath her elbow. A very pale purple skirt poofed out around her knees while black nylons covered the rest of her legs. Two purple shoes that were the same color as her skirt resided on her feet while a silk ribbon served as a necklace with a white puffball dangling off it as well. 

    'Maybe she has some black clothing I could borrow,' I thought. It did appear that black was a color she wore as well. Eyeing all the black in her outfit, she eventually seemed to realise the question I was asking. 

    "I see you also like wearing black. I'm sure I have replacement clothes in your size that you could have," Genni told me. A small nod of my thanks was sent her way as I walked back over to Hanna. 

    "I'll go find some and get a bath ready for you while I'm at it. Just stick tight, okay? I'll be right back," she informed me. Placing my arm around Hanna, she nuzzled into me. 

    "Ya know, you really do stink. Just a little bit. I never noticed before," she said in a teasing way while looking up at me with her pale eyes. I placed my knuckles on her head and gave her a small nuggy before standing once again and moving to my bag. 

     "What's so important about that bag? You seem to cherish it," Hanna pointed out, clearly aware that I couldn't reply. Going back to what I was doing, I located the small key shaped bump and mentally sighed in relief. I couldn't have found it with Genni watching my every move. I knew deep down that she didn't fully trust me. Maybe Hanna, but not me. I'm too old to be trusted unconditionally. 

     The tiny creak of a door alerted me, causing my full attention to be drawn to it. Charlie appeared in the frame, and her piercing eyes landed on me. 

    "Genni has a bath ready for you. Let's go," she dully said with a slight bit of ferocity. Nodding my head in compliance I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder, the weight dragging my back down and causing even more pain to spark. I was fairly certain my back was at least sprained. Wincing with each step, I moved past Charlie and into the hallway. 

     The hallway itself was pretty barren. Cement surrounded us making it feel like a sort of fallout shelter. A few doors littered the walls, all of them being made of the same tan wood. Swinging lights above illuminated the hallway while many particles of dust floated around. Charlie and I eventually matched pace and our boots clicked as one. The sound echoed off the walls and made it seem like a thousand soldiers were marching off to war. 

    "So how's life outside these walls?" Charlie questioned, sending a slit-eyed glance my way. I wobbled my hand in a gesture that meant "okayish" and responded with a hum.
 
     "I myself would much rather be out there fighting the God forsaken miscreations than being stuck down here," she admitted. This caused the question to come into my mind of why she wasn't if it's what she truly wanted. Giving her a curious glance seemed to do the trick. 

     "I have to keep Genni safe, and she doesn't want to be out there in all the violence. She's the only friend I have in this apocalypse and I don't plan on loosing her like.... Well... I don't suppose you could tell anyone," she said with a saddened chuckle. She grew quiet for a few more moments and I thought she wasn't going to speak again until she held her left hand out to my face. 

     "You see that ring?" She asked, motioning to the elegant diamond ring shaped like a heart surrounded by silver leaves that formed the band. I nodded my head after inspecting it. 

    "I wasn't alone in this world. You may think me rude and cruel, but I wasn't always. I had a loving husband back in my days of youth and tribalism. We were never apart. I even had a child on the way, but it was all taken away from me. All in the same hour. 

      I'd always stayed inside my little bubble of friends. I guess I've never trusted people even when I was young. Somehow I caught the eye of a chief from another tribe. I can't even remember the name of it. He wanted to wage war with us, but would call it off in return for me. 

     Of course the only thing that mattered to the tribe was our safety, not one measly girl. But my husband cared, oh how he cared. My few friends didn't want me taken away, especially since I was with child. They tried reasoning with him, but that chief was stubborn and spoiled. So I was taken somewhere to be kept safe, somewhere that no one could ever find me. But my safety was short lived.

     One of my 'friends' sold me out for a large sum of currency. They used my husband as bait. Waited right outside my tent. My husband was there, calling out to me. He needed my help. But I was so weak then, oh so weak. I couldn't save him. If I went away peacefully they would have left him alone, but my darling Rupert didn't want that. He killed himself. Right in front of my eyes. He told me to run. 

    So there I was, fat as an elephant, trying to get away. I fled, glancing behind so often that I didn't see the the branch. I fell and landed on my stomach, and there went baby. I even knew what her name was going to be. Lillian. My little baby Lillian, taken away just like that. 

     They never found me. I was on the run ever since then. But then I found Genni six months later. We've never been separated for eleven years. I'm thirty-four now. She's twenty-six. She keeps me in my right mind more than not. My own voice of reason. 

     Oh, sorry. I rambled. I forgot you were even here. It's been a long time since anyone's listened to me. Really listened to me. I thank you for that. (Y/n), was it? That's a nice name. I'm Charlotte Geyser," Charlie finally ended. It was interesting listening to others' back stories. It's always interesting to know what other people have had to deal with. 

    The clicking of our boots finally faded away as we reached a door that looked no different than every other door. Opening it revealed a cement room with a bathtub, toilet, and sink. A rectangular mirror stood above the sink, and on the sink rested a complete outfit all in black. The tub was most likely a sturdy plastic by the look of it, with a metallic faucet. The tub was up against the far wall, already filled with water. Shampoo and conditioner rested on the sides, as did a razor and rag with soap. 

   "It looks like you're all set. Try not to stay in here too long. I'm fairly certain we're having dinner soon, and if you're not there on time you don't eat," Charlie stated, back to her normal self. Closing the door, her heels clicked away until they were finally out of ear range. 

    Stripping myself of the dirty clothes I'd worn for so long, I carefully placed them on the the floor beneath the sink. I let my hair finally do as it wished, and only then did I realise how unbelievably greasy it was and filled with twigs and dirt. I truly felt like teenage girl for once as I felt disgusted by my appearance. 

      Looking into the mirror, I hardly recognized myself. Did I really have such (e/c) eyes, and (h/c) hair? Is that really how many scars I've accumulated? Am I really that malnourished? Have I always been this sickly pale? That gun did a real number on my ear. At least they bandaged it, even though the bandage is now soaked with blood. 

     Not being able to look at myself any longer, I turned towards the tub. Walking towards it, I realised how wobbly I moved. I've been so used to walking in boots I don't know what it's like to walk on my bare feet. My back was