Chapter 1: The Road to Corinth
It was a normal day. Everyone was enjoying their lives without a care in the world. But then, it happened so fast. It happened so quickly. Venjix took over. I just ran and ran. The Domed City of Corinth was the only safe place to go to. The good news is that I survived the attacks. The bad news is that I didn't make it to Corinth, and I lost everyone. My family, my friends, everyone. I saw each and every one of them be taken away from me. Funny how someone can live for more than a hundred year, yet you can die in a second. I thought for a second to commit suicide to be with them, but that's not what my family or my friends would have wanted for me. No one would have. I would continue living for them. I promise. I'll get to be with them someday, but that day won't be today or any day soon.
My name is Ava Mavis. I have straight wavy dark brown hair that's currently in a ponytail, which reaches my neck. I also have beautiful brown eyes; at least that's what my parents say. I'm wandering the dull beige rocky wasteland that use to be covered with bright green grass and shining blue rivers and lakes. The clothes I have on now are a white tank top, knee length skinny blue jeans, dark purple sneakers, and a black jacket wrapped around my waist. The bag I have has the travel equipment I was able to save when the takeover started: extra clothes, water bottles, food, hygienic stuff, and the rest are not really necessities for survival, but I tried to save as much as I could. I took out my phone and plugged in my black and purple ear buds. I put on some music and continued walking. I was getting tired of walking, but what choice did I have? Instead of complaining, I listen to the song I put on. 'Still Worth Fighting For' by My Darkest Days.
"So hard to let go
And I still hear the sound of your voice singing in my head
I can't surrender
'Cause the rope's slowly coming apart
But hanging by a thread
It's gone on
For too long
And this is it
So take a look into my eyes one last time
So we never forget
The way we were before
When we came alive at the moment we met
This is still worth fighting
Still worth fighting for
A glass that's half empty
Won't wash away the mistakes
It only makes a mess
It's worth defending
A tiny glimpse of what it would take to make us better yet
It's gone on
For too long
And this is it
So take a look into my eyes one last time
So we never forget
The way we were before
When we came alive at the moment we met
This is still worth fighting
Still worth fighting for
Now that we know just who we are
Now that we've finally come this far
I'm ready for one more battle scar
'Cause this is still worth fighting for
So take a look into my eyes one last time
So we never forget
The way we were before
When we came alive at the moment we met
This is still worth fighting
Still worth fighting for
A love that wants to live
I'll give you all I've got to give
So let's try one last time
So we never forget
This is still worth fighting
(I'm ready for one more battle scar)
This is still worth fighting
(I'm ready for one more battle scar)
This is still worth fighting
We're still worth fighting for"
No one's p.o.v.
Ava loves that song. It's one of her favorites. Then Ava heard a noise. It sounded like a car. Ava didn't turn around. She just stood still. The noise got louder and louder until it stopped. Ava turned around to see a black car. It looked like a Pontiac Firebird with its engine sticking out. It also had two people inside. Both men. Ava didn't care who they were; she was still ready to defend herself. Then the guy in the passenger seat stuck his head out the window. Ava took off her ear buds.
"Hey, there. You need a ride?" The guy asked
"Depends. Whose car is this?" Ava asked
"His." The guy pointed to the driver
"I'll only get in if the owner allows it. If not, I'll walk to Corinth. I'll take my chances with the toxic air." Ava said
"Wait, you're going to Corinth?" The guy asked
"Trying to." Ava said. The guy looked at the driver. The driver nodded.
"He said you could come in." The guy said. Ava hesitated for a moment and looked at the driver. He simply nodded again. Ava walked to the car and sat in the back seat. She stuffed her phone and ear buds in her bag and put her bag next to her. The driver began to drive again.
"Thanks. What are your names?" Ava said
"I'm Ziggy, and I don't know his name." The guy in the passenger seat said
"Well, I'm Ava." Ava said
"Nice to meet you, Ava." Ziggy said. Ava looked in the mirror and saw the driver looking at her. He immediately looked back at the road.
"Likewise." Ava said. She noticed that she was being driven through what use to be a forest. Ava looked sadly at the dead trees.
"Why do you look sad?" The driver asked. Ava was a bit shocked that he spoke at all, but answered it either way.
"Venjix ruined everything. All I can do now is to pray that someone will stop him." Ava said. They drove in silence again. Ziggy broke it.
"So, you still haven't told me your name yet."
"I don't know." The driver said
"You don't know if you want to tell me your name?" Ziggy asked
"I don't know my name." The driver said
"Poor guy. Amnesia." Ava thought
"Well, where are you from? I mean, who are you, then?" Ziggy asked
"I don't know." The driver said. He sounded irritated.
"Serious amnesia." Ava thought
"You know… if we're gonna be partners, I feel like we need to work on our communications." Ziggy said. Ava could tell that the driver was beginning to lose his patience. She had to intervene.
"Ziggy, could you please give him some personal space?" Ava asked
"Right, sorry." Ziggy said. It became silent again. The driver took a quick glance at Ava through the mirror. She seemed… different than what he thought she would be. A good different. The silence was broken by Ziggy.
"Oh, wait, wait, wait!" Ziggy said. The driver stopped. Ziggy pointed in a direction out of the dead woods.
"See? Ziggy promises, Ziggy delivers." Ziggy said. In the distance, a giant dome could be seen. It was Corinth.
"It's so close." Ava said
"Corinth City. Now, we probably want to pull off the road here and wait till dark." Ziggy said
"We can't stop." The driver said
"What?" Ziggy asked
"Please explain." Ava said
"We're running of fumes. If I kill the engine, I may not be able to start it again." The driver said
"So let's go right now." Ava said
"No, no. No, this is a joke, right? Y-You're not serious?" Ziggy asked, now nervous. Ava saw the driver smirk.
"I think the smirk on his face means he's serious. We're doing this now." Ava said. The driver pressed his foot on the gas pedal and the trio headed straight to Corinth.
"Ok, stop, time-out. Look, we need a reality check. All right, let me spell this out. No one has ever run the barricade into the city during daylight. Understand? No one." Ziggy said. He was really scared.
"Well, I'm about as close to no one as you're ever gonna meet." The driver said
"We at least have to try, Ziggy. We won't get anywhere of we're doing nothing." Ava said
"Ok, uh, you know what? You can, uh- you can drop me off anywhere along here." Ziggy said, then he stuck his head out the window. Ava rolled her eyes.
"He's like an annoying brother." Ava thought. But that thought made her think about her family. Thankfully, Ava didn't get far in her memories because Ziggy spoke again.
"It's the perimeter patrol." Ziggy said. Ava looked out the window and saw two Grinders on motorcycles riding behind them.
"Damn. I hate those things." Ava said
"And they're right on top of us. They are right on top of us." Ziggy said
"Hand me that." The driver said. Ava saw Ziggy pick up things from below his seat, and none where it. Ava was focused on the Grinders.
"You do not mean this." Ziggy said. Ava turned her head to see Ziggy hold up a lemon-flavored lollipop. The driver took the lollipop, ripped the wrapper out with his mouth, and put it in his mouth.
"Ok. This isn't happening. I'm running the Venjix barricade in broad daylight with, uh, Willy Wonka at the wheel." Ziggy said
"I prefer to call him Hot Shot because he's doing good at avoiding those Grinders." Ava said. Then the car began to shake. The Grinders were shooting lasers at them. Then Hot Shot grabbed something that looked like a giant bolt and stuck his lollipop on it. He threw it out the window. The bolt got stuck on one of the motorcycles and it exploded.
"No way. Awesome." Ava said. The driver laughed.
"Remind me, uh, to never get on your bad side." Ziggy said
"Trust me- you're already there." Hot Shot said. Ava laughed.
"Don't worry, Ziggy. I'm sure he won't do anything." Ava said
"Ok, uh, close call, but I think we've got enough time to, uh, to turn around and back up before we hit the- the Venjix barricade!" Ziggy yelled as giant sized lasers and metal walls appeared from the ground, pointing at them. Then lots of Grinders also appeared and began shooting their lasers at them. Hot Shot passed the Grinders and threw another bolt bomb at the Grinders, which obviously exploded, taking out the Grinders.
"We can still turn back. We can still turn back! We can still turn back!" Ziggy yelled. He was freaking out. Hot Shot kept throwing those bolt bombs at the Grinders who just keep appearing. Ziggy began talking nonsense to a lollipop.
"Relax, Ziggy. Breathe. We won't die. But I am a bit worried about the car shaking." Ava said
"Just hand me more thermix charges." Hot Shot said
"So that's what they're called." Ava thought. Ziggy grabbed one from between his feet and accidentally activated it.
"That's not good, is it?" Ziggy asked. Then Hot Shot took a hard turn, which caused Ziggy to let the bomb slip from his hands to Ava's lap.
"And that's got to be worse." Ziggy said
"It's ok, Ziggy. Just hold on tight and let him drive. I got this." Ava said. She made her way to the door and opened it.
"What are you doing?!" Ziggy asked
"Just shut your eyes and think that you're on a rollercoaster. And Hot Shot, do not stop this car." Ava said. Hot shot looked in the mirror. Ava's back was facing him. She was risking her life.
"Call me Dillon." Hot Shot said
"What?" Ziggy asked
"My name, you can call me 'Dillon'." Dillon said
"Well then, Dillon, nice to meet you." Ava said
"It's nice knowing you, Dillon." Ziggy said. Ava returned her focus to the barricade.
"Ava, now!" Dillon said. Ava didn't hesitate and threw the bomb. For a man she just met, she trusts him. Part of the barricade exploded wide enough so the car could get through the city gates, that were opened. When they got inside, Dillon stopped the car.
"They knew we were coming." Ava said
"I'm alive. We made it." Ziggy said. Then they heard machinery.
"Not yet." Dillon said. They turned back to see more Grinders and a different machine. It must be leading the Grinders. Then another trio arrived at the scene. Two boys and a girl, just like them.
"They grabbed a weird phone and inserted a square like disk in the phone. All of a sudden, they were wearing red, blue, and yellow spandex.
"What the..?" Ava has never seen people who could do what she just saw. Ava, along with Dillon and Ziggy, watched the colorful trio fight Venjix creations. After they defeated all the Grinders with their weapons and skills, they moved onto the bigger one. They went to attack with new weapons they conjured up with only a push of a button on their belts.
"Now that's what I'm talking about. Go, Rangers!" Ziggy yelled
"Wait, 'Go' what?" Dillon asked
"Rangers." Ziggy said
"Excuse me?" Ava asked. She didn't know who or what these 'Rangers' are.
"Power Rangers." Ziggy said. Dillon looked at Ava through the mirror with confusion. Ava looked at Dillon with confusion too. Then they looked at Ziggy and asked the same question.
"What's a Power Ranger?"