Sandwiched between the crumbling wall of an old grocery store and some big piece of metal her brain had yet to identify, Chloe wept as silently as she could. She was surrounded by decay, but at least for now it was just the safe decay of the old world. The slow decay of the structures in this small town that no human repaired or tended to anymore. The putrid smelling decay of the dumpster that no longer was someone's job to empty. She knew that the living decay of the former townspeople were surely on their way to rip her apart. Their low grunts and moans and stench were getting closer.
Looking down, Chloe saw her thigh was pierced and bleeding heavily, the blood running down her leg and pooling in her shoe. The last thing she could remember before this life-threatening incident was searching the abandoned store for food and water. She actually found some, too. "Pickled fucking okra! Yes!" she couldn't help but exclaim when she found a sealed jar of one of her favorite pre-apocalyptic snacks. She also found a Powerade and a bag of lentils. Needless to say, it was more food than she'd found in a while, so she was quite happy. But, when she started heading down the alley beside the store she must have triggered the trap. A huge chunk of metal came at her, from what side she couldn't remember. She'd passed out shortly after feeling the searing pain of it's blow.
Now that she was awake, she knew she was in big trouble. All of her strength didn't move the metal at all. She knew that this was probably where she would die. She had been alone since the beginning, and had not one soul out there to worry about where she was. "Well, I kind of hoped that I would die in a beautiful field of flowers with a brilliant blue sky above me, but I guess I'm just here with you, dumpster. I'm going to name you Big D." She sighed heavily and looked at the dumpster as if it would reply. "Are you seriously talking to a fucking dumpster?" an amused sounding male voice asked. Disoriented and woozy from blood loss and dehydration, Chloe looked around until she found it's source. There was a man that appeared to have half of his face burned standing opposite from Big D near the door Chloe had exited from. "I sure as hell was Two-Face. Big D and me go way back...to like, 30 minutes ago. He witnessed this whole ordeal. Have you noticed that I'm pinned to this damned wall?" Her speech slurred with every word.
"Yeah, I sure as fuck noticed. I was gonna offer to help, but I don't wanna step on Big D's toes if he already has a plan. Plus, if I helped you, you might just wish I hadn't." The man stepped forward and gently touched her injured thigh. "Make up your mind quick, girl. If I help you, you'll work for my group. It won't be easy. We all have to earn our keep. Although, I think the boss will like you." He moved his hand slowly from her thigh to her waist. "Please Two-Face" she begged. " Help me and I'll do whatever I need to do. I have no one coming for me. If you don't help me I'll be eaten alive. I'll work my ass off before I let that happen." He grinned a half grin and looked her straight in her green eyes. "Yes ma'am. I do believe you will. John! Bring the truck around! We've got a fresh one."
Sure enough, a big black truck came around the corner with six strong-looking men in the truck bed. Two jumped out and grabbed Chloe by the arms while the rest either kept watch or started working on the other side of the metal. Within a minute, the truck was moving the mass off of her. The two men on either side of her carried her to the truck and quickly tended to her wound. Everything seemed choreographed like they'd done it a hundred times before. The last thing she said before losing consiousness was "Goodbye Big D!" The men's laughter rang loud in her head. "Yeah. The boss will definitely like this crazy bitch."