It was a normal day for the citizens of Teufort. Unless, of course, you count the eerie silence blanketing the town. That was anything from normal.
And it terrified everyone.
"Mom? What's going on?" a voice asked, daring to break the silence.
"I don't know, Charlie. I don't know." a calm voice replied.
"Mom, I'm scared." the little boy, Charlie, told his mother.
"I know, Charlie. Come along now, let's go inside."
The little boy and his mother went inside their little log cabin on the outskirts of town.
The silence went on for days. No one knew when it would be safe to say that the so-called "war" going on at the two old forts outside town ended.
Everyone was just starting to adjust and relax, when an all-too-familiar sound broke the silence.
A 'Boom' of an explosion.
It wasn't like all the other explosions like in the past, though.
This was bigger.
"Charlie! Get to the storm cellar!" Charlie's mother yelled over the noise.
"But Mom-!" He tried to protest
"Charlie, no matter what happens, just know that I have, and always will, love you. Now go!"
Charlie grabbed his German Shepard, Lucky, his trusty slingshot, and ran for the storm cellar. When he got outside, he saw a giant wall of dust and smoke heading towards the house. He quickly climbed down into the storm cellar and hid, Lucky following him.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
The sirens screamed, alerting everyone of the storm, but it was too late.
The storm had arrived.
It started as rushing wind and sand from the hot desert above being thrown down into the cold, dark, cellar. Then it was dark.
Charlie grabbed one of the emergency blankets from the cabinet, and covered Lucky and himself up.
It had been days before the storm ended. Those days were long and hard for the boy and his dog. When they came out of hiding, almost everything was destroyed.
Dust covered everything, sand littered the floor, everything in the cellar was either covered in dust, or broken.
"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Lucky." Charlie joked, Lucky barking in response.
They got out of the cellar, and saw the devastation that laid before them. In a matter of days, the entire town was either dust or in ruins.
They wandered around town, trying to find someone who could help them. When suddenly, a gruff voice came from behind the boy, "Well, well, well. Looks like there were survivors after all."
Charlie turned around, slingshot ready to fire, and saw who was behind him.
It was a man, taller than Charlie, dressed in heavy combat boots, cargo pants, and a thick red jacket. He also had an army helmet on his head. He had a rocket launcher in his hands, aiming at the boy.
"W-who are you? What d-do you want from me?" Charlie asked, voice shaking with fear.
"Nothing, Kid. Just surprised to see there were survivors." He said calmly, lowering his launcher, "Follow me. We'll get you to safety."
"O-okay." Charlie said, lowering his slingshot, "C'mon Lucky. Let's go."
Charlie and Lucky followed the man to some trucks, and more men, on the opposite side of town.
"He the only one?" A short man, with a southern accent, asked
"Him and his woofer. They're the only ones I found." The man that found Charlie turned around to face him, and asked "What's your name, son?"
"Charles. Charles Xavier Ellis." Charlie replied
"Well, Charles, Stick with us. We'll keep you safe." The small Texan replied, " The name is Dell. The man who found you is John, and this here is Zach." He pointed at a guy in a flame-retardant suit and a gas mask.
Suddenly a radio in one of the trucks crackled to life, "Lawrence here, no one north of town hall. On my way back to you. Over."
Dell grabbed the radio and responded, "10/4 Lawrence, we'll be ready when you get here. Over."
"Hey, kid, you ever learn how to shoot?" John asked
"What?" Charlie looked at him confused
"How to shoot. You ever learn how?" he asked again
"Only with my slingshot." Charlie pulled out the said item.
"Well then, we better start off small. You'll need to learn if you're going to hang around us." he explained