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Chapter I.

Jen and I woke to a sudden noise. I don't know why but we could never get used to the sound of screams yet. I wanted to go out rather than staying in here, but I knew it wasn't for the best. Still, I felt so weak so helpless. Being locked in here was exactly what they wanted, what he wanted…the man with the mask…not batman, never batman. He left us and though all of us pretended like he was some piece of shit vigilante that killed all the men, some of us knew better. I did at least.

I get up to look at Jen to see if she's all right. She's sweating, profusely. She started out with a cold and then got worse. It was probably due to the fact that it was now November and we've been stuck without heat for the last two months. Jen doesn't say a word…she just ignores me as usual when she didn't feel like talking. Still she's my roommate, so it's in the rulebook that I don't listen to what she wants. I need to get food and medicine.

We had both lost weight from the current situation. Everybody was all out of sorts. But I kept exercising and staying in shape. When Jen was feeling better a month or two ago she showed me some self-defense moves that Selina her yoga instructor or maybe her drug dealer showed her. Although I never believed Jen was into drugs. I just thought it was strange she went for yoga six days a week for the last two years. I knew better though.

I pick up all my blankets and put them on Jen. "You're not going, you don't know the streets like I do" she says. It feels more like an insult than a warning, even though her tone insisted otherwise. "I know I grew up in the suburbs so obviously I can't handle myself" I say sarcastically. It pissed me off how she thought she was so much better by herself yet how come she came home with so many black eyes? Anyways I needed to get out not just for her for me too. And I wasn't going to give into her stubbornness. She's my friend who's sick, the market was just a block away and I know there's medicine there. Other people in our dorms had gone out and got ibuprofen.

Jen sat up now as I finished putting on my boots. "You look like you're ready for war" she says, insultingly. "Like you said I don't know the streets like you do…I have to be prepared" I say…my sarcasm no longer has limits, not in this shit hole city. When I look in the mirror, I really do look ready for war. I had my black boots on, dark jeans, and a long dingy looking trench coat-I didn't want to wear my nice coat on the streets I might not get it back or it may cost me my life.

I felt like I was out of some steampunk post-apocalyptic anime. Who am I kidding; I really am in a steampunk post-apocalyptic anime. The streets have very few people and the city is swarmed with the most advance army tanks I have ever seen. It was just like batman's car except now there were six going up and down the street. I also saw online how they said there was a reactor bomb that may explode but I wasn't sure how true that was. All considering it was amazing the internet was working. If it wasn't I may have considered obscurity in my closet.

"Jamie" Jen says my name which usually meant she was serious. I would have preferred her to say sweetie or honey like she usually did but whenever it she said my name it was rare and I knew she was scared. "Im 25 and you're only 23…I know two years doesn't seem like a lot but I've lived here my whole life…you lived here less than a year in GU…you have no idea what the city is like right now" she tells me like she's my mother. She starts to continue but then starts coughing really bad and then gagging. I quickly brought the garbage over and held her blonde hair. She threw up only a little due to the little food we ate to conserve the small amount that was left.

"Jen look I know you see me as a sister but I need to go I'll be fine" I tell her. Though she would never admit how she felt about me. Jen sighed and then turned over on her side. "Well if you die can't say I didn't warn you" She says, which was as close as I would get to good luck or be careful. Jen had a hard secretive side that I never really understood. It kind of made me angry that she couldn't trust me enough. "I know" I say, annoyed. "Bye" I say but she doesn't say it back. I closed the door.

I looked in the hallway, which seemed so eerie. It was dark and I didn't see my dorm monitor who tried to keep us in the dorms. I actually didn't see anyone. I walked down the hall and down the stairs. The elevators were turned off as a safety precaution. I checked my phone to make sure it was working and it was. I'm prepared to do this…so what if you heard screams five minutes ago.

As I get further down I start to feel more cold air. New York was freezing around this time of year. As I get down to the rec room it's even more eerie. Chairs are knocked over, there's dried blood on the walls and papers are scattered everywhere.

I notice a knife sticking in the ground. I suddenly realize I didn't bring a weapon. I can't believe I forgot a weapon. Maybe Jen was right, maybe I wasn't ready. Relax I tell myself, you'll be fine. I pull the knife up from the wooden floor and put it on the inside pocket of my coat. It's time like this I really question if I'm really ready to face such challenges. If Jen found out I forgot a weapon I wouldn't heard the end of it. At least I have one now.

Looking out through the glass windows I immediately knew my life would be in jeopardy but I'm hungry and so is Jen. Jen is sick, I can't be a coward and let it pass her by. I take a deep breath and walk out through the big double glass doors.

Stepping out on the pavement of the shit hole I call Gotham, it's like a ghost town. No one's here…not even the tanks. I walk start to walk to the store and I start to notice the horrors. Broken windows, dried blood is everywhere, and everybody is broken. I just think to myself if I only could be like batman. If I could only hold such a power to be the faith of Gotham. It would never subdue, I'm only me only 5'3 with no way to ever harness the same power as them. I only have my intellect which even that wasn't strong enough for what we were facing.

I felt so cold and alone like there was nothing here but me. It was scarier this way. I would have preferred to have the terrorist with me. At least if I saw them in site I would have a clue of where they are, but right now they could be anywhere and I wouldn't know.

I try to double-back as often as possible without trying to be paranoid. It's not paranoia if people are really out to get you, Jen would say. I look from side to side so often that I am almost dizzy. No I will not become one of those stupid girls who goes missing because I wasn't observant enough. I finally reach the corner of the block and then make a right down the street. I look down to see another dead street.

It started to snow which made this whole experience more eerie than it was peaceful. Snow covered things and made it easier for people to hide. I'm still able to see broken windows everywhere, but I can't really see if there's blood. I know it's there though.

Luckily the market is open but I'm reluctant. I wasn't quite sure if it would be but then how did my floormates get food? When I walk in, there's a man holding a shotgun with a mask. My heart starts beating fast and I looked around quickly to see if there was any food there was none. This was not good.

There was an older Chinese woman who was frantic in the store. I looked back at the man holding the gun. Stay calm I told myself. Staying calm lasted a minute until I heard the door slam shut behind me. There were two men with machine guns and ski masks. Why couldn't anyone show their damn faces in this city? Even batman could show his face who would honestly care or do anything.

"What do you want?" The man I was staring at asked, in a tone that was warning me. I decide to try to play stupid. The dumber people think you are the more they underestimate you, at least so I've thought. "I just need to get food and medicine for my friend she's sick" I say, making my voice sound higher. Some people thought I looked way younger than my age. Saying friend instead of roommate would make them to believe I was younger. Saying medicine instead of antibiotics would make me seem naïve. It was a long shot but I figure it could work. Still, I kept asking myself how my floor mates got so much food.

The man eyed me up and down and then walked forward. I could feel that the other one was close behind me. Don't freak out just yet…they haven't done anything, I kept saying. The store clerk was behind the pharmacy counter, kept her composure but she was shaking. The man came up so that we were only and inch apart. I looked up at those cold merciless eyes that I wanted to gauge out. My heart kept racing, I needed to get prepared. The man smiles through his mask and gets close to me. The other one holds me back. "Do you have any weed?" he asked.

Weed of course, most my floor mates got high off cannabis. They were exchanging it for food. Except where was the food? "No I don't" I say trying to sound ingenuous. I don't want them to think I am scared, even though my heart keeps racing through anticipation. He looks down at my legs and then back up. "You could give me something else" he says. "I have aids" I say quickly. I could be a very good liar, but these were the streets and I wasn't quite sure how they would take it. It could have very well been true, even though my skin was tan I looked very pale and sickly, even though I felt fine. Still I was really banking on them being dumb.

The man looked at me up and down again. "You think were dumb?" he smiled. I could have lied but I was quite honestly getting sick of this shit. "well… Yea" I answer, even though I feel like I'm about to have a heart attack.

He instinctively retracts his arm back ready to punch me but I dip in the last moment which caused him to punch the guy holding on to me. The man still manages to get a grip but loses his footing, which gives me a sudden advantage. I hop up locking my arms with the man holding, with both legs I lock the other man's arm. I turn it them quickly and I hear a crack. The man cries in pain, which cuts the other guy off guard he lets go of one my arms. I manage to turn my torso and elbow the other guy holding me as hard as I could in the gut with my free arm. He lets go which gives me enough time to escape. I need to get out before I have to kill them. I wasn't ready for that. After all this was only my first fight.

I immediately run out of the store. I needed to get away and try to find a market that thugs didn't control. It didn't make any sense though; it wasn't like we were in that horrible of an area. Who am I kidding, this is a fucking warzone. I run through the snow, I could outrun them. The one in back of me was out of shape and the other guy he was about my size. Not only that, I'm pretty sure the weed would slow them down. Seeing as their eyes were red, they probably had some at least a few hours ago.