The building was air-conditioned, not well, but if you sat in the right corner it felt really nice. Besides, working indoor lights weren't something to scoff at. Just had to hope the ceiling didn't fall down on us and everything would be great.

Two boys, a little girl, and a baby were all locked prisoner in the other room, watched over by the young mother. It was just like this room, except there was no entrance or exit besides this door, someone would have to sleep by it for the time being. Until we found a padlock or something.

We'd plundered enough food to keep all ten of us alive for a week or two. Worst case scenario we could go back for more, but Press insisted that wouldn't be necessary. Such great news she gave me. Apparently, there were these little rat things everywhere out in the wastes, little as in the size of a small dog, to be clear.

She said we just needed to get some metal and a rudimentary forge going to make traps, then we'd have an infinite vein of food to mine from. So long as we had someone checking the traps a few times a day, ideally someone with a good set of armor, or a good enough shot to scare off a group of the things. Needed to be ready for trouble the same reason the traps needed to be checked frequently, these things moved in packs, and they didn't mind eating their fallen comrades.

Just couldn't wait to meet one.

In any case, the first priority was walling off a perimeter, nastier things out there than big rats they all said. This would be the reason I was currently ripping apart the houses of my old neighborhood, the married couple from the group was helping me rip down the house of the sweet old married couple that lived next door.

So fucking long ago, but a day ago for me.

My two new companions weren't the chatty sorts, weren't even talking to each other. I had plenty of time with my thoughts. Back home Press was trying to get some use out of our so-called hostages, and the other settlers were working on more technical projects.

The only excitement was finding a whole pack or group or whatever of those filthy fly things. To be clear I found them when a panicked cry preceded a few rounds of pistol shots.

By the time I came out the dude was running, three little barbs squirming against his back and two of the flying the shitsacks right on his tail. I took my time lining the shot up, then two bullets dropped both of them. That was that, and then right back to hours of grueling manual labor.

When we finally returned, each of us pulling a travel sled as heavy as we could load them up, I was pleasantly surprised.

It looked like the others had managed to dig a couple of pumps of our own, plus an actual cooking fire, complete with tools that looked halfway sanitary. The real highlight though was the wall. The ruined buildings made up most of the perimeter, but at least anyone who came in would have to go through them, and barricading or trapping the doors should be easy enough.

At least any wildlife too big to fit through a door would have some deterrence, that was the main goal as I understand it. Something else dangerous to worry about, but at least here we were safe from it now.

I swear it wasn't two minutes after I had that thought that the sewer grate flew open.

Most of us were sitting around the fire, the sun was going down and we were using the last bits of light to roast some potato esc things before turning in. The ten-foot-tall lizard monstrosity that pulled itself out of the ground looked us over for a good three seconds, then it roared and the world came alive.

Press and the only adult hostage grabbed the kids, appearing to make a b-line for the museum. Maybe they'd be safe upstairs? It was the only thing I could possibly guess they were thinking, either way, I wish someone other than the desert cowgirl badass was delegated to that task.

I watched the rifle she'd retrieved clank against her back as she bolted, then turned back to find the creature had closed half the distance to us. Seeing it in a dead sprint, and my brain still lagging at least a moderate amount, all I could do was brace.

Thankfully the poker I'd been using for my cooking was sharp, and metal, a fireplace tool once I'd wager.

It didn't deter this horror, but it did impale clean through his body upon impact.

Surely it hurt him. Maybe the second roar he let out, after batting me aside like a scarecrow into the nearest brick wall, was one of pain. As for myself, between the blunt force trauma and the searing pain in my abdomen, which appeared to be marked with five nasty claw marks now, I didn't have the strength to scream in pain.

The others were backing up in no clear direction, the glum settler I'd worked with fired a few rounds with his pistol, but it didn't seem to do much other than getting the beast's attention.

Well, slashing that poor bastard to mush might be what distracted it long enough for me to pull my own gun out. All my limbs were still working, and I didn't feel like I was in danger of passing out as the shock wore off, so that's where the priority was. I took the time to line up my shot.

These bullets seemed to bite a little harder, its head moved a bit with the impact on their temple, but it still didn't exactly look hurt. Thankfully before it could come to finish the job with me, a blast of red took him in the shoulder. This time it definitely let out a cry of pain. Its gaze turned, then it rushed like a rocket to the building, tearing into the wall as it climbed towards my savior.

Beginning to panic, I emptied the whole clip into his back, watching his body flinch, clench, and then fall as the second blast of hot laser went point-blank into his face.

The world seemed to shake when he hit the pavement.

It was over.

Thanks for reading, and if you want some non-smut apocalyptic fiction by me, check Macko Bole on the kindle store!