As the sun set on the horizon, a sandstorm whipped up just outside the boundaries of the camp. The fences creaked and shook, causing the humans tucked in their beds to lay awake in fear. They were thankful to be more protected inside of the sturdy barracks, but were worried that sand would blow in or cover the doorways so they were trapped. Outside of the barracks, the storm pushed onward as mercilessly as the heat of the sun at high noon. Anyone unlucky enough to be outside right then would have been completely covered in sand, unable to move or even cry out for help.
Farther off however, deeper into the heart of the desert, the sandstorm had reached the edge of a deep ravine. The precipice stretched for miles across the sandy wastelands, the river at the bottom resembling a twisted green snake. The storm could not reach the other side of the vast gap in the earth, and so it ceased its rage and began to settle to the earth.
The canyon, as it was referred to by the humans, was an old landmark that had seen many centuries of people come and go. Now, it had become home to a young man named Keith Kogane. Keith lived in a cave on the side of the canyon wall, safely away from sandstorms and aliens. The way to his cave was by a narrow and hard to access trail, which few could navigate. Keith shared his home with the wildlife of the canyon, and was able to feed himself by catching fish in the river and hunting after dark. The aliens didn't come out after dark, as they seemed to be interested in staying on their human slaves' schedule of night and day. This kept Keith safe from the wrath of the aliens, and left him less vulnerable to attack when he went out hunting.
After the sandstorm, Keith waited for the sun to fully set, then set out of his cave down the small trail into the canyon. He intended to hunt for wild mountain goats that night, and take one home to eat. Food had been scarce since the aliens had arrived, yet Keith was able to adjust his body to the food he was able to get. He was a survivor, and wouldn't stop fighting until he was dead and gone. That was one of the reasons why he was down in the cavern, and not in captivity like the rest of the humans.
When he was young, his father had taken him far away from the aliens, deep into the desert to a tiny house where they lived in peace. As Keith grew older, his father taught him to fight and gather food to survive in even the harshest places on earth. Then one day, Keith's father had mysteriously disappeared from their small house, leaving Keith utterly alone in the middle of the vast expanses of desert. Of course he had known danger was on the way, so he had packed up what he could and left for the hiding place his father had shown him in the nearby canyon. He had lived there ever since, waiting for his father to return, or an opportunity to free his fellow humans from their enslavement.
Keith wandered nimbly down the trail into the canyon, stopping every now and then to listen to the noises of the night and examine his surroundings. He spotted a pile of fresh goat droppings, and smiled smugly before taking attaching his spear to his belt, and climbing up the cliff face towards a ledge he knew goats liked to sleep on. It was a rough climb, but he was fully determined to get himself a goat for dinner.
When he reached the ledge, to his dismay he found that there weren't any goats resting atop it. He growled angrily, frustrated with himself for making such an impulsive decision. Now he would have to climb all the way back down to the trail! Climb back down he did, but in his anger he slipped at the bottom of the cliffside and tumbled out onto the path. He was just barely able to keep himself from falling off the path and into the deep canyon, holding onto the rocky path for dear life as he pulled himself back up onto it. Chastising himself again for being so stupidly impulsive, he dusted himself off and continued down the trail in search of some unsuspecting dinner.
Keith got home just as the sun was rising, with a rabbit he had freshly caught at the bottom of the canyon. It had been skinned and cleaned at the riverside, and he stabbed a sharpened stick through it before propping it over his fire pit. He lit a fire with flint and a bit of steel, and soon had a nice little blaze going. The flames leaped, licking at the rabbit meat and dancing about their bed of charcoal and embers. Keith watched it, mesmerized by the lovely scarlet and gold flames as they played like a wild creature. He had always liked fire, and appreciated its light and warmth. It was beautiful, yet dangerous- a force to be reckoned with and respected.
Shortly, the rabbit was finished cooking. Its delicious aroma filled the cave and made its occupant's mouth water as he realized just how hungry he was. Keith tore into the food with vigor, finishing off half of the rabbit before he felt full enough to slow his actions. The remaining half of rabbit was stored away in an old cooler, and locked up away from creatures that may want it. Keith stood, stretching and yawning as he stared out at the canyon which was becoming illuminated by the rising sun. It was time for him to go back to sleep, and wait for sunset once more. He crawled into the very back of the cave, and curled up atop a mess of tattered blankets and pillows, not even bothering to get out of his clothing. It was better to wear clothes to bed and be ready for anything, in Keith's opinion. He played with a long purplish dagger for a few minutes, before sighing and pulling a blanket up over himself.
"Goodnight dad... goodnight mom." He whispered, before beginning his descent into sleep.