• A bright light shined into my eyes wakeing me up. I looked around seeing beautiful furniture. Everything was so beautiful and taken care of. I even saw a tree on the other side of the room. "I'm dead."I whispered at the roof. "This is heaven..." I sat up and felt a horrible streek of pain in my side. That was so strange. If I were in Heaven then I shouldn't feel pain right? Somebody walked through the door.
    "So your awake." He said with a huge smile on his face. "Lie down. Your going to reopen that wound." I absently touched my side.
    "So you died too then. I'm so sorry. You should have left me when you had the chance." This earned a laugh. "What's so funny?"
    "We're not dead." He giggled. "This is my house. I spent a lot of time restoring it. Gave me something to do." He smiled again. Then his expression turned grim. "You were about to kill yourself. Why?" His eyes were dark.
    "It doesn't matter."
    "It does to me. Life is a beautiful thing. Something you were about to waste." His voice was hard as his look. I looked away.
    "It was... it was so hard. I was all alone. I could feel death only minuets away. The gun. The gun looked so friendly. I was in pain. Lack of non irradiated water was killing me. What was the point of liveing that way...especially since my family was gunned down in front of me. Their faces..." His expression changed into one of sadness.
    "I'm sorry to hear that. But I'm glad I got to you before you did anything stupid. I...also had that kind of pain to deal with, except I wasnt there when they died. I couldn't save them... and my wife... I have to find her." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Shes out there, waiting for me to save her. I know it. Thas why I restored the house. This will be her home. This is how she explained her dream home to me so many times..."
    "I'm sure shes fine." I said placeing my hand on his shoulder and smileing.
    "Your right, she is."
    "I could help you look for her. After all, how eles could I pay you back for saveing my life?"
    He looked up in supprise, "You would do that for me? You dont even know my name."
    "It doesn't matter. You save me from that hell I used to call a life. I dont think theres anyway I could possibly repay you enough. My name is Desiree." I put out my hand.
    "Mathew." He shook it. "You must be hungry. I'll go see what I can cook up. Lie down and get some rest. I'll be back in no time." And with that he left. I laid down and staired at the cealing with a heavy heart. So he has had his own troubles as well... I let my thoughts wonder to that time five years ago just befor the war happened. It was June 25, 2012. I was 16 years old and the only worries I had were about weather I would get my homework done. And thats when it happened.
    * * *
    "Hey Desiree, come take a look at this." My little sister called.
    "What is it Anna? I told you not to bug me when I was working."
    "I know but check out the news." She un muted the Tv.
    "Today our nation has recived a grim message from our advesaries in Germany that they have recieved a request for help from Russia's Prime Minister. Though it was not a usual cry for help. They are currently gathering troups from enemy countries to takeover the U.S once and for all. President Obama states there is nothing to fear but there are many people who disagree with his calmness toward the situation. As we speak hundreds of U.S. citizens are fleeing the country leaving our population horribly deminished. So far we have learned that Russia has gathered five countries agenst the United States. Though our president seems calm he is currently gathering countries that have remained loyal to us and is working hard to create a weapon strong enough to derail Russia's betrayal. We are devistated to report that we may be looking at World War III. More at 11.00" Anna turned off the television.
    "Sis I'm scared. Whats going to happen to us? Maybe...maybe the Myans were right about the end of the world...Are we.. are we going to die?" She looked at me panicked.
    "Of corse not. We have great souldiers. They'll protect us. Dont worry. This'll all blow over in no time." How wrong was I?
    The situation began to get worse and worse as the months passed and then the Russian army invaided the U.S. A few weeks passed and then it happened. I was takeing a shower and had just gotten dressed when I heard the door crash off its hinges. My little sister banged on the bathroom door and I let her in. She was hysterical.
    "They're here! The they're-" Gunshots fired off.

    * * *
    "Hey. You like stew?" He asked snapping me out of my memory. I nodded and he gave me a bole and a wodden spoon he probably carved himself.
    "Thank you." He just smiled.
    "What were you just thinking about?"
    "Oh, nothing important. This is really good."
    "Thanks."
    "So is there anyone eles liveing here with you?"
    "No just you and me."
    "Oh. Do you have anywhere I can wash up?"
    "Not with that wound. Id hate to have to wrap you back up. Speaking of which, I'm probably going to have to change the bandages in a few hours. Wait till then, okay?" I nodded again. I finished the stew and plased the bole next to me on the bed turning to stand.
    "No you dont." He said placeing a hand on my shoulder urging me down.
    "I have to use the restroom." He scrunched his eyebrows.
    "Come on then. I may as well show you the house while I'm at it seeing as how you probably wont be leaving for a while. Oh, and you dont have to answer, but Im sort of curious, How old are you?"
    "21. You?"
    "28. was 21 when I got married. That was when the world was without as much falt though." He sighed.
    "So how did you loose your wife?"
    "I didn't loose her. She was taken by...by some horrible people."
    "Im sorry. What happened?"
    "I'd rather not talk about it right now..."
    "I wont force you."
    "Thank you."
    "So what did she look like? Was she pretty?"
    "She ws more that pretty, she was an angel. Always so kind. She wanted kids. Three of them. two girls and a boy but she couldnt have children of her own. She had two misscarrages before she found that out though. Destryed her. Though she got over it. Said she wanted to addopt. We were actually on our way to the orphinage when these souldiers came, knoked me over the head and took her. I was so powerless." He stopped. "Is that what happened to your family. The souldiers?"
    "Yeah..."
    After my bathroom break and the tour I went back to my room and laid down on the bed rembering that night.
    * * *
    "Shhhhh." I whispered to Anna as I pulled her along behind me as we headed for the backdoor.
    "We cant leave mom and dad."
    "We certenly cant stay here. Now come on!" But it was too late. A souldier rounded the corner and caught us. He draged us into the liveing room and threw us onto the floor next to our parents. I hugged my sister tight so they couldnt seperate us as did my mom. The men obviously thinking us not a threat turnd from us.
    "Are you alright?" My dad asked. We nodded. "Listen, Im going to make a distraction and I want you girls to run okay?"
    "But dad-" My little stster started.
    "I dont want to hear it, just go, okay? Take her far from here Desiree. Keep her safe."
    "What about mom?"
    "I'm helping your father. Listen. We both love you verry much, never forget that."
    "Okay, we wont."
    "One." My mother.
    "Two." Me.
    "Three!" My dad jumped up with my mom and attacked the nearest guy while me and my sister ran out the door. I looked back and saw the men shoot my parents as did Anna.
    "NO!" she screamed. I grabbed her and fought with her pulling her into a bush and wraping my hand around her mouth.
    "Shut up." My voice shook with horror. "We cant let them down. We cant get cought." After the souldiers ran past my sister was calm enough to follow me. But we didnt get away. We were spotted and as they pulled the black bag over my head they shot Anna. The last thing I saw was her limp body on the street.
    * * *
    "Anna!" I sat up quickly in bed earnig another painful pang in my side. I droped my head into my hands and cried. My little sister was gone because I wasnt playing close attention to my surroundings. It was all my fault...
    "Whos Anna?" I jumped. He was there... He saw me...
    "My kid sister. She was shot. I just had a dream about her thats all..."
    "I'm sorry."
    "It's not your falt."
    "Anyway I was just about to wake you up. It's time to change your bandages.