What a long day. It feels like everything that could go wrong today did go wrong. But it’s over now. Actually, I shouldn’t jinx myself. It’ll be over soon.
     I relax and reach out to slide the rusty steel plate rested against my windowsill. It screeches against the glassless window while slowly revealing the dry barren landscape around my dented beat-up metal silo that I happen to live within.
     Of course, the empty view outside my “home” is no strange sight for me. Ten years have passed, and every time I move the rust, nothing’s changed. The year 2087 isn’t the most eventful time period, especially considering the fact a good three quarters of the world is gone, after a teensy little bit of nuclear warfare. From multiple countries. For three decades. Before I was even born.
     But, enough about that. The sun sets, and my mind starts to shut down. I spread myself across my well-worn bed. My scraggly and ruffled hair is out of my face. My heavy leather boots are off. My eyes are closed, and the stress in my mind and muscles starts to melt away.
     Oops. It’s back.
     Immediately, as if world just wanted to screw with me, an enormous bang rushes into my ears. My legs drag me out of bed and on my feet.
     It was from inside the silo.
     My mind is completely blank! This area of land hasn’t been touched for years! My mind begins to jump to conclusions.
Maybe an animal? The wind? Grim reaper?! Oh god. Maybe-- no, it couldn’t be. That wouldn’t be possible. I’ve made sure that’s not ever possible for--
      “WE’RE COMING IN! DON’T THINK OF RETALIATING! WE HAVE WEAPONRY!”

     Other people!

     I panic. My eyes travel around the dim section of the silo. I shift toward my window, my only chance of escape. Climbing on my bed, I--
     WAP!! A sharp pain enters the back of my head, and I start to drift away.

     LATER…

     “Ugh… wh-what? Where am I!?” My head is covered in some twine sack, which smells like a dog's bowel movement. I attempt to flail my arms, but I come to realize their binded behind my back, along with my chest and legs.
     “Don’t bother trying to break free. We have armed guards all around you,” a menacing female voice replies.
     Armed guards? My chest starts to pound.
     “Now,” the voice continues, “I think we both know why we're here. You have something we need.”
     Although I should be scared, I end up becoming confused. I don’t  have a clue of who these people are, let alone what they need. But I decide to keep my mouth shut for now, as to not make these people any angrier as they come off as.
     “Our boss has been breathing down our necks for weeks. Now, we have you here with us. So, you wanna tell us where it is?”
     I’m too scared to speak at this point.
     “Alright, if you’re not gonna talk, then I guess we'll just have to do a little ‘convincing’ until you’re ready to tell us--”
     “I have no idea what you’re talking about!” I say.
     “Oh, do you? You have no idea? You don’t know a thing we’re talking about? Huh? Is that it?” the voice replies.
     “Y-yes. That’s… what I just said.”
     I hear a sigh.
     The voice hesitates, then starts again, “Okay. You know what, why don’t you come with me?” Weirdly, the voice sounds much more empathetic and kind. The sack on my head is ripped off, and I feel someone cutting the bonds on my wrists and legs. In moments, the weight of being held to the chair is released.
     When my sight returns, I try to get a good look at my surroundings. For a world where most structures are dusty and abandoned, the room I’m in is sleek and well-kept. The space is small, roughly the size of a small office. Not a single window lines the walls (windows are instead replaced by four menacing guards), and because of it the room is extremely dim, only being lit by the small light on the ceiling.
     The woman who seemed to be speaking before was now in front of me. Her hair was a dim brown, her skin wrinkled and aged. As I predicted, her face is relaxed and has a very slight smile.
She starts with, “Come with me.”
     With the guards following us, we leave the dim room and enter a tiled hallway, white almost all over. The harsh contrast in lighting leaves me squinting as I inch down the hallway.
     Eventually, I feel the cool air of the outside against my skin once again, as we enter a balcony, where the view of a calm coast can be seen. Below us is a large, steep hill (but, not so steep you’d die if you fell to it).
     With the bodyguards behind us, the woman seems she is ready to speak again.
     “Listen. I know how you feel right now. The world is barren, and you don’t get to have much company. But we need it back. It’ll be hard to let it go, I know that, but it was our boss’s to begin with, and he’ll take good care of it. Our boss loves dogs just as much as you do, and he really misses his buddy.”
     “Dog?” I reply.
     “Okay, you don’t have to play stupid anymore, we know you have the boss’s Corgi, Charles.”
     “Charles? My name’s Ward, not Charles.”
     The woman stares at me.
     “Ward!?” she shouts. “Ugh, another bust. Throw him out, Eduardo.”
     A huge behemoth (apparently named Eduardo) steps forward. He looks me down, his expression causing me to feel smaller and smaller until--
     All of the sudden, Eduardo picks me up and tosses me over the balcony.
     It takes a few minutes, but I eventually come to and realize I’m on the beach. I flip myself around to see the balcony of the strange building behind me, and the strange inhabitants in it have left. I look around once again and I begin to recognize the coast I’m on.
     So, I manage to pick myself up and make the trek back home.
Within a matter of minutes, I see home in the distance, and I’m reminded of my soft bed inside. I’m about to turn the doorknob but I pause when I pick up on a soft panting behind me. I slowly turn myself towards the sound, and I find myself in front of a small perky Corgi.
     For few moments, I just stare at the animal.
     A few moments later, I turn the doorknob and enter my home.
     I’m exhausted.
     It has been a long day, after all.