The end of the world began in the year 2013. Worldwide temperatures climbed and polar ice caps melted, flooding most of the world. That was only the beginning. The “melting phase”, as it is called, created massive weight changes, triggering tectonic plate movement. This was the pre-volcanic phase. Caused by the shifting of tectonic plates, the Ring of Fire (a long chain of active volcanoes) began going off, releasing massive amounts of ash into the atmosphere. Like a malevolent spirit, the ash cloud covered the sun, thus causing most plant life to blacken and die. Now, the few survivors have to fight for every scrap of food. The following is an example of what life is like in this new world.

A voice echoed down the alley where the three boys were hiding. They looked at each other nervously, fearing that the owner of said voice might come down the alley. They were too few and too weak to defend their dwindling supplies for any amount of time, and they knew it. They waited for awhile, but nothing happened after that.

“Whose idea was it to come down into this miserable alley, where anyone could be hiding here?” Stiv demanded. “There was no food here, and lots of risk. Too much risk.”

“Keep your voice down! I led us here because I heard that there was a banding here.” Rob said. The third member of the group, a small boy of about nine, piped up.

“What’s a banding?”

Rob and Stiv looked at each other, and both wondered where this kid had survived the last eighteen years.

“A banding is a massing of individuals to form one unit that feeds and protects its members. If we join a band, we wouldn’t have to fight for each bite of food we find,” Rob answered kindly.

Suddenly, all three boys realized that they were no longer alone. Two more boys had snuck into their camp as they were arguing. The two groups looked at each other warily, and then both decided the other wasn’t a threat.

“What are your names, then?” the larger of the new boys demanded.

“Why should we tell you? We were here first. Tell us your names,” declared Stiv

“Fair enough. Well, I’m George, and this is Fred” said the smaller boy. “Now that you know our names, what are yours?”

Rob watched them for a bit before he answered. “I’m Rob. The tall one is Stiv, and we don’t know the kid’s name.” He turned to said boy, and said, “What is your name?”

The kid looked shyly at his feet and replied in a voice barely above a whisper, “Andrew”.

George nodded a few times, and then asked the question that was on both sides mind, “Well, we heard there was a banding being formed here. Is that the same reason you are here?”

“Yes, but we haven’t found a thing, and we’ve been here for days!” Stiv replied angrily. “I don’t think there ever was going to be a banding. We were fools to come here.”

The boys sat staring at the fire for awhile, each boy wondering what they were going to do next. After the fall, people had turned on each other, stealing food, and in some cases, stealing bodies. Stiv, Rob, and Andrew discovered each other in northern Germany, when all three tried to raid the same general store and ended up running for their lives from a larger group of men. Since then, they had become good friends and worked together as though they had been born and raised together.

“So what now?” Andrew asked. “What are we going to do now?”

The four other boys looked at each other, and all made a silent agreement. “We’ll form our own band. Just the five of us. Now that the ash cloud has gone down, we can start up a farm,” Stiv said. “We can live off the land and become fat and happy”

“Where? There isn’t any decent farmland for miles, and there are predators every five feet.” Rob kicked a nearby wall angrily. “We probably won’t have a single night without four or five attacks.”

“There is a way for us to travel there without a single attack,” George said.

“Oh yes? And what’s this wondrous solution of yours?” Rob replied spitefully. “There is none!”

“There are the catacombs”

The boys shuddered as one, and Rob voiced the thought that was common to all of them. “But… there are monsters down there. There are demons and undead and monsters.”

“No there isn’t. I’ve been down there a few times, and I haven’t seen anything besides a rat.”

“You’ve been in the catacombs?” asked Stiv incredulously.

“Yes, and I can find my way there again,” George replied, “There’s even an entrance not too far from us.

The boys argued for a bit, Rob and Andrew against going into the catacombs, George and his friend for it, and Stiv neutral. After awhile, Stiv voiced his opinion. “I think we should go.” He stood decisively. “Yes, we’ll go into the catacombs at first light. Until then, we should sleep.”

Rob and Andrew looked at each other, and then resigned themselves to their fate.

“All right” they both said

The next morning, George awoke several hours earlier than the others and snuck away. He only returned as the others were waking up again with many loud groans at being forced into this dismal world once more. As George entered the camp, he and Fred exchanged a nod, and Rob wondered at that.

“Time to wake up! Eat breakfast and then we’re off to the catacombs!” George declared cheerfully. Loud grumbles followed his statement, but George was not deterred.

“It’s a bright new day! We can get lots done!”

Still grumbling, the other boys roused themselves and began to eat breakfast.

“So, where is this entrance of yours?” Stiv asked of George. “And how close is it?”

“Why, it’s right over there” George replied, pointing down the alley that he had gone down earlier.

“Really? Let’s go check it out!” said Stiv, growing excited. “Come on!”

Slightly more motivated, the boys followed him. Rob noticed that George and Fred hung back a bit, but though nothing of it. Ahead, Stiv stopped at the end of the alley.

“Where is it?” Stiv demanded angrily. “I though you said it was right here!”

Grinning evilly, George answered him. “I lied. There was no entrance. The catacombs collapsed years ago.” Then, at a nod from George, a great band swarmed out of the houses and swallowed the three boys.

The last time George ever saw Stiv again was when he saw Stiv’s expression turn to absolute shock as he realized he had been tricked.