Thirst... Hunger... Loneliness... Just a few emotions Niko had been used to before the nuclear strikes, but now they were almost unbearable. He had spent most of the first few months living in the basement of his home, eating what food had been left and drinking what water he could find. Eventually he had run out and emerged from under ground, blinking at the ruins of a once grand city.

He had tried to survive on his own, but he hadn't learnt much before the world changed into a wasteland. All he knew was that some areas were bad, and that he could die at any point. After a bout of sickness from drinking dirty water, he decided he had to find someone to look out for him. Luckily, Niko had some skills that would make people want to keep him around.

He traded his services for food and shelter, but never stayed around for too long. He was afraid of men after all, and some of the ones he met were strange, nearly insane or completely desperate. He hated it when they cried, telling him about their wives and children they had lost to the event. He never knew what to say to them, or how to cheer them up. After the night, he'd move on.

One day, several months after the fallout had happened, he decided that it was time to leave the city. He knew that the ruins were safer than whatever populated the now barren wastelands that once were lush forests, rivers and mountains. He had to see what was beyond the makeshift walls, maybe he could find a place of safety, a place untouched by all of this. That and the riots were getting worse as more and more starving people fought to survive on what little supplies existed.

He gathered his bag, which had a spare change of clothes, a blanket and a radio inside it. He left the ruins at what he thought was dawn, moving towards the wall that had been made from anything that was lying around, bits of buildings, cars and buses. It had taken a lot of people to build, in order to keep whatever was out there out... And ultimately sealing them inside the city.

He started to climb, only stumbling over loose metal every now and then. He was lucky not to cut himself or to fall, and was panting heavily once he reached the other side of the wall. He stood on the hard earth and stared out over the desolate plains, wondering what was his next plan of action. He started to walk towards the horizon aimlessly, realising how lost he was and wishing he had stayed in the city.

-

He had no idea how long it had been since he had crawled over the wall. Maybe a few days, maybe a few weeks. All he knew was that he was cold, hungry and thirsty. He had to find something soon. He stumbled over a rock and fell to the ground, sighing as he laid flat to the burning earth. He was crying and praying to whoever could answer. His eyes were heavy and he closed them slowly.