Another night passed. Marc was originally was skeptical about Joseph, but the longer they conversed, Joseph had started to earn the trust of Marc. He shared the stories of his treks across the sandy wasteland that used to be their home. They had utilized what they could salvage in the wreckage of the ship.
As they began to pack to start traveling, Joseph said, "They're coming? That's so cliché.
"I need to know what this means for us", replied Marc as he shoved clothes in his backpack.
"Well. Looks like better get going.", Joseph sighed.
Just then, a loud pouding came from a lower level.
"What was that!?", screamed Marc in alarm.
"Probably just the ship settling." He said as he lit a cigarette.
A terrifying shriek echoed through the room from downstairs.
Joseph picked up his gun and said, "Not the ship...".
He then put his finger on his lips to signify silence.
They creeped down the stairs cautiously to avoid any sudden mishaps or dangers lurking around the corner. Another shriek rang through the ship, seeming a lot closer this time. The two readied their guns and Marc waited for an all clear signal. The sight the turned around the corner to see had surpassed their imagination as the ears to in the sound of the cracking of bones and tearing of muscle off of those bones. A creature with bulging arms and legs and a deformed face that may have once been a human hunched over and fed off a mutilated corpse. As Joseph aimed his gun, the monstrosity raised its head to sniff the air and turned around to face the two. Before Joseph could shoot the mutant, it lounged toward him, but Joseph was quicker! He swiftly pulled his combat knife and slid under the beast, lacerating the flesh and organs of the bottom! After he got back up the mutant stood still as they stared at its back to see what it'd do next. Suddenly, the stomach and intestines spilled out of the belly and the horrendous creature toppled over dead.
"That was too close...", said Marc as he was catching his breath.
"Child's play", said Joseph as he lit another cigarette.
They headed out after finishing packing.
The sandstorms had calmed down, surprisingly.
Most of the time, that's all that happened. Sand was always drifting in through the wind like minuscule cars on a transparent highway.
"Were you in the war?", asked Marc.
Joseph looked at Marc in a disappointed and sarcastic way and said,
"That was over 60 years ago."
"Just trying to make conversation...", said Marc in a shameful way.
Joseph rolled his eyes as the two kept traveling.
After what seemed like days, they caught a glimpse of a radio tower on the brink of the horizon.
The relief Marc had was indescribable.
As they approached the bunker, they saw a jeep heading towards them from afar, so they attempted to flag it down, hoping they'd catch a ride.
"Hey! Over here! We need a ride!", Marc yelled at the top of his lungs.
Several soldiers started waving their arms frantically in the jeep.
Marc started a full on sprint towards the car with high hopes of escaping the heat.
Joseph started jogging, but then haulted as he noticed a half-buried sign in the sand that read,
"Danger: Mine Field".
"Stop! Wait! Marc!" Yelled Joseph.
Marc turned around, but still ran slowly backwards to gain ground.
Just then, Marc heard a "*click*".
