Chapter One: Duststorm

Outskirts of the ruins of Fort Worth

6:15 AM

I looked back over my shoulders to see the remains of Fort Worth. The setting sun was gleaming down upon the crumbling city, losing itself to the consequence of time. From my viewpoint I could see vegetation taking over the streets, and buildings. Rusty skeletons of cars poked out from the tall grass that was growing wildly in the streets. Beside the fact it was once a proud city losing its self to the elements, it was a disturbingly beautiful sight to see. The way the sun covered the city in a gentle orange glow, the lush vegetation growing throughout the city, and the flocks of birds flying in and out of their concrete home.

On the outskirts of the city, patches of trees could be spotted sprouting out from the grass covered streets. Some of the houses that once contained loving families were rotting away. Concrete foundation could be seen, the structure they once supported were just a pile of rotting debris. The streets were filled with the remains of those who died in the downfall of the city. Hundreds of skeletons lay in the jungle like state of grass, remains pointing in the same direction.

"Hey, Isaiah you awake. Looks like you're falling asleep." Yelled my friend Ramiro from the back of a trailer that was hitched to a truck. Ramiro was a close friend of mine, with us being the same age of twenty-four we've grown up with each other at the colony. He had short, unwashed jet-black hair, and a pair of brown eyes. His skin had the dark pigmentation that symbolized his Latin American heritage.

"Yeah I know, I'm just taking a last look at this beautiful hell hole." I joked.

It was true, the ruins was a beautiful hell hole. Beside the fact that debris could fall down on you and kill you, remnants of the infection were still in there. Risk of bandits attacking was low, but you never know. We just happened to have the unfortunate luck of being attacked by a small band near an old evacuation center.

Ramiro jumped off the back of the trailer and slowly strode over to me. Behind him, the rest of the scavenging crew that we joined was gathering around Ray. Ray was our leader of our twenty man scavenging group. Our group had been sent to Fort Worth so search for supplies that could be of use to us. Things like guns, food, electronics, scrap electronics, ammunition, and scrap metal.

"Come on, the sooner we leave the sooner we get back home. I'm thinking that when we get back that we could get shit face drunk." He exclaimed with a smile.

"Sure, after I tell my family I'm home." I reported to my Latino friend.

"OK everyone, gather around me!" Bellowed Ray over the chatter of the scavengers. "Men, I can't say how proud I am for your hard work and dedication for the past two months. I know we faced many challenges along the way, both mentally and physically. With our blood, sweat and tears I'm proud to announce that this trip was a major success," A roar of applause came from the men. "But lets not forget the three men who passed away during this mission. They have payed the ultimate sacrifice so that we see to it that what we scavenged gets taken back home to our loved ones back homes and used for the greater good. Let us reflect on what we have learned, so that we may use it to help us in the future. We'll leave in five minutes, and if all goes well on the way back to Dustin, we should be back in four days tops." He ended his little speech and made his way into the passenger seat of the leading truck.

Everyone boarded the two trailers that were designed for us to ride in. There were four other trailers that we had brought along for the trip. Each one had certain jobs, we used our two largest trailers for transporting the equipment that we had found at Fort Worth. They were both jam-packed with goods along the line like electronics, tools, spare parts, and other miscellaneous items safely tucked away. One trailer had all of our weapons, ammunition, and survival gear. The last trailer had everyone’s personal gear, and equipment. The equipment were things like radios, generators, small solar panels, and medical goods.

Me and Ramiro climbed up onto the trailer and took a seat in the back. To my left was Ramiro, and to my right was another friend of mine; Clayton. Clayton and I have known each other for quite some time. He had unkept/unwashed brown curly hair. He has some serious farmers tan, his arms, neck, and face were a golden brown, but had a pale body that were currently under his clothing. In front of me is a man who we met in the outskirts of Fort Worth. We could see that he had his fair share of fights; his arms and face had many scars adoring his skin. The man had been a nice pace of change for our group, once we showed him that we meant no harm he was eager to help us. That kind of hospitality surprised us, after three days of working together we asked him if he wanted to join. He accepted our offer after we had been attacked by a group of infected.

"So... what can ya guys tell me about Dustin? All of ya'll say its like paradise or somethin'." Asked the new guy.

"Yeah sure. Dustin is one of the safest places around. Not many of the other colonies want to mess around with us. After all, we are well armed and have an ass-load of men protecting the colony. We barely have to worry about food, water, waste, and electricity. Hell we even have our own laws, jobs, and education system." Replied a man some from where in the trailer.

Dustin was one of the five major colonies in North America, not very many cities could match Dustin. The population was around one-thousand three hundred. Like what the man said before, we did have laws, jobs, and a education system. We also had our own power grid, prison system, military force, and militia/police force. To simply put it; Dustin is much like the cities before the collapse of civilization.

"Wow, it really does sound like paradise." Said the man.

"Pfff, wait till you get to the bar. Trust me, if you like booze, then you're going to be truly in paradise." Joked Clayton." By the way what’s your name?"

"My name is Jake."

"Well Jake, my name is Clayton."

The two of them carried on their conversation, while Ramiro was busy reading a article in a Playboy magazine.

What the hell? I want one...

Two days later...

"Hey guys, look out. Theres a pack of five infected about... half a mile ahead of your position, be careful." Reported a scout of ours.

Every so often we would send a scout ahead of us to check for dangers or alternate routes for us to take incase our way would be blocked by debris. The scout would usually ride a motorcycle, the small size of the bike made it easier for it to maneuver around. We had learned to send scouts ahead of us after we had been ambushed three years ago then ended badly. Normally if there was just one infected we would drive right on by. But sense there was a group, they were a danger to the moving convoy. They would throw rocks or any other objects at us, a well thrown rock could hit someone in the head and could kill them. We really didn't want to loose anyone else. Especially at the end of the journey.

"Every one out, lets take care of the infected and take a short break. "Yelled Ray from the front of the convoy truck."

The man who was driving the truck that was towing the weapons and ammunition trailer got out and jogged to the back and unlocked it. Everyone got into a single file line, waiting for their weapons to be given to them. Within a matter of seconds I was at the front. The man passing out everyones equipment gave me my rifle and ammo. I brought my Mosin Nagant 91/30. It was a hardy, reliable bolt-action rifle that fired a 7.62x54R caliber. For its optics, it wasn't really anything special, just a 2x scope. On its birch wood stock, I had attached a cheek rest that also had a small pouch that carried five extra rounds. At the end of the barrel was a foot long, razor sharp bayonet. If I ever needed to, I could easily remove it and use it more skillfully as a deadly close quarters weapon. Hell if I wanted to, I could use the gun itself as a club; but which isn't the best thing for the rifle. To make loading the ammunition easier, I have ten stripper clips attached to my bandolier; which had forty extra individual rounds. What made my weapon of choice unique from the others, is that everyone else chose either assault rifles or shotguns, while I had a old bolt-action rifle.

The group was split up into two teams; one group of five and the other of fifteen. The group of fifteen stayed back and scavenged around, while the group of five set out and took care of the infected. The five set off on their little 'search and destroy' mission, while I set my eyes on a barricaded house down the street. Walking up to the house I could see the plant life that had retaken over the house. Looked like who ever lived here seemed like he lasted longer than everyone else who lived in the neighborhood. The window and doors were boarded with wood; which was crumbling away from termites. Using the stock of my rifle, I bashed away the flimsy boards. After two hits, the wood broke away.

Slowly making my way into the house I could see that who lived here had bunkered themselves in for a long time. The house was collapsing on itself. The foundation was struggling to keep itself up, and the dry-wall was falling apart. The whole house was a complete mess too. Garbage littered the floor, mold was spreading out of the kitchen and onto the living room wall.

Searching around I couldn't find anything of value to bring back to the convoy. Walking down a hallway I could see a room that looked like a private study, with the skeleton of who owned it resting against the wall; with a handgun in its bony appendages. The wall that the remains were leaning on had a dried blood splatter covering it, who ever this was couldn't cope any more. The room appeared to have been a impressive at one point, books filled the tall, sturdy shelves. A computer desk lined a wall with a barricaded window next to it. The computer looked like it might still be usable, but I didn't want to go through the hassle of carrying it outside and checking it. A moldy picture frame hanged loosely on the wall; behind it was a black wall-safe.

Normally I would use a lock picking set, but I left it at the trailer. Figuring the best place to start looking for the combination would be in the computer desk. I pulled a drawer out I searched it, and under the stacks of papers I could see the faint words of 'combinación segura', and under it '34-12-03'. Stepping over to the safe, I slowly entered the combo in to the safe; it didn't work. Trying the combination backwards to my surprise, it worked.

Dumbass.

Swinging the heavy metal door, I spotted the contents. In side I could see some papers and some old money. But what I had taken notice was a small baggy of three USB drives inside, a container that had DVDs inside, and what looked like a audio recorder. I picked up the recorder, I could see that it was in almost perfect condition, ignoring the fact that there was a small crack splaying out from the play button. Pressing the play button, I could hear slight static but it suddenly died. I cursed; the battery was dead.

Deciding that it was time to leave I made my way out of the rotting house. Making my way down the hallway I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror. My slightly curly black hair hung just past my ears, I brought my hand to my five o'clock shadow, and stared into my blue eyes. My shemagh that I'd usually wear during fights was wrapped around my neck. Under the packed bandolier, was my torn up leather jacket that once was my fathers. I looked at my ragged pair of jeans that held up my utility belt that held equipment small enough to fit inside. The boots that I wore were slightly black and dusty hiking boots. The back-pack that I wore was jury-rigged to carry a shit-ton of gear that I would bring along on trips like these. Taking a long sigh, I went back to the convoy.

After I made my way back to the convoy and returned my weapons, I sat down next to Ramiro on the trailer. At least a minute passed by before we started back onto the road to Dustin.

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Canterlot

6:35 am

Princess Celestia sat on her throne, reading the multiple reports on the Everfree forest. There had been a series of reports of dog like creatures seen on the edges of the forest watching the citizens of the small town of Ponyville. At first she had thought that he subjects had mistaken the 'mysterious dog creatures' with a small pack of Diamond dogs that were scaring her subjects for entertainment. She was deciphering on what we would do but was interrupted by her sister; Princess Luna.

"Oh! Hello Luna." Chimed the sun princess, smiling to her little sister.

"Tia...may I ask, have you been getting reports of the mysterious creatures that has been sighted in the Everfree?"

"I have been Luna. I'm not sure what to make of these reports, I've received about eleven of them consisting of the same issue."

"Well, you might want to see this..." Luna pulled a paper scroll out from under her wing with her telekinesis and hovered it over to the white alicorn.

The Princess who was sitting on her throne opened the scroll. The scroll had a picture of a horrid beast. The beast did look like it was related to canine origin (of course). The creature had a light grey coat, running along it's back it had spike like protrusions on its spine. Probably the most disturbing feature of the animal was it's mouth. It's teeth looked yellow and jagged, she could see two much larger teeth jutting out from its mouth; whatever it was its a carnivore. The beast was sporting large claws on its paws and its tail was short and stubby. Next to the picture was a scale drawing, there was a silhouette of an earth pony and the beast. The beast was a head smaller, but could most likely overcome the earth pony next to it.

"Look on the back, the pony who made this made some notes." Luna informed.

Doing as informed, she read the noted over. What she read was disturbing.

*sigh* "Luna, it appears that this...thing poses as a serious threat to the residents of Ponyville. I will not allow this creature so close to the town, it could be a matter of days that one of those things drags somepony away to be never seen again."

"I agree with you dear sister. As exciting as it is for a new beast of the Everfree to be discovered, it will not be it so close to city limits." Spoke the princess of the moon.

"Maybe we should sent a small detachment of guards on the border of the Everfree. Relocating them properly poses as a challenge and a threat to the ponies dealing with them. It would be best if we start to devise a plan for the removal of the beasts." Said the concerned Celestia.

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Dustin

6:28 AM

The heavily protective walls of Dustin slowly opened for the convoy to pass through. Going down the back roads, and making a couple of twists and turns, we reached the back entryway of a massive warehouse. Everyone started to unpack the things they had obtained during the scavenging mission inside of the metal plated building. After an hour of loading the warehouse, everyone made their way back to the center of Dustin; most likely going to reunite with friends or families. The sound of hooves could be heard making their way to us. Ramiro and I turned the around the corner to see two more of our friends; John and Brooklyn. The two of them were both riding their horses, and behind them they were leading two more, most likely for me and Ramiro.

"So, how was the trip? Got anything good?" Asked Brooklyn. Brooklyn was John's older sister who is 'drop dead gorgeous'. She was one of those girls who took their time maintaining there're appearance. Her skin was a smooth light, golden brown due to of all of the tanning she did. Her irises were a rich brown, and she has long gleaming dark brown hair that ended in curls. (I would be lying if I said I didn't have a thing for her.)She knows that I have a... thing for her, so what she often does is tease me about it ever so often. I didn't want to ruin my friendship with the brother by dating Brooklyn... plus I sorta got my self friendzoned long ago.

John on the other hand looked a little different. His skin was the poler opposite, it was pale compared to Brooklyn's. He possessed eyes of a darker brown, and his hair was a shaggy sandy blonde that barely passed his ears. Brooklyn and John at first didn't seem like brother and sister at first. Brooklyn was that smart, social butterfly, graceful, 'happy-go-lucky' type of girl, while John was the shy, slightly awkward type. And not to mention that Brooklyn was four years older than her younger brother.

"Damn right we did!" Ramiro burst out. "We got a ass-load load of stuffed stored into the warehouse that we just recently put in."

John leaned down to hand me the reins to my horse. My 'trusty steed' was a Clydesdale. His breed was specified more for carrying gear than riding. I named him appropriately 'Tiny'. Once I mounted Tiny, I informed the other three that I was going to drop my stuff off and head to my families ranch.

I rode Tiny to my small little cargo container house to drop off my gear. The makeshift house was built by my grandfather on my Dad's side of the family to store what ever needed to be tucked away. The cargo container house is made up of three forty-foot long containers put long ways, side by side and welded together. The inner walls were then removed so that there was more space to store things in there. Inside, I had everything my family would need to survive, weapons, ammunition, tools, ass loads of equipment, fuel, a disassembled dirt bike, and enough solar panels to allow us to live comfortably inside.

After a seventeen minute ride, I trotted to the entrance to the ranch. A sign hanged from the entryway that read.

Harper's Ranch
Surviving this hell hole sense 2018...

Chuckling the way down, I hitched Tiny to a post on the porch. I knocked on the front door. Opening the door were my two little sisters. Before they could react I swooped them up in my arms, swinging them around in a hug. After the special greeting, I set them down on the couch. Both of them were fifteen years old, the oldest of the the pair was Audrey, and the youngest was Alice. They shared light brown hair, light green eyes, slightly pale skin, and a small patch of freckles that adorned their thin faces. Both were soft speaking, never really talking unless needed to. If anyone else would see these two together, they couldn't tell the difference between the two sense they looked like exact copies of each other.

"So... how was the trip?" Alice questioned with a relieved voice; knowing that I was back home.

"Oh how you would normally expect, I'll tell you two tomorrow. It's a really long story. How about that?"

"Sure we'll wait." Answered Audrey.

"Say, wheres Mom?"

"She's over at Jackson."

"Wheres that?" I've never heard of a 'Jackson' before.

"Jackson is about a day's worth away from here. She won't be back for about another six days." Explained Audrey. "She went there to help rebuild the town after a tornado ripped had through it a week ago."

"Well, I gotta go. I'll be at the bar if you need to find me incase of an emergency. If I'm not there, then I will most likely be at the cargo house. Ok?"

"Ok, love you!" They said in unison.

"Love you too. Bye." I said my departing good-bye. I kinda felt bad for leaving them so early, especially since I just got home from a high risk job that I've been gone to for a couple of weeks.

I mounted Tiny and made my way to the bar. The sun was setting the the west and the moon was rising from the east. Strong gusts of wind make my clothing slap around like clothes drying out on a old fashion clothes line.

Going down the main street of Dustin, I approached the bar. A flashing neon sign was hanging over the front entrance that shined 'Dusty's'. I hitched Tiny next to Johns small lanky horse, after dismounting I made my way into the smoky bar. I studied the interior and spotted the three in the back corner of the building.

"Isaiah, ready it get wasted?" Voiced Brooklyn.

"Do I need to answer?" I smirked.

I took a seat next to her, they already had a collection of beer, whiskey, scotch. Everyone grabbed their preferred drink and raised them for a toast.

"To good health!" We all cheered.

"And a destroyed liver." Added John.

We downed the drinks, and set the muggs down. The bar was filled with multiple conversations of different people from the city, some of them were even from other colonies or independent homesteads from what I could tell.

"So, what happened when we were gone?" Roe asked the siblings.

"Nothing really honestly... actually, come to think of it, yeah something did happen. About a week ago some group of bandits thought it was a good idea to attack us." John said before Ramiro interrupted.

"They didn't last long did they?"

"No, not at all. Within the first ten minutes, five of the eight man group were killed. Two men were captured and one escaped. The militia really fucked them up good."

"Know anything that they are doing to the prisoners?" I asked from the other side of the table.

John looked to the ceiling; deep in thought. "From what I can remember, they interrogated them for awhile until they got some information on why they wanted to pick on us." The man took a swig from his beer mug and continued. "They're most likely going to give them fifty years of intensive penal labour."

"Serves them right. That's what they get." Commented Brooklyn.

All of us nodded our head. Dustin is also known for how we deal with prisoners. We often force convicts into hard labour depending on their crime. People who are in for minor crimes don't do hard labour as the more major criminals. Major criminals who are in for major crimes are sent in and are forced to hard labour depending on their offense. For the criminals who are rapists, pedophiles, child molesters, cannibals, child abusers, and many other disturbing things. They stay there for their entire lives, basically to become slaves. The bandits that had been captured would be put in with the major criminals.

Ramiro and John got themselves lost in some type of conversation; leaving me and Brooklyn to converse with each other. She looked at me with a mischievous smile.

I god, I know where this is going...

"So how was it?" She said with a fox like smile.

"Oh, you know, same old same old." I casually replied. I looked over to the other side of the table, only to discover that John and Roe left to compete with some other pair in a game of pool.

Bastards left me. I can't tell if that's good or bad... I thought to myself.

"Did you miss me?" She asked in a voice with some rhythm in it.

I took a drink of whiskey. "Just a little."

She slightly leaned on me, making me curious to where this conversation is going. It was most likely a step in some devious plan of hers to make myself look like a fool.

"Just a little? Oh Isaiah, I find that hard to believe, I bet you thought about me the whole time." She said in a sultry voice that made my heart pound a little faster.

"Oh really?" I smirked.

She sipped her drink. "Yep, I bet you went crazy without me." She purred with a smile.

Yep, she's getting there.

I took another shot of whiskey, only giving me a brief amount of time to think.

"Just a little." I admitted. There's no hope for me.

It's not like I wasn't good with women at all, it's just a small handful that can make me look like a fool; and Brooklyn is practically good at making me look like a goof. I have absolutely no clue why she does this to me. Before she could say anything else, the bar's door opened, making Brooklyn smile. Right as I was about to say something, the teaser next to me called her friend over to our table.

"Hey Courtney, over here!"

Oh why? I groaned in my head.

Courtney was a friend of Brooklyn, who also enjoyed messing around with me. She was attractive, but no where near as attractive as Brooklyn. Courtney had long brown hair that went past her elbows, she had some sky blue eyes that hid behind a pair of glasses too.

Before I could slide myself out of the chair, Brooklyn grabbed my arm.

"Come on Isaiah, don't be such a pussy. What can't handle two girls at once?" She laughed.

I sighed and sat myself back down, preparing for the humiliation that the girls are about to inflict. I grabbed some more whiskey and started drinking.

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3rd Point of view

12:23 AM

The four friends stumbled out of the soon to be closing bar. Two men were carrying there two intoxicated friends.

"Hey Ramiro, these two are way to drunk to ride their horses, let alone stand." Grunted John as he was supporting his older sister.

"I know, set down Brooklyn and help me get Isaiah on my hors-" Said Ramiro before he was interrupted by the radios posted outside the bar.

"Attention everyone! Please, may I have your attention! This is an emergency!" Yelled the announcer over the radio. John was about to sprint to his house and arm him-self; thinking that they were being attacked, but was then halted by the latino.

"We have multiple reports of a massive dust storm that's about twenty-one miles north-east of us and is coming towards us. We adiv-"

"Um... Ramiro, we need a plan! We gotta hurry!" Stressed the sandy blonde.

"Listen, what we should do is drop Isaiah at his weird house thing; its closer than his actual house. Then we need to take our horses to the barn behind Tommy's house."

"You sure he would like that?" Asked John.

"I'm sure he would understand." Reassured the latino.

"And after?"

"I'll help you get Brooklyn home; after that, I'll check on my Dad."

"Ok, lets hurry." Huffed the brother of the mumbling drunk.

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"Fuckin' Christ, you're a heavy motherfucker." Panted the life long friend of Isaiah. He then set his friend onto the hammock that was hanging in the cargo house.

"Hey Roe, we need to take these solar panels off of the roof of this thing." Chuffed John. "I'm going to bring Brooklyn in here before she falls off the horse."

"Sure thing. You'll be on top removing them, I'll be on bottom placing the panels inside." Once they both agreed to that, John set Brooklyn down next to Isaiah on the hammock.

Once John set his sister down, he climbed on top of the make shift home. Slowly, one by one each 4x5 solar panel was lowered down to be placed inside, and protected from the harsh sands of the storm. While the latino was setting down the panels, he could hear the drunk mumbling of his two friends.

"Oh, *hick* Isaiah... did I...ever tell you... that *hick* that you are so big down there *hick*?" Mumbled Brooklyn.

"Oh my god..."Thought Ramiro. "¿De verdad? John va a estar enojado si se entera... "

"No...no *hick* you just have a really tight puss-"

"Roe! Why are you stopping? I can see the outline of the dust!" Screamed the solar panel remover. "Just six more!"

"I know! I'm trying!"

The drunk woman was on top of the intoxicated man, trying to unbutton his pants. But Ramiro prevented Brooklyn's approach by lightly knocking her off the hammock, and on to a pile of blankets that had fallen of the hanging bed. With the use of his right hand, he tilted the hammock to the point where the man fell off and slammed his head on the container's wall.

That's going to leave a bruise...

"Ok! That's the last panel!" panted John. "I'm coming down and getting Brooklyn."

Once the younger brother jumped down, he scrambled inside. Swinging the girl over the shoulders, John carried his sister onto Tiny.

"Hey, let me write down a note for Isaiah. It's best for him to know what happened."

"Go ahead!" Said the John.

Grabbing a piece of paper and a pen. Ramiro scribbled down...

Hey, Isaiah. While you and Brooklyn were wasted we had gotten a warning that there was a dust storm heading our way. Me and John rode over here to drop you off and did you the favor of saving your solar panels. As I'm writing this, me, John, and Brooklyn are about to leave and take the horses to the barn behind Tommy's house. See you then.

-Roe

P.S. I never knew that you and Brooklyn...fucked did it? Any way I won't tell John about his drunken sister's advancements on you. Sorry I cock blocked you. I knew how much you loved her.

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Canterlot Castle

11:43 pm

"Luna, please reconsider your actions?" Pleaded Princess Celestia.

"But, Tia I must.You saw those reports, and do I need to mention that picture of the beast! We need to deal with them before they start ravaging Ponyville."

The sun goddess sighed. "Do you understand the consequences if something were to happen to you being alone out there."

"I'm bringing a small detachment of guards, this isn't the first time I've dealt with troublesome creatures of the Everfree." Answered Luna.

"Just... please be careful, I don't know what I would do if I lost you again." Signed Celestia.

"I will. I promise." With those last words she gathered a her personal guards, and left for the Everfree forest.

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The dust that was flying around make the environment pitch-black. The sand was tearing away the paint on the cargo containers, open holes allowing dust to fill in. Little did the homeowner know... he was going to be in for unexplainable surprise.