Today was a perfect day, until it simply wasn’t.

The settlement was the same as always, people wandering about doing chores and work, trying to keep each other somewhat alive. The day was calm. Until it wasn’t.

A Berg flew over, thrusters tossing dirt through the air and whipping it around. Bergs hadn’t been seen in the small settlement in ages. Usually they dropped resources in places like Asheville, bigger communities.

Then, all hell broke lose.

The hatch on the Berg opened, revealing people in green jumpsuits holding odd tubes, aiming them at the people in awe of the massive airship.

Then they started shooting the darts. The darts that hit people, sent them sprawling to the ground in heaps. Panic broke out.

And horror was the only emotion Mark could manage.