The hot summer sun beat down on the countryside, its relentless rays turning the once green grass brown and crisp beneath the dry air. The once-vibrant countryside was now a barren landscape, and there was hardly anyone in sight.

The only sound that could be heard was the buzz of a few remaining insects, and the hot air blowing through abandoned buildings.

It was a stark contrast from what this place would have been like in the past, where families would have been spending time together and playing on the green lawns.

It had been years since the female population had suffered from extinction from an unknown cause.

Inside the woods, hidden away and well-guarded, was a building that served as a secret refugee center for the remaining females.

The building had been built years ago, and only a few people even knew of its existence.

The president had issued a strict order that any sight of a female would be met with immediate termination, believing the world is better off without them.

Two men, Jon and Greg, stood guard outside the secret building.

Jon, a 50-year-old man with a stern expression on his face, kept a firm grip on his gun.

Greg, a balding black man with a sarcastic sense of humor, carried his gun in hand as well, but with a much more relaxed stance.

The two men were a contrast in personalities, but both were dedicated to protecting the remaining females hidden inside the secret building.

The building wasn't an official government-run refugee center. It was more of a home-made sanctuary, established and run by a woman known as Charlie.

She had taken it upon herself to provide a safe haven for the remaining females, despite the risks and the lack of official support.

Charlie emerged from the building, the sunlight bouncing off her tanned skin.

She walked over to where Jon and Greg stood, a tired but determined look on her face.

"Everything okay out here, boys?" She asked, pushing a strand of loose hair from her face.

"All quiet here." Jon replied, his stern face betraying no emotion.

Greg, on the other hand, couldn't help but crack a joke. "Quiet as a mouse, except for the occasional sound of Jon's knees creaking." He chuckled, earning him a glare from Jon.