The sun beats down on the already scorched valley floor. Waves of heat ripple across the barren wasteland and as far as the eye can see, there is nothing but desolation.
The Third World War has devastated everything in sight. Most of the population has either died or are still carrying the signs of radiation. Deserted buildings loom on the horizon, now occupied by survivors trying to hide from the harsh conditions that have swept the globe.
Those for of us who have survived, life is a never-ending battle for everything we possess. Small groups of people have formed primitive villages, yet protect them with modern weaponry. Outsiders are feared, due to the high numbers of raids and looting sprees.
Water has become scarce, as well. Many fresh water lakes and streams have become dry, while others have been rerouted due to devastating earthquakes; all caused by weapons of mass destruction. It rarely rains, but when it does, it's like liquid fire flowing from the sky. There is still plenty of salt water. The world oceans have risen more than sixty percent from melting glaciers and a major shift in the jet stream.
Many survivors come from societies that cater to a person's every need. These are the people that seem to be the most affected, as they have never had to fend for themselves. They've gone from International celebrities to common folk in the blink of an eye. Most have succumbed to insanity, though a few have found the power within themselves to fight on.
One group of survivors is finding that their lives haven't been affected as drastically as the rest of the world. Before the war, they were known simply as the poverty stricken. For years, charitable organizations begged for money on their behalf. Now, they've proven to be the only ones who knew how to survive from the onset. People that at one time would have pitied the poor and detested the homeless are seeking these same people out for guidance.
We try to carry on as was done before the war. We still have no electricity, no running water, and no easy way of life. Those who had nothing to begin with, now act as advisors and teachers to their fellow survivors. It's unfortunate that it has taken an almost complete destruction of the world to bring man together. Harmony is being achieved simply because one group of people possessed the knowledge that is leading man out of the darkness.
And the meek have inherited the Earth.
