He wakes up. The car has been destroyed. Down the bank and into a tree. He’s lucky but he doesn’t believe in luck really. Whatever it is doesn’t matter. Some self searches are pointless.

Out the window and onto a branch. Some minor cuts but the major thing will be finding a ride. The road is black and meaningless. Not a moving thing anywhere but maybe an ant or beetle. At least, I have that, he thinks. Someday humans may be extinct is his next thought.

He pulls up his pant leg, simultaneously, and three bars come forward  from his shins exposing different guns. All small pistols. They appear to have been implanted into his body somehow. Maybe by his own doing. After the war, things never were the same for John. He used to hold his own hand for comfort, and repeat I have my legs still, i do i do. Everyone knew he didn’t. So John isolated himself. Not because he hated people but because he had given too much of himself to other people. He felt he had to fix his own problems. So he did. He took his welding abilities and crafted prosthetic legs with gun holsters. Barbara,  his wife,  almost called the cops in fear he had lost it after the war. But he had explained to her, the guns were unloaded and just for show. She believed him because he had such a interesting sense of humor.

But now, these guns would become no joke. John finally would need them to stand on literally and in the moment. The accident didn’t destroy him but the more he walks the more he struggles. He finds a barn and sleeps in the loft, hoping he can figure out what has happened tomorrow. The accident is just a blur.

“SIR!SIR! ARE YOU OKAY?”

Some girl is talking to him he thinks.

“SIR!”

Ok, definitely is.

“Um, Hi. I had an accident. Sorry. Your barn seemed like a good nap spot.” John says..

“Ok, well. I don’t know if you watched the news, but you probably should.” She says.

He pulls out his phone and feels chills run down his spine. His phone isn’t turning on.

“How is your TV working?” John asks.

“Excuse me? Why wouldn’t it be?” She asked back, concerned.

“Listen, I thought…I thought something happened,like an EMP.”

“Oh, well if it did, I would know from the radio or news. I EMP proofed everything.” She states with confidence.

Now he’s scared. For two reasons. One, she seems nutty. And two, he may not know if an EMP hit.

“Just  hurry up” she insists.