The Guards

[Maysea]

Napped...dreamed again, seems a continuation of the "Wild Ones"...I am a older matronly type of woman in the dream. There is a group of us, "normals". We have been wandering and stumbled upon a small group of buildings, still standing, made of concrete. All other structures lay in ruin, plants growing over and through them. The earth taking back any signs of what had been. I find that I am a scavenger of sorts...my job? I carefully look through buildings and debris. In a concrete building that had been "cleared" I find clothing, mostly children. I will make a large pot of water over a fire later and boil the clothing and small toys to clean them...for we are very afraid of viruses and the Rabies. Though we only have a few children with us I daydream of other folk joining us and hope some will have children who will be happy with these items. Snapping myself out of it, I know we can use the items for barter also. I leave the building and am outside. Suddenly, one of our guards comes and swiftyly jumps on a wreck of a car, with his gun searching in, under, around for anything, or anyone, prepared to shoot and kill in a quick second. The car and area around it is now, "clear." He is a large man, the guard. Dirty, and wild looking, like a animal hunted, though he is the hunter. We are fortunate to have the "  guards" for we would be killed fast without them. They are dangerous people though, mercenary or military types. We common folk love and fear the Guards. A guard with a dog is worth 3 dogless guards, but we dont have one of those yet. Dogs are rare as they are eaten. A boy comes running with his gun waving it wildly around. I yell at him to stop and drop the weapon. He continues running. The guard yells at me, "Stop, I got this!" Than a explosion, and the gun in pieces. I turn back to my task, sad. Harsh truth, there is no second chances here. The guards will kill instantly a member of the group as well as any outside threat.