After the Fall

I thought I got it.
 
I knew I didn't, never really expected to really get it, you know? But I thought.... I thought I got it. IREA was willing to do whatever they needed, sure. I got that. I... I understood that. It made sense. They see it as though they have to protect the world from itself. From an existential threat of Vanishing and the Hollow.
 
I... I got that they Darkened Cities. Broke the power plants, threw the town into chaos, left it burning and called it a job well done.
I understood that. I know that happens. It's... Hell, it's why I was willing to risk.... everything! Why I'm here! Why it's....
 
 
 
 
 
I'm shivering.
I don't want to, but here I am, just shivering
 
 
It's... Been a few days but I can't get it out of my head.
I close my eyes and it's back.
The...
 
 
I don't know if it's better or worse that I can stand it.
It... The... The images.
 
You see it in movies, or games, and sure. You get it. Those are... Were people. But it's actors. It's dummies. It's puppets and games and just... It's not real.
 
And you see it on television. People. Shawls. Bodies.
 
But it's a million miles away.
It's a distant nothing that isn't real.
 
You... You grab your bowl for breakfast and move on with your day. It doesn't... It doesn't impact you. It doesn't change what you need to do that day. It doesn't....
 
It doesn't matter.
It's not real.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I... Uh, right. Report.
 
It's.... W-well, our mission was vague, but clear. We... We were supposed to go in and see what we could do. I... I felt it wasn't specific, or clear enough really. Too... Vague an idea. Just go and see what we could do.
 
But, uh...
 
 
W-we... made it there. Just Honey Badger and me this time. She was dropped off and I...
 
W-we got there.
 
It was....
Rancid.
 
The air it.... You know the taste. Like someone just sprayed some air freshener, and you breath it in too quick. It's sharp, and wet, and stings. But.... It..
 
There were, uh...
 
I'm okay.
It's fine.
 
There were people. On the streets. On the roads. Sidewalks. In each building we found. Dead.
Not one. Not two or a handful of people. But.... Everyone.
 
Everyone, everything there was.... Dead. The air thick with....
 
 
It....
 
 
 
We.... We found one that was alive. Dying, but... Alive. He had some.... Regeneration that was going on. Keeping him alive but.... Stuck dying.
 
I don't want to imagine how long he was there.
 
We did our best to patch him up and move on, Badger carrying him. But we....
 
 
They... They sent people. IREA. Not to... Fix. Or field dress. Or give people a burial.
 
It was a clean up squad. Finish off who... Lived.
 
The... They attacked and I honestly don't remember much of it. It.... There was someone who darted near, so I let him dream it away. That I.... Left.
 
Someone up top shouting to surrender. A lightning blast. Something....
 
I... I didn't know.
 
I didn't know it was this bad.
 
 
 
I...
 
This is... Siren.
Is this what we are up against?