You decide to go to the area south of the ruins of the city of Atlanta.

A suggestion appears in your mind that seems logical: “Going straight in the direction of the ruins of the city of Atlanta could be dangerous. As far as I remember, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was a very large and significant logistics point. In addition, large aircraft manufacturing enterprises were located somewhere in the northwestern suburbs of this city. Therefore, it is likely that this city was bombed by nuclear missiles during the last war... If this is so, then the level of radiation contamination in the central areas of the city will be extremely dangerous. I don't need to delve into the ruins of Atlanta. However, judging by the words of a local resident who almost killed me with a piece of sharp rebar, there is a human settlement south of the ruins of the city... What did he say? I think he called this place fortress Jackson... Yes, fortress Jackson! This is the closest settlement. It will be easier and faster for me to get to this settlement..."

You have decided to go to the closest settlement of local residents. The words of the aggressive guy about those who live in this settlement were rude and vague. However, this guy used dirty and offensive curses towards everyone he was talking about. Including in relation to you.

You continued on your way. You were now heading west. According to your calculations, this way you will reach fortress Jackson.

How long will it take?

You could only guess. You may need to walk all day. Or even a couple of days.

Judging by the experience of your “communication” with the locals, there will be enough dangers on your way.

Aggressive persons who may want to kill or rob you.

Representatives of the local fauna (memories of the colossal cockroaches you saw in bunker No. 78-PHE-S make you feel nauseous and afraid).

Risk of contact with toxic or radiation substances (who knows what the extent of contamination in this area was?).

These facts strongly encourage you to exercise caution.

You clutch your automatic pistol in your palm. In your bag (which hangs on a strap on your shoulder), in addition to water and supplies, there is a box of bullet for the pistol. Your body is wearing a bulletproof vest.

It is likely that in your current situation you will have to make the most of any useful things and any opportunities to ensure your survival.

So, you continue to walk through the wasteland spaces.

A gentle breeze blows across your face. As you walk, among the flat expanses of the wasteland, you occasionally see the ruins of buildings that are overgrown with strange moss. The openings of the empty windows of these buildings evoke in your mind sad thoughts about a destroyed civilization. Most of the walls of these buildings are either piles of broken bricks or concrete structures overgrown with moss and grass.

After a couple of hours of travel, you see the remains of the road. There is little left of the asphalt.

The wind drives along the cracked asphalt everything that it brings with it from the wasteland: scraps of tumbleweeds and sand cling to cracks in the asphalt, to crumpled rusty lampposts.

The wind is picking up. Sand gets into your eyes. You squint and continue walking. From a distance, you notice that the rare rusted carcass of a car stands among thickets of unfamiliar species of field vegetation. These are just pieces of rusty metal from which all useful parts have long been removed. The peeling, rusty radiator grilles of cars that were once the pinnacle of progress in the American auto industry present a sad sight of decline.

You think: “Once upon a time, life was in full swing in the vastness of the state of Georgia: millions of people lived here, a large amount of transport filled the busy highways... Where is all this now? What has the rule of a self-interested and obscurantist elite class brought human civilization to?”

The wind causes some small rusty part to periodically hit the frame of the car, producing an unpleasant grinding sound.

Next to the remains of cars, you notice some strange animals that are somewhat similar to moles. Very large moles. Their size is about a meter or even more. These animals are digging in the ground near one of the cars. They probably have a lair somewhere nearby.

You prudently try to bypass representatives of the local fauna unknown to you in order to exclude the possibility of their attack on you.

Despite your fatigue, you continue on your way. How much time has passed? You've probably been walking for four hours...

Walking past the wall of a building that has collapsed and lies on the ground, you notice a sign that is built into the concrete of the wall. The inscription on the sign: “Bar of Jolly Tom”.

Next to the wall lies... something whitish.

You are looking closely...

And you realize that you did it in vain.

A chill of fear runs through your body.

These are the bones of the human skeleton.

Absolutely white bones.

There are not even scraps of clothing.

Probably the smallest particles of fabric had decayed and turned to dust.

What's left?

Broken ribs.

The spine was broken in several places.

The human skull, which has at least five openings, in the parietal and frontal lobes.

A slanted lower jaw... which gives the impression of a mocking grin.

In your head there are thoughts: “Oh my God... What kind of horror happened here?!” Everything I saw is clearly not conducive... jolly mood"

You quickly turn away from this vile sight and continue to walk further through the vast expanses of the wasteland.

After some time, you notice something among the tall grass...

These are corpses. Two corpses.

Stinking rotting corpses.

The corpses of creatures that looked like dogs.

However, there are differences: hairless skin of a dark greenish tint, instead of two eyes there are three eyes on the muzzle, the tail is covered with strange bone growths.

Obvious consequences of mutation processes accelerated by radiation and **** biochemical influences.

Large chunks of flesh from the chest, spine and abdomen have been torn out. It's as if some powerful predator decides to eat some... dog meat. Carrion flies swarm around the corpses.

You look at it in disgust... and then you quickly leave the place.

Your thoughts are disappointing: “The presence of large predators in this ecosystem is an obvious fact. But I’m clearly not ready to meet these... “creatures”... I need to quickly find a settlement of people who are at least to some extent... civilized... If the concept of “civilization” is even applicable in this world...”

After another couple of hours of travel, drops of light drizzle began to drip from the sky. The lead-colored clouds let you understand that the rain would continue for a long time.

You were **** to stop for a break. You have found a suitable place for this: near one ravine, a large billboard, which has long fallen to the ground, lies in such a way that you manage to climb into the ravine as if it were a small cave.

The billboard acts as a roof. The raindrops are making more and more noise as they collide with the billboard.

You decide to take a little rest. You clear the place of debris. Then you lie down on the ground, placing your bag under your head (this is a kind of pillow replacement). Your right hand continues to hold your automatic pistol. You are afraid to let go of the weapon even while resting. Your gaze looks at the inside of the billboard, on which you read a hard-to-see large inscription, which is covered with dirt and rust: “The American way is the best way! Vote for...”

You remember that this billboard is probably campaigning for the 2050 elections. You didn’t wait for the election result - after all, you... were **** to become a “tenant” of bunker No. 78-PHE-S. But you remember the fierce election campaigns in the media. Already in 2049, it became obvious that the most likely candidates were two individuals: Isabella Villanos - a Democratic Party candidate, a popular congresswoman from the state of California, a transwoman of latino-american origin and a former Internet porn star; Republican Party candidate: Mahmoud Jombo is an afroamerican congressman from New York State, gay, an active representative of the LGBT community and the owner of a successful career as a Hollywood blockbuster movies actor.

However, the differences between the candidates not at the level of rhetoric but at the level of significant issues were insignificant: both candidates advocated building up powerful types of weapons, increasing funding for the army, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency.

Both candidates for the presidency of the United States advocated an aggressive foreign policy and the active suppression of popular discontent within the United States, which was intensifying due to the growing global economic crisis... A pretext for suppressing public protests can always be invented: you just need to finance campaigns in the media, in during which all those dissatisfied will be declared criminals, racists, homophobes or agents of influence of the intelligence services of hostile foreign states...

You smile sadly, looking at the inscription on the billboard: “The results of the “American best development path in the world” are now surrounding me on all sides... Well, it’s a pity that many people did not live to see the moment when it became obvious that election procedures, voting voters and candidates' election promises are all nothing more than tools in the hands of the elite classes. The one who pays determines the future under the conditions of the economic system that existed in the United States. Who were the true masters of life in America? These are the small but powerful classes of super-rich individuals who dominate the economy and who impose their will on the vast majority of the country's population, who are **** to work for paltry wages in order to support their families ... "

With these sad thoughts you gradually fall asleep.

The sound of rain continues.