#and i figured once baji showed up they'd probably go through the temple and thats when they find the note about moving

[whorunthewcrld-a]

2003

The virus was inescapable. Even for a country who consumes much less wheat then countries like America. Japan stood no chance. They were an island after all. Where could they run? 

The Sano’s ran to the Musashi Shrine. So did the other members of Toman. It was where they’d created the group after all, and the locations was optimal. Up on its hill it was easier to defend then a lot of other places. So they made it work. Set up barricades, scavenged supplies, created a little community on their hill. The six members of Toman and their families. They’d protect each other like they always had. 

_______________________

Two years into living with the state of the world and somehow they’d survived. And while “thrive” would be a stretch to describe how they were living, they made things work. They’d even added a few more to their group. Baji and Kazutora had saved a kid and his mom from a Runner and they’d joined the community. Emma liked Chifuyu, he was fun to hang out with (though he spent most of his time shadowing Baji now). And a random boy named Takemichi showed up at the shrine one day. He was a little weird, and not the best fighter, but he was a nice guy. 

Emma shook her head, bringing her back to her task. She’d been sent out on a simple supplies mission. The community was running low on some essentials and Emma was one of the best at finding what they needed. She joked it was because she always loved shopping before. Normally she would have come out with Mikey or Draken but it was just supposed to be a quick run. And she had her bow and one of the communities guns for emergencies. 

And it had gone without a hitch. Her pack was loaded with supplies and she’d only run into two Runners, both of which she easily took out from a distance. So her mood was high as she rounded the corner back to the shrine. Maybe Draken would be on guard duty and would be there to greet her. She blushed at the thought. But the second her eyes landed on the torii gate she knew something was wrong. Their barricaded doors were open and no guards where to be seen on the look out they’d built.

Emma’s heart dropped at the same time she broke out into a sprint. 

‘Nononononononononononononononononononononononononono,’ it was on loop in her head as she ran up to the doors, peeking through for any signs of infected before continuing up the steps at the same pace. But no one greeted her. There was no one tending to the garden or working on the west wall they’d started reinforcing last week. The shrine was empty. 

Completely empty.

Her family was gone. She was alone.

closed starter for @prxenuntius