Day Zero

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Hollywood was dark. That was the first thing Elle noticed when she stood on the ridgeline, just behind the Hollywood sign. She had never seen it like this before. The city had always been brimming with life, with activity. Even after Day Zero, when the lights went out, there were fires and riots. Noise.

Now there was nothing.

Elle pulled her jacket tighter, trying to stop herself from shuddering. If the stories were true… if Uncle was right… then there would be nothing left for Elle here. The silence was telling — no noise meant no people.

Of course, she couldn’t be entirely sure.

There might be people somewhere.

She started climbing down the ridgeline, onto the dirt trail. The hill was dry. Dead grass snapped under her shoes. She had never felt so alone or cold in her life.

Later, as she hit the streets of Hollywood, the utter silence overwhelmed her. It was thick, like a curtain. The darkness, the quietness. The deadness. She knew she had made a mistake coming back here. She needed to go back to the ranch, back to Aunt and Uncle. They would understand why she left, and they would welcome her home.

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