Hello, and welcome to Los Futuros Angeles. My name is Jace. I am 16 years old and have no family... well, no family that I can remember. Oh, by the way, I don't live in Los Futuros Angeles; I live outside the city-- in the wasteland-- alone. The only thing I have is a robot who is also my best friend. I know there is a city, but I'm not allowed inside. I have tried several times to get in, but the slayers always beat me up. Damn, the people inside the city piss me off. They have an E-plague proof shield --The Plague is a mix of the black plague and ebola if you were wondering.-- and I'm sitting out here waiting to die. So welcome to my life…
   
"Hey rust-bucket," I said coming home from my hunt.
"Hi Jace," he responded, trying to copy me. He might be a robot but, damn he's definitely like a brother. "Woah, another camdue!" he squeals in shock.-- Camdue's are mutated leeches that can fly they are deadly and evil.--  "Those things are really hard to kill!" 
"Yeah, I know," I said trying to act cool while dropping the monster. I then pulled out my weapon. The most beautiful thing in the world. Sorry, don't mean to brag but it's true. Basically, what it is, is a sniper rifle and a scythe combined. The people who I borrowed--or possibly stole--it from made it huge and light weight at the same time. This gem sure comes in handy during a hunt.
"Uh earth to Jace," said Rust-bucket, waving his hand in front of my face.
"What is it?" I asked startled.
"Let's eat already! I'm starving,” Yes Rusty--his nickname--can be hungry because he's technically a cyborg, but I prefer to see him as a robot.
"Ok sure," I said while taking out my survival knife to cut the camdue I so bravely brought home.

Time passed as we ate. Rusty then looked at something, rushing his eyes he quickly looked back at me dead in the eye. He was pointing a finger at a dark figure in the dust. "Jace… who is that?" He spoke with a trembling voice. It seemed to be the figure of a girl but I wasn't sure.
"I don't know," I said getting my survival knife ready.
She might have the E-plague," he whispered.
"Or… she might be a slayer," I said trying to hide the fear in my own voice.
     "True. But it's better if we approach first,"
     "Sure, fine,"
     "OK here goes nothing," I and Rust-bucket started walking towards the ominous figure as it dropped.
     "Are you ok?" I yelled. No reply. I started running towards where the figure once was, in hopes of finding her.
      "Wait up!” Yelled Rusty, and soon enough we’re both running after the fade of the girl.

I picked up the girl and brought her back to my shack.I locked the door so that Rust-bucket couldn't get in. He doesn't know this, but I have the only cure for the E-plague. Unfortunately, after my cure takes effect they have the symptoms of a... really bad fever. I laid her on my bed and jabbed a needle into her vain. Since I've done this many times, I've practically memorized where the veins are. As the green liquid poured into her vein, I relaxed. She needed a whole bag of medicine. I started to study the way she looked. She had red hair, which was probably dyed. She wasn't a cyborg, and definitely not a slayer. She was light skinned like me and rust-bucket,and since she had her eyes closed, I couldn't see the color of them. I exited the shack. "She will live," I said to rusty as he was eating.
"Is she pretty?" He replied.That weirdo was always into stuff like that.
"I… didn't get a good look at her face," I knew I was lying but something inside me was tingling. It was a powerful feeling I’d hadn't felt in… well forever.

"So what are you gonna do?" Rust-Bucket asked.
"Anything it takes,"
"Sounds like you like her," He said jabbing me in the arm.
"N-No!" I felt my face getting hot. Maybe I did like her, I didn't know. The only person I knew was Rust-bucket and, I didn't feel that way around him.

I went back into the shack and she was awake, and looking very confused.
"H-Hi," I said rubbing the back of my neck.
"Who are you," she said I found my face was getting hot again. Her voice was really calm which was surprising.
"I-um-I found y-you and k-kinda c-cure-d you," I said. Damn that must have sounded stupid.
   "I know that i'm not stupid!" she snapped back.
Yup, she thinks I'm an idiot now."I want to know your name,"
   "Oh… M-my-my name is J-Jace, What's y-yours?"
   "My name is Ruby. How old are you,” She paused to examine me “,I'm 14…you look like you're 13,"
   "N-no I'm 14…" I got to study her eyes for a split second. They were a light blue.
   "A-are you blushing?" she snapped me out of my thought,
   "No!" I said as my face got hot again. She started to giggle. Was it something I said?
   "Uhh Ruby,what were you doing out in the Wasteland?" I asked trying to draw the attention away from me. She then looked me dead in the eye and said
   "I was looking for my mother" I didn't know why but I understood her. I really want her to follow up on that thought, though, so I asked.

I sat next to her and really listened to her story. How she had lost her mother when she ran out of the city one day. Ruby had followed her but couldn't find her. She started to cry as she threw her arms around me desperately. My face was burning, but I eventually hugged her back.

I walked her out of the shack wondering what Rust-bucket was gonna say to her.
    "Hey Jace,” he paused and took a good look at Ruby
“,and who are you?"
    Thank god he wasn't acting dumb.
    "Uhh my name is Ruby," she answered shyly.
    "Are you hungry?" I asked, and she nodded her head. "Great, let's go finish the camdue,".

She was eating quietly, and I am trying as hard as I can, to use my manners, but Rusty didn't really care.
"So, Ruby are you gonna stay with us or are you gonna go look for your mother?" Rusty said with his mouth full of food.
"Yeah I'm gonna leave during the morning," Ruby said. I stood up and said the most stupid, thing, ever.
"We will help you look for her!"
"I'm staying here!" Rust-Bucket said trying to gain supremacy over my idea. I grabbed Rusty by his ear and pulled him over away from Ruby.
"I'm going without you, I need to do this… Alone," I said seriously. "OK, but will you come back?" Rust-bucket asked. I paused for awhile and said,
"Yeah… Probably," I ran back to Ruby and asked her If it's Ok if I come with her to help her find her mother.
"Well, I don't see why not!" She said smiling.
"Great, we will leave soon!" I  said with excitement. I packed up my bag and my Scythe, I was ready to go and so was Ruby I felt really bad for leaving Rust-bucket but he didn't want to go.
"Ruby, let's go," I said gesturing her to follow me out of my shack.`

It's been two hours of walking and we haven't found anything "Hey, Jace, I hear something," She said nervously, I stopped walking "Hailey is here," I whispered. I turned around and saw an enormous mechanical dragon. "RUN!!!" I yelled as I grabbed Ruby's hand and ran as fast as I could I jumped behind a rock and Ruby followed, "Stay here, and take this!" I said while handing her my bag. I ran, and  I felt so much adrenaline. Hailey 2.0 are the most deadly creatures on the entire planet, and I was about to fight one. I felt as if all the pain I was about to endure was going to be worth it because I was going to help my friend no matter what. I pulled out my scythe and shot. The bullet flew threw the sky as if it were a falcon, again, again, again until I saw the ammo cartridge fall out When I realized what had happened I got out the blade and ran. I looked up and  saw the eye of the reptilian beast explode with blood as every bullet sunk into the gelatinous eye. The dragon roared with pain. I then took my scythe and struck the leg and used the scythe as a hook and climbed up the huge and scary, cybernetic dragon. Blood was everywhere making the sand into a sea of a dark red liquid. I then finally got up to the head and stabbed the skull of the reptile and rammed the scythe into the brain and through the mouth it was disgusting.

As the enormous beast fell I jumped off. I had never been so alive in my life! I just killed the strongest thing on the planet! I landed and I saw Ruby watching. When she saw me she and hid back behind the rock. I ran back over to her. "Did you see that!"
"Yeah that was actually pretty impressive," she said.

We walked, and walked, and walked until we saw an enormous city protected in some sort of… blue bubble. 
"Hey, Ruby do you think your mother would be in there?"
"Maybe, I don't know,"
"Well we won't know if we don't try," I snuck around the shield and walked through I got electrocuted it hurt so much but I and Ruby eventually got through. I was in awe as I looked around me the city was huge and very cool. I knew I was going to stay here with or without Rusty. I and Ruby started walking, I stopped.
"Ruby to search the whole city it might take days or weeks even. Where is your mom's favorite place to hang out? Also, if you have any money I need it." I said.
"Oh-ok," she said handing me all the money in her pockets "What!" I said looking down at my hands full of thousand dollar bills.
"Yeah, it's all that My mom had in the house, her favorite place to hang out was the McDonald's around the street." She said disappointedly.
"We should get a hotel room first just to relax before our journey really begins," I said with joy

I was in the bathroom of our hotel room. I looked at myself in the mirror I was definitely not the city type I looked dirty, bloody and disgusting.
"I need a shower," I said while getting undressed
"and probably some new clothes" Eventually I jumped out and got dressed I walked out of the bathroom it was already dark and Ruby was unpacking our bags.
"Uh Hi!" I said she turned around
"We have had a stressful day how about we go out to dinner it would help us relax and I have to get better clothing anyway so what do you say?" I said with a little bit of confidence until I realized what had just happened
"I would love too," she said smiling I started blushing and asked,
"where do you want to go?"
"How about a steak house?"
"Sure!"
"Ok let's go then," She said while grabbing my hand and running out the door and I was wondering why was she so happy.

"Alright, I have to get ready," I said as I went into the clothing store I picked out several outfits and tried them on, they all fit, I bought them all. I changed into a casual outfit and walked out of the store. "How do I look?" I asked she responded with "Very handsome, now let's go!" she said while grabbing my hand. We ran all the way to the steakhouse. I realized I had a pistol in my pocket and it was heavy and sturdy I knew that if anything was gonna happen I would use it.

   
We arrived at the steak house and I saw... slayers I knew there were gonna be some issues. As Ruby and I sat down the slayers saw me. They started to walk over to me.
"Hey, guys guess who finally got into the city!" One guy said they all started to laugh one punched my back I looked at ruby and saw she was terrified. I turned around and said,
"please leave me and my friend alone."
"Wow he has manners," one of them punched me in the jaw
"Listen I'm gonna leave you and your girly, but don't come back here ever. Or you're gonna die. By the way just in case you were wondering, the name is Lance," He backed off and I turned back around to see Ruby with a knife to her throat I took out my pistol and pointed it at Lance's head the other one was probably a hologram,
"Back off!" I yelled he knew that a knife doesn't beat a gun so he walked away.
"Are you ok?" I asked
"I am now," she said relived. We eventually finished eating.
The entire night was amazing and scary but we made it back to the hotel room.
"Here Ruby," I said giving her a present.
"I stopped at a bookstore but I never learned how to read so I want you to have this”.
She unwrapped the gift and it was a new book I couldn't read the title. She then hugged me and said
"Thank you, this is awesome!" I was very tired and weak at this point so I got undressed and hopped into bed. Ruby jumped into the shower and I slowly fell asleep.

I woke up and felt like something had happened while I had fallen asleep, but it was probably nothing. I looked to my left and saw Ruby on her bed she was reading the book I had given her. I needed a shower I got up and got into the bathroom and looked in the mirror and saw a lipstick mark on my left cheek while I was sleeping did-did she kiss me? I think I am right to assume so. I felt so happy, I got into the shower and realized… It's my birthday. I smiled and said to myself
"I'm really starting to have a normal life…yes, I will except that this is my life!" I heard a knock on the door
"Hey, can you come out here I want to tell you something."
"Sure!" I said as I turned of the water. As a wrapped the towel around my waist I then exited. "What is it?" I asked
"Happy birthday!" she yelled as she threw me on the bed she started to really warm up to me as she playfully threw me a gift. I finally got some clothes on in the bathroom and saw that she definitely had the whole day planned out.
"So what's on our agenda?" I asked,
"well I was thinking…" Ruby then got close to my ear and whispered
"Waterpark."
"What's a water, park?" I said confused her mouth dropped open and said
"Open your gift to find out" I looked at the orange wrapped box with a bright pink bow. I walked over to the box and opened it, Inside was a  dark red bathing suit and two tickets for a 'make a splash' waterpark there was also pictures of what the park looked like. I turned around and she was smiling. I knew Ruby really wanted to go and to be honest so did I.
"Alright, here I come." She said nervously getting out of the bathroom she was wearing a dark red swimsuit she then looked at me, came close to me and put her head on my chest and hugged me. Ruby looked really beautiful I hugged her back and knew that something was wrong.

We arrived at the waterpark I was kinda worried If any slayers would be there. "Wow, there are a lot of people here!" I said over the loud noise of people talking. "Yeah!" She said. We went on a lot of rides and we eventually got tired so we went to the wave pool to relax. "So do you still want to find your mom?" I asked "But it's your birthday Jace and… honestly, I don't think my mom is here… but I want to stay with you now until the day I die. And I mean that." She said slowly and gave me a kiss I didn't know what that meant… Unless it does mean that. "Excuse me." Said someone tapping me on the shoulder. My legs turned into lead my arm was holding Ruby. I went away from the kiss and turned around. It was Lance. As my thought finished I blacked out.

I woke up on the floor of a basement, my hands were tied to a pole behind me I felt a  sharp stinging in my back I looked around and saw… the most horrifying thing in the world. Lance was tieing Ruby to a pole next to me. I broke free of the elastic cuffs my wrists burned but Ruby was in trouble. "Come here so I can pummel your face in!" I yelled to Lance. "Damn it lance damn, it I'm gonna kill you!" I took out my survival knife and ran towards Lance I rammed the knife through his armor and through his body. Blood started pouring out of the open wound. I kept stabbing him screaming and cursing at this fiend. Lance eventually fell on his knees, looked up at me and… smiled "You… Killed… Me… I… Finally… Have… a… reason... to… kill… you!" I felt a knife flow right through my leg, bone, and everything, as Lance fell down, Blood flowed out of the hole in my leg and onto the ground I fell and blacked out.

I woke up in the hotel room, my leg was hurting like crazy but I got up there was a cast around my leg and I looked around and saw Ruby she was in the other bed finishing the book I bought her, I got to her. "What..Happened?" I asked very weakly. She slowly turned to the side of her with a smile. "you're awake…" she started to cry "It's been three years…the doctors thought you were gonna die of blood loss. You lost… ¼  of a gallon of blood from your leg...I knew it was the right decision to keep you hospitalized. Because I knew you were going to live even if it's been three years. You helped me pull through years of work we still have money and everything but your here now… my life has gotten a million times better." She got out of her bed and hugged me. "Ruby… I… I… love you." I said through the pain. I had come back from the dead. But I knew what would have had to happen
"Did you ever find your mother?"
"I don't care… she is dead... but I know I get to spend my future with you."
"I'm sorry about your mother.I… I wish I was there for you."
"I told you I don't care."
"So is this really the end of our adventure?" I carefully thought and said
"Do you still have my bag?"
"yeah let me get it."  As ruby walked away I remembered I have my jewels from the wasteland in there
"Here it is." She said while pushing a bag to my feet. I took out A sparkling Diamond and a piece of wood I started to carve and cut, and I eventually made a ring.
"Ruby I have waited from the first day I met you." I bend down carefully on one knee and held out to her, the diamond ring. "Will you Marry me?"
          

          
END.