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Write a dialogue-only scene between two characters who are meeting for the first time in a post-apocalyptic world

"Hey." 

"You gotta be careful."

"What?"

"Sneaking up on someone with a rifle isn't a great plan."

"I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

"Alright."

"Can I ask you for help?"

"You can certainly try."

"Do you know where Serenity is?"

"You a philosopher?"

"No, I mean the colony. I was told it was near where Atlanta used to be."

"Mmm."

"So have you heard of it?"

"Maybe."

"Are you from it?"

"What's it to you?"

"I'm looking to join."

"What happened to your group?"

"My what?"

"Your group. How long you been alone?"

"I'm not sure. It's been a while. I lost track of days."

"So I ask again, what happened to your group?"

"There was a division of leadership. That took half."

"You one of the leaders?"

"Ha, no."

"So which one did you follow?"

"I'd say the wrong one. He led us to another wasteland based on a dream."

"A dream? Not rightly smart are you?"

"He was charismatic."

"They say that about a lot of bad folks."

"It as true."

"So what happened?"

"For a while we kept the faith. Help and resources would come. Some lost the faith after a while and the group dwindled. Then came the wolves or maybe they were once pets, hard to say in this climate. They took out another part of the group."

"Sorry to hear."

"Thank you. I finally knew I had to go when there were only five of us left unscathed and our leader began to say he had another dream about how our suffering had been necessary, had been holy."

"Mmm. So you left on your own?"

"I did."

"What makes you think Serenity will be better?"

"I just have to have faith."

"You seen the signs?"

"Like...from God?"

"Pfft no, the physical signs. For Serenity."

"Oh, yes. That's how I heard of it."

"What'd you think?"

"Of the signs?"

"That's what I asked."

"They seem to promise serenity at Serenity. If that's even half true, I'll take it. Better than bullshit dreams and wolves."

"Fair enough."

"So is it true?"

"What?"

"Is there serenity at Serenity?"

"Why do you think I'd know?"

"You seem to know about it at least. I figured you might be from there."

"Mayhaps."

"Well, if you are, can you at least tell me if it's worth it to keep going?"

"You sure you aren't a philosopher?"

"Ha. I know I'll keep going until I can't anymore, but maybe I'll look for somewhere else if Serenity is a lie or..."

"Or what?"

"Or if it fell."

"Didn't."

"It didn't fall?"

"Nope. Still standing."

"How do you know?"

"Mayhaps I can take you there."

"So I was right. You are from there?"

"You were."

"Why all the beating around the bush then?"

"Can't just tell any old person who is asking where Serenity is."

"But there are huge signs for it, surely you get plenty of "any old people" turning up?"

"Not as many as you'd think."

"I wonder why."

"People have lost trust in people."

"That's fair enough. I lost a lot of faith after my leader's second dream."

"But not all?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I guess I'm not sure. Maybe I just couldn't go on if I gave up all trust. A life alone seems worse than risking trusting people."

"Even gruff old men with rifles?"

"Maybe I don't see that as a downside."

"Why?"

"Who's the philosopher now?"

"Just answer."

"Before all this, my father was a gruff old man with a rifle. You remind me of him."

"I'm not that old."

"You're about the age he was when he died, so he never got older."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

"..."

"..."

"We'll try to pick you up a weapon on the way there. Still a bit of a road ahead and still a chance of wolves."

"I'll take that chance."

(Prompt by ChatGPT)

"Post Apocalyptic Scene" by Jaroslav A. Polák


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