As Aster arrived at one of the few camps still left out there in the cold, she could feel the radiation burning through her skin. It had been going for days, ever since the war had been declared over. It had killed too many, most of the human population burned or killed by radiation poisoning. Aster knew that was her fate too, but she felt she could at least try and help others somehow before her fears became real. In agonising pain, she plodded over to the only tent still standing to look for a sign of life.

Aster peeked through the opening of the tent, making the inhabitants jump, which was expected of them considering no one knew what mutated souls could be roaming the desolate plains.
"He-hello" Aster stuttered. The inhabitants didn't look nearly as effected by the cold and radiation as other campers she had seen.
"Alright, love? You look a lil' cold." exclaimed the male of the two inhabitants who looked about 20.
The other, who looked to be at least 25, shyed into the corner, simply staring at her burns.
"How did your wounds get that bad?" said the girl in a sort of whisper.
"Oh, right...well, on my journey I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, too close to some nuclear blasts, causing my burns. As for my hair and skin, I haven't a helmet, so it's been exposed to the freezing temperatures and cold air for too long." she explained.
"Ouch..wish I could help, but there isn't exactly enough people left on the Earth to muster up some sort of cure..I myself suffered many burns as well. Viktor here has been lucky enough to get away with only 2 burns as of yet, lucky ain't he? The name's Eve, by the way." she said, aiming to make conversation.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Aster.... Well, is there anything you need help with? I just want something to occupy myself with for my final hours..." she said dismally.
"Actually, we do need help with moving a few box-" her words were cut off when a loud bang filled the air. Eve fell to the floor, Viktor sheltering her while Aster moved to shelter under their table. She felt something hit the top of the table and burn through. Another bomb, she thought. But how? The war was over...

Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by a searing pain to her head, as more radioactive rocks threatened her very life. She saw the couple sprint out of the tent and tried to follow, but her foot caught in a bag.
"Dammit" was all she could say before another blow outside hit directly outside the tent.
Her eyes fluttered closed as her vision blurred and darkened. The last thing she heard was the sound of the siren, a few seconds too late to save her life...or so she thought.

Aster awoke unexpectedly in a camp bed, with her wounds patched up with cotton sheets and her pain seemed to be numbed. She took a glance around, to see that she was in a completely different setting than before, lights blinding her eyes and people crowding around her bed.
"Aster! You're alive." That was from Eve, looking ever so happy to see her. "And, er, sorry for abandoning you..we thought you followed. After we escaped, a rescue team had been surveying the area and saw the blast from a mile away. They helped us and brought us all back here to their base, the only safe place left."
"It's okay I guess...at least im not dead..and this place actually exists? I thought it was just a rumour the locals told eachother to give themselves hope..." her words trailed off as she studied the room in more detail, noticing objects she hadn't seen for forever and a day.
"This is Joe, the leader of the squadron that saved us." explained Viktor.
"Nice to meet you, Aster. Good to see you're doing well." Joe was easy on the eye, with a deep voice and a serious attitude. His kind chocolate coloured eyes told her otherwise though, he was clearly just acting serious to do his job.
"Um..hello.." Aster didn't exactly know how to react considering she'd recently awoken from what she thought was her death bed.
"We need your help." Joe said blankly.
"What with?"
"Finding a cure"
And with that moment, Aster had found her way to help her peers before her time ended.
"How long do I have until the poisoning gets me?" she asked gravely.
"To be brutally honest, everyone in this room only has no more than a few weeks, well save one person with immunity to the radiation poisoning..you."
"What?!"