Noah finished locking down the windows and the doors of the abandoned bookstore by the time dusk fell. It made more noise than he was comfortable with, but was a necessary precaution against the few brave – or stupid – scavengers prowling the streets at night.

He retreated to the back room, maneuvering around the books haphazardly scattered on the floor. He only found the store this morning when he first entered the city. A quick search revealed encrypted cabinets fully stocked with food and ammunition, enough to last for a few months. Whoever the original owner was came into this apocalypse prepared.

In no time, he was sitting on a corner of his haven, reading a book randomly chosen from the mess. He read slowly, a tactic he discovered calming in these times.
With each word drowning out his errant thoughts, it wasn’t long before he fell asleep.

By no conscious means, he found himself in a strange alley, lit by strange constellations.