not sure how well this fits the challenge criteria but it’s what came to mind

Oh I think it fits really well.
Interesting take on what could happen.
I like it.

I agree with INA that it fight’s well. In a postapocalyptic setting, I think many people would look for easy escapes to coast until they die and it is something I don’t think we see in the movies. Also the last line is perfect.

This story definitely has two meanings, though I’m not sure if it was intended.

My interpretation of the story is that the “post apocalyptic wasteland” was the home itself. I envisioned a young girl coming home from school, living in inner city housing, and finding her “wasted” mother sprawled out on the couch, telling her how she found a drugstore that she could get more “legal” drugs from, because her regular drugstore cut her off. In a sense, it’s a prophetically fulfilled scenario that many fundamentalists use “…in the end days, brother will turn against brother and mother against daughter, and they will give up those they love…”

I see this story playing out everyday in thousands of homes across America, as kids cope with dysfunctional and destructive parental behavior.

great insight, Krulltar. I honestly did not intend that meaning at all. I was going for the fact that the post-apocalyptic world is so miserable, most have turned to drug abuse and other forms of escape. Most stores and buildings have been abandoned so it’s easy to get just about any drug. But I love how you dove deeper into the story and looked at it from a more metaphorical point of view

I really like this one. I feel it captures the essence of one life in the wasteland. Considering that most people are dead, there are likely plenty of grocery stores (some with pharmacies) left standing, and while the food might go bad (except the jerky) the medicines might have a longer shelf life (assuming they aren’t irradiated or whatever). So the concept of legality is gone, anarchy is rampant, and clearing out a pharmacy could be a very lucrative action. Of course, it would be easy to get hooked on pills too…

I feel that a lot of thought went into this. Good job!

All anyone has to do is a search “Detroit abandoned homes”. I can see this girl running through a forgotten Detroit neighborhood. For some reason, the line about smelling dust and mold once she runs through her front door scared the hell out of me. Great imagery.

I think this is a perfect fit. As per the challenge, you only mentioned the wastelands in passing (acid rain, pharmacy raid), focusing instead on the characters. Really well done.

thumbs up! I can’t think of anything more to add to the comments here.

Congratulations on winning the Wasteland, Day to Day challenge!