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He pushes hard against the heavy door and slips through an opening into the entry. As with most deserted buildings, dusty debris litters the interior. The items previously used in running a business lie uselessly, without purpose, on the floor. With the decline in regular commerce, these buildings and businesses have simply become superfluous. There was no need any longer for retail stores offering endless aisles of consumer goods that had driven a world into waste and now want. This building, as with many others, represents a shell of that former world, of a previous life that no longer exists. But for Michael, it may offer shelter for a few days as he explores the surrounding area for anything that may be useful to him.

He makes his way across the dusty, dirty lobby and through a door leading to the staircase. It is one of the taller buildings in the city, of probably six or seven stories in height. Climbing the first set of stairs, he exits onto the second floor. Walking the hallway, Michael looks into each room but only broken furniture with more debris littered about is the scene that greets him time and time again. But he searches each floor while working his way toward the top of the building.

When reaching the last level, Michael opens the door into the hallway and is met by more desks and chairs and bookcases piled in front of him. Each room has been emptied of its contents and they now reside recklessly in the hallway. Climbing over the pile, he makes his way halfway down the hall before deciding that it is useless and turns around to return to the staircase.

But just at that moment a sound is heard, a faint sound, not clear or understood but a sound in this now usually still world. Stopping his retreat, Michael listens closely to see if he can hear it again. Yes, there it is, a whimper, a crying out, soft but distinct, unearthly but human. It is coming from the end of the hallway where he notices the door to the last room is closed.

Beginning again, he climbs his way over the obstacles and makes his way down the hallway. Michael now stands in front of that closed door and with some trepidation, he slowly opens it. Then seeing furniture neatly arranged and bookcases filled with household goods, he looks about the room. Sunlight streams from open windows and artwork adorns the walls. It is obvious that someone has been living here for quite some time.

Michael takes a few more slow, cautious steps into the room. The cry, the whimper, can be heard again and is coming from a corner behind some furniture. Moving carefully, he then peers around a large bookcase and sees a woman lying on the floor. She is on her back with her head fallen to the side and with her eyes closed. She doesn’t move.

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