(This chapter is a little confusing, but bear with me X3)

Silver practically flew across the room as she went for her bag, nearly knocking Atlas over.
"Hey, careful, Silver!" Called Fang, who was standing impatiently near Atlas. His fingers tapped the wall anxiously, and as did his foot.
"Everyone got their water bottles?" Ryft called across the shelter.
"Check!" Raven yelled almost too loud, holding the small container up high.
"Got it!" Everyone else responded.
The energy in the bunker was so contagious, even Ryft was almost back to normal. Nervous excitement was dense in the air as the group prepared.

Oh, sorry. You must be confused.
Well, I'll start where you left off last.

"A radio!" Raven shouted with delight.
"Radio?!" The teens all seemed to shout as one. Even Ryft looked up abruptly.
"Batteries!" Raven was unable to contain her excitement and let out a little squeak of excitement. "We can tune in and see if the government is trying to help us!"
The small shelter erupted with cheers and happy tears. Even Fang shouted out loud.
It had taken hours to find the correct channel. But the teens didn't give up. They couldn't. All of their hope seemed to lie in that little box.
And that little box suddenly caught a signal.
".... and..... Quarantined.. Sioux Rapids- nuclear warfare..-unknown origin- stand by."
"Oh my God!" Atlas shouted. "Turn the finder a little more!"
Raven, who had seemed to become protective of the radio, nodded and turned the dial ever so slightly.
The voice that spoke wasn't exactly clear, but it was understandable.
"The radiation is not safe. I repeat, do not go outdoors. The gamma rays are still too strong and are potentially fatal." It was a male voice, sounding like he was in his mid 40s. He sounded tired and stressed, as if he hadn't slept. "Unfortunately, the military can not spare the supplies to help the people of Sioux Rapids."
The voice pickup was very faint, as if the station was far away. It must have been coming from a neighboring city also affected by the blast.
The only sound of the now silent room was the fuzzy voice on the radio. The atmosphere had gone from joy to despair with those last words.
"You mean..." Silver's lip quivered "Nobody's coming to save us?"
The silence in the room answered the question for her.

It was several days after that when the teens were able to pick up a signal once more. The man said that the fallout was mostly gone and traveling on the surface was much safer now.
And this is where we are now.
"Alright!" Ryft called. "Everyone ready to go?"
Various cheers sounded in response.
"Let's go!" Ryft turned and began to climb the cold metal ladder.
The plan was to scavenge in the ruins of the fancy hotel for any supplies or help. Mostly, everyone had wanted to leave for their own sanity.
Ryft pushed open the trap door with some effort, breathing fresh air for the first time in two and a half weeks. She climbed onto the pavement and Atlas popped out after her, followed by Silver, Fang, and Raven.
The teens stood in silence as they stared in dismay at what was once their home.
Buildings were completely destroyed. A large chunk of wall had nearly fallen on top of their shelter door, which would have trapped them underground. The street was full of now-dead weeds that had been growing in now-enlarged cracks in the pavement. Shattered glass and various steel and brick fragments littered the ground, along with the occasional plastic item. The alley the shelter had been in was now more of a large patio to the right side building which was missing its entire wall.
"Wow..." Atlas whispered, more disturbed than she would let on. "This is just- wow..."
The rest of the teens nodded in a stunned agreement.
"Well, the hotel is this way!" Fang stated, turning right and walking down the street. The rest of the group reluctantly followed him, bags slung across their shoulders just like they were the day of the blast.
They continued on their way to an elusive hope.
But they would never expect what would happen to them.