Sarah Isotopes
After the nuclear war with France half of the UK was destroyed or uninhabitable. Many big towns and cities ceased to exist. Those that survived were over ten thousand in population or had not been hit due to a lack of warheads or the delivery vehicles had failed or been shot down. It was a calculated chess game. Many of Sarah's comrade freedom fighters had died when Leeds or Liverpool had been nuked. Yet ones near or in Manchester survived as no warhead fell there. Tens of millions hand died. Many on the day of the exchange and later by radiation. Survivors faced a long slow death or severe illness with cancer. Health care collapsed, food production ceased, transport systems failed. Law and order broke down. It was terrifying. Sarah, John and Lee, later joined by Red and Gun Barrel, remained in Oldham. Many survivors fled to the mountains or the north. The south was a radioactive wasteland. The freedom fighters maintained discipline, were always armed and worked with the surviving Freedom Fighter Head Quarters. Rival armed groups became a small problem. They were few in number, not well trained and had old weapons. If negotiation failed they were targeted and dealt with. Dangerously, a new enemy came into being. Surviving units of the English Army. There had been tensions before the nuclear war. Several skirmishes and battles. More of the fighting came later. Many English troops and bases were destroyed in the war. But several remained intact. Several thousand soldiers remained. Sarah told her mates that they always has to be ready. She exchanged messages with HQ on this. Plans were made in case the army attacked or sent out recon patrols. Let their patrols find nothing. Don't engage their drones or helicopters unless absolutely necessary. Let our existence be secret to them. If we need to fight we will do. We will win for we live here. This is our home. We are outnumbered and outgunned with old or second rate weapons. Our courage and tenacity will allow us to win. As our intelligence and critical thinking allowed us to survive the aftermath of a nuclear exchange. Those were the worst times. Still are. We grow crops on Oldham Edge. Get fresh water from there. We communicate with our remaining units by secret means. The Welsh and Scots leave us alone. That war is history. The English Army is the enemy now. If they want war they will get it! I am Sarah. I wanted my fairytale. With a loving husband, kids, a job and our own house. Laugh if you want. The life I wanted was ripped away when I was seventeen. I never met my husband. That's a good thing. As is having no kids. I'm a soldier. A freedom fighter fighting for my beliefs. Nobody stopped me before. Not the Welsh or English or French. Not rival armed fighters. Only the great creator knows when it'll be my end. Till then I do what I do. Work at the aid station in the old Oldham hospital. There's so many hurt or sick. I practice shooting and defence tactics with my mates. And wait for an attack that will come in future. We don't know when but we will be ready. We have our supply of weapons in the lock up garage. When the army comes knowing we will open the door. Just wait and see...
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