dldl

The year is 2036. Hot, clammy winds blow over the sprawling marshes under which lay what some used to call 'Europe'. The sun is hidden, barely visible behind a thick and dense smog, but the horizon is illuminated by the eternally raging wildfires that roll in waves through the ruins of the continent. The stalker is short, his frame little more than a skeleton; scarce protein is found since the Hyperdroughts of '32 and '34. He looks around nervously before lifting a hatch, previously hidden under some dirt, and slinks into his burrow. He puts down the rusted harpoon in one corner, his catch of the evening in another. In the corner of his burrow is his greatest treasure; an old Acer laptop, stained with years of use, black, dead and cold. But not tonight. From his boot he prizes a Lithium Ion battery he lost two fingers for. He inserts into the Laptop, and breathes heavily as it boots. He's pleased to see the 5G coverage is good as always, and he immediately signs in, his heart pounding, sweat running down this forehead. "Hello everyone, We've found just one small bug so we're splitting Micro Patch 82 into Micro Patch 83. While we work on adding a single barbette and really polishing out the bugs, you can expect Micro Patch 83 next Monday. It will add a recolour for the Settings button to match the other menu buttons. Thanks!" He looks at the date. It's been fifteen mondays since.