State of the City

[Amanda]

The city is in ruins. The roads are broken and covered with rubble. The down town area is in lock down. No one is allowed in or out without a permit.

Most of the citizens that were here left after the earthquake, the area has been left to gangs, the homeless, and those without anywhere else to go. Some of those with houses here have asked to come back for one reason or another. About a week ago, they started letting a few people back to their homes in the surrounding areas but not many people want to come back. One or two business owners have reopened their stores, but as soon as they get supplies they are bought out immediately. Groups of armed guards stand watch at each small location.

There is one hospital left in the area, about a half a mile from the caern. A corner of the building has collapsed but there are efforts to rebuild it, as it is the only hospital in the area.

There are only a few buildings still standing. There is a small apartment building about a block from the caern that was new construction and earthquake resistant. There are also a few single-family homes. There is an old convenience store about two blocks away, but it's been ransacked and no one has claimed it. And there is a large department store about 3 blocks away that is also ransacked and unclaimed. All other buildings are collapsed or in various states of disrepair. A few have become houses for homeless or gang houses, so venturing into them isn't always a great idea.

If you head about a mile and a half east, into the city, all buildings are fallen to rubble, no one goes into this large circle of destruction. They are closed off by orange construction fencing, and anyone that goes in there becomes target practice for the military members that are bored and a little sadistic. There is however one project that has been started on the north end, rubble has been cleared away and a foundation set up for a couple large buildings in that area.

There is no food, no water, no transportation, and few stores. People hide to avoid gangs, the military, the police, and others that seem to want to do them harm.

You can find a few services outside of the downtown LA area, but the closest still standing areas to resemble cities are Santa Clarita, Long beach, Anaheim, and Pomona. And even those are ridden with crime as people struggle to survive. It is also difficult and time consuming to travel there. Both because getting out of LA is dangerous in itself, and because most roads are either destroyed, have been taken over for government use, or are built up with stand-still traffic.

Inside LA you can get around if you have the proper papers, there are police and military officers that are genuinely trying to help and will look the other way if you don't have them, but most will escort you out of the area at best, shoot you at worst.

People with the proper papers are mostly left alone. Each person is recorded and must check in once a month to explain their progress. (Mostly for their protection). They would be noticed, should they go missing.