New Crestview

The settlement Adam and Rhea passed through on their way to the arena; it haunts the narrative of the trilogy like a boogeyman.

Founding

The morning after the first bombs fell, a small neighborhood in the middle of former America all peeked their heads out of their homes to find they were still standing, despite the massive destruction in the city. A close-knit community over the years, they gathered in the cul-de-sac in front of the Jones house because anytime there was trouble in the neighborhood, it was the patriarch of the Jones family who led them through.

As he always did, Cal came out and addressed his neighbors. Best he could tell, the world was ending. None of the broadcast stations were coming in, local or otherwise. Nobody had cell service. The world was a misty gray mess, and they couldn't see the interstate anymore, either because of the fog or because it wasn't there anymore... He didn't think the United States government could be easily defeated, so he suggested to the neighborhood that they work on protecting their own and defending their land while they waited for boots on the ground from the U.S. military.

Thus, within a matter of days, a fence was constructed around the border of what had formerly been Crestview Neighborhood. When there continued to be no news, nor a sign of the military's return, they began to fear in earnest that the world had ended.

The people of the neighborhood might have despaired, but Cal rallied them to see the bright side: it's a new world now, a world they could claim for their own. They added "New" to their neighborhood's name, and became one of the earliest settlements to appear in the aftermath of the apocalypse.

Four Months of Peace

New Crestview did not last long on the scorched earth that they privately welcomed, though they had a rousing time for the four months their settlement existed. Cal devised a system of laws and punishments that were truly archaic in origin; literally, he took the 10 Commandments and made that the law of the land. Punishment was doled out without much thought or hesitation: death to any who disregard the rules of New Crestview.

He also implemented a toll system for any travelers who were unfortunate enough to wander into their territory. This was how Adam and Rhea came to reside in New Crestview on their way to the arena as they tried to figure out the safest passage through. When they successfully escaped Cal's brand of justice, humiliating him in the process, he vowed that if the opportunity presented itself one day, he would get his revenge on Adam especially.

Not four months later, after avoiding the blasts of numerous bombs that dropped sporadically, New Crestview was finally hit by aftershocks from the same blasts that sent Adam and Rhea fleeing the arena with their caravan of survivors. Though not directly hit, New Crestview was destroyed nonetheless, a quarter of their small population killed as a result.

Moving On

At first, Cal had been determined that they should rebuild. He lived in that house in that cul-de-sac for more than 40 years, and he didn't intend to leave so easily. It quickly became apparent, though, that his group of survivors lacked the resources and discipline to rebuild their neighborhood. Cal gave it some thought and then presented his family and neighbors with the option to leave the ruins of New Crestview. He promised to find them a new place to settle down, and in the meantime, he set his sights toward revenge.