My name is Ryan, and I was born in England. I had a pretty simple childhood, I was that one child you saw at school who got bullied a lot, but was always cheerful. My parents decided to move to Germany when I was sixteen, they mentioned something about an old relative that lived there… I think… I don’t know… I didn't really listen as I was too upset that they were taking me away from everything I loved and knew… I didn’t really have any friends so I wasn’t worried about losing them.

When we arrived, I thought it was awful... Some place called Nuremberg. People there thought their city was big, idiots didn't know shit. I used to walk around, imagining what was happening back in England, what my siblings were doing… I miss all of that, my old life.

After a while I got used to it though, I finished school and got a job as a Butcher in a town not too far from what I now called home. I liked it, it was peaceful, relaxing work, and I always loved the smell of meat and decent food. Then there was this gorgeous girl who worked in the cafe across the road, this made the job even better as I could just gaze out of the window when there was little work and just watch her. I used to go there for lunch, even though I could eat something for free in the butchers, it didn't matter to me. We started to get to know each other and luckily for me she seemed interested in getting to know me better. After a couple of nights out and a few meals, she was hooked onto me.

Months became years, I decided to pursue the job I had and finally became the owner of my own butchers. To add even more excitement to my life, ‘us 2’ became ‘us 3’, we had a little baby boy after 2 years of trying. The day before he was born was the last time I ever thought about moving back to England. Every issue that was in my mind just vanished when he was born. He made everything worthwhile… He made life worth living, y’know?... Well maybe you do, maybe you don't. Maybe your life hasn’t been as rough as mine. He grew up to look like a perfect mix of me and Lauren, my eyes, her mouth, my hair, her ears... you get the picture.

It was his fifteenth birthday. We were on a trip around America, I earned enough to hire someone new in the butcher shop so we just took off. I felt like we needed a break from everything. Lauren had always wanted to visit Canada so we started making our way East across the continent, we were passing the border of this old ex-USSR country called Chernarus. There was a big truck of us, around 50 or so and we came to a roadblock.

I told Lauren and Steve not to worry, I went up to the front of the bus to see what was going on. The bus driver was talking Russian to some military looking guy outside of the window. He swiftly turned around to me, screaming at me to get back to my seat… Whilst cautiously returning to my seat, I caught a glimpse of some kind of argument breaking out next to one of the military vehicles. The shouting started to escalate then there was a gunshot, this is when the all chaos broke out. Everyone on the bus started screaming, trying to grab their things and get out the emergency door at the back, I ran straight to Lauren and Steve. Another gunshot rang out, then another, I could hear a few hitting the metal of the side of the bus. I grabbed Lauren by the hand and pushed Steve ahead of me towards the back of the bus. We managed to make it off of the bus and into a ditch next to the road. We followed a wire fence that was the border of Chernarus until we found a gap big enough to fit through… We started to get chased by the only military guard that was still alive, I told Lauren to run and find a safe place to hide and stay safe with Steve. I stayed to try hold them back a bit. I found an abandoned shed which had an axe in, I waited to hear the footsteps of the guard walk passed, as he did I struck him over the back of the head and took his gun. Unfortunately I didn’t know which direction Lauren and Steve ran in so I have no idea how to find them. All I hope is that they are safe and have shelter.

This was the last time I ever saw them. I have travelled around every town in Chernarus trying to find them, everyone I have asked have said they have never seen them or heard of them. Maybe I’ll find someone who has, or maybe I will find them in a shack in the forest. I can feel it in my bones that they are still alive. Steve would watch me at work sometimes so I know he at least knows the basics of gathering meat and preparing it. This gives me faith that they are still alive and healthy. I just know it.