I know the sub is usually more about news and prepping, so my apologies if this type of post isn’t allowed.

I’m a long haul trucker and sometimes imagining stories helps the miles pass. With the price of fuel going up and the threat of shortages, I’ve been imagining a story about a group of travelers stranded at a rural truck stop. How would they deal with the initial shock of finding themselves stranded, then the power failing, then running out of food? What kind of society or commune would they create, how would they deal with newcomers, and how would they interact with neighboring communities? These are all things I’ve thought about, but I’d like input from other like minded people.

One of the things I’ve considered most is conflict. I’ve always disliked the zombie apocalypse trope that when the government disappears the world becomes a PVP zone. One of the early scripted episodes of Robert Even’s It Could Happen Here explored this idea and delved into the reality of hurricane Katrina. Most people banded together during a time of hardship and helped each other out. Ironically, most of the violence came from those who thought everyone else would turn to violence. They saw people who desperately needed supplies as “looters” and attacked them. Should my antagonist be a self imposed sheriff that enforces old laws that no longer apply? A group of good ol’ boys in a pickup truck with a “zombie hunter” decal looking for “looters”? Idk

I’d like the overall feeling of my story to be a hopeful one. A community that came together out of need, peacefully barter with their neighbors, and help who they can. Despite the antagonist, I want the reader to come way reassured that if our current society collapses, a better one will take its place.

What’s your thoughts?