Chapter 3 Continued 2

“Dude, you OK ” Erik’s voice calls from downstairs. “Yeah, just give me a sec” I take one last look at Matthew, and then go downstairs.

The movie is running the credits by now, but Erik isn’t watching it. The door to another room is open, and I walk inside. This room is filled with computers. Erik sits at the center of 6 monitors, wires wrapping around his chair. He’s tapping away at 3 keyboards, headphones around his head. I walk over, amazed at this complex setup. “Welcome to the center of it all. Here, all communication is monitored, radio frequency’s tagged, and disturbances noticed. I got security feed from all active cameras in the building and in the entire town” “how many is that?” I say, examining one of the massive servers in the back “oh, about 7” “really?” “Yeah. After the world went there, no one maintained anything. A few streets collapsed into rivers, sewage flooded the football stadium. Nature is taking control again of this city. That’s why I carry a rifle with me. A few weeks ago, I nearly got trampled to death by deer. It’s important to hold on to anything that can protect us. I’m running low on supplies, so we’ll make a run today. You up to the challenge?” “Sure, why not, what’s to lose” “great. You’ll need a gun. Let’s get you armed. You’ll need it in this city”

Chapter 3

Chapter: 3

The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion.

Sunlight filtered through my closed eyes, and I found myself awake in a strange bed. Initial panic set in, and I had to control my breath, as memories of yesterday filtered in. “you okay?” calls Erik’s voice from downstairs. “I’m making bacon”

I was downstairs mere seconds later

We both made breakfast. Erik tended the bacon as I made pancakes. Both of us helped on the omelets. Teets settled down in a corner with a large plate of pancakes. Erik and I ate In front of the television. Things decay when maintenance isn't active, so most of the satellites were pretty funky. Erik flipped through a few channels before giving up. He cursed his satellite to the fiery depths of Satan’s heart, and then turned on the DVD player. “You like war stories?” he asked, holding Flyboys in his hands.

“Never seen it”

“Wanna watch it?”

“I don’t know my schedule is really busy. Lets begin it, and then I’ll see if I have time”

Chuckling, Erik put the DVD in. we sat back in the leather in between satin pillows and cashmere sheets, eating pancakes, getting maple syrup everywhere. The movie was decent; I wasn't really sure what was happening. Most of the time, we would watch in awe as planes swooped past, and massive fireballs filled the screen. “After lunch, let’s go into town” Erik said, his mouth filled with popcorn. “Your too big for anything I have here” I had to agree. Erik was a small guy, very slim, but strong. I realized I didn't know what I looked like. How bizarre. To know so much about the world you’re in, but to not know what you look like. “Hey Erik” I said “do you have a mirror” he pointed upstairs, his eyes riveted to the screen. A blimp had just been destroyed, and the music blared through dozens of speakers. I went upstairs, using a rope ladder that lead to a hole in the ceiling.

On the second floor, there was a bathroom with full wall mirror. I went over and took a look at Matthew. I can’t consider him me yet until I know more about him. For all I know, he could be a serial killer, or a terrorist. I looked into the reflection, and was met with a teen aged boy, about 15 or 16. He had brown curly hair, sort of long. His face was pale; it looked like he hadn't seen sunlight for a while. The cheeks were hollow, and he had a prominent jaw line. His skin was white, making him Caucasian, but it looked as though somewhere along the lines, he might have been Asian, perhaps Arabian. His eyebrows were simple lines, but the scariest thing was the eyes. They were deep green, flecked with gray. As he looked closer, it seemed as though these eyes told a story. A dark story.

2nd Chapter Continued 3

“It all began a while ago, maybe a few years. I don’t really know. It was during the ‘golden age’ of science. As people came to the realization that the world we live in is doomed if we continue to live as we do, scientists and laboratories toke charge. Technology was spewing out of factories faster then you could count. And these products were completely green. Computers that ran for days on only a fraction of a charge, cars powered by hydrogen reaching untold speeds with no emission, buildings reaching untold heights made of materials almost indestructible. But the biggest one of them all was the ‘man of the future’. Scientist began re-engineering the human body to only take in what’s necessary to survive. See this” he lifted his shirt and gestured to a metal bolt sticking out of his collar bone. “This device lets me consume only a quart of water a day and survive. It regulates sweat and water consumption. Everyone had these. Then, it all went to hell”

“What do you mean” I said, riveted to the spot

“Science is mans weakness. It was only a matter of time before they looked into changing cells themselves. Soon, a product emerged onto the market that would indirectly destroy humanity. This product was called ‘Blue’. It was ahead of it’s time, and would enhance cells. No one would need glasses, hearing aids or sign language. Cells would enhance themselves to cope with your disability. New superhuman would emerge. Faster, stronger and smarter. It was perfect, ‘until green’”

“What was green?”

“Green was the superior version of blue. Blue would enhance cells, green would increase them. Green pushed it even further. On top of increases that blue couldn’t offer in cells, Regeneration was added into the picture. Cuts would heal in minutes, lost limbs in days. People who couldn’t walk would get out of their wheelchairs and run 1500m in a minute. No one wanted blue anymore. Why take a lesser model when the superior one is available. The company that made blue was infuriated. They went on the war path, but instead of suing green, they went ahead and made Red. Red was the ultimate. No longer would man suffer. Everything was pushed to the max. Dumb people got smart, and smart people were super-geniuses. Athletes would achieve feats beyond imagination. This would revolutionize the world”

“Yeah, I read about it in the flyer”

“Do you still have it?”

“I put it on the table over there”

Erik walks over and picks it up. He skims through it.

“Yeah, it’s all bull. Just talk about how good Red will revolutionize the world”

“Did it?””

“No, it destroyed it. The compound was unstable, but it was released anyway. Now this is only a theory, but this is how I picture it. Red was unstable, and began mutating during shipments. Maybe it was movement, maybe it was contaminated elements. But it turned on us, and became a bio-weapon. Cities were destroyed, continents leveled. This is a testament to the idiocy of man. We shattered the world as we now it. And now we must put the pieces back together if we have any hopes of surviving.”

I stood there for a few minutes, shocked completely. Finally, I said “wow”

“You can say that again” said Erik “I’ve been living on my own. I somehow survived the mutation, and it’s been me and Teets”

“Who’s Teets?”

“My dog, the bellhop”

“Ah”

“Anyway, you’d better get some sleep. Tomorrow, let’s go into town and see what we can scavenge”

“We can just walk in and take what we want?”

“No ones stopping us, the police station has been empty since the attack. Rules of the fallout: you find it, it’s yours.”

“I like the sound of that”

And with that, I went upstairs to sleep.

2nd Chapter continued 2

Half and hour later, I’m dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, my stomach near exploding. I let out a sigh of content. Erik is too distracted, trying to remove the staples from my leg. “You got a nasty doctor” he says

“What makes you say that?”

“It looks as though he opened up your leg, put something inside your leg and closed it up”

“Do you know what he put in there?” I ask, my curiosity awakened

“I don’t know. I only know basic medical skills. All I can tell is that he opened your leg, maybe put something inside, and sealed it up.”

“He opened my leg?” I try to jump up. Erik holds me down

“Yeah. And whoever did it put enough anesthetics in it to permanently incapacitate a rhino. You didn't feel a thing even as I prodded your interior flesh. that isn't normal" he sat there, in silence as he thought. "So, you just woke up in the hospital?” he finally said

“Yeah” I said. And I told him my story

After I had finished, he stood there for a moment, taking it all in. finally, he said “you said the tattoo was blinking, right?”

“Yeah” I said, lifting up my sleeve to show off the number 16. Now that I was rested, I noticed a few more details. There was a tiny bar code underneath the number, and a small circle around the blinking light. “I would say that this is a radio beacon.” Erik said. “Probably inserted during the operation to provide a closer analysis of the body. Maybe it gives you a WiFi Hotspot” he pulls out his phone and scrolled through some settings.

“That’s bizarre, I don’t get signal. Maybe the last few satellites failed”

 “I don’t know. Now, tell me how you ended up in such a fancy place all by yourself”

“You really want to know?”

“Yeah, I want to know”

“Alright, I’ll tell you”

He sat down on the rug, I followed. 

2nd chapter continued

Erik lived at the North 49, the only 6 star hotels in the city. As we walked through the door, I was hit with a wave of cold air. “I got solar panels on the roof providing power to the entire building. Wait just a moment” he says, as he walks around the counter and puts on the receptionists hat. “Good morning” he said in a posh accent “you wish to stay here, very well then. It costs 450$ a night for the deluxe suite, cash, credit or checks. Make them payable to Erik Simons, General Manager. Here is you key” he hands me a green pass card marked Suite 9. “Bellhop, show this man to his room” he rings desk’s bell. Bursting out from the dinning room comes one of the biggest dog I've seen. The thing is massive and covered with thick, white fur. On his head is a red bellhop’s hat. He comes over to me, panting and slobbering all over me. “Looks like he likes you” Erik says, dropping the accent “well, lets get you up to a room and take a better look at that leg” he helps me up the stairs, the dog following us every step.

Erik lives in suite 9. The walls to suites 8, 10 and 11 have been torn down to make more space, and I’m faced with a massive room that takes up the entire floor and the floor above it. “Make your self at home” Erik says, going over to the refrigerator. “Name your drink” “got any sprite?” I say, my throat loving the idea of something cold. He tosses me one and grabs a coke for himself. “Alcohol is a bad idea here. With a world like this, you don’t want to be intoxicated. I got drunk one night, woke up 15 feet under water. A man needs to be careful” I pop open the top of my can and let the drink wash down my throat. “Got anything to eat” I say, hungry. “You’re not a vegan or something weird like that, are you?” he asks. “I don’t know. To be honest, I can’t remember anything up to a few hours ago.” I say. “Well, let’s try you” he says, pulling out dish after dish from the freezer. “This stuff isn't going to eat itself” 

2nd Chapter

Omega Man

As I exit the hospital, I’m met by a wasteland. It looks like the entire town had been through nuclear fallout. Buildings crumbled, houses were turned on their sides, and massive craters in the sidewalk dotted the streets, like a bizarre version of polka dots. I take a few limped steps forward, just to take it all in. then it hits me. The town is silent. No one is around. I listen closely. There isn't a single dog, cat or bird in the air. A layer of dust covers most of the cars. I spot a convenience store nearby. Food is food, and the stuff they sell isn't food, but it’ll do. I limp over to the store when I hear the sound of a gun being loaded.

“Get your hands where I can see them” a voice says. I slowly raise them up, revealing empty hands, except the brochure. “Now turn around” the voice says. I can hear him more clearly as he comes closer. It’s the voice of a boy, no older than me. I feel the cold iron barrel of a hunting rifle pressing against my back. I slowly turn around and find myself confronted with a boy my age. His clothing is tattered. A band of ammunition is slung across his shoulder. His face is covered in dust and blood. Dandy blond hair fell over blood shot eyes. “Keep your hands where I can see them” he nudges the rifle into my chest. I take a closer look at it. The barrel is cracked and old. The wood is rotting and taped together with duct tape. “State your name and business” he says. “My name is Matthew” I say. “I don’t know much else. I won’t hurt you.” The barrel wavered for a bit, and then he slung it over his shoulder. “My names Erik” we shake hands.

“We’d better get going” he says, and starts walking away. I take a few steps and cry out in pain. Erik turns around and lifts weight off my leg “might want to get a refund on that surgery” he says, helping me down the road “it’s worse than a weekend trip to North Korea” and with that, we walked down the road.

1st Chapter Continued 2

I take the stairs slowly, taking precaution not to enrage my left leg. After a while, I make it to the first floor. The door hangs off its hinges, and as I push it aside, it falls over. The sound of the door echoes through the hospital. The resonance rattles my skull, and I stand there for a bit, taking all this in. I shake it off, and enter the reception area. It’s empty; half drunken coffees reside on desks, and a box of Timbits rest on one of the wheelchairs. I hesitate, and then walk towards it. Even after large amounts of time, they didn’t taste bad.

After the donuts, I notice the exit. Taking a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever was out there, I walk outside.

End of Chapter 1