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

1st chapter continued

My arm was bandaged, and I could see a few needle marks in my arm, where the IV must have flowed. I remove the bandages and give my arm an experimental move. It seems to be fine, but there is minor scarring along the inside of my hand and along the inside of my forearm. A bizarre feeling in my upper arm prompts me to examine the skin. A large number 16 is tattooed into the skin, and a small blinking light from underneath my skin releases a red glow. On my other arm is tattooed a small angel. It carries a banner, written in flowing script, what looks like a woman’s hand, is written Two Minds, One Purpose Looking at the script, and a calming sensation flows over me, and I find myself up in the clouds. I stay there for a few seconds, then through the fog comes the life support system, beeping louder than anything I’ve ever heard. When I’m back on earth, I shake my head. Whatever that is, I don’t want to do it again.

I rise into a sitting position. My head seems to be fine, I run through some basic math. 2+2-1=3, pi is 3.1415926535. Math and motor skills seem to work, but my mind is a blank for memories. Well, not an exact blank. I remember one thing, a small vase, containing flowers. Someone picks me up; I grab a flower and give them to someone. I see a smile, exposing slightly crooked teeth. They’re not exactly white, and not perfect, but it’s good enough. Then I come back. That’s all I have. I cling to it, for this may be the only connection I have to my past.

I move my legs over the bed, and wiggle my toes. They seem to work, but when I put them down, a surge of pain comes up from my left leg. A series of rusty half-in staples line my legs, and the movement jostles them into my flesh. I reach down to remove them, but they’re stuck. I get up, and start limping towards the door. Then, I realize that I have no clothing on, except the hospital robes. There is a bundle of clothing on the table next to a small wrapper of complimentary crackers. A rumble moves through my stomach, and I realize that I haven’t eaten in days. I surge forward, and the first problem occurs. My left leg isn’t ready for such fast movements, and I stumble forward into the table, and knock it over. After a few moments where I was getting crushed by the table, I finally get it off me, and try to open the package. There, the second problem comes into effect. My fingers are stiff, and instead of opening the package, I crush it. When it’s finally open, all that awaits me is crumbs. I hungrily eat them, and then regret it. When one is hungry, it suppresses hunger. The moment food is added, It lets go of its’ restraints. The other problem is stale crackers. So, I ended up with a mouthful of stale crackers which made me gag, then my stomach started burning, telling me either I feed it, or it’s bursting out of my ribcage and going out to town.

When I fully compose myself, I take a few limping steps out the door. When I make it outside, I’m met with an empty hall of a hospital. My room is marked 63a, and the clipboard attached to the door informs the reader that “patient number: 16, name: Matthew, gender: Male. Dosage: q6”

I take it that my name is Matthew. Well, it’s better than nothing at all. But all that is irrelevant unless I can find someone to tell it. I listen very carefully for sounds of human life, but other than that infernal life support system…. “That is!” I exclaim. Rushing towards the sound, my mind racing. Life support system is active, so it needs life. As I reach the door, I stop to catch my breath. My left food sting me, but I ignore the pain. As I open the door, my heart falls. The machine lies broken, its screen cracked. It emits the beep through system failure. I turn around, disappointed.

As I move through the halls, I begin to piece together my surroundings. I’m on the 5^th floor of the West Street Hospital. The sector I’m in currently is the emergency ward. As I made my way to the staircase, a brochure caught my eye. I flip through it. It tells of “Revolutionary increases in the science of cells” I skim through the rest. “Dr. Lionel will be leading this research lab….new treatments on the way……titled “Red” this will…” then, my vision swarms and I put it down, unable to read. I begin to walk away but something tells me to take the brochure. Maybe when I’m not so groggy, it can tell me something about this hospital, or maybe where I am. 

1st Chapter

Chapter 1:

­

Swan Song

When I was young, my father used to take me to the Marquee theatre. There, we would watch all sorts of movies. Action, horror, drama, all of them good. My favorite event was Western Wednesdays. There, we would sit in the middle of the theater, each with a large popcorn and drink. The food was horrible, tasted like dirt, but we would buy it anyway. A sort of father son ritual. On Wednesday, they would play a series of movies from the 1960’s called “The Last Cowboy” it told the story of the last true cowboy, as he faces off against the last true bandit of the west. He chases him across miles of desert, through towns, cities and even countries, each time getting closer, and each time, the bandit would get away. Looking back upon the remains of the marquee, I feel as though part of my childhood died in the wreckage. “Time to go” say’s Erik. He looks at me; his eyes show a deeper knowing. He knows that I have a connection here, if that is the only connection.

          Every time I sit here, a new flash comes back. Today, it was my fathers watch. I remembered us standing outside the theatre, waiting for the next movie to start. His face is still blurred. He looks down at his watch. I pull his hand down, curious of the intricate device. He smiles, kneels down. “See this” he says, in a deep voice, “inside of this, lie hundreds of tiny little gears moving very slowly. When they click together, it moves the hands, which tell the time. Watch” I watch very carefully. Slowly, the hands move, in perfect motion. Each time the long thin hand does a complete rotation, the longer hand moves. “The thin one tells seconds, the longer one minute, and the fat one hour.” He smiles, I smile back, his face slowly recedes to white, then nothing. I get up from my sitting position. “Anything else?” Erik asks. “No, just a watch” he helps me up, and we walk home.

It’s been 3 years since my first memory. When I close my eyes, it comes back to me, bright as day. Remember waking up in the emergency room of West Street Hospital, or at least what’s left of if. I open my eyes, and panic sets in. bright light shines into my eyes, stinging them. Light shines through the cracks of my eyelids, making my vision blurry. My breath is ragged, and I feel a panic attack coming. I try to take deep breaths, but my lungs refuse to respond. After a few minutes of doing this, I finally recover enough to open my eyes. The light burns, and its a few minutes before I can take in my surroundings. I’m wearing nothing but hospital robes. The entire place was empty. Most of the walls were corroding, as though something was eating through them slowly. My room looked as though they had been through a war. A few ammunition shells dotted the ground. Holes through the floor showed blackened wood from large explosives. In the background, a life support system was faintly beeping. I got up from the table and looked around the room. It was small and simple. IV bags dangled from tipped over stands, their needles dripping black fluid onto the floor. 

Introduction

Hello, and Welcome to Class B Survivors, my IES book. Inside this blog, I will be publishing the edited and un-edited chapters of my book. Comment only opinions, compliments, critiques and any changes you wish.