Post by eoin on Oct 14, 2012 14:23:19 GMT -7
Life was normal on the last day of the insurgency. But night changes all, and so it was when the Insurgents' sewer compound was attack. Emperor Murlough finally tracked the insurgents to their compound, the last of five hundred years of Imperial rule.
Jacen woke up with a start. His mother, Leia, was shaking him.
“Hurry! Get your clothes and shoes on, grab all the food you can carry in your backpack and RUN!”, she said. “The Emperor has found us!”
Leia grabs her antique M16 with an attached laser scope and runs off in the direction of the gunfire. Jacen gets changed, grabs his backpack and stuffs it with food and an old medikit that he had. He stuffs his late father's Colt Python into his belt and gets his slicer droid in his backpack. He puts some war books in almost as an afterthought. Finally, he sheathes a long hunting knife on his belt.
On his way to the emergency exit, he spies two familiar heads heading against the flow of the adults. “HEY! Barra! Layla! Wait up a sec!” Jacen shouted.
Barra and Layla were one of twenty kids in the compound, and were Jacen's closest friends. Barra was Irish and emigrated the year before. His mother was killed in a raid by the Emperor's forces, and his father joined the insurgency as a result. Layla was a relative of the Emperor before the Emperor killed her father and mother, but she and her older brother escaped before they were killed. Her father had over five wives, and Layla's mother was the only African American. Layla's father was opposed to Murlough, and was next in line to the throne until his death.
“You going?” He asks.
“Does it look like it?” Layla spluttered. She had her backpack and was panting for breath. Her hand was tensing and relaxing around her dynamo powered torch. Barra had another backpack and was sweating. He had another torch and a short club on his backpack.
“Stupid question I guess” Jacen panted. “Lets get moving.”
They run to the exit and climb down into the sewers. They turn on their torches and run down the gangway above the filth of the fetid sewer water. They see another light ahead and stop running. They turn off their torches and watch.
“Gotta run, gotta get away, zey are here, zey are after me, gotta get avay..” the man was mumbling as he hurried away. He trips and falls into the water.
The kids laugh and turn their torches back on and go over to Stefan. He was a slightly crazed Russian, who led the insurgency. Everyone knew he had no stomach for fighting, but he was good at planning and organizing. However, he was in the control room and must have panicked when he saw the size of the attack force. He had a urban camouflaged backpack and outfit on him, and had his Uzi in it's holster. He always had difficulties pronouncing 'W' and 'TH'.
“Who's zere?” Stefan shouted, “Go avay!”
“Relax Stef. Ti’s us, Jacen, Layla and Barra.” Barra said in his thick Irish accent. “We're a wee bit lost. Do ye mind if we follow ye?”
Stefan grumbles and says “I'll show you ze vay out but you're going your own vay after zat.” They walk together for about an hour when Stefan comes to a door and stops. He enters a code and motions to the kid to follow. “Code, code, code, mine field, code. 3-4-6-7-5, 4-6-4-8-6, 0-3-4-0-6, two steps forvard, von left, von forvard, two right, three forvard, four left, back two, left zree, forvard all the vay to the vall, zen to ze door, zen 4-7-8-9-1-2....” Stefan mumbles, and the kids look at each other in fright. Stefan winks, and assures them he is joking.
Five minutes later, Stefan came to a ladder and pointed up. “Zis is your stop. I'm going on a bit further in case zey are waiting vor me.”
Stefan was a paranoid old man. He once stopped an attack because he had a bad feeling. He was right to do it though. They found out later when another group attacked and were ambushed. Everyone trusted his instinct after that.
“OK Stef, take care.” Jacen said and started climbing. He heard the other say bye and climb after him.
It was a long ladder, and they were climbing for about fifteen minutes before they reached street level. When they emerged, they were confused at the darkness. It was pitch black and they thought that it was daytime when they were in the sewer system.
“I reckon we got about five hours before sunrise.” Jacen guessed. “Let's be indoors before then.”
A moan erupted from behind them and they whirled around. A man was there, with spots on his face and a rash under his nose. They heard stories, from their parents, about the crazies.
Drugged up, poverty, homelessness, alcohol, all led to becoming a crazy. The rash under his nose indicates that he was a glue sniffer, or on coke. The chemicals in the pesticides and fertilizers were changed during the five hundred years since WW III, and were more toxic.
Most farmers switched to organic farming, but the demand for drugs was high, and as a result, the drug farmers used fertilizers to increase output. The change in the chemical make up affects the brain, and drives the user insane. They do no harm to each other, but non-users should be extremely careful not to get caught out after dark.
The man came towards them at a shuffle, and the kids ran away from him. Jacen tried to get his knife out but found it too hard because he was running. When they rounded the corner, they saw another crazy, a woman this time. Jacen pulled out his knife and tried to catch his breath. When the woman came closer, Jacen tried to slash at her throat but only succeeded in scratching her. He goes to slash back handed, but the crazy's arm gets in the way and makes him drop the knife in pain.
“Jay!” Layla shrieks, going for the knife. The crazy woman focuses on Layla, and shambles towards her. Layla holds her breath and plunges the knife into the woman's chest, through her heart. But the woman is still alive and Layla panics and pulls away. The woman grabs her and Jacen hits her over the head with a loose rock. She falls and Jacen pulls out the knife.
“Layla, are you ok?!?” Barra stammers, checking her for injuries. The crazies had a habit of picking up infections and diseases so you had to be careful if you get scratched. Jacen pokes the knife into the woman's head and into her brain, just to check she's dead.
“I'm fine Barra,” she replies, “Jay, that's totally gross like.”
“Can't be too careful.” Jay answers, pulling out the knife and a clear, sticky fluid. He wipes the knife on the woman's clothes and sheathes his knife.
A police hover-copter flies over head, and the kids duck instinctively. They wait for it to pass then head for the nearest train station. They see many crazies, but hide behind cars until the crazies go past. Jacen's heart was in his mouth the whole way, and Layla was gripping his hand in a vice-like grip.
When they arrive at the train station, they look around for the paramilitaries. When they feel it's clear, they head into the station, and see that it's completely packed with crazies.
“Stay here,” Jacen whispers, “I wanna try something out. Mum told me about this trick.”
Jacen tears his shirt until it looks as bad as the crazies, then cuts his finger and daubs under his nose to make it look like he sniffed glue.
“Jay, what are you doing!?!” Layla whispers, “Are you insane?”
“Layla, let him go. My parents told me the same thing,” Barra tells her, “The crazies only attack people who DON'T look like them, but they leave people who smell and look like them. Not too bright, huh?”
Jacen nods, and stands up and staggers toward the crazies. He moans, and groans, trying to act like the other crazies. They sniff and snarl at him, but leave him be. He heads back to their hiding place.
“Come on!” he grunts. “Get moving!”
Layla and Barra rip their shirts and pants, and Jacen daubs blood under their noses. They head towards the train, grunting and moaning, then casually get on it. They check what the other crazies are doing and try to copy them as best as they can.
Halfway to the next station, a crazy man stumbles up to Layla and starts sniffing her. Layla grunts at him, but then he starts humping her leg. Layla snarls at him and pushes him off. The crazy comes back onto her and snarls back. Jacen looks at the other crazies before he pulls out his knife and slits the crazy man's throat. He pushes the body under a chair and checks that none of the other crazies noticed anything.
When the train pulls in, the crazies stay on board but the trio stagger off separately then join together at the exit.
“Let's not do that again,” Layla whispers, “I was nearly raped by that guy!”
Jacen nods and gets a map from the abandoned desk. He puts a mark on the station where they are, then looks for a quiet place to stay.
“There's an abandoned school about 5 blocks east. We should go there, then plan our next move.” He decides, “Let's go. We want to get under cover before sunrise.”
When they arrive at the abandoned school, Barra starts to pull off the wooden boards over the door. When there's a gap big enough to open it, he pulls the handle and the door opens.
“Let's go!” Barra says, looking around, “sun's coming up!”
They all squeeze in through the gab in the door, and shut it, just as another hover-copter flies by overhead.
“That was close!” Jacen laughed, “But I think we're ok.”
“Let's hope so.” Layla said, “Anyway, I'm hungry, What's there to eat?”
Barra and Jacen share a look and unzip their backpacks.
“I got some crisps, tinned veg, some hotdogs, beans, water and some... Oh my God, I have chocolate!” Barra says! “Buíochas le Dia!” He continues in Irish.
“I have some sewer croc, some sodas, and a bit of venison.” Jacen says. “Layla, do you have anything?”
Layla blushes, and mutters something about clothes.
“Don't tell me you packed all clothes?” Jacen asks, “That's just crazy!”
“Hmm? Oh, I said my clothes are ruined. Food-wise, I have water and some flour, a bit of baking soda, and some eggs. I also have my cooking stuff. And money.”
Jacen sighs, and turns to Barra. “Have you got any money? I got about fifty credits. Layla has twenty.”
Barra digs his hand into his backpack and pulls out a old wallet. “Aon céad, dhá céad, trí céad... I have three hundred and fifty credits. All together, we have four hundred and twenty.”
Layla squeals happily and says “We could almost buy a house with that much credits!”
Jacen screws his face up and tells her that houses are four hundred and twenty thousand, not four hundred and twenty. Layla deflates, and goes back to getting some food ready for cooking.
“Cheer up Layla. We can all get some work and then we can get a house. Maybe even a cleaning robot! How awesome would that be!” Barra says, trying to cheer her up. “But until then, isn't this place alright?”
“Suppose” she mutters.
Jacen breaks a board of the window to look out. He sees a troop of military hover-copters flying past them, with a transport in the middle of them.
“Oh my Lord.... The Emperor took prisoners! Look!” Jacen cries. The others scurry to the window and peer through.
“Jay...” Layla whispers, sounding horrified, “take a look..”
Jacen looks out, in time to see the last body fall out of the transport. He gets a pair of binoculars and reads the message on the transport, “This is a warning to all others opposed to the Great and Honorable Emperor Murlough - Desist or be destroyed.”
“That can't be good...” Layla says, “I'm scared...” and buries her head in Barra's shoulder.
“Jay, let's go upstairs, check the rest of the school,” Barra says. “We don't know what else could be here. Weapons caches, food, medicine, books.”
“Good idea. You stay here with Layla.” Jacen replies, heading for the stairs.
Jacen climbs up the stairs. When he reaches the landing, his torch flickers, before the light goes out completely.
“Fuuuuuuuck!” He curses, winding the torch quickly. He stops when he hears a click and a sudden darkness where there was brightness when he was climbing. He clicks the on button and a strong beam comes from the torch. He draws his Colt and advances slowly.
A rattling noise comes from behind and he turns to see Stefan swinging a crowbar. Jacen ducks, and shouts “STEF! STOP!”, before scrambling backwards. Stefan advances, as Barra sprints up the stairs. Jacen directs the beam from his torch into Stefan's eyes, and Stefan raises an arm trying to block the rays.
“Who are you? Vat do you vant?” Stef cries out.
“Don't ye remember us? Ye showed us out of the sewers Stef!” Barra says, grabbing the crowbar and taking it from Stefan.
“Vat do you vant kids?” Stef asks, relaxing. “I can't help you.”
“We don't need help. We just got here, because we thought it might be safe for a while.” Jacen replies, getting up from the floor and directing the beam around the hall. “What are you doing?”
“Me? Vy, I vas sleeping, until I heard some vwan downstairs.” Stef announces. “I voke up and zought it might be ze Emperor's men. So I zook zum precautions.”
“Well, we thought we might stay for a week then move on,” Jacen answers.
“VAT ARE YOU ZINKING BOY?!?!” Stefan roars! “Ze Emperor vill be actively searching for any survivors! You can't stay anyvere for very long!”
Jacen looks pissed, and says “Well, how could I have known? Look, we're all tired and hungry. So can we just relax tonight and plan what to do tomorrow?”
Stefan gets this mad look in his eyes, “I vill have nozing to do vith you boy! You make no good choices!”, and he goes back to his room and slams the door.
Barra nudges Jacen and says “Cheer up mate. We're still alive, ain't we?”
Jacen looks at Barra, then shrugs. “S'pose.”
Later that day, when Jacen, Barra, Layla were asleep, Stefan went to the window and looked out. It was just after five o clock, and the night was already rolling in. Stefan missed the countryside. He missed the green fields, and the smell of trees, and manure. He held a locket that he had around his neck. It contained a little soil, and a oak seed-the last known oak seed on Earth.
A noise draws his attention outside. He sees a dozen hover-copters set down. He sees the paramilitaries spilling out. He sees the Emperor, Murlough, descend from his private hover-ship. He watches the paramilitaries rig the main door to blow. As the door charges detonate, and reduce the door to fragments, he rises from his stoop, and goes to his backpack. In it, he had his Uzi, and a M4A1-both lightened, and equipped with laser sights.
He hears the kids shouting, then three short pops. He readies his M4A1, and fires non-stop when the door bursts open. He can't see if he hits anything, as there was smoke grenades thrown in. Finally, when he runs out of ammo in his M4A1, a paramilitary leans through the door and shoots Stefan in the chest before he can switch to the Uzi. The last thing Stefan sees is the paramilitary walking towards him with the muzzle centered on his chest. Then Stefan blanks out.
The Emperor climbs the steps, his short legs making him struggle. When he reaches the room where the four insurgents are, he stops and laughs. He claps his hands together and orders for them to be cuffed and sent to The Island. Then he sits at the top of the stairs and slides down. He walks out to his hovership and orders the pilot to take him to The Island and to have the interrogators there prepared for their new arrivals.
Jacen opens his eyes. He blinks. “What...” he mumbles.
“Jay! Can you move?” He hears someone whisper. “I can't get up.” He names the speaker as Layla, since the pitch was much higher than Barra's or Stefan's.
Jacen goes to get up, but finds his wrists and ankles are tied. “No, I can't get up,” he croaks, “Where are we? What happened?”
“Jay.... we're on The Island... The Emperor caught us when we were asleep.” Layla says.
“Where are the others?” Jay asks, trying to look around.
“They took Stefan away an hour ago, and then Barra was taken just before you woke up.” Layla says, fear in her voice.
There's a rustling in the bushes. Layla cries out, and a man steps forward. His clothes are all ripped and muddy. He has a long beard, and his hair is past his shoulders.
“Who are you?” Jacen asks, “Are you one of the Emperor's men?”
The man cackles, and says “Do I look like one of the Emperor's men?”
“No... but you still haven't told us who you are.” Jacen replies.
“Good... you're a sharp one. You'll survive. I'm Dareon. I was an insurgent before they caught me. The interrogation isn't that bad, and you're almost free when their done. You can go anywhere on the island but inside. But you have to be careful,” He announces, “The animals are insane. Their all mutated, and there's radiation all over island. Hell, I'm a mutant!”
He pulls down his collar and shows them his gills. “Webbed feet too. Perfect for swimming, if the water cleans up any bit. All chemicals, and it plays havoc with my gills.”
He continues rambling as he cracks the lock on the cuffs on their wrists and ankles.
“Best get moving and be gone, oh yes. The Emperor won't be too happy, but they won't come out searching for you. Oh no they won't. Too afraid.”
“How many are on the island? And is there anyway to escape?” Jacen asks, trying to plan.
“Unless you can fight sharks and breathe underwater, you're hear to stay. It's not that bad though, we have a nice camp. The animals stay away, and we get good food.” Dareon rambles.
“Breathing underwater and fighting sharks? That's not that bad.” Jacen says, following Dareon.
“Ah, but after that, you have to get past the laser fence.”
“And what if we overpowered the Emperor's men?”
“Can't do that. They have weapons, we don't. Well, not very good weapons, we have. All just sharpened sticks.” He laughs. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but lasers will kill all the faster. Course, they have an impenetrable defensive position. Only way in is if they take you in.”
Jacen gasps, and says “We should go back, and let them take us in! The handcuffs are broken, but we can pretend to be tied up! And then we can break free, overpower them, steal the hover-ships and free all the prisoners!”
“Emperor's here. They'll have extra men, oh yes. No way out, we accepted that. We don't want to leave anymore.”
“But you'll die here! Don't you remember what it was like to be free!” Layla cries out.
“The only way we'll be free is if the Emperor dies and the successor is less tyrannical.” Dareon says sadly. “Which could be another hundred years or more, thanks to his rejuvenation sessions.”
“If we kill him, and Layla is the Empress, we could be free.” Jacen says.
“Oh my God, you're right! I could succeed him!” Layla gasps, “Jay, you're so smart!”
Dareon squints at Layla, but says nothing.
“Take us back Dareon. We have to do this.” Jacen tells him. “For the future.”
“If you insist. Enjoy the torture by the way.” He says, changing direction.
When they arrive back at the clearing where they woke up, Dareon puts the cuffs back on them but doesn't lock them. They lie down and pretend to be unconscious still. Dareon slips back into the jungle, and they wait.
Thirty minutes later, a squad of paramilitaries in armor come through the clearing.
“Alright, you, you, and you, carry the girl. You, you, and you, carry the boy.” The commander orders. “Don't worry if you drop them. They will get hurt anyway.”
Jacen and Layla are roughly manhandled and carried all the way to the interrogation chamber. They have the cuffs taken off, and are laid down on a table. Just before they get tied down, Jacen punches the nearest technician, and grabs a scalpel from a tray next to his bed. He throws it at another technician, who ducks, and Layla scrambles off her table and grabs a saw.
Jacen grabs another scalpel and a saw, then charges the technicians with a roar. Layla goes over to Barra and cuts him free, then helps him up. He's cut all over, and has “INSURGENT SCUM” scratched on his arm. He picks up a scalpel and guards Layla as she cuts Stefan loose. His hair is all matted and bloody, and he is missing fingernails on his left hand. He moans and opens his eyes groggily, “Vat is zat noise?” and closes his eyes again. He takes a deep breath and gets up and looks around. “Great job Jacen!” he calls.
Jacen turns around. All around him, the Emperor's men lie prone, unconscious and bleeding profusely. He comes out of his battle rage and goes to the door. “Barra, come here! I can't work this door out!” he orders.
Barra stumbles over and inspects the lock. “Don't you have a slicer droid? Where's our stuff?”
Layla searches the room, and comes up with four backpacks. “Found them. All our guns and stuff are gone though. But the droid is still here.”
Barra pulls the droid out and turns it on. He connects the droid to the door and inserts commands into the droid. Thirty seconds later, the door opens and they see the Emperor.
“GUARDS!” The Emperor shouts, “Guards! Prisoners are esca-” he stops shouting as Layla kicks him in the stomach. She hits him overhead with the bottom of the saw and kicks him when he falls unconscious.
“That's the Emperor?” Jacen asks, “I was expecting someone..... taller..”
Layla kicks him one last time and says “Rejuvenation, remember? It's not very accurate, but it works.”
Murlough groans, and goes to get up. “Guards... guards... prisoners... escaping” He wheezes.
Jacen crouches down, and looks him in the eyes.
“You are going to open the doors, release all the prisoners, and then hand the Empire over to Layla. Or else we WILL kill you.” He growls.
Stefan looks around, and sees a doorway with the word “MUNITIONS” written on it. He goes over and opens the door. He sees rows upon rows of weapons, and smiles. He grabs the nearest one, inserts a battery pack, and goes over to Jacen and the Emperor. “Move Jacen. Time to finish this.”
Jacen scrambles back, and Stefan aims at the Emperor. “No, wait! Waiiiit!” Murlough screeches. There's a whine, and suddenly, Stefan is holding his arm. Blood is pouring down, and Jacen sees a contingent of troopers storming the corridor. “RUN!!” He yells, grabbing Stefan's arm and dragging him away. Stefan pulls them into the weapons room and yells “Grab a weapon, NOW!”. He crouches down and covers the doorway.
“Kill them!” they hear Murlough screech. “Killl them!”
Layla finds a row of ballistic machine guns, and spots a familiar M16. “Jay! Isn't this your mom's gun?”
Jacen grabs it, and checks it's loaded. He runs to the door and fires erratically in the direction of the paramilitaries and Murlough. He hears cries, and when the gun clicks empty, he grabs a laser gun and rolls out, ready to fire.
Murlough is the only one still standing, seeing as Jacen was aiming above his head. When Stefan comes out, Murlough turns and runs. Stefan aims at him, and fires once.
Murlough falls, never to rise again. Stefan shoots him again, just to be on the safe side. He goes over and checks for a pulse. He rises, then turns towards Layla and bows. “Your Majesty,” He grins, “Have you any orders?”
Five years later.
Layla smiles. Under her guidance, the Earth was becoming peaceful once again. There were a few hiccups, and some of the old subordinates were problematic, but General Stefan was a wonder. She turns, and smiles as her husband Jacen, got out of bed. “Good morning, my King.” She grins. He laughs, and they get changed and head downstairs.
“Your Majesties!” were what the servants called out, “Good morning!”
When they entered the dining room, they saw Barra already there.
“How ye?” He says casually.
“Barra! How have you been! We haven't seen you in ages!” Layla cries out. Jacen smiles, and says “Layla, I invited him here because today is the anniversary of the coup. Five years. About time we had a celebration, is it not?”
Layla smiles, and hugs her two most favorite men in the world.
The only story I ever finished outside of school....
Jacen woke up with a start. His mother, Leia, was shaking him.
“Hurry! Get your clothes and shoes on, grab all the food you can carry in your backpack and RUN!”, she said. “The Emperor has found us!”
Leia grabs her antique M16 with an attached laser scope and runs off in the direction of the gunfire. Jacen gets changed, grabs his backpack and stuffs it with food and an old medikit that he had. He stuffs his late father's Colt Python into his belt and gets his slicer droid in his backpack. He puts some war books in almost as an afterthought. Finally, he sheathes a long hunting knife on his belt.
On his way to the emergency exit, he spies two familiar heads heading against the flow of the adults. “HEY! Barra! Layla! Wait up a sec!” Jacen shouted.
Barra and Layla were one of twenty kids in the compound, and were Jacen's closest friends. Barra was Irish and emigrated the year before. His mother was killed in a raid by the Emperor's forces, and his father joined the insurgency as a result. Layla was a relative of the Emperor before the Emperor killed her father and mother, but she and her older brother escaped before they were killed. Her father had over five wives, and Layla's mother was the only African American. Layla's father was opposed to Murlough, and was next in line to the throne until his death.
“You going?” He asks.
“Does it look like it?” Layla spluttered. She had her backpack and was panting for breath. Her hand was tensing and relaxing around her dynamo powered torch. Barra had another backpack and was sweating. He had another torch and a short club on his backpack.
“Stupid question I guess” Jacen panted. “Lets get moving.”
They run to the exit and climb down into the sewers. They turn on their torches and run down the gangway above the filth of the fetid sewer water. They see another light ahead and stop running. They turn off their torches and watch.
“Gotta run, gotta get away, zey are here, zey are after me, gotta get avay..” the man was mumbling as he hurried away. He trips and falls into the water.
The kids laugh and turn their torches back on and go over to Stefan. He was a slightly crazed Russian, who led the insurgency. Everyone knew he had no stomach for fighting, but he was good at planning and organizing. However, he was in the control room and must have panicked when he saw the size of the attack force. He had a urban camouflaged backpack and outfit on him, and had his Uzi in it's holster. He always had difficulties pronouncing 'W' and 'TH'.
“Who's zere?” Stefan shouted, “Go avay!”
“Relax Stef. Ti’s us, Jacen, Layla and Barra.” Barra said in his thick Irish accent. “We're a wee bit lost. Do ye mind if we follow ye?”
Stefan grumbles and says “I'll show you ze vay out but you're going your own vay after zat.” They walk together for about an hour when Stefan comes to a door and stops. He enters a code and motions to the kid to follow. “Code, code, code, mine field, code. 3-4-6-7-5, 4-6-4-8-6, 0-3-4-0-6, two steps forvard, von left, von forvard, two right, three forvard, four left, back two, left zree, forvard all the vay to the vall, zen to ze door, zen 4-7-8-9-1-2....” Stefan mumbles, and the kids look at each other in fright. Stefan winks, and assures them he is joking.
Five minutes later, Stefan came to a ladder and pointed up. “Zis is your stop. I'm going on a bit further in case zey are waiting vor me.”
Stefan was a paranoid old man. He once stopped an attack because he had a bad feeling. He was right to do it though. They found out later when another group attacked and were ambushed. Everyone trusted his instinct after that.
“OK Stef, take care.” Jacen said and started climbing. He heard the other say bye and climb after him.
It was a long ladder, and they were climbing for about fifteen minutes before they reached street level. When they emerged, they were confused at the darkness. It was pitch black and they thought that it was daytime when they were in the sewer system.
“I reckon we got about five hours before sunrise.” Jacen guessed. “Let's be indoors before then.”
A moan erupted from behind them and they whirled around. A man was there, with spots on his face and a rash under his nose. They heard stories, from their parents, about the crazies.
Drugged up, poverty, homelessness, alcohol, all led to becoming a crazy. The rash under his nose indicates that he was a glue sniffer, or on coke. The chemicals in the pesticides and fertilizers were changed during the five hundred years since WW III, and were more toxic.
Most farmers switched to organic farming, but the demand for drugs was high, and as a result, the drug farmers used fertilizers to increase output. The change in the chemical make up affects the brain, and drives the user insane. They do no harm to each other, but non-users should be extremely careful not to get caught out after dark.
The man came towards them at a shuffle, and the kids ran away from him. Jacen tried to get his knife out but found it too hard because he was running. When they rounded the corner, they saw another crazy, a woman this time. Jacen pulled out his knife and tried to catch his breath. When the woman came closer, Jacen tried to slash at her throat but only succeeded in scratching her. He goes to slash back handed, but the crazy's arm gets in the way and makes him drop the knife in pain.
“Jay!” Layla shrieks, going for the knife. The crazy woman focuses on Layla, and shambles towards her. Layla holds her breath and plunges the knife into the woman's chest, through her heart. But the woman is still alive and Layla panics and pulls away. The woman grabs her and Jacen hits her over the head with a loose rock. She falls and Jacen pulls out the knife.
“Layla, are you ok?!?” Barra stammers, checking her for injuries. The crazies had a habit of picking up infections and diseases so you had to be careful if you get scratched. Jacen pokes the knife into the woman's head and into her brain, just to check she's dead.
“I'm fine Barra,” she replies, “Jay, that's totally gross like.”
“Can't be too careful.” Jay answers, pulling out the knife and a clear, sticky fluid. He wipes the knife on the woman's clothes and sheathes his knife.
A police hover-copter flies over head, and the kids duck instinctively. They wait for it to pass then head for the nearest train station. They see many crazies, but hide behind cars until the crazies go past. Jacen's heart was in his mouth the whole way, and Layla was gripping his hand in a vice-like grip.
When they arrive at the train station, they look around for the paramilitaries. When they feel it's clear, they head into the station, and see that it's completely packed with crazies.
“Stay here,” Jacen whispers, “I wanna try something out. Mum told me about this trick.”
Jacen tears his shirt until it looks as bad as the crazies, then cuts his finger and daubs under his nose to make it look like he sniffed glue.
“Jay, what are you doing!?!” Layla whispers, “Are you insane?”
“Layla, let him go. My parents told me the same thing,” Barra tells her, “The crazies only attack people who DON'T look like them, but they leave people who smell and look like them. Not too bright, huh?”
Jacen nods, and stands up and staggers toward the crazies. He moans, and groans, trying to act like the other crazies. They sniff and snarl at him, but leave him be. He heads back to their hiding place.
“Come on!” he grunts. “Get moving!”
Layla and Barra rip their shirts and pants, and Jacen daubs blood under their noses. They head towards the train, grunting and moaning, then casually get on it. They check what the other crazies are doing and try to copy them as best as they can.
Halfway to the next station, a crazy man stumbles up to Layla and starts sniffing her. Layla grunts at him, but then he starts humping her leg. Layla snarls at him and pushes him off. The crazy comes back onto her and snarls back. Jacen looks at the other crazies before he pulls out his knife and slits the crazy man's throat. He pushes the body under a chair and checks that none of the other crazies noticed anything.
When the train pulls in, the crazies stay on board but the trio stagger off separately then join together at the exit.
“Let's not do that again,” Layla whispers, “I was nearly raped by that guy!”
Jacen nods and gets a map from the abandoned desk. He puts a mark on the station where they are, then looks for a quiet place to stay.
“There's an abandoned school about 5 blocks east. We should go there, then plan our next move.” He decides, “Let's go. We want to get under cover before sunrise.”
When they arrive at the abandoned school, Barra starts to pull off the wooden boards over the door. When there's a gap big enough to open it, he pulls the handle and the door opens.
“Let's go!” Barra says, looking around, “sun's coming up!”
They all squeeze in through the gab in the door, and shut it, just as another hover-copter flies by overhead.
“That was close!” Jacen laughed, “But I think we're ok.”
“Let's hope so.” Layla said, “Anyway, I'm hungry, What's there to eat?”
Barra and Jacen share a look and unzip their backpacks.
“I got some crisps, tinned veg, some hotdogs, beans, water and some... Oh my God, I have chocolate!” Barra says! “Buíochas le Dia!” He continues in Irish.
“I have some sewer croc, some sodas, and a bit of venison.” Jacen says. “Layla, do you have anything?”
Layla blushes, and mutters something about clothes.
“Don't tell me you packed all clothes?” Jacen asks, “That's just crazy!”
“Hmm? Oh, I said my clothes are ruined. Food-wise, I have water and some flour, a bit of baking soda, and some eggs. I also have my cooking stuff. And money.”
Jacen sighs, and turns to Barra. “Have you got any money? I got about fifty credits. Layla has twenty.”
Barra digs his hand into his backpack and pulls out a old wallet. “Aon céad, dhá céad, trí céad... I have three hundred and fifty credits. All together, we have four hundred and twenty.”
Layla squeals happily and says “We could almost buy a house with that much credits!”
Jacen screws his face up and tells her that houses are four hundred and twenty thousand, not four hundred and twenty. Layla deflates, and goes back to getting some food ready for cooking.
“Cheer up Layla. We can all get some work and then we can get a house. Maybe even a cleaning robot! How awesome would that be!” Barra says, trying to cheer her up. “But until then, isn't this place alright?”
“Suppose” she mutters.
Jacen breaks a board of the window to look out. He sees a troop of military hover-copters flying past them, with a transport in the middle of them.
“Oh my Lord.... The Emperor took prisoners! Look!” Jacen cries. The others scurry to the window and peer through.
“Jay...” Layla whispers, sounding horrified, “take a look..”
Jacen looks out, in time to see the last body fall out of the transport. He gets a pair of binoculars and reads the message on the transport, “This is a warning to all others opposed to the Great and Honorable Emperor Murlough - Desist or be destroyed.”
“That can't be good...” Layla says, “I'm scared...” and buries her head in Barra's shoulder.
“Jay, let's go upstairs, check the rest of the school,” Barra says. “We don't know what else could be here. Weapons caches, food, medicine, books.”
“Good idea. You stay here with Layla.” Jacen replies, heading for the stairs.
Jacen climbs up the stairs. When he reaches the landing, his torch flickers, before the light goes out completely.
“Fuuuuuuuck!” He curses, winding the torch quickly. He stops when he hears a click and a sudden darkness where there was brightness when he was climbing. He clicks the on button and a strong beam comes from the torch. He draws his Colt and advances slowly.
A rattling noise comes from behind and he turns to see Stefan swinging a crowbar. Jacen ducks, and shouts “STEF! STOP!”, before scrambling backwards. Stefan advances, as Barra sprints up the stairs. Jacen directs the beam from his torch into Stefan's eyes, and Stefan raises an arm trying to block the rays.
“Who are you? Vat do you vant?” Stef cries out.
“Don't ye remember us? Ye showed us out of the sewers Stef!” Barra says, grabbing the crowbar and taking it from Stefan.
“Vat do you vant kids?” Stef asks, relaxing. “I can't help you.”
“We don't need help. We just got here, because we thought it might be safe for a while.” Jacen replies, getting up from the floor and directing the beam around the hall. “What are you doing?”
“Me? Vy, I vas sleeping, until I heard some vwan downstairs.” Stef announces. “I voke up and zought it might be ze Emperor's men. So I zook zum precautions.”
“Well, we thought we might stay for a week then move on,” Jacen answers.
“VAT ARE YOU ZINKING BOY?!?!” Stefan roars! “Ze Emperor vill be actively searching for any survivors! You can't stay anyvere for very long!”
Jacen looks pissed, and says “Well, how could I have known? Look, we're all tired and hungry. So can we just relax tonight and plan what to do tomorrow?”
Stefan gets this mad look in his eyes, “I vill have nozing to do vith you boy! You make no good choices!”, and he goes back to his room and slams the door.
Barra nudges Jacen and says “Cheer up mate. We're still alive, ain't we?”
Jacen looks at Barra, then shrugs. “S'pose.”
Later that day, when Jacen, Barra, Layla were asleep, Stefan went to the window and looked out. It was just after five o clock, and the night was already rolling in. Stefan missed the countryside. He missed the green fields, and the smell of trees, and manure. He held a locket that he had around his neck. It contained a little soil, and a oak seed-the last known oak seed on Earth.
A noise draws his attention outside. He sees a dozen hover-copters set down. He sees the paramilitaries spilling out. He sees the Emperor, Murlough, descend from his private hover-ship. He watches the paramilitaries rig the main door to blow. As the door charges detonate, and reduce the door to fragments, he rises from his stoop, and goes to his backpack. In it, he had his Uzi, and a M4A1-both lightened, and equipped with laser sights.
He hears the kids shouting, then three short pops. He readies his M4A1, and fires non-stop when the door bursts open. He can't see if he hits anything, as there was smoke grenades thrown in. Finally, when he runs out of ammo in his M4A1, a paramilitary leans through the door and shoots Stefan in the chest before he can switch to the Uzi. The last thing Stefan sees is the paramilitary walking towards him with the muzzle centered on his chest. Then Stefan blanks out.
The Emperor climbs the steps, his short legs making him struggle. When he reaches the room where the four insurgents are, he stops and laughs. He claps his hands together and orders for them to be cuffed and sent to The Island. Then he sits at the top of the stairs and slides down. He walks out to his hovership and orders the pilot to take him to The Island and to have the interrogators there prepared for their new arrivals.
Jacen opens his eyes. He blinks. “What...” he mumbles.
“Jay! Can you move?” He hears someone whisper. “I can't get up.” He names the speaker as Layla, since the pitch was much higher than Barra's or Stefan's.
Jacen goes to get up, but finds his wrists and ankles are tied. “No, I can't get up,” he croaks, “Where are we? What happened?”
“Jay.... we're on The Island... The Emperor caught us when we were asleep.” Layla says.
“Where are the others?” Jay asks, trying to look around.
“They took Stefan away an hour ago, and then Barra was taken just before you woke up.” Layla says, fear in her voice.
There's a rustling in the bushes. Layla cries out, and a man steps forward. His clothes are all ripped and muddy. He has a long beard, and his hair is past his shoulders.
“Who are you?” Jacen asks, “Are you one of the Emperor's men?”
The man cackles, and says “Do I look like one of the Emperor's men?”
“No... but you still haven't told us who you are.” Jacen replies.
“Good... you're a sharp one. You'll survive. I'm Dareon. I was an insurgent before they caught me. The interrogation isn't that bad, and you're almost free when their done. You can go anywhere on the island but inside. But you have to be careful,” He announces, “The animals are insane. Their all mutated, and there's radiation all over island. Hell, I'm a mutant!”
He pulls down his collar and shows them his gills. “Webbed feet too. Perfect for swimming, if the water cleans up any bit. All chemicals, and it plays havoc with my gills.”
He continues rambling as he cracks the lock on the cuffs on their wrists and ankles.
“Best get moving and be gone, oh yes. The Emperor won't be too happy, but they won't come out searching for you. Oh no they won't. Too afraid.”
“How many are on the island? And is there anyway to escape?” Jacen asks, trying to plan.
“Unless you can fight sharks and breathe underwater, you're hear to stay. It's not that bad though, we have a nice camp. The animals stay away, and we get good food.” Dareon rambles.
“Breathing underwater and fighting sharks? That's not that bad.” Jacen says, following Dareon.
“Ah, but after that, you have to get past the laser fence.”
“And what if we overpowered the Emperor's men?”
“Can't do that. They have weapons, we don't. Well, not very good weapons, we have. All just sharpened sticks.” He laughs. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but lasers will kill all the faster. Course, they have an impenetrable defensive position. Only way in is if they take you in.”
Jacen gasps, and says “We should go back, and let them take us in! The handcuffs are broken, but we can pretend to be tied up! And then we can break free, overpower them, steal the hover-ships and free all the prisoners!”
“Emperor's here. They'll have extra men, oh yes. No way out, we accepted that. We don't want to leave anymore.”
“But you'll die here! Don't you remember what it was like to be free!” Layla cries out.
“The only way we'll be free is if the Emperor dies and the successor is less tyrannical.” Dareon says sadly. “Which could be another hundred years or more, thanks to his rejuvenation sessions.”
“If we kill him, and Layla is the Empress, we could be free.” Jacen says.
“Oh my God, you're right! I could succeed him!” Layla gasps, “Jay, you're so smart!”
Dareon squints at Layla, but says nothing.
“Take us back Dareon. We have to do this.” Jacen tells him. “For the future.”
“If you insist. Enjoy the torture by the way.” He says, changing direction.
When they arrive back at the clearing where they woke up, Dareon puts the cuffs back on them but doesn't lock them. They lie down and pretend to be unconscious still. Dareon slips back into the jungle, and they wait.
Thirty minutes later, a squad of paramilitaries in armor come through the clearing.
“Alright, you, you, and you, carry the girl. You, you, and you, carry the boy.” The commander orders. “Don't worry if you drop them. They will get hurt anyway.”
Jacen and Layla are roughly manhandled and carried all the way to the interrogation chamber. They have the cuffs taken off, and are laid down on a table. Just before they get tied down, Jacen punches the nearest technician, and grabs a scalpel from a tray next to his bed. He throws it at another technician, who ducks, and Layla scrambles off her table and grabs a saw.
Jacen grabs another scalpel and a saw, then charges the technicians with a roar. Layla goes over to Barra and cuts him free, then helps him up. He's cut all over, and has “INSURGENT SCUM” scratched on his arm. He picks up a scalpel and guards Layla as she cuts Stefan loose. His hair is all matted and bloody, and he is missing fingernails on his left hand. He moans and opens his eyes groggily, “Vat is zat noise?” and closes his eyes again. He takes a deep breath and gets up and looks around. “Great job Jacen!” he calls.
Jacen turns around. All around him, the Emperor's men lie prone, unconscious and bleeding profusely. He comes out of his battle rage and goes to the door. “Barra, come here! I can't work this door out!” he orders.
Barra stumbles over and inspects the lock. “Don't you have a slicer droid? Where's our stuff?”
Layla searches the room, and comes up with four backpacks. “Found them. All our guns and stuff are gone though. But the droid is still here.”
Barra pulls the droid out and turns it on. He connects the droid to the door and inserts commands into the droid. Thirty seconds later, the door opens and they see the Emperor.
“GUARDS!” The Emperor shouts, “Guards! Prisoners are esca-” he stops shouting as Layla kicks him in the stomach. She hits him overhead with the bottom of the saw and kicks him when he falls unconscious.
“That's the Emperor?” Jacen asks, “I was expecting someone..... taller..”
Layla kicks him one last time and says “Rejuvenation, remember? It's not very accurate, but it works.”
Murlough groans, and goes to get up. “Guards... guards... prisoners... escaping” He wheezes.
Jacen crouches down, and looks him in the eyes.
“You are going to open the doors, release all the prisoners, and then hand the Empire over to Layla. Or else we WILL kill you.” He growls.
Stefan looks around, and sees a doorway with the word “MUNITIONS” written on it. He goes over and opens the door. He sees rows upon rows of weapons, and smiles. He grabs the nearest one, inserts a battery pack, and goes over to Jacen and the Emperor. “Move Jacen. Time to finish this.”
Jacen scrambles back, and Stefan aims at the Emperor. “No, wait! Waiiiit!” Murlough screeches. There's a whine, and suddenly, Stefan is holding his arm. Blood is pouring down, and Jacen sees a contingent of troopers storming the corridor. “RUN!!” He yells, grabbing Stefan's arm and dragging him away. Stefan pulls them into the weapons room and yells “Grab a weapon, NOW!”. He crouches down and covers the doorway.
“Kill them!” they hear Murlough screech. “Killl them!”
Layla finds a row of ballistic machine guns, and spots a familiar M16. “Jay! Isn't this your mom's gun?”
Jacen grabs it, and checks it's loaded. He runs to the door and fires erratically in the direction of the paramilitaries and Murlough. He hears cries, and when the gun clicks empty, he grabs a laser gun and rolls out, ready to fire.
Murlough is the only one still standing, seeing as Jacen was aiming above his head. When Stefan comes out, Murlough turns and runs. Stefan aims at him, and fires once.
Murlough falls, never to rise again. Stefan shoots him again, just to be on the safe side. He goes over and checks for a pulse. He rises, then turns towards Layla and bows. “Your Majesty,” He grins, “Have you any orders?”
Five years later.
Layla smiles. Under her guidance, the Earth was becoming peaceful once again. There were a few hiccups, and some of the old subordinates were problematic, but General Stefan was a wonder. She turns, and smiles as her husband Jacen, got out of bed. “Good morning, my King.” She grins. He laughs, and they get changed and head downstairs.
“Your Majesties!” were what the servants called out, “Good morning!”
When they entered the dining room, they saw Barra already there.
“How ye?” He says casually.
“Barra! How have you been! We haven't seen you in ages!” Layla cries out. Jacen smiles, and says “Layla, I invited him here because today is the anniversary of the coup. Five years. About time we had a celebration, is it not?”
Layla smiles, and hugs her two most favorite men in the world.
The only story I ever finished outside of school....
