Northern Exposure: The Divided

by Luken Du Pont

  Chapter 4

  ”Shh, the man came closer and through the glimmering light of the candle in his hand, I could see his face.”Smith is that you?” the scruffy, bearded man reiterated his gesture. He placed his finger to his lips,” Shhh.” He was an outline of the man I came to know as our building manger. His full bodied figure was replaced by a skinny, food deprived, and lifeless form. His clothes more filthy than usual, grime covered his face as if he had taken a bath in an oil slick and his beard was untamed, thick and dirt ridden. But why was Smith here? The situation was becoming more disorientating by the minute. Now I had no control of the different scenarios my mind was processing, each stranger than the next, trying to make sense of this whole ordeal.

  “Come with me,” his actions where strong and I knew he wasn’t the type of man who asked you twice. Smith grabbed me around the waist, threw my arm over his shoulder and we proceeded onwards. I tried to keep up, but my body kept collapsing underneath its own weight. Constantly the old man had to stop, readjust and swing my arm back over his shoulder. We walked for approximately two minutes which honestly felt like hours. I reached a few conclusions about Smiths involvement in this scenario, but each time however something didn’t add up. Had he saved me? Was he part of Layla and Jacobs plot in louring unknown young victims into their web of deceit? But all this didn’t explain my physical appearance, why was my face healed and how could I have lost so much weight in such a short time. My arms were like twigs, my legs the same. I was at least 20 kilograms under my normal body weight.

  We wound down a meandering passage way, on the left side of the water canal. I caught glimpse of the walls and saw graffiti tagged from top to bottom, the light was brighter in this tunnel as the narrowness gave way to a large more open passageway. On the opposite side we passed an abandoned shopping cart, which made the already ghostly scenery that much more spine-chilling. Slowly I was making out exactly where we were, the dark tunnel ways, the foul smelling water, the large iron lids which hung over our heads. This could only be one place; this was the New York City sewer system.

  My thoughts were interrupted, as the tunnel came to a halt, we now stood outside a thick large steel door, which ended the continuous passageway. Smith banged his fist against the door three times waited about ten seconds and banged twice. The door creaked and slowly opened, the light shot out the room and brightened the dark passage. My eyes had to adjust and the last person I expected to see was standing in the door way.

  The tall dark man had a face with few to no expressions, like a blank canvas, he moved to the side and I followed Smith into the dungeon style bunker. But what was Sharif doing down here? He stood unfazed by my presence, like a watchman on guard duty. As I entered further into the bunker, I was taken back to a memory of the apartment building. The day when Sharif stood tall, proud confronting Jacob as his two little girls peered from behind their father’s long legs. Shahkierah and Zara did just as that day, wanting to be involved in welcoming me into their home, yet still knowing they were safely protected by their father’s presence. The curiosity of a child was hard to control and even the stern Arab man could not stop them from wanting to get involved.

  My attention was redirected from the girls, to the confines of this disturbing looking place I had just entered. I stood in the middle of the dark grey bunker which was approximately ten square meters wide with a low hanging ceiling and dilapidating walls. Wondering what Smiths reason for bringing me here was. The badly lit room had two candle lanterns pinned up on the walls. The floors were cold and damp; the walls were water logged and somewhat colder than the concrete floors. There was a large dirty mattress sprawled out in the one corner and in the other two equally dirty single mattresses, looking so rancid I wondered how anything let alone anyone could sleep there without contracting an array of different sicknesses. From one corner of the room to the other was a line, covered with clothing still dripping, freshly washed I presumed. A huge machine, well kept and humming ever so gently sat beside a table covered in all sorts of camping utensils. From steel cups to plastic cutlery there was everything one needed to enjoy a meal. Two green plastic chairs accompanied the table, one in mint condition the other somehow had lost a leg but proved it could balance just as well as its counterpart, on only three legs. There was also a badly fashioned wooden book self, which held a bunch of mangled, torn up books and magazines, I caught a glimpse of, “Sir Tolken Johnson’s call of the wild.” The decrepit novel must have been at least eighty or ninety years old. Lastly I spotted a large Persian rug rolled out in the middle of the room right under my feet, which was so soiled I could not tell if it were brown or red. But the most peculiar site inside the entire room was the bunch of strange tools bundled together at the back.

  Peeping out of a crate was a long wooden baseball bat. Now you know in 2030, the age of aluminium bats just how valuable an old relic like this was. But to my horror the poor bat had been vandalised to the extent of no return. Large nine inch nails came protruding out the top of the bat; the original grip had been worn down and replaced with what looked to be masking tape. Right next to the bat was the back end of a pool cue which had been sharpened at the tip, looking so pointy I could swear it could pierce through Kevlar if thrust hard enough. Opposite that stood a rusty old machete crusted with a dark red substance of which I hoped it not to be, and a cheap imitation of a Japanese Samurai Katana. But I knew that blade, sure it was sharp but it was locally made and sold for $20 dollars at the local flee market.

  But how had I missed her? She was right in front of my eyes the entire time. I was too taken up by this strange place to notice her. The most attractive women sat down on a toolbox, completely minding her own business and not showing the slightest interest in my arrival. She was short, curvaceous and had a cocktail of brownish red hair. The women was stunning and even in my confused state of mind I could see she was a real beauty. She was about my age, maybe even younger. Her eyes the same colour as her majestic looking hair. She had a sharp jaw, with a deep clef and the cold of the room helped amplify her rosy pink cheeks. Her curvy legs and large breast were kept at bay from my wondering imagination by a tight pair of jeans and little black v-neck which acted as both shirt and bra. But she was not concerned about my lingering stares, in actual fact she did not show the slightest interest in my arrival. She just continued sliding the blade of her knife against a smooth wet rock at the same rhythm of the melody she softly hummed.

  I felt a tug on my pants leg, as I looked down Sharif’s youngest daughter stood with a tin in her hand, ’’eat” I stared, still a bit delirious I was not sure what the youngster wanted from me ”eat, eeeaat!”

  The child made an eating gesture as she placed the open can in my hands. It was only then that I had realised how hungry I was. All the questions I had stored up soon evaporated and were replaced by my primal instincts to firstly feed. With no time for utensils or eating etiquette I scourged down the food, driving my hand into the can trying to prevent the jagged edges from cutting me open, I scoped out large chunks of the gelatinous beef like substance, not worrying to take a second to breathe. Everybody continued to do their own thing and acted as if I was invisible, allowing me the privilege to eat unbothered. The girls stood watching me until Sharif barked out some orders in Arabic, which sent them running to their mattresses.

  Another set of orders from Sharif sent Shahkierah towards me and she too had a can in hand, but this time instead of food was a large tin filled with fresh water. I slowly took the water, not wanting to spook the fright stricken little girl. I have never been a fan of water but this was a luxury I would not pass up. I could feel the immediate effect of the liquid as my lips softened under its silky texture. My kidneys throbbed as the water passed through my back and almost immediately I felt a little bit of life enter my body. When I had finished I handed the can back to Shahkierah and picked up the other to continue eating. As I turned the can for a brief second I caught a glimpse of the label,”Paws, dog foo
d, for a healthy shinny coat and extra strong teeth, a dog’s best friend.”I dropped the can shocked at what I had discovered. Was this some twisted practical joke? But no one seemed to be amused; frankly it seemed quite normal to them. They didn’t even take notice as I spat the remaining residue out of my mouth and onto the floor. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand I went towards the quite tall man, hoping to get the answers which eluded me.

  ’’Please Sharif tell me what’s going on?””Are you real are we still even alive?””Please help me, let me know!”Sharif stood from the concrete block he had made his chair. Only when we were face to face did I realise how tall he truly was. He stood about a head taller than me; he looked down at me and simply said, “Smith.” This was the first time Sharif and I had exchanged words, and frankly I would not mind it being the last. He was the epitome of scary, tall with a strong slender build and an authority to his presence which made you feel so inferior. His eyes gave away nothing, like a robot cold and unkind. However he too had become a victim to the new surroundings just like the others, his beard long and unkempt, and his hair longer dropping past his shoulders. But one thing he did have control of was his dress code, both his shirt and pants were spotless with not a stain to be seen.

  It spoke a lot about his character, Sharif was a man who honestly believed cleanliness was next to godliness, and strived to bring his girls up in the same manner. I left Sharif behind not asking him a very obvious question, he was there and so were his girls, but where was his wife? As I approached Smith I looked back and Sharif had once again taken a seat on the hard concrete block.

  Smith lay with his back on the mattress as he held Zara in his extended arm tossing her up and down. The ten year old giggled with joy, demanding the old man went faster. As I got to the mattress Zara went scampering away to her sister, she was clearly shy of the new stranger who was in her home. It was time to get an answer now, I believed the time of beating around the bush was over, so I came out firm and direct to Smith, taking a chance knowing how volatile the old man could get.

  “Where am I Smith? What is this place and where is that BITCH?”

  Smith immediately stood grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me to the back of the room. My eyes widened and my skin went pale, oh shit what had I just gotten myself into!

  “Firstly my boy, there will be no such language around those precious little angles do you understand. Secondly you’re freaking welcome!” What was he taking about, welcome for what?

  Smith figured out the puzzled look across my face and continued, “So before you black out for who knows how long again, brace yourself because I am about to explain everything to you.”His demeanour changed, from anger to more compassion, I knew something incomprehensible was coming.

  “It may seem overwhelming but unfortunately there is no point in complicating the truth.””What has happened has happened and it’s up to you to either believe it or fight the enviable truth behind the madness of our new existence.” “So trust me when I say do not spend too much time wondering if it’s true or not, take what I am telling you and embrace it as your new future.”

  What the hell was this old man babbling about? I was lost, but believed he was more lost than me, talking in riddles which made no sense. But I was not about to anger him once again, I played his little game and listened on, pretending I was enthralled by the nonsense he was spewing out of his mouth.“ I need you to sit down and listen” Smith demanded. So I did as told.

  Smith began

  “About five years ago I found you in your apartment, bloody and unconscious.” “Someone had tied you up and left you to die a horrible lonely death.” “I knew I had to take you with me, every fibre in my body told me otherwise, to keep running, to think about self-preservation, to not worry about a boy I barely knew who was most likely dead already.” “But my heart said different, it is the most difficult thing in the army to leave a man behind and I guess you should be grateful those habits followed me back home.”

  “So in the panic and chaos I picked you up and ran, half way down the stairs I met up with Sharif and his girls.” “Sharif was sprawled out on the floor over his wife’s lifeless corps, “While his girls stood crying looking down at their decapitated mother.” We had no time to sit around and mourn his lost partner; the destruction was consuming the city killing thousands around us.” So with you over my shoulder, I grabbed Shahkierah and demanded she did the same to her little sister, if I could not save their father Id be dammed if I let the two girls share the same fate as their mother.” “We kept running until we hit the exit of the building, it didn’t take long for Sharif to come chasing after his children.” Smith paused as he took a long look at Sharif from across the room and remembered that dreadful day. “Smith then continued, but that’s not the whole story. Do you remember the tremors? I nodded in acknowledgment. “Well that where it all began my boy!”

  “Remember the speculation which circulated throughout the city?” “Some said bombs other said earthquakes, well it was neither!”

  “Fire and brimstone rained down from the heaven, destroying everything in its path.”“Rocks in various sizes showered from the sky.” “Some large as minivans, crushing whatever they happened to land upon.” “Others breaking up into sediments spraying down on the city like a chondrite rain storm.””You see Cairo, the quakes where just the beginning, the first meteorites landed in the outskirt of the city, which in turn caused the tremors.” “But the ordeal was quickly covered up by the government.” Why the hell... None of us are sure, but by doing so, they changed the outcome of every single person living, not only in New York City, but in the entire continent.”

  Still unconvinced about Smiths story I questioned emphatically trying to see where I could trip him up. “So you telling me that the U.S was hit by a meteor shower of such emphatic proportion and no one knew that it was coming?” I could not restrain myself from laughing. “Please Smith do not patronise me, how do you expect me to believe such a delusional concept?” “Things like that only happen in the movies; we have people out their employed to warn us about things like that, people in meteorology centres, people in NASA, come on Smith what do you take me for, a fool?”

  Smith looked me directly in the eyes, I moved a few inches back, like a lion stalking its prey, I tried to move as subtle as possible, not wanting to spook him. He grabbed me by my collar and pulled me inches from his face, I could smell his rancid breath which was pungent and thick thanks to the rows of rotten teeth in his mouth.

  “You think this is a game, you think we are playing some kind of trick on you?”Look around fool, this is no game, for five years we’ve been down here, surviving by the skin of our teeth, not eating for days, fighting for our lives, seeing shit that should not be real.” “I saved your ass boy; whoever wanted you dead did a good enough job.” “You have been in a coma for five years now, and it’s only thanks to me that you are still alive.” “Every day I dragged your ass out there to get some fresh air, every day I washed you, every day I made sure you got some food and water into your system and every day I whipped that soiled ass!” “So think wisely whilst throwing around these stupid comments, before you find yourself up there trying to fend for yourself.

  Anger was oozing out Smiths pours, he was furious. He pushed me to the floor, stood up and walked away shaking his head in disappointment. Was he telling the truth? I mean there was no other reason I could be down here, I thought for a while then came to the conclusion, even if he was fabricating the truth, sitting down and hearing what he had to say would do no harm, in actual fact taking an interest in his story might just save me from harm’s way.

  I apologised to Smith, explaining how hard it was to believe him from my point of view. I told him how even he would think the story was preposterous if he had not witnessed it first hand, and after a lot of deliberating, persuading and begging for forgiveness, the old man loosened up and decided to continue.

  “People ran in terror, leaving
their children behind, as they tried saving themselves from the meteors which came down. People were flattened and cars were totalled as the Armageddon welcomed itself into our city.” Most people fled to any building in site, trying to provide themselves with shelter.” “But unfortunately soon found it was just as bad as if they had stayed on the streets.” “As the buildings and houses they were in came crushing down on top of them.’’ ‘’At least those had the satisfaction of a quicker death. Unlike the thousands which were still stuck in the high rise office building.’’ ‘’You could hear the crackling of flames followed by a thick cloud of smoke which was diluted by their helpless screams as they were consumed by fire.”

  “A few brave officers tried to restore control but soon abandoned the people on what looked to be a lost cause, it became every man for themselves as cops drove over pedestrians and medics stepped over injured bodies.” “Mothers left children, husbands left wives and friends abandoned each other.” “The terror was unbearable for most and some stood in shock as the rocks rained down on the earth and reshaped the existence of mankind in a matter of hours.”

  “What about us?” Why are we still alive, how could we have survived any of this.” I had been sucked into Smiths story and sat eager, awaiting a response.

  Smith had more vigour in his explanation of the day; he was now standing, not only explain verbally but now mimicking the events which took place that day. “As we exited the building door, Sharif grabbed his girl’s hands and began running behind me. On the street I knew we stood no chance, we needed cover, but what was wide and strong enough to shelter us from the impact? If buildings crumbled right in front of our eyes, what could save us from the rocky rain?”

  “Then it hit me, I looked down the street then issued the others to follow behind me and we headed for the nearest manhole.” “The sewers would be our salvation, so we unhinged the lid of the man hole and descended into New York’s dumping ground.” “We sat down there huddled together for three days until eventually the rocks stopped falling.” “All we survived on was a packet of sweets Zara was hiding from her father in her back pack, some rain water from the run off pipe and a packet of jerky I had in my pocket.” “Soon power stations shut down, hospitals closed and food started running scares in one or two years the city looked so baron, you could swear civilised man had never lived here.””What’s worse is we did not know the extent of the damage at the time, was it only New York or was it the entire world, we were in the dark that’s for sure.”

  “Why hadn’t others come and rescued us, why aren’t we being saved as we speak?” I tried putting two and two together.”Smith smiled again and repeated what I said, ”Saved’’, no one came and no one will come, they locked us down after the meteors stopped falling.”I was in shock this was not possible.”This can’t be right, it sounded like something I would have read in a comic book, not the reality I would be living in. “They locked down the entire city Smith?,” “City, think bigger Cairo” what did he mean bigger?”,”wait you mean to tell me they have locked down the whole state, that’s impossible.” He shook his head, “they quarantined the whole continent.” We’ve been cut off from the rest of the world for about three years now.” “No contact with anyone, we have been deserted, left to fend for ourselves.”I was baffled trying to contemplate the reasons the world would turn its back on us, surely we needed deserved help from the other countries. I mean, every day my dad and I would sit in front of the TV watching how the U.S was helping this one, and the U.S was saving that one, and even though many opposed and did not agree with the ways of the West, there were more than enough allies which should have come to our aid, including Smiths old employers the U.N.

  Suddenly my knees went weak, the blood drained from my brain and I dropped to the floor. I was in too much of a fragile state for my body to be so involved in all this excitement. I had just woken up from a coma and now had to deal somehow with an apocalypse. No, I needed rest, I needed to reenergise before I could make any further judgments on what was going on around us.

  Smith helped me to the crusty old mattress and lowered me down ever so gently. As I took my seat, Sharif’s little girl Zara placed a pillow behind my back keeping me off the cold concrete wall. She smiled at me, her shyness slowly dissipating. I looked deep into those brown little eyes and realised that those eyes were not that of a normal girl of her age, they seemed full of fear and pain, heavy with sorrow and fatigue. Her skin dry and lips cracked, It was only then that I had realised the true distress these poor people where in. Their lives looked to be in shambles and as I looked from one corner of the room to the next, glancing at all of them the urge to find out more about what drove them to this lifestyle grew inside of me. If the rocks had stopped falling why had they chosen to stay down here? Surly up top a better life awaited, there had to still be houses intact, grocery stores with edible food and most of all sunshine and fresh air.

  I begged Smith to continue, but he urged me to get some rest. Smith was about to realise how persistent I could be, I constantly came up with excuse after excuse, avoiding my resting time. He would not just get me so enthralled in this story than leave me hanging, no I had to know more. The old man shook his head in disbelief of my persistency, but I could see the faintest smile cross his face, he enjoyed telling me the story as much as I was enjoying hearing it.

  “The impact from the rocks did most of the damage, but that was just the beginning.”Annihilation would come in more than one package to North America.” “Bodies lay scattered in the city and the stench was unbearable for almost a year.” We managed to take as few trips to top side as possible.””Across the road is a small grocery shop, it is fairly intact and has been our only source of previsions.””From food to toilet paper everything we have survived on has come from that shop.”

  Unfortunately our resources are nearly depleted but the site of mangled bodies and disfigured children still litter the streets, this is one of the reasons keeping us from moving any further.””Some nights I wake up in cold sweats as I see their dead corpses in my dreams.””It was the hardest time for us, those first few months.” “Many days the silence in the air drove me to believe we were the only ones left alive in the whole city.” Occasionally the sound of a barking dog or squawking of a crow above brought back the faith that life on the surface was still possible, if the animals survived, there had to be hope that others were alive.”

  “”You see we thought we were alone for all that time but that wasn’t the case, no we were just the lucky ones.””There were people still up there, maybe hundreds, maybe thousands.””We were oblivious to their existence until one day about two years after we arrived down here, we heard the screams of a woman far in the distance.””Not sure of the origin of the screams or what was causing them, instead we chose to ignore her.” Night after night more and more screams echoed from top side, from men, women and children.””It was honestly the most frightening time in my life, and all we could do was hideaway in the bunker not sure of what was up there.”