Into the Dust Storm

by Logan Brookfield

  The group started to disperse and Edmond, Janelle, Doctor Russell and the soldiers started to head south. The terrain was a mixture of sand and rocky plains edged with hills and mountains.

  Edmond adjusted his backpack, which was so heavy it was cutting into his shoulders. ‘Commander, communication check, please.’

  The commander stopped, took the large radio from his back, placed it on the ground and pulled the aerial up. ‘Red leader here, all teams comms check please,’ he said talking into a small black mic.

  ‘Gold leader check,’ a voice crackled in reply almost immediately.

  ‘Blue leader check,’ the second voice confirmed.

  ‘All good, Edmond,’ the commander said, placing the radio on his back.

  ‘Good, well done, soldier. We’ll keep checking in regularly, but I expect our ability to use the radio might diminish soon looking at those hills over there.’

  ‘The escape module looks tiny now, just a speck in the distance,’ Janelle said turning round. Just as she was about to turn back, a bright flash lit up the skyline as the explosives detonated and a loud and sustained boom filled the land. The intense white heat was soon replaced by an expanding cloud of dust as hundreds of pieces of debris were hurled into the air and in all directions. The module had been destroyed and all of the data and secrets it held were gone with it. If it was discovered by scavengers from another settlement there would be little left to link the craft and information to the Cloud people.

  ‘And that’s the last remnants of the Lasell, gone forever,’ Edmond said, pausing for a few seconds to watch the black smoke snake into the sky.

  ‘Maybe one day you’ll build another,’ Janelle said.

  Edmond took a sip from his canteen. ‘I doubt it would be in my lifetime. You need endless resources and a lot of tech and manpower to build a craft capable of interstellar travel. Not to mention a whole team of people to design and build the engines. I’m sure our place is now on Earth in this time, not the future, and we need to make the best we can of it.’

  Doctor Russell wrapped a headscarf around her head to try to keep the sun at bay. ‘How far should we walk before stopping to rest? It’s unwise to maintain this pace in this heat.’

  Edmond squinted as he looked up to the sky. ‘We need to cover ten miles ideally, so a couple of hours walking, maybe a bit more. If anyone starts to feel weak or nauseous then please bring it to my attention, or that of the doctor,’ he said, raising his voice so the rest of the group could hear.

  The commander adjusted his cap to try to get some air flowing across the top of his head. Taking his hat off would mean he’d risk heatstroke and further dehydration, but to keep it on made him feel like he was overheating. There was no let-up from the intense heat and he took his field glasses from his backpack and scanned the horizon for any signs of life or shelter.

  The group was now an hour into their walk and had covered nearly three miles across the difficult terrain.

  ‘See anything interesting, Commander?’ Janelle asked.

  He pressed the binoculars to his face, occasionally lifting them away to stop them steaming up. ‘Nothing out here but dust and more dust. We’re heading for some rocky terrain and it’s…wait a minute,’ he said, wiping the sweat from his eyes and trying to refocus into the distance. ‘There’s something out there.’

  ‘What? What is it? What do you see?’ Edmond asked.

  ‘It’s a vehicle, I think…wait…no, it’s not, it’s moving at pace and coming this way.’

  ‘Do you think it hostile?’ Janelle asked.

  ‘It’s hard to say but it’s accelerating fast this way…wait…that’s not a vehicle…it’s a machine.’

  Chapter Fourteen

  Carl and Amy looked at each other as someone outside knocked the door.

  ‘Who’s that? Nobody seems to knock around here,’ Amy said.

  ‘Probably not Elias as he’d just march in,’ Carl said as he tried to peer through the frosted glass.

  The knock at the door was repeated and was more pronounced. Carl opened the door just a crack, to see who it was.

  ‘Good morning, Carl. I’m Connie, the community nurse. May I come in, please?’

  Carl opened the door wider. Connie was in her late twenties, small and slightly built. She had short dark hair and a fresh complexion interrupted by freckles across the bridge of her nose. She wore a smart dark blue trouser suit in keeping with a medical professional.

  ‘I guess so,’ Carl said, stepping back to make way.

  Connie walked in and smiled as she put a hand out, firmly grasping Carl’s hand. ‘I hope I’m not intruding. Elias asked me to drop by and check on you both, as I know it’s been a long road for you. Not to mention the little bundle of joy you’re both expecting.’

  Amy stood up and walked over.

  Connie extended her hand and Amy took it. ‘Pleased to meet you both. How is everyone doing today?’

  ‘We’d be much better if we could leave this place and carry on our way,’ Amy replied.

  Connie placed her medical bag on the table. ‘I’m sure everyone will get what they want eventually. We just all need to stay calm and be patient.’

  ‘Calm and patient? I’m getting tired of people telling me I need to stay calm. Nothing is going to stir me up more than that right now.’ Carl said.

  Connie opened her bag. ‘Yes, I’m sure, and I’m sorry that you’re both cooped up in here. You really need to get out and breathe some outside air soon, in between those horrid dust storms, of course. You don’t want that in your lungs, I can tell you.’

  ‘Any idea when we can leave?’ Amy asked.

  ‘I’m afraid not. Elias doesn’t discuss such matters with me. He just wants me to make sure you’re both OK and you’re getting the right nutrients in your diet. Particularly you, Amy. You’re now eating for two, so we have to be sure you’re both getting everything you need.’

  Amy sat down and looked at the floor.

  Connie sat down beside her. ‘I know it’s hard, hon, but try and keep your spirits up. Stress changes the way our body and mind copes with stuff. The last thing you need now is raised blood pressure and stress hormones running around your body,’ she said, pulling out a monitor from her bag. ‘Talking of which, do you think we could take your blood pressure today?’

  Amy held her arm out as Connie wrapped the monitor around it. ‘Not too bad considering. A little high for your age, but in your circumstances it’s within acceptable levels. But promise me you’ll try and rest more, please, and not worry so much.’

  Amy placed her head in her hands. ‘All we do here is rest. We’re not allowed to leave this place and if we try to, we get a gun barrel stuck in our face.’

  ‘Oh, no, that’s not good, is it? Those guards really need to learn some manners. I’m sure Elias wouldn’t approve of you being threatened like that.’

  Carl sat down opposite. ‘Is there no way we can just get out for a short walk, to stretch our legs?’

  ‘I’ll speak to the boss and see what we can do. I agree you’d both benefit from some gentle exercise and being outside more,’ Connie said, reaching into her bag. ‘But first we need to get you some vitamin supplements. You’ve gone far too long on poor quality water and food.’

  ‘The food isn’t bad here, that’s for sure,’ Carl said.

  Connie nodded and smiled. ‘See, I knew there would be positives out of all this. Now, could I ask for a sample of blood from you both?’

  ‘Why on earth do you want our blood? You going to clone us or something?’ Carl said.

  Connie held out a small machine. ‘Not at all. It will just help me determine any deficiencies you both have and come up with a plan to correct it.’

  Amy placed her finger on the machine first. She flinched as Connie pressed a button which sent a small pin into her skin to draw a drop of blood.

  ‘Thank you, it’ll take just a mo to work out the results. Now you, Carl, please.’

  Carl placed his
finger on the machine. He squinted as the pin-sharp needle drew blood.

  Connie stared at the machine while it beeped and churned out a stream of data. ‘My goodness, you are both in quite a state according to this. You’re deficient on just about every level. Not good for anyone, and certainly not when pregnant.’

  ‘We’re eating,’ Amy said.

  ‘Yes, but probably not enough and certainly not the right foods. Let me give you both a shot of vitamins now and I’ll arrange a regular course for you to take moving forward,’ Connie said, retrieving two pre-made syringes of a yellow liquid.

  Carl shook his head. ‘I really don’t like the look of that. I don’t want to be putting any more chemicals into our body. We’ve become stronger since eating the food here, which should be enough.’

  Connie sighed. ‘It really isn’t, hon. You’d be surprised how much you can eat and still not get half the nutrients you’re supposed to. If you won’t take this, Carl, then please, Amy…will you? Whatever happens you want a healthy baby and that will only happen if you get everything you need.’

  Amy nodded and held out her arm as Connie flicked the syringe to remove any air bubbles and injected the contents into her arm.

  Connie looked at Carl and he shook his head, confirming his refusal to take the injection. He didn’t trust the medic or the stuff she was offering and wanted to make sure at least one of them remained fully alert to what was going on.

  Connie placed the syringe back in her bag. ‘OK, no problem, I can only offer. Your energy levels will be lower without this though, just remember that,’ she said, pulling out another machine. ‘Can I listen to the baby’s heartbeat, please, Amy?’

  ‘Yes, OK,’ Amy said, sitting back in the chair and exposing her swollen abdomen.

  Connie placed one end of the machine on Amy’s tummy while listening through a small earpiece. ‘Good strong heartbeat there. Do you know how far gone you are?’

  ‘No idea, it’s been difficult to keep track to be honest.’

  ‘I can imagine. You haven’t really been given the right medical attention, have you? We could arrange a more in-depth scan to determine the baby’s size and weight. It would give us a good indication of how far along are, and in doing so we could estimate a delivery date. Would you like that? It’s non-intrusive and very safe.’

  Amy looked at Carl. ‘I’m not sure, I don’t want to do anything that puts the baby at risk.’

  Connie smiled. ‘There’s no risk, I assure you. Let me set it up for you. Regardless of your future plans you’ll have a date to work towards, which will better enable you to make the necessary preparations in good time. You don’t want to be out there in some wasteland getting battered by dust storms while trying to give birth, do you?’

  Carl and Amy looked at each other. ‘No not at all,’ Amy said.

  Chapter Fifteen

  As time passed the days became more mundane and routine. Carl and Amy were allowed to carry on a normal existence as long as they didn’t leave the property. Three heavily armed men guarded the residence so there could be no escape out of the front or back and the feelings of captivity and hopelessness began to engulf them both.

  ‘I’ll go mad if I can’t leave this place soon,’ Carl said, sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. ‘It’s been ages since we saw Elias, and we’ve no idea what he has planned for us.’

  ‘If he thinks we’re having our child here he’s going to have a rude awakening,’ Amy said.

  Carl sat back on the couch. ‘Maybe he wants us to live here as a family. Maybe build a community with the first child born in ages.’

  Amy shook her head. ‘It didn’t sound like that to me. I think that he thinks we’re expendable. In fact I’d go as far as to say that if I wasn’t pregnant we’d both be dead by now.’

  The front door swung open and Elias walked in. ‘Good evening, please forgive the fact that I haven’t been around much lately. I’ve had some urgent business to attend to, I hope you’re both well. Amy you look much better if I may say.’

  Carl and Amy looked at each other, then at the floor.

  Elias sat down in a nearby armchair. ‘Now, I know you have a ton of questions and I’ll try and answer them as soon as I can but I wondered if I could show you something, Carl.’

  ‘Show me what?’ Carl said, looking up.

  ‘It’s about to begin and I’ll be straight with you…I’m really excited about this one.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ Carl said, looking at Amy.

  ‘Amy, I know you’ve not been feeling too well over the last few days so will you rest here, please, and allow Carl an hour or two? I’ve got something interesting to show him and I promise he won’t be long,’ Elias said, walking towards the front door.

  Carl shook his head. ‘I’m not going anywhere without Amy.’

  Elias showed the palms of his hands. ‘Please, just a short while and this whole place might make a bit more sense.’

  ‘Do I have a choice?’ Carl asked.

  Elias shrugged. ‘Let’s just say it would be better all round if you came with me and I promise you’ll be back here shortly.’

  Amy nodded. ‘Just go, it’s OK. See what it is and maybe try and make sense of this place.’

  Carl kissed Amy on the forehead. ‘I’ll be back soon, I promise.’

  Carl followed Elias down the road and then down a network of side streets. Two bodyguards were never more than a few steps away and shadowed their every turn.

  ‘Where are you taking me?’

  ‘You’ll soon see,’ Elias said as he pushed open a steel door to a single-storey building. ‘We’re not in Kansas any more, that’s for sure.’

  ‘Kansas? Where’s that?’ Carl asked, following him into a dark hallway lit with neon signs.

  Elias nodded to two armed guards either side of a wooden double door. One man pressed a button and the doors slowly opened revealing a dimly lit bar with mirrored walls and neon signs. Music thumped out of a nearby speaker and a tall guy wearing a trilby hat and red striped waistcoat served cocktails from behind a counter. He tipped his hat and smiled at Elias who smiled back and walked over to the end of the bar, leaning on it with one elbow.

  ‘What is this place?’ Carl asked, scanning the room where people were either standing around drinking or dancing on a square dance floor. Flashing strobe lights kept hitting him in the eyes every time he looked up and it was starting to make him feel disorientated.

  ‘You don’t think this worldbuilding is all doom and gloom, do you? There are benefits to creating a new civilisation.’ Elias said, leaning forward to make himself heard over the music. ‘We can create a world to help defeat our enemies and provide us with comfort and entertainment too.’

  The barman placed two shots on the bar, Elias downed the first one and pointed to the second, raising his eyebrows as he looked at Carl.

  Carl hesitated. As much as he enjoyed a drink, even if it was just the home-brewed Grog back in the Crystal City, he didn’t want to lose focus and become less aware of his situation. The small shot glass with its blue liquid nearly overspilling the edges did look inviting though. Perhaps just one wouldn’t hurt. Maybe if he had some water afterwards it would lessen the impact as he had no way of telling how strong it was and felt too embarrassed to ask.

  ‘Go on, take it down in one,’ Elias said, laughing. ‘It’ll put some lead in your pencil.’

  Carl paused. The stress and pressure of the last few weeks had left him feeling shell-shocked and one little drink wouldn’t hurt. He grabbed the glass and downed it in one. The blue liquid slid down his throat like a hot fruit-flavoured Grog, but more much pleasant tasting. His core felt warm as the effects of the drink seemed to radiate from his middle to every extremity. He immediately felt more relaxed as the warm sensation worked its way through every cell, until the tips of his fingers and toes tingled.

  Elias slapped him on the back. ‘Well done, son, I told you it was good stuff.’

  ‘W
hat is it?’ Carl asked, coughing.

  Elias squinted. ‘It’s a little piece of heaven liquefied and stored in a bottle. We brew it here and we’ve got plenty more of it. If we can create synthetic food, imagine how easy it is to create synthetic shots.’

  ‘You mean fake booze?’

  A hand wrapped around the back of Carl’s neck, and he turned to see a tall, beautiful woman with long blonde hair, high cheekbones and blood red lipstick. She wore a long figure-hugging cream- coloured dress and smelt like a fruit cocktail.

  ‘Hey tiger, you looking for some fun tonight?’ she said, pursing her lips.

  ‘I…ermm…hello,’ Carl said as his mouth felt immediately dry and his tongue became the size of his fist.

  ‘Looking for some action?’ she said, leaning in, leaving lipstick on his ear lobe.

  Carl pulled back a little. ‘No, I have a girlfriend, thank you.’

  ‘Oh come on, tiger, I bet your girlfriend doesn’t look like me,’ she said pushing her chest out.

  Elias stepped forward. ‘Now, Nancy, leave the poor boy alone. Can’t you see he’s a little wet behind the ears? No disrespect meant, Carl.’

  Nancy leaned forward and kissed Carl on the cheek, then walked away.

  ‘Nice, don’t you think?’ Elias said.

  ‘What was that all about?’ Carl asked.

  ‘She has her role in society. If you want some time with her, just say.’

  ‘No thanks. I really need to get back to Amy. She’ll be getting worried.’

  The barman placed a small circular pot on the bar, which emitted steam from the edges where the lid sat. Elias placed a hand on the lid and beckoned Carl to come closer. ‘Lean in and smell this,’ he said.

  As Carl leaned forward Elias removed the lid and Carl was engulfed in a cloud of steam. His eyes watered as his nostrils were filled with a thick peppery substance which immediately made his knees buckle. He was now floating above the crowd, the music became muted and he felt completely detached from reality. As he looked down from his elevated position he could see himself standing there next to Elias. A feeling of well-being and comfort swept over him as his vision narrowed and everything went black. He opened his eyes and the music was once again thumping out. He was lying on a padded bench. ‘What happened?’ he said, looking around trying to find Elias.