Human Nature (Book 4): Human Nature IV

by Borthwick, Finlay

“That… That’s a plane!” Adela proclaimed.

  And indeed, it was. As the plane came closer, it blocked out the sun’s rays and provided artificial cover.

  “The hell kind of a plane even is that?!” A panicked resident asked in distress, upon noticing the craft’s rather triangular shape.

  “Oh no…” Erica mumbled, having realised that she had seen this craft before. “It’s a stealth bomber.” She asserted.

  “Bomber?!” Adela panicked, as did most of the other survivors.

  “Erica,” the same man who first noticed the craft’s shape now addressed his de-facto leader, “What do we do?”

  Erica hesitated for a moment upon noticing four turrets descending from the bomber’s wings, “…Run… Everybody, run!” She ordered them in a panic as she ran for her life, followed by all of the others.

  As the aircraft came inbound, Erica’s assumption turned out to be correct. She kept glancing back at it every couple of seconds.

  “Wait!” A man cried out, stopping dead in his tracks. “What’s that coming off of it?” He pointed to several objects falling from the craft’s wings, prompting Erica to stop and glance back as well.

  Erica’s eyes widened into sheer horror, “Oh my God! Fucking hell, go! Everyone, keep going and don’t stop!” She had never been in a more dire situation in her life; and that said quite a lot.

  As the bomber passed over the town, the objects falling from it reached the ground with great speed.

  From the outskirts, Erica looked back.

  ‘BOOM! BAM! BOOM!’

  The explosions were so bright and intense that they were reflected off of Erica’s pupils.

  “Fuck…” She cursed to herself as the fallout came speeding towards her and the panicked survivors who were still pointlessly running…

  Chapter 6: Going Back

  SIX MONTHS LATER…

  Everyone was firmly strapped in onboard the jet. Each row contained three seats, and there were only seven rows in total.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” Anna announced over the intercom, which was actually just a long plastic tube that echoed her voice throughout the craft, “This is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard your flight to London, England, United Kingdom.”

  Hearing those words made Elliot shutter in his seat.

  Noticing her brother’s discomfort, Annabelle caressed his shoulder, “It’s going to be alright, okay?”

  Elliot nodded with confidence.

  Annabelle looked to her right, only to see that her mother was also slightly concerned about going back to England.

  “It’s okay.” Gwen told her daughter before she could begin comforting her. “I understand why we have to do this. It’s the only place that we know is secure. The Bandits are all dead.” She was reassuring herself of this fact, though going back to the first place that they had ever took refuge in during the apocalypse was never going to be an easy task.

  On the row behind, Tina was relaying what Anna was saying to Erica using sign language; the aftermath of the bombing had partially deafened her.

  “It’ll be easier for me to just lip-read, you know.” Erica said with a light smile, for she herself had struggled to learn sign language.

  Tina shook her head with an equally light smile.

  “This is gonna be hard… Steven, Price…” Erica recollected everyone who had died at the London camp the last time they were there.

  Tina tapped her on the shoulder, “I’ll be with you.” She mimed to her wife.

  Erica raised an eyebrow at her, “That’s kinda cheesy.”

  They both laughed.

  “I hope you’re all strapped in,” Anna advised them over the makeshift intercom, “Because this is gonna be a bumpy ride… Bye-bye Czechia, hello England!”

  As they complied with the safety request, all of the passengers strapped themselves into their seats.

  “I’ve never been to England before!” Petra excitedly confessed to Dawn on the third row.

  “Really?!” She was surprised to learn of this fact. “Let me tell you something, it’s a beautiful place. You’re gonna love it, trust me!” She patted Petra’s knee.

  On the fourth row were sat Adela, her little sister Tia, and Marianne.

  “Don’t be scared,” Adela comforted her kin. “Just… Put your mask on and go to sleep.”

  Tia had never flown on a plane before. As such, she had virtually zero idea of what to expect from this ride.

  Marianne’s interests were far less pressing, however. “Do you think there’ll be any not-looted fashion stores over there?” She asked Adela, whose expression became rather sheepish upon being asked this. “I mean, come on, let’s not be naïve here, some of the best dressmakers on Earth hailed from Britain.”

  Still, Adela and Tia were speechless at this.

  The fifth row sported a soon-to-be-wed couple.

  “So, do you think this counts as a honeymoon?” Emile asked his fiancé.

  Alek grinned, “Well, I was actually gonna take you to the Grand Canary for that. But if you’d rather this… Then, well, okay then.”

  Emile tucked his head into his lover’s chest.

  “That’s it. You just have a nice nap… Nothing’s ever gonna separate us again.” Alek declared with a blissful certainty.

  Nikola, who was also sat on their row, coughed interruptingly. “Would you two lovebirds just give it a rest for a minute?” She was fed up with their nonstop display of affection.

  “Aww, Nikola.” Emile said with a smug smile. “You’ll find someone one day. Promise!” He returned to cuddling with fiancé.

  “I don’t need anybody.” Nikola mumbled under her breath and folded her arms.

  There were several other passengers on board, though they were all either asleep, sulking, grieving, or just had nothing of relevance to say.

  Suddenly, and without Anna announcing it, the plane sped up and angled. The opposing forces held all the passengers firmly in place in their seats.

  “Here we go!” Adela cheerfully proclaimed, nudging her sister, who had indeed put her sleep blindfold over her eyes.

  Elliot leant over to mumble to Annabelle, “This is the part where you chew gum. Keep your ears from popping, you know.”

  Annabelle laughed, “That’s just a myth. You know damn well it doesn’t work!”

  “Well, have you ever tried it?” He joked back with her.

  “Alright… Let’s test it!” Annabelle declared as she produced a piece of chewing gum from her pocket and popped it into her mouth.

  Adela was excited to finally experience the feeling of aviation again. This was evident by the large grimace on her face.

  But then, she started to turn a certain shade of green.

  Reflexively, she leant forward and covered her mouth with her arm.

  “You alright over there?” Marianne called out to her from across the row.

  Adela nodded, but then wretched.

  With a look of panic on her face, Marianne knew she had to do something. “Anna!” She helplessly cried out. “Anna! Stop the plane! Stop the pl--!”

  But it was too late. In a sudden sharp ascent, the plane took off from the ground.

  The entire way up, Adela had been covering her mouth and trying not to wretch.

  Tia, on the other hand was already fast asleep with a beaming smile left on her face.

  “Okay folks, you may now take off your seatbelts.” Anna announced through the tubing.

  In an instant, Adela unbuckled her straps and flew up the aisle, watched with concern by Marianne, but also by Erica and Tina from another row.

  Adela slammed the toilet door closed behind her, neglecting to bolt it shut. Unable to hold her reflexes back any longer, she rested her head on the toilet seat and vomited into the bowl.

  Then, the door slid open again.

  “Holy shit…” Erica gasped from the doorway, “Are you alright?” She slid the door shut again as she crouched down at Adela’s side.

  “Yeah
.” Adela wiped her mouth, “I’m fine. Just a little aviation sickness, that’s all.” She affirmed, still looking down into the bowl.

  “I’m… Sorry?” Erica had been unable to entirely grasp what Adela had just said.

  “Oh, I forgot.” Adela sighed and turned to face Erica head on. Repeating herself, she declared, “It’s just a little aviation sickness!” She repeated louder this time hoping that the increase in volume would make any difference.

  Erica nodded, “Ah, got it!” She continued to watch Adela for several moments before another thought entered her mind. “Are you sure it’s just that?”

  Instantly, Adela fobbed her off. “Yes! It’s just that!” She restated with aggression, “Now please, just leave me be!”

  Again, Erica had not fully interpreted what Adela had just said, though she could tell from her body language that she was quite distressed. “Hormonal…” She mumbled to herself.

  “What?!” Adela turned to face her, once again with eyes of fury.

  “Are you… Pregnant?” Erica asked it for how it was, as she herself had experienced these symptoms once upon a time as well.

  Adela did not answer to either extent.

  “You are, aren’t you?” Erica prompted her. “Have you been taking your prenatal--?”

  “No, of course not!” Adela interrupted her, shaking her head intently. After realising that she had just accidentally confessed the truth, her irritated expression regressed into one of shock and dismay.

  “It’s alright.” Erica rubbed her shoulder, “I’m not gonna tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me.”

  Adela fell silent.

  Several hours later, it was time for the plane to touch down.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we are ten minutes away from our destination.” As Anna announced this, there were audible cheers throughout the cabin. “Please tighten your seatbelts as we prepare to make our descent.”

  “How are you feeling now?” Annabelle asked Elliot.

  He shrugged, “I’m really not sure. On the one hand, I’m excited to be going home, but on the other… It’s not really ‘home’ anymore, is it? Ever since I lost Olivia, I—Never mind.” He broke off mid-sentence, not wanting to open up about his emotions anymore.

  Annabelle turned to face Gwen, who was also gazing upon Elliot with a look of concern.

  “What about you two?” Elliot asked his apocalyptic kin. “This can’t be easy for you either. After what the Bandits did to… You know who. Are you guys feeling alright?”

  Annabelle knew not of what to say; she had not thought about her father for a long time.

  “We’ll be fine.” Gwen answered for the pair of them. “We evened the score out a long time ago.” She referred back to how she had brutally slain the man that killed her husband.

  Looking out of the windows, the passengers could see London beneath them. The majority of its’ landmarks were either decaying or had completely crumbled down by now. But one sight in particular drew everyone’s attention.

  “Over there!” Alek had noticed something in the distance. “Do you guys all see that?”

  “Are those… Lights?” Nikola asked with a tone of awe.

  And indeed, one large plot of London was very brightly lit up.

  “Lights, hey?” Emile lamented. “That means people!” He decreed with excitement.

  But Tina was not as won over by this sight, “And people mean trouble.” She added.

  Emile scratched his brow, breaking a sweat from Tina’s concerning remark.

  “It’s better than nothing though, right? Better than scouring through empty streets for weeks on end.” Alek optimistically asserted.

  “On the contrary,” Tina refuted his outlook, “Our last home became nothing thanks to some strangers whom we did nothing to.”

  “That was different.” Alek wasn’t conceding this debate. “We don’t know what those jets and bombers were about. Heck, to the people down there,” he pointed to the lights again, “We are the evil beasts in the sky right now.”

  “He makes a valid point.” Emile backed his lover.

  Suddenly, the whole cabin vigorously shook.

  “Whoa!!” Tina shrieked as she was swept down the aisle.

  “Tina!” Erica instantly reached out her hand to grab Tina’s arm, which she succeeded in doing.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, please stay in your seats! We are experiencing some severe turbulence!” Anna announced in a panic as she could audibly be heard struggling to keep the plane under control, “We’re making an emergency landing! Heading for the lights now!”

  “No!” Tina cried out at this announcement, still holding on tightly to Erica’s arm in the aisle.

  “What?” Erica asked her, obviously having not been able to hear the announcement for herself.

  “Brace yourself!” Tina expanded the extent of her lips in order for Erica to be able to read them amidst the vigorous shaking of the cabin.

  ‘SKIR!’

  ‘CRASH!’

  …The next thing that Tina knew, she was struggling to open her eyes. The sound of muffled voices echoed out around her, as the loud ringing of the crash was still resonating out through her ears.

  “Can we get some water over here?!” A distressed man called out; this was the first phrase that Tina was able to actually interpret.

  As she woke up, Tina grunted.

  “It’s alright, just take it easy.” The man calmed her. “Thanks.” He remarked to another individual who had just run over with a bottle of water. “Drink this.” He unscrewed the bottle and assisted Tina with sipping it.

  Having fully come around now, Tina quickly realised that she was not where she had expected to be. In an instant, she scurried up the brick wall behind her.

  “Hey, hey! Calm down!” The man held her firmly, “Just sit back down! It’s okay, you’re okay!”

  “N-no! No!” Tina tried to shake his grip off of her in distress. “Erica! Erica!” She screamed out gratingly.

  “Please calm down!” The man begged her. “You’re in shock! Don’t worry, the plane landed just fine! Well…” He glanced over his shoulder; although it was mostly intact, the plane had crashed nose-deep into a building and reduced it to rubble.

  “Oh my God…” Tina panicked upon noticing the wreckage for herself. “Erica! No, please! Erica!” She continued to cry out in distress.

  Hearing Tina’s distressed cries, a woman came running over to her in a fluster.

  “Excuse me!” The woman addressed her, partially nudging the man to one side. “Did you just say… ‘Erica?’”

  “Wh-what?” Tina slurred her words in fatigue and confusion. “I… That voice…” Tina recognised this woman and squinted her eyes in attempt to fixate on her face.

  “Do I… Know you?” The woman asked in confusion having heard Tina’s previous remark.

  As her pupils dilated, Tina realised that she did in fact recognise this woman: “Cora…?”

  Cora glanced at the man next to her in confusion.

  “You know these people?” He asked Cora in astonishment.

  Cora was at a loss for words, “I—” As she stuttered, a certain injured woman being dragged from the debris caught her eye. “No… It—It can’t be…” She shook her head in disbelief, as she floated like a ghost over this injured passenger.

  “Cora? Cora!” The man called out after her, confused by his friend’s trance-like state.

  Tina was also in complete disarray, “How… How is-is she here?”

  Cora slid down to the injured woman’s side.

  “It’s okay, Rylie. I’ve got this one.” She dismissed her friend.

  “You sure?” Rylie further asked.

  Cora nodded in confirmation, prompting Rylie to lower the injured woman’s arms back onto the ground.

  “Do you mind if I go help with some of the others then?” Rylie requested.

  “Yes, please do.” Cora granted them.

  In an instant, Rylie was already running b
ack towards the wreckage; they had a tendency to help those who were in need.

  Mentally preparing herself, Cora refused to look down at the woman’s face for several moments. Taking a deep breath, she finally did so…

  …Within less than a second, Cora had burst into a flurry of tears. “Mum!” She cried out in awe. “I can’t believe it! She’s alive!”

  Although Erica was still passed out, Cora was simply too upbeat to even care.

  “Are you okay, Cora?” Valorie joined at her side, “Who is this?”

  “It’s her… Val, it’s her!” Cora expressed jovially.

  Valorie looked down at Erica, “You mean… Your mother? This is her?”

  She nodded perhaps half-a-dozen times in excitement.

  “Oh, my goodness!” Valorie declared as she covered her mouth in shock. “Cora, I’m so happy for you! All this time, and now, you’ve finally found her!” Her happiness for her friend was genuine also.

  “Nrgh…” Elliot grunted as he reached up to his bleeding head. “God dammit.” He cursed under his breath.

  “Cora! This one’s coming around too!” Sandra, a middle-aged woman with frizzy ginger hair, called out to the group leader.

  But Cora was too distracted by another passenger to respond.

  “I swear she cried out ‘Mum’ just now.” Kieran theorised as he treated the wound on the passed-out Gwen’s arm.

  But Sandra wasn’t so sure of what she had heard. “I think poor Cora’s just become a little delusional, you know.” She suggested in kind as she assisted Elliot with sitting upright.

  “She’s been looking for her mother for so long… Combine that with the disappearance of Naomi as well as the fact that an entire plane just dropped out of the sky, and I think you’ve got reason enough for even the sanest person to fly off the rails.” Despite speaking like a psychologist, Sandra had absolutely no expertise or knowledge in the subject area.

  “Who’s there?” Elliot asked as he felt the ground around him with his hands. “Are we on… Grass?” Having lived in the Czechian town for so long, Elliot had not felt natural landscaping for quite a long time now.