The Post-Apocalyptic Society: A Nelson and Hyde Revolution

by Stephanie Kato

  Gable thought about it. “I assume the mansion has a basement. That might be a good place to stash him.”

  Percy agreed. “All right. I guess it’s a step in the right direction.”

  Reb and Gable exited the Jeep, and then the two men dragged their captive across the lawn.

  “Screw you and the entire Steampunk culture! I might be out of commission, but someone else will get rid of you!” the Utopian furiously shouted.

  Percy rolled his eyes. “Don’t be such a sore loser.”

  Reb grabbed an extra boat chain from the floor of the Jeep’s backseat, and then she caught up with the others. She wound up the chain and slung it over her shoulder.

  “This looks useful. A crippled woman like me needs something with a lot of reach. This was a bad day to leave my gun at home,” Reb said, while she limped with her baton.

  Gable glanced at the boat chain. “I guess we’ll have to improvise with weapons. Defending ourselves will be challenging. This is a swamp, not a Steampunk environment.”

  Reb nudged Percy’s shoulder. “Can I take the Jeep home? It’s really cool.”

  “What? I don’t know. It probably depends on what happens tonight,” Percy answered.

  As they got closer to the mansion, all three of them heard gunfire in the distance.

  “It’s still happening! I need to find my wife and kids!” Gable declared, then he ran toward the action.

  “Gable, wait!” Percy yelled.

  “Let him go! We can throw this guy in the basement and then we’ll find the others!” Reb explained.

  “I just didn’t think we would see anything like this after the Apocalypse ended. It rattles me to the bone,” Percy said, while they dragged the injured thug inside the mansion.

  The Utopian spoke up, “It will never be over. Someone will always try to eliminate you.”

  Percy kicked the basement door open with a grafted shoe and then tossed their hostage inside. The basement was a dark and dreary place that could easily hide captives.

  “You might be right, but that’s why we changed. The world will always be infested with evil people like you, and now we can defend ourselves. You’ll make a very nice bartering tool. Victor might make compromises if we capture some of his followers,” Reb taunted.

  The young villain glared at her. “Victor will never surrender to you! He doesn’t bargain!”

  “I’m sure your leader will compromise when he feels desperate enough. The Apocalypse didn’t go in your favor. Why will tonight be any better? Besides, you’re a much smaller group than the first Utopian movement,” Reb gloated.

  She slammed the door shut and turned to her father.

  “Now what?” Percy asked.

  Reb formulated a plan. “This might sound like a bad idea, but I think we should split up. The mansion is gigantic and our relatives could be hiding anywhere. That’s also true for the Utopians. Hopefully, we can find everybody and then meet here in the hallway. Let’s be honest; I’m going to slow you down. There’s no reason for you to get killed because of me.”

  Percy felt guilty. “I don’t think you’re dead weight at all. However, I understand your point. We’ll try to cover both halves of the mansion. Please, be careful.”

  Reb held up her baton. “I have more weapons than you think. It’s time to teach those Utopians a lesson.”

  Chapter 10

  The mansion was heavily damaged from massive violence, but it still rivaled the splendor of many museums. It contained vases, suits of armor, relics from ancient cities, vases, paintings, and other unusual items. Much of the mansion’s frame and merchandise was broken or destroyed from the gunfire.

  Priscilla quietly walked up a flight of stairs while she searched for her children. The southern belle didn’t want to attract attention from any terrorists.

  Eventually, she collected the nerve to call for her children. “Oliver! Maggie! Where are you? We need to get out of here!”

  Unfortunately, she received the wrong type of attention. One of the Utopians entered her view from the second floor.

  The villain raised a machete above his head while he descended the stairs. “You’re really pretty for a Steampunk. What a waste.”

  Priscilla tried to hide her fear. “Get out of my way! I have a family to rescue!”

  “Sorry, but none of you are going to escape the island. It’s nothing personal. We just can’t have metal-hoarding monsters running around the streets. It’s not safe for the citizens of this nation,” the terrorist said, while he walked closer to Priscilla.

  She improvised and whipped out her bronze fan. “I’m not afraid to defend myself!”

  The villain laughed. “You’re going to fight me with that cute little fan? This should be interesting.”

  He swung the machete down at Priscilla and she deflected it with her fan. The Utopian was surprised by the fan’s durability. He swiped a few more times, but Priscilla fought back. Sparks flew when the two weapons clashed against each other. He retreated backward while Priscilla advanced. She chopped off a portion of the banister with one of her swipes. When they reached the upper part of the stairs, she slashed again and created a deep cut in the wall.

  “A fan can’t make this type of damage!” he protested.

  “Maybe it’s because I have a lot to live for!” Priscilla snapped.

  The Utopian clamored up the stairs while she slashed at him. Along the way, she caused more gashes on the wall. He disappeared into a nearby room and locked the door.

  “Victor didn’t say anything about this. Maybe the Steampunks are genetically engineered. I need to figure out another way to fight them,” the terrorist panted out as he tried to catch his breath.

  While the assailant hid, Priscilla examined the west wing’s hallway. “This place is so huge. It will be difficult to find anyone.”

  She attached the fan to her belt and then headed to the right.

  Underneath the stairs, two celebrities hid inside a closet. The male guest sweated profusely from anxiety. His companion was armed with a shard of broken glass. The commotion upstairs had caught their attention.

  “Did you hear that? It’s them! The Utopians are going to kill us!” the male celebrity panicked.

  His female counterpart groaned and then said, “Shut up! Nothing is going to happen if they don’t know we’re here! That means you need to be quiet!”

  He tried to hide behind her. “Victor and his followers are smart. They created the Apocalypse that nearly killed us all. I don’t think you realize the gravity of our situation.”

  “Don’t touch me! I’m not letting you use me as a human shield!” the woman ranted.

  They heard footsteps from down the hallway.

  “It’s one of them! We’re going to die! I don’t want it to end like this!” he babbled.

  The female guest felt tremendously angry as a result of her companion’s manic episode. She turned around and slit his throat with the glass. He coughed while blood spurted from his neck. The male celebrity slumped to the floor and she felt relieved.

  “No offense, but your frantic behavior is going to get me killed. I have plans to escape this revolting island,” the female celebrity muttered to the dying man.

  She tried to create a plan. Ideally, she wanted an escape route through the bayou. The female celebrity opened the door and was surprised to see another woman standing in front of her.

  “Boo,” the mysterious woman said while she held up a hunting knife.

  She quickly used her knife to slice the celebrity’s throat open. The female guest fell on the floor and bled to death. Her attacker wiped blood off the blade and walked into another corridor.

  Chapter 11

  A small group of survivors gathered in the mansion’s side yard. Those individuals included Savannah, Cody, and three more male attendees. The small group had avoided the mayhem up to that point, but they didn’t have a clear escape plan.

  Cody took Savannah’s hand and said, “It’s going to be oka
y.”

  She immediately pulled her hand away. “Stop it! I can’t believe you’re trying to hit on me right now! This is about survival, not romance! Besides, you’re the last man I want to touch at the moment!”

  “Your family isn’t here! I’m the one who can help you! Show a little gratitude!” Cody demanded.

  One of the survivors shushed Cody. “Be quiet! Those murderers could be anywhere!”

  “How are we going to escape? The ferry doesn’t come until sunrise! That means we’re just stuck with those serial killers!” one of the men said in a frightened tone.

  An athlete reassured him and said, “Look over there. We can leave the mansion’s territory and escape through the bayou. I don’t think any of those terrorists will have enough courage to follow us through the swamp.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea? The swamp might be infested with alligators and other dangerous animals. More importantly, we may never find our way back to civilization,” one of the men countered.

  Savannah was apprehensive. “I don’t think it’s a good plan either.”

  “Do you have a better idea? I’m not waiting here to be killed by terrorists!” the athlete snapped.

  Cody shrugged. “Our chances for survival are probably better in the swamp. I would rather face alligators than psycho killers with submachine guns.”

  “That’s the attitude I want. Come with me. I have an excellent sense of direction. If you want to live, I’m the guy who can lead you to safety,” the athlete boldly stated.

  Savannah pointed her finger toward the swamp. “It looks like the Utopians knew we would try escaping through the bayou. One of them is setting traps. I don’t think it’s a good idea to head in that direction.”

  They saw someone digging in the dirt. It was a very suspicious sight. Their enemy was located on a perimeter that bordered the mansion’s territory and the bayou. The Utopian dug small holes in the ground and laid something inside each hole. Afterward, he buried the evidence. Savannah and the other celebrities couldn’t see what he stashed in the dirt because he was too far away.

  The athlete decided to take a chance. “We can take him. One Utopian shouldn’t be a problem for us.”

  He started to jog toward the swamp. The other men started to follow their leader, but Savannah kept them from leaving.

  “Wait! I have a really bad feeling about this!” Savannah warned.

  The athlete overheard her concerns. “What do you know? You’re just a woman! Not to mention a Steampunk!”

  Along the way, he unexpectedly stepped on a bomb and blew up in a bloody mess. The three men screamed while his body parts rained down on the grass.

  Savannah shook her head. “Idiot.”

  The terrorist bomber excitedly hollered, “Yes, I got one!”

  However, his celebration was brief. The Utopian accidentally detonated one of his own bombs, catching his entire body on fire. He aimlessly ran around on the grass and screamed until the flames caused him to perish. Eventually, his corpse slumped to the ground as it continued to burn.

  The four guests found the sight grisly.

  “And that one is an even bigger idiot,” Savannah remarked.

  “I almost feel sorry for him,” Cody mentioned.

  One of the survivors did not feel sympathetic. “Heck no! Look at what happened to one of my buddies! I’m glad that Utopian died by his own hand!”

  “How are we getting out of here? This side of the island is littered with bombs, and those terrorists probably have control of the mansion!” one of the men fretted.

  “You’re probably right, but I can’t stay in this group anymore. I have to leave you guys and search for my family. Good luck,” Savannah stated.

  Cody tried to stop her. “Do you honestly want to face those murderers alone? If Percy wanted to save you, he would be here right now! When are you going to realize that he doesn’t love you?”

  Savannah resisted the urge to slap Cody. “Go ahead and say whatever you want! I’m a wife, mother, and grandmother! My family is worth the fight!”

  Cody gave up. “If you want to die with them, be my guest! I gave you a chance!”

  Savannah left the group without saying anything else and darted inside the mansion. She was startled by the damage. There was an array of demolished furniture and collectibles. Surprisingly, she did not see any dead bodies. Savannah wandered through the living room and stepped over a broken lamp.

  “Percy, where are you? Please, tell me you’re alive! Gable! Reb!” Savannah hollered.

  She heard someone walk through the next room’s clutter. Savannah froze in place when a Utopian entered the living room with an axe.

  “Thanks for telling me where you’re located. It makes my job a lot easier,” the terrorist quipped.

  Savannah tried to figure out a way to defend herself. “I don’t want any trouble. Just leave my family alone. I won’t press charges.”

  The villain stroked the axe’s handle. “I don’t expect you to understand our cause. The Steampunks are a plague that’s taking over the nation. You’re mutants, and a mockery of the human race. The Utopian culture might be small nowadays, but we can find more members. However, it’s surprising that I can’t smell you a mile away. Victor told us that Steampunks smell like musk.”

  “That maniac is brainwashing you! Have a mind of your own! Steampunks are not mutants, and we don’t have plans for world domination! I don’t even know why he said we smell bad! It’s ridiculous!” Savannah argued.

  “Look, this is the way it should be! I’m doing the world a favor!” the terrorist growled.

  He swung the axe at Savannah and she successfully tumbled out of the way. The axe became wedged in a nearby couch. He tried to pull it out, but it was tightly imbedded. Savannah stood up and quickly kicked the axe out of his hands. The force of her kick sent the axe flying across the room. It crashed into a medieval suit of armor with a loud bang.

  “Jerk!” Savannah furiously yelled.

  The assailant grabbed Savannah from behind when she tried to run away. He kept her arms pinned down as she squirmed.

  “You’re a feisty one! I thought you might fight back! After all, Steampunks are savages!” He chuckled.

  “Don’t forget about our metal splicing!” Savannah growled.

  She stomped on the thug’s foot with her metal stiletto heel. The Utopian felt several bones break in his foot. He shouted in agony and released her. She punched his face multiple times. The weight of her metal glove knocked him senseless. She kicked the villain and caused him to fall against a coffee table.

  “Go ahead and kill me! You’ll face justice soon enough!” the Utopian hollered while he winced in pain.

  Savannah slammed the palm of his hand on the table and then pulled a long pin out of her hat. “Nobody said I wanted to kill you. I’m just going to teach you a lesson.”

  She stabbed his hand numerous times. He screamed while blood squirted in the air. She finally stopped and left him pinned to the table.

  The thug whimpered. “Victor was right! You really are monsters!”

  Savannah gloated and said, “Your subculture isn’t exactly innocent either. This little time-out will give you plenty of time to think about the consequences.”

  She went to a different corridor while the terrorist struggled to pull the pin out. It was buried deep in the table and he didn’t have enough strength to pull it out. The thug was relieved when he saw Victor enter the living room.

  “I’m so glad you’re here. Please, help me,” the Utopian pleaded.

  Victor unsympathetically responded with, “Why would I help you? You were given a very simple task. Utopia only has room for the most important and elite members of society. Obviously, you’re not worthy. I suppose you can wallow with the other peasants when we overthrow the government.”

  The defeated man felt betrayed when Victor walked away. “No! Don’t leave me! Just give me another chance! I can do better! Please, get me out of here! The Steam
punks will come and finish me off!”

  The pathetic Utopian sobbed while he sat on the floor.

  Chapter 12

  Giles poked his head out from a bush. He strapped cybernetic goggles on his head to scan the front lawn with night vision. The attorney saw a clear landscape in darkness. He did not see any Utopians, and felt it was safe enough to approach the mansion. Giles peered through one of the mansion’s broken windows after he put away his goggles. Armed with his pistol, Giles jumped through the open window and hurried down one of the corridors. He ran up a flight of stairs to reach the second floor. Giles thought he might find survivors hiding in the attic. He took a deep breath and opened the attic’s door.

  The room appeared dark, but he boldly asked, “Is anybody here?”

  Oliver and Maggie heard Giles talk while they hid behind the sewing machine table. The two kids immediately ran into view.

  “Uncle Giles! You came to save us!” Oliver announced.

  Maggie was also excited. “I’m so happy to see you! Where’s Mommy and Daddy?”

  Giles crouched to the children’s level. “I’m not sure yet, but we’ll find them. Let’s get out of here.”

  The trio heard a group of people stampede up the stairs. Giles had a bad feeling, but he didn’t want to scare the kids. Three of Victor’s followers found them in the attic. They were armed with a variety of blunt weapons. Giles stood up and aimed his pistol at them.

  One of the intruders clutched a lead pipe. “That’s a really stupid-looking toy. Even if it works like a real gun, you can’t shoot all of us.”

  “Maybe not, but I still have the upper hand. Steampunks are durable people,” Giles sternly said.

  A second terrorist looked at the children. “You’re guarding two little Steampunks. Unfortunately, we have to get rid of all of you.”

  “What’s the matter with you? They’re just kids!” Giles bellowed.

  “Exactly. One day, they’ll turn into adult Steampunks who will become part of the pestilence that’s ruining our nation. We know what’s going to happen if the Steampunk culture continues to grow. Soon you’ll be engaging in cannibalism and using innocent humans as test subjects for experiments. We can’t let these kids grow up to become like you,” one of the Utopians explained.