by C. O. Amal
Somewhere in Wyoming
Tracy sat on the front seat and Carter went to the back. Edward floored the accelerator and the car rushed forward.
“So, what’s your story?” Edward asked Tracy.
Tracy took a water bottle from her back pack and she took a sip of water.
“My home was nearby.” Tracy said. “Those terrorists, or whatever they are, killed my mom and dad. I was too afraid, so I hid under the bed. Those terrorists then left my house just like that. I stayed in my home for two days. I was afraid to go out to burry my parents. When my parent’s bodies began to rot, I left the house.” Tracy wiped away freshly arrived tears from her eyes.
“And?” Edward don’t want to push her hard, but he need to know her story so badly.
“And I holed up in that gas station you have passed before. Then a man came. He was sweet but I didn’t knew that he was uglier inside. He tried to fucking rape me. But, I got a hold of his gun which was tucked in his underwear. I pulled the trigger and he died.”
“Just like that?” Edward asked.
“Yeah, just like that.” Tracy said. “Then I decided to leave the gas station, and then, I saw you guys.”
“Are you a college student?” Carter asked.
“No, but close. I am a college lecturer.” Tracy asked.
“You look very young to me.” Carter said.
Tracy smiled. “So, where are we going?”
“We are thinking about going further north.” Edward said.
“Why north?” Tracy asked.
“We just thought that the north must be free of those things since the north is lot of cooler.” Edward said.
“Terrorists don’t like cold?” Tracy asked.
“We don’t know. We just hopes that. Anyway, we don’t have no other options.” Edward said.
Tracy nodded. “I like cold.” Tracy mumbled.
Edward smiled. Before long, buildings began to appear in front of the car. Edward quickly stopped the car.
“Why are we stopping?” Tracy asked.
“City will be teeming with them. Car is too noticeable. We have to walk rest of the way.” Edward said.
“Oh.” Tracy nodded.
They all quickly exited the car. Edward for a moment analysed the view in front of him. The city is still very far, and now, both sides of the road are a barren wasteland.
“Let’s first stay away from the road.” Edward said.
Tracy nodded at him.
They all quickly galloped towards the wasteland on the right side of the road. A few minutes later, they reached pretty far from the road. Then they slowly galloped towards the city. The city sky is devoid of birds and black clouds gathered here and there for a rain.
* * * * *
Chapter 33 – Jonathan
Somewhere in Oregon
Jonathan stared at the tablet computer which is in Josephine’s hands. It is clearly showing a heavy movement in the north as a flow of red lines. It could be the terrorists or it could be survivors who are migrating to a better place.
“We need to check it out.” Jonathan said.
“Okay, when are we leaving?” Josephine asked.
“Now. It’s not even noon. We could reach there in the evening.” Jonathan said.
“Okay. Let me pack my things.” Josephine stood up and she galloped towards a nearby room. Bobby and Abigail also stood up and they without wanting further instructions moved towards their room.
Jonathan quickly put all the necessary things and his equipment in his back pack. Before long, Bobby, Abigail and Josephine returned. They all have their own back packs which are filled with water, food, first aid kit and extra revolvers and ammo.
Jimmy, Abigail and Josephine tucked a revolver in their waist band. Josephine then strapped an assault rifle across her chest. Jonathan for a moment examined his friends. Then he smiled at them.
“Let’s go.” Jonathan said.
Everyone nodded. They quickly galloped towards the staircase and once they reached there, they quickly climbed down by tracing their hands along the handrails for support.
They quickly reached outside the mega story building. Outside is extremely quiet and a few small rocks and dead birds are floating in the air here and there. The low gravity must have killed all the birds. The ever present pungent rotten smell is still here.
Jonathan motioned at everyone to follow him. Jonathan galloped towards a road which will lead them to the north. Once they reached that road, they started cautiously galloping towards the north. Jonathan frequently peered at the buildings around him. Each passed alley left a little amount of fear inside him.
The terrorists could be anywhere. If they want to survive here, they have to be careful. These days, they couldn’t afford to take any chances.
* * * * *
Chapter 34 – Frank Chester
Somewhere in Chicago
Frank slowly galloped through the hallway to the end of the hallway. At the end of the hallway, there are two doors on both sides. Frank opened the left door and got inside a room which hosts a few dozens of computers. There are two other men inside the room. Frank sat on a chair beside them, and he placed his sniper rifle on the floor. Then Frank looked at the computer monitor in front of him.
“So, there is no movement outside, right?” Frank asked the nearby man.
“No. There is no movement, yet.” The man said.
“I hate this low gravity shit, man.” Frank muttered.
The nearby man smiled. Frank could clearly see the man’s face since the man haven’t covered his face using anything. Frank removed his bandana and he placed it on top of the keyboard in front of him.
“They said that a new gear arrived from the north.” The second man said.
“What new gear?” Frank asked.
“It’s a suit. A light weight, complex, space suit.” The first man said.
“Why do we need space suits?” Frank asked puzzled.
“It’s not exactly a space suit. It’s for travelling in the low gravity.” The second man said.
Frank’s face lit up with joy.
“I was going to ask what the hell would I do in this low gravity.” Frank said.
“Yeah. Me too hated this low gravity. Now with this new suit, we will be invincible.” The first man said smiling.
“But, from where are they getting these kind of things?” Frank asked.
“We are not supposed to question our leaders, 134.” The second man said.
“No shit. But, why do we need a leader in the first place?” Frank asked. “This is all out of order, man. Even if I agree with having a leader, there are other factors which should be minded.”
“Such as?” The second man asked.
“Firstly, no offence, but where did they acquired those space crafts? Secondly, why do we want to kill the gravity?” Frank asked. “For god’s sake, we almost won this. Then why do we want to kill the gravity, man?”
“134, you’re not supposed to ask these questions around.” The first man said.
“No shit. This is all alien works, man. I hope I won’t find our leaders harbouring some alien punks.” Frank said. The two men stared at Frank for some time. Then they both nodded at Frank.
Frank smiled at them and he stood up. He took his bandana and the sniper rifle and he galloped out of the room.
He hopes that no alien punks are involved in this. The aim is totally clear to him – Kill the people who haven’t got the call and live happily ever after in the new heaven without laws. If he do found an idiot breaking this code, Frank would personally tear apart that person.
* * * * *
Chapter 35 – Olivia
Somewhere in Wyoming
Before long Olivia and her team reached near their hideout. But, something is off about the hideout. It’s not like they had left. The front door is nothing but a piece of wood now. The door frame is hanging on its reinforcements on the wall. And there is a wide hole on the front wall.
&nbs
p; “Mom,” William rushed inside.
Inside, the furniture are upside down and some of the chairs and table are broken.
William, Olivia and Jeb searched everywhere but they couldn’t find anyone inside.
“William, she is not here either.” Olivia said while coming out of the kitchen.
“Ahh ... William,” Mrs John’s scream came from outside. William rushed outside through the back door, pointing his revolver.
Then Olivia saw it. A spacecraft was just outside the fence, on the neighbour’s yard. A door on the side of the spacecraft slide in place while the spacecraft flew up. A moment later, the propellers ignited with deep blue fire and it rushed away from the nearby sky.
“No, mom,” William cried out loud. Olivia came near him and she patted his shoulder.
“She might be alive.” Olivia said.
“I am sure. Otherwise, they would have shot her.” William said. Jeb also came near William. He wiped away the freshly arrived tears using the sleeve of his shirt. “I am going to follow that spacecraft.” William suddenly said.
Olivia nodded. “I am coming with you.”
Jeb also nodded. “Let’s go find our mom.”
Olivia and William galloped faster towards the direction in which the spacecraft had left. Jeb closely followed them.
Before long, sun moved to its highest position burning the survivors’ skin.
* * * * *
Chapter 36 – Edward
Somewhere in Wyoming
Like guessed, the rain came faster, drenching the survivors in cold rain water. Edward and team ran faster. They need to find a shelter quickly. Suddenly a lightning bolt hit near them. Edward for a moment fell in thoughts staring at the spot where the lightning bolt had struck, from where smoke started rising.
Then they ran again. Before long, the city fully came into view. They quickly reached the street running through the city. They ran towards the first building they saw. Here also, there are dead bodies here and there. And that ever present rotten smell is here too. The rain reduced the rotten smell a little.
There aren’t any crumbled buildings they could see from here. And all the buildings looks withstood the worst case scenario. Edward and his team ran inside the building through the broken front door. Suddenly they stopped in their tracks. On the nearby staircase stood a dozens of armed terrorists. Before Edward and his team could turn back, all the terrorists trained their assault rifles at Edward and his team.
“Run, you die.” One of the terrorists said.
* * *
The terrorists led them to a wide room inside that same building. Then they forced them to sit on the chairs. These terrorists looks very high tech guys. They are wearing some sort of high tech suits. And they could walk like there is no problem with the gravity. Edward found a bunch of dark helmets nearby, possibly belongs to the terrorists.
Suddenly an alarm rang from a room nearby a glass wall. Suddenly, the terrorists became alerted.
“This device is not fucking kidding, man.” One of the terrorists inside the nearby room yelled.
“I didn’t thought it could detect from this much distance.” Another goon said.
“I don’t care any shit, man. One of them is not cool, man.” Another goon worriedly said.
“What are they yelling about?” Edward asked Carter who is sitting nearby Edward.
“I don’t know, man.” Carter said.
The terrorists are spooked by the presence of someone among Edward’s group. Edward looked from Tracy to Carter. He saw nothing in their faces. Jan and Jim are worriedly looking at everywhere.
A moment later, a few terrorists came outside the nearby room near the glass wall with a kind of glass rod in their hand. Then the terrorist having the glass rod stood near Edward. Suddenly the glass rod began to glow in blue colour. Edward fearfully stared at the terrorist’s eyes. All the terrorists are young men, most have spectacles on their eyes.
Then the terrorist walked towards Carter. Edward took a deep sigh and he stared at what the terrorists are up to now. The terrorist moved the glass rod in front of Carter’s eyes. The rod again began to glow in blue colour. The terrorist then moved towards Jan and Jim. For both of them the glass rod glowed in blue colour. Suddenly, when the glass rod showed to Tracy, the glass rod began to glow in green colour and it began to emit a rumbling noise. Suddenly the glass rod burst into pieces.
“She is the damn alien, man.” The terrorist yelled. Suddenly all the terrorists trained their guns at Tracy.
Edward stared at Tracy with disbelief.
* * * * *
Chapter 37 – Jonathan
Somewhere in Oregon
Jonathan and his team continue their journey due north. There are no signs of life anywhere around them. It looks like Abigail and Bobby couldn’t hold back their breath anymore. Even though they used kerchief to cover their mouth and nose, the rotten smell is very bad in these parts.
Jonathan frequently checked his tablet computer for any movement. The movement the computer earlier showed is still there, but it is fixed on a large area, and so far no movement towards Jonathan and his team.
A few minutes later, the sun increased its intensity. Jonathan stopped for a moment and he took a bottle of mineral water from his back pack. He took a quick sip of water. Abigail, Bobby and Josephine did the same. They are very tired. Sweat uncontrollably oozed down from their head and hands. In fact, Jonathan’s shirt almost got drenched in his sweat.
A few minutes later, they again continued their journey. They haven’t covered much distance when all of a sudden Jonathan’s tablet computer began to beep indicating a heavy movement. He quickly motioned at everyone to stop moving. They all obeyed him.
“What is it?” Josephine asked.
“I think it’s them.” Jonathan said. He went near the corner of a nearby building and he peeked at a street nearby him. Then he saw it. A bunch of terrorists are talking one another by leant on to a building’s wall and a few terrorists are roaming through the streets here and there. Something is entirely wrong about them. The terrorists were indeed covered their faces using a black bandana, but now, they are wearing a peculiar white coloured suit. And these terrorists could walk normally like there is no problem with the gravity.
The suit is nothing like Jonathan had seen before. The suit is supposedly metallic or it is made by some high quality polymer. The suit must be the reason they could walk normally.
Fortunately, the terrorists haven’t detected them, yet. Jonathan quickly galloped away from that street, towards Josephine, Bobby and Abigail.
“So, is it bad?” Josephine asked.
“There are a dozens of them there. Their base can’t be far. Let’s hole up in this building, for now.” Jonathan said pointing at the building nearby them.
Josephine nodded. They quickly got inside the mega story building through the crumbled doorway. Before long, they started climbing a set of stairs. They quickly reached the top level of the building. They got inside a nearby room and they went near the glass wall. They could see terrorists clearly from here. There would be at least twenty terrorists down there.
“Let’s set up our camp here.” Jonathan said. “Josephine, Abigail, you guys go and check any refrigerators or wending machine in this level. Me and Bobby will analyse our present situation.”
“Okay.” Josephine said. “Come on, Abigail.”
Josephine unstrapped her back pack and she placed it on top of the table. Abigail, Bobby and Jonathan did the same. Then Josephine and Abigail exited the room and they wandered away searching for food. Jonathan don’t have to instruct them to look for any good equipment. They know it well.
Jonathan and Bobby crouched down and they sat on the floor, near the window, and they peered outside. Bobby analysed through the binocular and Jonathan analysed through the scope of the sniper rifle.
The terrorist base can’t be far. And the terrorists are pretty active here. They all are very much alerted. Fortunate for Jon
athan and his team, the glass on the wall allow view only in one direction. That is, they could watch outside clearly, but the terrorists won’t be able to see them.
“So, what’s the plan?” Bobby asked.
“Let’s wait until night. They might wander away from here soon. We have to kill all of them.” Jonathan said.
“All of them?” Bobby asked.
“Yeah, why?”
“Well, they might easily find our location since the guns are loud.”
“I have a silencer for the sniper rifle.” Jonathan said.
“Then, it’s fine with me.” Bobby smiled.
Jonathan smiled at him and then he concentrated on the terrorists who are outside.
Night, please come quick.
* * * * *
Chapter 38 – Frank Chester
Somewhere in Chicago
Frank slowly entered inside the meeting room. The leader called this meeting about fifteen minutes ago. Most of the people working in Chicago sector are here. Frank took a position in the last row.
A few minutes later, the leader arrived. He is an old man with an athletic body. Frank stared at the leader.
