After Tomorrow: A CHBB Anthology

by Samantha Ketteman

  Collin traced his thumb over the old woman’s gift. “I’m going to find her, chief.”

  Westin scowled. “I told you, I can’t let you do that.”

  Collin turned towards him, “Would you give up?”

  Westin sighed. “Collin, you can’t find her. Just let it go. Trust me, it will be the death of you if you don’t. Let’s just focus on keeping the other teams safe.”

  “I know I can find her, chief.” As Collin spoke, he knew it was a desperate hope, praying that fate and time wouldn’t keep them apart forever. But it was a chance he was willing to take, even if it meant losing himself.

  “How?” The chief asked, humoring him.

  “Please just trust me.”

  “If you see yourself... it’s over, and you’ll lose your chance. You might even lose your life and fall into the same trap she did.”

  “I’ll be careful.”

  Westin regarded Collin skeptically for a long time, “You risk everything if you do this.”

  “Aren’t some things worth the risk?”

  Westin sighed again. “One shot, Collin. If it doesn’t pan out-”

  “Then I’ll try again.”

  Westin scowled at him and looked ready to take his head off. “You... Just… Go.” Collin held out his hand to the older man, who grasped it tightly, “You bring her back, kid.”

  “I will,” Collin promised, “I swear I will.”

  “Then stop making her wait.” Without another word, Westin walked out of the room.

  Collin quickly made his way to the transport room, startling the technician on duty. “Collin? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be getting checked out?”

  “Chief Westin wants me to go on a quick assignment. I only need a few minutes.”

  The technician paled, wincing. “Collin, I know you want her back, but-”

  “I know where she went.”

  “That’s impossible. How could you? Even if you did, how would you have something from that moment?”

  “Trust me. I know what I have to do.”

  “Collin, all of us loved Cass. But this... I could lose my job. We could be arrested.”

  “It’s Cassidy.”

  “Cassidy...” the technician repeated, standing perfectly still for a few moments before finally looking into Collin’s eyes. “Okay, I just hope we’re not caught.” Collin nodded, pretending the scope of what they were doing might end so simply as a swat on the hand when they both knew he was risking everything. He gave the time coordinates to the technician and waited as the temporal gateway began to form.

  As the gateway opened he stepped through time.

  

  Collin closed his eyes as he walked through the portal. He felt the warmth of sunlight on his skin as he heard children laughing. The ocean breeze and the sound of waves lapping against a shore gave him the courage to open his eyes. There she was, just a few feet in front of him. She spoke with an older woman, handing her a shell before turning around. He watched as she looked at something in the distance.

  He knew this moment.

  “Cass.”

  She turned around, “Collin?”

  “I found you.”

  “So you got my message?”

  Collin nodded and kissed her, pressing his time device after his arms were locked around her waist. In a flash of light they were gone, starting the journey of a young man left standing on the beach, wondering about a grey eyed girl and a sea shell. A journey he would one day complete, even if it meant venturing through time itself.

  “I’ll always find you…”

  Population Zero

  Nicky Louise

  *This story is written in UK English*

  When the world changed forever in 2156, no one had any inclination of what the future would be like. The world had been grossly over-populated. Humanities primal instinct to bear children had grown to a point that was no longer sustainable. Food was scarce, water was even more so. Disease and infection ran rampant throughout the streets. Complete and total destruction was imminent, and our government knew that something had to be done to cull the population before the world ended.

  That’s how we came to be separated into factions. Citizens the world over were separated into four separate factions, each country dividing into their own factions. Travel was made illegal and fences were erected to keep each state’s residents from wandering into the next. We all lived under the rule of the Alpha faction. The Alphas are descendants of the original government, the ones who placed us into these factions, and monitored our food and water intake, our jobs, our breeding, and our lives.

  Today is the day I have been waiting for, for sixteen years. Today I find out who my match is. The one person I will spend the rest of my life with. Of course marriage isn’t allowed until our eighteenth year, but the Alphas like to make sure we are compatible before we are stuck together for life.

  My stomach writhes with anxiety as I walk up to the stage in the town hall where I will meet with my potential future husband. I look back through the crowd to find my parents, their eyes are locked on mine, their hands firmly clasped together. I close my eyes, and continue up the stairs beside the stage. There is a large X where I am to stand while I await my match, and while I face the crowd of people below me, I do my best not to make eye contact with any of them. My cheeks flush with red at the thought of publicly meeting my new, designated boyfriend. Exhaling loudly, I wait for the speaker of the night to announce the next name.

  “Blaine Leader, please stand and make your way to the stage.” That was it, my fate was sealed. My partner in life. Blaine. Our faction is among one of the largest of the four, so we don’t all know each other by sight or name like some of the other smaller factions. I have never seen Blaine before in my life, and until he stands, I have no idea what he looks like.

  The first and only thing I see is bright honey coloured hair. It is mesmerising. I don’t notice or care about his other features, because in a world where almost the whole population is dark haired and fair skinned, the golden head of hair stands out like a sore thumb.

  I give Blaine a small lopsided smile as he takes his place on his own X on the stage. He returns the smile and takes my hand in his. I give him extra credit for not discarding my hand in disgust the moment he takes it up in his own. My palms are sweating from the nerves that seem to have taken over my body, and I mentally kick myself for not wiping my hands on my jeans before Blaine arrived at my side.

  Once the ceremony is over, and all of the sixteen year olds in Faction Four are coupled, we are ushered out the door and back to our homes. We are told before leaving that we are to go straight home, where our next instructions will be waiting for us. Our new home assignments would be among the paperwork that awaited us.

  ‘Trina Hope, your new home is located at 56 Halloway Drive. Upon arrival you will find that all of your belongings have been placed in the hall closet for you to do with what you wish. Based on your test results during schooling, your allocated career is Horticulture Assistant. You will be required to attend this workplace each and every day at six am sharp, weekends being the exception. Duties at your new place of work will begin in exactly one week from today.

  We, The Alpha Faction, wish you and your new partner all the best in your life together’

  And that was it. Just like that, my life was planned out for me. I knew from speaking with my parents that there was a two year grace period when Blaine and I would get to know each other. After that, if things worked out, we would be married at eighteen and required to live as husband and wife for five years, at which point, we would be given the choice as to whether we wanted a child or not. I say child because like everything else in the factions, children are monitored, possibly closer than anything else. One child per family is all that is allowed. Any more than one, and the family is placed outside the confines of the factions. Outcast, and left to starve to death on the outside. I shudder at the thought before turning to my parents. A t
ear sparkling in my mother’s eye catches my attention.

  “What’s wrong mom?” I ask quietly, moving towards her with my arms outstretched.

  “Nothing, I just didn’t expect you to grow up so fast.” She replies, hugging me tightly, like when I was a child.

  “Me either.” I mumble. My father joins the hug at some stage, knowing this is our final goodbye. Once I leave the family home, we would rarely see each other. It’s not that we aren’t allowed, but our other obligations will take over and that will be that. My family as I know it will dissipate. My new family would begin where my old one ended.

  

  “Trina? Is that you?” I hear Blaine call from inside the apartment – my new home.

  “Yeah,” I am wary, my voice shaking a little from nerves, “It’s me.” I walk through the already open doorway and into my apartment. I’ve never lived with anyone except my parents, and though they brought me up knowing what would happen in my life, they could never have prepared me to be moving into my own home, with my life partner, at the age of sixteen.

  “Want something to eat?” he asks around a mouthful of food.

  “No,” I mumble quietly, “thanks, but I ate at home before…” I don’t finish, realising that this is my home now.

  “Me too.” I raise my eyebrows and shake my head. It has always amazed me, the amount of food boys can consume. “So, what do you want to do?”

  “No idea. I’ve never been allowed out after dark. My parents are a little… protective.” I feel a blush creep into my face at my words, embarrassed by my admission.

  “Oh! We have lots to do then. We could go and see the Ferris Wheel. It’s amazing at night. We could take a walk along the boardwalk. You can’t reach the beach of course, but it’s still beautiful.” I let out a small laugh at the excited child-like way Blaine’s words come out, and instantly feel more at ease.

  “Sounds good.” I state simply. I watch as Blaine walks toward me, and holds his hand out to take mine – this time my palms aren’t sweaty, thank God. I take his hand in mine, exhale slowly, and wander out into the night.

  

  “So where are your parents?” I ask Blaine rather bluntly, my curiosity getting the better of me. My parents had been at the matching ceremony, but I hadn’t seen Blaine speaking to anyone.

  “Dead.” His abrupt answer shocks me.

  “Oh. I’m sorry.” I whisper, ashamed that I had asked a question that caused him obvious pain.

  “It’s okay, I’ve learned to deal with it.”

  “So you’ve been living alone…?” I want to physically cover my mouth so I can’t ask any more questions, but I’m saved the need to do so when Blaine smiles a little and answers the question.

  “A little over a year. Yeah.”

  “I’m sorry,” I apologize again, not knowing what else to say.

  “It’s really okay. I’ve learned more in the time since their death than I ever did while they were alive. It’s prepared me for what’s next.”

  “Next?” I ask, wondering what he could possibly be talking about.

  “Yeah. When we take down the Alphas,” he exclaims it as a matter of fact. My mouth is left gaping in shock at his words.

  “I...What? Take down the Alphas? But why?”

  “They killed my parents. They keep us locked up like guinea pigs in a cage. Force us to work to sustain their needs, train their men in secret. Or maybe for the pill they are developing that will all but wipe us out. Do you need any more reason?” Blaine’s voice is full of anger as he looks out towards the Ferris Wheel at the end of the jetty. It really is amazing at night.

  “I don’t understand. I thought the Alphas were here to help?” I don’t know if I can accept the information he has given me, and yet I see no trace of a lie on his face.

  “Help?” he laughs loudly, “Help! The only help they give us is the help to die! If you don’t believe me, I will show you.” With that, he takes me by the hand once again and drags me to the ladder that will lead us down from the rooftop we were sitting on.

  

  It’s pitch black at the Alpha compound, and yet Blaine moves around as if he knows this place like the back of his hand. I can see lights twinkling in the distance, coming from the largest building in the compound.

  “The science lab.” Blaine points out, like that explains everything.

  “Right, and we’re headed there?”

  “Sure, that’s where everything happens. Come on, you’ll see.” He grins at me like what he is about to show me is something to be proud of. I shake my head slowly, and follow him closely through the dark streets of Alpha territory.

  Crouching below the largest window of the science lab, Blaine holds a finger to his lips to remind me to stay silent. I’m tempted to say something to him anyway, but decide on rolling my eyes at his back instead. Peering over the ledge of the window, I can see that every table inside the large, white room is occupied. Half of the room’s occupants are concentrating on a screen in front of them, the other half tinkering with Bunsen burners and liquids that are unfamiliar to me.

  Blaine leans in a little closer as two of the scientists begin to talk to each other in quiet tones that sound like garbled nonsense to my ears through the closed windows. He reaches out slowly and pushes one of the windows open just a fraction, and I slowly start to hear what the men are speaking about as my ears adjust to the new noises from inside.

  “Any progress on the pill?” The larger of the two ask.

  “Yes, we’ve had a breakthrough today. It’s now 100% effective among the test subjects.” Test subjects?

  “Great!” the burly man cries a little too loud, “when will it be ready for distribution?”

  “If all goes to plan, we can begin administering the pills among the factions first thing tomorrow.”

  The big man’s face lights up at the scientist’s words, and he clapped him on the back for a job well done.

  “Sir?” the scientist asks meekly, as if he is afraid to speak.

  “What is it Jenson?”

  “Well, it’s just…”

  “Just what? I don’t have time for your stuttering. I have work to do.”

  “It’s just. I’m not sure how I… I mean, we feel about killing all these people sir. Killing the outcasts is one thing, but everyone?”

  “No, not everyone Jenson. Just those who fail to comply.” He doesn’t wait around to hear anymore of Jenson’s protests before storming off to some other part of the building that is concealed from my view.

  I turn to Blaine, my mouth shaped in a comical O, about to start pouring out questions about what we overheard before he hushes me with a fingertip to my lips and motions for me to follow him.

  We sit on the curb outside the Alpha compound, both of us in a state of shock, neither knowing what to say for quite some time before I finally decide to speak up.

  “They’re really going to kill everyone.” It wasn’t a question.

  “Tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow.” I repeat. A solitary tear escapes my eye as I think about my parents.

  “We have to stop them Blaine. We can’t let them do this.” My voice is only a whisper, but the pain and determination bleed through anyway.

  “I know.”

  

  We don’t sleep. The thoughts of thousands of people lying dead in the streets plague my thoughts, and when the sun rises, I watch what I know will be my last sunrise. Because even if we can save everyone else from imminent death, I know that my own death is certain. A shiver runs down my spine at the thought.

  “Cold?” Blaine asks, placing a blanket over my shoulders.

  “Not really. Just…”

  “Yeah. I know the feeling.”

  “How are we going to stop them? There’s more people in that one faction than there are in all of the rest combined. We can’t take them all on.”

  “No, but we can destroy their plans. We’re going to have to get moving, tho
ugh, if they plan to start administering Population Zero today.”

  “Population Zero?” I ask.

  “Yeah, it’s what they call the pills. I heard them one night a little while ago.”

  “So let’s do it then.”

  Blaine hadn’t told me before, but we weren’t the only ones that knew about Population Zero, and the deception of the Alphas. Apparently there have been hordes of people living among the dilapidated broken down buildings that make up our faction, just waiting for their chance to join forces and bring the Alphas to their knees.

  We attracted stares and glimpses through curtains on our way to the middle of town, and I can’t help but wonder what we are going to do once at the science lab in the Alpha compound. We have no plan, and we haven’t even discussed possible plans. We are going in blind. And that frightens me more than my certain demise. What if this is all for nothing?

  

  “Trina! Get the supplies!” Blaine was yelling at me. He had filled everyone in on the way over here of where the stock of Population Zero was being held, and that we had to get to them at all cost. Of course, at all cost means dead friends.

  I run for the door at the end of the destroyed science lab, the one that leads to the store room full to the brim with boxes of pills to be distributed to the four factions. I dodge falling bodies and flailing limbs on my way to the room of death, as I have come to call it, trying my hardest not to think about how many of our friends have fallen to help us. The only thing spurring me on is the thought of the number of souls I am saving.

  I reach for the handle of the steel door that is within a foot of me now, my arm outstretched. I turn the handle with a grin on my face. I have done it! I have saved the factions. I hear screaming in the distance, someone shouting my name. It’s Blaine, a look of terror on his face. Everyone around him is dead. Not one survivor from the throng of people who entered the room. I smile at him to let him know it’s okay, I am here now. We will take the pills, we will destroy them. We will save our people. I turn back to the storage room, ready to make a run with as many small boxes as I can, when I see something from my peripheral vision. An object moving impossibly fast. A bullet. I feel the bullet as the small metal shell explodes upon impact. Searing pain courses through my body as I fall to the ground, my breathing becoming laboured. The pain is not from the bullet-wound though. It is for my family, my friends, and my faction.