by Amanda Rose
“In here,” Jenko waved them over. Entering vacant makings of a hotel, they soon found it furnished much to their delight. They filtered into a large room. “Take a seat,” Jenko instructed. He took a flare from his pack to assist showing them the map of the outer world, “This is the continent as best as I could depict. We’re here in the south-westerly corner. As you can see from above on the horizon directly north of us it looks like a mountain, well there’s actually several, but they create a wall vertically, so it only looks like one from our standpoint here. There is a small town buried within the sanctum of the mountainous walls. It’s the nearest town, called Yukoton; I thought we’d strike there first. Any objections?” He looked around the room and no one objected. “Great,” Jenko rolled his map and put it away. “I suggest we rest while we’re here. The next few days will require a lot of strength from each of you. The mountains only allow those whom have the strength and willpower from within to venture their pathways,” With that, he extinguished his flare and they soon fell asleep up on the soft plush beds of which they would be missing all too soon.
Though time had passed, the lack of sunlight left them in a slight state of confusion. They were instinctually disoriented by the difference in surrounding. Mack prompted the departure and they soon pulled themselves out of there. The Ghost City of Blackness soon came to an end; a decent opening between the metal grid and the ground allowed them passage. It was a struggle to ascend as they soon felt the air thinning with each breath. “Everyone cover your skin before you come out the top. The sun will scar you with boils if you expose your skin for any good length of time,” Jenko warned them as he pulled a large cloaking jacket around himself. The others followed his lead.
“Let me give you a hand,” Jenko offered Suako, who the last one to rise out from the sub city, and see the reality of the real world from outside the dome of Torusan. A painfully scorching heat burned their skin. The land was barren, scarce of life, no roaming creatures, trees nor bushes in sight. Suako’s eyes began to well up with tears; an ache pulsed in her chest. Stuttering she finally placed a sentence together, “T-they did this?” she asked with a weak voice, her innocence shining through brightly. “They offered the people electricity and convenience; they promised homes and a metropolis city. They gave it to us, but they took from us too. This bleak world is what we get for receiving such a city and energy that we don’t even get to use… they do,” Kato angrily said loading his thirty-eight magnum. Then he sighed and said below his breath, “It’s even worse than when I first got here...” Mei, standing next to Suako, in just as much dismay and shock between the heightened breaths, reached her hand over and squeezed Suako’s. “This can’t be real,” she whispered, and shed a single tear.
After allowing them all a moment to adjust to the wastelands stretched out before them, Jenko finally took charge, “Try to keep you skin covered, mid day must have just passed so we have the rest of the afternoon and night time to travel, we’ll sleep when the sun comes back up again. The heat is brutal, I warn you now.” “You heard him, move out,” Mack ordered leading the group with Jenko by his side towards the distant mountains.
Not too much was said over the initial day of travel. The words and stories of how much destruction had come upon the earth, and artwork of it in it’s natural beauty that everyone posted around the city, lent no repercussion to first sight. The bitter hatred of which they’d held in their hearts for the C.D.F.P. grew and burrowed its way even deeper within their souls. The dry earth bore cracks and scars of the suns infliction. As night drew in, the temperature dramatically changed from scorching to freezing with next to no warning.
Short, fast breaths of the thin air blessed their lungs but ran from them just as quickly. Their hearts beat slowly and tired muscles were forced to keep moving. Minutes seemed to stretch on like hours and hours seemed like days. If not for the mountains growing larger ahead of them, and Torusan shrinking behind them, the endless plains of nothingness would have left them guessing they had not moved at all. The scenery changed in only the most minute ways.
A couple hours before sunrise Suako collapsed onto her hands and knees. “I… I need sleep… can’t go further,” she said between breaths, shivering. Jenko looked over to Mack “We should’ve planned shorter sprints, their lungs aren’t ready for this. Let’s set up tent here. We’re almost as far as I’d planned anyway. Help me with this…” he asked Vince and Kato as he pulled out a large sheet and metal pegs. “Are you alright? Try to slow your breathing a little. Hyperventilating ain’t gonna help ya’,” Mack told Suako as he pulled her onto her feet. She stood bent over holding her torso up with her hands on her knees. “Sorry Mack… I never expected it to be so bad. Damn them,” she growled looking back over her shoulder. Standing upright she looked to Mack with a cute little smirk on her face, “One day I’ll make a bomb that’ll make a blast that they won’t ever forget.” “Hah! Girl’s got spunk!” Jenko laughed. Mack smiled and lit a cigar before stepping within their primitive tent.
Before long, Mei, Suako, Vince and Kato had all fallen asleep; exhausted from their first excursion out in a land once beautiful called ‘Mother Earth’. Mack and Jenko sat by the outer rim of the tent and watched slowly as the sky turned yellow and crimson as the sun began to hail the day. They were silent until they heard all four renegade soldiers soundly asleep. “Have you found him yet?” Jenko asked, finally breaking a strong tension. “Not yet,” Mack disappointedly informed. “You’re sure he’s not just hidden within Torusan?” Jenko inquired. “No, I hacked the Company’s files, all the important documents anyways. I found a transfer notice placed on him. It didn’t say where.” Mack said, shaking his head. “Is this the real reason we’re out here?” Jenko pressed, turning his head to look at Mack. “No… but I won’t leave any place we go without checking for him. We’re out here to take down the company... but I can’t forget about him.” Mack said firmly. “You still blame yourself don’t you?” Jenko asked. Mack looked away, “…Yes.” “It was them not you.” Jenko said. “I know… but they only did it because of me.” Mack said with finality. The two were silent for a time. “Do you think he is even still alive?” Jenko asked. “I don’t know. So until I’ve found out one way or another I’m going to keep searching… let’s get some sleep.” Mack said, and laid back.
They ventured forth once again after the sun had started back down towards the horizon. The day was still a shock to them; they’d all woken up hoping yesterday had just been some bizarre nightmare, but it was real. Still they found themselves pushing past the heat and the fatigue, trying to picture the world as they’d seen it in the artwork Torusan citizens posted about, lush and green. These thoughts gave enough hope for a promising future so they could ignore the present status of the scarred earth that extended around them.
That evening they reached the base of the mountains. Jenko insisted they stopped and would travel up the mountain trail by day. He warned them of monstrous creatures that roamed the mountain pathways, that were especially on the hunt by dark or night. Due to that once they started on the mountain path they wouldn’t be able to stop until they made their way all the way to the hidden city within the guardian mounds. The shadows of the enormous peaks would protect them from the sunlight as they travelled he told them. Taking a breather, they found sleep easy to find, as travelling took much energy from their bodies.
As the sun pierced over the horizon and light began to bless and curse the earth, with its warmth and its radiation, Jenko woke them up. The crisp cool chill over the morning seemed to go straight through their bodies and penetrated their bones. They had a quick breakfast and thrived on the oxygen replenishing water that quenched their thirst. They quickly then packed up their items and they were ready to be on their way. Just before starting on the path Jenko told them to have their weapons handy, at all times.
The path they walked up was steep and treacherous; stones and boulders littered the area. A few evergreens, barren and sickly, were jus
t barely alive further along the road. Once they saw them fascination struck and the four youngest mercenaries scampered towards them at first sight. “I’ve never seen this before, what is it?” Vince asked. “It’s called an evergreen, it’s a type of tree. My grandmother used to speak of them growing all over the northern areas of this continent. I remember seeing more of them in my early childhood,” Mack told them as he observed the little tree. “It’s a tree?” Suako asked dumbstruck. “Don’t trees have leaves?” she scratched her head. Jenko smiled “You really are new to this world. Those little needles are its leaves. They grow in colder climates and never shed their needles. They symbolise never-ending life.” “Oh,” Suako blushed feeling rather naive. “Let’s keep moving we don’t have a ton of time to take break,” Jenko reiterated to them.
Dragging themselves away from the tree each once of them drew from it one needle, which occupied each of them as they went onward. Conversation sparked and they peppered Jenko and Mack with questions that they could only answer through recollection of their childhoods. After a while Mack and Jenko could no longer contain their laughter at the exuberance the youngsters had. The four young travellers were rather confused. “You’d think you were just five years old with your intense curiosity,” Mack chuckled. “Ha! Ha! Oh, what could we expect? You four just remember we know only little more than you about the earth. We were brought into it at a time where things were already falling to pieces,” Kato sighed. “Guess we’d better find a history book,” he suggested walking past Mack and Jenko; his words only fuelled their laughter.
The trip went relatively smoothly. On a few accounts some small wildcats scrounging for food came at them but retreated with simple threats. Day was merging into night; turning around one final bend Mei saw before her the city that they’d been tirelessly trudging toward. With a huge grin, she tagged Kato with her hand, “I’ll race ya,” she said and sprinted ahead. A sudden screech echoed between the rock walls from ahead. Quickly everyone ran around the bend to see the trouble.
A large wolf-like mutated creature had pounced on Mei, pinning her down, and was viciously attacking her. The wolf looked to the others as they had stumbled upon around the corner. The one that held Mei down had glossy hazy eyes and looked ghostly with his filthy matted grey fur. Vince charged the beast, a dagger held in each hand. The wolfish animal growled then jumped off of Mei and darted at Vince when he neared. Vince jumped out of the way just in time, and twisting as he jumped in a 360-degree turn, he managed to double slashed the fiend’s chest with his blades. The creature fell to the ground and seemed to be finished. Quickly receiving a second wind he arose from the ground, blood gushing from the deep cuts, and went back after Vince. Suako ran toward the beast with her pistol drawn. Having caught her in his eye the beast turned his attention to her and howled as he ran towards her. Just before aligning her shot Suako tripped on a stone sticking up from the ground and her pistol flew from her hand and she tumbled to the ground. Without time to even think she instinctively pulled herself up and, and the wolf came in for a bit, she kicked the wolf in the head with all her strength. A large crackle boomed in the air as Mack fired off a riffle, and the beast ran away in fear.
Kato ran to Mei’s aid. She lay on the ground cringing. Upon closer inspection she had a deep bite mark on her left arm and was covering a large claw swipe on her lower abdomen with her right arm. Kato lifted her into his arms, “You’ll be alright. You’re safe,” he told her. Mack took the flank as they jogged the final quarter mile to Yokuton.
Harsh dead world… Don’t tell me this isn’t a dream…
Chapter 3: Yokuton
A villager spotted the entourage walking up the mountain path towards the town, and noticed Mei injured, being carried in Kato’s arms. The friendly mother figure ran out to greet them. “What happened to her?” she asked with a heavy oriental accent. Her eyes were warm and attentive. “Attacked along the path not far from here by some kind of wild animal,” Mack said approaching the front. “Do you have a place we can take her?” he asked the woman. She smiled “Yes come, we’ll get her help within the city,” she said and led them, her bulky clothing over her tiny frame swaying as she walked. Kato kept a heightened pace.
Entering the city limits the oxygen dome revitalised them. Feeling their lungs become replenished with filtered air, they found it easier to concentrate on Mei’s wounds. The woman showed them into one of the first homes, a small limestone hut. Presenting a bed for Kato to lay her down on the woman offered them her home as a place to stay until Mei’s recovery. The lady then went off to fetch water.
“How are you feeling?” Suako asked as she sat by Mei’s bedside. “I’m fine, really… It’s just a few scratches. The air is really helping,” she smiled. Mei shut her eyes and drifted into sleep. The others found chairs quickly and rested, weary from their travels. The woman returned in haste with a vase filled to the brim with clean well water. “Thank you, ma’am, do you have a cloth we could use to clean her cuts?” Kato asked. The woman dashed around the corner into another room and returned carrying a small white piece of cloth. Presenting it to Suako she then took her leave to fetch some disinfecting herbs. Jenko and Mack left to fetch firewood to heat the small chilly house.
By the time they returned Suako had finished bandaging Mei’s arm. Mei came to and saw her bandaged arm, “Thank you. I’m sorry I was careless.” Mei glimpsed up at them, and Mack hushed her. Suako pulled back the clothing around her abdominal cuts and revealed a large old scar running across her belly. Suako’s eyes leapt up to meet Mei’s, her jaw slightly dropped, “Mei what’s this from?” she asked running her finger gently along the exterior of the old scar. Mei’s eyes watered slightly; there was an extended silence in the room. All eyes focused on Mei.
Taking a deep breath in, she began to tell her tale…
“It’s beautiful Jake! I can’t believe you and Daddy finished it already!” A younger Mei with long flowing hair exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around a tall man about her age. They stood outside a small home with wood siding and a thatch roof. “I wanted it to be ready in time,” he said, with a caring twinkle in his eye as he turned to her. With an affectionate peck on the cheek she bolted forward in front of the new house, and as she spoke she pointed with her hands. “We can have a little rose bush here and a Zen garden here… oh! And the family shrine in the back,” Mei’s voice rang with excitement.
Day fell to night’s grasp. The eventful afternoon of moving furniture into the tiny house left Jake and Mei exhausted. They sat outside their humble abode sipping green tea as they ate a quaint supper of rice and salmon. “Just look at that… the sky is as rich as gold,” a passionate Mei declared. “Indeed, it is my love, as is your radiance,” he told her kissing her hand.
The stars came out and began to fill the sky. Despite their fatigue they stayed up through the night. A full moon rose high above them and bathed the earth with silvery emanating light. “We’ll raise a good family. Our children will prosper and enjoy all the beauty of this world. Nothing at present could possibly make me any more content them I am now,” Jake expressed romantically.
A few months passed in the little village. Fish were bountiful this year, as was the harvest crop. The summer was hot from the blazing sun that glazed over the earth. Flowers blossomed all over the house’s front, with plenty of roses to go around. The house stood atop a grand hill beside a stream running down into the town below. Trees flourished around the town’s boundaries, bamboo and cherry blossoms especially stood out. Mei looked out from her window and watched Jake as he climbed up stone steps to their home.
As he neared she noticed a troubled look was on his face, though he tried to hide it, Mei knew him all too well. Dashing outside to meet him she hugged him, “What is so heavy on your mind?” she asked worriedly. Sighing he responded, “The Mayor is fighting with those people who brought those machines here. He hasn’t told me what the argument was about yet, but he’s ordering us to remove the equipment they
brought in, and those people are threatening to remove our oxygen shield…” Mei gasped, “They can’t!”
The following day Mei watched out the window again for Jake to come back up those steps, home to her once again. Across town she finally saw him leaving the mayor’s offices, as well as some angry soldiers and company officials. The company quickly evacuated the town. Sensing something must be wrong Mei ran from the house and down the pathway to talk to Jake and the mayor immediately. Before reaching the bottom step, an enormous blast deafened her, which sent her flying back. Trying to brace herself she twisted around, and when she smashed into the rock steps the impact on her front side was brutally hard. With just enough energy she looked back over her shoulder to see Jake perish, evaporated in the rumbling blast of the reactor. With one final glance her body gave out and she faded into unconsciousness.
Finally, Mei spoke out, “I’m not originally from Torusan you know… Three years ago, before I joined your fight against the C.D.F.P., I lived in a small village. Life was simple and we were all happy there. I hadn’t the slightest idea at that time about the company… I was married too, you know? I went by Mei Yoshini. We weren’t rich, but we were happy... I had a little house made of wood that my husband Jake built with my dad. People used to say it was the nicest place in town. We had a flower garden too. The town was inside an oxygen dome like most other places and there was the Corporation’s factory there. No one knew what it did; all we knew was that they gave us the dome to have it there.”
“I was pregnant when it happened…” Mei’s voice weakened and trembled “…one day, there was an enormous explosion. The processor in the factory ‘malfunctioned’, that’s I was told. The entire town caught fire. Everyone burned that hadn’t died in the explosion. I don’t remember anything but being blown back, then feeling the heat of the flames… I heard all the screaming…” Tears streamed down Mei’s face.
