Awakening: Parables From The Apocalypse - Dystopian Fiction Read online

  Alex grimaced. “That’s not entirely true. I kind of wish it was. They took a pretty keen interest in me after they hauled us back in here. Or at least after I woke they did. They were downright pissed about losing Christa.”

  “You were around for all that? I thought you were in a coma as well.”

  “Oh I was, but not for very long. Less than a week actually. They really couldn’t explain why I woke and you didn’t. Everybody’s different I guess. I wish you had woken first. You could have handled things better. I didn’t do so well.”

  “What do you mean? Not so well?”

  “Well, they were pretty upset, right, and I was the only one around of the three of us. Christa disappeared to who knows where. That was a major loss around here. Sure, they wanted her out eventually, but they wanted to control that. They wanted her out there on their terms, spreading the mutation. Then, when they were ready, they were going to pull her back and do things with her. I don’t know what, but it wouldn’t have been good for her.”

  “Yeah, I may have some idea as to what they had in mind.”

  “What do you mean? You knew this?”

  Chaz looked to Matt across the hall and said quietly, “Not really. I saw some things before we got out. I was going to tell you about it all, but not till we were out of there.”

  “Things like what?”

  “Not here, I don’t want to say here. I don’t know who’s listening. Some other time. So what happened after you woke?”

  Alex hesitated. “It’s not easy to talk about.” He glanced at Chaz, then stared at his feet. “It got really ugly for me. The general needed a scapegoat, and I was the only one that fit the bill. He tried court-martialing me at first, but somehow my military records got lost, and no one actually believed I was in the service. Can you believe that? After everything we did to try and save everyone, they said I wasn’t even in the service. How many times did I nearly die trying to protect this country?”

  “I’m so sorry, kid, you shouldn’t have had to go through that alone.”

  “It got worse. They dragged me through the public courts. Everyone knew. All my family and my friends heard about it. I was international news. They said I’d be responsible for the deaths of thousands of people because of what we did. They really just did it for the publicity in the media. They wanted everyone on the lookout for Christa, and my trial made headlines everywhere. They never did find her though. Blaming me for all of it was easier then blaming one of their own. I think that’s how my military records got mysteriously lost. Pretty convenient for them. The general in particular. He really covered his ass pretty good.”

  “Sons of bitches.” Chaz shook his head. “They’re pulling the same shit on me now. They want me to do some mission for them but won’t say what it is. They threatened me with the same court-martial, and my family as well.”

  “Your family? Why? They had nothing to do with any of this.”

  “They left the country before we met, remember?”

  “So? Everyone in their right mind that could did the same thing. Why would anyone want to live in a place full of freaks trying to eat you every day?”

  “Yeah, well, not everyone gets caught, and of those that do, how many are related to ex war heroes that desert the military and blatantly disregard orders? The shitty thing is, I obviously still have something they want. That’s why they’ve got me going on this mission. Wish I knew what it was.”

  “I’m sure you’ll find out eventually, whether you want to or not.”

  Matt stepped back closer to interrupt. “I’m sorry guys, but I need to get you back, Chaz. There are some here that wouldn’t approve of you two talking, and I wouldn’t want any of my bosses thinking I stressed you out on your first day out of bed.”

  Chaz looked up at Matt. “Yeah, sure. I think I may need a little help getting back though. I seemed to have strained myself on the way here.”

  Matt shook his head. “No one ever listens to me. There’s a fold-down seat and pop-out wheels on the walker. I can wheel you back to your room. You’re not the first guy to overdo it on his first day, and I came prepared.”

  Chaz looked back to Alex. “We’ll talk some more. I’d like to catch up on the last few years. It’d be nice to have someone I trust to fill in the gaps. No offense intended, Matt. I appreciate what you did here today.”

  Alex looked down at his feet and half mumbled, “Yeah, we can do that. You may not like what you hear. It’s not exactly a happy story … not the best years of my life.”

  Chaz and Matt headed down the hall as Alex went back to work. Once they were out of earshot, Matt spoke up.

  “I wouldn’t push him for too much information right away. I was his physio when he came out, so I got to know him before the authorities went after him. He’s had a pretty tough go of it. Depression, alcohol, drugs. He went about as low as a man could go. He was all alone in the fight, and the odds were stacked against him. He did some prison time, but eventually they let him out on compassionate grounds.”

  Chaz looked back over his shoulder. “Compassionate grounds for what?”

  “He doesn’t like talking about it, but his old man couldn’t handle the pressure of the trial and the conviction very well. I think he was a bit of a drinker too. Within a year of Alex being in prison, his dad committed suicide. Hanged himself. Couldn’t take the embarrassment of his son being the guy that ruined our best chance for survival.”

  “Shit. No wonder he looks so much older. Poor kid. I should have been there. I should have taken the fall for all this.”

  “He doesn’t like to talk about it. He blames himself, I think, for the whole thing. It’s been a couple of years since it happened. I’m pretty sure the general arranged for him to be back here. He wanted to make sure he could keep a close eye on him and keep him under wraps. He wouldn’t want the entire truth coming out.”

  “Why are you telling me all this? You’re taking a bit of a risk here yourself.”

  “It’s my job to help people; it’s always been my calling. These days, working around here, that’s not an easy thing to do much of the time. Some of the people in charge around here are real pricks. If there’s anything I can do to make someone’s life better, I’ll do it. Life’s too short not to do what you can.”

  “You’re a good guy, Matt. Alex is too, and there’s no damn reason for him to be pushing a broom around. He put his life on the line to save people and to protect Christa. He needs to get his life back. He needs a chance to prove himself. To prove to himself who he really is. I think I may know just the way to do that.”

  “Wow, look at you. One walk down the hall and you’re ready to take on the world.”

  “Damn straight I am, and I have a feeling this mission they want me for may be just what I need. Like I ever had a choice in the matter. If I’m going to do it, that kid’s coming with me. He’s a hero, Matt, not a janitor. He’s just forgotten it, and I’m the guy that’s going to help him remember it.”

  Your Mission

  The helicopter landed at Fort Knox and kept its engine idling. The front door of the fort opened, and two people stepped out. Chaz looked to the general, who simply motioned to the helicopter. Chaz walked the fifty yards to the waiting copter and climbed inside. Once the copter was safely in the air with Chaz inside, the general walked back inside and locked the door. He wasn’t one to venture very far from the fort.

  The copter flew east from the fort, and that was the last chance Chaz had to get his bearings. They placed a helmet on him that blocked his vision and his hearing. It was wired to the armed guard sitting next to him, but the guard didn’t have much to say after he instructed Chaz to place the helmet on. Chaz’s only indication of where they might have been was the amount of time it took to get there. For all he knew, they could have taken the long route, doubled back and then flown in the opposite direction. He had some sense of the copter turning, but a number of times it just seem to keep going in circles. Wherever they were going, som
eone was going to great lengths to keep the location secret. The helmet remained on, even while he sat and waited at their destination.

  He knew he walked about fifteen minutes after the chopper landed, and felt the sensation of rising in an elevator. He was told to sit through the headphones inside the helmet, and every time he reached for the helmet, someone swatted his hands away. After waiting for another half hour, he heard a voice.

  The female voice said, “Hello, Mr. Sheperd. I’ve had your sound dampeners unblocked so you can hear me. I’m afraid I’ll have to keep you in the dark as to what I look like though. I hope your flight wasn’t uncomfortable.”

  Chaz reached for his helmet again, but again his hands were swatted away.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Sheperd, but I’m afraid that’s going to have to remain in place. I like my privacy. When you’re in my position, it pays to keep a low profile.”

  Chaz shifted in his seat. “You’ll have to excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is your position?”

  “Oh, they didn’t tell you? That’s kind of amusing. It is interesting how they follow my orders to the letter. Not such a bad thing I suppose. I am your regent. The name is Araya Havelock. Regent of the Americas.”

  “Regent? What the hell is a regent?”

  “You’ve missed a lot during your absence, Mr. Sheperd. The world is a changed place. Changed for the better I’d say. After things came crashing down at the end of the last war, it became necessary to establish a more honest and efficient government. I am that government.”

  “You’re … just you? You’re the government? That makes no sense.”

  “Oh, Mr. Sheperd, you’ve missed so much since you’ve been gone. Let me give you a short history lesson. Recent history that is, just the last few years. The last powers that ruled this continent had problems. Lots of problems, the least of which was corruption. The state of decay from the wars hurt not just our infrastructure, but the governing bodies as well.”

  “I remember there being attacks on Washington years ago.”

  “That was just skimming the surface of the problems. Already by then the government of the time had been infiltrated by self-serving factions. Factions concerned with money, religion, and power. It was never going to survive in this new world. The surviving population was devastated, and our facade of civility was long past worn. It was time for something new. Something that could rebuild our society. So, I was chosen by the people to lead.”

  Chaz could smell something sweet as he listened. “What is that smell?” he said. “It smells like honey.”

  “Mr Sheperd, please pay attention. My time here is short, and I’m trying to educate you. I do have a continent to get back to running when we’re done here.”

  “Hang on a sec. You … just you run the continent? That’s ridiculous. We don’t have dictators here. This is America. We’re a democracy.”

  “Why yes, Mr. Sheperd, we have been a democracy, and we are still a democracy. Just a very simplified democracy. Let me explain. I was selected by the people to run things in a very simplistic manner with the help of some very sophisticated technology.

  “The zombie population may have devastated our human population, but our technology flourished. Fort Knox wasn’t the only secret facility working towards a solution. There were other centers developing solutions for all possible scenarios.”

  “Scenarios. What’s that supposed to mean? This isn’t some sort of computer game you’re playing. These are real people living in a real country.”

  “Yes, Mr. Sheperd, of course it is. And it was those same people that picked me to run the country. It’s very simple now. Computers and social networks monitor the country and figure out what the people want. Then, that same network makes suggestions, and I decide which suggestions to follow. We don’t have computers running the place entirely you know. That’s where I come in. I make all the final decisions. Actually, I was the result of one of those decisions. Once the last war was over and we had a solution to the zombie problem, the computers decided that a new leader was required.”

  “And what, just like that you’re the new queen of the Americas?”

  “Don’t be silly, Mr. Sheperd. The computer simply made some suggestions. It polled the population, measured the feelings of the population through the various social networks, and selected me as the best candidate for the job. No elections, no speeches, no corrupt balloting. It just picked me. Of course, I could have refused the nomination, but why would I? It’s a great job, with lots of perks.” The regent couldn’t hold back her smile. “I was thrilled to be offered the position, and I must admit, I am quite good at it.”

  “You’re kidding, right? Is this some kind of a joke? Matt put you up to this. Right? You friends with Matt or something? I always suspected he was a bit of a joker. This is the kind of thing he’d pull.”

  “Mr. Sheperd, I assure you, this is no joke. I’m quite serious, and to be honest I find your tone a little insulting. So, before you say something else to upset me, let’s get down to why you’re here.”

  “Fine, I’ll play along. Let’s hear it. What did you fly me all the way here blind to hear?”

  Chaz heard footsteps walking away and doors closing.

  “Mr. Sheperd. The world is a much better place now than it was before your unfortunate coma. The zombie population is now under control. It’s been years since anyone died from a zombie attack. They’re actually quite useful to have around. Ever since the Pacize drug was perfected, the zombie population has become model citizens. They do their jobs, follow the rules, and most importantly they don’t try to eat anyone. It’s part of the reason why we’ve been able to rebuild and advance technology so fast in the last few years. They do all the menial tasks that no one else wants, which allows the human population to focus on the really important things.”

  “Whoa, hang on. You’re telling me that freaks are living among us? That they’re actually doing work … real work? Why haven’t I seen any?”

  “Well, of course you haven’t seen any yet, Mr. Sheperd, but don’t worry, you will. We don’t allow them into sensitive areas like the Fort Knox facility. There’s nothing they could really contribute to the work going on there.”

  “I’m sensing there’s another reason why they’re not in the fort. They have menial low-level jobs like janitors in the fort. Why aren’t the freaks doing that work?”

  Clearing her throat, the regent replied, “We don’t call them that anymore. Freaks …it’s not a word we use. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t use it either. I still have some concerns over the zombie population, and yes, that’s the reason why they don’t work in the more sensitive areas. It’s also why you’re here. We have some reason to believe that there may be some weaknesses with the Pacize drug’s effectiveness across the population. We think that there may be some of the population that don’t respond to the drug the way we had hoped. It’s a fairly new development, so we suspect that some of them may be changing again. The drug is supposed to prevent that, but we need more information.”

  “I’m no scientist, Your Highness. I don’t see where I’d be much help.”

  “Don’t call me that. I’m not royalty.” Neither spoke for a moment, and Chaz could sense some frustration coming from the regent. “You’re here because of your connection to the girl Christa. We never found her after all these years. To be honest, we had given up hope of ever recovering her. Things had been progressing so well that after a while she became a low priority. We hoped she had either fallen under the influence of the drug or died.” Chaz bristled at her last remark. “Lately though, we have reason to suspect that she may still be around.”

  “All of a sudden now, after all these years, you think she’s still around? And this new way of thinking just happens to coincide with my coming out of a coma? That’s pretty coincidental don’t you think? Pardon me for being skeptical, Your Regentness … can I call you that? It seems to me like this is some sort of make-work project you’ve dreamed up to
keep me busy. It sounds like something General Chambers would do just to get me out from under his roof.”

  Chaz could hear the regent pacing the floor. “I assure you, Mr. Sheperd, this has nothing to do with the general’s wishes. If he had his way, you’d be standing in front of a firing squad the minute you were able to stand. There have been unverified reports back in the Louisiana swamps of wild zombies. It’s all been from local citizens. None of our official police or military have spotted any. Normally, we’d just write it off as crazy locals. There is some precedent for people in that area being a little unstable.”

  Chaz grinned. “You must have something else to go on then? Some other reason for wanting me back there? This isn’t some punishment for leaving my last command to fend for themselves back there, is it?”

  “You’re right, Colonel. There are other reasons. First of all, it helps that you’re familiar with the area. The real reason we want you back there is that’s the last place Christa was spotted. It’s been over three years, but with the number of reports coming out of the area, it’s worth a look. The fact that you’ve chosen this time to awaken from your coma seemed too fortunate to pass up. I’m not a believer in fate or kismet, Mr. Sheperd, but I do believe in taking advantage of circumstances. The fact that we may have a situation that needs a strong hand, that you know Christa, that you know the area, and you’ve chosen now to wake up was too good of an opportunity to let slip by.”

  Snippets from Chaz’s dream came to mind now. Something about being ready, and a purpose. Patzy seemed to believe that she woke me now at this time for a reason. That’s probably not something the regent really needs to know. I’m not so sure it makes sense myself. Coincidence? Fate? Kismet? Christa?

  “So, Mr. Sheperd, I take it you’re up for the challenge? I understand you’re not one to back down from a fight.”