After the Pandemic: Japan: T - 6:00 hours (594 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.9 on 11 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by <zsmall.at.chirashi.net> (View user info) at 2005-06-28 03:36:02 EDT
Elijah and Lem made it back to the office just before the skies opened up, layering downtown Tokyo with sheets of rain. They both looked outside and felt incredibly lucky to be inside.
"Fuck, man. What are we going to do now? You know we aren't going to have any customers in this kind of weather." Lem looked a little angry, but it wasn't as though they had that many customers anyway. Elijah tried to think of an appropriate answer, but nothing came to mind. He kept thinking about an old prayer that he had learned as a child in synagogue. -Yeetgadal v' yeetkadash sh'mey rabbah- Now let us pray for all of those we have lost recently and in the past. As always we remember the six million who died in the holocaust. Jews were constantly in mourning, it was so they would never forget. Dammit, Lem really knew how to mess with his head. What was that stupid question about anyway?
"Hai, hai, hai, sugu ikimasuyo!" Lem put his cell phone back in his pocket. "Eli, wake up! Jesus, man, where there hell is your mind today? We got a date in Roppongi with two lovely ladies." Lem looked very pleased with himself. "Isn't going to be anyone coming in anyway, might as well have some fun."
"What?" Elijah came out of his trance gradually, something about 2 girls, Roppongi and lovely. Well, girls and Roppongi definitely fit together, but lovely? Lem had no taste whatsoever.
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Charlie Wong had landed in Guangzhou 5 hours ago. The stop over in Tokyo had taken over 3 hours and he was miffed about having missed his connection, and subsequently having to catch the next flight, due to problems on the ground in Houston. There was no one there to greet him at the airport, and he guessed that it was to be expected after being holed up for 8 years in the Dallas International Facility for Genetic Research. He had lost contact with almost all his friends and family during the stint and he had no urges in the least to see a familiar face upon returning. Charlie needed some time to unwind and get used to the old atmosphere of the Canton region before telling everyone he was back. He picked up his suitcase and went out to hail a cab and relax at the hotel he booked. The comfort of the Grand Dragon Imperial Suite would seem like heaven after the 10 by 10 cell in which he had slept in Dallas. He looked toward the sky and felt proud of all he had accomplished, not to mention the incredible amount of money that he had earned, but discontent about having to start his life from scratch.
"Where to, sir?" The cabbie inquired.
"The Grand Dragon. And, take the long way." Charlie threw 2 one hundred dollar bills, a small fortune in this area, on the passenger seat and closed his eyes. He suddenly felt exhausted and barely heard the driver's acknowledgement before he dozed off into a dreamless sleep.
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Elijah and Lem left their umbrellas at the front of the "Century Club" and walked in to meet their dates. Elijah started to laugh when he saw that their dates were actually just one person.
"Hey, mum." They chirped in unison.
"Hello, boys." Amelia said. She was a bit older than them but they all thought in exactly the same way, like 12 year olds. "So are we ready for an exciting time tonight? I was thinking we could hit Motown, Wallstreet, and 911 after dinner."
Elijah thought to himself that if they went to 911 someone was going to end up dialing that number. The last time they went there Lem had gotten so drunk and violent that he beat the living bejesus out of some poor gangsta-wannabe shmuck and ended up in the same ambulance as the guy due to alcohol poisoning. Fun, fun, fun.
"Hey, Eli, you alright? You're looking a little pale, son."
"Yeah, mum. I'm fine. We getting soba?"
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Charlie finally arrived at the Grand Dragon. He felt a little better after the 30-minute nap in the cab but he felt like he was getting sick. He was breaking out in sweats like he had a fever and he felt sick to his stomach. Nothing a little chow-fan and oolong cha wouldn't heal. He hadn't eaten anything for about a day, and he hadn't had his hometown specialties in years; some of the teas picked in the mountains went for thousands of dollars in the states. He thought it was ironic that he had been engineering anti-viruses, vaccines and the like for 8 years and this was the first time he had gotten ill in that period. He supposed it was the change in atmosphere. He had been in an intensely sterile environment for 8 years and his body probably wasn't used to the usual germs and bacteria floating around. He had a distant memory of the time a vial of genetically altered influenza had exploded in his face; a few days of a lower than average body temperature and lack of appetite had proved, to him, they had better things to do than manufacture anti-virus for a weakened strain of AfH5N1. The tests had all come back negative, and he had an incredible amount of stamina for three weeks following the accident but everything had returned to normal after that.
The bellhop unlocked the door to the Imperial suite, carried Charlie's luggage in and waited by the door. Charlie greased him generously and went to bathroom. Over the sink his reflection glowered back at him, he was much too thin now and whiter than he remembered. His skin stood out in stark contrast with his hair, long, black and thick. Now that he was finished with his research he could get back on the university lecture circuit and relax, regain some of the lost kilograms on the incredible buffets. He had a lecture tomorrow at the National University of Canton and he was looking forward to explaining his work, at least the work he was allowed to talk about.
Charlie walked in the large bedroom and admired the large, spherical chandelier hanging in the middle of the ceiling. He sat on the edge of the king size waterbed and lit a cigarette. He took a few drags, put it out, and lit another. He never smoked the whole cigarette, a habit he had picked up from his Japanese counterparts in Dallas. It stopped him from smoking too much and he had been able to cut down from two packs a day to one. He cut his nails as he smoked and although he could have sworn he had cut them yesterday they had gotten quite long. He used to chew his nails off, it kept him busy when he couldn't smoke, but recently his nails were so hard it hurt his teeth to bite them and he had to use a clipper. He was on his third cigarette when the doorbell rang, announcing that his order had come. He was famished after being unnourished for the better part of day and lifted the silver lid with a smile on his face. Fried rice was a cheap dish but he loved it and the oolong tea was perfectly bitter. He ate and drank with gusto but was soon overcome almost immediately with a paralyzing nausea. Stumbling to the bathroom he had just enough time to open the lid before his insides heaved and his throat and mouth were warmed by what he had just eaten. His eyes still closed he lulled his head towards the bowl and thought he tasted what smelled like swing sets after a typhoon. The wet, metallic taste of iron overpowered the stomach acid in his mouth and he opened his eyes to see the now chunky water in the toilet stained a bright red.
Charlie Wong felt strange as it was happening; the quickened heartbeat, heat rising in his head the pleasurable tingle in his genitalia as his testicles sucked up and his penis hardened. He hadn't been aroused for a very, very long time. Then Charlie Wong passed out.
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Elijah watched as Lem and mum grinded away with their respective new mates for evening on the floor of 911. God he hated this place, Roppongi as a whole was filthy but this club was the bottom of the pit. He signaled to Lem who ran over with a look of exasperation.
"What's the matter, sexy? Don't feel like dancing?"
"Listen, bro, I'm gonna get out of here. I'm way to drunk for this shit, I just wanna go home and sleep." Elijah had shot Tequila since they left the Century Club and he was feeling like he had been beaten within an inch of his life.
"Nothing like the worm to get your blood going!" Lem jeered has he headed back to the dance floor.
Elijah headed out the door and made his way to the station. He thought he had a fever.
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Charlie woke up on the cold tile of the bathroom. He felt a little groggy but the nausea had dissipated, and he noted, with a little dissatisfaction, that his hard on was also gone. He walked into the bedroom and flinched at the brilliant sunshine. Why was it so bright at, his eyes reached the clock, 11:00! He hurriedly dressed and ran out the door stopping only by the gift shop to buy a pair of sunglasses. He felt like he had a hangover and the sun was giving him a migraine.
Professor Chang greeted him at the lecture hall.
"Dr. Wong, you can remove your sunglasses if you like. The students will want to see your eyes."
Charlie grunted and squinted as he removed the spectacles. Why was it so bright today? The nausea was coming back again. He put the sunglasses back on.
"I'm sorry professor, I think I'll leave them on."
Charlie clambered up to the podium, his body feeling heavy. He looked out and saw that he was addressing a crowd of about 1000 students. Charlie took a deep breath, opened his mouth and collapsed.
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Elijah bumbled off the train at his home station of Kamata teetering left, then right, then left again as he fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette After 5 minutes and some burnt fingers he was happily on his way bumping off the night crowd and smoking a Davidoff menthol. The cigarettes came in a cool green package and they cost a little more than regular cigarettes which made Elijah feel like he was part of the upper crust. He bumped off the night crowd in a random fashion and marveled at the sudden quietness around him when he entered the residential area. He didn't notice that the nighttime drunks returning home by foot or bicycle were nowhere to be seen. In fact, he was the only one on the narrow road leading to his house.
His clumsy fingers searched erratically for the keys in his murse and finally clinched around the fake carabineer that served as a keychain. He finally got them out and then dropped them on the ground, he bent down as quickly as his grandmother used to do and looked across the street at the apartment complex. Central Court, what an original name. He looked up the building and saw the window on the third floor was open. There was a thin man standing there gripping what looked like a broom handle. Elijah couldn't make out many details because the thin man had his light on the lowest setting casting only a creepy silhouette for him to see. He shuddered, unlocked the door and went inside, his body starting to feel incredibly hot.
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"Professor Chang, I'm very sorry but Dr. Wong is dead."
"What?" Chang exclaimed, looking alarmed. Having an important man like Charlie Wong die at your university was not something that went over well with the government.
"He is no longer breathing, and has no pulse." Chin looked up at Chang. He felt sorry for him, but people died everyday in his line of work. The little boy who fell out of the window yesterday hadn't made it, and now this overpaid doctor had finally paid off the mortgage on his farm.
"This cannot be! Do something to save him!"
"We've been doing the best we can for the past ten minutes! I'm sorry, but, he's gone." His crew had already done the quick task of dispersing the participants to the waiting area, and Chang's reputation would still be mostly in tact, but these university dicks always worried about their own necks.
The EMTs got up and walked away. They would have to bring a stretcher in to get the body. Chin was pondering the best way to remove Dr. Wong's body from the room without attracting attention when he heard a shrill cry. He looked up and saw professor Chang running towards him covered in blood. One of his team grabbed Chang while he screamed in terror and Chin sprinted over to the podium. When he saw Dr. Wong's body writhing in a seizure and spitting blood into the air he instinctively took a step back. Chin even let out a small yelp as he watched Dr. Wong stand up slowly, his body shaking so hard it looked like he was in the final stages of a countdown, and walk towards him. He only started screaming when Dr. Wong fell on him, but was abruptly silenced when his esophagus was torn out.
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Two hours and umpteen glasses of water later Elijah's body had cooled down and he realized that he was going to need a cigarette or two before he finally settled down for sleep. He walked outside puffing away and noted that the window on the third floor of Central Court was still open, and the light still on. The thin man wasn't standing there anymore. He supposed every person in their right mind was sleeping now. He went back inside to do the dishes that were left over from the night before and as he locked the door he heard a "tap!"
Did that come from the his door? It didn't sound like it, maybe he was still a little dru...
"tap!"
Elijah felt the bottom of his stomach fall out and his throat tightened. The hotness came back to his body starting from his hears and burning all the way down to his toes. He felt like he was on fire. He grabbed an umbrella and unlocked the door. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep well if he didn't quell his fears before he tucked in. Grasping the umbrella by the opposite end, he felt silly. Any determined criminal would not be stopped by a tired, recovering drunk and his less than adequate weapon. He looked around the house but didn't see anyone, he calmed down a bit but his body was still ablaze. He took a moment to collect his thoughts and looked down at the ground. After a few minutes he didn't hear anything and turned to go back inside.
"Elijah!" He whipped around at the female voice he heard, umbrella raised ready to strike down whatever might be in his...
"Tomoko?" Elijah recognized her almost instantly and dropped his guard. He hadn't been in touch since they broke up and he had hoped it would stay that way. Married women were always more trouble than they were worth. She looked a little different from before, slimmer and her eyes had an attractive intensity that he didn't remember. She had always been cute, but when she sauntered hypnotically towards him he thought she looked absolutely beautiful. She used to walk with that pigeon-toed gait that many girls were afflicted with due to sitting seza-style.
"Tomoko, what are you doing here?" He asked, but he was already getting lost in her eyes. Her lips looked fuller, redder; and her skin was paler than before. She had painted her nails a dark red color and they were long and gorgeous.
"Why Elijah, I just had to see you. I felt so jovial tonight!" Her English had never been this good either.
"I'm very happy for you, but that still doesn't explain why you're here. Shouldn't you be home with your husband?"
"Elijah, we don't have to worry about my husband anymore. I'm afraid he's had..." she struggled to find the right word. "An accident."
"I'm very sorry to hear that, but now is hardly the time to..." A movement out of the corner of his eye distracted him momentarily. Creepy glasses guy was back at the window watching them.
"Now, now, don't you think it's about time we kissed and made up?|" She stroked his face. God her eyes were beautiful, and her hand and nails felts so cool on his burning skin. He had forgotten how uncomfortably hot he had been, but her cool touch seemed to heat him up even more. This wasn't the same Tomoko that he had known, she was too confident, too...
"Elijah, don't you want me anymore?" She purred but her voice betrayed the anger behind the words.
"I, uh...."
"You used me, Elijah! And then you got rid of me!" The tone of her voice was steadily increasing. "I've been used too much!" She screeched and lashed out at Elijah. He jumped back reflexively but her nails scratched into his shoulder. His body erupted in pain and he felt so hot he thought he was going melt. The pain was replaced by an anaesthetic feeling and Elijah suddenly felt faint, the corners of his vision darkened and he struggled to remain conscious. His body crumpled to the ground and his hand released the tip of the umbrella when his back and head thumped against the door propping him up in a sitting position.
"What, what ...are you...doing?" Elijah fought to make a question, speaking had never been so difficult. He watched as her mouth opened and revealed incisors that were unbelievably long. He lifted his hand to ward her off and could barely see it through the darkness that clouded his sight; it looked like it was on fire! Pale blue light cascaded down his hand and arm all the way to his shoulder. More action from Central Court and he looked across the street to see that glasses was now holding the broom like a rifle. He looked back in front of him and saw he was now face to face with a kneeling Tomoko.
Elijah started to pray for the first time in 6 years - Sh'ma Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad.- He was so hot, too hot. Usually when he was this scared he felt cold. The azure waves of light were still washing over him, he could see it right in front of his eyes now. "Huh, I haven't seen anything like this yet! Look, don't worry. I'm just having fun tonight, Elijah. That's no reason for you to change colors on me. It's OK, soon you'll be having fun t..." Her last words were cut short when Elijah thought he heard a gunshot. The blue light disappeared and Tomoko was out of his face but he felt something heavy in his lap. Looking down he saw Tomoko's lifeless body bleeding all over him. His body started to cool, in fact he became extremely cold and started shivering. He looked up and saw that glasses had somehow made it down the stairs and was already hurrying towards him, rifle in hand.
User Reviews
Submitted by notyou (user info) at 2005-07-15 12:16:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by hcp28 (user info) at 2005-07-13 16:07:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Interesting look at the beginning of the pandemic. I agree with caes though I think it could be a bit more stream lined. I like the multiple story lines but it feels like the stories are too wordy.
Submitted by williamson (user info) at 2005-07-05 02:24:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Awaiting more.
Oh, by the way, help me with my jap for a bit....
1)"Tame" - I've always been told this meant "even though" but after hearing a jap song called "Kimi no tame" i can't figure it out. What does it mean? "Even though you" seems to be the only translation i can come up with.
2)"Kedo" - I can't tell you the number of times I've heard the word "desukedo". Maybe this is just Osakanese? At either rate, what does it mean?
Thanks mate. Just two things that have been at the back of my head for a while.
Submitted by Yes (user info) at 2005-06-29 15:17:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
waiting for more...
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-06-28 16:22:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Jungle_Jimanee (user info) at 2005-06-28 10:25:28 (#)
Ranking: 2
Like the way this is going, but agree with the Ceas
Submitted by Jungle_Jimanee (user info) at 2005-06-28 10:25:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Like the way this is going, but agree with the Ceas
Submitted by MrSparkle847 (user info) at 2005-06-28 10:19:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is actually the first After The Pandemic that I've read, and it's pretty good. If I knew the others well enough, I'd imagine you did them justice.
Submitted by supadupapupa (user info) at 2005-06-28 09:59:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
yeah, actually after reading this again I was kind of disappointed at the japan scenes. just need a little more work to make it more interesting.
btw
intro to my piece- http://www.ubersite.com/m/68959
original by Jack M- http://www.ubersite.com/m/61238
and my favorite take so far by thecaes- http://www.ubersite.com/m/68760
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2005-06-28 08:56:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm curious what the deal is with him changing colours. I believe that you were using the parts with Doctor Wong to show what was happening elsewhere to lead up to the ensueing chaos of the pandemic which in my mind sets the scene quite well.
I hope you stick with this because I want to read more of your work and its always good to see someone write something for ATP.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-06-28 07:48:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Something about this bothered me, but I'm not sure what it is. I think it's just not streamlined enough. There's too much exposition involving characters that I think probably aren't going to be around much longer. I think you could get across what you want to get across about the characters without using as many words, that's all.
Interested to see where this is going.
Submitted by stevie_says (user info) at 2005-06-28 04:23:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for ATP. This makes me want to finish mine...but not tonight.
I skimmed a bit and it could've been better, but it's an interesting angle. I'll read the next part for sure.