After the Pandemic: Charlotte (introduction) (651 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 2 on 12 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by stardamage (View user info) at 2005-09-06 22:29:06 EDT
(Note: If you've read the other stuff I've done for this series: yes, Charlotte Aurelian is one and the same in both stories, and it's going to follow the same basic idea. I just got bogged down writing the other one and thought a different perspective might be interesting. It's not necessary to read the others before this one.)
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The sky was that weird color it gets before a hard rain, when you know that the clouds that have been teasing for the entire afternoon aren't kidding around anymore and now it's only a matter of time. The sunlight was the color that happens just as the it reaches its warmest light, and whenever it hits someone's eyes in a certain way they look more alive, and when it hits the autumn trees they burst into fire on the mountain.
The clouds behind the mountain and the trees before it, the dark grey and the blazing red, it was a really beautiful picture. Combine it with the dark water of the river I was sitting at and I wasn't really able to think anything much; I just put my foot in the cold water and leaned back against the tree on the bank, watching some football players run towards the water upstream from me to cool off after practice.
*
I don't remember what exactly I was thinking about but I don't think I'll forget the sun and the clouds and mountain and water anytime soon. It's the only thing I remember about those days that struck me enough to stick with me this long. Strange that the only thing that stuck with me would be the one thing that I could see again if I really wanted to; but I guess I'll never know how the mind works. Wouldn't want to, considering everything that's happened. Some things are too terrible to think about, if you know what I mean, and if you don't, well...you're one of the lucky ones, I guess.
I mean, of course I remember other things. I remember my family and friends and stuff, and my dogs and teachers and sometimes faces will flash into my head of guys I thought were cute, and girls I thought were mean, and various rivalries and alliances and all the rest of it. I mean, jesus. I haven't forgotten what it's like to live with other people. I haven't forgotten society, either. I still remember hot water from taps, and electricity, and television and the internet, and cell phones and staplers, radiators, laundry detergent, iPods, flipflops, lip gloss, deodorant, bells between classes, fake IDs and all the rest of it. I remember that; it's not like in the movies I used to watch where someone got deserted on an island or something and all of a sudden they didn't know how to do anything anymore.
It's just that sometimes you forget how things used to fit into your life, after they've been gone so long. At first, yeah, of course you're wishing that the TVs in the electronics store in the mall still worked, because it would be cool if you could watch that show you always used to in there with all the comfy high-tech chairs. And then you remember there's no TV, or electricity at all, and then you remember that even if the show were on you don't have anyone to discuss it with.
It's little things like that after you think you've gotten used to the big picture that kind of bring it all back. Walking through department stores filled with clothes and thinking, I could wear that prom dress and bike down to the lake and swim in the algae in it and no one would care because there are no more proms. And no one to care, really.
Back again to those movies I used to watch and books and stuff (well, I still read books all the time, but that's beside the point): there was always the worry that, on your own, you'd get injured or sick or something with no one to care for you. Someone always sprains an ankle or something, or gets sick and it's a big deal because there's no one around to help.
Let me tell you something; living this way...it's not difficult, at least not as difficult as everyone seems to think it should be. If I run out of medicine here, I walk down to the pharmacy and pick up some more. If that were to ever run out (and it won't, because there is so much medicine in there it will last me years) there's another one the next town over I can bike to. Same thing for other medical supplies. There's a hospital not too far from here. I've got first aid books from the library that I read all the time so if I were to break a leg or something, I'd know what to do. I've prepared for that and I've got all these little stations scattered around in my little shelters just in case something goes wrong. I don't expect it to, though. Things are pretty quiet for all that.
I also read on the Internet, before everything, about how some people are completely self-sufficient by growing their own food and stuff. That's good for them and I really admire that, but I don't really need to do all that because the grocery stores have all kinds of canned and dehydrated stuff. There's also a mountain store in town that I've been to loads of times and it's got all kinds of handy stuff; water purifying tablets and shit like that. Stuff for hardcore hikers before, stuff for normal people now. Which I guess is lucky because I was a city girl, not a farmer.
*
I guess I should have gotten to the introduction stuff earlier but I didn't think it was really important; all you need to know I guess is that I'm eighteen now, but I was seventeen when the storm hit, as they say. I was in a boarding school in New England when all of it happened, which probably saved my life but who knows. It sure didn't save anyone else's life there, but I think it might have helped me. I'll get to that later, I guess, because I don't want to jump ahead.
My name was (still is, I guess) Charlotte Aurelian. I was born in Philadelphia and lived there when I wasn't at school. My mom was named Juliette Bouvier; she was French. My dad was American; his name was Mark Aurelian. They were thirty nine and forty two when they died, or at least when I stopped hearing from them.
My mom was on the way to pick me up, by the way. It wasn't their fault that they couldn't reach me. Just wanted to clear that up first. I'll get to the details later but I don't want any of you thinking that they didn't try, because they did.
Anyway, I can't really imagine you'd want to know much more about me. When you read other historical records and biographies and things, you don't care about what their pets' names are, or where their favorite place is, or their favorite sport. You just want the facts.
So here I go.
User Reviews
Submitted by Spam (user info) at 2005-10-20 09:05:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
If you come with anything close to this for our little GrUeberfest sideline thingy, I'm gonna get my ass handed to me.
really nice.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-09-07 14:35:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
nice start
Submitted by Professional_Peon (user info) at 2005-09-07 11:43:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Don't go to the mall. ALL THE ZOMBIES ARE AT THE MALL!!
<hides eyes>
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2005-09-07 10:53:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very Cool
Submitted by nrduncan (user info) at 2005-09-07 10:10:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2005-09-07 09:02:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-09-07 08:47:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-09-07 07:28:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You know, the fourth wall...the wall that seperates the reader from the story. Or something. I'm not exactly sure.
Way to expose my ignorance!! Now we are enemies.
Submitted by stardamage (user info) at 2005-09-06 22:59:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I honestly just wrung this out about an hour ago; this is the first draft so obviously there are going to be some holes.
That said, I'm still working on her voice and all. I'm really not used to working in the first person for fiction. I'm hoping to have it ironed out by the next one. Thanks for the patience and criticism and all.
Caes:...what about the wall?? Oh dear.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-09-06 22:53:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked the survivalist perspective. No zombies or vampires in this one, just a very un-flowery description of life after the world ends. Neat.
I thought you said 'the mountains and the grass and the clouds' and so forth one too many times. And near the end when she begins talking to the reader, I didn't like that for some reason.
YOU BROKE THE FOURTH WALL!! THEY DONT' GROW ON TREES YOU KNOW!!
Submitted by starshine (user info) at 2005-09-06 22:42:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice :)
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2005-09-06 22:41:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Its very awesome that there is a revival of ATP. There were a couple of minor typos and stuff (believe me I'm no saint either) but it didn't detract from this being a very enjoyable read. I look forward to the next instalment.