Chapter 6 – Part 1 (639 hits)
Category: GeneralLabels: Chapter6
Rating: 2 on 23 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Nath (w_t_a_y_s_t_r_m) (View user info) at 2006-07-11 09:58:38 EDT
A few days ago I decided that work was too boring, and that I needed to go out for a cigarette. Because everyone knows that smoking on a stick of condensed disease is the best time filler available to a civil servant living in the country.
So I went out the fire exit and stood in the smoking shelter for the too-few minutes that it took to choke one of the things down. While I stood out there I marvelled at how many flies, wasps and other stupid flying things managed to find their way into the plastic shelter, and yet never managed to get back out, instead spending days just flying into the same piece of clear plastic.
I finished my cigarette, stubbed it out in the tall ashtray and then went to walk out of the shelter. Then, like one of the many bugs I had insulted before, I walked straight into the clear plastic wall next to the entrance.
My head banged into the pane and my vision was dashed with a flash of white, which quickly faded down to multi-colour dots as I stumbled backwards and then out of the actual doorway. With my head throbbing slightly, I made my way up the short flight of wooden steps and back into the building.
There were three thuds, as the heads of the three people working in the outer office suddenly slumped down onto their desks. These were three of the people I knew the best in the building, so I was use to them constantly taking the piss, and therefore found it easy to ignore.
But, just in case they thought they had won, I picked up an elastic band from the counter top and fired it at Tina in the corner. As always it missed, but I felt like I'd managed to regain a small victory over them.
---
About fifteen minutes later I stuck my head out of my office to ask Caroline if she could find a file that I needed, but they all still had their heads down on their desks. Either they were truly dedicated to the joke, which wasn't really that funny to begin with, or something was truly up.
Looking around cautiously I moved around the counter and walked towards Jane, the one who was closest to me. Picking up a ruler, I nudged it into her squishy side. There was no reaction.
So I pressed it a little harder and there was still no reaction. Getting a little more concerned I slapped the ruler hard over her head. Absolutely nothing.
Now I was feeling truly freaked out, so I just grabbed her shoulder and shook her hard. Instead of waking her from her deep sleep, her shoulder just seemed to crumble underneath my grip, leaving her arm hanging limply in her sleeve.
I didn't know whether I should throw up or laugh. So I kind of did both, as the mostly skeletal arm slid down the rest of the sleeve and crumpled up on the floor in a pile of bone dust and skin flakes.
As the small shot of vomit erupted out of my mouth and landed over the back of Jane's head, her head began to roll sideways. But didn't stop, as her the neck didn't catch it. There was a dull thud as her head landed on the floor.
The last thing I remember seeing before passing out was the top of Jane's spine, gently wither away.
---
I don't know how much later it was when I woke up on the floor of the registry, but it must have been at least a couple of hours. As I got to my feet I began to notice the trail of bodies that were lining the area behind the counter.
The first few were other people who worked in the building. Near and on top of them were the bodies of the security personnel who worked on the camp, and then furthest away were the emergency services.
Steadying myself, and refusing to look at the varying states of decay the bodies were in, I stepped around, desperate to get some fresh air to try and clear my head and figure out what was going on. At one point I accidental trod on a hand, which just shattered beneath my foot.
I made my way to the fire exit, where I staggered out onto the small platform at the top of the steps and instantly coughed in what felt like the freshest air I had ever tasted. In my desperation to inhale as much clean air as I could, I failed to notice that the building was now surrounded by barriers and cones, with tape stretching between them with the word "Quarantine" printed in thick, red writing.
Stood behind these barriers were stood numerous people, some looking proper scientists, others looking like they had just stepped out of a science fiction film.
"Freeze!" An amplified voice echoed its way around the silent area. "You are in a quarantined area."
"No shit..." I muttered under my breath. "What's going on?" I called across the empty distance.
"We're not sure." The loud voice responded. "Do you feel okay?"
Thinking about the people inside, who seemed to be in a much worst condition than me, I answered comparatively. "I'm fine."
"We're sending someone over to check you out and see if you're infected."
"Infected with what?"
"We don't know."
I was confused as to what tests they would carry out, but I ignored it, as the science fiction looking scientists, dressed in the ET catcher suits stepped past the barrier and began walking steadily towards me.
When they were about six feet away from the building one of them stared at me. Through clear mask that was covering his face I could see a sudden panic in his eyes, as he suddenly dropped to his knees, and then onto his face. His partner fell before he even hit the floor.
Everyone watching panicked, including me, as I began to walk down the steps towards everyone else who was safe.
"FREEZE!" The voice shouted the command at me this time.
I skidded to a halt at the bottom step.
From the crowd that had moved further back from the barrier I heard hushed whispers and panicked discussions, all eyes fixed on me. Never feeling quite so isolated before I struggled to contain myself from shouting or crying or just acting out in general.
"It looks like you're the problem." The voice said, slightly calmer this time. "We think you must carry the infection, but be immune to it."
"That's ridiculous!" I shouted, knowing full well that it wasn't.
"We're going to sort something out." The voice said. "Don't move or we will be forced to bring you down."
His words sounded a little action hero for my liking, but I knew he was trying to emphasise his point. I sat down on the bottom step and fumbled around inside my pocket for another cigarette.
As the group of people stood talking hurriedly a fly absently flew nearby and landed on a step a little further up than me. There he just sat and looked at me.
"Why aren't you dying, then?" I looked at the fly, feeling curious and suddenly certain that I couldn't be carrying any disease.
Then the fly was joined by another, who just sat right next to the first and looked towards me as well. I stared back, taking another long, slow drag on my cigarette.
---
The people over by the barrier hadn't noticed, but by the time I discarded the butt of the cigarette, the entire third step was covered by flies, all sat calmly looking at me.
I had been captivated by the arrival of them all, one by one, lining up in ranks of an unnatural looking order for flies. At one point I had waved my hand near to them, but it hadn't fazed any of them. The whole thing had nearly distracted me from the horror inside.
"You need to come with us." Every single fly must have spoken the words in unison at me. I nearly suffered a heart-attack at that moment. The buzzing words had a sharp edge to them, making them sound quite threatening.
I just sat still, unable to move.
"I said," The group repeated. "You need to come with us."
"I can't." I said, instantly feeling stupid.
"You must." This time the threat in the voice was definitely intentional. "You have no choice in the matter." Again I just stared at them. "You must come with us."
"Who are you?"
"Who I am is of no concern of yours." The buzzing was getting louder. "Now come with us."
"What are you? An 'I' or an 'us'?"
"Both." The flies began to lift off the ground. "Now follow."
In a neat line the flies began to move away slowly. It was like watching a trail of ants crawl along a picnic blanket in mid-air. "Or you will never find out why you are killing everyone."
"If I move I'll kill a lot more." I said as the last few lines of flies began to move away.
"If you don't move," The collective voice was beginning to sound distant. "You'll be joining them."
I never thought of myself as selfish, or even cowardly, but that moment clearly defined me to myself. In fear of my own life, I sacrificed many others in the true belief that the flies had the ability to follow through with their threat.
Sprinting after the end of the line, which went directly through the crowd, people were dropping all over the place, clearly infected with whatever I was carrying. But whatever it was, it was clearly changing me. As more people died I felt less and less feeling towards them.
By that point it no longer mattered to me if they died. And it wasn't even a case of saving my own life. It was more an apathy towards life in general, not caring about the bodies that were decaying around me already and barely noticing all the grass that shrivelled beneath my feet as I ran after the flies.
The only real feeling I felt at that moment was a curiosity as to why people were dying. There wasn't even a desire to stop it.
User Reviews
Submitted by Professional_Peon (user info) at 2006-07-18 15:41:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I somehow missed this
I <3 Nath
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-07-12 11:27:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hopefully future ones will read better and start to clear things out
------------
I have little doubt that they will.
It's probably just the expectation level too. When I click on one of your posts I expect a certain thing and 99 times out of 100 I get it. When some of the lines are written in a way that you would expect to read on every other post on Uber its a little dissapointing.
But please don't take that to be a bad thing. You have a very unique style and make fairly simple story lines interesting, funny and leaving us wanting more.
This just had a 'momment' where I could have been reading anyones post.
Submitted by w_t_a_y_s_t_r_m (user info) at 2006-07-12 10:59:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-07-12 10:51:06 (#)
Ranking: 2
I thought the whole chat with the flies on the steps read a little badly. Almost like a B-film scrip.
It also lacked your usual wit and one liners.
I know you've stated in one of the reviews that it's serious but it's lacking a little 'Nath' in some way.
Having said that there is no way i'm doing anything other than +2ing this.
---
I think I know what you're saying. It took a lot of effort for me to break a habit and suddenly have something stupid suddenly happen. I was a bit reluctant to even have me walking into the window pane.
And I also know what you mean with the flies, but that is also a very relevant element of the story.
Hopefully future ones will read better and start to clear things out
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-07-12 10:51:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I thought the whole chat with the flies on the steps read a little badly. Almost like a B-film scrip.
It also lacked your usual wit and one liners.
I know you've stated in one of the reviews that it's serious but it's lacking a little 'Nath' in some way.
Having said that there is no way i'm doing anything other than +2ing this.
Submitted by w_t_a_y_s_t_r_m (user info) at 2006-07-12 10:35:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by sinna (user info) at 2006-07-12 10:23:31 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by w_t_a_y_s_t_r_m (user info) at 2006-07-12 08:48:33 (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by sinna (user info) at 2006-07-12 06:54:59 (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm a little confused. Is there a chapter 1-5 for this? It seemed like the begining to me.
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The series title is Chapter 6 and this is the first part. Second part in a little while
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Oooohhh... How random.
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It's called that for a reason, which will be revealed in either the next part, or the following one
Submitted by sinna (user info) at 2006-07-12 10:23:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by w_t_a_y_s_t_r_m (user info) at 2006-07-12 08:48:33 (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by sinna (user info) at 2006-07-12 06:54:59 (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm a little confused. Is there a chapter 1-5 for this? It seemed like the begining to me.
---
The series title is Chapter 6 and this is the first part. Second part in a little while
----------
Oooohhh... How random.
Submitted by Nellypaal (user info) at 2006-07-12 10:04:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2006-07-12 09:24:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I like.
Submitted by hour_man (user info) at 2006-07-12 09:07:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by w_t_a_y_s_t_r_m (user info) at 2006-07-12 08:48:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by sinna (user info) at 2006-07-12 06:54:59 (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm a little confused. Is there a chapter 1-5 for this? It seemed like the begining to me.
---
The series title is Chapter 6 and this is the first part. Second part in a little while
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2006-07-12 07:22:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Damn you for being good.
-Dave
Submitted by sinna (user info) at 2006-07-12 06:54:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm a little confused. Is there a chapter 1-5 for this? It seemed like the begining to me.
Submitted by alwayspeach1 (user info) at 2006-07-11 14:49:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I really liked this. I'd like to see it continue.
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2006-07-11 12:37:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Lord of the Flies?
Submitted by DCWoody (user info) at 2006-07-11 11:51:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This was serious?
OK
I've gotta go and judge a wet tshirt competition. Bye now
Submitted by Ducky (user info) at 2006-07-11 11:50:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Captivating and well written.
Submitted by w_t_a_y_s_t_r_m (user info) at 2006-07-11 11:37:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by DCWoody (user info) at 2006-07-11 11:18:19 (#)
Ranking: 2
Chapter 6? Damn It I thought the zombies were back. I guess you've just run out of zombie related jokes huh?
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No the zombies will make a return. Just thought I'd try something a little serious for a change, mainly to see if I actually can
Submitted by Susie_Derkins (user info) at 2006-07-11 11:28:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You're so unusual. Can't wait for the next part.
Submitted by DCWoody (user info) at 2006-07-11 11:18:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Chapter 6? Damn It I thought the zombies were back. I guess you've just run out of zombie related jokes huh?
Submitted by firefly (user info) at 2006-07-11 10:58:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by phuzzygish (user info) at 2006-07-11 10:40:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I agee with the filename, becasue it's a helluva start...
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2006-07-11 10:36:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I like it. I like it a lot.
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2006-07-11 10:23:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Bravo, I enjoyed this very thoroughly, now only if Dipo will stop.