"Am I alive? Is it safe?"
Moments before the homemade explosives
went off at the base of the Hudson Memorial Building and collapsed the building
in full I wondered that same question though it was not me who said it while
being pinched under several concrete beams and rebar focused to hold the same
said building up.
I sat in a conference room several
stories high above the ground and miles away from the Hudson Memorial Building
as the main presenter—Chuck something—was telling me and my fellow coworkers
the dangers of these times and days. I struggled to listen because my mind was
still getting over the recent loss of my mother and father though it was highly
anticipated.
"Calpurnicus is no longer that one
city beyond the mountains and by the ocean." He said as he passed from
side to side. "We need to think of all the dangers that will follow
out of The Enclave's new decision and we need to consider them quickly."
I rolled my eyes back into my head and
leaned forward in my chair. I was brought out of my spacious nine by twelve
cubicle and thought "I left my work for this?" Several financial
spending cost sheets were due by the end of the day to my boss though I would
could only laugh at what he would say. 'Our clients expect more from us.' Or
'Your work as an employee is unsatisfactory.' I would spit in his face before
he would have another chance to tell me what my father would think but that’s
beside the point. I guess I should rewind things back to a clean
slate.
It was a Tuesday and a few pals of mine
came up to me to talk about a nearby building having its grand opening near the
financial district called The Harvester. It was a simple building that offered
several services and vices so people can relax. Simple enough. Why it was
called a damned "Harvester" was beyond us in the first place but it
offered a fun time and we wanted it almost a little too much. We worked hard
the rest of the day just waiting for the opening of The Harvester.
We skipped our meetings with the rest
of the company and left our underlings do our work. We were already hyped up on
drugs as we headed over to the opening, as we couldn’t wait to give into our
worldly desires as soon as we got off. You could see the building miles away as
it towered over the rest of the skyscrapers in the district. One of my buddies,
Alan, rented us out a limousine so we could arrive in total class. With our
newly pressed suits we exited the limousine and walked up to The Harvester
wondering where all the crowds were.
"The buildings tall enough it
could probably fit everyone who's who inside comfortably." Sorenson said.
"This building is huge!" Said
Jackie. "It takes up a literal block."
"And then some." I followed.
We walked inside expecting wall-to-wall parties but as we passed through the
swinging doors we saw a comfortable lobby with a couple staff digitizing a few
papers behind a large mahogany desk.
"This is The Harvester
correct?" I asked while looking through the lobby seeing if anyone else
was in the room.
"Yes, sorry." Said a lady at
the desk "The Harvester doesn't open for a few more hours."
"No lines for when it opens,
nobody in lobby?" I responded.
"Well I am somebody sir, and at
The Harvester, there is no waiting." I thought for a minute’s time.
"You know, I am a somebody too. Me
and my friends are associates at the Hudson Memorial Building."
"Why didn't you say so? We can fit
in our special clients at any time!"
"Anytime?" I asked
confusingly.
"At any time. Now what are your
names?" I gave her one of my business cards in which was solid beryllium,
light and sturdy. She gazed at it for a moment then took it, typed in some
information and handed it back to me."
"Keep it, so you know I'm
serious." I said. She pulled back and smiled a little bit. She was cute in
a if I was bored point of view. Her skin was soft as I handed her the card
originally. Nails professionally done and clothes that said she was well to do
as well.
"Well okay." She said
chuckling and I laughed along with her as the others handed over their digital
cards which were a fortune themselves but they took them back. "You three
are able to access the all the odd floors between one and thirty five and
ninety nine to one sixty five."
"Why not all of them?" Jackie
asked.
"Every even floor is for staff
only. Kitchens, supply rooms, break rooms, ex-cetera. The other floors are
exclusive to our clients who are able to become a Harvester Club Member or for
short an Executive.”
"Then what about me?" I
asked.
"You Mr. Arastes, are available to
access every floor except the top floor, floor one sixty seven, the even floors
that are designated for staff, and the ladies clubs as you are able to become a
executive."
"Why the hell can he be a club
member and we can't?" Alan said.
"Me. Arastes had been hand
selected by our CEO when The Harvester was being built." She said.
"What makes him so
important?" Alan asked again while folding his arms across his
chest.
"It is not known to me but he has
twenty four hours to make his decision. Now if you would, let me prick your
fingers so you can access the biometric scanners to access the floors of your
choosing." Moments passed as she pricked our fingers and each of us winced
as the device she was holding dug deeper into our skin as it should. "Thank
you." She continued. "To your right are the first class elevators and
to your left are the elevators to reach the executive floors. Mr. Arastes, go
enjoy yourself tonight, if you like our services, come back and sign up. The
night is yours boys." Alan, Jackie and Sorensen mumbled amoungst each
other as we headed to the first class elevators and stood in front of it till
it recognized us and began to light up.
"So where are we going to
first?" I asked.
"I was looking at a map as you
were talking to the hostess. The first fifteen floors are open to the general
public. They are comprised of shopping centers, bars, a hospital and lounges.
There is an info floor on seventeen then proceeded by five bars, four
gentlemen’s clubs and four ladies clubs. The other floors that the three of us
can access are hotel rooms, and conference rooms. The public can access the
regular hotel floors too. The only ones we can't access are about twenty-seven
floors in the middle and the CEOs top floor. All in all, we can access at least
half of the building, three thirds if you don't count the staff floors."
Everyone nodded their heads positively.
"Let's hit the first executive
bar, see what that's like." Jackie said. Everyone agreed and we entered
the elevator. As we situated ourselves I looked for a button to push but there
weren't any. Back-to-back metallic walls and neon lights in every corner of the
elevator.
"Why aren't we moving?" Alan
asked.
"No buttons" I said calmly.
Just then a sliver of a red light scanned the room like we were products.
"Which floor would you like to
access gentlemen?" The voice came from all around us.
"Floor nineteen?" Sorenson
asked confusingly. We stood within the elevator for a few seconds wondering
what was going to happen and then the doors opened. We were on floor nineteen
without even knowing we were moving which was not uncommon but here it was
creepy. Alan pushed us aside and ran out shaking as if bugs were crawling over
his body but we knew he felt the same way we did.
"That creeped the shit out of
me!" Alan yelled. We grunted in unison. "Now where are we?" He
asked. I looked around the stainless steel hallway and pointed at the door at
the end of the hall that looked out of place because it was and old wooden
swinging doors painted red. We moved forward toward the door expecting
something to jump out at us but all we heard was music. Simple rock music got
louder as we moved closer to the door and as we reached the end if the hallway
I realized it was a song I have already heard before. Cautiously I opened the
doors to see; well what you would assume a bar would look like. There were
several areas where people danced several areas where they served alcohol and
other beverages and lounges. There were even areas in which looked like a fine
restaurant where people dined delightfully with each other. It looked like
paradise.
The bar was appropriately named
Paradise Falls and as we grabbed our choices of liquor we sat at a table that
was vacant. We sat quietly waiting for one or another to talk but instead we
all soaked in the atmosphere and sat in shock. The music, the ambiance, the
lighting, everything was perfect. A woman holding out a tray walked up to us
and waited for all of our attention.
"Physic?" She asked. I was loosing
my high.
"What do you have?" I
asked.
"We have your ordinary opiates,
barbiturates, vapors and stimulates and we have other products manufactured
here."
"What are those?" Alan asked
excitingly.
"We have a physic called Haste
which acts as a stronger stimulate than your ordinary products it comes in an
injector and you manually inject it into your bloodstream. We have Sutures in
which are injectable as well and we also have Tycrum in which you smoke."
"What does that do?" Alan
asked.
"It effects everyone differently,
if you want that I would have to take you to another floor in which we would
have to test on you first before you can do it in our bars or clubs. It is the
only substance we offer in which we predominantly control."
"You don't control the
others?" Jackie asked excitingly.
"In order to take a substance we
take a sample of your blood much like the hostess did in the main floor and
check your blood content. It keeps track of your tolerance too. We keep track
of everything."
"Sounds safe." I added.
"Make sure to keep your conduct
orderly. Or else you will be banned from the building. Now what would you
like?"
"Haste." I said.
"Haste." Said Jackie.
"I'll have that as well."
Said Alan. Sorenson was thinking.
"Four more beers," I said
again. "And four shots of your most popular cinnamon whiskey."
"A suture for me." Sorenson
requested. "And something alcoholic flavored with cranberry."
"Pussy." Jackie said.
Everyone laughed.
"Is that it for you
gentlemen?" I nodded and she walked off as a couple of us turned to look
at her backside as she walked away.
"I'd give her an eight."
Jackie said.
"Huh?" Sorenson
grunted.
"That cute little thing that
walked away. An eight!" Jackie said while hitting the table with his
fists.
"Right." Sorenson
responded.
"What the hell is wrong with
you?" Alan asked.
"I'm crashing guys." Sorenson
said.
"Then you should have got some
damn Haste." I said.
"Think we can get some women on
the higher levels?" Jackie asked.
"Good question." Alan said.
"What do you think?" Alan asked while looking at me.
"Let's get ensued first. Then we
will go." Everyone nodded. Just then a device popped out from the center
of the table and it retracted another blood tester and pointed it at Jackie. He
looked back and forth between us and we shrugged. He raised his index finger
and brought it near the device and it pricked him. He winced and the needle
that was poking out retracted and came out again with a clean needle and pricked
the next one of us until we were all done. It went back into the table and four
slots in the table slid under the material of the table and plates with our
chosen physic elevated to the point of the surface of the table. We took our
chosen physic that was in front of us and injected them in our chosen injection
sites. I placed my physic back on the plate and it retracted back into the
table and everyone else followed. Our waitress then walked up to us with our
liquor and placed them in front of us. Gave us a quick smile and walked away.
We were too ensued to speak.
I loosened my tie from my neck and
started to breathe heavy as I began to sweat. I took a shot of the hard liquor
in front of me and shook my head to get a rid of the double vision. I looked
around at my friends and their faces began to turn inside out and then
faceless. The music turned louder as it was faster paced with complex rhythms I
got up and started yelling at everyone but I couldn't hear my voice. Clawing at
my ears I began to draw blood. All of a sudden something pushed me down and I
started to fall down long corridors that were in my office I crashed through a
window and landed back in my seat in which I could see my friends looking at me
with wide grins. I was lost. I looked around the table and there were several
more beers, mugs and shot glasses on the table along with several bags of herbs
in which everyone else have already started smoking. I was ensued beyond no
return.
"We can take our physic up to the
gentlemen’s clubs they have alcohol up there as well." Somebody said. My
friends picked me up and helped me stand as we all stumbled to some central
elevators within the bar. We got scanned we moved up and we arrived to the
club. Having a little more control with my limbs I propped myself up from
leaning in the elevator and walked out to see several naked women handing each
of us a vape. One grabbed my hand and took me into a back room and gave me a
show. She left for a minute and came back with another girl in which they sucked
me off. Afterwards I stumbled back into the main room to see some of my friends
having sex publicly as other women danced on a stage displaying everything they
had. This wasn't a gentlemen’s club, it was a whorehouse.
I listened for music but I was to
ensued to hear anything. Alan poked me and I looked at him to see he was
smoking some illegitimate herbal treatments and let me give it a smoke. It felt
like I was falling to the floor hard as I saw the fine wood floor approach my
face. I didn't remember anything else the rest of the night.
I woke up in a place that was not
familiar in a bed made for a hundred. A few women were in my bed as I looked
around for my clothes. I heard a toilet flush and Alan came out smiling at
me.
"How was last night?" He
asked.
"Spotty." I remarked.
"Are we in one of their hotel rooms?
"Executive hotel rooms and I found
out something, if you become an executive you don't get charged for any
blood!"
"This place is free?" I asked
surprised.
"Yeah, everyone else has to take
those blood tests." I looked at the tips of my fingers and it looked like
a wild animal got its hands on me as I was sleeping but they weren't as bad as
Alan's.
"Gross."
"Just put some of this ointment on
them." Alan said while handing me a black bottle with a red plus on it
after taking some for himself. After applying I noticed my wounds began to heal
unanimously.
"Where are the others?" I
asked.
"In another room."
"What do we owe these girls? I
said as I began to get off the bed.
"Nothing!" He said
while thrusting his arms outward.
"No tips or anything?"
"No! That's the joy of it! They
get paid exclusively by The Harvester and are offered rooms, food, medical
coverage, free entertainment, they get everything they want for just a little
of blood!"
"Wow." I scratched my head.
"It's almost too good to be true." After I showered we left the hotel
room to join back up with Jackie and Sorenson. Neither of which had any remorse
for the previous night. Jackie patted one of the girls on the head then left
with the rest of us. We were late for work though it was not uncommon.
Approaching the elevator Jackie began to speak.
"Are any of you planning on coming
back?"
"I am." I said.
"That's because this sonouvabitch
gets everything for free." Alan said while putting his weight on my
shoulders while pointing at me.
"Seriously?" Jackie
complained.
"Yeah. Because we were with him
everything we did was free." Alan said.
"Well not totally free." I
added.
"Yes." Alan rebutteled.
"We still have to get our blood sampled."
"Thank god!" Sorenson yelled.
"I was so worried about how much everything would cost...how much did
everything cost?"
"Pussy." Jackie called
Sorenson.
"It just costs blood." Alan
said.
"You think Reggie will find out
about last night?" Sorenson whined.
"Pussy." Alan replied.
"If Reggie has a problem with how we conduct ourselves on our time then I
will open my own firm."
"Not like he can stop us
anyway." Jackie said.
"But what about all his senior
employees being late for work?"
"Are you shitting me?" Jackie
yelled. "We all told everyone that were taking the rest of the week
off."
"What the hell?"
"It's okay Sorenson! We did it for
all of us, including you." I said.
"Thank god." He said while
breathing heavy.
"That was too easy." Jackie
laughed. The elevator was opened for a while now, though we didn't enter,
wishing we didn't have to leave. "So what are your agendas today?"
"Might just go back to the office
and say whatever I was going to do was canceled." Sorenson said.
"I was thinking of doing the same
thing, my head doesn't hurt anymore." I said while rubbing my head.
"You know..." Alan said. I
think I am going to stay here, I already have a room for the day, might as well
keep it for a couple more. I can get groceries on the lower floors, there are
really no reason to leave for me, I may just set up in one of the office floors
and do work from here."
"That’s actually a good
idea." Jackie said. "Why go anywhere else?"
"I really should visit
family." I stated.
"Who cares really?" Jackie
asked.
"Well my father has been really
sick and my mom can't take all the weight."
"What about that nurse you
hired?" Alan asked.
"The nurse only help him when my
mother isn't around. She won't let anyone out of the family help for long
periods of time."
"Your a high timing—" I cut
Alan off.
"No, I might be one to love to
indulge but I should really should take some initiative." I walked into
the elevator. "Anyone else?" Sorenson look conflicted about what to
do but Jackie spoke for him.
"Were going to stay here and have
fun. Come on guys." The elevator closed and I stated I wanted to be on the
ground floor. The elevator began to move and within second I was there. Exiting
I saw the same girl at the front desk and walked up to her.
"I never got your name." I
said to her
"You never asked." She
laughed.
"What’s your name
beautiful?"
"Hermione." She
blushed.
"Hermione. What are you doing
tonight?"
"I'm working as a waitress in a
bar on level nineteen. Maybe I'll see you."
"Maybe." I turned around and
headed out the main door to be greeted by sunlight. I got the sunglasses out of
my shirt pocket and put them on then signaled for a cab.
"Mom!" I said as I entered
the front door. "Mother!" The nurse poked her head into the foyer in
which where I was.
"Your mother is in your fathers
room. Something's happened." She said wearily.
"What do you mean?" I walked
past her around the corner and down a hallway. "Mom, we need to
talk." I said as I entered the room. I saw her holding my fathers hand as
she sat beside him with her back to me. All the machines he was hooked up to
were off and I expected the worst.
"He died in the night." She
said.
"Who was with him?" I
asked.
"I was, there was nothing I could
do."
"How did he die?"
"In his sleep, it was quiet, it
was peaceful."
"Why didn't you contact me?"
I said rushing to his other side
"You weren't there before, why
would you be there now?" She said spitefully I wanted to cry but I knew I
was still under the influence, Haste prevented any moisture to be released and
if your body did, it would be blood.
"I came to tell you I wanted to be
more involved." I pleaded.
"Well you are too late. Your
father died knowing you didn't care." She turned her head away from
me.
"I didn't care?" I yelled.
"What about all the money I have you to help pay for his support?"
"Gave it to the less fortunate,
you know your father would want that, we always had enough money for ourselves
after your fathers business." I was frustrated but this wasn't the time or
place.
"May I have some last words?"
I asked.
"No. They will be in vain." I
wanted to cry but I knew better. I left the room and made it for the door out.
On my way I heard the nurse calling my name. I didn't want to answer but I
stopped anyway.
"Sir, I think I should tell you
something that happened last night if you’re willing to hear me out?" She
said while catching up to where I was.
"Yes, yes what is it?" I
asked
"Your father wanted to leave his
inheritance to you but your mother wouldn't let him. She killed him last
night!"
"Why would she kill him while you
were in the house? She knows your a mandatory reporter and that you wouldn't
let this go unsaid."
"She had me leave but I came back
because I left something..."
"Typical. So you just happened to
be in the right place at the right time. What are you getting out of
this?"
"Why would you doubt me? You hate
your mother and you knew that she was capable of this." I wasn't thinking
straight. The drugs were clouding my judgment.
"Okay so she killed him, I don't
get his inheritance. I already have more money than I know what to do
with." I sighed. And began to open the front door
"Your going to let your mother get
away with it?" She yelled.
"I'll think about it." I shut
the door between us and got back into the cab I had waiting for me. If I was to
act on my father’s behalf it would to be to avenge his death not to get the
money. I could spend years duking this out and it will only make my family grow
more apart. If I could kill and get away with it that would be ideal but I'm no
killer. "Take me back to...The Harvester" I said hesitantly. I
thought for a long while about what to do but I never got a conclusion.
Meanwhile I knew my friends were having fun. Maybe I should wash away my sorrow
like the old drinking songs you used to hear. I logged into the infininet
through my portable console and played some old songs from before my fathers
fathers father was born. The cabdriver linked his speakers through the device
and we remised on the old days when things were much simpler.
Approaching The Harvester I put up my
console in my shirt pocket and waited till the cab went to a full stop. I
started to give the driver some money and he pushed it back to me and said
something about I paid with my company. I shrugged it off and gave him the
money anyway. Leaving the cab I looked around to see that it was almost dusk
and I had an odd feeling that it may as well be the last time I would enjoy the
sun beating down on my skin.
Hermione wasn't at the desk anymore so
I suspected she would be at the bar. I began to head to the elevators but
another woman at the front desk yelled my name so I approached the desk.
"Sir it is time to let us know if
you want the executive status." I didn't have a chance to think about it
but there is no denying on what I wanted.
"Yes. I would like that." He
motioned for my hand and took a prick of blood when I handed it to him.
"Ok. You have been cleared for the
additional floors but you need to visit the CEO on the top floor."
"But I thought I wasn't allowed in
that floor."
"Our CEO has made an exception for
you. You won't be able to access any floors till you see him. Over there are
the executive elevators." Pointing to my left. "Only these elevators
will take you to executive floors."
"Ok." I said while heading to
the executive elevators. As I entered a voice started talking about certain
floors in The Harvester talking about specials on alcohol, physic, and sex. It
didn't take long till I reached the top floor and when I did I stayed within
the elevator a while longer. Whoever this CEO was I was no longer sure that
being an executive was a right thing or a bigger vice.
The elevator dropped me off in a large
foyer with marble flooring and balconies hanging over the round entrance. In
front of me was a grand staircase going up to these balconies both to the left
and right and a great big window behind the staircase which opened up to a
large deck area so you could look at the poor people underneath you though I
worried about the gusts of winds that could just very well throw you off your
feet at this height. In front of the winding staircases were two models of
large animals each on their respective side but neither of them looked like an
animal I have ever thought of. One was on its hind legs roaring but looked as
if it was made out of a stone-like material in real life and the other looked
like a formless creature both were painted black. I walked up and onto the
marble floor to get a closer look of these statues but a person started to talk
on an intercom.
"Up the stairs, down the main hall
till you reach the end of the hall. Open the red door, you will know when you
see it." Then it clicked off. I began to head up the stairs to the upper
floor and it was even more finely made than below. I realized there was a
skylight, which showed the great white clouds and the deep blue sky. Every
wall, floor, and ceiling was made out of fine woods dark and light and antiques
littered every corner though it did not look like too much to handle,
everything was perfectly placed. I headed down the main hallway—though there
were several others—the main one had the deep red door. Several paintings were
on the walls on my way their and they looked like mandate photos made by a new
religious movement called The Enclave though it was originally two different
named groups.
The Enclave announced that in this New
Year; "We are going to broaden our horizons." Whatever that means and
to "push forward"—as generic as that sounds. I never wanted to be in
this godforsaken city but I was born into it and once you’re in, going out
isn't an option. The Coram Morte or what I like to call "fanatics"
have ruled over this place for centuries. Being their own domain they created a
theocracy or a religious government. Not everyone has to believe in it and
honestly a lot of people don't but the proof is there. Now starting out, these
people who started The Coram Morte were members of a cult who believed in many
things but all of them revolved around this artifact that was recovered on this
large sized ship that was turned into a sanctuary. This foreign vessel traveled
across the ocean to find god knows what and what they found is, well, a
box. Inside this box its rumored that the bones of the nonbelievers and
the blood of the sacrifices that the religious movement collected towards,
flows within the gears and knobs that rotate constantly within the box. Nobody
knew its true power until these cultists came along. Only the members of The
Enclave only know what it does and nobody is talking. I thought about joining
The Enclave once when I was younger but it wasn't a life I necessarily wanted
to live. Thinking about it now as I am living this pencil-pushing hack of a job
I think life might be better but then again I'm not sure what would be allowed.
For all I know I would have to remain celibate for the rest of my life and honestly
that’s something I don' think that I could give up. Back when this cult found
the box there were no traces of the civilization or bodies anywhere. Its like
they vanished into the air and killed anyone who even bothered to show their
face. Now moving forward several thousands of years their was this man named
Emery Delacroix and he stumbled across The Family—which was a much smaller
group who believed in the same things as the Coram Morte but lived a much
simpler life—and became a member being curious what it was all about. Well he
stole the box gave it to The Coram Morte under the direction of a
Halstein—founding family of The Coram Morte—and he disappeared without a trace
or that’s what I understand. The history sort of vanished after this. There are
rumors of a violent war in which The Coram Morte won but they changed their
direction on the wake of the return of Emery Delacroix. Knowing these things,
as a nonbeliever is exceptionally rare on the fact that all the archives are
locked in a library in the center of the city and the only ones who are allowed
entry are the high elder members themselves.
This prophet, in a manner of speaking,
has come back telling tales of his adventures in a far away land and he's
telling them to the public not just his little cult. Apparently he returned
with a person from the far away land and his beliefs are impacting the public
though I have not heard it from himself. I was now in front of the red door and
it was already opened when I was looking at the old photos. The room was well
lit and bookshelves full of books were on every wall as a desk in the center in
which a man sat.
"Please come in." He said. I
walked in and examined his shelves full of books on psychology and pop culture
alike. "I was gone for a long time, just a way to keep up with the growing
world. Please sit" I walked up to his desk and sat in a fine leather
chair.
"I was thinking you were him but I
wasn't for sure." I said
"And who am I?" He was
intrigued.
"Your the prophet that’s come to
change the world." I said nervously. I looked at the contents on his
desk and there were books about architecture, blueprints and a piece of media
that had the title "Hudson Memorial Building: A Modern Marvel".
"Who am I?"
"Emery Delacroix." I
stated.
"I picked you to become an
Executive because I felt you can get things done with your social
status."
"I am just a businessman."
"Your more than that, you are the
beginning of the beginning of the coming of The Wretched." He grinned with
a sick smile.
"What’s that?" I asked.
"Lets just say its what the old
cults have been worshipping for years, you do know the old cults?"
"Some."
"You shouldn't but I'm not blaming
you for being curious. They thought The Wretched were perfect beings that not
only began life but began the universe itself."
"Did they?" I was
curious.
"That’s besides the point. We want
them to come back?" He said as he stood up and walked on the other side of
the desk where I was sitting.
"Well, why did they leave in the
first place?" I asked impatiently.
"They were taken from us."
"By who?"
"An evil man. As I was saying I
think you’re the man I am looking for." He headed back to his side of the
desk and looked through the bookshelf behind him.
"And what do you want me to
do?" I asked
"That’s also beside the point.
Lets wait till I find out that you are the man I'm looking for."
"How do we do that?" I
asked.
"I want you to go to a Harvester
floor, doesn't matter which and ill be watching to see if you have what it
takes." He grinned again.
"What am I going to expect?"
I asked.
"Your full of questions." I
waited for him to continue. "I'm going to be honest with you, it’s a kill
floor."
"I see." I didn't get uneasy,
I was still curious.
"You will be apart of a dominant
party, you’re not going to be one of the killed." He said.
"That’s relieving." I said
without emotion.
"I want you to kill some of the
cattle, see how you like it."
"Cattle?" I didn't expect
cows.
"Yes, the people who are going to
be killed are called cattle, its best not to see them as a person."
"Because they aren't, they're
cattle."
"Yes. If you have it in you then
we may very well be working together."
"I look forward to it." I
turned around and headed out wondering why I was so easy with him and I
couldn't figure out why as if he had some aura about him.
"One more thing!" He yelled.
I stopped in the doorway. "What you will see down there it wont be
comforting, it very well is not humane, keep an open mind." I continued to
walk out and walked further down the hallway wondering if this was a course of
right action but it would help prepare me for revenge on my mother. Walking
down the stairs I examined the shapeless creature more and touched its stone
sculpture. I felt I was being watched and I felt a crawling under my skin. I
backed away and looked at it towering over me--this wasn't natural. I hurried
to the elevator and told the elevator "Harvester floor".
After leaving the executive elevator I
noticed instantly that I was on a Harvester floor. Like you would imagine what
a place like this would look like I imagined the same. Expecting blood in every
corner and metal instruments made for cutting and torturing. Devilish music
playing tainted with screams of pain and loathing. Hellfire lighting the place
up and devils wandering around laughing at the people's misfortunes. I wasn't
far off. After I passed the classic red door entrance, which always turns to
what you expect it's like I stepped into a underworld. There was a bar and
waiters who served the dominant party. The cattle—as Emery described them—all
had collars around their necks and wrists each with a different symbol on them.
Several were in steel cages around the room and hanging from the ceiling but
they did not cry nor did they scream. It was as if they were trained before the
harvest but when you’re about to die what is it that takes a hold of you?
Reason or Emotion. For some reason I didn't feel sick as if I thought this was
right. As a man who gives into immoral actions as stated by society I still
felt this was somewhat wrong though my conscious doesn't control my body in any
way shape or form.
I walked up to one of the cages and
looked at the creature inside. What it was, was no matter to be cared about by
any reader. I looked at it intensely wondering what it could be possibly
thinking. I rapped on one of the bars but it could not hear me for the room was
loud with dominant and cattle alike.
"Hey!" I yelled. It looked
back at me with what I felt to be remorse but it looked it's eyes didn't
glisten as if it's eyes weren't real. "Come here." It stood up in the
shadows and got a couple steps closer to me. "What's your name?" It
looked at me confusingly not knowing the words that came out of my mouth.
"Can you speak?" It grunted and talked nonsense. No words or
sentences were recognizable in any language, it sounded more like a language
for the dumb. It didn't seem human but I wasn't looking for a justification to
kill it. I waved my hands at a nearby staff member and he came towards me.
"This one." He nodded and opened the cage as the creature left it. I
examined its collar for a name but there were only symbols on its neck and
wrist collar.
"Come with me." Said the
staff member. "I'll get you a room." I wondered how some people
managed to be able to torture their cattle in the center of the room but I
thought they must be more experienced than me. The staff walked me up to
another red door. "This is your room. Make sure to leave it dead, don't
worry about picking everything up when your done, we have staff for
that. The cattle walked in and I followed then the staff member shut
the door then locked it.
The room was dark for a moment but
lights began to warm up and got brighter by the minute. I soon came to find out
I was in a white tiled room with several drains in the floor and mirrors all
around the upper levels in which I figured to be one way as people observed me.
There was another red door on the opposite side of the room and when I opened
the door I noticed there were all the tools were. The door locked as I walked
in and I thought about what to grab. I didn't want it to be messy but I wanted
to enjoy it. There were several rubber aprons in this room and in a conjoining
room were a shower and a bathroom to clean myself up after the fact. I thought
a knife would be just fine so I grabbed a large one with a clean blade on one
side and serrated on the other. I put on an apron and before I left the
prepping room I thought what I was truly doing. I was angry, so might as well
give in. The door unlocked as I got near it and left into the large tiled
room.
The creature stood in the middle of the
room looking oblivious to what was going to happen and I couldn't quite
understand why. I walked up to it with a knife and it looked at me then the
knife then back to me, it didn't even blink. I grew furious to not see a panic
so I shoved it to the ground and its head cracked on the tile as I saw blood
coming out of its skull. To make things not seem as awkward to the spectators I
slashed my knife at its stomach in which sprayed blood and its intestines fell
out. I almost felt sick and I ran back into the prep room to throw up. I was in
here for a while in which I sat in front of the toilet and panicked and grew
more angry. When I was done I walked back into the main room and looked up at
the mirrors.
"Give me another!" a few
minutes went by as I waited and another staff walked up to the front door and
pushed another cattle in I then noticed that the room I was in was completely
quiet till he opened the door in which screams and violence could be heard then
he left the room and locked the room behind him, all was quiet again. "Get
over here!" I yelled at the creature as I grabbed its hair and threw it on
the ground face first. It tried to get up but I stood over it and kicked it
back down onto the floor then stabbed it in the back, it screamed and I stabbed
again and again till it shut up. I noticed I now had blood all over me but I
grew blind to my surroundings. "Give me another!"
Door opened. Another entered. Door
closes. Sat it on a chair. I left to grab a scalpel and an electric saw.
Entered. Cut chest open. Screams. Cut off arm. Screams. Cut off wrist. Screams.
Cut off foot. Seizure. Cut off thigh. Still breathing. Pulled out heart. Waved
it in its face. Dead. Called another. Door opened. Another enters. Door closes
Grabbed nail gun. Enter. Nailed to wall. Agony. Beheaded. Dead. Called
another. Door opened. Another enters. Door closes. Place sharp objects on wall.
Throw cattle towards wall. It screams. I tear it of. Disfigured. Stabbed.
Dead. Called another. Door opened. Another enters. Door closes. Grab
hammer. Enter. Hit it with blunt weapon. Instantly dead. Called another.
Door opened. Another enters. Places on table. Slowly dissects it till it dies.
Dead. Called another. Door opened. Another enters. Staff makes funny
remark. We laugh. Door closes. Play with it mentally. It cries. Cut its wrists.
It bleeds out slowly. Dead. Called another. Door opened. Another enters. I
recognize this one. It’s Hermione.
"What are you doing here?"
She didn’t talk. Hermione looked around in the now blood covered room and like
the others. "What’s going on Hermione? Why are you here?" I got close
to her and started to shake her shoulders. "Talk to me!" She grunted
like the others and started to whine and then I saw it, her tongue was cut out
but not recently, it looked as if it had years to heal and it was something
that proved that this thing was not the Hermione I knew but I still couldn't
kill her. I walked to the door out and tried to open it but of course it was
locked. A man spoke over the intercom.
"You must kill everything you are
given, there is no way out until you do so." I forgot the rules though it
was understandable for this being my first and most likely only day I would
stay on a Harvester floor. I looked at her and she at me and she knew what was
going to happen and began to cry. I couldn't stand it and I thought of the most
humane way to kill her but this was not known to me. I thought of slitting her
wrists like I did to one just moments ago but that is a very slow death. I
thought of stabbing her in the heart but much like the other, she would have to
bleed out first. Slitting her throat would make her choke on her own blood,
very painful but quick but then I thought of the perfect way. I would snap her
neck and her death would be an instant. I walked behind her and began to cry
myself.
Wiping off my hands as I left the room
and I ran through the crowd of killers and victims to atone to my very own sin.
Everything slowed down around me as I continued forward and I wondered if this
was all real or if this was a lie. I have seen people being torn to pieces by
the grasp of another man, I have hallucinated my own demons and I have killed
the very thing that I loved. I was unsure what was the truth and I would only
know if I would continue forward through the deep red doors and corridors of
The Harvester myself with no one else beside me. Before I knew it I was in the
elevator and the doors shut leaving the chaos on the other side leaving me
alone in a small metal box.
"Floor nineteen." Seconds
proceeded and I was there. I looked around desperately looking for Hermione
wishing that what I killed were something else. People who walked past me were
just flickers of lights leaving light trails behind them mixing everything
together like a obscure painting. I started to panic as I pushed through people
and I realized I was now on one of the dancing floors. People looked at me and
kept their distance as others raised their hands to the sky, as the music grew
louder. I thought quickly thinking one had a weapon and I began to scream but
no one could hear me. I fell to my knees and covered my ears as others built
around me trying to help me out while they touched me with their greedy fingers
feeling me as if I was a god. Soon everything came back and I stood back up
confused. Only a select few stayed around to help me but the rest have left the
dance floor as the music was at an intermission. They asked me if I was ok or
if I was hurt. Others claimed that I was covered in blood and I looked down to
my clothes and I was. I never cleaned up leaving blood all over my face, hands
and others parts of my body. People started asking if I needed to go down a few
floors to the hospital but I didn't respond because I was still worried about
Hermione. I walked away from the people and pushed them away as I started
walking to one of the bar areas on the floor and I saw my friends.
My friends were laughing as Alan told
jokes to the rest of them as they drank their beers took their physics and lived
their simple lives as I stumbled towards them. Soon one of them saw me and they
all started to panic as they started to see that I was covered in blood. They
ran towards me ungracefully and Sorenson caught me as I began to fall to the
floor. I didn't see Hermione, she had to be dead and I killed her with my own
bare hands feeling her neck snap as is reverberated through the airwaves and
into my own mind. Knowing what I had done I began to cry again and screamed out
and people then started to notice me and freak out to the sight of blood all
over me. My friends started to ask me what happened and I spoke in short
sentences managing what I could to tell them what a Harvester floor was. They
did not understand but a few words stood out to them. Soon armed men rushed out
of the elevators and towards us pushing the crowd and my friends away and
grabbed my arms to pull me away. I screamed louder and began to kick my feet
but I was already being dragged. I closed my eyes wishing everything would go
away but then I heard a distinct voice yelling. I opened my eyes wondering who
it was and it was as if there was a light in the darkness. Being framed
perfectly in my vision I saw Hermione all dressed up by my friends looking
worryingly at me and the situation till metal doors closed in front of me
severing my view. She was alive and that’s all that counted. She was alive.
When the doors opened up I was on
Emery's floor. He stood on the staircase in between the strange statues that
looked like no other creature I have seen. In his hand was a hand crafted box
made of fine wood and intricate pieces of metal. I could see it shine from
across the way. The armed thugs pushed me forward out of the elevator and onto
the marble flooring which now has a thin layer of a clear substance between the
marble and my feet. Several people came out of a room carrying wooden
furniture. A low table, a podium and a small star shaped piece of wood that
looked like it would hold something that was very small and they placed them
inbetween us. Starting with Emery, there was the podium, the star shaped piece
of wood and then the table long ways between us.
"I didn't think you would get
Bloodlust this fast, we need to get it under control." Emery said.
"I'll start with The Solitary"s Folly." He began to speak
another language that I did not quite understand but it sounded like a
primitive version of my language. He began to yell louder between verses and I
was picked up by a couple of people which placed me on the low standing
table.
"Don't make us hold you
down." Said one of the men. I didn't struggle. Emery walked down the
stairs as he continued and then placed the box on the star shaped piece of
wood.
"You are in an alley. You hear a
man scream for help and you walk to him. He dies before your eyes, he is only
mortal." I looked around and others gathered around me. They chanted a
tune. "Now your in a meadow, you can see and smell everything mother
nature has given us but it is only mortal. You set fire to the field and hang
yourself on the tree."
"Now you are on a boat. A man and a woman
are getting tossed by the sea. You let them stay on your boat but they are only
mortal! You shoot the woman first and approach the man! You need to devour his
soul. Seven. Sixteen. Six. Twenty-one. Fourteen. She would be proud! Fire! End
the mans story! Take his life to lengthen yours! She is waiting for you! Black
and Grey! Become salvation! Make her proud!" Everything was quiet
and as I laid I wondered what was going on around me, I turned my head to the
right and I didn't see a soul left in the room. I then turned my head to the
left and out of the corner of my eye I saw movement moving behind me. I got up
into a sitting position to look behind me but a sharp pain thrust itself into
my back. I yelped and felt my back to feel moisture advancing all over me. I
brought my hand in front of me to notice it was blood. Just then a darkness
took over the room and it blocked the lights of the city coming in from the
windows and the starlight from above. The lights did not dim but became blocked
by a figure between the light and me. I felt another pain across my face I felt
and there was even more blood that felt like gushing out of my cheek. As it
bled it began to burn not only in the wound but also somewhere deep inside of
me. It was as if I can feel it burning past my back and into the unknown but
that was where my body did not travel. It was as if it was a aura that was just
outside my body all around me but deep within as well. I thought of emotions
that felt just a bit similar and I thought of heartbreak but heartbreak did not
compare enough to the feeling I was witnessing before me. It was not only
damaging my body but my mind as well. I thought of the existence of a soul as
the pain grew within me and wondered if that was the very thing that was being
damaged within me and I thought it was that very thing even though I did not believe
in the quality of souls any seconds before.
I was now standing looking at the box.
Black vines of what I felt to be corruption incarnated traced itself out of the
now open box. I looked closer to the box and it looked as if black-like blood
bubbled to a hard boil within the box as the small gears rotated being
lubricated by the darkness, as we know it. The vines grew by the minute and
crept toward me. I took a few steps back and several to the side but it
backtracked then flowed in my direction I began to panic and ran to the
elevator hoping it would see me approach it but it did not open nor did it
light up to even notice I was there. I then turned around to see myself covered
in black goo but my face was paler than the brightest side of the moon and my
eyes were blackness sucking in the remaining light that was left inside of me.
I was not looking in a mirror but at another self I stepped around it and it
turned itself to look at me. I felt like praying but I did not know whom to, it
was all foreign to me but there was a light in the darkness. I looked toward
the podium and I saw something sparkling on it. I looked at the mutated image
of myself then sprinted to the podium. Blackness tried to hold me still but I
pushed through it as it stuck to my skin and clothes. I fell short of the
podium and I looked up to see how much farther it was away from me and it was
not far. I began to rip off parts of clothing in which the blackness was
sticking to and I pushed forward. The statues were still in their retrospective
places but they were now looking at me—at least it felt like it. I could see
their necks turning as I advanced closer to them and they stepped off of their
own podiums and walked towards me. The ground began to shake and I fell again
just inches shy of the wooden podium and I crawled with the last bit of my
strength.
On the alter was a circular mirror with
a handle made entirely out of silver. I looked into the mirror to see my
reflection as it was before. I then looked down to myself and I found out that
there was only one me the whole time and that I was already infected my the
blackness that covered the room. I felt nothing as the goo crawled up the walls
and dripped down from the ceiling. No fear but no love as well. I was a machine
built for the good work of The Enclave's bidding. I became something I did not
desire to be. Some will view me as a tool but all I see in myself is something
gaudy and wretched. I looked at the mirror again and my reflection was no
longer there. Disappointed I dropped the mirror to the ground and it shattered
on what was left of the sacred ground. I looked at the little sharp pieces and
I wished to snuff it, everything that had happened to me. I leaned down to grab
a piece and made sure it really was sharp and not just a falsification and I
cut my hand to see the last of my red blood leave my body as it turned slowly
to black. I began to cut my wrists hoping I would bleed out fast enough but it
was not. I then stabbed myself into my chest hoping I would pierce my heart but
it was not enough so I cut my throat and blackness bled out uncontrollably but
it was something I had control over for once. I soon passed out and enjoyed the
darkness but it was not the end, nor was it the beginning. It was the beginning
of the beginning of life, as we knew it.
Remember me
