章節 1: Chapter 1 I meet a talking skeleton
I stare at the sky, pondering what I will do when I arrive at the Laboratory. It has been 50 years since World War 3 ended in 2042, with the result of it being utter destruction on a worldwide scale. My name is William Fresco, an Italian Diplomat visiting a research facility in North America called Lab 081. After the war, America split in two, the former members of the Republican Party have established East-America in the deep south and east coast, while the former Democrats have established West-America on the West Coast and parts of the Midwest. If you haven't guessed already, I'm here to meet the East-Americans.
The ship had landed a couple of hours ago, and I was trekking along the large green hills. Every so often I would see craters, destroyed vehicles and other remnants of the war. Huh, this place… it really used to be beautiful, didn't it? I thought. My stomach was growling, and I regret not bringing more things. I had a satchel around my shoulder that had a couple of granola bars, a water bottle, and a journal. Probably not the best supplies if I'm meant to be a diplomat.
Regardless, I had to focus on the task at hand. Italy was one of the few countries that could recover from the War, mainly because we had mostly tried to stay out of it. Few buildings and people in America survived, but there were 50 laboratories in total residing in East-America, testing on actual people. The Italian Government was pretty y'know… freaked out, as anybody would be. However, even fractured America is still powerful and we consider them valuable, hence the purpose of my trip.
I was meant to arrange peace with the East-Americans, writing up a treaty and discussing with them about the future rebuilding of their side of America, if it happened. As a diplomat I represent Italy. I am Italy personified, okay maybe that's a stretch. Regardless, I had to get to Lab 081 -- to which at first I asked my boss about -- because there's only 50 labs. He then explained they're named based on dates, so that helps but at the same time leaves me with more questions. More importantly, to me at least, is my identity. I don't know much about my parents, but I do know they are linked to America, and my real goal is to find out as much as I can about them, and hopefully answer the question I've had since I was a child… Who are my parents?
Bored, I started eating one of the granola bars and daydreaming. I didn't realize it until a millisecond before, but there was a rock. Remember that rock I just talked about a sentence ago? Yeah, my foot and that rock had a very interesting relationship. For all you math nerds, the sum of my foot and a rock is…
Me falling flat on my face and moaning and groaning, dipping my granola bar (and face) into a nice puddle of chocolate. Oh wait, that's mud. Now, if I was 5 years old I would have started wailing. Lucky for me, I'm 17 -- so I instead started sobbing. Coated in chocolate-- nope, it's still mud --I walked over to a spring. I dunked my face and torso in the spring, turning it to a brown tint.
"Huh, it's just like when you pour chocolate cereal into your milk." I muttered to myself, before regaining my composure and counting my bearings. Yep, I had everything. Now, to walk! How fun!
I was walking for what felt like hours, bored out of my mind, when I noticed a smoke trail in the sky. I squinted, and rubbed my eyes making sure it wasn't just mud covering my eyeballs.
"Nope, that's smoke if I've ever seen it. (I have)" I said, waltzing on over.
"Oh, that's a chain link fence." I was staring at a very tall fence in the face. The trees were taller, but I wasn't sure if I could fully count on my dexterity to carry me through this first task. Without any fear (okay, maybe a little) I grabbed the trunk of the tree and started jumping-- no, humping--up it. I sighed, angry now. I attempted again, scooting my butt and legs up. I got an inch up before my legs and arms got tired, and I released them. I considered attempting to climb the fence, but quickly reconsidered when I saw the barbed wire and a rabbit being fried when it tried the same tactic.
I realized that I would either have to climb the trees, or adapt otherwise. I preferred the latter, as I wasn't even sure I would be able to leap over the fence if it was that high. I planted my foot on the tree, latching and grabbing at a branch. I managed to crawl up into a small nook of the tree, resting. I sidestepped to the next branch, splinters cutting into my palms. With a sudden crack the branch broke under my weight, and I let out a shrill cry as I fell over the other side of the fence, blood coursing through my veins as I groaned and a series of sharp exhales escaped me. There's blood everywhere, my vision is blurry. I cry out, in pain with no idea what to do. I attempt to stand up, but I go limp. I resist the urge to look at my arms and torso which are likely battered now. I let out a guttural scream, the crimson juices giving my shirt a nice new color. I manage to get up, beads of sweat all over my forehead, gagging on the ground.
I grab at the dirt, pulling my body ahead to a nearby lake as I scream and shout as loud as I can. I can feel the mud running through my wounds, screaming in tortuous pain. Now I can feel my hands in the water, my heartbeat slowing down as I crawl through the dirt. I submerge myself in the lake, heat and comfort pouring through me. I crawl out, only to realize my wounds are gone. I puke immediately after, staggering around the forest while I am covered in water.
I can make out a figure walking towards me, he has bushy eyebrows and a lean and slender build. His lips are chapped, and his eyes seem to tell a story in itself. He holds onto what looks like a lumberjack's axe. He stares at me with what I can only guess is murderous intent.
"Who are you?" He asks, his voice a flat tone. His bushy jet black eyebrows are raised, and he has large eyebags. I feel the urge to hug and console him, but I believe his ax would think differently.
I ponder on the question for a while, until he starts fiddling with his ax. I take the hint, "My name is William. I'm an Italian Diplomat, here to meet with Eastern Americans… politicians."
He frowns. "How did you get over the wall?"
"It wasn't very hard, I just… climbed. I feel like that's common sense, no?"
"You climbed an 800 foot wall? Interesting." His sarcasm is annoying, I want to slice him with his own ax.
"That's 800 feet? Wow, I'm really somethin' huh?" I shoot back.
He nodded, as if he was digesting a PB and J and trying to deduce why it tasted like peanut butter and jelly. "There's two walls. The actual wall which is 800 feet and made of marble, and then there's… that." He points to the chain link fence, which beforehand seemed giant. Now it seemed measly in comparison to the actual wall. "So I guess you didn't realize you were already inside the boundaries of the actual wall, which is kind of odd because how else would you get in?"
I realized that since the war, few of them understood technology from the war because… well… there were no remnants of it. "We can uh, fly. Using technology we're able to use these jets that propel us far distances. If we use fuel, that is, so I must have flown over it."
He stared at me for a while, slowly nodding. "That seems interesting. Anyway, you'd have to speak with our headmaster -- Charles Coreseen -- if you'd like to exit the boundaries of Lab 081."
Surprise overtook me. "Wait, you're saying Lab 081 is in these boundaries of the wall you speak of? Are we close?" I asked, like a little kid.
He frowned again, which I suppose he had a habit of, and said, "Yeah. We live here, not by choice technically but… it's still our home. I can show you the way. This is one of the few lakes we have in the boundaries of the chain fence. Also, were you screaming?"
Suddenly I was taken aback, I so nonchalantly ignored the fact that all my injuries healed when I was in the lake. Was I daydreaming, had I never hit the fence? No, that pain was real. "I was- and I was injured by the fence. Somehow I… all of my wounds seemingly healed when I touched the water. I know it sounds made-"
He interrupted me. "You're one of us, I will get you out of here. Do not tell anyone what happened to you or you will be stuck here-"
"One of you? Like, I'm meant to be a subject here? What are you talking about?"
"I can't say much, or they'll hear, and when they find you… once you know what you are, it only becomes worse."
"I'm a human! And- who is gonna hear us?"
"There's not enough time to explain the specifics! Forget this conversation happened, we need to find the headmaster. Now."
I could feel the anxiety creeping up my spine, and worry surrounded me. "I- okay." I stammered, stuttering on my words. How did he know? Am I not human? The worst part? I believe him, through and through.
A monstrous roar surrounded me, and I had my hand on my pistol in an instant. "What was that? Surely there aren't animals in the boundaries?" I inquired.
"Not animals. Worse. They know what you are… so I'll explain to you too. It's not going to make sense but. You're special, maybe divine is the right word, you have power, you are being hunted by them."
"Divine?! I couldn't carry a note if it had a handle on it, I don't think I of all people could be considered divine!" I burst out, I wanted to cry. I could see the rain drizzling down. It took me back to when I first saw the orphanage, when that hooded figure had simply said. "Now now, William. It will all be okay. We will meet again, you will discover who your father and mother are. America, it is the root to all of your problems but also the only place you will find your solutions."
"Whatever it is, can we kill it?" I squeaked, which was not my proudest moment. "Wait, I don't even know your name! And you're telling me life changing information!?"
"Look." He said. "I know what you are, there's a word for it, but you're not meant to say it. They'll find you, whoever they are, you also can't say their name. Words have power, WIlliam. Oh… and my name, it's Thomas."
I nodded. "I understand but… how can you communicate points without actually speaking of said points?"
He sighed. "I'm sorry, we'd need to be safe and in the protection of the Laboratory. I promise, I will tell you later. But for now… let's find out what's hunting you."
I nodded, and Thomas waved his hands in the air. I raised my eyebrow, confused. "Are you doing like… divine witchcraft? Cause you said I'm one of you guys so… that's insisting everyone in this lab is divine, including you so… yeah…"
"Just shut up." He said, but with a somewhat nice tone in his voice? I couldn't quite place if I hated him or liked him. "It's similar to what you think but, witchcraft isn't the word." Suddenly, a bony (literally, there was no skin and muscle) hand clawed at the dirt from the earth. It kept climbing until I could make out a head, arms, legs, and a bunch of other bones. He stood up, covered in mud and did what I assumed was a skeleton's attempt at smiling.
"Hello! I am Sir Theseus of the 4th Regiment! Not the hero Theseus from Greece, but my parents named me after him! I am dead, but I work for Thomas!" He once again, somewhat smiled before muttering, "More like he works for me."
Thomas yawned and said, "Enough of that now Theseus, our friend here needs a tracker. A m- one of them is hunting him."
He shoved a finger through his eye socket and clawed at mud stuck in his skull. "So he knows what he is?"
Thomas shrugged. "Not entirely, as we just met." Now he was circling around the forest, and I backed up a little. "Not secure enough to say the words." He said words as if they were of another world, foreign to him.
"Okay well," I drew my pistol. "I'm happy to kill this thing, as I'm a pretty good shot. Lions and Cheetahs wouldn't dwell here as we're not in a desert, so it's probably just like a coyote or something of the sort."
He had an inquisitive look on his face, and then I realized he probably never knew most animals because… well, a lot of them were extinct in America. And he lived in a gated community… but that's not really the word. I opened my mouth to speak when the same roar was heard, and a large figure lunged at Thomas. He whipped his ax out, but he was too slow. The figure resembled a bat and- okay what am I doing? I need to fight!
"Thomas!" I called out, firing at the mutated animal. The monster simply shrugged off the bullets. I started to feel nauseous. I guess Theseus took notice, because he slapped me over the head and started barking commands.
I was panicking, and I started gagging and crumbling while twitching. "I- I'm sorry… I…. I…."
I believe that was when I blacked out.
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