The Unknown

In The Beginning...

"Suzanne Myers has fallen," the radio said. They had been keeping track of everyone who died for the past few months. Antonio was sure that there was no one left. And yet every minute there were more names, more reminders of the disaster.

He got up and slowly walked up the stairs. He opened a door and slipped inside.

Antonio walked over to his son's crib and smiled at the sleeping boy. Little Markus was not quite two and had already experienced so much. His mother, Samantha, had been killed a year earlier. She was one of the first to die.

Antonio stoked Markus's soft brown hair and smiled. It was just the two of them now, and he would keep it that way for a while.

Markus stirred and opened his eyes. "Dada!" He cooed. Antonio picked him up and walked over to the window. He opened it and held Markus up to the screen.

"Dada, Me wanna go oudide!" The little boy yelped.

"We can't, Marky. Not until it's over," Antonio whispered. He put the little boy on the floor and left the room. He walked down the stairs and started to make his way to the kitchen.

There was a knock on the front door. A quiet one, nobody would dare attract attention to themselves. Antonio turned and wallowed to the door, dragging his feet. He opened the door and gasped.

Standing outside were President Lopps and Winnifred Davis, Head of Human Protection.

"Antonio Luigi?" Ms. Davis asked.

Antonio nodded. "Yes, that's me. Quickly, come inside!"

President Lopps walked in and sat on the couch. Ms. Davis followed suit.

Antonio trudged over and started to clean the coffee table.

"I-I'm sorry! I wasn't expecting.... Why are you here? Sorry, that sounded rude, I-" Antonio began.

"No need, Mr. Luigi. We need your help with something," the president interrupted.

"What could I possibly do for you?" Antonio said, flustered. Why was the president in his house? What could they possibly need him for? He was nothing special!

Ms. Davis interrupted his thoughts. "Mr. Luigi, we need you to design a city."

"A city? Now? In the middle of a worldwide crisis? Besides, I'm used to designing houses. But an entire city? That's crazy!" Antonio shouted.

"Not just any city, the City. The last hope for the human race. The City to be sure that the humans live on!" President Lopps said sternly.

There was a crash, and some thumps, and the sound of a baby screaming.

"Markus!" Antonio screamed and ran up the stairs. The door wouldn't open. He started to hit the door, screaming. "Markus! Are you in there! Markus!"

The window. He had left the window open. He could hear the snarls of the creatures, and the cries of Markus. Antonio started to sob. No, no, Markus was okay, Markus was alive, he told himself.

He could hear the radio downstairs, still spouting out the names of the dead. "Markus Luigi has fallen."

Antonio felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up. Through his tears, he could see the president. "I'm sorry," the president said. "But unless you want this happening to everyone, you need to help us. Please, Mr. Luigi. You are humanity's last hope."