The Fragile Reality

succession

The Fragile reality - Chapter 5: Succession.

They trudged down the street huddled like penguins. The marines crowded them, cautiously scanning the rooftops and alleyways they passed as if they were being stalked. It was almost night now...

"You guys OK?" Sue asked up front. She was still short, but now had almost no hair and whatever was left had been dyed blonde.
She was dressed the same as the marines, they all had different flags stitched onto their clothes...

"Could we have some fucking answers please?" Cena snapped, having lost all patience.
"I suppose that's fair." Sue said stopping. "We'll stop here, in that block." She pointed to a Chinese looking apartment building... Where were they? Looked like Chinatown... In new york.

But that's not possible. Right?

Like always, the streets were cracked and charred... Destroyed. Looked like a bomb had gone off literally everywhere. Maybe one had, they'd never know for sure.

"Ma'am its critical we get back to base by night fall." A soldier pepped up anxiously.
"Bilson, we can hold out one night. Were packing heat for days here." Sue stepped up into the building without hesitation.

Bilson didn't really like that. He loudly cursed and ordered the marines to escort cena and the others inside.

Inside the building, they walked up three flights of stairs before taking refugee in the first room in hall.

203, on the left. Sue motioned them inside while the marines and bilson barricaded the perimeter.

The group sat down on the ground and patiently waited for answers.

"I'll start at the beginning. You've been asleep for 500 years." The shock sank in from the realisation that she was being serious. 500 years.
"We call the disaster awakening day. I can't even describe the horror that happened that day. Bilson and i awoke on day one, however all of you awoke what, a few weeks ago?"
They nodded. Nicole asked:
"How are you... Still alive...?"
"We don't Know exactly." Sue calmed them, and continued:
"The earth was destroyed in the disaster. WHATEVER caused that, severely... FUCKED the flow of time."
"I don't understand..." Sophie muttered.
"We don't ether. That's what we need to discuss." Sue says loudly, standing up.

The others tried so hard to be quiet... But couldn't do it. Soon the room erupted into a baffling rave of questions.

"Quiet!" Sue calls. The room fell silent.
"...wait. What we need to talk 'bout something?" Liu snaps.
"Yes. Remember kurt?" Sue says almost silently.
"What about him?" Cena said.
"He has something we need."
"No. Tell us first." Cerys demanded.
"Wha- "
"everything. NOW." they demanded again.

~outside~

Shannon peeked her head around the corner. It was night now, and therefore being outside is extremely dangerous.

They had to be in there, right?

Two guards stood cautiously, more evidence-

"the bloody military? Motherfucker- "

She just knew. A gut feeling you could say. Dashing around, she drew her sword and downed the two guards at the doors. She could smell them. Old-world smell that hadn't faded. It was them.

Charging up the stairs, she was greeted by a wall of laser sights.
"Don't move, freak." Bilson snarled.
Shannon laughed, glanced left and saw the scowling expressions from everyone.

"Guys! Are you- "
"WE KNOW." Liu sneered.
"Oh boy." Shannon whispered. "I leave you alone for twenty- "
"You killed five hundred people that were sleeping at the college grounds." Cerys said, ashamed to look at her.
"It was my beginning ritual into the brotherhood- "
"YOU ADMIT!" Nicole pointed.
"You threw away FIVE hundred lives to join a cult?!" Cena screamed.
Shannon was desperate.
"I LEFT YOU ALL ALIVE! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! MOTHER FORCED ME!" she wailed on the verge of tears.

"Fuck off vampire!" Bilson shouted, the wall of lasers still pinned on her.
"Piss off!" She yelled, eyes turning a deep red.
"No!" Liu said turning. "Tell us what happened to kurt."
"And awakening day!" Nicole added.
Sue nodded at bilson.
"Was this a setup?" Shannon snarled.
"No. Please just tell us!" Sophie pleaded.

Shannon sighed. Took a depth breath, sat down on the stairs and said:
"Fine. Pull up a chair." She chuckled sarcastically.
"It all started, as I remember. Two days after awakening. I recall waking up and seeing kurt and Emily standing over me..."
"She's alive?!" Nicole said joyously.
Shannon pointed at her, continuing:
"We spent a week as a trio, before we attracted too much attention." Shannon wiped away a tear.
"From Jenson's group. He led them astray like sheep. He murdered Emily. Kurt lost it, he went missing in the chaos. When I escaped, I joined the brotherhood."

Jaws dropped around the room. She continued again:

"I took it, upon myself to MASSACRE EVERY LAST ONE OF THOSE ASSHOLES." She shouted, now fully in tears. "And I did. Only Jenson remains today, but he's pathetic. One day, kurt'll kill him. That's why I left him alive this long I guess."
"What about Kurt?!" Sue yelled, having no patience.
"I. Don't. Know." Shannon spat at her.
"We were worried about him before the killing. He would talk to himself in bloody night, to fucking SHADOWS. Get mad for no reason, bang his head off of walls and once, he tried to suffocate a body at the college. In the chaos, I guess he snapped. HE was corrupted by the shadow."

"Did he come up with a way to wake people up prematurely?" Someone said on the radio. A solider had been holding it up since Shannon started talking.
"Pipe down kirst." Sue snapped.
Everyone was excited to hear another friendly face, or at least on the radio. Even Shannon's face lit up.
"I dunno. He never said anything." Shannon mumbled quickly.
"WHATS A SHADOW?!" cena shouted.
Shannon jumped slightly.
"Its a monster of pure evil. After awakening day, these gas like demons appeared everywhere. They pray on the weak minded. That's all we now." Bilson butted in. He still has he gas mask on.
"No, no no. We have reason to believe that the Shadow have been around since before awakening, just like most aliens here." Shannon remarked.
"Wait their are other aliens?" Cerys stuttered.
"Hundreds." Sue replied.
"Whatever scholar. I don't care, shadows are evil. They are primary reason for the deaths of my men. I hate every. Last. One." Bilson's voice dripped with hatred.
Silence lingered for a moment, then Shannon finally got to finish:
"Ohhhh... You guys are so colourful. Anyway- "
"Funny sounding from a vampire..." Bilson whispered.
"SHUT UP!" sue snapped.
"ANYWAY... We..." She stopped and glanced right. "Could we talk somewhere I don't have guns pointed at me?"
"Fine. Upstairs." Sue said, putting a hand on a gun in her pocket. Shannon got the message and got up. Everyone calmly started up the stairs.

Suddenly a large bang came from downstairs, and Shannon's face shank.
"He's here. HE'S IN FERAL FORM! MOVE! NOW!!"

Everyone pounded up the stairs as the spine chilling screech got closer and closer.