Artificial Earth

                                  45

Necropolis

INSIDE THE NECROPOLIS, ON THE SOUTHERN PART, isolated above a small hill, hidden among rows of bougainvilleas and a good thirty minutes drive from the main gate, stood the Necropolis Affairs Office, a two story brick structure where business matters and transactions relating to the deceased were conducted.

Jose Ramirez took two cigarette sticks out from the breast pocket of his dark blue jacket and offered one to his companion sitting right next to him.
"Thanks." Luis said, taking the stick.
"Got a light?" Jose asked.
Luis took out a lighter and handed it to Jose.
Both men were in their thirties and have been working together for years as stay-in custodians. Luis Rivera's thirty-one years old and stands five foot nine inches tall, slightly built with googly dark brown eyes, fair skin and short black hair. Jose Ramirez was four years older than Luis and an inch taller, also slightly built but a bit bulkier down the stomach, dark complexion, short black hair with a little gray just above the ears and beady brown eyes, looking much like an older and darker version of Luis.
"Still no signal?" Luis asked, taking a puff from his cigarette.
"Nope." Jose replied, looking out beyond the darkness.
The two were sitting at a portico on the second floor of the small building beside one of the larger columns on the left side connecting the exterior to the inside of the bricked structure, sheltered from the downpour.
"Think we'll have visitors?" Luis aked, making small talk.
"In this weather?" Jose asked back, sounding incredulous. "Nobody's that crazy...They'd most likely wait 'till the storm's passed before heading out here." he added, taking a drag.
Wind and rain danced in the darkness, flashes of light exploded occasionally in different places, casting shadows on the landscape and tree tops below, the rumble of thunder overhead reverberated, blanketing the very fabric of the infinite heavens, a penumbra of dreariness falling across the Necropolis.
"Wanna drink? I still have a bottle of Vodka stashed in the cupboards." Luis asked, changing the topic.
"Hell, Why not? Pretty sure boss won't be checking in today anyway, might as well relax a little...and bring out something to nibble."
"What do you want to have?"
"Anything....Open up one of those fish flakes in cans."
"Got it."

After a few minutes Luis came back with the bottle of Vodka, glasses and something edible. Jose stood up and took another chair from behind the pillar, placing it between the two other chairs, serving as a table.
"There we go..." Luis said, placing the Vodka, glasses and fish flakes on the chair in between them.
"Brrrr...about time, thought I'd freeze to death out here." Jose said, opening the bottle.
"You know...I never could've guessed I'd end up here. How about you?" Luis asked, taking a glass.
"Nope...I mean, ahem, yeah...I guess, after flungking out...it's not like I had a lot of options. Plus, needed the money."
"Yeah, me too....Mom got sick and I had to drop out of school. Dad's a no show and my sis was still too young to get a job."
"I thought you said your dad's a supervisor or somethin'?"
"He was....down one of those tele communication sites. One day jerk just stopped comin' home, broke my moms heart. Anyway, like I said, we needed the money and we needed it fast. I was out looking for a job down Millington Avenue in Marble City when I saw this flyer, says there, uhm...Looking for Brave individuals...pays well...and here I am."
"Hahahaha! I remember that flyer....at first, thought it was some sort of recruitment, army related or even the police...couldn't stop laughing when I discovered what the job was..Hahahaha!"
"Same for me...I even got a haircut."
"Hahahaha!!!" both men laughed.
A loud noise below broke both mens laughter.
"Did you hear something?" Jose asked, taking a shot from his glass
"Sounded like something crashed....a window?.....maybe a tree fell on it." Luis replied.
"Fuck...hope it wasn't the glass door upfront...boss will be pissed."
"We both better take a look case somethin' needs fixin' and cleanin'."
"We can check it out tomorrow..." Jose was saying.
"Nuh-uh...We better do it now, if somethin' did broke and water starts pourin'in...there'll be hell to clean up tomorrow."
"Yeah...alright.....Guess you're right.. better check it now." Jose said, standing up. "Come on."

The corridor leading to the stairway was narrow and dark, several metalic shelves were lined up against one another and posters with inspirational quotes hung on both sides of the wall. Jose and Luis headed towards the stairway.
"We might as well look for a lantern and penlights." Luis said.
"Should've thought of that before we started drinking." Jose said back.
"Forgot, sorry."
"We'll just get some, they're in the stockroom below. Watch your step." Jose said, as he cautiously stepped on the carpeted stairs.
As they were both descending the stairs and were halfway down, another crash broke the perennial silence in the dark. They started moving faster but stopped abruptly after hearing pieces of glasses breaking. The continuous noise kept them from moving forward, nailing them both on the flight of stairs. Below, flashes of light from outside lit the room rhythmically, casting shadows on the floor and walls, cold wind rushed inward through the broken glass, lifting the thin white curtains like sheets of ghosts clinging to the wall, their shadows dancing, moving in sequence with every gust. A low soft moan mingling with the wind flowed about, and with it a foul stench. Something else was in the dark.
Jose and Luis stood there in silence, looking below, unable to move any further. Fear crept into their hearts... and slowly, they both backed away, ascending the stairs without turning their backs. There were many tales told about this city of the dead, some are true and some were fabricated or greatly exaggerated. Jose and Luis have heard hundreds of these tales and have seen and experienced their share of the supernatural or the unexplainable over the years. There was this time when Jose was putting the garbage out back one night when he saw small glowing lights, orbs floating a few feet away from him...or Luis, when he was smoking on the veranda late one night and thought he saw a lady in white, hovering over one of the graves in the distance below, or when the two of them got back really late one night from marble city where they did some grocery and shopping, and as they were cruising past tranquility garden one, heading back towards the NAO (Necropolis Affairs Office) they both heard a baby crying somewhere among the graves. Eventually, they both grew accustomed to seeing and hearing strange things over the years....this however...was different, and they were terrified.
Reaching the top of the stairs, both men sat, making themselves small and still, hidden from view. They stared at the scene below, quietly listening, not really knowing what to expect. Something moved in the darkness below, followed by crunching sounds, like pieces of glass breaking, noises, soft inhuman cries...a flash of light lifting the shadow,...one...two...three and a fourth, figures, manlike yet broken were revealed but only for a fraction of a second before darkness swallowed them again. The two sat shaking, too terrified to move, too afraid to stay...they both saw only for a moment, but it was enough...they knew without a doubt, the dead has risen.
With hands still shaking Jose tapped Luis on the shoulder, startling him. Luis stared wide eyed at Jose who placed his index finger to his lips, a sign to keep quiet, then motioned to his friend to follow him back. They crawled stealthily along the dark corridor leading to the portico, trembling, forcing their bodies to move, like soldiers in a war zone who're crawling, trying to avoid being detected by enemy troops for fear of having their brains blown off.
On the right side, before reaching the portico, past the rows of metallic shelves was a short hallway leading to the kitchen and dinning room. Jose and Luis both scrambled back on their feet and turned to the hallway, locked and closed the door then stood there in the dark facing each other, both sweating profusely inspite of the cold.
"Check the drawers, look for anything we can use...flashlights, candles...anything." Jose whispered in a dry voice, not caring if his fear showed, moving towards the cupboards. Luis was already moving towards the other end before Jose could finish what he was saying, checking all the drawers, groping.
After a few minutes, they both placed the items they got on top of the dinning table.
"Okay....I got a penlight, a hammer, a box of cigarettes, scissors.." Luis whispered.
"Scissors? What on earth do we need scisssors for?" Jose asked, whispering back.
"Geez, I don't know... You said anything.."
"Fine...we'll give those things a haircut....hand me the penlight and keep the cigarettes, take the hammer too."
"What did you get?" Luis asked.
"Got a knife."
"That's it?"
"Yeah"
They both fell silent for a few seconds as they weigh their options, which were not so good.
A Vase fell on the floor outside.
"Shit. They're here." Jose whispered.

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Authors Note

Hi guys!!! Well, I thought I'd add more characters in Necropolis and make the situation a bit more chaotic, hope you liked it. Thanks again and please, please vote, really means a lot to us authors to know which part of the story you enjoyed the most, and don't be shy to leave a comment, and if you want, you can share the story and discuss it with your friends too. Have a great day guys!!!