TheRemnant: This is Not Flesh & Blood

Happy Birthday (Part II)

"They taste exactly how I remember them."

The camera views Shikauhno on the right side from afar as if someone is watching her.

SFX: Chains jingling.

Shikauhno continues to eat her cake, "Happy birthday Shikauhno." She takes another bite, 'You're seventeen now.'

A young couple passes by in front of Shikauhno on the sidewalk. They are holding hands. The woman giggles happily. Her male companion's arm is wrapped around her waist and they smooch as they walk side by side.

Shikauhno watches them pass by.

She grabs her phone and holds it in front of her face, "Say cheese," she smiles awkwardly and clicks a button. Flash goes off and blinds her.

Shikauhno blinks multiple times then looks at her phone to see how the picture came out.

Shikauhno is disappointed at the outcome. She frowns. -__- "Delete." She begins to delete the photo when an alert pops up on her phone.

"Huh?"

It reads: RYOJIMA CELLUAR BROADCAST ALERT SYSTEM (RCBAS): This is not a test. This broadcast is to remind and inform citizens that the city curfew will officially commence Wednesday July 10, 2013 at 9:00 PM. You are free to roam succeeding sunrise. These regulations shall guarantee the safety for all citizens and shall remain continuous until further notice. Remain compliant. Remain safe. Remain protected. Remain inside.

"A new curfew? No wonder everything's closed. Maybe I should just head home."

Someone is watching her from afar and the camera reverts to their perspective.

SFX:Jingling Chains

SCENE FIFTEEN: 8:00PM

Shikauhno is sitting towards the front of the bus. There are about six other passengers. Shikauhno yawns. The bus driver stops and opens the bus door. Two individuals board the bus: a small older woman and someone wearing dark clothes and a hooded jacket.

The older woman smiles glumly at the bus driver and pays her fee. "Hello."

The male bus driver nods, "Nice to see you again."

The person in dark clothing pays their fee and quickly passes Shikauhno to claim a seat in the back.

"Nice to see you too dear." She shuffles to a seat directly across from Shikauhno.

The older woman and bus driver begin to have a conversation yet the camera focuses on Shikauhno's face, with her eyes shut.

The background conversation is heard clearly

but in a soft tone.

"Five years of voting and the curfew finally makes it in. Did you vote ma'am?"

Still smiling she answers, "Yes I did. I think it's a shame how people can take a precious life away so easily. It's tragic really."

"Yeah, no kidding. Like Ryo Yamano." The bus driver states.

The screen turns black.

SCENE SIXTEEN:

The conversation in the background continues, the screen remains black.

The bus driver continues, "It's crazy how a big time guy like that was killed. It just doesn't make much sense to me."

The old lady speaks, "Nowadays, people are dying needlessly. Especially our young."

"This wouldn't be the first time we had such terrible things going on in this nation. The government has always been around. Who's to say they aren't behind Black Onda?"

"No matter what happens we have to keep on living and trust God."

"I'm not a religious man myself but I see your point."

SCENE SEVENTEEN:

Ryo Yamano's body is slumped up against the left wall; his dead body is sitting on a crushed cardboard box. There is a large diagonal gash on his torso and his eyes are wide open.

SCENE EIGHTEEN: 8:35 PM

Shikauhno abruptly opens her eyes. She feels the drool running from the corner of her mouth and wipes it away.

She then looks around to see a virtually empty bus, except one person.

The camera displays the time which is at the front of the bus on the digital information bar briefly.

The bus driver speaks, "I hope Armins Way's your stop because it's the last one of the night."

Shikauhno realizes, 'Oh no. I overslept!'

Shikauhno gets up from out of her seat and heads to the bus driver. She proclaims, "How far back was Temple? That's where..."

The bus driver interrupts her, "It was a couple stops back," he glances up at the digital information bar, "If you walk fast enough you should be able to get there before curfew."

The bus finally comes to it's last stop and Shikauhno runs off it. The bus driver yells to her with his hand up, "Have a good night."

SCENE NINETEEN:

Shikauhno is walking rather quickly to get home. The streets are bare of people. The street lights on the sidewalk are a few feet from each other.

Shikauhno spots a man heading towards her. She begins to become cautious of his presence.

She walks on holding her breath and with her head held low to avoid making eye contact with the gentleman. He quickly passes her without paying her any attention.

Shikauhno relaxes and realizes, 'I'm almost there.'

Shikauhno runs the rest of the way home.

SCENE TWENTY: SHIKAUHNO'S STUDIO

Shikauhno closes her front door and rests her back on it for a moment with her eyes closed. Her face is covered in sweat and she lets out a sigh of relief.

As Shikauhno is pulling her scarf off she walks away from the front door to her bathroom. She turns on the light.

The camera films the door of the bathroom which is half open. After a couple of minutes Shikauhno comes back out wearing black shorts, a green tank top, one arm warmer, and knee high socks. She left the door ajar and the bathroom light on.

Shikauhno lays down on her back and closes her eyes. She turns over to the side and hugs herself. The screen turns black as Shikauhno drifts off to sleep.

©

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Hello every body! We didn't realize until now-but we've noticed we skipped a MAJOR portion of the story. This the part we somehow forgot to add. Sorry if this has caused any confusion, especially to second time readers. Everything should flow more smoothly now. We will re-read this to make sure there are no more serious errors like the one we found today. (June 19, 2015)