Alternate 2020

Episode 4: The Nether (1)

10:00 am. I yawned to the silent morning as I got up and headed towards the toilet. Turning on the tap, the clean flowing water splashed on to the broad, white sink as I began to brush my teeth. Everything seemed usual, just like a typical, normal day. I took a quick shower and began to stroll out of the building.

A few days had past and as I looked around, the sheltered citizens of Coventry had already started to adjust to the life within the TMRS.

Parents picking up the freshly made breakfast as they walked outside towards the tables. Kids running around chasing each other as they played tag. Elderly people taking a morning stroll across the inside of the TMRS. The day-night cycle controlled by the warm, bright ceiling simulating the Sun. It was as if this place was designed to be a paradise - a place to stay over for holidays.

I couldn't help but feel that the stress, I have accumulated throughout these past few days, was being wiped off my shoulders; the TMRS had a calming effect.

But this was only part of the truth. In the distance, I could sense a death-like aura as I saw a few people lying on the ground. Some were looking down at the dark, bloody floor; some were looking up hopelessly. They were like beggars on the streets with no place to go, no place to stay. It wasn't as if they couldn't get a room to live in. I'm pretty sure there were plenty of rooms left unallocated; they could easily get one if they wanted to. But they didn't; they lurked around in the darkness with depressed complexion. They were expressionless, empty; the polar opposite of those energetic citizens around me.

I looked up. "What is this place..." I wondered.

The door of my room opened and they headed out towards me.

"Let's get something to eat," Rose said softly.

"Mhm," I replied.

"Yeah, I'm hungry... don't wanna go back to the first day where we couldn't eat anything..." Sam said annoyingly.

I walked towards the breakfast stall; Rose and Sam followed behind me as we lined up to get breakfast.

* * *

For the past few days, we've been treated with delicious food. It was weird enough to get food in these circumstances but they even tasted great; this was suspicious.

It not only tasted great but it also felt like it's almost Michelin-level[1] food.

Sometimes I would wonder, "Do they have a Michelin-star chef preparing these?"

Sam looked down at the food. Two triangular french toasts stacked on top of each other with a soft butter-cream filling served with honey-like golden syrup. His eyes sharpened as he also noticed the same thing as me.

He carefully inspected each layer as Rose elegantly cut her toast into bite-size chunks and ate it.

"Just eat it," I said to Sam. "I know you said you're going to dig for more information about this place but I really don't think a few pieces of french toast will help you with your investigation."

Sam froze for a moment and then began to eat instead.

Rose finished her plate just after I finished my sentence.

"That was quick," I thought to myself as I look at her while she wiped her mouth. "She must have been hungry these past few days. After those shocking events, she didn't have the appetite to eat. Most of the time, we had to persuade her. She also skipped dinner last night..."

I looked into her eyes as she smiled dearly from the sweet after-tastes of the breakfast but suddenly, I gradually heard a commotion from the distance behind me; it broke the peaceful atmosphere.

Turning around, I saw people gathering near the display of the tall building; it was the same as the first day we arrived - a broadcast began.

* * *

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"Ahem. Everyone here, please listen to what I have to say."

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The crowd chattered as the broadcast started. We turned our heads facing the display and watched silently.

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"As you all may know, the situation above us isn't the best."

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The display switched and broadcasted the entirety of Coventry. It was the same scene as before but now, the smoke covered the skies dimming the sunlight from passing through; it was as if there was an eclipse.

The camera suddenly switched and showed the ruins of the Tudor-styled Council House[2]. The cracks in the brown brick walls, the fragmented pieces of colour-stained glass and the half-burnt flags hung off the balcony; the entire place was demolished.

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"As you can all see, the Council House has burnt down... Unfortunately, I'm the only surviving member of the house. As so, I will be acting as the representative of Coventry and help us get through this predicament. I hope you all will work with me and I will lead you all."

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A glimpse of hope shone brightly in the eyes of the citizens as some of them clasped their hands together and prayed.

A middle-aged man stepped up and shouted, "Hey! How the fuck will you lead us!?" He turned around and started blabbering towards the people around him. "Didn't you all see from the broadcast a few days ago??? The entire goddamn world was destroyed. Every country is facing this. How long do you think we will be able to stay underground? a week? a month? a year?"

He turned towards me, "You see them? A fucking couple with a what? 6-year-old kid."

"Wait... wha-" I said but he interrupted and continued talking.

Sam glared at him angrily.

The man averted his eyes and said, "Not only them." He looked around and pointed at the mother holding her kid, "How long do you think she'll be able to handle this? I'm sure all of you are thinking this too. Don't act like that guy up there is your goddamn saviour and pretend like everything is going to be fine!"

The people around started to shiver as their hope shattered into pieces. The heavy words, the man brought upon us, dealt a massive blow to their sanities.

He wasn't wrong. But the way he presented it, it was too much for most people to handle. The self-proclaimed representative ignored the middle-aged man's rant and continued his speech.

"It's probably because he didn't hear it," I thought to myself. "He is on display after all."

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"We have organised most of the residential area and also have a good supply of food. Please stay put and don't wander around too much."

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A figure - dressed in black trousers, grey top with a brown blazer - showed up in the distance pushing herself towards us. She had shoulder-length, dark-brown hair and hazel coloured eyes; the appearance of someone fierce, someone important.

She approached the middle-aged man and spoke up. "Hey, stop this commotion right now."

The man lifted his right arm and pointed his finger at the women. "Who the hell are you?"

She raised her right arm and grabbed tightly on to the man's extended arm. "I'm Karen, I'm part of the police. Stop this ruckus, now."

"Police?"

She pulled out her warrant card from the pocket inside the blazer and showed the crowd. "You see this? Now stop this right away."

The man swung his captured arm and retracted it towards his trouser-pocket.

*****

[1] 'Michelin' is a type of rating for food. Only top restaurants are granted with these ratings.

[2] 'Council House' is the governing building in Coventry.