This is another Mikayla Bloodmoore story in the Fallen Earth setting.
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Sarah Brightly: Dr. Tagart, LifeNet Industries has been utilizing and perfecting cloning technology for over ten years now and all of their facilities have been locked down for months now. Their latest press release stated that due to the Shiva Virus reaching North America they're distributing cloning pods throughout the Grand Canyon Province with the intention of rebuilding humanity were the worst to happen.
Dr. Erich Tagart: Yes, this is true.
Sarah Brightly: The public is nearing a panic, Dr. Tagart. The question on everyone's lips is will these clones be human?
Dr. Erich Tagart: Of course they will. They will be just like you and I. In fact, they will be you and I, Ms. Brightly. I do believe I saw your name on the List.
Sarah Brightly: Now, I've heard that there will be a system in place that will recreate any clone that's killed once they're created. One might say this would make them practically immortal. Much of life today is built around self preservation, ensuring the survival of mankind. My question, Dr. Tagart, is how will these immortal replicas view death?
Dr. Erich Tagart: I honestly cannot presume to put myself in their place, Ms. Brightly. You'll have to ask them.
- Exerpt from MSNBC News with Sarah Brightly interviewing Dr. Erich Tagart, March 25 2056
----
Dusk, the transitional period between light and dark. That special time of day when light fades from the Earth only to be replaced with a darkness. Most of the time the friendly moon steps forth to bathe the world in her soothing silver light. Tonight, the moon hung low on the horizon as the sun raced for greener pastures. Even the sun wanted to be rid of the wasteland as quick as it could be. Tonight, the moon seemed hesitant to shine its comforting rays upon the new world.
The sky was a rich, velvety bluish purple as night made its push to conquer day. The stars hadn't stepped out from hiding yet as the sun still lingered there on the fringes of the wastes, taking one final look over its shoulder before continuing on. A breeze tugged at Mikayla's clothes as if urging her to follow the sun, to be rid of the Province and all its troubles. The breeze's touch was soft, a lover's caress letting her know she wasn't alone. In moments like this she could almost understand what the Vistas saw in the world, in nature.
It was also during moments like these that memories found ways to slip free from their cages and bounce around her ankles like a flood of excitable terriers. Every now and then one would claim her attention, draw her away from the beautiful evening sky and guide it towards...
Pitch blackness. In the distance deep bass thuds echoed like a broken record trying to keep tempo. Staccato cracks emphasized the silence as they bloomed all around her, brief bursts then more silence. She was moving, step after step, in a low crouch position with something cradled in her arms. The world was black chaos all around her yet she found solace in what she held in her hands. A flash of light overhead illuminated the world around her, just long enough for her to catch her bearings. She knew where she was. She was surrounded by...
The memories fought rabidly around her, each demanding her attention and each desiring to keep it just long enough to play all the way through. But just as one would get her attention, another would undermine it and it would all start again. Mikayla pushed the memories away for the time being and focused on the sky, the breeze, the earth. There was no sound but the sound of her heart beating and the wind. It was silent, serene, peaceful.
As the light dimmed and the sun gave ground, night began to lay claim to the world. The stars began to peek out like children afraid they'd be caught sneaking out of the house. Slowly they emerged, one or two at first and then more grew the courage. They twinkled in merry excitement, a whole night to play in the velvety black with nothing and no one to chase them home. The moon climbed high into the sky slowly, meaningfully, protective. No one was going to harm her nocturnal wards while she stood guard, ever vigilant.
The memories surged forth again, more like predatory fish than terriers, leaping up all around her and attempting to find something to latch onto. They fed on attention, on focus. Nothing sated their hunger more than full, undivided attention. She tried laying very still, letting the memories leap and search, seeking something to latch onto. Just as she thought she was in the clear one of the memories made a lucky leap and...
She snatched the ball out of the air with her glove thrust high above her head. Hitting the ground running, she nearly toppled over from how off-balance she'd thrown herself but she made the save none the less. The parents sitting on her team's side cheered along with her fellow teammates as she spun around and tossed the ball to the shortstop. The game was as good as over now, the Devils only had one out left and were down by five points. She knew that the perfect weather of bright blue skies, a soft wind, and just the right heat was a good omen for her team. Now they'd make it to...
The moon seemed further away than she remembered it. Everything seemed a little further away, come to think of it. Actually, thinking was starting to get a little hard but she didn't really care. She was tired, the ground was comfortable, the stars were welcoming, and her head was feeling fuzzy. Mikayla tried to remember why she was laying in the dirt and watching the moon and stars but she just couldn't. The more she couldn't remember it the less she cared. Everything felt so good even if she was starting to get cold.
Come to think of it, she also felt something else. She couldn't really put a word to it and she couldn't really say where she felt it, but she knew she felt it. It was cold and distant, almost like it was happening to someone else but she was sure it was happening to her. Well, fairly sure anyways. It wasn't like she could feel anyone else, right? Could she? She couldn't remember. It was getting harder to think. The memories had stopped swarming her, they'd retreated back into their cage. She could tell they were still hungry, still eager for attention but for some reason they sat back in their cage all docile. She thought it was, what was the word? Oh, right. Cute.
That's what she felt! Wet. Like rain, except it wasn't raining. She remembered what it felt like to be rained on and it felt like that a little bit, except more warm and not from the sky. She couldn't feel the wet anymore but she was sure she felt it, it felt like something of hers was covered in the wet, like the breeze was drying it all out but all it was doing was getting stickier, harder. Not that she could feel it anymore. She couldn't remember what she couldn't feel anymore.
The sky was so pretty, a rich purple-black canvas that the stars danced and played upon. They spun around in big circles above her as the breeze continued to caress her cheek. "Come join us", it whispered in her ear as the stars and sky started to get darker. "Come on Mika, it'll be all right." The last thought that went through her head was a question laced with confusion. She recognized that voice. Dad?
The darkness consumed her.
---
A brief yet very powerful string of obscenities erupted from inside the pod before the doors were kicked open and Mikayla stormed out. She snatched the radio off her hip and held down the send button. "They're gone, Jacob. Get me the coordinates to their safehouse. Over." kssh
"How far out are ya? Over." kssh
"It'll take me a couple hours to get back to my bike. Those [censored] left me for dead, Jacob," she growled. "Over." kssh
"Chill, Mika. You'll get 'em. I'll get right on those coords. And Mika?" kssh
She tapped the send button impatiently as she stormed out of the village, her dark countenance and determined gait making anyone near her grant a wide berth. "What?" kssh
"Welcome back. Over." kssh
---
Sarah Brightly: Dr. Tagart, LifeNet Industries has been utilizing and perfecting cloning technology for over ten years now and all of their facilities have been locked down for months now. Their latest press release stated that due to the Shiva Virus reaching North America they're distributing cloning pods throughout the Grand Canyon Province with the intention of rebuilding humanity were the worst to happen.
Dr. Erich Tagart: Yes, this is true.
Sarah Brightly: The public is nearing a panic, Dr. Tagart. The question on everyone's lips is will these clones be human?
Dr. Erich Tagart: Of course they will. They will be just like you and I. In fact, they will be you and I, Ms. Brightly. I do believe I saw your name on the List.
Sarah Brightly: Now, I've heard that there will be a system in place that will recreate any clone that's killed once they're created. One might say this would make them practically immortal. Much of life today is built around self preservation, ensuring the survival of mankind. My question, Dr. Tagart, is how will these immortal replicas view death?
Dr. Erich Tagart: I honestly cannot presume to put myself in their place, Ms. Brightly. You'll have to ask them.
- Exerpt from MSNBC News with Sarah Brightly interviewing Dr. Erich Tagart, March 25 2056
----
Dusk, the transitional period between light and dark. That special time of day when light fades from the Earth only to be replaced with a darkness. Most of the time the friendly moon steps forth to bathe the world in her soothing silver light. Tonight, the moon hung low on the horizon as the sun raced for greener pastures. Even the sun wanted to be rid of the wasteland as quick as it could be. Tonight, the moon seemed hesitant to shine its comforting rays upon the new world.
The sky was a rich, velvety bluish purple as night made its push to conquer day. The stars hadn't stepped out from hiding yet as the sun still lingered there on the fringes of the wastes, taking one final look over its shoulder before continuing on. A breeze tugged at Mikayla's clothes as if urging her to follow the sun, to be rid of the Province and all its troubles. The breeze's touch was soft, a lover's caress letting her know she wasn't alone. In moments like this she could almost understand what the Vistas saw in the world, in nature.
It was also during moments like these that memories found ways to slip free from their cages and bounce around her ankles like a flood of excitable terriers. Every now and then one would claim her attention, draw her away from the beautiful evening sky and guide it towards...
Pitch blackness. In the distance deep bass thuds echoed like a broken record trying to keep tempo. Staccato cracks emphasized the silence as they bloomed all around her, brief bursts then more silence. She was moving, step after step, in a low crouch position with something cradled in her arms. The world was black chaos all around her yet she found solace in what she held in her hands. A flash of light overhead illuminated the world around her, just long enough for her to catch her bearings. She knew where she was. She was surrounded by...
The memories fought rabidly around her, each demanding her attention and each desiring to keep it just long enough to play all the way through. But just as one would get her attention, another would undermine it and it would all start again. Mikayla pushed the memories away for the time being and focused on the sky, the breeze, the earth. There was no sound but the sound of her heart beating and the wind. It was silent, serene, peaceful.
As the light dimmed and the sun gave ground, night began to lay claim to the world. The stars began to peek out like children afraid they'd be caught sneaking out of the house. Slowly they emerged, one or two at first and then more grew the courage. They twinkled in merry excitement, a whole night to play in the velvety black with nothing and no one to chase them home. The moon climbed high into the sky slowly, meaningfully, protective. No one was going to harm her nocturnal wards while she stood guard, ever vigilant.
The memories surged forth again, more like predatory fish than terriers, leaping up all around her and attempting to find something to latch onto. They fed on attention, on focus. Nothing sated their hunger more than full, undivided attention. She tried laying very still, letting the memories leap and search, seeking something to latch onto. Just as she thought she was in the clear one of the memories made a lucky leap and...
She snatched the ball out of the air with her glove thrust high above her head. Hitting the ground running, she nearly toppled over from how off-balance she'd thrown herself but she made the save none the less. The parents sitting on her team's side cheered along with her fellow teammates as she spun around and tossed the ball to the shortstop. The game was as good as over now, the Devils only had one out left and were down by five points. She knew that the perfect weather of bright blue skies, a soft wind, and just the right heat was a good omen for her team. Now they'd make it to...
The moon seemed further away than she remembered it. Everything seemed a little further away, come to think of it. Actually, thinking was starting to get a little hard but she didn't really care. She was tired, the ground was comfortable, the stars were welcoming, and her head was feeling fuzzy. Mikayla tried to remember why she was laying in the dirt and watching the moon and stars but she just couldn't. The more she couldn't remember it the less she cared. Everything felt so good even if she was starting to get cold.
Come to think of it, she also felt something else. She couldn't really put a word to it and she couldn't really say where she felt it, but she knew she felt it. It was cold and distant, almost like it was happening to someone else but she was sure it was happening to her. Well, fairly sure anyways. It wasn't like she could feel anyone else, right? Could she? She couldn't remember. It was getting harder to think. The memories had stopped swarming her, they'd retreated back into their cage. She could tell they were still hungry, still eager for attention but for some reason they sat back in their cage all docile. She thought it was, what was the word? Oh, right. Cute.
That's what she felt! Wet. Like rain, except it wasn't raining. She remembered what it felt like to be rained on and it felt like that a little bit, except more warm and not from the sky. She couldn't feel the wet anymore but she was sure she felt it, it felt like something of hers was covered in the wet, like the breeze was drying it all out but all it was doing was getting stickier, harder. Not that she could feel it anymore. She couldn't remember what she couldn't feel anymore.
The sky was so pretty, a rich purple-black canvas that the stars danced and played upon. They spun around in big circles above her as the breeze continued to caress her cheek. "Come join us", it whispered in her ear as the stars and sky started to get darker. "Come on Mika, it'll be all right." The last thought that went through her head was a question laced with confusion. She recognized that voice. Dad?
The darkness consumed her.
---
A brief yet very powerful string of obscenities erupted from inside the pod before the doors were kicked open and Mikayla stormed out. She snatched the radio off her hip and held down the send button. "They're gone, Jacob. Get me the coordinates to their safehouse. Over." kssh
"How far out are ya? Over." kssh
"It'll take me a couple hours to get back to my bike. Those [censored] left me for dead, Jacob," she growled. "Over." kssh
"Chill, Mika. You'll get 'em. I'll get right on those coords. And Mika?" kssh
She tapped the send button impatiently as she stormed out of the village, her dark countenance and determined gait making anyone near her grant a wide berth. "What?" kssh
"Welcome back. Over." kssh
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