2012.12.25 Time Unknown (565 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesRating: 1.23 on 18 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by jack_of_hearts (View user info) at 2009-07-05 15:56:46 EDT
In retrospect, if it wasn't for the fuzz arriving on the scene that night, we'd have never split in time; Hindsight's always twenty-twenty. Still, cursing the men in blue, you and I darted through the labyrinth of alleyways between Fourteenth and Main. When it's time to reappear in public, the best thing to do is always pause for two seconds, and walk out as though nothing were amiss. Whatever you do, you don't look like you're trying to escape. I met up with you again at a small diner on Main, grateful you had heeded my advice.
The foot patrol was already combing the streets and snatching up those foolish enough to look like they were running by the time we reconvened. Had we not just taken a seat to watch the affairs like an everyday busybody it might have been us handcuffed and tossed like stray dogs into the back of a van. When the waitress took our order, I remember you glaring at me for looking at her chest. I leaned back and blew you a kiss, you just rolled your eyes and laughed.
If we had had more time, it would have been a good idea to find a change of clothes. The streets were still too hot, though. Best idea is always to lay low for a few hours, wait until the pigs have found something new. Otherwise, if one of them happened to get an Image-ID of you, well, I don't need to tell you about that. No, we were doing the smart thing, ordering something to eat and an endless pot of coffee.
When the waitress brought us the mugs and brew, I thought it was just me who caught the scent of a cigarette. When I glanced over at you and your raised eyebrows, I knew we were having the same thought. I didn't know it then, but when they outlawed tobacco two years ago and burnt every last bit, a few people had saved some seeds and resorted to illegal growing. At the time, I think we both feared for our sanity.
If memory serves, the coffee was bitter and burnt, unbearable without cream. I don't know how far back you recall, but when I was a little kid, my parents actually drank cream. It wasn't always just a white powder to add to your coffee. Sugar, as well, wasn't always a delicacy for those with money or power; My parents used to add sugar to everything they made me.
Our food arrived, you got the fruit and I got the vegetable I believe. You'd always smile and laugh at me whenever I'd grimace and say I missed real food. Like I was the only person who remembered. But we all do, we're just unwilling to remind ourselves there was something better than a vitamin-enhanced-genetically-modified flavored pudding. You'd always tell me I needed to learn how to pretend.
I'm the one who taught you all the tricks. Like standing up and pretending to go to the bathroom, instead leaving the diner. Like always, I sat down at the diner for ten minutes, then pretended to receive a phone call. I tried in vain to "hear" the imaginary caller for a few minutes, before stepping outside to get better reception. Always leave your meal half-finished and a burning cigarette behind, and if you walk away and blend into the crowd you're practically home free.
We found a Shelter, where they'll admit you and give you a place to stay, provided you promised to talk to a counselor the next morning. As long as you ducked out before they tried to get you to fill out paperwork you'd be fine. I should have known when you told me you'd never done that before that it was a bad idea. You'd listened to me earlier, why you couldn't trust me over them this time I didn't quite grasp. When they said they just wanted to talk, they were lying.
I know what they did to you now, and I'm sorry. You always had the choice to say no. That's what I wound up doing. When they tell you that you don't have a choice, they're lying. They are always lying. Still, that's the moment that I lost you. Isn't it funny how it all wound up working out in the end? I'd saved you earlier, only to bring you right into their grasp. I'm sorry, again.
While you were becoming indoctrinated, I went back to the streets and found a second-hand shop to steal a new set of clothes from. I stole a razor and shaved my head bald, removing my eyebrows in the process. Take any familiar person and look at them without eyebrows, you probably won't recognize them. If you had joined their ranks, I'd have no choice unless I wanted to risk getting caught.
I remember walking the streets alone, and actually feeling lonely first time in years. It must have been sometime in autumn, because the air was crisp and cool, but the snow had yet to fall. When I was a kid I used to jump into piles of leaves my parents would rake up in our front yard. Orange, red, yellow, brown leaves that had fallen from trees. Leaves, and trees. Just two more reminders of a past long gone.
I'll confess that those last few months were hell. When you fall in love, I guess, you can't go back to being a lone wolf. It was carelessness and recklessness that led them to me when I finally did get caught. But of course, you know all about that already. The snow was falling that night, and I should have known I was one of the few left who still found beauty in such things. The fuzz would be rounding up anyone showing any signs of merriment.
Snow used to be such a wonderful thing. Before the water got poisoned and we had to start growing our children in labs, before the clouds forming meant you had to seek cover or risk mild radiation sickness. We used to make snowmen and -angels, bundled up and protected not from toxins but from the cold. Still, having to switch from a jacket and ski-mask to a biohazard-suit and gas-mask does little to take away the serene beauty of the skyline speckled in white.
I should have known they'd have you be the one to grab me. Yours was the only voice I wouldn't have run from when you called my name from across the road. For as cold and unfeeling a front the World Order presents, they sure have a keen understanding of the human psyche. It was in that second of hesitation, that moment I stopped and paused to look up; That one moment was all it took for the tasers to shoot and for me to fall convulsing on the sidewalk.
Did they ask you the same things you were made to ask me? Demand the same answers, to the same questions? How long did you last before you finally gave in, I wonder? At what point were you doing things to me that would have long ago broken you? Did you ever wonder why you never got to me? How was I supposed to ever trust someone who had already led me to the lion's den?
I'll admit that you finally were getting close. Two, three weeks it had been, I'm sure, but if you had had more time you would have finally done it. Told me I was the only one left who still didn't have a barcode. I wish I had the chance to find out if that was even the truth, but I'm sure they just made you lie to me. I don't know if what happened that final day was my good fortune or not, but at least I know I held strong until the end.
The skies dissolved and turned to black and the earth gave way beneath our feet. Fires engulfed the world around us and a blinding flash of white light suddenly swept me away. When the light cleared the darkness had returned, and nothing has changed since. Are you trapped in the same fate as I am? Did the world end, or did you just finally kill me?
User Reviews
Submitted by locksly (user info) at 2009-07-12 00:48:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2009-07-06 19:03:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I would like this as part of the larger story, there's a lot of promise here.
I once read a suggestion here somewhere, I think it was from ghola. She said to read your ending without the last line, and see if you really need it. I think this is a perfect example. It's better without the last line.
________________-
That is the stupidest review ever, don't listen to this twat
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2009-07-10 01:39:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Y HELO THAR BRUCE WILLIS
Submitted by cheerios (user info) at 2009-07-08 23:22:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2009-07-06 19:03:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I would like this as part of the larger story, there's a lot of promise here.
I once read a suggestion here somewhere, I think it was from ghola. She said to read your ending without the last line, and see if you really need it. I think this is a perfect example. It's better without the last line.
Submitted by RoadSong (user info) at 2009-07-06 14:10:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by jack_of_hearts (user info) at 2009-07-06 05:31:50 PDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by RoadSong (user info) at 2009-07-05 20:25:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
What you have written here is a downer, but I hope it gives some readers a clue as to what the future holds. If we are aware then maybe we can change it.
_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
"You must become the change you wish to see in the world."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Indeed. It does wear a person down tho. The way things are, what we fight to change has become too big to change. Perhaps small changes made quietly will work for a while till they are noticed.
Consider NAIS {National Animal Identification System}. If you have a goat, a pony, and three chickens you are required to have them micro chipped and agree to allow inspectors on your land. If you refuse to allow this, you are an outlaw and subject to arrest.
Submitted by Doodles (user info) at 2009-07-06 12:43:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I didn't actually read it.
Plus i was drunk.
In addition to both of these facts this did actually bore me.
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2009-07-06 11:53:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
huh
Submitted by PlatinumScarecrow (user info) at 2009-07-06 10:33:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Very Orwellian...
Submitted by jack_of_hearts (user info) at 2009-07-06 08:38:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by WiKi (user info) at 2009-07-05 20:49:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
le sigh
___________________
heh. emoting in french.
Submitted by jack_of_hearts (user info) at 2009-07-06 08:35:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Doodles (user info) at 2009-07-06 00:37:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
hey, it's a post about the Armageddon.
I didn't even have to read a word of it, to reach my conclusion either.
In fact, I don't think you could have used a tired story concept/title if you choose to write about zombies.
except zombies are cool and funny.
Unless you titled that post "lame zombies write about the end of the world as for told by the Mayans. Now with 50% less brains."
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
Technically, there's no Armageddon mentioned. Perhaps it's only a story about Christmas Day in three years...
There isn't a definite point that the world ends made in the story, only a question. Furthermore, it's definitely not the Mayan day, as that would have been on the 21st, so I'm four days to late here. Hm.
Also, zombie movies tend to be a post-apocalyptic political statement against consumerism and mass culture, which is mostly what the story was about. Anyway, try actually reading something before making an opinion. You're like George W. and Katrina.
Submitted by jack_of_hearts (user info) at 2009-07-06 08:31:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by RoadSong (user info) at 2009-07-05 20:25:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
What you have written here is a downer, but I hope it gives some readers a clue as to what the future holds. If we are aware then maybe we can change it.
_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
"You must become the change you wish to see in the world."
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2009-07-06 08:28:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
Meh.
Submitted by F.J.Bell (user info) at 2009-07-06 05:06:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Decent.
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2009-07-06 04:40:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
The Mayan calendar stops in 2012.
The Hindu calendar stops never, postulating this Universe to be about six billion years old with much more that that remaining, and it only one in an infinite chain of deaths and rebirths.
So what? So, decent story. That's what.
Submitted by Doodles (user info) at 2009-07-06 00:37:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
hey, it's a post about the Armageddon.
I didn't even have to read a word of it, to reach my conclusion either.
In fact, I don't think you could have used a tired story concept/title if you choose to write about zombies.
except zombies are cool and funny.
Unless you titled that post "lame zombies write about the end of the world as for told by the Mayans. Now with 50% less brains."
Because what are zombie stories if they're aren't any brains?
I know, I know, I can see that there is still 50% of that brainy goodness, but it just isn't the same.
plus the zombies are lame.
And paraplegic zombies rank u there with Jews on the "Cool Scale"
Meaning not at all.
Fuck Jews.
What the fuck have they ever done for anyone anyway?
And don't get started on the holocaust.
At least the Jews could have had the decency to come back as zombies.
That would have been coo.
Coo.
Not cool
but coo
coo is the cool way to spell cool
It's also how cartman says cool
and he hates jews too
he probably wouldn't have liked this post too much either.
he's like, 8 years old.
southpark is funny
and original
This post wasn't funny.
or original
So, in the future try to be more like southpark.
And less like you, okay?
Submitted by WiKi (user info) at 2009-07-05 20:49:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
le sigh
Submitted by SilentRenegade (user info) at 2009-07-05 20:45:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
very good.... is been a long time since someone has put something worth reading on this site...
Submitted by RoadSong (user info) at 2009-07-05 20:25:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"But we all do, we're just unwilling to remind ourselves there was something better than a vitamin-enhanced-genetically-modified flavored pudding."
~~~~~~~~
We are well on our way toward the pudding.
Hybrid seed that will give no viable seed for next years crop is already a firm reality and of course we all know that most of the food grown on the huge agri conglomerate farms has been genetically altered to repel pests and have a longer shelf life.The long term effects of this food on humans has not been tested. Now the huge agri farms have patents on their hybrid seed, meaning that soon, if they have their way everyone will have to buy their seed to have a garden.
The small farmers are being driven out of biz and their land gobbled up and paved over, and this is the plight of the small farmer.
We must and will resist. We are exchanging seed and networking as we protest the adding of animal genes to tomatoes.
People should consider vegetable gardening and the exchange of "heirloom" seed if they want to make sure their families have enough good wholesome food in the future.
What you have written here is a downer, but I hope it gives some readers a clue as to what the future holds. If we are aware then maybe we can change it.