The New "Old" World (vanityinfinite & darkangel76)

[vanityinfinite]

The smell is something that could never be described. His senses heightened, as his eyes flicker open slowly. The surface below him is rough and wet and he’s not sure how he got here. A quick survey of his own bulky, broad figure told him he was uninjured so he pushed off the ground and rose to his feet.

His eyes, starting to clear from the haze of waking up, focused on the scene before him. It appeared that he is under a bridge of some sort. A vast engineering structure hanging above him, covering him from the rain beyond. The devastation was something only seen in movies. The bridge slowly crumbling, along with all the structures surrounding it. Many fires, despite the strength of the downpour, as far as the eye can see. His eyes scanning the horizon for some semblance of life, some flicker of humanity, but nothing. Nothing but the many blazes and the smell to go along with them.

Turning to look back at his resting place he found nothing, no belongings, no gear, just the clothes on his back. As he moved to face back toward the collapsing bridge his eyes caught movement. Trying to quickly adjust to the darkness above him, where the ground is elevated, he took a few steps back as his eyes worked out the form of a small figure huddled in out of the rain. His lips parted “You there!” his words nervous but desperate “What’s happened? Where are we?” his questions truthful and disturbing; the realization coming upon him that he remembers nothing about what’s happened, about how he got here, about who he is. “Come into the light where I can see you” his steps betray the demand in his voice as he stumbles backward, nervous as to what may emerge from the darkness…

 

[darkangel76]

Her eyes were sore, swollen and no doubt red from crying as she huddled under what used to be the walkway bridge to one of the shopping areas near the university. The weather was finally nice enough that Mackenzie had decided to walk outside, take in the fresh air instead of the stuffy stale air she'd been forced to endure while everything was cold and frozen during the wintry months. So, she decided to forego the bridge and walk along the pavement despite the rain that drizzled down from the sky on and off in spurts. What did she care? Spring was settling in and signs of life were everywhere as flowers budded and leaves grew back on the spindly branches of once bare trees.

Only now...

Mackenzie lifted her head as she heard a voice shouting in the distance. The words were muffled and her thoughts hazy. One moment she'd been walking along slightly damp sidewalk, intent on going shopping since she didn't have afternoon classes, the next she'd been shrieking in terror as the bridge above groaned and glass began to shatter.

Waves of auburn covered Mackenzie's red-rimmed eyes as she shifted her tiny form and peered over her knees, which were tucked tightly against her chest, to see who was shouting. She could see his silhouette against the blazes and smoke as the rain poured down, no longer the drizzle it had been earlier on...before things seemingly went to hell. She glanced to her left and then to her right, tiny goose bumps forming on her skin as she suddenly shivered. Finally, her blue gaze settled on the shadow before her and she swallowed the lump that had somehow formed in her throat. Her lungs were tightening, making it hard to breathe. Oh where was her damned inhaler? She winced, her heart racing as her thoughts went wild with sudden panic. Her one hand moved to the purse slung about her body, tiny hands fumbling for the precious inhaler she knew resided inside. Carefully, she removed it and took a puff of medicine, willing herself to relax.

Slowly, Mackenzie stood up, long, thick hair spilling over her shoulders. She smoothed out her rumpled jeans with trembling hand and adjusted her blue knit top. "Yes?" she called out, voice softer than she wanted it to be. She bit down on her lip and tried again, slowly, cautiously stepping forward. "I...I don't know what happened." Her hands were shaking, so she clasped them together, wringing them nervously as her eyes darted back and forth, taking in the sight of everything.

No more flowers blooming, no more leaves on trees...no more spring. Just the smell of burning flesh and rancid oil and something...else.

Mackenzie's eyelashes fluttered as the rain poured down, slowly soaking her to the bone. She dared to rake a hand through her hair as she let out a shaky sigh, her eyes suddenly darting back and forth once more.

"Maybe we should wait out the rain? At least?" Mackenzie stated more than asked. At least, she hoped that whoever this was would want to wait. She didn't know who he was or where he came from or if he knew anything at all. Her eyes suddenly drifted toward a strange wreckage in the distance. But it was nice to no long not be alone, to be near someone witnessing the same oddities, the same...everything.

Meanwhile, on a lonely road, Tate sat in her wrecked car, the airbag having gone off. Tears streamed from her dark eyes as she sat there, silent and more than confused. The traffic lights were no longer working and her car could barely do a thing and then...

Ugh! Damn car just came out of nowhere and rammed into her! She was lucky she had no broken bones! Of course—Tate looked down at her arms—there were still the bruises. She sighed and more tears began to flow. "Okay," she said softly. "Okay." But it wasn't okay. It was very far from it. Sucking in a sharp breath, she decided to push open her door. Rain pelted down, stinging her skin as she looked up into the pearly gray sky.

Tate grimaced, her dark eyes squinting slightly as she realized that it wasn't just rain coming down from the sky, but...ash. A tiny shriek escaped her and she quickly darted along the road and headed for the tree line, her dark hair streaming behind her as she ran.

 

[vanityinfinite]

His gaze remained in the direction of this slowly moving figure approaching him. The slight figure emerging from the darkness of the bridge covering showed off her auburn hair, wet from the rain above. The words escaping her lips, trembling as were her hands. The suggestion coming ‘maybe we should wait it out’ making total sense to him, but no sense at the same time. They needed to act. Act in what way he wasn’t sure, but he was certain that they needed to act. As her eyes drifted to some wreckage in the distance his eyes moved back to the devastation before him. Why couldn’t he remember anything!

His steps becoming more confident with each passing moment as his consciousness fully returns, he steps out into the rain; no, not rain… this is ash. As hands stretch out, collecting small amounts of ash, noises from all around seem to fill the air. The crumbling of buildings stretched out before them. The settling of the crashing bridge above them. The noise of fires burning all around. His mind revelling in these impossible surroundings, not only the impossibility of it all but the fact he couldn’t remember anything. Turning to this girl beside him staring out in awestruck wonder as he was likely doing moments ago his lips parted again “What happened here? Where are we?” the implication again rising to his mind that he doesn’t even know who he is himself.

Watching as her hands run through her hair he instinctively does the same to find a sore spot that makes him wince on the back of his head. Is this a wound? He pulls his hand away from his hair to look for blood. No blood. Reaching back, touching the spot again. Groans come from deep within, the groans of pain as he touches something, he pulls his hand back to look again… no, nothing.

………..

“Francis… Francis” Bill pushes on his friends shoulder. “Francis, wake up” he desperately pleas again pushing him harder, slapping him fully across the face while looking down at his crushed legs beneath a steel beam. “Francis…” Bill’s voice trails off knowing his friend is gone. The days of a casual lunch with his good friend are gone. Francis was just telling Bill how he and his fiancé got engaged last night and how it happened when the building above them began to crumble. The overwhelming shock of the incident difficult to understand; a noise began the whole thing, so loud that neither Bill or Francis could hear what the other was saying; a noise so loud that a small amount of blood flowed from both.

The shock brought them to their feet, looking around, looking everywhere for some explanation of what just happened… but then the ground began to shake. They both didn’t know if they should run, should they stand still? Rain from the sky fell, but it wasn’t from the heavens; it was from the buildings around them. Their eyes looking up watched in horror as high rises started to crumble; not just building parts and pieces but people… people jumping to try and survive whatever this was. Landing in a muddied mess beside them spurred them to run to shelter which is how they found this cove. Nestled under a large concrete monument, their only hope, they looked at each other terrified of what may happen. The next moments passed so fast. People being crushed everywhere by the large structures pounding into the ground. People jumping from newly broken windows, desperate attempts ending in the only way possible. Bill’s eyes transfixed on the darkened sky, watching as the scene got worse by the minute only to look back at his friends lifeless eyes, his body crushed.

Lifting himself to his feet from under the structure that did indeed save his life Bill looked around. Nothing but rubble. Nothing but destruction. His hearing returning with a slight ringing along with it brought into focus the noises around him. Fire, crashing, screaming! Someone screaming.

 

[darkangel76]

Mackenzie eyed him as he stood there before her, his own eyes looking slightly dazed as he glanced around and touched his own head. She wondered if perhaps he'd hit it or something had hit him when everything had suddenly gone to hell. It honestly was unlike anything she'd ever seen or been through and she felt damn lucky she'd decided to walk outside as opposed to through the glass covered bridge. Thank goodness for small blessings. Oh the irony given the fact that she didn't like the idea of anyone or anything controlling her fate. But, she'd keep that thought to herself. Her blue eyes glistened as she fought back tears of frustration and panic. Right. She could do this.

She had to.

"Well," Mackenzie began, the tip of her tongue darting out for a moment to wet her lower lip. "I'm not sure what happened." She paused, her head turning as she looked about the wrecked area. "One moment I was walking in the drizzling rain, ready to shop...the next, I heard glass shattering above me and I was taking cover as I heard a loud crash and felt stuff crumbling down over me." She frowned slightly, the corners of her mouth turning down. "You...you really don't remember, do you?" she stated more than asked. Biting down on her lower lip, she dared another step forward. "You're in upstate New York." She tried to smile, but her tummy fluttered with worry. "But..." her voice trailed, getting soft. "Looks like there's not much left of the city or the university or, well, anything."

Again, Mackenzie's eyes drifted over toward the wreckage in the distance. Smoke was billowing up like a beacon beckoning anyone in the nearby vicinity to where it plumed up from the scorched and scarred ground. No doubt people would gather there wanting answers. But who knew anything? She certainly didn't. Did anyone? She had to wonder. And whatever it was that was in a heap, metal parts glistening in the ashen rain...it looked odd to her eyes, unlike anything she'd ever seen. It couldn't be part of a building or a crashed plane. But what was it? Her face twisted a little and she blinked a few times.

"I'm sorry," Mackenzie quickly recovered, pulling herself out of her thoughts. "My name is Mackenzie. Mackenzie Fallon." With great determination, she let one hand drop to her side and reach out toward the man. Her heart beat fast as her thoughts began to race. Hopefully this stranger's amnesia wouldn't last long. Hopefully he could at least remember his name.

Meanwhile, Tate ran into the tree line. She figured it was the only way to ensure the rain and ash didn't get her. As she ducked for cover, she began to reassess her decision. What if there was fire along with the ash? Oh god...how stupid! She could go up in flames! A fresh wave of panic began to set in and she could feel it bubbling up beneath her skin. As her dark eyes darted about, she felt as if everything was closing in around her. She needed to leave, to run. Without further hesitation, she stood up and began to move, her strong legs taking her wherever they willed, her mind working on full instinct as opposed to rational logic.

"Not here, not now..." Tate whimpered, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. She raked a hand through her dark hair and raced along the tree line, her eyes catching sight of crumbling structures in the distance. Did this mean there could be others about? She hoped so, she wasn't meant for this and she certainly wasn't ready to die.

"Help!" Tate shouted, body trembling in fear. "What's happening? I lost my car! I don't know where I am!"

 

[vanityinfinite]

Hearing this woman speak the truth of the circumstance was odd for him. It's like he knew what she was going to say, like he knew what had happened... what was happening. The knowledge in his head, but he was unable to retrieve it. Her simple explanation of ‘you’re in upstate New York’ was not a shock to him… again, like he knew he was supposed to be here. His location was ‘Upstate New York’; the resounding sound of a man saying this in his head over and over ‘Upstate New York’ ‘Upstate New York’ but the voice is not one that he recognizes, but again that’s not saying much considering he doesn’t recognize anything or anyone, including himself. He mutters in response to her “No, nothing” just reinforcing her belief that he does not remember anything “and I think you’re right. Nothing is left.”

Watching this young woman’s eyes wander over the surface of the earth pushed his to join her. The rain of ash persisted, the sound of explosions all around. How did they even survive, he wondered… but again, he knew he would; how did he know this? ‘Upstate New York’, that man again in his head; he reached back to the sore spot on his head, what was this?

His gaze broken as her declaration… Mackenzie Fallon. He watched as her hand pushed toward him. Instinctively he reached out and said “nice to meet you I’m Robert” but was he Robert? Why did he just say that? Holding onto this soft cold hand as his mind wandered back to the fact that he knew they needed to act. “Mackenzie, I know that you suggested we stay put for a moment, but I have an instinct that is pushing me to do otherwise. Will you follow me?” he asks as he starts looking for a long branch.

…………………………………….

The screaming, where is that screaming from were Bill’s only thoughts as he climbed to the surface of the rumble that surrounded him. It’s from inside, inside the rubble. He grabbed at some loose debris throwing it aside, trying to find the voice, trying to pinpoint it, work toward it pulling and pushing at rubble as the trembling voice continued to scream for help. “I’m coming” he tried to announce, but his voice cracked from the dryness of the air. “I’m coming” he tried repeating but again his voice raspy as he pulled again at the metals collapsed.

Finally as he pulled back another large chunk a face shining through. A young woman, pinned by the rubble screaming in pain, or fear he wasn’t sure. Their eyes met for the first time, the darkness of the sky overshadowing them. “I’m going to get you out of here” his voice trailed off as he looked for new ways to free her, tugging at building matter in any way he could.

 

[vanityinfinite]

And they all kill themselves after 4 years of waiting for a reply!