Chapter Two

Chapter Two of The Cataclysm

"Your emotions are the slaves to your thought, you are the slave to your emotions."

-Elizabeth Gilbert

'It's as if she's just disappeared off the face of the earth. I remember seeing her for the last time; it was a month ago, on the morning she was meant to fly out to Santiago. She was going away on business as usual, opening her company's new branch in Chile. "Bye," She'd said. Not her usual "I'll see you in a week," or, "This place better be clean when i get back," No. Just "Bye." It was as if she knew she was never coming back, but we thought nothing of it at the time. Now that I think of it there had been more than a few warning signs. Ever since her company had first opened she'd become more and more frazzled and secretive; bustling around everywhere, leaving at odd hours and coming back later than usual. Atticus said she was having an affair but I thought it was joke; now I'm not so sure. It's worst for Dad, he's been blaming himself and almos-'

Gaz snapped the book shut as he heard footsteps approaching; they were the heavy march of his brother's boots.

"We've got work to do." Jake entered the room, sparing only a glance in his brother's direction before tending to the fire.

Gaz began to rise, before stopping himself short, and sat back down. "Do you ever wonder if she might still be alive?" He asked, a melancholy look stealing into his grey eyes, clouding them over with sadness.

"If who's alive?" Jake turned to see his brother try to conceal the book from him. 

"You kno-"

"Give it to me." The authority in his tone forced Gaz to oblige, "Your old journal?"

"I was just-"

"You shouldn't read this garbage anymore," Jake flipped through the book, grimacing at every other page, "It just stirs up the old pot of emotions. No time for that now little brother, like I said, we've got work to do." He glanced at the book one more time before flinging it into the fire. 

"Great," Gaz said, flinching as the flames tore at the pages, "Thanks." 

"And no, I don't think she's still alive," Jake picked up a pipe piece laying on the floor and began to leave, "Everyone gave up hope months ago, you should too. I mean, if he didn't kill her, then the cataclysm must have."

"I guess so," Gaz said, nodding in partial agreement. He watched as the fire danced around his book, eating away at his last memories, before following his brother out of the door.

They walked down the aisle of caravans,  before entering one that had the letters 'C' and 'V' painted on it's side. Inside the caravan, various communication and chemical equipment were scattered over metal tables.

"How long has it been?" Gaz asked, grabbing an earpiece and listening for a connection, a strained look on his face.

"Nineteen days," answered Jake, distracted by the glass beakers he was inspecting.

"I wonder why he's not replying." Gaz murmured, sitting down on a plastic chair.

Jake sighed then turned to face his brother, letting a moment pass before replying, "He's dead Gaz." The words hung in the air, stinging repeatedly. 

"He can't be dead," Gaz dropped the earpiece and brought his hands to his face, squeezing his eyelids shut, "He can't. He's too smart…and quick…and just-"

"He's dead." Jake repeated in the same somber tone. 

"He's not dead! He's no-"

"Stop!" Jake's sudden outburst silenced his brother, "Listen to me Gaz; Atticus is dead, and there's nothing we can do about it. You need to stop playing pretend and focus on the task at hand. He would have wanted us to go on without him and that is what we have to do! Understand?" 

"Okay." Gaz nodded meekly as the colour slowly drained from his face. Quiet. His chest rose and fell silently as his breathing sped up. Neither of them said a word as the realisation that their brother was dead sunk in. They both knew Atticus would die on this mission, but neither of them wanted to believe it, not even Jake; until now.

Jake was about to speak, but a sudden piercing sound beat him to it. The crescendo of noise came out of nowhere, startling the brothers out of their seats. It rose and fell in shrieks and groans; a girl screaming in pain.

"What the-" Jake abandoned his post and ran from the caravan, Gaz close behind him. The screaming grew louder and more agonized as they entered a large warehouse. Three figures surrounded a metal bed, each holding multiple syringes. On the bed a girl lay twitching ferociously, her wild brown hair flying. She was screaming uncontrollably, only half conscious.

"What's happening to her?" Jake reached her side first; he watched as her eyes rolled back into her head, leaving only the demonic white of the sclera, littered with red veins.

The dark haired woman spoke, "She's finally reacting to the plague."

"What are you injecting her with now?" Gaz asked, gesturing to the syringes they were all holding.

"V34" the woman answered again, "We're trying to subdue the plague and keep it from leaving her body as we're still not sure wether it's harming her or not. She's sweating vigorously though, trying to flush it out of her system." 

"So she may still be immune to it? Could this be her body's way of rejecting it?" Jake asked.

"Quiet possibly." The woman jabbed another needles into the girls flailing arm, trying her hardest not to hit an artery. 

Gaz grimaced as she let out another series of bloodcurdling screams, "Does she know what we're doing?" he asked.

"Well she knows we're injecting her with the plague, but she doesn't know why."

"Good," Jake said, stepping back as the girl convulsed violently, "Let's keep it that way. If she knows she's immune to the plague, then she'll know it was man made, and then she'll know-"

"The cataclysm was partially human engineered." Gaz finished.

Author's Note

sorry it took so long, i've had severe writers block! i know it's not my best piece of work, but it would mean a lot if you'd critique it and whatnot

Reviews

[MOON]

Descriptive well written piece

[Renée]

Yikes..glad I'm not her... reading on to the next ...

[T. Logan]

I think it's pretty good for having gotten off writers block. Well written!

[Lena Rossmore]

thank you!

[Ian H Morrison]

yes it is good the reader is drawn into the whole scenario of it it is written well and has great power behind it

[Lena Rossmore]

thank you :)

[Gretchen Clarke]

*shivers* Wow, that last sentence sent a chill down my spine. Creepy!
Keep up the great, if spooky, work!

[Lena Rossmore]

thank you!

[Chloe]

Holy crap! This is amazing!

[Lena Rossmore]

thank you so much :)