New York Zone:
The End of Alex Mercer
I replay the moment over and over again in my mind...
The End of Alex Mercer
I replay the moment over and over again in my mind...
Viral Origins (Prototype 1&2/Au)
- Thread starter JDSSPROTOTYPE
- Start date
- Created
- Status
- Ongoing
- Watchers
- 19
- Recent readers
- 0
- Threadmarks
- 3
-
Statistics (3 threadmarks, 5.4k words)
User Total JDSSPROTOTYPE 3 Threadmarks Reader mode
Prologue
- Location
- The mouth of a Babe.
New York Zone:
The End of Alex Mercer
I replay the moment over and over again in my mind, even after all this time I still find it ironically disturbing. The pain I felt as the final part of my plan fell into place was as intense as it was necessary. The moment of my death is truly one of my least favorite to date… Poor James, he tried so hard to remove me from his life, only to further my own goals in the attempt. Not that I am much better off currently… In time, I will finish that which I began. And nothing will stand in my way.
The Vault
"Amaya," Heller whispers as tears form in his eyes, he falls to his knees as she tentatively approaches him. With a burst of raw emotions and courage, she lurches forwards into his outstretched arms and sobs. This reaction leads to him encircling her in a deep hug as they sit for minutes in a wordless exchange.
As his tears fall onto his little girl's head and seep into her scalp, a hidden presence sets itself into motion…
North America : 2013 the new year
"Come on, wake up Amaya, it's time to go to school." Dad said as he woke me up. I wearily open my eyes as my father leaves the room, with the lights on.
Groaning, I slip out of bed and rub my sensitive eyes. Quickly, I shut off my light and shamble to the bathroom for a quick shower to start my day off.
30 minutes later
As dad drives me to school, I look around at the reconstruction efforts still taking place here in Maine. Although most of the virus in NYZ had been destroyed instantly, the mainland took a more than a year to clear out by the government and pockets are still being found throughout America and some other countries. Serious efforts to prevent the continued spread of the incurable Blacklight virus led to a change in America's daily life. Students such as me are given specially designed suits to wear at school; thankfully they are customizable and come in a few different designs for males and females. All companies are forced to adhere to a new set of regulations on the making of their wares in an attempt to create safer situations that prevent the spread of possible contagions.
It's sad isn't it? That they go through all of this effort, unable to stop that which they fear?
I pause as the voice in my head speaks before agreeing with it. 'It is in our nature to respond to fear aggressively like this. Blacklight is a virus to normal people, but our scientists keep finding proof that this is false. It is just to unique to be classified under any of our biological kingdoms. It is neither plant nor animal; protist nor fungi. It is seen as a pathogen, but there are cases where it fully infects without harming the systems of the host. It can display intelligence in groups and divide like bacteria. We have no words that can classify it properly.'
It is indeed all these things and more Maya. But, you have nothing to fear as long as you stay near your father. It says.
My inner conversation is halted as dad pulls to a stop, "Love you dad!" I exclaim as I exit the car and walk towards the 7th grade building, eager to attend my 1st period, AP Cellular Biology.
Hutchinson, Texas May 23rd 2016
Dear Diary,
It is official; my internship at G.E.N.E. will start this summer. Thankfully, Dana Mom's contacts in the company agreed to expedite my application. I will be starting as an L.S. in lab 2 on June 1st. College credits, here I come! (And maybe even a future job!)
Written by Amaya Allison
Congratulations Maya, I am SO proud of you,says the ever present voice in my head.
"You should be" I say, "G.E.N.E. has an application failure rate of 96%. Even with help, I might not have made it through."
True, that is why I bothered to even say it at all.
A sense of pride washes over me and I smile at the admittedly indirect praise.
July 5th 2017
…I don't understand… what is happening to me…as I work in G.E.N.E., I can feel … triggers being pulled in my body…he's gone quiet... why is he quiet... something is happening to me, I can…feel… something is, something is… something… is alive.
July 11th 2017
"This is Cecilia Warren with Fox news, breaking news in north Texas. The largest outbreak since the New York train station has occurred in the southern state of Texas. Immediate relief is being sent from the U.N. and Mexico has enacte-"*CrAsH*
I growled as the remote in my hand breaks… "Damnit!"
Picking up the phone, I speak. "Donaviiin" I stress through clenched teeth. "What! Is the meaning of this?"
On the other end of the line, a bored voice replies. "Look here, ALPHA. I understand you are upset, but my informants received word that G.E.N.E. HQ was getting REAL close to uncovering the truth about the 1192-omega strain A.K.A. Origin. I had to destroy all evidence and the surrounding labs. A fight between grade C infected from the 43-delta strain and the U.N./Mexico should do most of the work. All we have left is the clean up."
"I'm going to say this one time, Donavin, do NOT let anyone find out that you are behind this… I refuse to enact the shattered world protocol until the time is right, and the time is Not now. You will not be saved. And if necessary, I will enable kill switch 7 to keep them from finding you."
"I… I understand." He says, I can practically feel him trembling.
"Good, now get to work. You've got a mess to clean up." I disconnect the line and sink into my recliner, ready to take a nap. In the end, with only the 43rd strain let loose, there is nothing to worry about. C'mon, what's the worst that can happen?
The End of Alex Mercer
I replay the moment over and over again in my mind, even after all this time I still find it ironically disturbing. The pain I felt as the final part of my plan fell into place was as intense as it was necessary. The moment of my death is truly one of my least favorite to date… Poor James, he tried so hard to remove me from his life, only to further my own goals in the attempt. Not that I am much better off currently… In time, I will finish that which I began. And nothing will stand in my way.
The Vault
"Amaya," Heller whispers as tears form in his eyes, he falls to his knees as she tentatively approaches him. With a burst of raw emotions and courage, she lurches forwards into his outstretched arms and sobs. This reaction leads to him encircling her in a deep hug as they sit for minutes in a wordless exchange.
As his tears fall onto his little girl's head and seep into her scalp, a hidden presence sets itself into motion…
North America : 2013 the new year
"Come on, wake up Amaya, it's time to go to school." Dad said as he woke me up. I wearily open my eyes as my father leaves the room, with the lights on.
Groaning, I slip out of bed and rub my sensitive eyes. Quickly, I shut off my light and shamble to the bathroom for a quick shower to start my day off.
30 minutes later
As dad drives me to school, I look around at the reconstruction efforts still taking place here in Maine. Although most of the virus in NYZ had been destroyed instantly, the mainland took a more than a year to clear out by the government and pockets are still being found throughout America and some other countries. Serious efforts to prevent the continued spread of the incurable Blacklight virus led to a change in America's daily life. Students such as me are given specially designed suits to wear at school; thankfully they are customizable and come in a few different designs for males and females. All companies are forced to adhere to a new set of regulations on the making of their wares in an attempt to create safer situations that prevent the spread of possible contagions.
It's sad isn't it? That they go through all of this effort, unable to stop that which they fear?
I pause as the voice in my head speaks before agreeing with it. 'It is in our nature to respond to fear aggressively like this. Blacklight is a virus to normal people, but our scientists keep finding proof that this is false. It is just to unique to be classified under any of our biological kingdoms. It is neither plant nor animal; protist nor fungi. It is seen as a pathogen, but there are cases where it fully infects without harming the systems of the host. It can display intelligence in groups and divide like bacteria. We have no words that can classify it properly.'
It is indeed all these things and more Maya. But, you have nothing to fear as long as you stay near your father. It says.
My inner conversation is halted as dad pulls to a stop, "Love you dad!" I exclaim as I exit the car and walk towards the 7th grade building, eager to attend my 1st period, AP Cellular Biology.
Hutchinson, Texas May 23rd 2016
Dear Diary,
It is official; my internship at G.E.N.E. will start this summer. Thankfully, Dana Mom's contacts in the company agreed to expedite my application. I will be starting as an L.S. in lab 2 on June 1st. College credits, here I come! (And maybe even a future job!)
Written by Amaya Allison
Congratulations Maya, I am SO proud of you,says the ever present voice in my head.
"You should be" I say, "G.E.N.E. has an application failure rate of 96%. Even with help, I might not have made it through."
True, that is why I bothered to even say it at all.
A sense of pride washes over me and I smile at the admittedly indirect praise.
July 5th 2017
…I don't understand… what is happening to me…as I work in G.E.N.E., I can feel … triggers being pulled in my body…he's gone quiet... why is he quiet... something is happening to me, I can…feel… something is, something is… something… is alive.
July 11th 2017
"This is Cecilia Warren with Fox news, breaking news in north Texas. The largest outbreak since the New York train station has occurred in the southern state of Texas. Immediate relief is being sent from the U.N. and Mexico has enacte-"*CrAsH*
I growled as the remote in my hand breaks… "Damnit!"
Picking up the phone, I speak. "Donaviiin" I stress through clenched teeth. "What! Is the meaning of this?"
On the other end of the line, a bored voice replies. "Look here, ALPHA. I understand you are upset, but my informants received word that G.E.N.E. HQ was getting REAL close to uncovering the truth about the 1192-omega strain A.K.A. Origin. I had to destroy all evidence and the surrounding labs. A fight between grade C infected from the 43-delta strain and the U.N./Mexico should do most of the work. All we have left is the clean up."
"I'm going to say this one time, Donavin, do NOT let anyone find out that you are behind this… I refuse to enact the shattered world protocol until the time is right, and the time is Not now. You will not be saved. And if necessary, I will enable kill switch 7 to keep them from finding you."
"I… I understand." He says, I can practically feel him trembling.
"Good, now get to work. You've got a mess to clean up." I disconnect the line and sink into my recliner, ready to take a nap. In the end, with only the 43rd strain let loose, there is nothing to worry about. C'mon, what's the worst that can happen?
Last edited:
chapter 1
- Location
- The mouth of a Babe.
I woke to a loud bang outside my apartment, it was dark and flickering red was the only color in my room. Outside, I could hear the sound of gunfire and guttural screams of an unearthly origin. I shiver and feel incredibly weak suddenly, as if in response to the lack of light and warmth… but there is something else wrong, something important was… lost, forgotten. "ME!" I shout and hurry off the bed. "I-I" words fail me as I start panicking, I can't remember. I have a few things, no. I Know things, lots and lots of things. But I don't know who I am.
"Okay, okay." I breathe trying to calm down.
I almost calmed down enough to focus when a pair of arms encircles me, making me lock up. And then I hear a voice. "Mmm, welcome back to the land of the living. You were scaring me for a moment there Maya."
All my fear disappears at that word, Maya. 'My name is Maya?' I think to myself. A sudden curiosity springs to life deep within me, I think; this man must know who I am. Though I am not sure of our relationship, I know he is comfortable enough to embrace me like this within what I assume to be my own apartment. Implying it might not be mine, it might be ours… I shiver once more and unclasp his arms.
Turning around and take in his appearance. Pale Caucasian skin tone, defined jawline and cheekbones, black hair tousled slightly; loose black t-shirt and pants, black leather hoodie with a pale grey hood. I rack my mind looking for a name, hoping that one would pop to mind… wait a second. 'Zeus? Who names their kids after Norse gods? Well, it's better than nothing I guess.' I take a step back from him and he smiles reassuringly at me, "Are you feeling alright Maya?" he asks.
I answer rather quickly, smiling at him; I reply "I seem to be rather okay Zeus, just having a bit of a problem up here." I point to my head.
He winces slightly at the accidental dig and replies, "Yeah, it's something that seems to happen to us all Maya, after we wake up that is. At least you didn't end up in the morgue like me."
Chuckling slightly, he grabs my hand, leading me towards the kitchen as I process what he just said.
After he sits me in a chair, he approaches the fridge and grabs two thick slabs of something and sets them on plates. He also pours a thick red liquid from a gallon jug into glasses before setting them on the table before me... and they both smell great. A deep hunger swells from within me as he speaks up. "Wait just one second, Maya, don't dig in just yet. You'll make a mess, watch me first." I stop thinking about the food and drink in front of me and snap my eyes on him, watching in hopes of learning something else I might have forgotten.
When he is sure I am paying attention, he starts "that hunger you feel within you will control you if you indulge it, ok? Like a gate, you have to open it slowly." His right hand grabbed the drink and slowly a black… sludge, of some sort, crawled up the side and started siphoning the thick red liquid inside. "Now, carefully place your hand on the side and slowly let loose of your hunger, BUT let it do so slowly like me."
I attempt to follow his instructions and grab the side of the glass. My hunger rages as I stare into the deep liquid and I almost let go, but slowly I overcome my fear and let go of a little bit of the hunger I felt. *SMASH* in an instant, my hand is engulfed in the substance as my flesh moves and absorbs it as if it were a mind of its own. Beneath my hand lies the shattered remnants of the glass, as 'my' hand finishes up, I notice a strange feeling. Looking at my palm, I see it ripple like water as bits and pieces of glass emerge from the depth only to rest atop it. I turn my hand and they fall to the table, joining their brothers.
I suddenly feel the cold within my body drop extremely as what my body just did sinks into my mind. I am then racked with shakes so powerful that I almost fall to the ground; in fact I would have, had Zeus' hand not changed into a tentacle like appendage which shot forwards and stabilized me. "Please be more careful," he says, "you are not prepared to heal any damages to yourself yet. That little bit nearly exhausted you… here, release that hunger once more." I look at him like he is crazy as his appendage detaches from his shoulder and rests an end atop my previously injured hand.
I nearly deny him but am wracked with another chill. Carefully, I let loose the growling hunger even tighter than before and watch as the tendril slinks into my arm. Once again I am reminded of rippling water in a still pond. After about a minute, I feel much better. Almost as if I was not outside during winter in Nebraska without a coat.
"Thank you" I manage to say as I stare at his half lost arm, "But, what about you?" I ask honestly, if this is truly how one eats then I am uncertain of just how much of what I know is incorrect or if I have just forgotten more than I think. Hell, I might not even be breathing or blinking correctly.
He looks at his arm and smiles reassuringly, "Don't worry, I have plenty of mass left to replace a minor inconvenience such as this." He states, and I bear witness to surprisingly high speed regeneration. The center of his arm, where his bones should be, extended in a burst of speed until it was the length of his other arm. Then the surrounding flesh twisted around the pole in a clockwise motion, expanding and shifting red and black tendrils of meat forming corded muscles as three fingers joined the first and a thumb followed. When completed, it was shaped perfectly and only the color was different, however a quick ripple from the point of emergence recalibrated it to mirror his left arm. All of this happens in what appears to be less than 10 seconds.
I take a moment to look at him and just stare… I ask him a question to break the silence we were sharing. "So, what are we exactly… based on what I remember, we are not Homo Sapien, are we?"
"Even without most of your memories, you're still the intelligent young woman I know." He smiles widely and leans forward looking me in the eyes. "Yeah. You're right, we are not Homo sapien nor do we belong in the kingdom animalia. We breathe because we are used to it. We eat because it provides us more mass, not to sustain life. We are warm because it is easier to move and function that way. We are this large in order to protect ourselves better. We live because we CAN'T die naturally. We reproduce to make more of ourselves. We can fit in all known categories of biology, yet we don't belong anywhere amongst them. Any environment is conquerable to us, freezing vacuums, molten lava, and the bottom of the sea are wonderful experiences to us…we are like a shadow who casts itself, we can't be beaten. If there is a light, we can thrive… In all honesty, properly naming us is impossible. We are just too varied.. But I would say we are Transfiguratus tenebris as a species, the shifting darkness. Or, more specifically, you and I are Hetero umbra.
"There was a time when I called us evolved, for it appeared we were. And though we are, it doesn't fit. We are not done adapting, we never will be. And you are just our next step towards perfection Maya."
He stopped talking and I thought for a moment on what he said. "You said you once called us evolved?"
"Yes," he answered, "Many years ago."
A thought struck me and a question formed before I could fully grasp its identity. "Then this means that others, that humans, will know us as Blacklight."
He paused and frowned, "Yes, some will. Others will not. In the end, we are whatever we want to be. For we have no form to call our own. And without an object to base our existence, we will return to the shapeless void." As he said this, I noticed a continuous cycle occurring across his hand. As he talked, it would simultaneously dissolve into black sludge and be absorbed and reformed."
"But please, there is a lot for you to learn and little time to teach you. Consume your meat and then follow me."
I looked at my food as he left the room and let loose my hunger.
-
5 minutes later.
I stood atop the apartment building and scanned the roof for Zeus when suddenly, "BOO!" he yelled, dropping in front of me heavily.
I screamed… then I punched him in the mouth… I think I hurt my hand.
"oww." He said as I cradled my hand. He then grabbed it and somehow made it better. "Sorry, come on though, tis time to teacheth thou." He walked to the edge of the roof and sat on the ledge. Sitting next to him, I listened to what he had to say.
"As I specified earlier, not only are we a part of the changing darkness we are actually different shadows. If you look down there, on the streets, you might see some of our cousins." He said.
I strained my eyes to see and noticed that, just standing around, down there were a few people next to a burning car. "Are those humans?" I asked. "They are just standing there."
He shook his head. "Unfortunately not, they are the unfortunate many who do not evolve correctly… they are mindless masses of matter good for nothing but swarming a threat and fueling the food chain…"
"Then, how do they relate to us?" I ask, generally confused by this new information.
"They are comparable to zombies if we are vampires. Do you understand that?" he asks.
"Yeah, in a way. Though we are both monsters, you and I are better in every way. Including our intelligence." I answer with a sparkle in my eye as I finally understand something.
"Good job Maya, but more than that. Their only hope is to feed on humans and animals, however we are not limited to that. Through the process of acquiring working dna of herbivores, we ourselves could then digest plants and consume them. Upon implementing the D.N.A. of various plants to ourselves, we could perform photosynthesis and absorb various minerals. Also, through the process of consuming animals we can actually gain knowledge, memories. Our potential for growth is unmatched. This truly is a beautiful thing, don't you agree?"He asked.
I search for words to describe my emotions and thoughts, but all I can think of is, "You're right, it sure is something…but, you said there was much for me to learn. And I feel like we are falling behind schedule sitting here."
"Alright then," he stood and helped me up. "Hold on" he says. I comply and in an instant, we are almost 80 feet in the air above the street and falling fast. He extends a leg at the car I noticed earlier and we suddenly are caught in gravity's relentless grasp. With a loud boom, the shades around us are thrown into the buildings on either side of the street. Most are dead, but a single one stands up. A man, or what's left of one. So covered in growths, it was hard to determine any features.
"That is a regular old shade, just a basic infected as humans would call it. He has no specialties other than the removal of the human muscle limitation enacted by the brain, so however strong he was before he is now 6 to 7 times so. Probably enough to flip a car or dent solid steel. He has no real cognitive abilities, so reasoning is ineffective. Shades like him will react violently to almost anything; some will even attack each other. Only a few recognize us as family so he will likely attack once he becomes aware of his surroundings." Zeus stopped and as if on cue, the shade turned to us and screeched before running at us.
Zeus stepped forward and looked back, "I apologize, but the way I learned to do this was rather haphazard, it was in the middle of a war."
He then faced the shade once more and, he changed. His arm bent and a bladelike bone erupted from his elbow as his forearm lengthened and formed a bladed structure that connected to the one from his elbow and merged, also the skin and clothes he wore rippled into thickly corded muscles. "This is blade form, probably the most efficient weapon form I possess besides Muscle Mass."
The shade was almost upon him when Zeus swiftly lurched forward and severed the head from the body. His arm reverted and he picked up both the head and body and brought them to me.
He rested the body against the burnt out car and carefully placed the head back on. A spike speared through the head and kept it on as he pointed to one of the various tumors. "These, I have discovered, are pockets of tissue that hold multiple mutations. Both functional and non, when these tissues are consumed the functional mutations are memorized by our cells and the non are filed to prevent recurrences within our own like so." His fingers each turned into 4 inch blades as he removed one of the tumors and held it in the palm of his other hand. It quickly dissolved and he started talking again. "That one there, it contained various mutations of the human eye. Only two were functional look." I looked at his eyes and saw his irises were crimson red and his scleras were pitch black. "The changes are superficial at best most of the time, but sometimes you find ones that are perfect for later situations." He procured another one. "Here, you try."
I grab the lump in his hands and start consuming it like the dead meat from the fridge. However this time I feel a throbbing heat and it almost feels like I'm running a fever for a few seconds before I feel something click in the back of my mind. Then, almost like I just read a page, information made its way to just under my thoughts. "I think… there were 17 total mutations in that, all were pertaining to teeth. Only three of them are usable. Look," I show him my teeth as they change. My incisors sharpen to a point as all molars change into canines and then they all gain a slight serration.
"Good job, now imagine your teeth falling asleep to get them back to their previous state of existence." He says.
At first, I am unable to make them "fall asleep" but then I think about, perhaps instead of making them fall asleep I should make the changes "go to their rooms". And it worked!
"I did it!" I exclaimed in delight.
"I knew you could do it Maya. Consume the rest of the body, you will need your strength for the trials ahead…" I look down at the body before me, I feel I should be disgusted by the unnatural shape of the mutations and the aftermath of Blacklight's ravaging effects; I don't. In fact, all I can feel is an… excitement. I feel as if there is a whole world that whoever I once was could never have understood. Like a man who walked into his own reflection, only to arrive in another world… It is with these thoughts that I curl my left hand into a fist and violently plunge into the body before me; the blood splatter is absorbed into my body as I focus on the sensations this previously inexperienced hunger feeds both my body and mind.
Broken pieces of thoughts, half formed textures of neither color nor sound, a whispering static… then nothing, I am myself once more… but different. No longer do I wilt from an internal cold nor do I feel like a hollow shell incapable of supporting my own weight. I am… full? No, I am merely satisfied. A feeling within me says I will never be full, merely content; and I think that I am fine with that… Yes... I am fine with that…
"Okay, okay." I breathe trying to calm down.
I almost calmed down enough to focus when a pair of arms encircles me, making me lock up. And then I hear a voice. "Mmm, welcome back to the land of the living. You were scaring me for a moment there Maya."
All my fear disappears at that word, Maya. 'My name is Maya?' I think to myself. A sudden curiosity springs to life deep within me, I think; this man must know who I am. Though I am not sure of our relationship, I know he is comfortable enough to embrace me like this within what I assume to be my own apartment. Implying it might not be mine, it might be ours… I shiver once more and unclasp his arms.
Turning around and take in his appearance. Pale Caucasian skin tone, defined jawline and cheekbones, black hair tousled slightly; loose black t-shirt and pants, black leather hoodie with a pale grey hood. I rack my mind looking for a name, hoping that one would pop to mind… wait a second. 'Zeus? Who names their kids after Norse gods? Well, it's better than nothing I guess.' I take a step back from him and he smiles reassuringly at me, "Are you feeling alright Maya?" he asks.
I answer rather quickly, smiling at him; I reply "I seem to be rather okay Zeus, just having a bit of a problem up here." I point to my head.
He winces slightly at the accidental dig and replies, "Yeah, it's something that seems to happen to us all Maya, after we wake up that is. At least you didn't end up in the morgue like me."
Chuckling slightly, he grabs my hand, leading me towards the kitchen as I process what he just said.
After he sits me in a chair, he approaches the fridge and grabs two thick slabs of something and sets them on plates. He also pours a thick red liquid from a gallon jug into glasses before setting them on the table before me... and they both smell great. A deep hunger swells from within me as he speaks up. "Wait just one second, Maya, don't dig in just yet. You'll make a mess, watch me first." I stop thinking about the food and drink in front of me and snap my eyes on him, watching in hopes of learning something else I might have forgotten.
When he is sure I am paying attention, he starts "that hunger you feel within you will control you if you indulge it, ok? Like a gate, you have to open it slowly." His right hand grabbed the drink and slowly a black… sludge, of some sort, crawled up the side and started siphoning the thick red liquid inside. "Now, carefully place your hand on the side and slowly let loose of your hunger, BUT let it do so slowly like me."
I attempt to follow his instructions and grab the side of the glass. My hunger rages as I stare into the deep liquid and I almost let go, but slowly I overcome my fear and let go of a little bit of the hunger I felt. *SMASH* in an instant, my hand is engulfed in the substance as my flesh moves and absorbs it as if it were a mind of its own. Beneath my hand lies the shattered remnants of the glass, as 'my' hand finishes up, I notice a strange feeling. Looking at my palm, I see it ripple like water as bits and pieces of glass emerge from the depth only to rest atop it. I turn my hand and they fall to the table, joining their brothers.
I suddenly feel the cold within my body drop extremely as what my body just did sinks into my mind. I am then racked with shakes so powerful that I almost fall to the ground; in fact I would have, had Zeus' hand not changed into a tentacle like appendage which shot forwards and stabilized me. "Please be more careful," he says, "you are not prepared to heal any damages to yourself yet. That little bit nearly exhausted you… here, release that hunger once more." I look at him like he is crazy as his appendage detaches from his shoulder and rests an end atop my previously injured hand.
I nearly deny him but am wracked with another chill. Carefully, I let loose the growling hunger even tighter than before and watch as the tendril slinks into my arm. Once again I am reminded of rippling water in a still pond. After about a minute, I feel much better. Almost as if I was not outside during winter in Nebraska without a coat.
"Thank you" I manage to say as I stare at his half lost arm, "But, what about you?" I ask honestly, if this is truly how one eats then I am uncertain of just how much of what I know is incorrect or if I have just forgotten more than I think. Hell, I might not even be breathing or blinking correctly.
He looks at his arm and smiles reassuringly, "Don't worry, I have plenty of mass left to replace a minor inconvenience such as this." He states, and I bear witness to surprisingly high speed regeneration. The center of his arm, where his bones should be, extended in a burst of speed until it was the length of his other arm. Then the surrounding flesh twisted around the pole in a clockwise motion, expanding and shifting red and black tendrils of meat forming corded muscles as three fingers joined the first and a thumb followed. When completed, it was shaped perfectly and only the color was different, however a quick ripple from the point of emergence recalibrated it to mirror his left arm. All of this happens in what appears to be less than 10 seconds.
I take a moment to look at him and just stare… I ask him a question to break the silence we were sharing. "So, what are we exactly… based on what I remember, we are not Homo Sapien, are we?"
"Even without most of your memories, you're still the intelligent young woman I know." He smiles widely and leans forward looking me in the eyes. "Yeah. You're right, we are not Homo sapien nor do we belong in the kingdom animalia. We breathe because we are used to it. We eat because it provides us more mass, not to sustain life. We are warm because it is easier to move and function that way. We are this large in order to protect ourselves better. We live because we CAN'T die naturally. We reproduce to make more of ourselves. We can fit in all known categories of biology, yet we don't belong anywhere amongst them. Any environment is conquerable to us, freezing vacuums, molten lava, and the bottom of the sea are wonderful experiences to us…we are like a shadow who casts itself, we can't be beaten. If there is a light, we can thrive… In all honesty, properly naming us is impossible. We are just too varied.. But I would say we are Transfiguratus tenebris as a species, the shifting darkness. Or, more specifically, you and I are Hetero umbra.
"There was a time when I called us evolved, for it appeared we were. And though we are, it doesn't fit. We are not done adapting, we never will be. And you are just our next step towards perfection Maya."
He stopped talking and I thought for a moment on what he said. "You said you once called us evolved?"
"Yes," he answered, "Many years ago."
A thought struck me and a question formed before I could fully grasp its identity. "Then this means that others, that humans, will know us as Blacklight."
He paused and frowned, "Yes, some will. Others will not. In the end, we are whatever we want to be. For we have no form to call our own. And without an object to base our existence, we will return to the shapeless void." As he said this, I noticed a continuous cycle occurring across his hand. As he talked, it would simultaneously dissolve into black sludge and be absorbed and reformed."
"But please, there is a lot for you to learn and little time to teach you. Consume your meat and then follow me."
I looked at my food as he left the room and let loose my hunger.
-
5 minutes later.
I stood atop the apartment building and scanned the roof for Zeus when suddenly, "BOO!" he yelled, dropping in front of me heavily.
I screamed… then I punched him in the mouth… I think I hurt my hand.
"oww." He said as I cradled my hand. He then grabbed it and somehow made it better. "Sorry, come on though, tis time to teacheth thou." He walked to the edge of the roof and sat on the ledge. Sitting next to him, I listened to what he had to say.
"As I specified earlier, not only are we a part of the changing darkness we are actually different shadows. If you look down there, on the streets, you might see some of our cousins." He said.
I strained my eyes to see and noticed that, just standing around, down there were a few people next to a burning car. "Are those humans?" I asked. "They are just standing there."
He shook his head. "Unfortunately not, they are the unfortunate many who do not evolve correctly… they are mindless masses of matter good for nothing but swarming a threat and fueling the food chain…"
"Then, how do they relate to us?" I ask, generally confused by this new information.
"They are comparable to zombies if we are vampires. Do you understand that?" he asks.
"Yeah, in a way. Though we are both monsters, you and I are better in every way. Including our intelligence." I answer with a sparkle in my eye as I finally understand something.
"Good job Maya, but more than that. Their only hope is to feed on humans and animals, however we are not limited to that. Through the process of acquiring working dna of herbivores, we ourselves could then digest plants and consume them. Upon implementing the D.N.A. of various plants to ourselves, we could perform photosynthesis and absorb various minerals. Also, through the process of consuming animals we can actually gain knowledge, memories. Our potential for growth is unmatched. This truly is a beautiful thing, don't you agree?"He asked.
I search for words to describe my emotions and thoughts, but all I can think of is, "You're right, it sure is something…but, you said there was much for me to learn. And I feel like we are falling behind schedule sitting here."
"Alright then," he stood and helped me up. "Hold on" he says. I comply and in an instant, we are almost 80 feet in the air above the street and falling fast. He extends a leg at the car I noticed earlier and we suddenly are caught in gravity's relentless grasp. With a loud boom, the shades around us are thrown into the buildings on either side of the street. Most are dead, but a single one stands up. A man, or what's left of one. So covered in growths, it was hard to determine any features.
"That is a regular old shade, just a basic infected as humans would call it. He has no specialties other than the removal of the human muscle limitation enacted by the brain, so however strong he was before he is now 6 to 7 times so. Probably enough to flip a car or dent solid steel. He has no real cognitive abilities, so reasoning is ineffective. Shades like him will react violently to almost anything; some will even attack each other. Only a few recognize us as family so he will likely attack once he becomes aware of his surroundings." Zeus stopped and as if on cue, the shade turned to us and screeched before running at us.
Zeus stepped forward and looked back, "I apologize, but the way I learned to do this was rather haphazard, it was in the middle of a war."
He then faced the shade once more and, he changed. His arm bent and a bladelike bone erupted from his elbow as his forearm lengthened and formed a bladed structure that connected to the one from his elbow and merged, also the skin and clothes he wore rippled into thickly corded muscles. "This is blade form, probably the most efficient weapon form I possess besides Muscle Mass."
The shade was almost upon him when Zeus swiftly lurched forward and severed the head from the body. His arm reverted and he picked up both the head and body and brought them to me.
He rested the body against the burnt out car and carefully placed the head back on. A spike speared through the head and kept it on as he pointed to one of the various tumors. "These, I have discovered, are pockets of tissue that hold multiple mutations. Both functional and non, when these tissues are consumed the functional mutations are memorized by our cells and the non are filed to prevent recurrences within our own like so." His fingers each turned into 4 inch blades as he removed one of the tumors and held it in the palm of his other hand. It quickly dissolved and he started talking again. "That one there, it contained various mutations of the human eye. Only two were functional look." I looked at his eyes and saw his irises were crimson red and his scleras were pitch black. "The changes are superficial at best most of the time, but sometimes you find ones that are perfect for later situations." He procured another one. "Here, you try."
I grab the lump in his hands and start consuming it like the dead meat from the fridge. However this time I feel a throbbing heat and it almost feels like I'm running a fever for a few seconds before I feel something click in the back of my mind. Then, almost like I just read a page, information made its way to just under my thoughts. "I think… there were 17 total mutations in that, all were pertaining to teeth. Only three of them are usable. Look," I show him my teeth as they change. My incisors sharpen to a point as all molars change into canines and then they all gain a slight serration.
"Good job, now imagine your teeth falling asleep to get them back to their previous state of existence." He says.
At first, I am unable to make them "fall asleep" but then I think about, perhaps instead of making them fall asleep I should make the changes "go to their rooms". And it worked!
"I did it!" I exclaimed in delight.
"I knew you could do it Maya. Consume the rest of the body, you will need your strength for the trials ahead…" I look down at the body before me, I feel I should be disgusted by the unnatural shape of the mutations and the aftermath of Blacklight's ravaging effects; I don't. In fact, all I can feel is an… excitement. I feel as if there is a whole world that whoever I once was could never have understood. Like a man who walked into his own reflection, only to arrive in another world… It is with these thoughts that I curl my left hand into a fist and violently plunge into the body before me; the blood splatter is absorbed into my body as I focus on the sensations this previously inexperienced hunger feeds both my body and mind.
Broken pieces of thoughts, half formed textures of neither color nor sound, a whispering static… then nothing, I am myself once more… but different. No longer do I wilt from an internal cold nor do I feel like a hollow shell incapable of supporting my own weight. I am… full? No, I am merely satisfied. A feeling within me says I will never be full, merely content; and I think that I am fine with that… Yes... I am fine with that…
Chapter 2
- Location
- The mouth of a Babe.
Viral Origins:
Wherefore art thou?
A loud crash the next street over drew our attention. Zeus grabbed my hand, "Come on Maya, let's see what's happening." I nod and he embraces me.
A feeling of intense acceleration follows his movements as he jumps to the height of the apartment before us, a dash, and he is running on the rooftop. The sound of cracking tile follows another leap and we stop.
Releasing me, he motions for me to crouch down. I quietly follow him to the edge of the roof and look over the edge. Beneath me lies a gigantic armored vehicle, twice the length of a train car. Men and women climb out the back of it with tools and various pieces of equipment.
We sit and watch for almost ten minutes as they set up tables, tents, and start building the foundations for concrete walls to span the street. Finally, I see Zeus beckon me towards him. "Maya, come, look at this."
I scoot towards him and see he is pointing at a person walking around the camp who has been talking to the others. "What about him?"
"He is the commanding officer for these humans. In fact, he happens to be highly decorated. On his breast pocket, if you look closely, you can see the medal for surviving the initial outbreak in Manhattan." He starts walking towards a fire escape a few buildings away.
"What are we going to do to him Zeus?"
He continues walking but looks back as his says, "We are going to find out what he is doing here. The equipment they have set up is largely for screening people for Blacklight. However, they also have a detainment cell block in the making over there." he points to a crowd of people working on an area a bit larger than the truck they came in on. People were ferrying supplies from the truck ,and the buildings they were stripping, to the group.
"And you are wondering if what he is doing here is sanctioned by the government?" I said aloud.
"Yes, I have found that Humanity is like a roller-coaster. It has a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns, but in the end I'm glad I 'got off' so to speak. And people like him… well, if he is performing unsanctioned 'quarantines' for private investors… they are one of the reasons why I'm happier as I am now. Now, I can confront this shit when I see it. Even when faced with the firepower of paramilitary operations arrayed against me."
I muddled through the thought processes invoked by his statement, as we jumped the last 6 feet to the ground, and said. "Okay, so how do we do this?"
He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes and slowly exhales, I feel a vibration expand from him, through the air and the ground I can almost see it travel. Almost a second later, it returns and he opens his eyes. "There are twenty-one people down there right now, and amongst them is at least one cybernetic. It is your job to find and destroy their communications. Once you have done so, retreat. First, however, you need to learn how to stealthily consume a living being."
"Wait a second, are you saying I need to kill humans?" I feel like I should be shocked, but I'm not. In fact, I don't even feel bad about the idea of killing others. It feels rather disconcerting to have such a cold mindset.
He looks at me and cocks his head a little, as if staring at some curiosity. "No, not really Maya. I'm telling you to consume them. It's totally different."
This time it's me who looks at him awkwardly. "When I consumed the shade, he died, gone, kaput… I don't understand what you're getting at here."
I can see him think through my statement and he suddenly laughs. "Heheheh. Oh man, that's a good one. God, I love it when people misunderstand each other like this." I just stare at him like one might towards a crazy man. "Oh goodness, whew." He stops laughing and puts an arm around me. "Alright, Maya, here's how it works. When we were talking about our nature earlier, do you remember what I said about our relation to animals?"
I think back and remember him saying something about our inability to classify Hetero umbra, as a species. We can act like anything, from plant to fungi, and parasites to animals, and even inert pathogens. We can overcome any environment, eventually. And… that's about all I can really remember. Hmn. "I don't, actually. I remember some other stuff, but nothing specific about animals and us."
He looks to his arm and asks, "Do you remember when you hurt yourself by crushing your glass, and I gave you half an arm to fix yourself?" I nod, that was an unpleasant experience that I remember vividly. "And when I regrew my arm?" Once more I nod. "Well, we can do that with any part of our body." His head suddenly… moves. It peels back at the forehead and goes behind his head, revealing more and more black and red flesh. As I watch, the strips spread back and fan themselves out like a macabre antithesis to a peacock's feathers. I can't help but wonder what structures he has put in place to do this, are they conventional muscles or something similar to a spider's 'hydraulic' legs? Other questions flood my mind about this man, but my chance passes as he speaks up again. "Our forms are rather flexible, as you may have noticed." I nod. " And, you know that we can catalog the D.N.A of that which we consume. Correct?" I nod once more, unconsciously, my teeth slip out of their normal positions. "What you seem to have forgotten is that we also memorize the contents of a mammal's brain when we consume them within a timely manner of death."
I am slightly taken aback by that, although I think I can remember him saying it earlier. "So, putting this knowledge together. I'm supposed to get what?"
*Sigh* "We don't kill things, we learn and memorize all of their life. In essence, what we are doing is the same as that idea floating around on the internet about downloading the brain into a computer, we are doing this and 'cutting & pasting' their body to the same place, do you get that?" he says… somehow. It confuses me how he is talking when his neck is separated into ribbons of black and red flesh.
"But do they still perceive the world? Do they get to go home to their families and hug their children!?" My confusion was overwritten by the sudden anger, who cares how he can talk when what he is describing sounds like a form of physical hell.
He reforms his head immediately and I see the pained expression on his face. "No, not yet anyways. But someday? Maybe."
I watch as he sits on the ground and rest his head against the alley wall, staring at the sky. "I can hear them, you know. Every now and then, a motherly voice calls for a child. A father's words soothe a crying kid. A teenager tells their significant other, "I love you" and it hurts. I realize that these memories belong to others, and that they are frozen in fear. Unable to judge the passage of time, unfeeling, senseless… They may be trapped in here, they may be dead for all intents and purposes… but I figure, so long as their 'death' means something, so long as I achieve my goal, it is worth it." He looks at me. "Maya, even if this world hates me for it, I just want to do the right thing. And so, as long as it is necessary, I will consume those in power. I will fight the wrongdoers. I will slay the dragon. But, I won't be a hero…" He then quietly says, "Can you forgive me for pulling you into this?"
As he spoke, my emotions did somersaults. I honestly didn't understand what was going on. I didn't know anything about who I once was, and I am what I am now because of him. For all I know, he changed me like this to prevent the possibility of me becoming a shade… "Who was I to you?" I ask.
"...My light..." His words ring true. Whether I was the light at the end of his tunnel, the light he would pass through for a better future, or the light in which he thrived. I was undeniably an important aspect of his life.
I kneel down and grasp his down-turned chin, I raise it, look him in the eyes, and say, "I forgive you…"
Wherefore art thou?
A loud crash the next street over drew our attention. Zeus grabbed my hand, "Come on Maya, let's see what's happening." I nod and he embraces me.
A feeling of intense acceleration follows his movements as he jumps to the height of the apartment before us, a dash, and he is running on the rooftop. The sound of cracking tile follows another leap and we stop.
Releasing me, he motions for me to crouch down. I quietly follow him to the edge of the roof and look over the edge. Beneath me lies a gigantic armored vehicle, twice the length of a train car. Men and women climb out the back of it with tools and various pieces of equipment.
We sit and watch for almost ten minutes as they set up tables, tents, and start building the foundations for concrete walls to span the street. Finally, I see Zeus beckon me towards him. "Maya, come, look at this."
I scoot towards him and see he is pointing at a person walking around the camp who has been talking to the others. "What about him?"
"He is the commanding officer for these humans. In fact, he happens to be highly decorated. On his breast pocket, if you look closely, you can see the medal for surviving the initial outbreak in Manhattan." He starts walking towards a fire escape a few buildings away.
"What are we going to do to him Zeus?"
He continues walking but looks back as his says, "We are going to find out what he is doing here. The equipment they have set up is largely for screening people for Blacklight. However, they also have a detainment cell block in the making over there." he points to a crowd of people working on an area a bit larger than the truck they came in on. People were ferrying supplies from the truck ,and the buildings they were stripping, to the group.
"And you are wondering if what he is doing here is sanctioned by the government?" I said aloud.
"Yes, I have found that Humanity is like a roller-coaster. It has a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns, but in the end I'm glad I 'got off' so to speak. And people like him… well, if he is performing unsanctioned 'quarantines' for private investors… they are one of the reasons why I'm happier as I am now. Now, I can confront this shit when I see it. Even when faced with the firepower of paramilitary operations arrayed against me."
I muddled through the thought processes invoked by his statement, as we jumped the last 6 feet to the ground, and said. "Okay, so how do we do this?"
He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes and slowly exhales, I feel a vibration expand from him, through the air and the ground I can almost see it travel. Almost a second later, it returns and he opens his eyes. "There are twenty-one people down there right now, and amongst them is at least one cybernetic. It is your job to find and destroy their communications. Once you have done so, retreat. First, however, you need to learn how to stealthily consume a living being."
"Wait a second, are you saying I need to kill humans?" I feel like I should be shocked, but I'm not. In fact, I don't even feel bad about the idea of killing others. It feels rather disconcerting to have such a cold mindset.
He looks at me and cocks his head a little, as if staring at some curiosity. "No, not really Maya. I'm telling you to consume them. It's totally different."
This time it's me who looks at him awkwardly. "When I consumed the shade, he died, gone, kaput… I don't understand what you're getting at here."
I can see him think through my statement and he suddenly laughs. "Heheheh. Oh man, that's a good one. God, I love it when people misunderstand each other like this." I just stare at him like one might towards a crazy man. "Oh goodness, whew." He stops laughing and puts an arm around me. "Alright, Maya, here's how it works. When we were talking about our nature earlier, do you remember what I said about our relation to animals?"
I think back and remember him saying something about our inability to classify Hetero umbra, as a species. We can act like anything, from plant to fungi, and parasites to animals, and even inert pathogens. We can overcome any environment, eventually. And… that's about all I can really remember. Hmn. "I don't, actually. I remember some other stuff, but nothing specific about animals and us."
He looks to his arm and asks, "Do you remember when you hurt yourself by crushing your glass, and I gave you half an arm to fix yourself?" I nod, that was an unpleasant experience that I remember vividly. "And when I regrew my arm?" Once more I nod. "Well, we can do that with any part of our body." His head suddenly… moves. It peels back at the forehead and goes behind his head, revealing more and more black and red flesh. As I watch, the strips spread back and fan themselves out like a macabre antithesis to a peacock's feathers. I can't help but wonder what structures he has put in place to do this, are they conventional muscles or something similar to a spider's 'hydraulic' legs? Other questions flood my mind about this man, but my chance passes as he speaks up again. "Our forms are rather flexible, as you may have noticed." I nod. " And, you know that we can catalog the D.N.A of that which we consume. Correct?" I nod once more, unconsciously, my teeth slip out of their normal positions. "What you seem to have forgotten is that we also memorize the contents of a mammal's brain when we consume them within a timely manner of death."
I am slightly taken aback by that, although I think I can remember him saying it earlier. "So, putting this knowledge together. I'm supposed to get what?"
*Sigh* "We don't kill things, we learn and memorize all of their life. In essence, what we are doing is the same as that idea floating around on the internet about downloading the brain into a computer, we are doing this and 'cutting & pasting' their body to the same place, do you get that?" he says… somehow. It confuses me how he is talking when his neck is separated into ribbons of black and red flesh.
"But do they still perceive the world? Do they get to go home to their families and hug their children!?" My confusion was overwritten by the sudden anger, who cares how he can talk when what he is describing sounds like a form of physical hell.
He reforms his head immediately and I see the pained expression on his face. "No, not yet anyways. But someday? Maybe."
I watch as he sits on the ground and rest his head against the alley wall, staring at the sky. "I can hear them, you know. Every now and then, a motherly voice calls for a child. A father's words soothe a crying kid. A teenager tells their significant other, "I love you" and it hurts. I realize that these memories belong to others, and that they are frozen in fear. Unable to judge the passage of time, unfeeling, senseless… They may be trapped in here, they may be dead for all intents and purposes… but I figure, so long as their 'death' means something, so long as I achieve my goal, it is worth it." He looks at me. "Maya, even if this world hates me for it, I just want to do the right thing. And so, as long as it is necessary, I will consume those in power. I will fight the wrongdoers. I will slay the dragon. But, I won't be a hero…" He then quietly says, "Can you forgive me for pulling you into this?"
As he spoke, my emotions did somersaults. I honestly didn't understand what was going on. I didn't know anything about who I once was, and I am what I am now because of him. For all I know, he changed me like this to prevent the possibility of me becoming a shade… "Who was I to you?" I ask.
"...My light..." His words ring true. Whether I was the light at the end of his tunnel, the light he would pass through for a better future, or the light in which he thrived. I was undeniably an important aspect of his life.
I kneel down and grasp his down-turned chin, I raise it, look him in the eyes, and say, "I forgive you…"
Last edited: