Flats Chapter Two

Chapter Two1

When I wake up I see the familiar ceiling of the Bastion’s infirmary. Robin and Vincent are looking down at me from above the clean sheeted cot. I sigh and close my eyes rather then look at the concern on their faces. What a fool I’ve been, arguing with one of the tribe after losing a dear friend. Rather then deal with this though I choose to sink into the familiar embrace of deep sleep, you know, the kind of sleep that one can only truly get into when ya know you’re protected and safe. For us, this kind of sleep only happens in the Bastion, for even in the nests we establish in our territory if we can’t reach the fort before dark aren’t all that secure. One never knows when another tribe will come and tear your life apart…hell I’ve done it to enough people.2

Everything goes black again.3

Green grass stretches over gently sloping hills. Wait, grass? I reach down and touch the soft, green stuff sticking out of the ground in great abundance. Is this…grass? I’ve never seen anything like this before, how could I know what grass is? As I stare at the brightly colored grass I feel a strange sense of calm and peace pervading my being. This feeling of peace is unique, for I have never quite felt this way. I look around to study my surroundings better, even with a pervading sense of calm I feel the need to analyze my terrain in case of attack. In all directions I can see nothing but green grass, small hills and shallow valleys. No buildings, no concrete, no rock, no asphalt, no girders, essentially nothing from the home I am used to. Where was I? I turn my head to the left and right and feel my black hair brush my cheeks. There is a slight breeze and it is blowing my hair forward. Suddenly I get a strange premonition and look to the right. In the horizon I can see a strong light, something so powerful that it practically destroys my vision. The yellowish light resembles that of the sun, but is much stronger. I can feel the heat radiating from it as it approaches me. Yes, the feeling of heat increases and I realize that the light is growing stronger, bigger and closer. The world is bathed in this light, I can see nothing but yellow-white everywhere and an intense heat begins to boil the skin off my body. I scream, or I think I scream as I feel the orbs of my eyes explode into a gruesome mess that drips down the bones of my face, for the flesh is being burned away. I am a conflagration. I am a fire.4

I open my eyes and sit up violently, screaming from the pain of my skin melting right off my skeleton. But the pain is gone. There is no fire, there is no heat, no light, nothing. It was all a dream. I briefly wonder again what this grass was, I’d have to ask Claire or Trid---I hate life. 5

Wren is sitting on a metal stool at the foot of my bed. He has one of the binders of paper that we found a few years back, he’s always writing stuff in them. I once took a look to see what he was writing, but I didn’t understand any of it. He says they are formulas, numbers and letters that pop into his head, he can’t really explain it. Too complex for me. While these thoughts go through my head I look down at him, he’s now looking at me, a little surprised.
“You okay? You screamed like a bitch in heat.”6

I hate him, I really do. But he’s a brother and I trust him to the end, the asshole. “I hate you. I had a dream—Hey, Where’s the pack?I woke up a bit before and saw Robin and Vincent where’d they go? I want to know all that’s been up since I was out.”
“You’ve been out for approximately three hours. Surprisingly, a lot has gone down. As for your first question, they’re sleeping. Claudia met with Gygin already. Did Robin or Vincent tell you anything when you woke up? I haven’t spoken to them, was hangin out with Arctic.” 7

“Nah, nothing, nil. So spill everything about that damned meeting. What’s up with the freak we found?”8

“Well, ya see, Gygin…didn’t really know. But he told Claudia that he’d heard stories of stuff like this, although as far as he knows nothin like it has happn’d amongst our Dre’ald. [Author’s Note: Change word tribe to Dre’ald. It is the tongue of the Architects.] But, here’s the catch. Those stories he talks about, ya know? He says he knows someone that knows da truth. When da other’s rest up and you’re feelin’ better we’re headin’ out into the Flats agin. Gygin gave us da directions to this geezer he’s talkin’ bout.” 9

Some days Wren’s strange way of speaking gets really annoying. Hell, wish I knew why he spoke like that too. Claire once said that it was because he was born outside the Bastion. Never said where. No one ever asks. The past is the past and it’s a bummer for anyone not from inside the Dre’ald. But it doesn’t matter to me, besides the whole curiosity itch that I get every once in awhile. Why doesn’t it matter? It’s because he’s one of the pack, and the pack are family.10

“You feelin alright?” Wren had stood up and was leaning in looking at my face. I hit him. Hard. He lets out a scream of pain and surprise and steps backward from the blow, covering his face and cursing at me.11

“That’s for making me fall, asshole. Now we’re even and I’m going to the Dek.” I move aside the thin, blood-stained sheet covering my legs and sit up. As my feet touch the cold floor I realize I have no boots on. A pair of beat-up grey boots is positioned at the end of the bed within easy reach. As I am sitting back down to put them on I take look over at Wren, who is making his way out of the room. Strangely enough he doesn’t seem too angry. I guess he just understands the concept of revenge.12

A sigh escapes through my pursed lips, the pain is still acute in the back of my head. The throbbing will be around for a few hours, I must have hit it really hard. I stretch as I stand up, laying in bed for so long always gets my muscles all tensed up. Time to go to the Dek, it’s been a few days since I’ve seen color.13

The Dek is a level of the Bastion that is kept deep within, hidden from the cruel sun above and protected by several guards at any time. It is the most loved place of all Ruins, as our Dre’ald calls itself. The Dek is where the orchard resides under artificial lighting with artificial heat and artificial treatments. The place has numerous fruit-bearing trees along with many flowering plants. It’s a beautiful, indoor room that reminds us of what the world was supposed to look like. At least that’s what ma and da used to say. 14

Apparently the world was once covered in trees and flowering bushes without the need for artificial treatment. I wonder…could my dream have been about how the world once was? I doubt it, I mean, its not like I ever saw it. How could I have an image like that in my head, or even conjure up an image like that without having any concept of it? It’s too much to think on now so I head toward the junked stairs and the Dek.15

A picture of tranquility and peace presents itself as I open the steel door leading inside. Other Ruins are walking the stone paths between the bushes and trees, none with weapons. This is a place for thought and music. No one is allowed to bring a weapon inside. I go up to my favorite place, a hideously painted green bench next to an apple tree with a speaker placed next to it. Gentle harmony floats out of the speaker, not normally my choice, but that’s all that was ever played in here. I doubt anyone even knows how to change it. I allow my mind to travel with the music, wandering amongst the tree’s branches overhead and through the leaves hanging from it. The green of the tree reminds me of the “grass” from my dream. The Dek had nothing like that, only large bushes and trees. I’d never heard of a plant that could cover so much land. I try to recall the dream, but it has already begun to fade from my mind. It seems all I can recall is the tiny grass leaves brushing against my hand and something about a light. I shudder, a bad light then. 16

Its really not too important, while I rarely dream I don’t often remember it when I do. Its really just not that important with the threats of the Flats to deal with. I don’t place as much emphasis on things like that like those religious fanatics do. Every Dre’ald has them; at least I think they do. These fanatics say that there’s some kind of superior being that looks down at us from the sky and helps us and shit. I find it hard to believe that there can be someone watching over us when the world is like it is. If there is a ‘God’ then where was he when the world died? 17

I open my eyes just as Robin walks through the door from the right. She spots me right off and heads toward our tree. Robin and I often sit here and listen to music together while talking about inconsequential things like color and emotion. We had a few good times and I hope that we’ll have another, but for some reason she doesn’t seem all that interested in me anymore. 18

Anyone, I realize that it must be time to go. Robin has both my backpack along with her own. It looks like she washed mine of the blood that had stained it, how kind.
“Time to go?” I ask her as she approaches me with packs in each hand. A stupid question but I feel the need to hear her voice.19

“Yup! Wren told me that he told you everything. So we’re off to see this guy that lives out in the Flats. It’s hard to believe that a single old man could survive by himself out there. I’ve got so many questions I want to ask him! What about you Jack, are you looking forward to this?”20

I shake my head and stand up. As I take my bag my fingers brush hers and linger there for a moment. She looks me in the eyes and I grin, she has pretty grey eyes. Those eyes roll at me and she turns around abruptly, effectively ending anything I would have wanted to say. I sigh and follow after her. Off to work we go.
21