killing millions upon millions that the populace fell into hysterics. Where a common respect had been for thousands of years, there now resided self-preserving chaos, and for the first time in the Culture’s ancient memory, violence broke out amongst itself.
As factions developed around the more strong-willed and quick-thinking, it began to break apart. Each impromptu leader made their own choice and ignored the collective decisions of the elders. This unchallenged government quickly dissolved under this new threat, and the council watched in vain as millions died.
Deeper and deeper, the Culture pushed, seeking out refuge within the bedrock, seeking a place the hateful, burning fluid would not find it, but always the bleach followed, slaughtering the Culture with its burning. The eternal Culture had finally fallen to ruin, a tale told by its soothsayers for generations, and its escape flawed resulting in its own death.
Even though the smog was now completely gone, the forest was still suffering the vapor’s effects. Ethan finally found two limbs from the dead and rotting forest that were strong enough to bear Shannon. He was able to make up a skidding gurney to place her on and drag her out of the forest.
Even with the unimaginable pain, Shannon remained in positive spirits, even joking with Ethan about his preparations and their journey down to the lake. Here, he replenished their low supplies of water and remoistened the cloth holding his lover’s insides. They had to remain wet and untwisted if she was to survive this journey, and Ethan meant to see that done.
Kayla did as she could, and as Ethan asked, wanting nothing more than to help. It was difficult for her to keep up with the man as he almost jogged through the forest, dragging the woman with him. He would stop and wait if she fell too far behind, but that was not often. If she had to run to keep up, she would. She did not want to see the woman die now, not after coming this far, doing so much.
When they made Mr. Brighton’s home, they found him rocking slowly on his porch in an aged rocker, sipping at more of his lemonade. He regarded them as they tracked through his fallow fields. When they reached the gravel parking area, he stood slowly and hefted the long double-barrel shotgun he had inherited as his father had. “I see you’re back, young man.”
“We need an ambulance!”
“What did you do this time?” the old man asked sarcastically.
“Call an ambulance, God damn you!” Ethan screamed at him as he laid Shannon gently to the ground.
“Don’t say bad words!” Kayla shouted in her little girl’s voice.
“We will start with the police…” Brighton trailed off as he reached through the door to the phone hanging just inside. “I told you kids to stay out of the cellar, didn’t I?” he accused as he began dialing on the phone. He brought the handset to his ear for a moment. “The phone’s dead,” he said flatly, not a bit of concern in his voice or eyes.
“The car! Throw me the keys to the car!”
“Throw me the keys to the house,” the old man shot back.
“I don’t have them!” Ethan shouted as he began walking towards Brighton.
The old man lifted the shotgun and leveled it on Ethan’s face.
He stopped where he was. “Please! I have to get her to a hospital!”
The old man stared at him from over the length of the pitted and rusty barrel. He finally began groping again around the edge of the doorframe and tossed Abby’s keys to him. “You’re not welcome here anymore, ya hear? Don’t ever come back here,” Brighton said angrily then stepped back into his house and closed the door on them.
Ethan put Shannon in the back seat and belted Kayla in the front. He took off like a shot, rushing towards the next town some eighteen miles away. The cop who pulled them over ten minutes later brought an ambulance with his radio and tried to take statements about how Shannon came by her wound and exactly where these strange and dirty people had really come from.
Kayla, in her true innocence, tried to tell the truth and spun as much of the tale as she could in her little voice. The officer just arched his eyebrow at Ethan as she continued. In the end, the officer escorted them both to the hospital where Shannon was already in surgery.
GNS News, Your Global News Source
Town Dies under Mysterious Circumstances
Tim Lynn, AP news.
The small town of Black Water Pennsylvania is no more. The population of this small suburb is either dead or missing. Scientists from three universities have begun investigating the mysterious circumstances that took place and, as of today’s report, cost some 2,815 lives.
FEMA director Marshal Cummins has promised the full cooperation of Federal resources as well as the National Guard to keep loved ones, looters, and the curious out of the small town as the investigations continue.
The President said in his speech this morning, “This tragedy, as devastating as it is, must be investigated. The first lady as well as I wish to express our sorrow for this country’s great loss, and ask only that all those families directly affected by this disaster bear with those fine scientists and security forces as they seek out the root of this tragic event.”
The President continues by saying…
“… and the Prime Minister departed without any further statements,” the petite brightly-garbed woman finished.
“At a loss for words, was he?”
“Yes, Paul, the pie gag just took the wind right out of him,” the pretty anchor said with a grin.
“I bet it did. Now on to more sobering news. The cleanup of the town of Black Water Pennsylvania is almost complete. Scientists seem convinced that some form of virus had run through the town in just a couple of days, killing most everyone, driving others to some wild dementia.
“One scientist compared this short-lived but rampant bug to the likes of rabies or advanced stages of syphilis, driving some of the infected completely mad. Crime scene investigators have counted some two thousand murders committed along with other violent crimes as the virus reached its apex.
“Investigators have also said today that all Black Water residents are now accounted for, and the death toll stands at three thousand four hundred and sixty-three souls. The total number of survivors remains at three, which include one tourist. Their accounts of the nightmare are sorted and frankly horrifying.”
“Do you think anyone will move back there? Do we have a modern day ghost town in Black Water now?”
“Well, I know I wouldn’t move there!” the older man chuckled jokingly. “And now for sports with our own, Danny Blankenship. Danny?”
“Did you isolate it?” the gruff, field-worn general asked.
“Yeah, I got one, and it is still alive,” the young scientist said as he squeezed the syringe into a capped test tube.
“Out of all that mess, you found only one?” the general snapped.
“Listen, I know who you are and all of that, but I don’t work for you, and I am not in the service. Go snap at someone in uniform,” the young scientist shot at the older man.
“This is a military operation. Answer the question as I asked it, or I will find someone else who will,” the general replied threateningly.
The scientist knew that a microbiologist finding a new breed of organism was rare and almost unheard of at the start of one’s career, so he bit back his next retort. “Yes, General, I was able to isolate only one.”
“Very well. Keep looking,” the general replied roughly as he bit into the over-smoked cigar hanging from his mouth.
“Ethan?” Shannon asked weakly.
