(I'm still trying to figure out where the inspiration for THIS story came from. It's... really out there, even for me. It's like... got me thinking.
Perish the thought that I actually use my brain for something productive... XD
Okay, so. This is just the setup chapter... hm... finishing this story is going to be very interesting... do I smell a challenge?! I think I do!
Also... all references to God? I only use Christianity because like, 80 of America is Christian. Sorry!
Enough prattle; the story starts!
All the characters you recognize © Nintendo
All the other ones not from Trauma Center except for Dr. Stannis © Me
Dr. Stannis (c) TCGeek)
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Days of Damnation
Chapter One- Day of Preparation
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"It's so wonderful, to see so many of you, willing to sacrifice yourselves for the good of the people... I say to you, welcome- welcome to Medicine."
The speaker was a short, sickly man in his late twenties; he wasn't much older than the people he spoke to. He began to cough violently, his thin frame convulsing as he did so.
Nobody in the audience worried about him, and when he had recovered from his fit, he resumed talking as though nothing unusual had happened.
And indeed, nothing had.
"We are living in an age where health plagues our society, increasing the life expectancy and causing people to live long, meaningless lives," the speaker continued, his voice raspy. "We must eliminate this nuisance, for a short, fulfilling life is much better than a long, inane existence."
He paused to catch his breath; the pneumonia easily winded him.
"But you all know that; it is why you are all here. Here... and ready to sacrifice your happiness, so that others may live contently. You generous souls--"
Another coughing fit came over him; the audience waited patiently for him to recover.
"...your kindness will not go unnoticed. You will give up your sickness for others... you will all become the Damned, but because of your sacrifice... imagine how great your reward will be at the end of your lives! Truly, you will be blessed..."
A roar of applause filled the auditorium; the speaker smiled weakly, ready to collapse where he stood.
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"Hey, Derek... do you have any idea who your host is?"
"No, I don't. What about you, Tyler?"
The auditorium had been evacuated; the mass of young people had congregated in smaller groups outside, meeting, talking with their friends.
One such group was comprised of five people, just barely in their twenties- and one, not even past nineteen yet; a tall, brunette man, a blonde man and woman, a lady with shoulder-length green hair, and a gaunt man with stringy black hair.
"Nope," the blonde man, Tyler, sighed, shaking his head. "Do you think we'll have the same host?"
"Be realistic, you idiot," the black-haired youth scoffed, his dark eyes scornful. "Do you really think that they would put five people who all know each other with one host? The odds of that happening are less than impossible. You might as well try telling people that health is a good thing."
"Oh, don't be so pessimistic, Victor," the blonde woman scoffed. Even though she was the youngest of the group at a mere seventeen, she wasn't afraid to speak her mind. "It's possible that, even if we don't get the same host, we could be placed within the same family. We could still see each other again."
"Yeah, right. Like that's going to happen, Angie."
"Oh, be nice, Victor," the green-haired woman scolded gently. "It almost sounds like you don't want to see us again."
"Because he probably doesn't, Leslie," Derek laughed, his brown hair falling into his eyes. "You're breaking our poor hearts, Victor. I thought we were friends."
"Hmph. Well, we'll find out if we're together soon, won't we?"
"We will?" Tyler asked.
"...ugh... you idiot," Victor muttered. "In a few minutes, somebody's going to approach that podium over there-" -he pointed to the area in question- "-and they're going to say a host's name, and the names of the people that are going to stay with them. If your name doesn't get called for any of the hosts... they've decided that you're not cut out for the job. They send you home, and you can try again next year."
"How do you know all this, Victor?" Angie asked, her green eyes inquisitive.
"I used to have a neighbor who tried to get in. He died from the flu about three months after he came back home--"
The five friends quickly murmured a prayer, thanking their Lord that the man had gone quickly and young, as was intended.
"...but before he died, he told me how the system worked," Victor continued explaining. "There were about fifty hosts when my neighbor tried, and apparently each host is responsible for two to five of us."
"...I know that we have to live longer than the normal people; but I wonder, when do we get to die?" Leslie murmured.
"Not sure," Victor shrugged.
"...I heard rumors of one of the Damned being older than sixty," Derek spoke softly.
"Sixty?!"
"Yeah... because of his health..."
A hushed silence fell over the small group. It was a sin to live beyond the age of forty... they began to wonder what they were really getting themselves into.
"Do you think we'll live that long...?" Angie murmured.
"Dunno," Tyler responded. "Derek just said it was a rumor, though--"
"And it's entirely possible," Victor argued. "The Damned are supposed to be healthy, so they can make sure that as many people as possible keep the sickness. Why do you think they're called the Damned?"
Silence fell over the whole crowd; Derek, Angie, Tyler, Leslie and Victor looked towards the podium to see a tall, spindly woman, her glasses too big for her thin, sallow face.
"Good afternoon," she spoke into the microphone, her voice weak. "We will call the name of the host, then the names of the people that will go with that person. Is that clear to everyone?"
A mumble of assent rippled through the crowd. The woman cleared her throat.
"These are the people who are going to be with Dr. Niles Stannis. Will you please come forward when your name is called... Tyler Chase."
"And so it begins," Victor muttered as Tyler made his way through the crowd.
"Shh!" Leslie hissed.
"Katherine Morrison. Travis Johnson. And finally, Deborah Gaugin."
Three other people amongst the hundreds made their way to the front of the crowd, leaving the area with a tall, healthy-looking man with tanned skin and light brown hair.
"This next group is going with Nurse Mary Fulton. Angela Thompson."
"Ah..." Angie sighed, carefully pushing her way through the crowd, leaving her friends. "Excuse me..."
"Eirika Grado. And... Jasmine Raye."
"There goes two..."
"Victor, stop being so pessimistic."
Several more hosts were called up, yet none of the three remaining friends were in any of their groups. They began to grow a bit nervous...
"The next two people are going to go with Dr. Greg Kasal. Kaleigh Layer and Derek Stiles."
"Congratulations, Derek," Leslie muttered as Derek left the group.
"Thanks, Leslie."
When Derek finally reached the front of the mob, he saw a man about his height, his dark hair brushed back, his pale skin radiating a healthy glow. A short, blonde, curly-haired girl was talking to him- Derek assumed that was Kaleigh- but the man approached Derek, leaving the girl to babble on by herself.
"Derek?"
His voice was deep and calm; his hazel eyes shined with life.
"Y-Yes... Dr. Kasal..."
Greg smiled as he extended a hand towards Derek.
"It's nice to meet you," Greg replied as Derek hesitantly took his hand and shook it.
"Yes... it's nice to meet you too."
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(End chapter one.
No real notes here... just, please, I don't want any "omg that could SO not happen..." because it could definitely happen... in an alternate universe.
Which is where this takes place.
Review please!)
