Author's Note: Hey everyone, this is just something I've been playing around with. Let me know if it's something you'd like to keep reading. The story is going to center on Kurt, Blaine and Santana. The prologue just gives a basic background description and then a bit from Kurt to explain where we are in the present. Blaine and Santana will likely pop up in the first chapter. Oh, and Blaine and Kurt have never met, nor have Blaine and Santana, but Kurt and Santana are familiar with each other from life prior to the outbreak.
I don't own Glee
Prologue
In the summer of 2002, disaster struck. Officially it was the H3N8 virus, but everyone referred to it as the dog flu. It started in the eastern hemisphere, but spread west within days. There was no preparation, no warning. A person would get sick with fever and nausea and within days, sometimes hours, they were gone. It was devastating. The panic level was akin to what one would expect in a time of nuclear warfare. People were holing themselves up in basements, stores were looted and raided for goods. All methods of transportation and communication eventually slowed to a halt.
After several months, nearly ninety percent of the population in the United States was eradicated. The most loss of life occurred amongst those older than forty, which left very few adults in charge of a large number of orphaned children. Once the dust settled, it appeared that those left over had survived not because of any vaccine, (since the outbreak occurred so rapidly, none was ever produced) but because they were simply immune for one reason or another.
The survivors in the state of Ohio, much like survivors in other areas of the country, decided to band together to save what was left of the world. Word spread and people across the state travelled to Columbus to start the rebuilding process. At first, chaos reigned. With no government and no appointed leader, it was impossible for the survivors to figure out a system for growth and survival. Before too long, the adults gathered and held meetings and eventually elections to appoint officials. Once appointed, the officials set out to create a plan, make laws and set boundaries. It was the only way.
Amongst the adults left, there were doctors, school teachers, business owners and so forth. Those with trained professions were instructed to begin operating in them again. Old hospitals were rebuilt and the doctors begin practicing again. Schools were reopened and rudimentary education began taking place, though not truly in earnest. It was hard to focus on education when the world was falling apart.
Those who weren't skilled in professions before the outbreak were assigned as laborers, doing construction, clean up, or whatever other tasks needed to be done in the rebuilding effort. Many women were assigned to the orphan dormitories that were created to house the huge numbers of children left behind after the outbreak.
Within several months of the start of the rebuilding effort, something disturbing was discovered. Fertility rates had plunged, leaving roughly fifty percent of the population infertile. This was a huge blow to the repopulation efforts and it was determined that even more structure would need to be in place to address the problem and ensure that population growth did occur.
The solution was to determine the fertility status of each person once they hit puberty and to match the Fertiles up with each other. Fertiles were instructed to produce as many children as possible and punishment was executed for those who did not obey. It wasn't ideal, but in the minds of the officials, it was the only way to ensure growth.
Infertiles were treated just as poorly, although in a different way. They were assigned to lives of physical labor, either in labor camps, factories or positions of servitude for the officials. It was a hard life, no matter how one looked at it. Well, for everyone but the officials and their families, that is.
My name is Kurt 3 Lima. Well, not really. My actual name is Kurt Hummel, but ever since the outbreak, my name has been Kurt 3 Lima. The "Lima" is to identify that I'm from Lima, Ohio and the three signifies that I'm the third oldest Kurt surviving from Lima. Really, I'm the youngest Kurt, but calling me "Kurt Youngest Lima" is too much of a mouthful, I suppose, and it would mess with the system. If it's one thing you can't do, it's mess with the system.
I was nine when the flu hit. I didn't really understand what was going on at first, but by the time my mother and father died, it was all too clear. I had no idea what to do without them. For a couple of weeks I just stayed in my house, too scared to leave without the protection of my parents. Eventually I was rounded up, like all the other surviving kids, and bussed to Columbus. Everything has changed since then.
For the past ten years, I've lived in Dormitory E with ninety other boys. For the first few years, we sporadically went to school, learning from teachers who either didn't see the point in education any more or who weren't trained to teach us properly. It was a joke. Thankfully the school I was assigned to had a huge library and I taught myself a lot of what I thought I should be learning.
Once I turned fourteen, I was tested and found out that I was an Infertile. Not that I care, in fact, I'm a little relieved that I won't be assigned to a woman for marriage. On the other hand, I'm not all that excited about my labor placement. Since I was labeled an Infertile, I've been training in my placement as an "environmental custodian." That's a fancy name for groundskeeper. I guess there are worse placements, but my complexion is definitely not cut out for that much sun exposure. Not to mention the callouses you get from brandishing a rake all day long.
Next week, I graduate from the dorm, meaning I will leave the only home I've known for the past ten years and start my life over as an environmental custodian for Housing Complex 14. According to my information packet, I'll have my own little room with a bed and a sink. Lucky me. Like everyone else, my meals, clothing and health care will all be provided and I won't get paid for anything.
There is no money exchange in the New Reality, as they call it. Everything is bartered for or allotted. You'd think that would mean that there are no longer any classes and that everyone is the same, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. The Officials have power and every creature comfort known to man, while the rest of us serve them and work to rebuild. It's not fair, but it's life now.
I'm sad to be leaving my friends behind. Just about all of them are Fertiles and are anxious about their placements next week. Some of them are looking forward to their arranged marriages and all the perks that come along, but most are disturbed by the fact that they can't choose who to be with. It's not that we weren't prepared for it, we've been told all along that this was what would happen when we became of age. It's just that most of us still remember the world as it was before the New Reality. We remember choices and freedom and now that we're old enough to truly desire them, we have to deal with the knowledge that they will forever be out of our grasp.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Is this something you'd like to read further? Let me know and thanks for reading.
