"Rock, this is Steve! He's our contactor…he's our only hope!" she bent
down and checked the man, he banged his head and blood was seeping from the
wound. Rock ripped the hem of his t-shirt off and bound it round the man's
head and picked him up, he laid him, slumped in the back of the car and got
in. they could hear the faint rumble of the rebellion behind them. "We
need to get out of here." Rock said, he put his foot down on the
accelerator and speed down the empty highway. He stopped and pulled up at
a derelict building and got out, Meyla had no idea where they were, she
climbed out and looked around. She looked up the tall statue of liberty,
remembering it was a symbol of New York, that was until the great
expansion, when the corporations took over white house, parliament, kings
and rulers and altered mankind's life forever. It started raining, the old
statue was the only visible reminder of the old life style, all the other
buildings that surrounded it have been pulled down and the sea's mouth
have been filled in. she watched Rock pick up the unconscious man and lead
them into the statue that stood outside the new city walls. She signed and
followed him in, stepping in through the rotted walls into the empty
cavity.
"Come on!" Rock called out to her, she stepped up some steps, looking down at her feet. Rock stopped abruptly, causing Meyla to walk into him, she went to open her mouth when she saw what made him stop. People!
They were not alone! She gasped as they edge closer towards her, Rock turned and looked down at her, he whispered, "They are the last of the people from the 20th century that are free, they are outlaws, cut off from the new world."
She nodded as the strange people edged closer towards her. Rock cleared his throat and started talking, "We're looking for some place to lie low, can you help us?"
"Is that really him mama?" a little child asked, his mother nodded and the child ran forward and hugged Rock's leg. "You're the Rock ain't you?"
Rock stared down at the small boy, grimy and dirty, seeing the adoration in the boy's eyes, he smiled and nodded.
"You! What are you doing here?" A man stepped forward. Meyla saw Rock stiffen up, he indicated to Steve, still dead to the world "This man is injured, can you help him?"
"We'll help him, but you…" the man looked at them in the eyes. The sound of footsteps drew closer as an old woman appeared into the room, she looked at the strangers and a small smile appeared on her wrinkled face. "The day we'll take one step towards freedom has arrived!" She cackled, both Meyla and Rock looked at each other both looking curious.
"Doe, take the injured one under your care, you two follow me." She commanded, Meyla noted that the old woman demanded respect from the inhabitants, she looked at Rock who shrugged and followed her as they climbed up some steps. They entered another room with round walls, they realised they were standing on the floor in the face section of the statue. Part of the wall eroded, looking over the city , glistening in the distance, the sun shining as it set. The old woman indicated for them to sit down, they humbly thanked her and seated themselves, waiting to hear what the old woman had to say.
"You plan to bring the corporations down?" she asked.
Meyla nodded, the old woman smiled, "I can foresee a victory, but to who's side I don't know…I also see an old friend who will lead the rebellion."
Rock looked at her in amazement, "You can see the future?" The old woman nodded.
"I can also see love for you two…" She smiled, Rock coughed uneasily as Meyla stirred, she didn't want to hear this, not with a mass murderer.
"Could you help us?" Rock asked, the woman sat up straighter and said, "I'm Huji, I will welcome you to this tribe, there are a few tribes scattered out there, bands of out-laws, waiting for a chance to rise against the corporation, they'll accept you…" She looked at Meyla "And especially you Rock, you are the essential thing to our survival." "You know my name?" Rock asked.
"we haven't been affected by the limitations in the city, we still use the old technology, we still know you for who you are not what you become…" She looked over at Meyla with a cold stare, Meyla gulped, she have been reading her mind!
Rock nodded and looked over at Meyla, she ignored him. He realised she didn't feel comfortable around him and he couldn't blame her. He killed many in front of millions as a sick form of entertainment, he hated himself, he no longer knew who he was, he changed, he cut himself off from emotions. He was a cold-blooded killer. He hung his head in shame at the memory. Huji scuffled closer and held out a bowl of liquid, Meyla looked at him and the liquid and asked, "What is it?"
"it's to cleanse away all impurities…" Rock signed and took it from her, he sipped it and handed it back to the old woman. He shivered as the warm liquid trickled into his bloodstream, warming him. He looked at the old woman, baffled and questioning. He could feel a new source of energy growing stronger, bathing him in a warm glow.
"We forgive you of all wrong you committed, from now on, you'll no longer feel ashamed." Huji said. Rock smiled at her, watching the old woman betting up and looked down at them, "You can sleep here tonight, I'll send some things up for you…" Rock thanked her and watched the old woman leave the room. He looked into the fire, never had he thought he would be rebelling against the company that made him. Then he remembered that the company he joined is not the company he left, they changed and changed him into something no one liked. He sighed and looked out over the ruined city that was once New York.
"You know, I use to drive around this city, visit the shops, meeting famous people…well, that was then, this is now…" he said softly, remembering the far distant past.
"You remember all that?" Meyla asked. Rock nodded and looked at her, "Sure does, everything have changed…"
"What will we do here?" Meyla asked.
"Lie low and plan what we'll do." He got up and walked over to the eroded wall, he looked at the city in the distance; it was possible to live inside one of the corporation domes and never to venture outside, as each dome contained an artificial environment, entertainment and homes. He shook his head sadly, those people will never know what it was like to venture down a busy New York street, to dine at restaurants, to enjoy the sun. Meyla watched him, she knew he was going through a phrase of self questioning, she shuddered remembering the blood that soaked him nightly as he stepped out of the ring, his cold stare, the weapons he donned to kill innocent people. No, he was still a murderer.
"Excuse me, I've brought you some food and towels…" a young woman appeared, her arms outstretched, laden with goods. Meyla stood up and gratefully took them, she thanked the woman, but the woman didn't move, she stared at the man looking ot over the land. "The showers are the next floor up, I'll leave you now." She said, not looking away from Rock. When she was gone, Meyla sat down and ate in silence. She looked up at Rock who finally moved, he sat opposite him, warming his cold body next to the fire. "I'm going for a shower…" Meyla declared she grabbed a towel and walked upstairs; she found the showers but encountered another problem.
"Er, I hate to be a nuisance but err… how do you work those 20th century showers?" Meyla asked, Rock looked up at her, she had a towel wrapped tightly round her body, she smiled, embarrassed. Rock grinned and chuckled, he stood up and followed Meyla to the showers, and he looked at the shower and laughed. "What's so funny?" She asked, slightly miffed. "This is probably the simplest shower to work and you don't know how…!?" He didn't get any further, he wheezed from laughing too hard. Meyla looked down at him, frowning; she reached out and punched his arm. This made him crack up once more.
"You jerk! I don't have hands on experience with theses junk things as I wasn't even bloody alive!" she shouted. Rock straightened up and grinned, "Sorry, god that made my day!" He proceeded showing her how to turn the dials and change the jet speed. Once confident, Meyla thanked him and got in the shower, she smiled with pleasure as the water washed away her worries and troubles. Maybe she'll learn to like the man, he seemed human. 'Only time can tell... ' she thought.
"Come on!" Rock called out to her, she stepped up some steps, looking down at her feet. Rock stopped abruptly, causing Meyla to walk into him, she went to open her mouth when she saw what made him stop. People!
They were not alone! She gasped as they edge closer towards her, Rock turned and looked down at her, he whispered, "They are the last of the people from the 20th century that are free, they are outlaws, cut off from the new world."
She nodded as the strange people edged closer towards her. Rock cleared his throat and started talking, "We're looking for some place to lie low, can you help us?"
"Is that really him mama?" a little child asked, his mother nodded and the child ran forward and hugged Rock's leg. "You're the Rock ain't you?"
Rock stared down at the small boy, grimy and dirty, seeing the adoration in the boy's eyes, he smiled and nodded.
"You! What are you doing here?" A man stepped forward. Meyla saw Rock stiffen up, he indicated to Steve, still dead to the world "This man is injured, can you help him?"
"We'll help him, but you…" the man looked at them in the eyes. The sound of footsteps drew closer as an old woman appeared into the room, she looked at the strangers and a small smile appeared on her wrinkled face. "The day we'll take one step towards freedom has arrived!" She cackled, both Meyla and Rock looked at each other both looking curious.
"Doe, take the injured one under your care, you two follow me." She commanded, Meyla noted that the old woman demanded respect from the inhabitants, she looked at Rock who shrugged and followed her as they climbed up some steps. They entered another room with round walls, they realised they were standing on the floor in the face section of the statue. Part of the wall eroded, looking over the city , glistening in the distance, the sun shining as it set. The old woman indicated for them to sit down, they humbly thanked her and seated themselves, waiting to hear what the old woman had to say.
"You plan to bring the corporations down?" she asked.
Meyla nodded, the old woman smiled, "I can foresee a victory, but to who's side I don't know…I also see an old friend who will lead the rebellion."
Rock looked at her in amazement, "You can see the future?" The old woman nodded.
"I can also see love for you two…" She smiled, Rock coughed uneasily as Meyla stirred, she didn't want to hear this, not with a mass murderer.
"Could you help us?" Rock asked, the woman sat up straighter and said, "I'm Huji, I will welcome you to this tribe, there are a few tribes scattered out there, bands of out-laws, waiting for a chance to rise against the corporation, they'll accept you…" She looked at Meyla "And especially you Rock, you are the essential thing to our survival." "You know my name?" Rock asked.
"we haven't been affected by the limitations in the city, we still use the old technology, we still know you for who you are not what you become…" She looked over at Meyla with a cold stare, Meyla gulped, she have been reading her mind!
Rock nodded and looked over at Meyla, she ignored him. He realised she didn't feel comfortable around him and he couldn't blame her. He killed many in front of millions as a sick form of entertainment, he hated himself, he no longer knew who he was, he changed, he cut himself off from emotions. He was a cold-blooded killer. He hung his head in shame at the memory. Huji scuffled closer and held out a bowl of liquid, Meyla looked at him and the liquid and asked, "What is it?"
"it's to cleanse away all impurities…" Rock signed and took it from her, he sipped it and handed it back to the old woman. He shivered as the warm liquid trickled into his bloodstream, warming him. He looked at the old woman, baffled and questioning. He could feel a new source of energy growing stronger, bathing him in a warm glow.
"We forgive you of all wrong you committed, from now on, you'll no longer feel ashamed." Huji said. Rock smiled at her, watching the old woman betting up and looked down at them, "You can sleep here tonight, I'll send some things up for you…" Rock thanked her and watched the old woman leave the room. He looked into the fire, never had he thought he would be rebelling against the company that made him. Then he remembered that the company he joined is not the company he left, they changed and changed him into something no one liked. He sighed and looked out over the ruined city that was once New York.
"You know, I use to drive around this city, visit the shops, meeting famous people…well, that was then, this is now…" he said softly, remembering the far distant past.
"You remember all that?" Meyla asked. Rock nodded and looked at her, "Sure does, everything have changed…"
"What will we do here?" Meyla asked.
"Lie low and plan what we'll do." He got up and walked over to the eroded wall, he looked at the city in the distance; it was possible to live inside one of the corporation domes and never to venture outside, as each dome contained an artificial environment, entertainment and homes. He shook his head sadly, those people will never know what it was like to venture down a busy New York street, to dine at restaurants, to enjoy the sun. Meyla watched him, she knew he was going through a phrase of self questioning, she shuddered remembering the blood that soaked him nightly as he stepped out of the ring, his cold stare, the weapons he donned to kill innocent people. No, he was still a murderer.
"Excuse me, I've brought you some food and towels…" a young woman appeared, her arms outstretched, laden with goods. Meyla stood up and gratefully took them, she thanked the woman, but the woman didn't move, she stared at the man looking ot over the land. "The showers are the next floor up, I'll leave you now." She said, not looking away from Rock. When she was gone, Meyla sat down and ate in silence. She looked up at Rock who finally moved, he sat opposite him, warming his cold body next to the fire. "I'm going for a shower…" Meyla declared she grabbed a towel and walked upstairs; she found the showers but encountered another problem.
"Er, I hate to be a nuisance but err… how do you work those 20th century showers?" Meyla asked, Rock looked up at her, she had a towel wrapped tightly round her body, she smiled, embarrassed. Rock grinned and chuckled, he stood up and followed Meyla to the showers, and he looked at the shower and laughed. "What's so funny?" She asked, slightly miffed. "This is probably the simplest shower to work and you don't know how…!?" He didn't get any further, he wheezed from laughing too hard. Meyla looked down at him, frowning; she reached out and punched his arm. This made him crack up once more.
"You jerk! I don't have hands on experience with theses junk things as I wasn't even bloody alive!" she shouted. Rock straightened up and grinned, "Sorry, god that made my day!" He proceeded showing her how to turn the dials and change the jet speed. Once confident, Meyla thanked him and got in the shower, she smiled with pleasure as the water washed away her worries and troubles. Maybe she'll learn to like the man, he seemed human. 'Only time can tell... ' she thought.