7th January 2159
A month has passed. Darius, now works in a coffee shop and Sarah works for a research lab studying the effect of the bright light on some survivors and Mona works in a medical camp providing aid to those who are hurt, while Mark is busy helping the people with supply stuff.
COFFEE SHOP, ARDONIA CITY
Breaking news: The incident that occurred just over a month ago has left a devastating death toll, with nearly more than half the population lost worldwide. The cause of this catastrophic event? A blinding bright light, commonly referred to as the 'SPLIT', which has thrown humanity into chaos. This phenomenon, resembling a ring encircling the globe, has engulfed almost half of the planet's surface, home to a staggering 57% of the global population. Amidst the turmoil, reports of riots, instability, and food shortages are rampant, exacerbating an already dire situation. The surviving population, estimated at half billion, is concentrated in areas untouched by the ring, struggling to cope with the aftermath of this unprecedented disaster. As global order has fallen. Scientists and other authorities scramble to understand the nature of the SPLIT and its implications, the world remains on edge, grappling with the profound consequences of this catastrophic event.
Darius watches the news as he cleans a cup of coffee. The coffee shop is all empty.
Darius - Just as I said, what worse could have happened…..this shows up at top…. above half of the population is gone.
As the doorbell rings, Darius turns his face and sees Sarah, entering the coffee shop.
Roger (Shop owner) - Darius!!!! Your sister needs a good cup of coffee......... How are you Sarah?
Sarah - AH! there is no need for a coffee. I'm Kinda broke right now.
Roger - No need to worry, the coffee is on me. We got plenty, since no one really bothers to come here.
Sarah - Still.
Darius (Interrupting) - So? How are things going?
Sarah - God this is a hectic situation, I have to work all day to collect the data on the burns effect. And We've got nothing. Hi, Mr. Rogers.
Darius - At least you are doing something good.
Sarah - Well, I have good news.
Darius - What?
Sarah - I’ve got my call letter from the Life enterprise. I am going to work on their artificial limbs project.
Darius - The same company that has ties with the Department of military research?
Sarah - Yep.
Darius - Quite and Irony with that name 'Life'
Sarah - You know? You started acting like mom.
Darius - Yeah, if only mom was here, everything would be perfect.
Sarah - Only for us,
Darius - Ha?
Sarah - look around yourself, everyone lost someone, and it's a human duty to help other humans, it's not fair to wish for something that sounds selfish, at least wish that everyone who is alive here would be happy again…..that's what mom would want.
Darius (with a forced smile) - Yeah, right
Sarah - Don’t be sad, everything will be just fine...... Anyway, I had a conversation with Mark this morning. He said something about joining the military, does that mean you are going too?
Darius - Well I am too weak for this, I possess no special ability, making the best possible strategy like Hugo or making hard decisions like Mark, I totally lack both the qualities, that is Mark who is fit and I am not.
Sarah - Well it's better that way. You should not follow their paths. Everyone has something special that makes one different. You just need to find that quality. Find your own path of life, Don’t just throw it away. What were you saying when you were kid “I will solve the mysteries of the world”, Do it if you really want to.
Darius thinks of it as he looks at Sarah's eyes.
Sarah - alright. I am going. Someone must work too, right?
Darius- Yeah! Bye sis. (Thoughts) Should I Carry on that dream of mine again? Maybe yes. So I decided to move on the path I once chose.
8th january 2159
Darius submits his resume to join the team of researchers who are going to research the environment around the Split. As there was a demand for people who can work and pull off this research is high. Darius' knowledge of ground analysis and environmental changes helps him to easily get assigned to the second crew who would go after the first crew when they come back from the research after 3 months.
Darius (Thoughts) - As I have free time till the day I go to the research, I thought it would be better to spend some time with my family and friends, as I kept ignoring everyone after the split,
Darius on his way to Mona's medical camp, meets Mark, in a short military type haircut, burning eyes with anger and a face which is determined to accomplish something.
Darius - Hey!!!
Mark - …….
Darius - I heard about you joining the military
Mark - yeah someone must move on and do something good for all of us alive, unlike those who just kept ignoring others, hiding themselves in the shadow of despair, these peoples are coward and if I have to give an advice to them I would say: knock off everything that happened to us, be useful to someone, make yourself worth to live your life or DIE.
Mark moves forward
Darius - Hey. Where are you going?
Mark (shout) - To the barber. He fucked my hair to shit. Now I am going to get myself bald.
In a sudden spirit arousing inside Darius, he calls Mark.
Darius - Hey Mark, I submitted my resume to the national research corp.
Mark looks back and smiles.
Mark (Smiles) - we better use the skills and knowledge we got in order to uplift humanity from the loss it suffered.
For the moment Darius's heart got some peace as the affirmation comes from Mark, but the moment was to demolish as Mark asks,
Mark - BTW. Do you have any info about Claire?
Darius - mhmmm…..
Mark - So, I guess she didn't make it as well. I was right.
Darius - Ha?
Mark - She was lucky. Blessed to not witness this all while we are left here to mourn and die in the memories of those of the left.
Darius - What about hugo?
Mark - Oh he made it, lucky bastard got a father who protects his family at all cost, there are rumors that people of high status got the early info of the split, that is why in ratio of how many statused to ordinary people, there numbers are more. Well rumors are rumors.
Medical Camp, Ardonia City
Mona - I’m pooped. Where the hell is darius.
Mona’s phone buzzes
Darius - I am here at the entrance, come out.
Mona - be there in a minute.
Some High facility lab
Seira - What the hell?
Martha - what happened?
Seira - The split is going again. Readings are abnormal, (Turns to Martha) will it start to absorb again.
Martha (Looking at the monitor) - look at these dots, it's not moving, it's releasing.
Bruce - Whatever it is releasing, its fast, and moving toward the civilian area, we have to report.
Martha - Right.
Sarah listening to this, moves out of the hall and calls Darius
Sarah - Okay! Darius…… pick up the phone.
Darius - Yes sarah?
Sarah - Is Mona with you?
Darius - Yeah she is.
Sarah - I am sending you location, move as fast as you guys can on that.
Darius - Why…..
Sarah (shout) - just do what I said.
Call cuts. Mona looks at Darius
Darius - Sarah said to move on the location she send, as soon as possible
Mona - What? Why?
Darius - Dunno…from the tone of her, it almost felt like something was wrong.
Mona - She must be bluffing right? I mean how come she know something is wrong
Darius - After what happened do you think any warning is a bluff.
The sound of death walking toward them hit Darius’ eardrums. He looked behind and people were running toward him as if the split started moving again. But it's no split that's moving. They are monsters with a lust of blood running toward them. And the thought of losing someone crosses his mind again.
Darius looks at those monsters butchering every human being on there way.
Mona held Darius hand and runned along with others holding his hand.
Mona - Darius don't worry I will protect you at all cost. I made a promise I'll fulfill, And if something happens to me, Sarah will protect you, she knows this as well and you’ll have to do the same to protect her.
Darius - (low voice) why are you saying this, (thinks) Am I such a weakling who needs to be protected again and again by people who eventually die protecting me.
As they were running one thought kept hitting Darius' mind, “they are, they're gonna Catch us”. One of those creatures throwed a car at the running horde of innocent people including Darius, everyone falls away as the car strikes, dust covers the area.
Darius regains consciousness, He witnesses people getting devoured by blue creatures with glowing red eyes and big teeths.
He sees Mona among them. Darius stares at Mona being devoured, His eyes are massively opened up in shock.
Darius (Thinks) - Why is this happening…..why can’t I do something to save my sister…….
One of the creatures comes to Darius, sniffs him and stares at him.
Suddenly a bullet blows that creature's head and a soldier comes to save Darius.
Soldier - Your name? Darius?
Darius - ………..
Soldier - answer soldier. (Darius still doesn’t respond) Anyways we need to move.
He take Darius on his back and runs toward the escape vehicle
Darius (snaps out of thought) - Hey! Wait! My sister, Mona, she is lying there.
Soldier - She is dead long.
Darius - (Thinks) Dead???…(shouting) Then let me die too. I am of no use to anyone.
Soldier - Who said you’re of no use.
Darius - I'm just not. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA……………….
Soldier stops and puts Darius down on the road.
Soldier - Listen there are already so many people who died, so it's better to save as many people alive as we can.
Darius - what are you saying?
Soldier - you may not be useful for this moment but TIME DEFINES THE WORTH OF SOMEONE. If you are worthy you are useful, and for that you gotta live first ....so stop crying and try to live.
Soldier holds Darius's hand and pulls him to run.
The horde tailed them.
As they were running, thought halted Darius' thinking in reality.
Darius (Thoughts) - No matter what I do, I will never achieve the thing I want, I can't even save Mona and I will not be able to pull myself out of the guilt of not saving Mona or not being the man of the house while my mother died and also the guilt of demolishing my relations with Claire. Maybe I’m selfish? No, selfish is one heck of a word for an insect like me, yes I’m an insect, an insect that tries to fly but just gets flattened by the hands of grief, I’m not even worth saving. Yes, I’m just worthless
Darius sees a Car with leaking oil.
Darius (Thoughts) - But this soldier, whose hand I am holding, he is saving my life. I know he has an oath of saving civilians even if he has to give up his life, but it's for a civilian not an insect like me. This act of his, worth more than my whole existence. He can bring change, he has the potential, that's why he is pushing this hard. He will bring a change. He is not destined to die off of protecting a worthless insect like me.
Darius unholds his hand and takes the soldier’s glock gun which was held on his belt and points toward the oil leaking car. Darius begins to move backward.
Soldier - What are you doing?
Darius - There is a girl named Sarah Becket, she is currently working for the national research corp. and she has a future, a bright one, when she works as a scientist in Life enterprises. find her and protect her, my sister is my only family alive and she has to live.
Soldier - Well you can do this yourself….
Darius (yells) - Listen, I may not be the one worth living and protecting, but you’re worth living and she is worth protecting. So please, grant this wish of mine.
Soldier - But….
Darius - Please, Time defines the worth. It's my time.
Soldier looked at him.
Darius shoots at the car triggering a chain of blasts, exploding multiple Cars one by one, burning the horde, giving time to that soldier to escape and putting a hole in the ground, Opening in the metro tunnel, in which Darius falls and the remains fall on him.
The soldiers saw his sacrifice and decided to escape alone.
The soldier evacuated from the horde of the creature. And goes to the port where other peoples who suffered from the horde were kept.
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