Gabatrix: The Forgotten

 

About the Author

 

Hello everyone, my name is CMed. I will make it brief and quick about me. I was a college student who got a Major in History before going into the realm of the military. I am a Navy Veteran that has served for six years and wanted to become an author and book writer near the end of my military contract. 

Serving aboard ship was a long and challenging life. It is not for the faint-hearted, but after being taken off of it, I now had more time than ever. I used my time wisely to begin writing books. Writing had and continues to serve as therapy for me. It helped me through my times, even way before diseases or social unrest ever became the main headlines of modern media. 

Writing is something that does not come overnight. Most writers require at least two years of writing before they are even going to be marketing. Needless to say, make sure that you set the time to do so if you wish to be a part of that hobby. If you know somebody that wishes to become an author, make sure to give them that support. Writing is an extension of us and our imagination. Without imagination, our civilizations would never exist. Without imagination, we would have no empathy towards the next person. We all come from different walks of life. Each one of us can tell a story, and it all comes down to our will to survive through the best of times to the worst of times. 

I have designed Tales of Heroes and Gabatrix to be a system that expands itself. If people like my stories, then they can help out that cause. With the help of you, the audience, the system will get bigger and bigger. If you like my stories, then come and support me on my Patreon. Thank you, and enjoy my stories. :)

 

https://www.patreon.com/TheUniverseofCMed

https://www.gabatrix.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimers

 

Tags: Science Fiction, Future, Sex, Love, Swearing, Action, Fighting, Light Horror, Violence, Interspecies, Apocalypse, Male Human, Female Alien, Anthro, Human/Alien Sex, Intercourse, Consensual Sex, Pregnant, M/F

Disclaimer 1: This story is meant for adults as it contains sex, violence, fighting, and cursing. The sex scenes depicted are of a consensual variety. There is a clear division between the sex and the violence.

Disclaimer 2: This book is an erotica, action, and science fiction rolled into one. All sex scenes are of consenting adults. Expect scenes of human/alien or human/anthro sex and love. Gabatrix is an ongoing series. It’s highly recommended that the audience reads the earlier stories to enjoy the overall arc of this story.

Disclaimer 3: The opinions stated in this story do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the author. Remember, this is just a story. Treat it as such. 

Artwork by Piero Painter.

Special Thanks to my Patreon supporters:

Johndewey, Quintin Martin, Joshua Nelson, Nindahr, Mr. Darknut, TBCoW, Darklord Sengir, Mike Nixon, Nightsound, Anthony Kestle, Vlad Emanuel, Russell Mead, and Lynn A Sines, for their generous donations.

And, of course, the other patron supporters for allowing me to write and supporting the universe that I write. :)

By CMed 

Prologue

 

“There is alien life out there. Yet, every expedition to the stars seems to warrant no intelligent life. While my time slowly ends, I’m left with the possibility that there is nothing out there that’s like us, but that’s where the answer lies. It’s likely that it’s the truth. It’s so utterly different, so alien, that we can’t comprehend it. If that turns out to be genuine, then we’ll seem so alone, even though they literally stand right before us…..,” Gabatrix, 2329 AD.

 

…….There is a period of calm. It’s been a month since the UWA and Batrice fought in their civil war. With everything resolved, rebuilding and morale are slowly climbing. Everything seems quiet —perhaps too quiet…

 

…….In the civilian realm, humanity has decided to finally investigate the supposed location of the mysterious race that the Itreans named, the Venermax. An expedition has been launched. Its goal is to finally determine whether the race is willing to engage in peaceful negotiations…

 

…….Doctor Theron heads the expedition. Yet, something is terribly wrong. The world is not what it’s supposed to be. Confusion and chaos rule the landscape. Even time itself seems to be reversed. Theron must somehow find out the truth of what’s happening or be forever trapped in it….. 

Chapter 1: The Road to Hell

 

Sometime in May 2137 AD?

 

There is a mysterious flash of light all around Theron. The lone human feels a sharp pain spike through his head. His ears are ringing. There is blackness all around him.

For some reason, everything he knew, everything that he was, changed dramatically and violently. His memories felt rewritten. Even the very event itself began to slowly escape from his mind. It felt like it would never end.

“Make it stop….,” the man said out loud, but his voice couldn’t be heard. All he felt was liquid in his mouth. His body was in panic. He was drowning. He quickly flailed his arms, but couldn’t see where they were going.

He was dying. Yet,…..it wasn’t happening. 

With even this memory being eliminated, Theron had one last thought on his mind. The hint of regret could be felt. For the world he wanted to see was truly nothing at all. It was simply a shell, an artificial construct made by a group of beings that probably had been dead long ago. 

Then, there was a spark. A flash of light erupted in front of the man. He couldn’t make out what had happened, but the ringing in his ears stopped. The pain had ended.

Was he dead? He didn’t know. Theron always believed that near death, he would see the light at the end of the tunnel, but that wasn’t the case. He suddenly could feel his body receiving fresh oxygen. Air cycled in his lungs.

How was that possible? He was submerged in something. He was……

No…..It was different now. What did he feel earlier? There was pain? There was the gasping of breath. 

Even the darkness was beginning to vanish before him. Before the man could think any further, the environment suddenly changed.

The past minute was gone. Everything about the prior event was erased from the man’s memory. 

The environment was laid before Theron. He felt the hard gravity press against him. The light of the gray-filled sky filled the heavens above him. New smells, senses, were filling his nostrils.

It was a grassy field, with trees everywhere except where the houses and buildings stood. The small town of various structures was all around him. There was beauty in this location. Despite the lack of full sunlight in the last ten years, the plants still struggled to grow. 

Yet, the trash remained strewn about. A cleaning robot was still busy trying to clear the countless piles of garbage that the others carelessly discarded by the road. Its simple construction consisted of a metal alloy with a large backpack. Its right arm was a powerful scooper, capable of easily cleaning the sides of the road. 

It was a regular routine as the few human beings ignored the scenery, even as one woman lit a cigarette by the road before tossing it aside. The burning remains landed on a dry patch of dirt, threatening to ignite the dead grass. 

Theron felt like he should remember something, but it was gone now. Instead, he happily looked upon himself. He wore the typical clothes of the time period. Since it was summer, he only wore his usual blue jeans, short-sleeved brown shirt, and brown boots. His shaved face, pale complexion, and black hair were easily visible. He was in his mid-thirties, a slightly scrawny individual, but not exactly the type to scare away the ladies who might have caught their eye.

Where was it? Ah, yes, the small town of Malta Bend, Missouri. The local commercial reenergizing station for his car wasn’t that far from him. To his left was a small red electric truck, a simple vehicle capable of carrying a passenger, with a closed rear bed.

It was a quaint little town. Despite the ever-growing population of the United States, this area still retained a hint of innocence. The occasional vehicle would drive by. The buildings could have been in better shape, but the town's limited resources kept things in a more laid-back setting. Only the hint of garbage piles near the street indicated any activity. Even the reenergizing station only carried three alcoves for powering up the vehicles. 

Theron hadn’t seen any new vehicles arrive as he pulled out the large cable and plug, opened the cover plate near the front of his truck, and stuck the plug into the outlet. Immediately, the station’s power battery began to feed new energy into the truck’s battery core. 

The man looked up. The typical smog and gray clouds were always present, threatening to choke out the sunlight. However, the air still seemed fresh, without the need to wear the masks most city residents are required to wear.

Theron pulled out his tablet. Upon looking at his data feed on the small display, he saw the news comments from around the world. The pollution was at a critical phase. Even with the clean energy sources long introduced, the damage was done. 

However, before the man had a chance to say anything, a little girl ran by Theron. It caused the man to pause as he noticed that the girl, dressed in white, was playing amongst a group of other children. 

“Hey!” Theron called out to them. “This is no place for kids to be playing. There’s a park nearby. Go there and play.”

The kids ignored him. However, the little girl gave a quick nod to the man, almost as if she were acknowledging what he was trying to say. 

There was a ding sound that echoed from the charging unit. Theron reached out to access the automatic payment controls but saw an error displayed on the unit’s main screen. 

“Damn….,” Theron said to himself. “Old equipment, as usual. Guess I need to head in and pay for it.”

Checking to make sure his truck was locked, the man proceeded to head into the main building. Upon reaching the door, the hint of thunder could be heard in the distant sky, not far from him. 

The main service station itself was not exactly a big building. It had a single cash register and at least three rows of stocked food and drink shelves. There was an old man, a person of a pale complexion and gray hair, who was working behind the register. Theron opened the door and proceeded to the main counter to speak with the person.

“I saw you out there,” the man said with the hint of a mid-southern accent. “That charging station was giving you a fit, wasn’t it?”

“You already know,” Theron remarked. “Yep.”

The cashier had the name “Allen” on his name tag. 

“I tell you what,” the cashier said. “I’ll knock down the price by half for your recharging fee.”

Theron nodded his head and smiled. “You do that for everybody that comes walking in?”

“Nope….Every once in a while, that station likes to act up on my customers. I kept requesting to have a technician come and check it out, but it seems like they can’t find out why it malfunctions for my customers. It only seems to do it once per day…..I like to think of it as the lucky customer discount.”

“Nice….,” Theron remarked. 

“But, there’s still a catch,” the old man said. “You have to tell me who you are. I can see the wayward traveler on that face.”

“Ummm….,” the young man pointed in the direction of his truck. 

“Oh, don’t worry. It takes a good five minutes for your truck to recharge, and this isn’t exactly the busy part of the day. Your truck isn’t going anywhere anyway. I got the time to talk.”

“Fair enough. My name is Theron.”

“Theron? Now that’s a bit of an odd name. I hear a bit of that city accent from you….”

“You’re right on that part, ummm, Allen, right?” Theron remarked, looking at the name tag. 

“Just like the name of the station,” Allen replied. 

“Right….well, you’re right. I come from...” There was a pause. 

Theron seemed to show a hint of confusion. Almost for a split second, it felt like he had two pieces of memory flash before him. However, his mind became clear a few seconds later. Allen gave a hint of confusion on his face as well before Theron shook his head.

“I’m sorry....,” Theron continued. “I guess the long trip has my mind spinning a little bit. I come from Wichita, Kansas.”

“Oh, I can see why,” Allen remarked. “You might be a little tired. We do have a hotel a couple blocks from here.”

“Nah, I’m ok. Anyway, I came here to see my aunt. My family is all scattered through the countryside. I figure I'll get back to my roots and visit everybody while I’m on vacation.”

“Your aunt lives here. What’s her name?”

“Belie.”

“Ah, Belie, you’re related to her.”

“You know her?”

“Everybody comes to my store. One of two recharging stations through this entire town, you’re bound to eventually meet everybody sometime. She came here about….hmmm….about a few weeks ago.”

“Yeah, unfortunately, she isn’t in too good of health. She’s in the early stages of Charlotte’s Syndrome.”

“Oh, around here?”

“Yeah, it surprised me too.”

“Malta Bend has always carried good air, despite what’s been happening around the world. She didn’t stay in the city too long, has she?”

“Nope, just the luck of the draw.”

“Ah, I’m so sorry to hear about that. We still have plenty of forests and trees around us.”

“I noticed,” Theron remarked, looking out the door. “There’s even less garbage in the streets as well.”

“It’s no excuse,” Allen looked out the door in frustration. “Despite all the efforts to keep our places clean, people still dump their trash everywhere. Why do we even bother to have landfills anymore? Even when I was born, the place was cleaner. I wouldn’t be surprised your aunt fell victim to all the waste dumped everywhere. Most of the people here still live long lives, but the waste is catching up on everyone.”

 “You’ve been working here this whole time. I’m sure you’ve heard the stories being tossed around. Have you seen what's been happening on the news with our water?”

Allen shook his head. “Too much unfortunately.....I had family members that live in the coast of Virginia, and they can tell you that the oceans are turning red. Hints of orange spots are appearing everywhere, mass death of fish. Seems to be all happening in areas where the pollution is the worst. It’s like red tide, but I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I saw a little bit of it on the news, but the government was saying that it was nothing…”

“Whenever have you believed what the government says? Meanwhile, they don’t hesitate to move everything into this….Waterville, DC of theirs….”

“Waterville? You believe in that story?”

“Oh, it exists. It most certainly exists. Giant city built into the mountains. Sure, the rich built it first, but the moment the politicians show a hint of fear in what’s going on now, you can count on them running straight into the billionaire’s laps.”

Theron thought about it for a moment. Not everyone believed in the story of the great city built into the southern Appalachian Mountains. However, there were enough conspiracy theories that flowed around about something that existed there. If it was true, it was most likely a tiny settlement, or a group of billionaires who wanted a place built high above the landscape to avoid the ever-rising sea levels. Much like many places around the world, the desire to live at a higher elevation had become a trend in both the status quo and attempts to gloat over the masses. 

“All I hear is nothing but wild talk,” Theron countered. “You’re not one of those that believe that it’s the real nation’s capital or something, right?”

“It is our capital,” Allen replied. “It’s been the nation's capital for over thirty years. Ah….what are they teaching the youth these days? I might have been born a little past reunification of the United States, but the whole idea of Houston being the capital since the destruction of Washington, DC, isn’t really true, at least not anymore.”

“Alright, then. Why haven’t they told the truth about it?”

There was the hint of lightning again, heard from inside the building. “Because they don’t want to scare everyone. Any person would know, though, that the idea of Waterville becoming our capital would send the nation into further chaos. People would think the end of the world was coming, that our politicians are working with those billionaires, which they are…..”

“Right…and next you’re going to be telling me that they launch our spaceships from there, too.”

“I don’t know about that….Texas handles the space program. I’ll let you figure out the rest.”

The idea of it sounded like madness, but then again, Theron knew that Allen wasn’t the only one who believed in this odd conspiracy. It was a common story passed on the internet, among the countless other wild ideas. However, very little seemed to echo about this supposed place. Those who believed it either thought it was some giant industrial complex or was the next Area 51. Stories did seem to confirm it, but nobody could agree on how extensive it really was. 

Regardless, Theron shook his head and lifted his tablet, ready to scan the machine and process the payment.

“That'll be 39 dollars,” Allen replied. 

“Even with that half price,” Theron said as Allen lifted up a small scanner and tapped the tablet’s screen, submitting the payment.

“Yep….let's hope Belie recovers,” Allen said. “Charlotte’s syndrome is…..well….”

“Yeah, it’s why I’m coming to see her. I really hope it isn’t either.”

“At this time period, we could use all the help we can get. At least you’re with family when so many seem to discard their other family members. If something bad happens, I know I’m past my time. It’ll be up to your generation to figure out what to do next….”

“Yeah….”

“Hey,….” Allen remarked. “Do me a favor.” He gestured to one of his shelves. “Grab some of that Motrin over there.”

Theron walked over to the nearby shelf and saw the sealed bottle. The man picked it up.

“It’s on the house,” Allen replied. “I know she’d need it badly.”

“I can’t take such hospitality,” Theron replied.

The cashier shook his head. “Take it…..”

Theron put it in his pocket and looked at the old man. “Thank you,” he told him. He waved goodbye to him as he began to head out.

“Watch out for that storm,” Allen said before the door slid closed. “The weather report said that there wasn’t supposed to be one today….”

“I will,” he replied.

Theron began to make his trek back to the truck, seeing that the battery was fully charged. On his way to the vehicle, another voice echoed not far from him.

“....You’re not going to make it in time….,” the raspy male voice said.

“Huh?” Theron reacted, turning around to face the individual who spoke.

The stranger carried a dark complexion with him. He had a long white beard and mustache that blended down his bald head. His clothing consisted of rags. It didn’t take long for Theron to think that this was either a homeless man or a hobo who wandered around town. Regardless, he wasn’t going to stay too long to find out who the man was.

“The storms a comin,” the stranger said. “It’s going to be a big one….”

“A huh,” Theron replied.

“Your aunt…..she ain’t going to make it, boy.”

Theron began to wonder if this man somehow overheard his conversation with Allen inside the store. But the door was closed, nobody else was in there, and he wasn’t being loud either. The man either had really good hearing or it was something else.

“I’m not in the mood for this,” Theron said, not wanting to entertain the random stranger.

“I can help you….,” the individual said. “Three questions…..after that, you’re on your own, at least for now…..people that don’t listen will only die when the world will end…..” 

The man was crazy. Theron knew it was just some random vagabond, a person driven mad, who was probably looking for a handout. However, as Theron thought about it, this man seemed to carry some sort of aura with him. It was unknown if it was darkness, evil, or the hint of truth. Finally, Theron sighed.

“How do you know about my aunt?” Theron asked.

“The world is ending,” the stranger said. “We all seek those close to us before it happens….you know it too, don’t you?”

“No, I think you overheard it somehow, snuck out of the store when I wasn’t looking.”

“You didn’t answer my question, boy….The storm is comin….you deny it, but you know it’s comin…..”

“I’m going,” Theron said. “I’m not giving you anything.”

“Who said I was looking for your charity? Besides…..you’re like all the other deniers….you know it’s comin.”

“And what is that?”

“Death, boy. We livin at the end of time….although, you’re different somehow. By the time you find her, it’ll be too late…..”

“Like you’re the expert on life somehow. Fine….You know how many times I hear people come up and say the world is coming to an end when we’re living in the best time of our lives. We have spaceships that can reach Mars. We have technology that makes our lives better than ever before. Look at yourself. You can have robots that serve you at every whim, whatever you need. There’s no excuse for you to be in your….condition.” 

“Heh, heh,” the stranger said. “Even in the hearts of men, their arrogance will only lead to their end.”

“And what do you expect me to do, huh?”

“Simple….those kids…..help them, it’s all you can do at this time. Forget your aunt….”

Theron turned back to the truck and waved his hand. How foolish he felt for bothering to listen to this crazy person. The crack of thunder overhead was louder than ever before. The clouds were growing darker and darker. He began to head back to his truck. When he pulled the charging plug from his vehicle and reinserted it into the charging unit, he noticed the stranger was gone.

Theron had a confused look on his face. There wasn’t enough time for the person to walk away. Whoever the person was had seemingly vanished. 

The hair on the back of Theron’s neck rose. The fear of danger was ever-present. Despite the town's peaceful appearance, the looming storm clouds threatened to destroy the harmony of everything around him. He couldn’t figure out why, but for some reason, the stranger’s words almost carried the strong hint of an ominous tone. 

Theron wasn’t going to bother with it any further. He unlocked his truck and hopped into his driver's seat. His timing was good. By the time he was back in his vehicle, the rain began to trickle. All-out rainfall was coming soon. 

A small alarm bumped out from the man’s tablet. He looked at the weather report, which indicated an impending flash storm. Even the early report indicated that there was no weather to begin with, just as Allen had said. 

“Ahh….better get going,” Theron said. He pressed the unlock button below his steering wheel and turned the truck on. In an instant, the engine powered up with a pleasant, ever-silent hum. 

Without much thought, Theron shifted the gear to drive and pressed the throttle forward, taking the truck out of the store’s lot and onto the small street. The tiny droplets were few and far between on the windshield, but that was sure to grow. Reaching the street, the man took a right and began to head down the road.

 

*******

 

It was a couple of minutes as the rainfall took hold. The small street was beginning to get clogged up with vehicles despite the small town’s population. Everyone moved slowly. There was a road obstruction up ahead.  

“Ugh….,” Theron said. “Another 10 minutes to reach there, and it might as well be 40 minutes. What the hell is going on up there?”

Theron tapped the digital panel where his radio was. He began to listen in as rock music could be heard. Moving at a snail’s pace, his truck remained idle as several cars ahead also remained stuck. If anything, some of the vehicles were even making U-turns to drive away and find another road.

The area consisted of a share of trees and buildings. It had far less garbage on the streets as the robots in the vicinity seemed to keep up with the cleaning. Only the rain seemed to disturb the area. A few people seemed to be running, avoiding getting wet as the rain kept picking up. 

There was another crack of thunder, this time directly overhead. It was loud, but it didn’t strike the ground. It caused Theron to look up.

Something was wrong…..terribly wrong. The clouds were like a funnel, almost as if they were trying to form into a tornado, but the winds were not strong. 

Suddenly, the rain fell into a deluge. It concentrated hard on the town like a jackhammer. The sound of splashing water fell on the truck's roof. 

“ACK!” Theron reacted in pain. Something hit him. He realized that the window to his driver’s side door was still cracked open by a tiny centimeter, causing the hint of rainwater to filter in and land on his left arm. 

He felt a burning sensation but couldn’t figure out why. The man instinctively pressed the button to roll up and close the window, but it was here that he saw it.

An elderly couple was running down the sidewalk, caught in the rainstorm. However, what sounded like people trying to escape from getting wet had become a realm of horrors. They were yelling and screaming in agony. 

More screaming began to reverberate through the entire road and street. It was here that Theron turned to look to the right.

From a group of flowers and bushes past the sidewalk, the man watched as the rain was burning the plants alive. Like a powerful acid, the water itself was tearing into it, causing the petals to rot and break off from the stem. In turn, the stem wouldn’t last much longer.

“Acid rain?” Theron said. “What the hell?”

The air pollution must have been bad, but out here? There shouldn’t have been anything to cause it, yet it was happening right before him.

Pandemonium broke out in town. People were running to shelters as soon as possible. Theron watched as a dead stray cat lay not far from the dying plants. Only the robots seemed unaffected, continuing with their work as if nothing was happening. But even then, one of them had black paint running down its metal frame. The rain caused it to flake off and erode rapidly. 

It was the water. It was burning everything alive. Theron was still aghast at the situation. There were no city alarms going off, but the crowds of people were warning everyone to go inside.

Theron didn’t know what to do, but his thoughts went to his aunt. She would most definitely be affected. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be outside if the deadly rain was falling upon her. Finally, he saw an opening in the opposite lane. He quickly pulled the steering wheel to the left and hit the accelerator. 

To Theron’s right, he saw the tail end of what was blocking the road ahead. There was a terrible accident up ahead. The driver had crawled out and landed on the pavement, where the rain had burned and melted into his flesh. It’s most likely that if the man driving the car hadn’t been killed in the wreck, then the rain would finish up the job. 

“God, make it stop,” Theron said as he began to head away from the direction he was intended to go. He turned to the right as the rain continued to splash against the truck. 

There were more casualties. People with umbrellas were valiantly trying to pull the exposed off the street in some frantic effort to save the others from the terrible weather. There were fewer buildings down this road as other vehicles were frantically getting away from the center heart of town. However, the slick water made the pavement slippery. 

More plant life was being eaten away by the rain. There was another right-hand turn coming up as Theron turned the truck onto the road. Houses are located along this section of the road. Fewer cars were traveling down this road, but it was here that Theron saw it. 

On the left sidewalk leading to a trailer home were a pair of children. It was a boy and a girl. If anything, Theron recognized it as the same girl that he’s seen before, playing in the street with the other two boys.

“Oh my God,” Theron remarked. 

The rain had picked up greatly in this area. An already dead tree was quickly decomposing under the foul liquid. Its rotted remains, combined with a former lightning strike, had torn it apart from within. It had fallen over and landed on an adult, killing her instantly. Another hard lightning strike echoed in the area. The boy and girl were tucked under an umbrella from the dead woman parked next to them. The remains of the tree offered a hint of protection, but only for so long. Even the rain was burning into the kid’s legs and arms. Their horrid screams echoed outward but were partially drowned out by the deluge.

There was a second that Theron considered everything. He almost drove past due to the flood of casualties throughout the entire town, but his instincts kicked in immediately.

Springing to the rescue, Theron quickly pulled the vehicle over, not far from the kids. He grabbed behind his seat and pulled out a dry blanket before opening up the door and running out.

Holding the blanket above him, the raindrops were being absorbed by the cloth, but it was only partially effective. The man felt the scorching pain as some of the droplets tore into his hands and arms. The kids saw the man run up to him and cried out for help. 

Another thunderstrike echoed from above as Theron was on the girl first, grabbing the large branch and lifting it up. The child quickly pulled out as more of the rain splashed against her skin.

“AHH!” the girl yelled. 

“Run to the truck now!” Theron yelled out to her.

The girl didn’t hesitate. Freed, she frantically moved with haste and jumped into the driver’s seat. She moved herself towards the passenger seat as Theron focused on the boy next.

“Engh!” Theron grunted as he moved the branch again. The boy was getting pummeled by the deadly rain more and more. The bottom portion of his clothes was getting soaked with the acidic-like compound. Finally, Theron pulled the tree remains free, liberating the boy. Using his one arm, he practically yanked the child up and away, carrying him straight back to the truck.

The burning was growing intense. The layers of skin on himself and the boy were turning red, threatening to melt off.

With one hard yell, Theron and the boy practically leaped into the driver’s side of the truck, practically tossing the kid into the middle seat before Theron jumped in and closed the door.

“Ah….ahhhh…..,” the boy was fumbling in pain.

“Engh…..,” Theron tried to handle the pain as well, tossing the blanket off of him and onto the floor beneath his seat.

“Mom…..momma….,” the boy remarked, wincing in pain.

It was the best that Theron could do. He had nothing else to wipe the pain away from the kids. All they could do was endure it. However, the truck was adequate in repelling the deadly water.

“Are…..are you ok?” he asked the kids.

“Yes….,” the girl replied. “Thank….thank you.”

“Burns…..burns….,” the boy said.

“I got nothing else for you,” Theron said. “Was that your mom?”

“Yes…..”

“What’s happening?” the girl asked.

“Acid rain,” Theron said. “Never seen anything like it before…..”

“Mom….,” the boy yelled out.

Theron looked back. The scenery was horrific. Almost completely exposed to the elements, the children’s mother would slowly melt under the constant deluge of rain. If he hadn’t saved the kids, they would have surely joined their mother’s fate. 

Survival mode had kicked in for Theron. This town wasn’t huge. Paramedics and emergency crews would be overwhelmed by the numerous casualties. A thought went through his mind about his aunt. She was in absolute danger.

But the children?

There was more time for Theron to look at the kids closely. Both of them carried small burn marks on their pale complexions. Both the boy and the girl had blonde hair and blue eyes, being most likely around the age of 10. The boy wore a smaller set of blue jeans and a green t-shirt. The girl’s white dress, however, seemed stained with something.

Was it blood?

Theron looked closely at it. At first glance, it might have been perceived as blood, but it wasn’t. The exposure to the initial elements was terrible, but the acidic properties weren’t strong enough to induce bleeding yet, at least for how long they were out there. 

No, it was something else. Theron looked at the street and sidewalk. From the heavens, the water looked clear, but on the streets, the running water carried hints of red and orange taint. The green grass was turning a sickly brown as it went on. Even the leaves on all the trees were threatening to rot and fall to the ground below.

“What the fuck is going on?” Theron asked himself. “Red tide?....In the rain? How?....”

“Hurts….,” the girl said.

The man couldn’t ignore their plight. What the kids just witnessed would be burned into their minds for good. His only route was to get them to a place for immediate help.

“Where’s your father?” he asked them, shifting the gear on his truck.

“He’s dead,” the boy said. “Died two years ago…..”

“Your grandparents?” 

“New York….,” the girl replied. “New York and Minneapolis…..”

“Alright,” Theron explained. He hit the accelerator pedal and did a full U-Turn on the street. “I’m taking you to the nearby recharging station for help. I can get you to a hospital after that.”

“Ok….,” the girl said. She winced as a tear ran down her face.

“Mom….,” the boy remarked.

“I’m sorry....,” he said. “I’ll get you help as soon as possible…..”

The truck reached the nearby turn. It would only be a minute’s worth of travel through the hard rain. For a moment, the man felt a sense of dizziness. He couldn’t figure out why, but he kept driving. A car ran off the road and smashed into a nearby tree. It snapped Theron awake to the scenery before him.

The town was dying. The rain had to stop. Yet, there was something filling the air.

The vapor…..Theron was starting to feel nauseous. It wasn’t just the acidic properties from the rain, but what was in the water itself. More of the tainted red and orange could be seen draining into the street, storm drainage runoff. The humid liquid produced rising levels of vapor. Certain areas carried harsher levels of it. 

There was already another casualty on the street. A woman collapsed. The melting rain and combined vapors were her doom. Was it even safe to be inside a shelter at this point?

If it were in the air, then it would likely mean that no place was safe. He could either drive out of the storm or hope that the recharging station’s interior could keep them safe temporarily. 

He wasn’t far from the station. Theron quickly recognized Allen’s Recharging Alley Station store. 

There was a hint of relief; the rain here was far less. It had dropped to that of a drizzle. It was unknown if it was temporary or if it was going to get worse again. Theron brought his truck as close to the door as possible. There was another vehicle in the street that was in the process of pulling in, but Theron beat him to it. 

“Allen….,” the boy said.

The truck came to a full stop. Theron gestured to the kids.

“We need to get in there, now,” he said. “He might have some emergency supplies.”

“Ok,” the girl said. 

 

*******

 

“You came to the right place,” Allen said. “I can give you whatever help you need.”

It was about five minutes later. The rain remained at a constant drizzle outside. However, the interior of the recharging station remained a successful sanctuary. Another older woman, the person from the other vehicle, had also sought refuge inside. 

The kids were lying on the hard tile floor. Sets of blankets lay on the ground from where they were. Taken from the store shelf, Theron was applying a medicinal salve to the little girl first. The pasty white cream felt cool to the touch, helping to heal the skin from the hardened burns.

“How is that?” Theron asked her.

“Good……good,” she said. 

Allen was already applying some of the salve onto the boy as well. 

“What’s your name?” Theron asked the girl.

“Gemma…,” she replied.

“Gemma? Huh?.....Theron,” he greeted her.

The little girl gave a hint of a smile.

“What’s your name?” he asked the boy.

“Cecil,” the boy replied.

“Oh….,” Allen remarked. “What hell has befallen us?”

“I’ve never seen an acid storm reach this form of strength before,” Theron remarked. “Sure, we had a few cases where the rain could rip the paint off the building, but not tear into flesh like this.”

“Mom…..,” Cecil remarked.

“I know….,” Allen confided to the boy, putting his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Amanda was a sweet woman…..”

Theron was taking careful notes of the kids and their behavior. Despite the horrors, Gemma seemed to handle the loss far better than Cecil. However, this might have only been on the surface. Deep down, he knew she was doing her best to repress it.

“That’s the best that I can do,” Theron said, wiping the last part of Gemma’s arm. It would have to do.

The man picked up the open container and stood up as Allen did, gesturing to the hanging TV mounted on the wall. The cashier looked over to the old woman standing by the counter.

“You doing alright, Amber?” Allen asked the older woman, knowing who she was. She seemed unhurt but weakened by the storm. More or less, she likely saw the early horror and sought shelter as soon as possible. More than likely, there would be other survivors and victims who were in the situation, being more rattled over the events than anything else. 

“Yes….,” the woman said. “Worry about the kids, first…..”

“Watch over them,” Allen said. Allen picked up a remote control and switched the TV channel. In an instant, the news popped up, depicting an anchorwoman in her thirties. She wore a green dress and had a mixed complexion. 

The background depicted a weather alert and emergency broadcast. Allen raised the volume so that everyone could hear it.

“We have breaking news,” the woman said. “We've started to pick up reports of dangerous flash storms that have been appearing over portions of Eastern and central North America. It appears that the rain carries powerful acidic properties. Portions of Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas, and Indiana have all been affected.”

“It wasn’t just here…..,” Theron said in realization. 

“Houston DC has declared a nationwide state of alert for the United States. The rainstorms seem to be focusing over cities such as Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Indianapolis. However, many of the storms have also struck smaller towns. Reporter Jenkins has more to report……”

Theron looked over to Gemma, who seemed to be watching him and listening to the news. The hint of concern could be seen on her face. Her brother, meanwhile, had crawled into a ball, shutting out everything that he had just witnessed. Theron turned to look back at the news feed.

What the man saw stunned him. It wasn’t just happening in this small town. The recordings were happening by the minute, by the hour. Chicago, the great city of staggered growth, experienced heavy rainstorms over the area. Hints of dead bodies were already on the streets, while people were fleeing into the interiors for shelter. Screaming and panic were everywhere. 

From the streets, the hint of the same red and orange liquid could be seen. 

“All I can say,” Jenkin’s voice could be heard on the recordings. “It's Armageddon, Elise. Everything began in Indianapolis when weather reports issued a precipitation alert for the city. However, what began as a typical weather event became hell on Earth. Something is in the water, Elise. Experts are already trying to determine what’s happening. However, from what we know, it’s spreading.”

“Jenkins,” Elise questioned him. “Is the same exact thing happening to every city affected?”

“Yes…..Chicago was the first to experience this. Over 250 dead so far and climbing. We still don’t have all the numbers yet, but they all report acid rain. There also appears to be some sort of toxic vapor that’s accompanying the rain as well, the moment it begins evaporating. Every expert is advising everyone to remain inside and limit their exposure to the outside. Those who are caught outside need to use an umbrella with a damp cloth and mask.” There was a pause. “....I’ve just received new reports of some sort of orange and red residue that’s appearing over large concentrations of trash and human waste, including…..waste pits and landfills. It appears to be matching the same compound masses floating in portions of our oceans.”

Allen lowered his head. He turned to step away for a moment, placing his hand firmly on the counter. Outside, the hints of emergency vehicles and paramedics were en route through portions of the small town. The rain was still not letting up. However, the thunder and lightning, at least, came to a complete stop. Almost all traffic had ceased. Theron watched as video-recorded scenes of a similar phenomenon, red and orange were piling up over a landfill. It almost seemed like something was devouring human waste, similar to the floating oil zones in the Earth’s oceans. The countless piles of plastic and waste dumped into the Earth’s deepest depths were becoming feeding grounds for something. 

Now it was reaching the very air itself. From the heavens, nature had declared war on humanity. The deadly water was spreading. 

“We’re just now getting reports of Wuhan and Xuchang, China, also having similar events as well,” Jenkins continued. “Both cities report storms similar to what’s happening here.”

A ticker tape in the bottom news feed reported all the cities and towns affected in Missouri. The town of Malta Bend was obviously on the list. A Class 3 Natural Disaster warning had been issued. Allen put the TV on mute.

“I should go ahead and get the kids to the hospital…,” Theron said, turning to look at them.

Allen pulled Theron away from their location to help bring some distance between them and the kids. He lowered his voice so that they couldn’t overhear their conversation.

“Look….,” Allen said. “You get them to a hospital…But I don’t think they’ll be able to really help them….”

“What do you mean?” Theron quietly asked him.

“I mean that there’s nobody to help them now, but you.”

Theron shook his head. “Oh…oh, no….no, no, no…..”

“I know Amanda. She was having to raise those kids by herself after her husband was killed in the line of duty on the USS Boston. She doesn’t have much of her family left.”

“But their grandparents?”

“Are as good as dead….,” Allen interjected. “Even she wasn’t on good terms with her parents. There was a reason she was living out here to begin with.”

Theron put his hand to his forehead. “You’re practically telling me that I should take care of them now. I….I don’t know anything about raising kids.”

Allen put his hands on his hips. “I know….but there isn’t much choice. What you’re seeing on the news is only going to get worse. We have so much crap in the air that whatever this is will keep spreading. What you’ve been seeing out there….the people don’t care about their environment. They’re so lazy they can’t even pick up their own trash anymore. Meanwhile, the companies dump the toxic waste wherever they want. The recycling programs we have are a joke. They throw 99% of it straight into an incinerator. I’m not even going to get started with the oceans and what every nation has been doing out there.”

“You almost sound like some environmentalist. We have robots, Allen. They can take care of it.”

“I’m not an environmentalist…..I never was, but I’d be a fool if I never noticed what was happening, either. Even the environmentalists don’t know what they’re doing anymore, either. We have less land than we ever did. The polar ice caps have completely melted. Have you ever seen Florida? I never did, because it’s only islands now. Every nation has been impacted, one way or another. Nature will win, and only God will save us now…..”

“You’re really trying to say that this is the beginning of the end?”

“I don’t know, Theron, but I’ve been watchin the signs. This isn’t going to get better. There’s going to be a lot more of these storms, and it’ll keep going until nothing is left….”

“Then….” Theron felt the sense of adrenaline kick in as the thoughts began to dig into him. “I…..I don’t know what to do…..”

Allen took a deep breath and put a hand on his shoulder. “Like I said….you’re paying for our past sins…..I don’t envy what the youth will have to face in the impending years. The United States is still recovering after the 2nd Civil War 70 years ago. We never fully recovered from it at all. It can’t keep handling nationwide emergencies like this. Anything else and it’ll chip us away until we collapse for good.”

“If the US is gone, so will the rest of the world…..”

Allen did a solemn nod. “Yeah….but you have to look at the bigger picture, and that’s you and the kids. I can’t speak for Amanda, but if she had one last wish, then she would want you to take care of those kids. I hate having to be the final judge on this, Theron, but if you leave them in the hospital, it’ll be a slow end for them…...”

“Without the emergency crews to handle such a large influx of casualties….it’ll be up to us to survive this…..”

Allen looked at the store. “It’s going to be a matter of time before rioters start raiding my store….” He said. “I can fight them….shoot some of them, but it won’t be long before one of them gets lucky and takes me out. Take as much water as you can….food, medicine, essentials…..free of charge….”

“God, I just met you today…..”

“I know, Theron. But I know good people, too. I see them every day when they step into my store. The first thing you did when this happened was save those kids. They’re your responsibility, now. Sometimes, God has us do things we don’t want to do, but it’ll lead to a brighter future. Somewhere, somehow, there’s going to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Things will get better even if it seems like eternity before it ever happens……”

Theron took a deep breath as he looked over to the kids. He turned to look outside. From the door, the rain had finally stopped. The man walked over to get a closer look at the scenery. 

The deadly vapor could be present next. If the sun poked through the clouds, the foul liquid's evaporation would permeate the air. Humidity could easily hold the deadly particles that seep into the human body. He had to consider it all.

“We need survival masks,” Theron said, out loud. “Things against chemical agents.”

“I’m afraid I don’t have anything like that,” Allen said. “I believe there is a store that does, but it’s limited stock. I can point to where it’s going to be.”

“Alright….”

“In the meantime, the only thing I can recommend are our typical breather masks, although that was more for air pollution, not whatever that’s out there. Even I only have so many of these. Malta Bend was usually known for its good air quality.”

“Until now….”

“Yep…..”

“We’ll take the masks….maybe soak them in something. It’s the only thing we can use for now until we can get something better.”

“There’s something else you’re going to need as well,” Allen continued. “I hope you’re stocked up on guns, because you know what’s going to be next.”

More and more of the reality began to set in. Was it truly going to reach that point? No….it couldn’t.

Theron shook his head. “I….used to shoot pellet guns, but that's it.”

“A city boy….” Allen said. “All too common….”

“Everything that happened just now was a fluke….we aren’t going to be at each other’s throats.”

“Better to have something than nothing….A gun is a tool, just like anything else. You’re going to need it.”

“Ummm…..,” the little girl mumbled.

Theron turned to look at her. “What?”

“Mom and Dad has guns….Daddy’s gun….”

“….Right….We might need to eventually stop at your house again, Cecil. Would that be alright?”

The little boy seemed to think about it. “Yes…..”

Theron looked at the boy. Gemma was unsure of anything, but there was a solemn nod given. 

The man walked up and took a knee to look at the kids. He seemed to think about it as Gemma gave firm attention to him.

“I can’t say how much I feel for your loss, just now,” Theron explained. “I….will take you to the hospital to have you checked out….going to see the police…..and…..”

“I don’t want to be in an orphanage…..,” Cecil said. “Please…..”

“Same….,” Gemma added. 

“Look….I wasn’t exactly driving down here to become your father. I still need to follow the law….have you taken to….”

“No……,” the girl shook her head. “Be like…..a big brother....I don't know.”

The man seemed to be in deep thought about it. He stood up and looked at Allen. The cashier gave a nod to the man, then gestured for him to start heading over to the aisles and grab anything on the shelves. However, Theron needed to think. He turned to head over to the door again. 

The man felt tempted to go outside, but he did not know how dangerous the vapors would become. 

“Theron….,” Allen called out to him.

When the man turned to look at the cashier, the old man tossed something for him. Theron caught it and saw that it was a simple breathing air filter mask. He quickly fitted it over his face. 

It would be unknown how bad it was as Theron stepped up to the door. It slid open as he stepped outside. 

The hint of dripping water seemed to fall from the roof of the recharging station. The pavement was wet. A subtle steam could be seen rising from the concrete. Theron held his mask close to his mouth, unsure if the vapor would hurt him. He began to look outward more and more. The sounds of emergency vehicle sirens could be heard, along with the few individuals from the distant buildings. 

The landscape…..it was horrendous. The green grass and trees had already taken considerable damage. Brown had become the dominant color. If anything, most of the plant life was already dead or dying. Another rainstorm like it would reduce the foliage into mush. The vapor and whatever possible deadly properties seemed to be more pronounced in areas where it was sand and dirt……including the garbage.

There was a considerable chemical reaction. One of the cleaning robots brought his attention to it. The water seemed to be eating into the plastic almost immediately. The hint of orange gunk was already forming. From there, the red and orange muck began to filter outward and toward the street. 

Everything….it all felt like death was all around him. Was this a one-off chance? Was there going to be more of this? 

How could they handle another event like this?

Theron pulled out his tablet and began to look at it. He looked at the set of news already posted on the internet. All of it was the current headlines of what just happened.