The Adorned

The Adorned

  By

  Elimelec G. Roman

  *****

  Published By:

  The Adorned

  Copyright © 2011 by E. G. Roman

  First and foremost, thank you for downloading this eBook. Enjoy the content and share it with your friends and family!

  Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated. Again, thank you.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.

  Please Note: Some Adult Content is present.

  Suspense, Mystery, Science Fiction

  ****

  The Adorned

  ***

  -The Edge of Forever-

  The sight can cripple…

  Yet its absolute beauty can send mystifying chills down the spine.

  It’s been a while since I last caught sight of this vista… the edge of the world, the edge of forever. The remnants of what is left of Earth.

  Vapors rise from the ground. Humidity moistens my skin and within seconds, streaks of sweat trail down my brow. I bow my head in reverence, to the world’s fate long forgotten, because it's now a fading echo in books and memories from last remaining few that recall the haven of splendor.

  The sky outside the small hunch of atmosphere that’s classified by the remaining humans as Revers, smolders in fumes of expanding orange, red, and black clouds. It’s a constant storm out there, and the lightning that once shone in bursts of blue and white, are now red and black.

  My mind gets caught up in other memories when I attempt to portray a picture as to what occurred to cause this conclusion surrounding one of the last remaining chucks of landmass; but just remember one thing: Man, not God, or gods, or Nature, caused the extinction of our world.

  ---

  What’s a Rever?

  A Rever is a small piece of unaltered atmosphere. It’s also known as a shield zone. The sky is seen in its natural blue color, the clouds the same tint of white but precipitation is scarce, and rain is no longer considered rain at all, more of a blessing.

  Revers, an unimaginative thing described in a fictional fairytale, became a reality after the Earth’s atmosphere was eradicated due to a catalyst explosion caused by a radioactive overspill.

  To this day it isn’t known what fractured, defragmented, and slowly dissolved, the atmosphere. But what’s known is that once a living being of any species sets foot out of the shield zone they’ll crisp in moments and be infected with a cancerous flesh decaying virus caused by exposure.

  ---

  I fall on my knees and dig my hands into the rich warm soil. I whiff the pristine morning air and embrace the soothing breeze brushing against my skin.

  Now, after explaining all the things I have, I'll give you my name. I'm Jake Hartman. A man that's been on the run for so long, that I've lost track of time itself.

  I was exiled. Thrown out and almost executed for my beliefs... but I managed to escape, and get a second chance for redemption. What will I do with my redemption? I'm going to unmask the veil that's holding my children captive like slaves.

  “Don’t be too coy Jake.”

  I gasp. The familiar voice makes my heart sink.

  “Relax, it’s only me. It hasn’t been that long has it?”

  I feel a lump in my throat. “T-Thomas.” I mutter.

  I rise and face him.

  A smile crosses his gaunt face. His features since the last time I caught sight of his face have diminished. The complexion of his youthful skin is a wake to the creases and gashes like a crumpled piece of paper stretched and patted flat. His head, bald, and eyes, though the same light blue, have big bags of sleeplessness

  “It’s been a while Jake, I’m glad to see you’re alive and well.”

  I outstretch my hand and meet his firm grasp. “I-It’s always a pleasure.”

  He nods, “I’m here at your request. It's been quite a long time... what roughly thirteen years?” He let go of my hand and pats my shoulder, “What’s on your mind?”

  “My children.”

  He nods. “They're due to be released tomorrow. What can I do to help?”

  “I’ll need unrestricted access in order to release them myself. C-Can you do that?”

  Thomas remains silent. His fake-looking blue eyes remain glued to mine.

  “A lot has changed since your time within the facility,” he pauses and lowers his head, “Tonight at dusk, meet me in the Hive entrance. Probably best to discuss things then, at the moment I’m pressed on time.”

  I take a breath and nod. “My old sector still intact?”

  “I’ve only traced one anomaly, but here and now isn’t the proper place to discuss that.”

  I stare at him apprehensive, my eagerness and anxiousness have my hands quivering, “Please, explain.”

  He raises his hand. “I must leave. Tonight at dusk,” his index finger presses down on my forehead, “Remember that.”

  “I’ll be there Thomas… again, thank you.”

  He shakes his head. “There isn’t anything to thank me for Jake. You as well as I know the truth… it’s time to remove the veil.”

  Thomas covers his head with his hood, turns away, and wanders off towards the dome set upon a hill.

  That dome there, was designed by me in order to cope with the catastrophe of twenty-first century… one wrought not by nature, not by some mythological fairytales assumed as a predestined course to humanity’s future, no:, man, not nature, caused Earth’s extinction.

  That Bio Dome, before the world collapsed, I used for clinical studies, enhanced technological advances to preserve Earth’s richness and natural, organic resources: a program catered by my old government… and now it’s used as an anarchy by men longing to play God and portray perfection.

  I cross my arms and walk across the long moist, dancing, grass towards the cliff edge. I glance below the steep decline at the black ocean roaring and swooshing as its waves crash against the beachfront.

  The Time of Departure, a global phenomenon that changed the surface of the earth, brought way to these Revers. I’m positive there are more out there: there’s got to be.

  I sigh. I can’t say any more. All I can… I cringe and shake my head… all I can hope for is a steady conclusion. My children and my life are in my hands… I must succeed in order to protrude my vision and release them from their predestined fate.

  But then I ask, what then? What will I do after I free them? What if the roots are too grown in to uproot? Only time will tell.

  Some hours later...

  I hurry up the slope towards the Hive entrance…

  My heart aches so much just thinking about what’s to come of my son and daughter’s future. Knowing that they’re caged and trapped, knowing that they’re presented with the illusion of freedom, but in fact all they have is nothing…

  What’s freedom you ask?

  Well, it's an illusion catered by kings.

  The Hive, a gargantuan cylinder shaped tower, next to the Bio-Dome, glazes like a coating of ice, with the moon’s dim glow.

  The entrance comes into view. I see Thomas leaning against the door, his arms across his chest and head arched forward. I see his strange, blue eyes peer my direction, they glow vibrant… enough to send a chill down my spine.

  Thomas takes a step towards me. He digs into his pocket and pulls out a white card with a lanyard attached to it. He presents it to me.

  “This is the I.D.E card that will grant you access to all areas in the facility.”

  I take the card and stare at the name engraved in capital letters:

  Dr. Harrison Brown


  I glare at him. “What’s happened since my departure?”

  “Less than eight months ago the Council appointed a new President. Claudius R. Roman. He’s unpredictable. He’s already reworking the Identification Encoding System, introducing a new barcode system that he took from your old playbook.”

  “Wait, how’d he know about that?” I ask.

  “Remember that anomaly I spoke of, well, I traced his I.D.E (Identification Encoding Number) down to your old sectors in Floor: E: One-Zero-One.”

  I gasp. “That son of a bitch.”

  “Don’t worry about it, there’s something bigger at work. The Guardian program went active a month after he took charge of the Council.” Thomas said.

  My gasp has my hands covering my mouth, “That doesn’t make any sense at all… I-I mean, what he's planning?”

  “My guess. He’s expecting your return imminent, he senses your thirst for blood. You’re not dead, they know that, as well as I, of course, obviously since I'm standing in front of you. They can’t have you ruining their little Eden here.” Thomas straightens and takes a breath. “I’m here, and I’ll be by your side until the end.”

  I glance up at him. “Have you seen my children at all?”

  He nods. “I’ve studied Sam more than I have Rebecca. He’s turning out to be well-rounded young man. Seems to enjoy reading and writing a whole lot and his curiosity is much like yours.” He turns away and makes way to the Hive door. “Rebecca’s just like,” he hesitates and faces me, his eyes narrow and lips pursed, “Amelia…”

  After hearing her name all sorts of emotions batter against my chest… hate, love, vengeance… for so long I’ve tried to hide her name in the back of my head, somewhere I couldn’t reach, somewhere I couldn’t be able to find it.

  But it somehow manages to crawl back... like a pestering insect gnawing against my skin.

  Thomas sighs and shakes his head. “Please forgive me Jake, I didn't mean to.”

  I close my eyes. “Not your fault Thomas. I’ve learned to accept her fate.”

  Thomas slides his I.D.E card over the Hive entrance, it dings green, and pressured air releases from the creases of the door.

  “Move with haste and be on your toes. Dr. Scott Miles is due to release them both in roughly four hours. He’s to release Rebecca first and then Sam. Best bet is to cut him off before he releases Rebecca.”

  The door slides open and we enter the dim corridor.

  “Rebecca is in V.I Isolation Chamber 2300 and Sam is in 4500. They’re both in the same floor, here.” He goes into his other pocket and pulls out a small silk satchel, “Inside you’ll find a watch, a note, and an adrenaline needle.”

  He drops the satchel on my hand. “Thanks Thomas.”

  He chuckles. “Don’t worry about it Jake, just keep yourself as inconspicuous as you always do. And try not to make too much of a mess. I’ll make the entire Hive area a dead-zone so you’ll have roughly an hour before the status lifts.”

  I nod and make my way towards my goal.

  ***

  (Character Shift)

  -Sam-

  ---

  Chapter

  1

  Are they Dreams or Nightmares?

  ---