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Authors: J. A. Laraque

Life-After (6 page)

BOOK: Life-After
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When the blinding white faded I found myself in an open space, void, but not dark as before, this was a pure soft white. Something was familiar about it as if I had experienced something like this before. It was different than when I first arrived and was taken to the restaurant where I proposed to Clara. When that happened I did not feel as if I was in control. What I felt hovering there as a living consciousness was like a painter staring at a blank canvas about to paint an image from his memories.

There was something deep within my mind. It was more than a thought or a memory or a feeling. I could not tell what it was at first, but it was something familiar. As the thoughts became clearer I felt that what was within my mind was a presence. It was Clara, her thoughts and feelings I could access them. She was trying to communicate with me.

David, this place where we are now, it is created by our thoughts, our feelings. What we desire or what we feel we deserve will become reality here. I searched for you because I knew how you would feel after my death. Though I never blamed you, I knew you would blame yourself and take that guilt to the grave and beyond.

Our life energy holds everything we ever were during our lives. When we shed our shells it is this life energy that becomes our vessel to travel to the afterlife. Sometimes our life energy becomes destabilized due to events in our lives or our death. Often this destabilization can be corrected during the retrieval process when you travel between the world of the living and your life after.

Sometimes a loved one can help stabilize this energy. When you first arrived I created the memory of when you proposed to me. I hoped it would prepare you. I wanted you to enter this world I created by yourself and see what it was before I showed myself. I had hoped it would allow you to forgive yourself and accept your place here, with me. Your collapse obviously showed me that I was wrong.

This place will react to the resonance of your life energy, if it is not stabilized you can create a prison of your own haunted memories. This is how a personal hell is created. You sentence yourself to it and once inside it can be impossible to remove you. While you still carry the pain of that day, the day meteor fell, I believe you are stable enough not to fall into a personal prison, but this isn’t just about you.

Like you I also carry a burden from that day. I have had time to work though much of it, but until you know the truth I will never be completely free. In order for us to move forward you must know what happened that day and then you have to decide what will come next. This is why I have entered your mind. I have to show you what happened that day so you will understand. Please forgive me for doing this. I never wanted to hurt you, but as I learned, sometimes the only way to properly heal a wound is to reopen it.

Her voice was not just in my mind she was part of me. Our souls were intertwined and I could feel her every thought and emotion. There was pain deep inside, it felt like the pain I carried, the pain I used to continue fighting. I felt sorry for her and yet could not stop thinking about what she meant about not dying alone.

From the void before me a single point of light shined brightly then began to dance all around me. A trail of energy flowed behind the point of light creating a wireframe. As I watched this unfold I realized what was happening. Clara was creating a reality based on her memories. As the outline was created slowly the picture came to life in full color and motion.

It was of our home near the research center. Clara was sitting on our couch her eyes focused on the television. I noticed the man on the television giving a press conference it was doctor Theed, head of Naxum Research. I immediately remembered the day. It was only a few hours after I served Clara breakfast in bed.

After you left David, I began cleaning the house preparing for your return. I was listening to the radio when they interrupted the broadcast with an alert. When they mentioned the Naxum institute I ran to the television and started watching the press conference.

I did not know about the press conference until after it had concluded. Many in the scientific community wanted to keep the pending impact of the meteor from the public. It was President Pierce who ordered the press conference to be made. They kept me in the dark until it was too late and did the same with most of the public. They knew there would be a panic, but they also knew there was nothing they could do.

I could move around the room passing though any objects as if a ghost. Clara’s feelings were resonating though me, she was frightened. It was if she was projecting how the Clara in her memory felt watching the news conference knowing what was to come.

When the man on the television spoke about the meteor I wondered why you did not tell me. I knew there were things you could not tell anyone, even someone you loved, but, David, you have to understand. I thought you kept it from me because you didn’t want me to worry. I hated that sometimes you would not tell me things because you felt you had a solution and soon the issue would be resolved so there was no reason to tell me.

I was angry and scared and wanted to call you when the phone rang. It startled me, but I was excited I knew it was you and that you would tell me that everything was okay. When I picked up the phone I did not recognize the voice. The man asked for me by name and wanted me to confirm who I was. I thought they were going to tell me you died, David. He told me that he had orders to bring me to the facility. I asked about you and he told me you were dealing with security. I was so confused but he told me he would be there in a few moments and to gather only a few essentials.

What she was telling me I knew nothing of. Our security teams were put on high alert. We were told about the updated projected course but were assured our defenses would be able to divert or destroy the meteor. Regardless of this I wanted to call Clara, let her know what was happening. Once the lockdown order was given all chances of communication with the outside world without priority clearance were prohibited. Still knowing this I tried everything I knew to get a line out but was denied. They kept me in the dark and I was beginning to understand why.

The reality I was bearing witness to changed before my eyes. As one scene faded another one came into view. Naxum Research facility was built into Cyrus Mountain. It took over twenty years to build but when finished was one of the most secure facilities in the world. A parameter fence surrounded the mountain. There was one entrance gate which led to a set of blast doors at the base of the mountain.

No one was allowed within a mile radius of the mountain. What I was witnessing I had never seen before. Thousands of people piled up in front of the main gate. I could hear the screams and cries from people begging to be let in. The military police stood behind the gate and in their towers, rifles aimed towards the crowd. In the distance a military transport vehicle sped its way towards the gates.

I knew that despite the promises that the military could destroy the meteor the fact that I had been taken from my home told me that was not the case. The man who picked me up only identified himself as Richard and confirmed my identity before rushing me into the car. I asked if I could call you, David, but they told me the base was on lock down. As we approached the base I saw the massive crowd of people screaming to be let in. I felt horrible knowing I would be spared and all those people would die.

In a flash of light I could see the inside of the vehicle. Clara sat clutching a small bag staring out the window at the mass of people. A dark haired man in a military uniform I did not recognize. I had never seen him before. He was shouting at the driver. I could see that it scared Clara even more.


We have to move!” Richard yelled. “We’re out of time. Driver, if you have to run them down!”


No!” Clara cried out. “They are frightened just like me. Isn’t there something you can do? Isn’t there room for these people?”

He told me the facility was created for a specific number of people. In the case of an attack or disaster the facility would seal itself and there would be a specific amount of food and water. It did not make sense to me, how could they know how long they would need to be locked in? What did they know about the meteor that they were not telling me or anyone else?

I could not answer her questions even if I knew how to. No one I knew had any information beyond what the scientists and military brass were telling us. At that time I had no idea the meteor was close to hitting earth. They locked out all access to terminals and video feeds. I knew something was wrong, but there was nothing I could do.


This is impossible, sir.” The driver said as the crowd began to swarm around the vehicle. “We can’t make it though these people. They are going to tear us apart.”


We’re out of time.” Richard said. “We need to move to site two.”

I screamed at Richard demanding to know what was happening. What did he mean we were out of time and what was site two. The people outside were attacking the car, they were screaming at us trying to get in. The driver slammed on the gas taking the car in reverse. My God, David, I could hear the people being crushed under the car. I could feel it.


I’m sorry, Miss Livingston.” Richard said. “What has been reported about the meteor was incorrect. The data shown to the public was modified. The meteor is much closer than what was said. Some who have access to telescopes had already realized this, but as we control all long range monitoring devices we were able to keep much of the public unaware.”


Unaware of what…?” Clara asked.

I knew the answer before Richard spoke. The military never had a plan to evacuate its citizens. The research facilities built around the world were to protect specific data and specific personal. While there were several it would not even hold one half of one present of the population. It made sense why no one was told of what was happening. The military was making a half-assed attempt to secure the families of personal working at the facility, but they knew if they told the men and women stationed there the true dire circumstances there would be a breakdown. They needed us functioning and doing our jobs, so they lied to us.

He told me everything. The meteor was tracked long ago and was never on a collision course with earth. When they discovered its trajectory had changed they scrambled to come up with a countermeasure. When it was clear there was nothing they could do they began preparations to save and salvage what they could. They called you in David knowing what was to come. It was then that I realized that you didn’t call me because you couldn’t. Either you did not know exactly what was happening or you did and were prevented from calling.

As we sped away from the facility Richard told me that there was a chance we could make it to the temporary site created while Naxum was being built. He told me the meteor would not reach earth’s orbit for another hour. I thought about you and how it could be years before we could see each other again when there was a flash of light. It was blinding, covering everything. The driver lost control I could feel the car spinning off the road. I was about to die and all I wished was that I could see your face one last time.

 

 

4

Factor Twelve was the name given to the original research facility built just five miles away from Naxum Mountain. Originally the facility was created to test various technologies for the Alliance military. It was an underground center and much smaller than Naxum Mountain. While in the military, Luis told me about all the weird things they worked on down there. I did not believe most of it. He claimed they were working on a solider enhancing program and various energy weapons. The only story I confirmed was that the militaries interactive holographic matrix program originated there.

The last story I heard about Factor Twelve was when it was shut down just before Naxum Research opened. According to Luis the military was trying to create a soldier that could absorb any energy source and use it to increase his strength and agility among other things. Luis claimed that all humans could do this and that we had a power inside of us that could be awakened. That is what they called it, The Awakened Project.

The facility was shut down after the project failed. Supposedly they took five soldiers to use as test subjects, all but one died and the one that survived went on a rampage. Luis said the facility was sealed to keep the soldier from escaping and after he had killed everyone his body exploded destroying most of the facility. Of course the military denied any of this and it just became a rumor. It was well known that the military tried a number of things to keep the tide of the war turning in their favor. I guess in the end it was not so much that I could not believe it, but that it did not matter anymore.

When Naxum came online Factor Twelve was sealed and could only be opened by specific personal with a high security clearance. What Clara was telling me was that someone had opened the old center and was using it as a backup bunker. I still could not remember anyone named Richard or why the military would send him to collect Clara. What weighed most heavily on my mind was the fact that she was out there fighting to survive while I was trapped beneath Naxum. I hated the feeling that was coming over me. I rather her had died instantly than to be subjected to what she was telling me. By the feelings I could feel coming off of her I knew her story was far from over.

I did not feel anything, David. The light had blinded me and then, nothing. Then, I could feel someone pulling at me, but it was like being awakened from a deep sleep. Slowly I could hear him calling out to me. It was Richard. Opening my eyes he had pulled me from the vehicle. As my vision cleared I looked up at the sky. David, it was horrible. The meteor had been shattered and thousands of pieces were hurdling towards the earth.

BOOK: Life-After
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