People of the Slums

Sasha Sapp

1/12/12

English Q2BM

Final

 Slums

The sound of quick steps splashing through thick, mucky puddles caught the ears of grey silhouettes moaning agonizingly, at dusk. They jerked painfully towards the footsteps increasing in speed and with animalistic growls they tried to communicate with what they knew was a person from “the world”. The world of which they wish they could return; but their jagged movements and inability to stand thwarted these futile thoughts; their distorted faces and contaminated existence prevented them from returning.

            Though nonetheless, they stirred like the starving animals that they were perceived as by humans, for fragments of humanity was lost when the Third Flash hit.

            As the bodies in the once great city of Azeroth vacillated erratically, the footsteps stopped. Axus scanned the denaturalized landscape in search of one figure in particular. She furrowed her brows; squinting violet eyes at the general area where the young slum girl usually had lain. Where could she be? She thought perplexingly. She knew that the girl could barely move a few centimeters without howling in pain, so the idea of her trying shift somewhere else was out of the question. After looking around the general area of the wasteland, Axus reluctantly continued toward the warehouse while trying her hardest to ignore the shrieks and deathbed moans that penetrated her non-gas tight suit.  After all, the suit was designed to lockout contamination. Yet presently, Axus began to wonder if the suits should also be sound proof; she wondered if the tightness in her heart was a contamination of their wails.

 

            She reached the oxidized steel doors of the warehouse, and stood above a circular pod that dropped her below once it recognized her Vitanumber. Sliding down the shoot for about 3 seconds, she landed in the Abeochamber- the area that neutralized any toxins that settled on the outside of her suit. She released a great sigh as she removed her facemask and as the near suffocating body suit dropped to the floor and revealed her petite frame. Glancing momentarily at her reflection, she quickly threw on some loose slacks and a blouse. Suddenly, a low whistle caught her ear, and the sound grew closer and closer to her. She realized that it was Videi coming down the shoot- Yukan had damn near lived in the warehouse recently, so it couldn’t be him.

            Confirming her hunch, Videi landed gracefully with his knees slightly bent, and flashed a goofy grin at Axus.

            “Salve Axus,” he greeted in his usual cheery tone, “I- oh, you don’t look so well today, are you lacking supplements?” His deep blue eyes flashed with worry for a moment as he inquired her present state.

            “I thank you for the concern, but I’m quite alright Videi- greetings to you as well- it’s just that…” Axus habitually swept choppy brown locks away from her face and inhaled as she continued, “I can’t seem to find Elvira…I haven’t a clue of where she could have gone! Hell, she can’t turn on her rib-exposed belly without releasing the most horrifying shrill!” It hadn’t occurred to her that she was practically shouting at him, but her worry overcame her. Internally, Videi shrugged in annoyance. He didn’t know what the hell was the point about caring for a slum girl! She was bound by death! Her fate was sealed along with the crash of the Third Flash! As much as he loved her, he didn’t agree with her infatuation with that creature. But that mattered not, because she loved Yukan.

After dressing himself, and shooting her an even more worried look he replied, “I don’t know what to tell ya Ax, but honestly, we have more important things to tend to right now.” She would have been taken back by the seemingly heartless remark, but she knew Videi, and she knew that he was right.

“You’re absolutely right Videi,” she said weakly, “We must speak with Yukan! It’s been an entire month and he’s been down here doing God knows what!” After scanning their Vitanumbers, giant doors slid open, leading the researchers into the main branch of Likon. The dimly lit, dome-like lab consisted of thousands of machinery, constantly creating an unintentional mockery of the human heartbeats, with the buzzing and beeping of monitors. Videi sat at his computer and brought up a projection of the present state of the universe. He made a sharp intake of breath before relaying what he saw.

“Axus” he whispered as she cautiously turned in his direction. She could feel her face growing pale just at the possibilities of what he could say. Seconds later he finally spoke, “we’ve got less than 100 light years until the Fouth Flash.”

A hushed silence swept threw the room and Axus felt paralyzed in it. She wanted nothing more than to try to better the conditions on Earth, which is why she joined Likon a few years ago. Videi felt her strong distress in that second, and suddenly felt that same wave of sorrow crash over him- but for a more sinister reason. He wanted to comfort Axus, but for some reason, a different word choice crawled out from his mouth.

            “Axus, we are Likon. We are dozens of underground, slum dwelling researchers who share one common trait: we are hell bent on preventing this destruction yet again. We are here to try to ensure protection to the best of our abilities, and that’s all. No matter what it takes, we must protect our race. Take Yukan for example. Yeah the guy has lived here for a month, but he is head researcher. We better be happy that he does most of the work for us!” His chuckles were cut short by the low creak of a much older door opening slowly. A deep, baritone voice emerged from the darkness.

            “Glad that I can be of help to you Videe” started the deep voice, “Worry not Axus, hope is found yet again.” Axus stared in amazement at Yukan. His uncanny ability to function normally as a time like this was astounding. It was one of the many reasons that she loved him. The splashes of grey in his hair lit up when light was shone upon it only reinforced the obvious attraction that Axus had for him. She approached him warmly and tried to catch her professional mask before it slipped away.

            “Yukan! We’ve been worried sick about you! For an entire month, the lead researcher at Likon disappears! More importantly, whatever you have been doing, you haven’t bothered to even cue Videi and I in on it! We’re your partners, and we have been so for four years now! Yukan please! No Secrets!” her words seemed to have merely scrapped the exterior of Yukan. He had very deterministic ways. Nonetheless, he smiled while placing a calloused hand on her slender shoulder.

            “Of couse my dear Axus, no more secrets,”

            Her same weak smile appeared on her face at the moment. She felt…strange. It was like the pit of her stomach was boiling and the heat traveled to her heart. Something was off. She shoved it off for the moment as the 3 proceeded through the lab casually, even laughing lightly at minor jokes being tossed around. Like their jokes about the near crumbling ozone layer they helped repair by recapturing the lost nitrogen and oxygen molecules. Or even their pretentious attitudes towards the past usage of coal for energy. She noted how passionate the two men became when it came to this subject. They bashed and badmouthed the ancestors for not being more innovative, and remarked that solar energy should have been the first energy alternative when humans could even process this idea. According to Yukan, he would’ve changed the entire world if he had been born during that time period.

  Though, with all the lighthearted small talk being thrown around the room that same feeling welled inside of her once more. As if a parasite had been eating away at her innards…that’s how she felt; as if slowly and steadily, they gnawed at her major organs making her feel hollow.

            She knew what it was; she knew why this hollow feeling was surfacing in her. Throwing suspicious glances at her partners, Axus slowly paced around them as she finally spoke.

            “Something…something is wrong,” Videi and Yukan immediately snapped their heads upwards and gaped at her intensely. Habitually, she swept her shabby bangs away from her face. Inhaling sharply, she continued, “Videi, you just said that we were less then 100 light years away from the Fourth Flash and now…you’re so calm. Yukan, you’ve been hiding away from for one month, one month! We return, and you act as if nothing has happened or even changed. And moments ago, you just mysteriously said ‘hope is found yet again’. What exactly do you mean Yukan? I just have a terrible feeling that something is horribly wrong!” Once more, she found herself near shouting. Yukan and Videi exchanged confirming looks at one another, signaling that it was time. This did not go unseen buy Axus, who was now looking with bewilderment at the two men before her. Yukan approached Axus sternly, sighing as he did so. He knew…he knew from the start that Yukan would be against him completely. But you love me don’t you? I can see it in your eye’s Axus; you will not oppose me. 

            “Axus…come with me. It is true; I promised that there would be no more secrets between us. Come now, you want to see what I have been up to for the past month? I will show you,” He grabbed her hand and led her to the outmost test room located in the lesser used part of lab- Test Area C. The cylindrical pod scanned their Vitanumbers allowing them entrance. Upon entering, simultaneously a dozen lights bright lights flashed, one immediately following the other, guiding their eyes to a massive hourglass-like machine with what appeared to be an entity hovering inside of it. Walking in closer to the machine, Yukan began to speak.

            “Axus, you know this machine before you. It is one of most powerful devices on Earth- Model Dergon 90Y1- or better known as the Energy Harnesser,” they finally reached the base of the machine, when Axus could now see tubes transferring the black aura to a much smaller Energy Harnesser adjacent to it. She gasped realizing what was in the smaller harnesser. It was the power of the Flash. Yukan observed her gaze and continued on.

            “As you know Axus, the Third Flash, much like the Second, and the Infamous First, are accumulations of the photon particles being released from the sun. But as we’ve witnesses first hand, these photon particles have wiped out vast civilizations across the face of the earth, and the surrounding areas experienced the backlash of the rays- resulting in their terrible deformities, and the denaturalization of the terrain. I’ve studied the behavior of the photon particles. And to cut to the chase- they can be counter acted-” He paused when he heard sharp gasp.

            “It’s true? You’ve found a way to counter act the particles? How,- oh! It must be this energy that you are harnessing! What is it?!” She waited anxiously for an answer- though she felt as like she answer you would receive, would be one that she would oppose to her grave.

            “Much to your dismay Axus,” he caught Videi’s eyes once more, and went on, “the energy that I have discovered that will counter the power of the photon rays…is the power of human energy.”

            Axus’ eyes widen to the point where she felt it was possible for them to pop out of the sockets. She didn’t understand...How could he harness human energy? It was wrong!

            “Yukan! How could you! Humans! Why! We are here to protect our race! Not to take innocent lives! I don’t undestand!” she cried furiously. Yukan’s eyes flared red for a second- he had lost.

            “Axus, my dear. This is the only way. There must be sacrifices to be made if you want to prevent the Fourth Flash. More importantly, the specimen that I used was just a creature of the slums. Not a person, so worry not- although, I’m aware that for foolish reasons, you still oppose me”

            Axus stopped breathing in that moment. Her heart ached, and her stomach felt as though it was disintegrating inside of her. The taste of hatred swelled in her mouth.

She was bemused by the words that Yukan spoke. Then she lost control. Thorwoing her arms in the air like she was mad, she began,

            “Have you too turned you back on humanity, Yukan! Yes they may be deformed, but they are still humans! How dare you dehumanize them! -“ Yukan interjected before she continued.

            “Don’t act as if you are the savior of the slum people, Axus. Don’t let conceit get the best of you. You cannot save them. They are doomed for death. The young creature whose energy I am harvesting will save us all, I just need at least of all of the bodies from the slums, and then we can completely counteract the Fourth Flash! Don’t you see!” he paced swiftly as he spoke, “THIS WILL SAVE HUMANTIY!” He stopped once again, and saw her sobbing, “Poor Axus, you have too much love to give. You give it to these slum people, when indeed; their sacrifice will save us. In fact, you have no reason to love them any longer. The one that you loved has made the greatest sacrifice of all.”

            Just when she thought she couldn’t sob harder, she did so. She realized that the black floating entity that was being harnessed was Elvira. She fell to floor. She wondered, when had the world become so cruel? Yet to her dismay, you knew that she could not save the people of the slums. She knew that even if they could prevent the Fourth Flash, they would still suffer. But…even so, treating them like animals to be proceeding was the most morally unjust thing that she could contemplate. Yet, she saw for herself; the power countered photon rays. This is what I joined Likon for, is it not? I wanted to save the world, and now I can, she thought sickeningly.

            The two men just stared in pity at the woman before them. When you finally stood up, she waked over to the machine and hugged it tightly.

            “I’m so sorry Elriva,” she muttered, “I won’t allow your death to go in vain.”

 

            Looking upon the slums the three researchers gazed over the land, as it was now pitch black. Axus stared blankly and realized that she would physically and mentally be walking into the darkness. Yet, it was for the sake of the world right? She kept that thought in mind as the three researchers began cultivating the "creatures" of the slums in the night.