Under Fire is a story by Terry, the admin from Zelda Oracles. He has given me premission to post one part of his story each week. The story is completly copyright to him, so don’t steal.
-Written by Terry-
Part One: Chapter One
Joey Carpenter was your typical 15 year old guy. He wasn’t athletic, but nor was he out of shape. He didn’t go out for the football team, but neither did he sign up for the computer club. He didn’t have a girlfriend, but he didn’t want one either. Just your typical kid, going to school, living life, laughing with friends, hanging out at the local pizza parlor. He had dark brown hair, which hung down to his shoulders, and wore silvery rectangular glasses, which when they caught the light just right, caused him to appear like his eyes were gleaming with a silver fire. He had dark green eyes, with a hint of a yellowish flecks in it. He lived in a quiet home on Apple Street, a nice two story home with light brown paint, and a dark brownish roof. It was one of the seven thousand eight-hundred and ninety-two homes, all of which looked the exact same, in Qwarz.
He was walking home from school one afternoon, a warm June day. The twelfth of June, to be exact. Everything was the same as usual, the trees were green, the air was warm, a slight breeze rustled the grass. A regular day in perfect Qwarz. Joey had just taken a bite of his delicious green apple when his house came into view. As he approached, he noticed a jet black car. A Town Car, to be certain. The one that made limos of the government. It was just a normal Town Car though, nothing about it limoish. He adjusted his backpack, a dark red contraption that held only three books. An agenda, or as it’s called in Qwarz, a Timer. A Geometry book, more commonly referred to as a shape book. And it contained a journal. Joey kept all his notes, homework, and private information in that journal. He wouldn’t be caught dead without it.
He opened the gray front door of his house, and peered inside. The foyer was a brightly lit place, adorned by the occasional flower pot with either lilies or tulips. Joey’s mother absolutely adored the two. As he headed for the kitchen, he slung his backpack down onto the ground next to his shoes, which he deposited under a coat rack, where his coat would go in the winter. Joey’s mother was standing at the sink, rinsing carrots, and talking to a man Joey had never seen or heard of in his entire life.
“Joey, dear, this is Mr. Parker. He’s from the government,” she said as she kissed him on the cheek. Joey gave the man a swift glance, then took another bite from his apple. Joey sat at the wooden table that was in front of a counter which rested in front of the sink his mother was standing at. She was a thin woman, and overall quite beautiful. She had long red hair and bright blue eyes. Her face was angular, which gave it an exotic feel. He watched Mr. Parker for a moment, then went back to his apple.
“Son, do you know anything about this boy?” Parker asked. Joey found himself staring at a picture of his best friend, Kyle Peterson. Kyle had his typical wild smile on, and was sitting straight for once. Usually he was bouncing around too much to sit straight. He claimed it was easier to slouch. Kyle was a month younger than Joey, but acted like he was four years younger than Joey. He was always cracking hilarious jokes, and usually was around one or two girls.
“Yeah, he’s my best friend.” Joey replied before taking another bite of his apple. “Why? Is something wrong?”
“Yes…Joey, Kyle has disappeared. We suspect the Rebellion was involved.” He said gravely.
Now is a perfect time for some background. Qwarz is the last human city on planet Earth. It is protected by a huge dome that covered the entire city and protected it’s citizens from the radiation left by World War Four. Life in Qwarz is so perfect because everything that happens in the city is controlled or regulated by the government. People are forced to be happy, in a way. It’s so perfect, people have no choice but to enjoy it. Besides, wouldn’t you rather be alive than dead from radiation? The Rebellion is a group of, well, rebels, that are opposed to the dome and believe that the radiation has evaporated and the world is back to normal. The problem with this is that the government will not allow such things as rebellion, so they are strictly underground. Black Ops. Invisible. Ghosts.
Now back to Joey. He had a stunned expression on his face as he grabbed the photo from Parker. He stared at his friend’s eyes, a symbol of his hyperness and constant happiness. He looked at his mother, who nodded sadly. She blinked and went back to cleaning her carrots intently. He sighed and handed the photo back to Parker, who pocketed it. He nodded and said, “I’d best be going. I’ll contact you if we turn up anything.”
“Thank you, Mr. Parker.” Joey’s mother said politely. After he left she went and sat across from Joey and stared at him. He looked up and smiled, then took a bite out of his apple.
Part Two: Chapter One
“You know they’ll want to search the house.” Joey’s mother spoke, a sad smile on her face.
“I know. What’ll we do if they find the basement door?” He asked.
“They won’t. You know your father rigged that place before he…” She trailed off. Joey’s father had died three years ago in a Rebellion raid against the government. Before he died, however, he had told Joey and his wife of his involvement in the Rebellion, and about the basement. In it was several small arms, like shock pistols and glob throwers. Also in it was an invention Joey’s father had worked tirelessly on until it was finally completed. It was a small box, no bigger than a Rubix Cube. It was pitch black, and rested on a small pedestal that stood in the corner. It’s purpose was simple, and brilliant at the same time. Any living tissue that touched it died instantly. Joey’s father had tested it on a rat once, and the rat’s skin and hair died the second it touched the box. The secret project was simply called the Tissue Killer and Self Defense Mechanism. Also known as TKSDM. Joey and his mother referred to it as Tikasdom.
“You know that door hasn’t been opened in three years. Who knows if the locks still work?” He said cautiously.
“We could test it.” She replied.
“No. Not yet. They’re probably watching the place.”
“You’re sure?”
“Mom. Dad wouldn’t want us to do anything stupid. We’ll only move Tikasdom if it’s absolutely necessary.”
“I’ll have to trust you on this, won’t I?”
“Yeah.”
“Fine. I’m going down to the mall. Want to come?”
“No thanks. I have some stuff I need to do.” What he meant was open the basement’s door. Ms. Carpenter interpreted it as homework.
“Alright. I’ll be back in about an hour.” He nodded. That was all the time he needed. She stood and headed towards the garage door. Just then the doorbell rang. Joey glanced at his mother, which was quickly returned. She went to open the door. He heard the door open, then his mother scream. A single gunshot rang out. Joey froze. He needed to get to the basement, now. He ordered his legs to move, but they did not. He heard footsteps coming towards him. He was on his feet then and moving towards the blank space of wall where the hidden door was.
He reached down and pressed a small space on the door, and he heard the clicking of several locks. He nodded and hurried down the stairs as the door hissed open to accept him. The door hissed shut and locked behind him. He hurried over and grabbed a small shock pistol. It was a small golden gun, with a short barrel and a slot in the bottom where batteries went for it. He loaded two batteries into it and clipped the slots shut. It would be enough for about four blasts. He started for the stairs, then something caught his eye. The small black box sat there, seeming to beg him to pick it up. He approached it carefully. Resting on the pedestal were gloves, which he slipped on. He picked up the cube and dropped it into his pocket. Footsteps went over him once. Then again. He went and started up the steps.
He opened the door carefully, then stepped outside. Something dark blue and heavy flew out of nowhere and hit him in the head. He fell to the ground and let the dark unconsciousness take him.
Part One: Chapter Two
Chapter Two:
She moved quietly through the sewers of Qwarz. It was a dark dank place, filled with rats and insects. It was almost the only safe place in Qwarz where the Rebellion could hide. A few buildings in the outskirts of Qwarz were safe, but mostly just the sewers. A boy had been brought in today. The people whispered that he was the savior of the Rebellion. The boy had brought them Tikasdom. She smiled to herself as she thought of the box. The boy had no idea that he was now the most important person in the Rebellion. She heard footsteps behind her. She turned, her hand falling to her Coro.
A Coro is an odd weapon. It is a sword, yet it is not. It has a single blade, but when positioned correctly, has two. Yet, there is no second blade. The second blade becomes real when the owner presses a single button, and the blade splits in two, cutting the blade and hilt in half and giving the owner two swords instead of one. Hidden in the split hilts of the Coro is the other half of the broken hilt, which extends and gives the owner a full hilt instead of half of one. It’s blade is curved, like a scimitar, and razor sharp at all times.
She relaxed visibly when she recognized the follower. It was a messenger of the Rebellion. Messengers were often used to transmit messages between Rebellion members secretly and impossibly fast.
“One message for a Katherine Gaines.” He said as he approached.
“That’s me.” She said. Her voice was like a symphony. It rose and fell, twisted and turned, but yet it had a harmony with all the other sounds around her.
“Right. Here you are, then.” He handed her a small envelope. She glanced at him and nodded. He smiled and hurried off. She opened the envelope and pulled out a small letter. It read as follows.
Ms. Gaines,
I would like to inform you that the boy that was brought in this day at 4:09 PM has awakened and is talking to our experts as we speak. He so far is showing no signs of cooperation, and we believe a little incentive is required. We also believe his uncooperative mood is due to his mother’s untimely death. I regret to inform you that the mother’s death was unforeseen, and unavoidable at the same time. You were an orphan, I believe? Anyway, we need you in Sector D6 (Detainment) as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Heather,
Rebellion Council Member
She pocketed the note and tossed the envelope aside. She turned and headed for the sector in the note. It laid to the east, and wasn’t exactly hard to find.
* * * * *
Joey sat on a metal table, a bandage on his head and a foul taste in his mouth. He was listening to an ‘expert’ blabber on about his need to help the Rebellion. Right now he wanted nothing more than to kill this man. Joey blinked as the man started talking again.
“Joey. We need your help. Tell us about your father and his invention.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then you go home, you get &%#igned to the government, you grow up to be one of those…things.”
“The government saved all of us.”
“But we don’t need the government anymore.”
“The dome is kept in place by the government.”
“We don’t need it anymore!” The man yelled. “What we do need is you!”
“Why did you kill my mother?”
“I’m not allowed to answer that.”
“I am.” A girl’s voice said. Joey turned to see a girl of about 14 or 15 standing in the doorway. She had long blond hair hanging down past her shoulders, and a pretty face. He couldn’t help but stare.
“Okay. Answer the question, then.” Joey said.
“No. You’re dismissed.” She said to the ‘expert’.
“Why not?” Joey asked as the man left.
“Because you already know.”
“So I can’t go back to my normal life and avoid the government.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t care about your games. I just want to go home.”
“And become a Govvy?” He hesitated. ‘Govvy’ is a made up name that Joey and his friends used to talk about the government officials.
“How do you know that word?”
“Kyle told me.” She answered.
“You have Kyle?” He asked.
“Yeah. And he’ll die if you don’t help us.”
“…I can’t help you. I don’t know anything. My dad kept it top secret.”
“Then Kyle dies.”
“I can’t help you!” Joey was standing now.
“Say good-bye then.” Joey sat down, put his head in his hands, and started crying.
TO BE CONTINUED…
© Terry
