Awake

“Cyro-Companion”

The words neatly labeled in front of me as I rumble and stir from defrosting. I cannot recall any memories, just general knowledge. I know my name, fragments of a partner who I cannot remember, and memories of events with no placement or meaning. The glass casing whizzes until a hydraulic door half opens, then halts in its process and fails. How long have I been here? I lower onto the floor where instantly my legs buckle, and my head hits the bottom of the half open Pod. Ouch! It might be a while until my legs feel ready to move. I didn’t realize the catheter until it tugged in an unfortunate way. I instinctively pull and grasp downward towards my crotch. It’s out, and I’m in a mess now.

As I lay on the ground in what looks like a science laboratory, I turn to both my sides to see other Cryo-Pods, all empty or busted. Mine must have been the outlier. I try to recall everything I can while I’m waiting for my strength to regain. Behind me, in my Cryo-Pod, I can see an IV with a liquid coming out. With just enough to reach, I pull on the IV until, in behind the pedestal I was propped in, I see a clear bag with the words “Cryo-Eats”. How cute! The bag has another tube leading to I’m guessing a hub that was feeding me. Why is only my Cryo-Pod working? I can see there is power in the room, but I’ve never heard a city so quiet.

After finally regaining my strength, I stand, take a long stretch, and scope the room. I see five Pods; all busted, a desk near the doorway, a window across from the line of Pods and a cubby system on the right. The cubbies were all disheveled aside from the top right, which had a simple padlock. The cubby had a label reading “4” which matched my pod’s number. I need something to break that lock… but first, I pace to the window in shock and awe.

What happened? The sky was grey, polluted with smog. Most buildings were standing but anything after a certain height seemed to collapse. There was no movement, aside from sparks from powerlines and city lights. No animals. The sounds of vicious winds rattled against the window. A grim feeling overtakes me and I pace backwards, almost falling into thought.

I force myself to stop any breakdown, pick up a fallen piece of metal from one of the busted Pods and swing a few times until the lock flies across the room from the impact of the last hit. The locker opens ajar. Inside is some clothing, which I eagerly put on. Then a necklace with a locket. I press the notch on the locket and open it, finding a picture of myself on the right, on the left a familiar face, but I do not know who. Logically, I should assume this is my partner? Nothing comes to mind, though. I close the locket, put the chain around my neck and leave the room.

I check the rest of the building for supplies. Before leaving, I find another bag of IV in an area with a huge tank (I’m guessing I was being fed by this. Looks like the power is failing, must be why I got my wake-up call today.), an emergency kit, which housed a flashlight, a Med kit, and a fireproof blanket. I also find a fire axe still in its glass (I always wanted to break the glass and open one of these bad boys.). I use the wrappings to make a mask and head outside.

My first step beyond the threshold is cautious; I don’t trust the air, I haven’t seen another single soul since, could people have mutated? I need to find some sort of clue as to what happened. As if I’m just going to see a newspaper littered which reads ‘nuke went off; world is dead’. I mean, this isn’t how I pictured the end of the world. It’s so lonely. Just then a memory came back to me:

I’m sitting at a table, drinking coffee, watching the news. The anchor woman is going on about conflicts brewing. My attention then travels from the television to the person in my locket walking in and holding me from behind, kissing my head.

“Today is the day! Wish me luck baby, I am one more trial away from being ready for the public.” I reply, not sure what I say though, then the memory fades.

Where is she? Dead? I fall to my knees before going five steps from the building. I smash my fist downward, my knuckles crumple and I scream. I look around… nothing but the sound of violent wind. I scream again, much louder this time. Still nothing. I know this though, it felt good to get that out. I wish I had a clue as to what to do now. Wait, my last memory also came with some new knowledge. I remember where my house is. I live at 18 Thompson Crescent, hopefully in this city. I need to figure out how to get there. As I part with the building I look back to read the buildings sign, ‘…es Labs’. The start of the sign was missing.

I walk the city remnants, traveling the middle of the roads littered with cars, pieces of buildings and garbage. I come to a familiar park, and another memory flashes by; I am in a car passenger seat, my partner driving. Off to the side were driving by the park I’m looking at. My partner turns off the radio, which I couldn’t hear in the memory,

“I’m so sick of hearing about this damn war!” I say something I can’t recollect. She replies,

“My boss said, if things go south, we will have a guaranteed spot.” And I’m back again. A guaranteed spot? For the Cryo-pod? After many blocks of aimlessly wandering, I happen upon Thompson Crescent. I found it! I sprint down the road looking for number eighteen. Second block in, I find it. Barely standing, my home. I walk up the steps and embrace the emotions rushing forth. Each step flows more memories from the past. Small, pleasant memories. As I reach for the door handle another fragment sinks in.

I am standing in front of Cryo-Pod number four, I can hear a voice, talking about procedures and guidelines. Then my Eve comes into the room with excitement (Her name is EVE! I miss her so much). She comes towards me, interrupting her colleague during their spiel.

“Sorry Arnie, he doesn’t need the speech, he’s my husband, he has heard about this for the past six years.” She states as she grabs my hand. Arnie sighs and walks out of the room mumbling something about just doing his job.

“So, love, you will be here at number four, and I will be right beside you in number three. If this goes well, I’ll have finally achieved something you’ve only read about in your comics.” She says smiling as she rubs her hand across the shiny glass of the Cryo-Pod. I come back to reality.

Number three, huh? I grab the door handle and push… its locked. I step back and stomp downward, smashing through the lock, sending a piece of the door flying and the rest rips open, revealing an almost untouched house. It looks the same as the day of my memories aside from damages. I check the house, no power. An idea dawned on me to check the fridge to see if I can get a hold on how long I was frozen.

I walk to the kitchen, as if second nature now. Every second that passes, my elusive past becomes more restored. The food in the fridge was almost mush but mostly dust. I can’t tell how long by the food. I look through the house but find nothing of further interest. I grab a bag and some clothes, a can-opener and the lot of canned goods remaining and head out.

I am at a turning point now, what should I do? Maybe I should head for the outskirts of town, or go back to the labs to find any trace of Eve. She must be dead. I need to at least get closure. I tighten the strap and put the gym bag around my shoulder. Wasting no time, I run back the way I came towards the lab. I take on a sprint ‘til I see the broken sign and slow to a walk to catch my breathe. My anxiety comes crashing forward. Everyone is dead. I am alone at the end of the world. I walk up the steps and look around until I recall the room where my pod was. Eve was in number three.

I pace with gut wrenching pins and needles as I inch towards her pod. The door is completely shattered. Depending on how long wouldn’t there be a body, or bones? I collapse into myself on the floor, the locket chain gets caught on a piece of glass and the chain breaks. The locket falls and bounces a few times into the corner, revealing something underneath her picture. I crawl over and reach out for the locket. I pull the photo of her out and something small falls out and meets the ground.

There is some writing on the back of her photo:

“Dearest Jason,

My love, I am so sorry for how things had to transpire. You will wake up lost and alone, and this breaks my heart, I wish we could be in this new world together. War happened, we lost…all of us. The first bomb went off, and it was seconds later. You were in your Pod already for an hour, when mine was being prepped the bomb hit. The city’s main power grid went down, my Pod didn’t work, I woke up in the middle of pure chaos and I don’t think I am going to see you again. (I can see tear drops on the note) Don’t come looking for me, go to room ‘four-two’ if our first project was successful you should find a friend for your new life.

You were everything, and you supported me through everything I’ve done. I am lost without you, please do not be lost without me, continue to live on, find survivors, make a new world.

I love you endlessly,

Yours forever,

Eve

P.S. Our lab was working on a super vegetable, the seed is in the locket.”

I pick up the seed and put it back into the locket, fold the picture back into size and place it neatly back into the locket and put it in my pocket. I Shrug off my tears and find room ‘four-two’, which has Pods as well. These ones must be on backup like mine, but only one is being used. Inside the small Cryo-Pod is sleeping a small puppy; a white Husky. I press the button under the logo and the machine begins to whir. The remaining power stops the pod from finishing its process. I pry open the Pod and pull the IV and the catheter. A few moments later, the puppy comes to life. Finally, another living soul.

This is the world now. I haven’t come across another human yet, I still don’t know how long things have been this way, but with this seed I am going to make a new home and make sure whoever is alive will find me. We will build a new world without the problems of the past.

I leave the city gathering as much food and supplies as I move to the forest. I name my new friend Eve. One story may have ended, but a new chapter has begun. Eve and I will keep living, for you, my love.