Fiction logo

Survival

All That Matters

By Craig WilliamsPublished 3 years ago 9 min read
8

1.

She stood out in the crowd.

Nate’s eyes easily picked the young woman out from among those rushing to get home before curfew. He could see the humanness of her with his unique sight, but even to the others who scurried to and fro, she would appear out of place with her lack of visible augmentation. She even wore a mask to help her breathe the polluted city air, unlike virtually everyone around her, with their implanted filters. Nate himself wore no mask, having stopped breathing long ago.

Moving with preternatural speed and grace, Nate followed her from high above the streets. He moved from rooftop to rooftop, leaping from one side of the street to the other. In decades past, this had been a simple matter, but tonight it took all of his skill and awareness to avoid the flashing neon and omnipresent drones. Although this part of the city wasn’t as heavily surveilled as many others, remaining unseen was challenging even to one possessing his abilities.

The woman took a turn down a less-populated street and Nate tensed, preparing himself. If an opportunity presented itself, he would have to act fast. There would be no second chances and as always, failure would likely mean his end.

The moment came as she turned a corner. She would be out of sight from all other eyes for a matter of seconds, but that was enough time for Nate to swoop down, grab her, and return to the rooftops, hand over her mouth.

“You must sleep now,” he commanded, meeting her frightened gaze. She instantly went limp in his arms.

Taking one last look to ensure that he remained unseen, Nate carried her away into the night.

2.

Monica stretched without opening her eyes, believing for a moment that she was safe at home in her own bed, that she hadn't gone into the night to help her father. The feeling of the material beneath her—soft and luxurious, unlike her own rough sheets-- convinced her otherwise. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up with a suddenness that made the room before her spin.

“Easy,” a voice said and she took several seconds to locate the source. The room was filled to bursting with antique furniture, paintings, statues, and figurines. A piano sat in one corner near a harp, and books were pilled everywhere she could see. Some of the art she recognized, having heard whispered descriptions from her grandmother many years ago. In the centre of it all, nearly lost in the visual cacophony, sat a pale, slim figure, seemingly male but possessed of a somewhat androgynous quality.

“Give it a moment,” the figure said. The voice was deep and melodious.

“Where am I?” Monica asked, somehow not even frightened. “What is all this?”

“This is my home and this,” he gestured to his collection, “is a lifetime and more of memories.”

“What do you want from me?” Monica tried to stand but found she could not. She felt a weight upon her, dulling her thoughts and reactions. Even as the figure rose from his seat and made his way over to her, she could do nothing but watch.

“I need you. You are one of the precious few who remain that can sustain me. I will die without you.”

3.

My name is Nathanael, which later became Nathaniel, and finally Nate. I was born in Totnes,1634, and was still a young man the year that Charles I was executed. The years that followed were trying times; the king and the Lords were gone. The Puritans banned our traditional amusements, leaving us with little joy. I watched as actors were publicly whipped when they were caught performing their plays in secret, and I recall soldiers pulling our Christmas dinner from our oven, leaving us without even bread to eat.

It was during these years that I met my Master, an ancient being whose name I was never privileged to know. He took me from my family and brought me into the dark, making me the same as him. He had in his possession the most wonderful collection of art and literature, which he shared with me through the decades, teaching me everything he knew. It was an incalculable treasure.

He endured nearly until the 20th century before those who hunted us finally brought him to his end. I continued on without him, creating a childe of my own in time, and passing to him all that I had learned.

We watched together as mankind advanced in leaps and bounds. They took to the skies, even leaving the Earth behind to walk upon the moon. But for all their brilliance, men were incredible fools. My childe and I mourned the sad decline of humanity as new, more deadly wars raged. Diseases claimed millions. The Earth grew sickly and could no longer provide for her children. Medicine could not cope with the plagues that arose, leaving science to create artificial replacements to assume the work that natural organs could no longer manage.

Governments collapsed, and anarchy reigned. We thought the long-prophesied end times had come, but new leadership emerged, promising safety and survival. Humanity grasped this salvation with both hands, surrendering themselves to their new masters.

The wealthy had the means to change themselves, becoming more machine than man, while unenhanced humans struggled to endure each day. My childe passed into the long sleep, no longer able to sustain himself on the diluted essence of those who inherited the poisoned earth. My own gifts allowed me to find those who remained pure, but with each passing generation, they became fewer.

This woman who sits before me now, still subdued by my power, is the first Natural I have seen in months. She is more precious than any diamond. She is Life itself.

4.

Nate kneeled before the young woman and took her hands in his. They were warm and he could feel the blood coursing through her veins. Closing his eyes for a moment to compose himself, he forced his lungs to work, inhaling her scent.

Beneath the stink of the pollution that clung to her, he could smell her sweat, her blood. It was strong and pleasing to him, simple and natural. He had no need for oxygen, but he filled his lungs with her essence.

“Mankind has lost so much,” Nate said softly, opening his eyes. “My humanity was taken from me. The rest of you simply tossed it away.” She said nothing in response and he smiled faintly. “I am sorry for the way I abducted you, but you are the first fully human being I have seen in quite some time. I must have you.

“I will do all I can to spare you pain. I will even provide you with all that you need. You will have credits, food, shelter. I will teach you everything that mankind has forgotten. Art and music will be yours. In time, perhaps, you will pass that knowledge along to others. Perhaps... perhaps humanity will regain some measure of its past glory.”

Nate studied her face for some sign of assent. He knew she could not give it in her current state, but he watched as her eyes took in the contents of the room, seemingly captivated. She would have never seen anything of its like.

“These are the works of the greatest artists the world has known,” Nate said, leaning closer to her. “Abandoned by you as you turned everything to dross. There was great beauty in the world once. I can show it to you. We can bring it back, to lift you all from your meaningless existence.

“Strange, isn’t it? I was once viewed as a monster. Now, I am all that remains of the past, of a time when humans strove for more than simple existence. I see the tears forming in your eyes. You do understand, don’t you?” His smile grew, but then suddenly faltered as his eyes fell upon the heart-shaped locket hanging from her neck. To most eyes, it would be unremarkable, though perhaps at risk of being confiscated by the authorities. Nate, however, sensed something was wrong. A faint, buzzing emanated from it and he barely had a moment to contemplate what it meant before his world exploded around him.

5.

Caught off guard, Nate nonetheless managed to place himself between the blast and the woman. Fragments of metal and wood tore into his body. There was no pain, but the impact drove him down on top of her and they fell to the floor together.

He was seriously injured, but he would recover if given a few moments. The woman, thankfully, appeared unhurt. He was relieved, and not just because she was the key to his survival. She had offered him a glimmer of hope that some might still value beauty and art, that humanity was not completely lost.

He didn’t understand why she wore a tracking device in her locket, though clearly, that was what it had been. For now, all that mattered was survival-- a thought that disturbed him, being so similar to what he often heard said by the augmented.

Pushing all else aside, he turned his attention to the woman trapped beneath him. He felt the familiar sensation of his canines extending and then sinking into her flesh. Blood erupted onto his lips and tongue, an electric jolt through his body. He would take only enough to heal, and then--

“Enough of that,” a harsh, metallic voice said and powerful hands seized him, pulling him back. He was tossed aside casually, but the force was enough that he landed several feet away.

Struggling to rise, Nate was faced with three large, heavily augmented, and enhanced Wardens. The one that had thrown him drew his weapon, firing, and large chunks of Nate’s flesh were torn from his bones. He collapsed in a heap.

“Burn it down,” the lead Warden said, then looked at the woman, who was being lifted to her feet by one of his companions. “You did well, helping us find the deviant. You'll be rewarded.”

“You can’t,” she said weakly, still struggling against Nate’s domination of her will. “You can’t burn all this...” She looked around the room, clearly horrified at the thought. "Please. It's beautiful."

The lead Warden hesitated less than a second. “Leave her,” he said, his subordinate complying immediately by lowering her to the floor.

“I cannot end like this,” Nate hissed. “I am the only one who remembers. You are destroying yourself! I am the living past!”

“We don’t need the past,” the Warden said, his voice emotionless. “We don’t need to remember.”

Nate watched in horror as the Wardens dropped multiple incendiary devices and retreated. He locked eyes with the woman-- he’d never learned her name-- forcing himself across the floor and reaching for her hand.

The world went white.

6.

The Wardens stood watching the flames consume the building, black smoke rising into the blacker sky. The leader of the team sighed softly, feeling his subordinate’s eyes upon him.

“I’m sorry for your daughter,” the younger man said.

“Don’t be. She was compromised. We can’t afford to be distracted by the past. Survival is all that matters.”

Sci Fi
8

About the Creator

Craig Williams

I have always wanted to write, but I let myself be talked out of it for far too many years. Now, I am trying my hand at it again. If you see anything you like, a ❤️, a follow, or comment would let me know it's worth continuing.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.