The Key to my Heart

StaThe cold walls of my cell seem to warm as the day broke, unusual for the cold dull reality I've grown a custom to. My mind began to wonder as I lay there in anticipation; as I did every morning I thought about the day the first meteor shower hit that nearly inhalated the planet, how our resources dried up so fast and the day my family was divided.

We had already been hit with two devastating meteor storms, continent after continent were falling, people were retreating into bunkers and the remaining survivors tried to gather what resources were left. The third shower was the one that devastated the U.S. when it hit it started on the east coast wiping out the southeastern portion of the continent causing tsunamis throughout the southern states.

We were in California but the government had already implemented the WACPO order Women and children protective order. An order that divided families and in my eyes caused more chaos. The women and children were taken to bunkers and shelters and the men were left to fend for themselves in the chaos and aftermath.

That day was tuff i was trying to get my family to a bunker a friend of mine had with others who were against the WACPO order. We were having trouble getting through a city in which our truck was almost stolen. We were running out of food due to the fact we couldn't stop because of the rioting and looting going on in this city. We were just reaching the outskirts when we were pulled over by law enforcement.

I could still hear the boots of the officer against the road then I was jarred out of my daydream and I could hear the guards' boots clattering along the cemented floor of this institution as his footsteps grew closer. My belly turned in anticipation.

He stopped in front of my cell "Malcolm!" He called for me "Up and adam let's get your paper work going.."

I leap out of my bed trying to hide the excitement fighting the despair of the journey ahead of me. Soon I was in outtake watching as they filled out my paperwork. Another guard entered with my belongings I entered this place with five years ago. He sat the black trash bag with my things on the table. "Make sure everything thing is there." I reached into the bag....my jeans, my boots, a folder, my keys and there it was my cell phone. Of course it was dead but I prayed that it still worked.

"Ok malcolm....have a seat" The guard filling my paperwork ordered. I took a seat and she went over the instructions of my release and fell back into my daydream....

When the officer reached my side of the truck he looked inside and peered at my family "are you aware of the WACPO order?" He asked

"Iam sir.....but we're fine we have a place to go and we're just out of the jurisdiction of a WACPO order territory "

"That is correct but if the lady feels the need to implement the order we would be much obliged" the officer now peered at my wife. Tears began to fall from her eyes. I peered at her as I mumbled "honey...."

Her tears poured as she said " yes officer i would like to take my child into your protection"

"Honey.....please we're almost there" i pleaded

"Then what? Did you see what we just went through? I have to make sure our daughter is safe, I have to go..."

She opened her door and then opened the back door to get my daughter "daddy!" She yelled as she jumped into my arms "its ok baby everything is ok....im gonna come back for you.." i grabbed the heart shaped locker around her neck and said "don't ever lose this....keep it with you always"

The officer looked at my wife and said "come on..." the words echoed and repeated in my head "come on" once again I was jarred out of this state and brought back to the present. "Come on Malcom...your all done your a free man"

I looked around and before I knew it I was walking down the hall to my freedom. Once I was out I looked out at what was now earth, a cloudy dark smoke filled world with destruction as far as you can see. Buildings burned to the ground, cars deserted the air thick and muggy. As I stood there a car passed and quickly made a U turn and came back to me. It was my friend from a long time ago with the bunker we were trying to reach.

"How does it feel to be a free man!?" Anthony yelled from his sedan plated in armor.

"How did you know I was out?"

"We got hackers....come on get in"

I opened the door and sat inside, Anthony pulled out a cigarette and lit it "go ahead grab one" i reached down and lit up one of my own "you have to see the compound, the movement is huge! We've raged war.....We have infiltrated three WACPO compounds" Anthony spoke with such enthusiasm.

"Mellisa......melony?" Anthony looked out the window as he traveled down the deserted road. "Anthony... did you guys find Mellissa and Melony?"

"The cop that took her that day.... They are married now, their in a secret compound heavily guarded not to mention occupied by cops. They been off the grid the last two years.....im sorry bro"

"I need a charger for this phone..." Anthony looked at my phone and began to laugh. "Are you serious?" He asked "Nobody carries phones anymore! My phone is here..." Anthony pointed at his temple. "I need to find a charger for this phone....there's an app in here i need"

"Look whatever app you have in there we can get it...."

"I need the app on this phone! You know people Anthony....take me! "

"Ok! Ok! Malcom, look i don't know what your trying to do but it's almost impossible to find them even if you do you can't do anything women have taken over while we were out there fighting for resources and territory they were building a new government and they dont take kidnapping lightly.."

"I don't need a speech i need a charger..."

We continued driving and I stared out the window at the eradicated landscape, building after building deserted and eroding. Men roaming the streets, some lost and starving others in gear ready to fight. "Where is everybody?" I asked

Anthony took a puff from his cigarette "everyone is in their own compound sectioned off....they only come out when food is scarce..."

"Where do they get food?"

"mostly breeding....any kind of animal we can find. Vegetables and things have to be grown in house the soil is contaminated with whatever fell from the sky heavy in mercury and some other shit....i'm surprised we've lasted this long"

Anthony and I pulled up to a building. I looked at it then looked at Anthony "I said take me to get a charger..." He finished his cigarette then threw it out the window and opened the door "come on!"

We got out of the car and walked up to the building which seemed to be a store that had been deserted when we entered. The shelves were covered in ash and the walls blackened by smoke. Anthony walked through the store to the back and I followed. He walked up to a door and began knocking, a man holding a large laser gun answered "what?" The man asked.

"I need some antique technology"

The rough looking man opened the door and let us in. We headed down a narrow stairwell into a room with green lights and all kinds of technology hanging on the wall and on shelves. A glass counter sat near the furthest wall and another man stood behind it. "What is it Anthony?"

"Walter! Where's the love?" Anthony asked with his arms stretched

"The love went away when you tell people I sell crap!" Walter replied

"Can't take a joke?....look My friend needs a charger"

"Tell him to put his finger in a socket" Walter and the rough looking doorman laughed

"Seriously Walter help him out"

" let me see..." i handed him my phone and he observed it. "What's so special about this phone?"

"I need an app out of there..."

Walter looked at me then the phone. He reached into the glass case and pulled out a wall socket charger and car charger "two pounds.....good luck finding somewhere to plug this into" Walter grabbed the wall charger.

I looked at Anthony ``Two pounds? That's euro?" I reached into my jean pocket and pulled out my krypto card and placed it on the counter

Walter looked at the card "what am i gonna do with that?

Anthony reached into his pocket "two pounds of food..." he explained to me. He placed a package wrapped up on the counter. Walter unwrapped it, it was a pile of meat he wrapped it back up and slid the chargers to me. Anthony and I made our way back to the car and I plugged the phone up to the car. Anthony lit up another cigarette and looked over at me "what are you doing Malcom? Are you coming to the compound?"

"I need to use your car..."

"If you plan on doing something crazy i want in....whatever is going on with you and this phone i dont care but if you have a way to get to this compound let me and the boys go....do you know how big it will be if we infiltrate a highly protected compound??"

"This isn't a political infiltration this is about my daughter!"

"I love melony like my own daughter but your not the only father that's been taken away from their child…..there's others like you….last time u went after her on your u ended up in jail for five years" Anthony now very serious.

I sighed and thought for a moment "ok but we don't go guns blaze'n we do it my way…"

"Time to meet the boys…." Anthony cranked the car up and we drove off. I turned my phone on and went into the app I needed. A map appeared and a green dot beeped. As we continued to drive i stared out the window i started to think about my daughter the day we learned our world had been changed forever

I remember we were in our home. My daughter and I were watching a movie when my wife came into the living room.

"Malcom….come here" she spoke with a tremble and terror in her voice. I walked to the room and she had the tv on the news; the first meteor shower had devastated the European states. We watched as blue fire balls fell from the sky and with each one that fell an enormous explosion followed. My wife looked at me "Are we safe?" Before I could respond I noticed my daughter standing behind us. I quickly grabbed her and took her out of the room. I laid her down in her room and told her to take a nap, then I grabbed the heart shaped locket hanging from her neck "can i borrow this babe?" With her eyes closing she said "yes daddy just bring it back"

I went to the garage and got a box my friend Anthony had given me, i pulled out a small tracer and placed it inside the locket and put it back on my daughter's neck. I watched her sleep and as my vision faded I felt the ride get bumpy.

I looked around and we had turned off the road into a wooded area. We continued driving through the wooded area for a while until we came to what appeared to be miles and miles of trees but in fact it was a giant sheet layed on an enormous wall. Anthony looked over at me. "Welcome home" two giant doors opened and several heavily armed men stood. They recognized Anthony's car and let us in….

To be continued…