*Sneak Peek* Hemmingway and Fortescue

[Johnathan Colourfield]

So hi everyone I haven't posted anything in a very long time. I just haven't felt the writing mojo.

 

But i started something new and wanted to get some feedback/give a sneak peek at what i've been working on in the past few days.

 

Story Title: Whatever happened on Hemmingway and Fortescue?

Genre: Sci-fi Mystery Thriller

Extract context: Opening of the story. A prologue set in a distant post-apocalyptic future. First person. The whole story is going to be told from the first perspective, but is going to change viewpoints every few chapters.

Extract Length: 807 Words

**

 

Former Mayor J. P. Costello

 

A parked car. There is nothing quite so discomforting for the average young female than a parked car. Especially if she was unarmed and defenceless. Essentially, she might as well be carrying round a sign that says ‘Cut me.’

 

What was most concerning about this particular parked car was that it was filled with men. Now by men, I mean MEN. Big strapping burly men. Men you wouldn’t want to walk into in an alley. Hell, you wouldn’t want to walk into them in the middle of the street. Of course, they have knives. Only weapon you can get hold of now without something bad happening to you. Most disturbing indeed.

 

This had become common though in recent years. Approximately 13 to be exact.  It’s hard to remember how years ago it was peaceful. The last actual year I can remember was 2017. Yes. It was 2017 when everything changed and sadly, not for the better.

 

Bloody corporate organisations. No, mustn’t get caught saying anything against them. Let’s be nice. Nice good guy, nice.

 

I miss my therapist. Red flash ash. Ha. I can rhyme.

 

Where was I? Oh yes, I remember. Girls go missing you see. They stop by mistake in front of the car and then bye bye teeth and hair. These are desperate times. They sell for an amazing price on the black market. You can make a killing on ginger hair. But it’s so rare you see that now.

 

That’s if they could get onto the streets to sell them. Patrols are every 20 minutes now and the clock was moved two minutes closer to midnight a few years ago. It could have been months. Hell. It’s quarter to four now. We’ve already faced doomsday and came out relatively unscathed. Apart from anyone who didn’t fit in.

 

A bus. The 704 to 25^th and 12^th. I haven’t seen one of them in years. In fact, we don’t have public transport anymore, it was deemed too unsafe by the powers that be above. Weird. Why did I remember that? Oh yes, 704 to 25^th, to get to my office on 25^th. Nowhere is safe anymore. Not even the highest office in the City.

 

Every 20 minutes I’m telling you. It’s a liberty!

 

We live in a concrete, wireless jungle. There’s something in the wi-fi they said. Ha. Wi-fi. It definitely wasn’t that. A living mechanism with its only private security force. All volunteers. What sort of mad person would volunteer to work for F.S.L., I don’t know. Anyone who dared question the Organisations’ authority. Well they…

 

The fuck. A horse? Who has horse drawn carriages now? Hell, the horses died out in the last plague. I know it’s been a long time since I was the Mayor but Jesus Christ…

 

Hang on. Cloudbase.

 

He must be playing with the CloudBase again.

 

I do hope nothing is going wrong up there.

 

Every 20 minutes they patrol every street in the city. I’m not really sure what they are looking for. Crime I suppose. Or they’re looking for betrayers. Who knows. All I know is that I have to take a specific route each day or else they’ll see me and game over.

Where was I? Oh yes, Incineration. Anyone who questions the Organisation is Incinerated. Yes, you heard me right. Incinerated. Burnt. Kaboom. Right there in the street. Last week some lady only dropped her keys in the street, bent down to pick them up and shazam.

 

Insert a robotised voice tone here. I'm not very good at voices or impersonations.

"Threat Level Identified. Red. Prepare for cleansing."

 

Red. Disco freaking Inferno.

 

Pity. She was fantastic at chess. We played every Tuesday at 4.59am. She never slept.

 

Oh well, she’s dead now.

 

Speaking of murder and pestilence. There she is.  She thinks I don’t see her or her girls watching me, but I always see her. I am always aware.

 

Madam herself. Go on rat, back down to the Underground where you belong.

 

It’s times like these that I miss Cher.

 

And The X Factor.

 

And Taylor Swift. Okay, maybe not the last part.

 

I wish I could tell you that the world is going to be okay. But I’d be lying to you.

 

Life is shit. You are born, you get shat on, you die. Goodbye. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

 

Ever since the 3205 virus, the whole city has been under occupation. The government have tried to get in here, but considering they did nothing to help when everything actually started, I believe they’ve begun to give up.

 

Giving up. Mustn’t do that. Jolene wouldn’t be very happy with me.

 

Sad moments in time.

 

What on earth is that unbearable noise?

 

Is that…

 

No.

 

It can’t be.

 

The CloudBase…

 

It’s falling…

 

I can’t believe it…

 

She did it...

Edited January 25, 2015 by Johnathan Colourfield