Gene. Sys. by Aaron Denius (best ereader for comics txt) 📕

My body has taken over because, instead of slowing down as I reach the edge of the roof, I’m speeding up. I need to make the leap from this building into the moving aircraft. My speed and timing need to be perfect, because if I miss, I’m dead. As I charge forward, I push the fear back and jump off the edge. Nothing is in front of me, and I feel that I have made a mistake for a moment. Before my body starts its descent, the craft pulls up in the path I anticipated, and I hit the ledge of the side door. 80 and Grant grab my arms and pull me in as the craft heads back to the compound.

Grant closes the side door and heads for the front of the aircraft.

“I’m sorry,” I cry out before he disappears. I look at 80. “Why did you leave me back on the ground?”

He smiles. “I went back to the party because I had seen them eating something. I wanted to get us some. They were calling it chicken.”

I remember learning about chickens. They are flightless birds. The thought of eating one did not sit well in my stomach. “I’m glad you didn’t…”

“Here.” 80 hands me a small, greasy bone with meat on it. It feels dirty in my hand, and it reminds me of the dead bodies we saw. I look up at 80, and he’s tearing a piece of the meat off in his mouth. He speaks as he chews. “This is amazing! So much better than those pouches.” He tears off another piece.

I smell it, and the odor is actually quite sweet, with a bit of a kick. Staring scared at the meat, I chuckle because I realize that I just jumped off a building into a moving aircraft, and I am afraid to try this. I take a bite and instantly fall in love with the taste. The juicy texture floods my mouth, and the sweetness has a hint of orange. There is an aftertaste that is not unlike smoke, but it’s perfect. “Do you have more?”

80 pulls two more from his pocket and hands me one. We laugh as we eat the bones clean.

We land in the middle of the field, and two drones run up and take 80 away. I give chase, but Grant pulls me back by the collar.

“Let him go! He’ll be fine,” he says, but I’m not sure if I can believe him. He leads me into the building and straight for an elevator. I’m too preoccupied to realize that I have been in this elevator before. When the doors open, I recognize that we are in the Center for G.O.D.

“Why are we down here?” I ask. He doesn’t answer as he leads me down the steps to the floor. We pass the incubation tubes, but they are all empty.

“Where did they go?” I look around but, again, he doesn’t answer.

“Hawk. He doesn’t come out until I say so. Make sure of it.” Grant grabs a bag off of one of the tables and leads me into the back room. He hands the bag to me and shoves me into the room.

I turn, but before I can take a step, the door slams in my face, and I hear a series of locks click. “What are you doing? Let me out!” I slam my fists against the door. “Don’t kill him! It’s not his fault. Don’t kill him!”

I pound on the door until my hands and head hurt. Tears streak down my face, and I sit on the ground. I close my eyes and let the tears come until I fall asleep.

CHAPTER VI

I dream again of being in the white, cold abyss. This time I am entirely alone. I begin to walk, but no matter which way I turn, it feels like I am heading in the wrong direction.

When I wake, I pound on the door and call out for a few minutes but soon realize that no one is coming for me. A door on the sidewall catches my attention. I haven’t noticed it before. I open it but am disappointed to see that it’s only a bathroom. I give up and open the bag that Grant threw in with me. It’s stuffed with protein pouches, extra jumpsuits, and a tablet.

I walk to the computer on the table to see if I can access the camera feeds, but none of it will turn on. I’m stuck in here until they decide to let me out. I grab one of the protein pouches and the tablet and perch myself against the wall.

The tablet comes to life and begins to lecture me on Africa’s geography—the terrain, the weather, the animals, and the trees. It’s not really anything I want to listen to right now, so I put it down and stare at the opposite wall. My mind wanders from 80 to Rene, to Ev and the Genetic Systems. Finally, from the outsiders to the end of the world.

How will it happen? Who will survive?

Hours pass, and boredom leads me to engage with the tablet. I eat, sleep, work with the tablet, and think. A cycle that seems to repeat itself a dozen times before they let me out. I’m not sure how long they’ve kept me down here, but it feels like it’s been about four days.

The door opens, and Ev stands on the other side. “They wouldn’t let me get you until now.”

“What did they do with 80?” I push past her and head for the elevator to take me upstairs.

She follows close behind me. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him.”

“Did they kill him?” I stop and look her right in the eyes.

“No. I don’t know. Things have changed, Atom.” She pushes past me and into the elevator.

“What do you mean? How long have I been down there?” I ask.

“A week.” She looks at me apologetically.

“What?” I shout. “How could you let them keep me down