Chapter #1- In The End!

The dust blows harshly across a barren wasteland of an orangish red sky. A small group of 13 people fight against the wind to get to the abandoned city of Saskatoon from the north highway leading out to Martinsville. Vehicles line the road some of them burned up others just left there to rust. Skeletal remains of those who couldn't escape remain in their vehicles or on the road beside them. Weeds grow out of the cracks in the asphalt showing that nature is trying to reclaim the planet. The small band of people walk under the crumbling remains of the overpass towards the Yellowhead Highway. One of the group members notices a small SUV hanging with its front bumper partially over the edge and points it out to the to a couple other members of the group who stop to look. The man leading the group stops and yells over the blowing wind,"WE'VE STILL GOT A WAYS TO GO! YOU WILL SEE LOTS OF THIS ALONG THE WAY! WE NEED TO GET TO THE CITY AND GET SHELTER FROM THE STORM!" The group leader starts walking again and all the people start to follow as they make their way down the highway past the airport, under a couple more over overpasses. A young woman in the group noticing the three hotels up above on either side of the street says to the group leader, " shouldn't we go in there? If we were looking for shelter either one of those would be an ideal place." The group leader holding the tattered scarf from blowing off his face points down the road and says, "Those are not in great shape, also too many scavengers roam the halls of those places looking to pick off searchers like yourself! That is a red zone! Red as in blood! We need to be a little further in the city in a blue zone just past the police station." The group continues there way down Idylwyld towards the downtown core of the city.

As they reach the downtown core a large storm rolls in! The leader of the group points to the boarded up doors of a large castle like Victorian style hotel. The group moves towards the entrance and the group leader pries the lock off the door and they enter the old hotel.

As the group of 13 stands on the dust covered white marble floor looking up at the cobwebs hanging from the railing of the balcony and crystal chandelier  overhead a young woman named Grace turns to the Group Leader and asks," So how come we can be in here and not in those other hotels we passed on the way in? Wouldn't there be scavengers in here too?" The Group Leader begins to walk around the room. He walks up to the wall and flips a switch on and off to check for power with no luck. Grace walks up to him and exclaims," Hello! Did you hear me or are you ignoring me?" The Group Leader replies while still staring playing with the switch," I heard you! We are safe here, the scavengers don't make it this far inward!" "And why is that? Wouldn't they want to try and get anyone  in this part of the city?", asks Grace. The Group Leader walks over to the the ride of the room and starts flipping another switch with no luck and says," They can't! This part of the city is off limits to them!" " And why is that? There is no one around to enforce that, they could easily be in here too!" Grace says. The Group Leader walks to a large black marble desk and walks behind it and opens a breaker panel behind the desk and flips a few switches and the room lights all come on illuminating the grand hall showing off the years of dust, dirt and cobwebs. "Wow! You just don't like answering questions do you?" yells Grace. The Group Leader looks at grace in the eyes and replies," I do, but we needed lights! And to answer your question they have explosive implants put in them that  explode if they cross the past the train tracks. The government put it in them when the plague hit to protect the infected from the uninfected. So we are safe here! Does that answer your question?" "Yes it does! Wait how did you know this place would still have working electricity?" replies Grace. The Group Leader walks up to the staircase and starts to make his way up, he stops looks at the group and says," I promise you I will explain it all to you in the morning, but we better get some rest there is a ballroom up here we can set up base camp in later on. Find yourself a room and get some sleep" The Group Leader makes his way up the stairs and the rest slowly fallow behind him.

The wind howls like a banshee outside as the rain pelts against the steel covers of the hotel windows. The Group Leader stands on the mezzanine starring down at the lobby below holding a faded picture in his hands of girl with blondish brown hair, green eyes, a petite body build and a mischievous smile. He turns it over reading some script on the back of it that says " My marathon man, the sweetest person I know and my best friend! Never lose the light in your heart! Time and circumstances may separate us but as long as I am in your heart you will always have me near! -Samantha" Members of the group walk into the mezzanine area, the sound of them chattering are oblivious to the Group Leader as images of him and Samantha throwing snowballs at one another, sitting on some green grass having a picnic in the park, and them walking down the street with his arm around Samantha. Grace walks up behind the Group Leader and says," Hey! Did you hear me?" The Group Leader is broken out of his daydream, he takes the picture and places it in the inside jacket pocket. He turns around and replies," I'm sort I missed that! What were you asking?" A dark haired man with a light beard and muscular build named David says," You said last night that you would explain to us what we are doing here and how you knew this place would have electricity." The Group Leader responds," Yes I did! Well meet me downstairs there is a restaurant down there, we will have some food and I will explain it all to you!" Grace looks at him and says," Okay, but you better tell us the truth or we will go back storm or not!" Grace lifts her hand in the air and motions for the rest of the group to follow her as she makes her way towards the the stairs and says," come on everyone lets go down to the restaurant." The group make their way down the stairs. The Group Leader pats the front of jacket and quietly says," Soon, soon! It may take a while but I will see you again soon!"

The group of 12 walk through the dust covered lobby and turn left to set of open glass doors with a gold neon sign above it. A thin man with red hair,freckles and glasses named Keith reads the sign and says," Pops House Of Toast! Is this some sort of breakfast joint? If it is, that's a awful name for a restaurant!" The Group Leader walks up behind them and replies," Nope, it is just your plain everyday restaurant!" Keith asks," So it must be a sandwich place that toasted everything?"

"You would think that but no! This place just served toast, toast of all kind on all kind of breads. It was an odd idea for a restaurant but surprisingly popular! I'll tell you more about it inside, but first lets break out the ration pills and eat!" replies The Group Leader. All 13 people walk into the open doors of Pops House Of Toast and into the abandoned restaurant.

The group picks up the wooden chairs off the ground, they dust them off and take the backpacks off their backs, they set them on the tables, open them and pull out two large pill bottles each a metal plate,water bottle and eye dropper setting them down on the table. They close their backpacks and place them on the dust covered floors. The Group Leader takes a pill from each bottle, fills the eye dropper with a small amount of water from the bottle and drips the water from the eye dropper on the pills. The pills hydrate turning into scrambled eggs,fruit and bacon. The group sits silently and eats their meal. 

The Group Leader finishing his meal says quietly to himself," Not quite as good as the real stuff but this synthetic stuff still hits the spot!" Grace walks up to him and asks," Okay, are you going to tell us now everything you said you would?" The Group Leader turns his chair to the group and replies," Alright! Be prepared for a long story! But this storm might last a while so I might as well get started!" Grace and the others turn their chairs towards the Group Leader and silently await his words. The Group Leader looks at them and starts talking," It was on a night just like this in 1947........." As The Group Leader starts to talk the scenery changes and everyone is transported back in time in their minds.

The wind howls and the rain pelts against the window pane of an old eight storey brick building on a May night in 1947. "Okay you said this part already!" the voice of Keith says. The voice of the Group Leader responds," I am just trying to set the mood! Man your generation knows nothing about storytelling!You know what just shut up and let me tell the story!" The voice of Grace extorts," Yeah!! Be quiet Keith! Men! Go on please!" An 1941 green Plymouth Special De Luxe 4-Door Sedan pulls up to the front doors directly under the sign that says Saskatoon City Hospital. A tall 6ft 5inch well built man with slicked back brown hair covered in a black Trilby hat, wearing a brown rain coat to cover his black dress pants, white shirt and black tie exits the car and runs around to the passenger side of the car. He opens the door and grasps the hand of a raven haired woman in her early 20's as she holder pregnant belly and the two of them walk slowly into the hospital entrance.

The scene shifts from 1947 back to the 2177 and the restaurant. A brown haired medium built man in his early 30's named Axel yells out from the back of the room," Boring!" In one collective voice the entire group turns and yells," SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Axel sits for a second with a stunned look on his face and says, "This sounds like every other dramatic story I've heard, just saying!" The Group Leader looks at Axel and replies," Oh it's not a dramatic story... It's more like a comedy of errors, you have to hear to believe! Now if you don't mind I'm going tot get back to my story here!"

Once again the scene changes to City Hospital in 1947, Rick Brilliant helps his wife walk up to the hospital admitting desk where a grey haired nurse in her mid 50's named Denise sits doing paper work. The nurse is so oblivious to Rick and Karen standing at the desk that Rick clears his throat to get her attention. Denise looks up from the desk and says," Oh my gosh! I am so sorry sir! What seems to be the problem?" In a smooth and calm voice Rick replies," My wife is in labour!" Denise motions for the orderly, he brings a wheel chair and Karen sits down in it. Denise looks at the Orderly and says,"Take this woman to delivery room #2 please!" Rick with a confused and somewhat terrified look on his face says to the orderly," Don't be frightened by the voice!" The Orderly looks at Rick like he has completely lost his mind and replies,"What voice? Are you alright sir? " Rick takes the hat of his head and runs his hands through his brown hair saying," You are going to think that I am completely insane or maybe I am just overtired but for the past few months now I could swear that I heard the baby talking to me from the womb! Very loudly especially when I touched my wife or when we had sex! Denise walks around the desk and places the back of her hand on Rick's forehead," Sir I think you might just might be coming down with something! Unborn babies don't talk!" As Denise is feeling Rick's head a deep gruff voice that sounds a little like Randy"macho man" Savages voice can be heard yelling out," What the fuck do mean I can't talk! I am doing it right now!" Both the Orderly and Denise look around in confusion, Denise asks the Orderly," Did you say that?" The Orderly shakes his head no with a confused and frightened look on his face. Rick gently removing the  hand of Denise from his forehead looks at his pregnant wife's stomach and then at Denise and then back at Karen a couple of times. Denise with an irritated look on her face says to Rick," Oh come on you did that you must be a ventriloquist! There is no way that voice came from the unborn baby!" The voice of the unborn baby yells out again," Well where the hell do you think it came from? He didn't say anything I did! Now are you going to get me out of here or not because it is getting cramped in here and I need to stretch my legs... all three of them!" Denise confused and frightened braces herself against the desk and says to the Orderly as she points down the hall," You better take Mr.s Brilliant down to the delivery room now and I will call the doctor but first I think I need a drink?" Reaching into the inside of his coat Rick pulls out a large silver flask, opens it and takes a large swing from it and passes it to Denise who does the same and silently says," I think I need to retire!"

"Oh come on! That did not really happen! Babies cannot talk in the womb or at birth! That is a total crock of shit!" says Emil a young blond haired man in his late 20's with a athletic build. The Group Leader replies," Oh he did! It was well documented! A miracle of nature they called it! Little do they know that the miracle would be a handful in time! But I haven't gotten to the best part yet.... the birth! Oh where was I? Oh Yeah I remember!"

The Doctor walks into the delivery room as Karen is lying with her legs in the stir-ups, he looks at Karen and says," Let's get going and bring your bundle of joy into this world" Just then the voice of the baby can be heard from the womb yelling out," Well hurry the fuck up than and get me out of here! I've outgrown this place! I need more room!" The Doctor confused looks around and asks," Who said that? Did any of you?" " No! It was me asshole! Now do your job and get me out of here! Your hands better not be cold!" yells out the baby. " Okay, I must be imagining things because I could have sworn that I heard the voice come inside Mrs.Brilliant, but it can't be!" the Doctor confusedly says. The Doctor looks at the Nurse and tells her," Give Mrs.Brilliant the epidural please!" The Nurse nods her head,she takes a large needle and injects it into Karen's arm. The voice of the baby from the womb can be heard saying," What the hell is this? Whoa, I feel all relaxed! YEAH!!!!!!! I think I will make my way towards this door down here. Wooo!Hooo! this is just like a slide!" The lights of the delivery room blind the baby temporarily but they quick adjust. The Doctor yells out," Its a boy!!" The baby turns his head,looking at the Doctor and replies," Of course I'm a boy! Look at the size of my pecker! Now that would fit in a mustard jar!" The Doctor stunned says," That's the umbilical cord!" The Doctor its the umbilical cord and hands the baby to the Nurse to clean up the baby.

As the Nurse washes up the baby, the baby extorts," Don't forget to get all the cracks! Is this a shower? I love showers!" She wraps up the baby and takes him over to Karen and hands him to Karen. The Doctor looks down at the baby and asks Karen," Do you have a name for this interesting and unique boy?" Karen looks down and at the baby and responds," His name is John, after my grandfather." Baby John looks at the Doctor and then at his mother and exclaims, " But you can call me Pops!"

The Pediatric Nurse comes out into the waiting room where Rick is anxiously waiting and taking small sips from the silver flask in his coat pocket. She walks up Rick and says," Mr. Brilliant you have a son! A very interesting son! If you come with me you can see him!" Rick puts the flask back into jacket pocket and follows the Nurse to the nursery.

The Pediatric Nurse takes Rick to the window of the nursery and points to baby John. Baby John"Pops" Brilliant looks at his father and exclaims," You must be my dad! Now you and ma can have sex without waking me up! YEAH!!!" John than turns to the crying baby boy next to him and says," Your name says Don, Don Sihickilo! I have a feeling you and me are going to be friends and there is something special about you!" Rick with a stunned look on his face continues to stare at baby John"Pops" Brilliant. Baby John looks at his father and yells,"What hell are you staring at asshole? How about you make yourself useful and get me some toast!"

The scenery changes back to 2177 as the Group Leader sits with the rest of the group staring at him. Keith yells out," That has got to be the craziest story I have ever heard!" Grace  asks," So was that the  end? Or is there more?" The Group Leader stands up from his chair and starts to walk out of the room, he turns to the group and says," It's the end and the beginning! It's the beginning of the end!" Axel yells out before the Group Leader leaves the room," What does that mean? Is there more?" The Group Leader turns again and replies," Oh there's more! But first I really have to take a shit! This crap can't wait anymore! I will tell you more when I'm done!"