The Unnaturals Prequel - Cataclysm
As you turn to run, you slam directly into the man who had been leaning on the wall inside. He is rooted to the spot and you bounce off of his chest, sprawling out on the pavement. The man’s eyes are wide but his mouth is moving. Over the howling wind, you think you hear praying.
As you go to stand back up, you feel just how hot the asphalt road is underneath. It sears the skin on your hands and it almost feels like they’re melting. But as you rip them off the road, you see long trails of black goo dripping like honey from your fingers. The road is melting.
Using only your legs, you muscle your way back to your feet. As you go to take a step, you feel a suction on the bottom of your shoes. You force yourself to step, painfully slow, towards the concrete sidewalk. As you reach it, you risk a momentary look back towards the firestorm.
It seems to have grown, or spread, you’re not sure. Either way, in just the few moments you wasted trying to get to the sidewalk, the storm has closed a lot of distance on you. There is no more time to waste.
You begin running as fast as your legs can carry you from the firestorm. As you charge down the road, you see thousands of other people doing the same. Some stop to hide inside buildings. In a moment of sadness, you know what will happen to those people, but you also know that there is nothing you can do for them.
Block after block disappears beneath the pounding of your feet on the sidewalk. You risk another glance back over your shoulder and are dismayed to realize that you havn’t expanded the distance between yourself and the storm. But at this point, you know that stalemate is victory. You keep running.
As you race for your life, you hear snippets of people crying out or trying to reason with one another.
“... did this start?!”
“Where’s the fire department?!” They tried you reply in your head.
“Dear lord, save us!”
“...where can we even go?!”
That is a good question you think. You know you cannot outrun this thing forever. There must be something you can do.
You begin approaching a centered public park. It has always been one of your favorite places, as it’s the only small square of green in an otherwise grey and black jungle of concrete. However, as you approach, you note with sadness that the grass, the leaves and even the strong trunks of the trees look blackened and dead, as if all of the moisture has been sucked out of them. You feel how they look, you’ve never been so thirsty in your life.
Standing in the middle of the park, you see a large gathering of people. They are seated peacefully, holding hands and praying to their various gods. They must think that their prayers can save them. For a moment, you ponder whether or not they have the right idea.
1a1a1) Keep running.
OR
1a1a2) Pray.
As you go to stand back up, you feel just how hot the asphalt road is underneath. It sears the skin on your hands and it almost feels like they’re melting. But as you rip them off the road, you see long trails of black goo dripping like honey from your fingers. The road is melting.
Using only your legs, you muscle your way back to your feet. As you go to take a step, you feel a suction on the bottom of your shoes. You force yourself to step, painfully slow, towards the concrete sidewalk. As you reach it, you risk a momentary look back towards the firestorm.
It seems to have grown, or spread, you’re not sure. Either way, in just the few moments you wasted trying to get to the sidewalk, the storm has closed a lot of distance on you. There is no more time to waste.
You begin running as fast as your legs can carry you from the firestorm. As you charge down the road, you see thousands of other people doing the same. Some stop to hide inside buildings. In a moment of sadness, you know what will happen to those people, but you also know that there is nothing you can do for them.
Block after block disappears beneath the pounding of your feet on the sidewalk. You risk another glance back over your shoulder and are dismayed to realize that you havn’t expanded the distance between yourself and the storm. But at this point, you know that stalemate is victory. You keep running.
As you race for your life, you hear snippets of people crying out or trying to reason with one another.
“... did this start?!”
“Where’s the fire department?!” They tried you reply in your head.
“Dear lord, save us!”
“...where can we even go?!”
That is a good question you think. You know you cannot outrun this thing forever. There must be something you can do.
You begin approaching a centered public park. It has always been one of your favorite places, as it’s the only small square of green in an otherwise grey and black jungle of concrete. However, as you approach, you note with sadness that the grass, the leaves and even the strong trunks of the trees look blackened and dead, as if all of the moisture has been sucked out of them. You feel how they look, you’ve never been so thirsty in your life.
Standing in the middle of the park, you see a large gathering of people. They are seated peacefully, holding hands and praying to their various gods. They must think that their prayers can save them. For a moment, you ponder whether or not they have the right idea.
1a1a1) Keep running.
OR
1a1a2) Pray.