Chapter 2, part 1
Chapter 2
Edinburgh, Scotland
Addison MacKenzie looked bored. There he sat in his pristine chef’s coat waiting for a customer to come into the restaurant. He had but one waitress left. He had just had installed a commercial ventilation unit and it had cost him dearly.
“How long was all of this supposed to go on? I’m sick and tired of it. I thought these scientists would have figured out the world’s problems by now. I mean, why couldn’t they just abolish all mass production and polluting autos? Bloody planet and it’s bloody problems.”
His waitress smiled and nodded. She had heard Addi’s grumblings many times over the past year. It was a year ago that the owner of the Lion’s Claw Pub had died. He had been a smoker since 11 and died at the age of 43 because his lungs could not take in sufficient air. He left the pub to Addison.
Suddenly the door opened and in walked some man in a business suit.
“Can I take off my PV unit in here?” the man had an American accent,
“Uh yeah sure.” Addi replied and then added under his breath “stupid sod, do you see me with one on?”
“Excuse me?” the business suit man asked.
“Nothing sir. What can I get for you? A pint to start you off?” Addi headed for the bar.
“No thank you. Listen is there some where we can talk more privately?
Addi told his waitress to take the rest of the day off.
“Do you mind if I have a pint then?” Addi asked
“Not at all. In fact Mr. MacKenzie, you are going to need it.” The suited man took out some papers and a pen from his briefcase.
“Look if you are here to try and buy my pub, you can forget it. It may not be much but it’s mine free and clear.” Addi looked sternly at the gentleman.
“No sir. I don’t want your pub. I’m here on behalf of the United Nations’ Security Council.”
“I’m no terrorist! So what the bloody hell do you want with me?” Addison’s patience were wearing thin. He took a sip of his beer.
“No sir, this has nothing to do with terrorism. They are all but extinct. Quite ironic actually don’t you think? Now that we face the end of the world, terror is no longer a priority.
Now Mr. MacKenzie, the reason why I’m here is because you have been selected for a special task. You have been randomly chosen to board a ship bound for a new planet …” he didn’t get to finish his sentence.
“Wait one sodding minute. You’re a crackpot.” Addi got up from his chair and bolted for the telephone. As he picked up the telephone, two soldiers came through the door. Addi recognized them as peace keeping soldiers. They wore blue helmets.
“I don’t know who the bloody hell you think you are and who these blokes are …”
“Mr. MacKenzie, please. May I call you Addison? Addison, please please have a seat. I promise that I am not delusional and although what I am about to say may seem far fetched, it’s the truth and you sir have been given a gift of life.” The man in the business suit had the look on his face like he had been through this all before.
Addison hung up the phone and downed the rest of his beer. He then went over to the tap and poured another. He studied the man’s face looking for any trace of lunacy. He looked over at the two soldiers that had entered the door way. They seemed to be standing on guard. What were they guarding? Why did they need to be here. What the bloody hell was this all about?
“Alright, I’ll give into your madness for 2 minutes. That’s all you have, then you are out of my pub. Understand?” Addison took his chair and turned it around. Straddling it, he sat down and put his beer on the old oak table in front of him.
“Addison, three days ago we sent a probe out into deep space in search of a planet that could sustain human life. Now before you even attempt to figure this out, our scientists have created the ability for light speed.
Now the probe was sent out three days ago with the anticipation that it would be back within a month. It returned yesterday.”
Addison sat there with his jaw slightly open. He lit up a cigarette “Go on you have another minute.”
“We found life outside of our galaxy. A planet that can sustain life. It does not look like it has been in habited. It’s oceans are smaller than our own and more greener continents. The air appears to be pristine. Which brings us to why we are here. We have a ship capable of light speed that will be leaving in a few days. You sir, Mr. MacKenzie, will be on that ship.”
“You sir, are a crockpot, good day.” Addison got up from the table.
“Mr. MacKenzie, Addison, you have no choice in this matter. You must pack all of your belongings now and come with us. It’s either this or die here. I might also add that there isn’t much time left for this planet. It’s that serious.” The man in the business suit nodded at the two military guards.
“These soldiers will escort you to your home to pack. While you are packing think of one item you want to bring that is of importance to you.” The man in the business suit packed up his briefcase and went out the door.
“Please don’t be long.” He mentioned to the soldiers. “We don’t have all day.” He put on his PV and went out the door into a waiting car.
Addison stood there for a good minute before he attempted to bolt out the back. At the back door of the pub he stopped dead in his tracks. He forgot his PV unit near the bar. Ahhhh crikey! He turned around to see one of the soldiers with his PV unit dangling from his finger of his left hand.
“Looking for this sir?” The UN peacekeeper looked unamused by Addison’s behavior.
“Is all this bloody shit for real?” The soldiers were unmoved. Addison took his PV from the soldier and headed over to a stairway in the kitchen. The stairway led up to the flat above where Addison lived. He turned around and looked at the solidiers again.
“Hey can one of you lock up for me please?” The taller soldier on his left nodded and headed back to the front of the pub.
Addison climbed the stairwell to his flat. It was a narrow stairwell that had been originally installed in 1487 and then remodeled in 1978. The previous owner, his mentor and friend hadn’t done any redecorating. Addison had wanted to change it to suit his taste but without an income coming in from the pub, he couldn’t. He had hoped things would get better, since mass production of consumables had stopped and gasoline automobiles were all but extinct. It was supposed to all get better.
Addison entered his bedroom and quickly looked around for a suitcase. How much stuff would he need anyway? Then he got to thinking well if I had a fire, what would I want to get out right away. A picture of his mother. Mary MacKenzie or rather Mary Macayle now. She had married Eion Macayle several years ago. She was lonely and needed companionship. Eion was a drunk and was on his deathbed. The years of drinking had finally gone to his liver and the lack of good air didn’t help matters.
He wished he could take his mother. He wished he could say good-bye.
“Am I allowed to make a phone call? To my mum?” Addison questioned.
“No sir, no phone or any communication. If word got out about this, we would have mass panic.” By now the taller soldier had entered his upstairs dwelling and was standing in the door way of his bedroom.
Addison looked at his picture on his dresser picked it up and put it in his suitcase. Turning around he opened his dresser drawers one at a time.
“Do you think you could give me some privacy? There’s a small kitchenette down the hall to the right. Help yourself to whatever’s cold in the fridge.” The soldiers complied and left.
Addison sat on the edge of his bed holding his hand in his head. It was all too science fiction for him. A ship, right. Warp speed, right. This was lunacy plain and simple. Addison was in emotional turmoil. He needed to say good bye to his mother. Several times he walked over to his telephone and several times he stopped himself. Surely his mother wouldn’t tell a soul. He picked up the phone. Dead. What? They cut off the phone. He slammed the receiver down. Heading toward the door way he screamed a primal scream of frustration. Then calmly went back to his dresser and began to throw clothes from his dresser to his suitcase. It was then he realized that the laundry hadn’t been done. Shit!
Edinburgh, Scotland
Addison MacKenzie looked bored. There he sat in his pristine chef’s coat waiting for a customer to come into the restaurant. He had but one waitress left. He had just had installed a commercial ventilation unit and it had cost him dearly.
“How long was all of this supposed to go on? I’m sick and tired of it. I thought these scientists would have figured out the world’s problems by now. I mean, why couldn’t they just abolish all mass production and polluting autos? Bloody planet and it’s bloody problems.”
His waitress smiled and nodded. She had heard Addi’s grumblings many times over the past year. It was a year ago that the owner of the Lion’s Claw Pub had died. He had been a smoker since 11 and died at the age of 43 because his lungs could not take in sufficient air. He left the pub to Addison.
Suddenly the door opened and in walked some man in a business suit.
“Can I take off my PV unit in here?” the man had an American accent,
“Uh yeah sure.” Addi replied and then added under his breath “stupid sod, do you see me with one on?”
“Excuse me?” the business suit man asked.
“Nothing sir. What can I get for you? A pint to start you off?” Addi headed for the bar.
“No thank you. Listen is there some where we can talk more privately?
Addi told his waitress to take the rest of the day off.
“Do you mind if I have a pint then?” Addi asked
“Not at all. In fact Mr. MacKenzie, you are going to need it.” The suited man took out some papers and a pen from his briefcase.
“Look if you are here to try and buy my pub, you can forget it. It may not be much but it’s mine free and clear.” Addi looked sternly at the gentleman.
“No sir. I don’t want your pub. I’m here on behalf of the United Nations’ Security Council.”
“I’m no terrorist! So what the bloody hell do you want with me?” Addison’s patience were wearing thin. He took a sip of his beer.
“No sir, this has nothing to do with terrorism. They are all but extinct. Quite ironic actually don’t you think? Now that we face the end of the world, terror is no longer a priority.
Now Mr. MacKenzie, the reason why I’m here is because you have been selected for a special task. You have been randomly chosen to board a ship bound for a new planet …” he didn’t get to finish his sentence.
“Wait one sodding minute. You’re a crackpot.” Addi got up from his chair and bolted for the telephone. As he picked up the telephone, two soldiers came through the door. Addi recognized them as peace keeping soldiers. They wore blue helmets.
“I don’t know who the bloody hell you think you are and who these blokes are …”
“Mr. MacKenzie, please. May I call you Addison? Addison, please please have a seat. I promise that I am not delusional and although what I am about to say may seem far fetched, it’s the truth and you sir have been given a gift of life.” The man in the business suit had the look on his face like he had been through this all before.
Addison hung up the phone and downed the rest of his beer. He then went over to the tap and poured another. He studied the man’s face looking for any trace of lunacy. He looked over at the two soldiers that had entered the door way. They seemed to be standing on guard. What were they guarding? Why did they need to be here. What the bloody hell was this all about?
“Alright, I’ll give into your madness for 2 minutes. That’s all you have, then you are out of my pub. Understand?” Addison took his chair and turned it around. Straddling it, he sat down and put his beer on the old oak table in front of him.
“Addison, three days ago we sent a probe out into deep space in search of a planet that could sustain human life. Now before you even attempt to figure this out, our scientists have created the ability for light speed.
Now the probe was sent out three days ago with the anticipation that it would be back within a month. It returned yesterday.”
Addison sat there with his jaw slightly open. He lit up a cigarette “Go on you have another minute.”
“We found life outside of our galaxy. A planet that can sustain life. It does not look like it has been in habited. It’s oceans are smaller than our own and more greener continents. The air appears to be pristine. Which brings us to why we are here. We have a ship capable of light speed that will be leaving in a few days. You sir, Mr. MacKenzie, will be on that ship.”
“You sir, are a crockpot, good day.” Addison got up from the table.
“Mr. MacKenzie, Addison, you have no choice in this matter. You must pack all of your belongings now and come with us. It’s either this or die here. I might also add that there isn’t much time left for this planet. It’s that serious.” The man in the business suit nodded at the two military guards.
“These soldiers will escort you to your home to pack. While you are packing think of one item you want to bring that is of importance to you.” The man in the business suit packed up his briefcase and went out the door.
“Please don’t be long.” He mentioned to the soldiers. “We don’t have all day.” He put on his PV and went out the door into a waiting car.
Addison stood there for a good minute before he attempted to bolt out the back. At the back door of the pub he stopped dead in his tracks. He forgot his PV unit near the bar. Ahhhh crikey! He turned around to see one of the soldiers with his PV unit dangling from his finger of his left hand.
“Looking for this sir?” The UN peacekeeper looked unamused by Addison’s behavior.
“Is all this bloody shit for real?” The soldiers were unmoved. Addison took his PV from the soldier and headed over to a stairway in the kitchen. The stairway led up to the flat above where Addison lived. He turned around and looked at the solidiers again.
“Hey can one of you lock up for me please?” The taller soldier on his left nodded and headed back to the front of the pub.
Addison climbed the stairwell to his flat. It was a narrow stairwell that had been originally installed in 1487 and then remodeled in 1978. The previous owner, his mentor and friend hadn’t done any redecorating. Addison had wanted to change it to suit his taste but without an income coming in from the pub, he couldn’t. He had hoped things would get better, since mass production of consumables had stopped and gasoline automobiles were all but extinct. It was supposed to all get better.
Addison entered his bedroom and quickly looked around for a suitcase. How much stuff would he need anyway? Then he got to thinking well if I had a fire, what would I want to get out right away. A picture of his mother. Mary MacKenzie or rather Mary Macayle now. She had married Eion Macayle several years ago. She was lonely and needed companionship. Eion was a drunk and was on his deathbed. The years of drinking had finally gone to his liver and the lack of good air didn’t help matters.
He wished he could take his mother. He wished he could say good-bye.
“Am I allowed to make a phone call? To my mum?” Addison questioned.
“No sir, no phone or any communication. If word got out about this, we would have mass panic.” By now the taller soldier had entered his upstairs dwelling and was standing in the door way of his bedroom.
Addison looked at his picture on his dresser picked it up and put it in his suitcase. Turning around he opened his dresser drawers one at a time.
“Do you think you could give me some privacy? There’s a small kitchenette down the hall to the right. Help yourself to whatever’s cold in the fridge.” The soldiers complied and left.
Addison sat on the edge of his bed holding his hand in his head. It was all too science fiction for him. A ship, right. Warp speed, right. This was lunacy plain and simple. Addison was in emotional turmoil. He needed to say good bye to his mother. Several times he walked over to his telephone and several times he stopped himself. Surely his mother wouldn’t tell a soul. He picked up the phone. Dead. What? They cut off the phone. He slammed the receiver down. Heading toward the door way he screamed a primal scream of frustration. Then calmly went back to his dresser and began to throw clothes from his dresser to his suitcase. It was then he realized that the laundry hadn’t been done. Shit!
posted by Tracey at 4:41 PM
6 Comments:
I enjoyed the latest two installments. So are the people truly picked at random? Can't wait to see who else makes it on the ship!
Thank you Adrianne for your wonderful comments. I hope you are entertained thus far.
As I stated in Chapter 2, there is a global database or registration of every living human on the planet. It is left of implied that this brave new world had central registry post terrorism.
There are several key characters coming on to the ship. Most of their personalities or physical traits come from people in my real life.
Yeah, I got the part about the registry, I just thought maybe with all of the info they keep on you each person would have a special skill that would help them survive on a new world! Are they only picking singles? LOL! I have a million questions, but I also have access to the author. This is a book lover's dream!
Even though the characters are random, I will admit that each has a special skill set or brings about a special meaning to another character. There were only two sure spots on board and that is Shem and Monica. As for their skill set, it really means nothing when going to the new world. It's the fact that they are human is what is important. Also something for you to think about. They are the last remaining humans ... will they stay that way or will the human race remain "pure"?
They are the last remaining humans ... will they stay that way or will the human race remain "pure"?
Now I am intrigued. Is the planet already inhabited? When is the next installment coming?
AHA ... you need to wait.
Next installment ... later tonight.
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