PRDS - 4413 Part 1 Chapter 11: A Savior

“What do you mean, ‘you are not coming’?”

Is this supposed to be a bad joke?

“They need me. I can’t just ignore them. I know they need my help.”

“What about you? I need you to come with me. You are chosen! You get to ‘live’. Isn’t that what we wanted?”

She rejects.

“None of us are chosen to be in P4R4D1S3. Anyone can be there. Even them. They are nothing different. They get to live too.”

But you are different to me. You are special to me.

“But… I can’t let you be here. You will die. I almost did. You are the one who saved me! You need to live. Please.”

I kneel. I beg for her life.

“I will survive. It will be survivable. If I am the only one to help them make a better place, my place should be here. Whatever others do in P4R4D1S3. Someday, P4R4D1s3 can be my place. But not now. You should find your place too, Eric. Keep that in mind, whenever, wherever.”

I can’t stop her. She leaves. She escapes the crowd. I chase after her. But she is already gone. Only the crowd carries me to the P4R4D1S3.

I don’t stop thinking of her leaving, with the words that didn’t come up. I could have said this, could have said that. If I told her a lie like there are lots of people for others, would I have been able to stop her? She wouldn’t fall for a lie like that. She is the one that knows them the best. I keep thinking which word could have made her look back, but on the other hand, I know for sure, she wouldn’t change her mind.

I knew it.

Earth was not your place.

Survivable? Look what humanity has become.

And you… Stef… I believed in you. I had a belief that you’d become something beautiful. I wished you would actually change Earth to be a better place. I wished you would be alive. You were not supposed to be just another body laying around.

Why? Why? Why didn’t you come with me?

Why...

“Alright, alright. Can you tell me more about Dr. Mireen’s work?”

The loud complaint wakes me up. I am not sure if I am actually awake or not. A stranger with a grey gas mask is sitting on a chair looking down on me.

“Are you sure she was about to give a presentation for her completed serums? Not for her prototypes?”

I sharply look around to find my company.

The stranger sighs and gives a few snaps to catch my attention.

“Hello? Your company is fine. For now. It sounds like you really don’t have any more information. Not very surprising.”

“Who are you? What do you mean ‘for now’? What do you want from me.”

The stranger reflects obvious boredom and uninterestedness with another sigh.

“I’m gonna give you a job. If you don’t do your job, you’ll have to watch those people die one by one.”

The stranger pulls up a screen with hundreds of people laying on the floor.

“How do I…”

When I try to ask how I know they are alive, the stranger immediately pulls up another screen with the people’s vital data.

“They are not dead yet. I thought you might need a strong motivation. So they are alive.”

“Why should I…”

“Enough questions. Here is your job: Take the girl to the F3 area. You got 72 hours. You should bring her intact and secure. Every minute late, one dies. In pain.”

“Who the hell are you?”

I finally ask a question. The stranger stops talking and keeps silent for a second.

“A villain.”

The stranger points to the dark corner. The light turns on and reveals unconscious Claire.

“Alright 72 hours starting now. Good luck.”

“Wait, what about the old couple?”

“Goldrichs are outside. Better hurry or you’ll never make it in time.”

I feel like I see his smirk through the gas mask. I also wonder how he knows their name.

As I run to Claire, I check to see if he is still there. Only white gas remains where the stranger was.