I'm sorry I've been so busy, school is taking over my life right now. Tonight I have to babysit my kiddos (they aren't really mine, long story) and I don't know if I'll have the chance to write a long heartfelt and thoughtful blog, but I love you people so much I don't want to leave you with nothing. I want to give you your fix, so here's the second chapter to 21st Century Breakdown, as promised.
I'm so good to you people, you have to love me <3
Voilà!
Chapter 2
When Christian finally woke up, the first thing he noticed
was the massive headache he had. What had happened? Where was he? So many
unanswered questions. As he sat up, he realized he was in a small room. It
looked like an office, but it had a small cot, a toilet and a tray with a loaf
of bread and a glass of water on it. Again, the question popped into his head;
where was he? Suddenly, he head the lock click and the door swung open. There
stood Gloria. She had changed out of her hooded cloak and was now wearing a red
t-shirt, black jeans and converse.
“Where am I?” He paused, “Who ARE you?”
“Well good morning to you too” Gloria laughed. “I do believe
you’ve earned an introduction. I’m Gloria, the leader of the rebellious group
called the Undertakers.” She replied.
“Where am I?” Christian repeated himself.
“You’re in one of the abandoned subways, deep beneath the
streets of New York City.” Said a tall muscular man who appeared in the door
way.
“This is Jakob, a longtime friend of mine.” Said Gloria,
turning the same shade of red as her shirt.
“”I’m the head of weapondry and relocation.” The man replied
to Christian’s questioning looks. “In other words, I get to clean up the mess
and turmoil this little she-devil causes.” He continued, patting Gloria on the
back; in which Gloria acknowledged the gesture by turning even redder.
“I know this is all very confusing and I know it will take
sometime for it all to sink in, but I would like to ask you a few questions,
ALONE.” Gloria responded after regaining her composure, aiming the last words
directly at Jakob.
“Ok, ok. Just give me a sec and I’ll be out of your hair.
The guys down at the med center just wanted me to tell our guest to take it
easy for the next little bit, and they asked me to deliver his clothes.” Jakob
finished, spitting the last words out like they were poison.
He flung the package of clothing at Christian, spun around
on his heel and walked off without another word.
“So, what is it that you need to ask me?” Began Christian.
“Oh, just need to know a little bit about your family, your
past and home life.” She replied.
“So basically, you want me to tell you my life story, in
exchange for nothing?” Christian replied shortly.
“Would you agree to do it in exchange for my story?”
Answered Gloria.
“I guess that’s a fair trade… But I want to know the entire
story, don’t leave anything out.” He finished.
An hour or so later, Christian was transported blind folded
to what seemed to be a room far beneath the surface of the earth. It was a
small room, about five feet by ten feet. There were no windows, and in the
middle of the room was a small recorder on a plastic table, with two empty
chairs on either side. Standing on the far right hand corner was Gloria.
“What’re you waiting for, the end of the world? Go ahead and
take a seat. We’ll start soon.” Was all she said.
After what seemed like an eternity, Gloria finally took her
seat. She clicked on the tape recorder and simply said, “Tell me a little about
your childhood.”
“I was born in Oakland, California,” Christian began. “When
I was five my family and I moved to New York for my father’s work. I went to a
normal school, and I didn’t have very many friends, and was pretty much always
alone. I made my way through middles school and high school but dropped out in
grade 11. My parents were disappointed, but let me live at home. They were
grateful for the extra income, because my mom had been fired from her job. She
worked as a waitress. I work at a car repair shop. Ever since I was little I loved to take things apart and
figure out how they work. I remember one time, when I was seven, my dad got a
new television. While he was at work, I was somehow able to pry off the back
panel and figure out how it worked.” Christian grinned and chuckled. “Man, the
look he gave me when he got home, I was never allowed to touch that TV ever
again!” Christian finished with a laughed.
“That was a good start, do you have any younger siblings?”
Continued Gloria.
Christian’s face clouded over and he was silent for a few
seconds. I seem to have struck a nerve, thought Gloria to herself. After a
while, Christian began.
“I did have an older brother. He was only a year older than
me. One day we were playing at the park, my mom had gone back home to do
something, I don’t quite remember what it was anymore. We were playing on the
seesaw, when a man approached us. He insisted that we had to come with him,
that our father was in the hospital because he had gotten into a car accident.
He told us he was a friend of our father’s. Immediately, I knew that something
was wrong. I knew my dad had taken the car to work, like he did every morning.
My brother asked the man if our mom knew about the accident, and if so why
wasn’t she picking us up. The stranger insisted that she was already at the
hospital, and that they told him to come get us. My brother gave me an assuring
look, and that told me everything was going to be alright.” Christians voice
broke, and he paused for a couple seconds, regaining his composure. “It was
then that I’ll never forgive myself. My brother told me that he would go with
the man, and make sure mom came back to get me. He was only trying to protect
me… That was the last time I ever saw him… alive. His body was found in the
woods, strangled, cuts and bruises all over his body. We had the funeral a
couple days after he was found, but I was too young to understand that he was
gone forever. His killer was never caught, and if he ever is found, then I’m
going to make him pay.” Christian finished, balling his hands into fists and
shaking his head slightly.
Gloria realized that she had lifted a weight off Christian’s
shoulders, and she probably wasn’t going to get anything else out of him today.
As she stood up to leave, Christian stood up hastily, in the
process knocking over the chair he had been sitting on a minute before.
“Hey! What happened to our deal? You still need to tell me
your story!”
“You really don’t get it do you?” Gloria spat, while
standing up. “My childhood was filled with hatred and neglect. I felt what no
child should feel, alone. I was un-wanted. My mother always told me I was a
mistake. My entire life was like that, until I started to ask myself what I had
to live for. I started doing drugs. I dropped out of school. By the time I was
fourteen my mom told me to get a job or get out. So I ran away. I thought that
by running, my problems would all just go away. Guess what-they didn’t. My life
was quickly going downhill. I started smoking. I got in trouble with the
government on more than one occasion. Finally, I realized that I needed help.
That’s when I met Jakob. He was an orphan, but he wanted to help the world, not
destroy it like I did. He convinced me to go back to my mom’s house and ask her
to forgive me. I never got the chance. When I returned home, everything was
gone. The Peacemakers found out that she was my mother, and because I was in
trouble with the law, killed her. That’s when I joined the rebellion. I had nowhere
else to go, and that’s where I find myself now. Head of the rebellion squad,
but I still can’t kick nicotine’s ass. “ She finished and took out a cigarette,
lit it and took a deep breath in.
As she walked out the door, Christian found himself lost for
words. So much had happened in the last couple of hours, it was hard to take it
all in. Just before the darkness over took him again, he saw two big men
dressed in black, coming to escort him back to his cell-like room.
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