Post by Kane on Nov 7, 2012 4:07:08 GMT 1
Welcome to my story - I Am The Sky
This particular story has been in development for over six years. After a handful of drafts later, I've finally come up with a version that seems right. Previously, this story was called Eden Code, though I decided to name the entire trilogy under a different name, while dubbing the first book Eden Code, since that name eventually surfaces as the story evolves. I hope you enjoy this!
-Kane
And be sure to check out my good friend's story, A Ghost In Paradise. I won't spoil too much, but I WILL say that both of our stories crossover at some point down the road. Cheers!
Who will you be when it’s all over?
I open my eyes and stare into the darkness of this room. Through the walls I can sense that the city is alive, though it’s faint, a muffled chorus of many things happening all at once. I don’t even want to think about the outside world just yet—with all of its chaos and disarray. A few more hours of sleep would do me well, but the very idea seems impossible to me now as I find myself thinking about the past. I sit up and run my fingers through my hair. The silence here in this room is dominant. Strange.
Can it be that I’m not alone?
My hands reach for the knife that’s hidden underneath my pillow. Something tells me to run, to flee somewhere safe and far from this place. I feel like I’m trapped—as if the walls are caving in. But once I adjust to the darkness and take another look around, it becomes obvious. I’m alone. There was nothing else out there. No horrific manifestation or shadowy figure intent on killing me. No danger at all. I tuck my weapon back in its place and deal with the humiliation that follows. Eventually my eyes linger to the far wall. A local news station is running on the vid screen, and the host of some late-night show was finishing his segment.
“…That concludes our episode for tonight folks, be sure to join us next time as we look to uncover the mystery behind the Shadow Brok-”
The reporter’s dull voice is silenced as I slam my fist down on the remote. In a pathetic rage, I toss the device and roll onto my stomach. I make another attempt at sleep, but it’s all in vain. I break for the bathroom. Once my eyes adjust to the light, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. It seems as if a stranger is looking back.
What happened to you?
It’s hard for me to accept what I’ve become. Years back, I swore an oath to serve mankind. I used to be willing to fight for humanity, no matter the cost. Now everything’s changed. I wore it heavily on my face—the guise of defeat. It was a hard thing to miss.
I leave my room and see that a man is lying on top of a couch in the living area. He’s covered in blankets and snoring so loudly that I doubt there’s anything I can do to wake him at this point. I decide that now is a good time to grab something from the kitchen. I notice the empty containers of food littered about the floor and a pile of dirty clothes draped over the table—why am I not surprised?
Looks like someone had a rough night.
“Can’t sleep either?” A voice from behind calls out.
I turn and see that a young man is staring back at me. He’s wearing a smile on his face.
“Jesus Siry! What did I tell you about sneaking up on me like that?”
“Heh, guess it just slipped my mind.”
I brush him off and regain my composure. Unlike him, I was exhausted.
Maybe it’s because he’s nearly half your age.
“No,” is my simple reply, “Haven’t been sleeping well at all lately.”
“Same here,” he says, “It’s hard…knowing we could all die at any moment…” His words—as sarcastic as they may be—resonate strongly with me.
I collect a glass of water and some fruit from the refrigerator, settling myself on top of the counter across from him. As I take a sip of the drink, I weigh his response in my head. What he said was undoubtedly true—living on Omega was about as safe as riding a Thresher Maw into battle. And still, here we were committing our lives to an endless struggle.
“I need to get off this rock.”
“You and me both,” he smirks. “I was going to talk to you about moving. I just never had the chance until now.” His eyes search mine—it’s obvious he’s looking for some sort of reaction. Rather than meet his stare, I focus on the floor and let my mind wander.
What do you remember?
Siry and I had been soldiers in the Alliance. We weren’t anything special, but we did operate under the Black-Ops division—a secret arm of the military that took on the more ‘sensitive’ operations. No red tape and bureaucratic nonsense to hold us back from doing our job. A mission went horribly wrong a few months back, and now we’re here, unable to make sense of how we lost contact with HQ. We buried ourselves in Omega, hoping to pick up the pieces, maybe even forge another life—give up on what we once believed in. But so far it had been for nothing.
Siry whispers something to me. “We should meet up with the rest of the crew. Aurora contacted me awhile ago.” He activates his Omni-Tool—a holo-map of the district covers the area around his hand.
“They’re waiting for us in the Tuhi District.”
I hustle back for my room. Suddenly, I’m eager to witness the slums. I lace up a pair of leather boots, throw on a dark jacket over my gray long-sleeve, and equip myself with proper defense. I meet Siry at the front door, passing by the pathetic man that was on the couch in the living room. I can only laugh at the sight as I shut the door behind me.
In minutes, we were on our way.
* * * *
This particular story has been in development for over six years. After a handful of drafts later, I've finally come up with a version that seems right. Previously, this story was called Eden Code, though I decided to name the entire trilogy under a different name, while dubbing the first book Eden Code, since that name eventually surfaces as the story evolves. I hope you enjoy this!
-Kane
And be sure to check out my good friend's story, A Ghost In Paradise. I won't spoil too much, but I WILL say that both of our stories crossover at some point down the road. Cheers!
Mass Effect
I Am The Sky
I Am The Sky
Who will you be when it’s all over?
I open my eyes and stare into the darkness of this room. Through the walls I can sense that the city is alive, though it’s faint, a muffled chorus of many things happening all at once. I don’t even want to think about the outside world just yet—with all of its chaos and disarray. A few more hours of sleep would do me well, but the very idea seems impossible to me now as I find myself thinking about the past. I sit up and run my fingers through my hair. The silence here in this room is dominant. Strange.
Can it be that I’m not alone?
My hands reach for the knife that’s hidden underneath my pillow. Something tells me to run, to flee somewhere safe and far from this place. I feel like I’m trapped—as if the walls are caving in. But once I adjust to the darkness and take another look around, it becomes obvious. I’m alone. There was nothing else out there. No horrific manifestation or shadowy figure intent on killing me. No danger at all. I tuck my weapon back in its place and deal with the humiliation that follows. Eventually my eyes linger to the far wall. A local news station is running on the vid screen, and the host of some late-night show was finishing his segment.
“…That concludes our episode for tonight folks, be sure to join us next time as we look to uncover the mystery behind the Shadow Brok-”
The reporter’s dull voice is silenced as I slam my fist down on the remote. In a pathetic rage, I toss the device and roll onto my stomach. I make another attempt at sleep, but it’s all in vain. I break for the bathroom. Once my eyes adjust to the light, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. It seems as if a stranger is looking back.
What happened to you?
It’s hard for me to accept what I’ve become. Years back, I swore an oath to serve mankind. I used to be willing to fight for humanity, no matter the cost. Now everything’s changed. I wore it heavily on my face—the guise of defeat. It was a hard thing to miss.
I leave my room and see that a man is lying on top of a couch in the living area. He’s covered in blankets and snoring so loudly that I doubt there’s anything I can do to wake him at this point. I decide that now is a good time to grab something from the kitchen. I notice the empty containers of food littered about the floor and a pile of dirty clothes draped over the table—why am I not surprised?
Looks like someone had a rough night.
“Can’t sleep either?” A voice from behind calls out.
I turn and see that a young man is staring back at me. He’s wearing a smile on his face.
“Jesus Siry! What did I tell you about sneaking up on me like that?”
“Heh, guess it just slipped my mind.”
I brush him off and regain my composure. Unlike him, I was exhausted.
Maybe it’s because he’s nearly half your age.
“No,” is my simple reply, “Haven’t been sleeping well at all lately.”
“Same here,” he says, “It’s hard…knowing we could all die at any moment…” His words—as sarcastic as they may be—resonate strongly with me.
I collect a glass of water and some fruit from the refrigerator, settling myself on top of the counter across from him. As I take a sip of the drink, I weigh his response in my head. What he said was undoubtedly true—living on Omega was about as safe as riding a Thresher Maw into battle. And still, here we were committing our lives to an endless struggle.
“I need to get off this rock.”
“You and me both,” he smirks. “I was going to talk to you about moving. I just never had the chance until now.” His eyes search mine—it’s obvious he’s looking for some sort of reaction. Rather than meet his stare, I focus on the floor and let my mind wander.
What do you remember?
Siry and I had been soldiers in the Alliance. We weren’t anything special, but we did operate under the Black-Ops division—a secret arm of the military that took on the more ‘sensitive’ operations. No red tape and bureaucratic nonsense to hold us back from doing our job. A mission went horribly wrong a few months back, and now we’re here, unable to make sense of how we lost contact with HQ. We buried ourselves in Omega, hoping to pick up the pieces, maybe even forge another life—give up on what we once believed in. But so far it had been for nothing.
Siry whispers something to me. “We should meet up with the rest of the crew. Aurora contacted me awhile ago.” He activates his Omni-Tool—a holo-map of the district covers the area around his hand.
“They’re waiting for us in the Tuhi District.”
I hustle back for my room. Suddenly, I’m eager to witness the slums. I lace up a pair of leather boots, throw on a dark jacket over my gray long-sleeve, and equip myself with proper defense. I meet Siry at the front door, passing by the pathetic man that was on the couch in the living room. I can only laugh at the sight as I shut the door behind me.
In minutes, we were on our way.
* * * *