CHAPTER 1 - the sky vortex

 Subchapter 1- The Empty City

It started with me falling out of a tall building and I fell onto another building. My first thoughts after I regained cautiousness (Dusty, great I am partially buried alive). I felt so disoriented from the crash and had no memory of where I was or who I am. I coughed puffs of smoke and I dislodge some sand and dust that somehow made its way in my nose and mouth. Crawling out I saw the room was empty with no one but me inside, not even dead people. I poured one for the dead with the sand that was in my shoe. This damn sand and dust. From the rubble I rose, with legs that felt like they were not mine, to find myself in an abandon building with no furniture of any kind to suggest what it used to be. All that seem to remain were gaping square holes, where glass windows and doors should be. Peeping outside one of them I could see a gloomy grey sky and the city that I was in that was in ruins. 

All of the buildings and skyscrapers had no windows and some of their interiors were bare and exposed to the elements. Not even one blade of grass was brave enough to setup an outpost in this empty city to wave its green banner of life to rebel against this other worldly barren city. I could see the trees of the forest fighting a losing battle against the winds in the far distance ahead. To my right was another forest that seemed much closer, and it had darker trees with still leaves. Next to that was a highway (...what's left of one anyways). Judging by the composition of the skyscrapers and other tall buildings coupled with the forest I saw that rested in the far distance and its relationship to the horizon, I concluded that this must be some sort of corporate office building. That and the number of wires, dangling like roots out of the walls and ceilings, were what give it away. I could only speculate as to the function of the building but there were more pressing issues, and it was not my unknown identity. it was the fact that I started to feel the floor below my feet gently vibrate and heard a low rumble. The buildings were not done moving.

Moving away from the opening in the exterior wall. I made my way to the only doorway opening in the room that I was in, still struggling to put one foot in front of the other but getting there slowly. I stood in the doorway and rest my right hand on the wall of the room I was leaving, taking a short break. thinking to myself that's it's amazing that I didn't die but, in that moment, I reminded myself that I cannot stay here any longer. I limped my way across the room to the other doorway passing by debris from the roof that caved in sealing off a large portion of the room under rubble. Just walk it off. My legs are starting to work now. I can walk but not yet run. At the doorway at the end of the room I found stairs leading down. I made my way down the first flight of stairs and my legs were ready now. I made my way down all the stairs as fast as I could, trying not to rush and fall down the stairs. I passed by so many rooms and openings but did not stay long to see what was inside each as the rumble reminded me that I was still in danger. Whatever happened to me before the buildings crashed is still happening. I finally exit the building and got better bearings. The building that I was in was on the outskirts of the city with the broken fly-over highway and beyond that a forest in front of me. There was still not a soul in sight. Where is everyone?

 ...Am I the only one alive? ...

There aren't even dead bodies lying around. No clothes, no nothing. No trace of anyone who might have been here. It is just me and these empty hollow buildings. The empty city. I wanted to explore the city for signs of life but the unstable buildings that fortify the city seemed dangerous and I could hear buildings collapsing far deeper inside the city. In fact, the building that I was in was just about to give in as well. I decided to leave the city as there was seemingly nothing there and no signs of life. The only signs of life were the dark forest and that highway with a car. Wait a car?

No. CARS! Finally, my first sign of civilization. I made my way towards that broken highway. I don't know how I missed them before on top of the building, but then again, I woke up in a pile of rubble from a collapsed building, but the highway does slightly curve around the forest in a crescent form. Perhaps it was just the angle I viewed if from. On my way to the few vehicles, I spotted on the road of the highway. I looked back and I got a way better view of the city as a whole. The city seemed to stretch on forever and rested on what seem to be a sandy salt pan. In the far distance in front of me. just endless buildings that fall down but never lessen and a gloomy grey sky. 

I continued to march forward on the road. The vehicles had vanished once again behind the trees of the forest, but I know it's there. It wasn't my eyes playing tricks on me, or was it? Perhaps a injury I sustained from a blow to the. No, I got to stay focused. I know what I saw. The forest on my left was my next stop if I could not find the cars I saw or if there was nothing useful there. Around the bend I passed the corroded cars. Their corroded metal tells me that they have been here a long while, so I was living in an aftermath of whatever had happened. There was nothing in them not even seats, but they all had no engine, and the gas tank door were wide open. I see far down the road was a tipped over van. The journey to the van was long on this road that had seen better days. The lightning inspired art works were well craved into the road using cracks like those marble pieces that were not properly handled before they were placed on display at museums. The artist of this had to be "Time", by now I am familiar with his work. the road ahead stretched on and the fine sand in the side of my socks cause the area above my ankle to itch (Scratch). I am much closer to the van and noticed the canal entering from the forest on my right. Good I can wash my sockets there. 

Approaching the van, I noticed that it was not corroded. It was white with orange words, "Nelly's Deli Van " on one side that was now the roof. It was clean but most importantly it was new. Someone left it here recently. it was on its side so whoever drove it had an accident and left it here. I saw a broken bridge at what seems to be the end of this road. I will investigate it tomorrow as it was late now and that was quite a distance to walk to and back before it gets dark. I did not see anything that resembles a shelter and did not want to walk back in the dark. My legs are tired. Inside the van I found boxes with packets of chips, a whole bunch of biscuits, two Fizz-Zola and five loafs of bread in total, which I helped myself of course. After devouring one loaf, two packets of chips, all of the biscuits and gulping down one Fizz-Zola (because I was that hungry), I sealed myself in the back of the van for the night. I sat there looking at my socks hanging in front of me, they are almost dry now. The last thing that I could remember before I fell asleep was me thinking if I should eat the remaining loafs and it struck me as odd that the bread had no mold. it was fresh bread. Well not fresh bread but it was made recently. Hmm... I wonder if Nelly is still operational.

The next morning, I woke up from a makeshift bed I made with seat stuffing for a pillow and cardboard boxes for a blanket. I grabbed the last Fizz-Zola, locked up the van as best I could and headed for the broken bridge. I started walking on the pavement on the right side of the road. the canal of water was to my right and rested on the lowest lying terrace. On the middle terrace was another path that traveled in between the pavement (below it) and above the canal. I was on the pavement looking around me. I drank some of the Fizz-Zola I had in my left hand, and I looked back to see the city, its buildings still managed to peer over the forest tree that tried their level best to conceal it, but it was to no avail. When I looked back at the bridge, I saw someone. I man charging towards me.