Status: Still writing this book.
Teenage Wasteland
Prologue
NASA OUTPOST
Frank Schmidt sat at a desk staring down at the screen of a brightly lit computer. In fact it was the only source of light in the small dark room. Frank was a 27 year old working for NASA out in the middle of nowhere New Mexico. His job was boring but it paid well, or so he thought. Most found his job boring, and that was the truth. Along with Frank were 3 other men that worked the small outpost. As of right now Frank’s partner Tanner was outside taking a bathroom break. Tanner was 30 and had been working the same outpost for a couple years before Frank showed up.
Frank and Tanner spent the nights watching the sky, recording anomalies and observing stars. It didn’t leave much room for a social life. He was alright with it though; he had a way with women. The way that made them stay as far away as possible. So he didn’t bother with them. Instead he studied the sky, the night sky to be exact. Those other guys on the morning shift must get way more bored, or that’s what Frank hoped.
A red indicator light began to flash. Frank was fully awake in an instance, pushing buttons and opening different screens. Only seconds later Tanner came busting through the door.
“Are you picking this stuff up?” Tanner said excitingly.
“Yeah, what is it?” Frank asked.
“Meteor shower I think. Biggest one I’ve seen!”
“You are correct.” Franks busy fingers moved across the keyboard at lightning speed. “I’m picking up millions, no, billions of readings!”
Tanner switched back on his own computer. “According to all our satellites, this is happening almost everywhere. China, Russia, South America, North Africa, all over the US.”
“This is amazing! Send the data to HQ.”
“Frank! According to trajectory, some will be crashing a mile or less away.”
“When?” Frank asked.
“Half an hour or so.”
“Snap some pictures and let’s get out there.”
Frank and Tanner raced to their small jeep and sped down the dirt road through the antennae field. They were easily going over 80, but the speeding rocks above seemed to slow them down.
“Stop the car Frank!”
Frank slammed his foot on the brakes. Tanner stood up and took some pictures. The next instance the ground shook as the rock the size of a smart car landed 50 feet away. Tanner jumped and fell out of the jeep. Frank got out and raced over to the crash site. Soon after Tanner was stumbling to his feet and chasing after his colleague. They reached the rock and recoiled, forced to pull their shirt collars over their noses.
“What is that smell? Tanner did you happen to bring anything to get a sample off this rock?”
“Um yeah,” Tanner reached into his pocket and produced a sealable bag and a chisel. “I brought some gloves too.” They slipped on the gloves and chipped a small chunk of rock off the meteor. Different size meteors continued to crash around them as they drove back to the outpost.
Frank set the bag on his desk. “We’ll send it to the lab tomorrow.” He sat back down at the computer. That’s where he remained until Shane and Jordan, the day shift, showed up.
. . .
EVERSON, WASHINGTON
A meteor the size of a golf ball soared through the cold winter sky. 30,000 feet below was a sleepy neighborhood on the outside of Everson, Washington. A small house rested in the middle of it all. It was small, but that’s all that old George Mcgreary needed. Ever since his wife passed away five years ago he had no need for such a spacious living. George moved to the cozy house nestled in the middle of a nice neighborhood.
Mr. Mcgreary was in his mid 70’s a rarely left his house. Most people thought he was crazy or getting there, so he kept to himself. It helped that he was sick a lot, most of his last five years were spent on the couch or bed, watching news or the ball game.
Right now though, he was sleeping dreamlessly for once.
The small rock dropped from the sky, zooming past snowflakes and leaving a steam of smoke in its wake. The meteor smashed through the roof of Mr. Mcgreary’s house without slowing. A second later it found the stomach of the old man. He never woke up alive again.
. . .
CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL (1 WEEK AFTER METEOR SHOWER)
“Sir, we have received another report.”
“Great, have we identified what this virus is?”
“No sir, but whatever it is, it is spreading quick.”
“So all we know is that it makes people crazy and want to eat other people?”
“We also know it originated from the meteors, sir.”
“Right, prepare an emergency broadcast.”
“But sir, Its Christmas.”
“All the more reason why we should warn people.”
Frank Schmidt sat at a desk staring down at the screen of a brightly lit computer. In fact it was the only source of light in the small dark room. Frank was a 27 year old working for NASA out in the middle of nowhere New Mexico. His job was boring but it paid well, or so he thought. Most found his job boring, and that was the truth. Along with Frank were 3 other men that worked the small outpost. As of right now Frank’s partner Tanner was outside taking a bathroom break. Tanner was 30 and had been working the same outpost for a couple years before Frank showed up.
Frank and Tanner spent the nights watching the sky, recording anomalies and observing stars. It didn’t leave much room for a social life. He was alright with it though; he had a way with women. The way that made them stay as far away as possible. So he didn’t bother with them. Instead he studied the sky, the night sky to be exact. Those other guys on the morning shift must get way more bored, or that’s what Frank hoped.
A red indicator light began to flash. Frank was fully awake in an instance, pushing buttons and opening different screens. Only seconds later Tanner came busting through the door.
“Are you picking this stuff up?” Tanner said excitingly.
“Yeah, what is it?” Frank asked.
“Meteor shower I think. Biggest one I’ve seen!”
“You are correct.” Franks busy fingers moved across the keyboard at lightning speed. “I’m picking up millions, no, billions of readings!”
Tanner switched back on his own computer. “According to all our satellites, this is happening almost everywhere. China, Russia, South America, North Africa, all over the US.”
“This is amazing! Send the data to HQ.”
“Frank! According to trajectory, some will be crashing a mile or less away.”
“When?” Frank asked.
“Half an hour or so.”
“Snap some pictures and let’s get out there.”
Frank and Tanner raced to their small jeep and sped down the dirt road through the antennae field. They were easily going over 80, but the speeding rocks above seemed to slow them down.
“Stop the car Frank!”
Frank slammed his foot on the brakes. Tanner stood up and took some pictures. The next instance the ground shook as the rock the size of a smart car landed 50 feet away. Tanner jumped and fell out of the jeep. Frank got out and raced over to the crash site. Soon after Tanner was stumbling to his feet and chasing after his colleague. They reached the rock and recoiled, forced to pull their shirt collars over their noses.
“What is that smell? Tanner did you happen to bring anything to get a sample off this rock?”
“Um yeah,” Tanner reached into his pocket and produced a sealable bag and a chisel. “I brought some gloves too.” They slipped on the gloves and chipped a small chunk of rock off the meteor. Different size meteors continued to crash around them as they drove back to the outpost.
Frank set the bag on his desk. “We’ll send it to the lab tomorrow.” He sat back down at the computer. That’s where he remained until Shane and Jordan, the day shift, showed up.
. . .
EVERSON, WASHINGTON
A meteor the size of a golf ball soared through the cold winter sky. 30,000 feet below was a sleepy neighborhood on the outside of Everson, Washington. A small house rested in the middle of it all. It was small, but that’s all that old George Mcgreary needed. Ever since his wife passed away five years ago he had no need for such a spacious living. George moved to the cozy house nestled in the middle of a nice neighborhood.
Mr. Mcgreary was in his mid 70’s a rarely left his house. Most people thought he was crazy or getting there, so he kept to himself. It helped that he was sick a lot, most of his last five years were spent on the couch or bed, watching news or the ball game.
Right now though, he was sleeping dreamlessly for once.
The small rock dropped from the sky, zooming past snowflakes and leaving a steam of smoke in its wake. The meteor smashed through the roof of Mr. Mcgreary’s house without slowing. A second later it found the stomach of the old man. He never woke up alive again.
. . .
CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL (1 WEEK AFTER METEOR SHOWER)
“Sir, we have received another report.”
“Great, have we identified what this virus is?”
“No sir, but whatever it is, it is spreading quick.”
“So all we know is that it makes people crazy and want to eat other people?”
“We also know it originated from the meteors, sir.”
“Right, prepare an emergency broadcast.”
“But sir, Its Christmas.”
“All the more reason why we should warn people.”