Freedom Is for the Young
1rst part
Icarus sighed and set down his equipment the patient he was treating had lost the fight. This 40 year old, brown haired magician had traded in his tricks for science. It was already 100 years after the war and a disease was spreading quickly. His daughter, Sara had been born with it, after his wife got it. Unfortunately Sara’s mom died only months after the girl was born. Now at age 17 Sara still had the effects of the disease, but seemed unharmed. Just… different. It seemed that the radiation effects from the nuclear war had given the ones infected, abilities. Things that seemed science fiction. Out of all the world, only about 1/12 of the population was left. Most had been scattered in the lesser areas that was destroyed by the war. Well not completely destroyed. Africa, Australia, and the more remote areas of the world were less destroyed than say America, England and Europe; which were practically vaporized from existence. This small population of 100,000 people was currently in underground S. America, trying to survive. The jungles were no longer lush green but more of a dull grey flatland. There were no more trees or much of anything really.
About 2/3 of the surviving population picked up the disease and ½ of the infected died. The other ½ survived and the strange additions had remained. The effects were too crazy for the old magician to wrap his head around. Luckily his best friends, Magnus and Isacar, was more scientific that he was. Icarus, Isacar and Magnus had 5 other scientists working on the cure. The radiation sickness combined with this unknown attacker was stressing all the knowledge that the scientists had. The only positive thing, sickness wise was that the radiation killed a lot of the known sicknesses like the flu, yellow fever, swine flu, malaria and others.
“Icarus!” Magnus called. “Have you seen Isacar anywhere?” Isacar was another friend of Icarus’. He was an old man in his 50’s. Grumpy, but a good man at heart. He was also a scientist that dealt with diseases.
“Um, I think he’s testing the survivors!” Icarus called back. “He said he found a new… power?” Icarus huffed. This was too much like Marvel or DC comics for him. Even Magnus was having a hard time believing it. He ran over his notes again and read his a few of his journal entries. One in particular explained the symptoms.
[Day 31
I still can’t believe it. I’ve seen it in so many people, even my own daughter and her friend. The symptoms of this disease are beyond belief. The canines are overgrown like that of a cat’s but more proportional to the human mouth. One might even go so far as to say vampire like. There’s no thirst of blood though. Or any other signs of violence. Once the disease is in full term, the victim gains a rash that forms around the body in all areas, similar to the plague. Violent muscle spasms occur and loss of speech. The total length of the disease can be up to 5 months of this painful torture. Those who do not make it slip into a coma and never return. Those who are able to fight it come out mentally and physically well within 2 months. Only the strange side effects stay. The survivors have the ability to communicate to one another without speak or any visible communication such as body movement. The only signs are a pointing of a finger or a nod of the head. A few have a discoloring of the skin; either a red, blue, yellow or green tint. Some are even pale and appear to be white. The subjects’ eyes are also cat like in the fact that they dilate with the light. Odd colors such as violet and gold are present in in some eyes. There are no other symptoms that I can see and so far it is unexplainable.]
Icarus shut his journal and walked out with Magnus to see what Isacar was doing. Sara and her friend, Alex were messing around with their so called ‘new power’. Isacar said that it was only a case of increased sensitivity of the 5 senses. The disease was giving them more acute senses of sight and hearing and smell. Sara took a deep breath her blue eyes closed and she focused. “I can smell food.” She finally said and turned towards Icarus. Her long blonde hair flowed over her pale white skin. Both her hand Alex had the white discoloration of their skin.
Magnus sighed. “Focus you two. We still don’t know if your condition advance is positive or negative. We need more tests.”
Alex grumbled. “We’re fine, dad” his golden eyes peeked out from his scruffy brown hair at the others survivors of the disease. They too had increased sensitivity. Unlike these frivolous teenagers, most of the victims were scuttling around trying to take care of small children. Most that were effected were the youth under 30 years of age. Even a few kids under 12 had gotten it and somehow miraculously survived with some help from the scientists. They too had the elongated canines and discoloration.
Magnus scolded the teenagers again. A few of the other victims were glaring at them. Most were unhappy and scared. They had a right to be.
“Can we see the surface yet?” Sara asked.
“No” Icarus said harshly. “Not even 1000 years after a war like that, will it be ok to go to the surface. Just a breath of that air would kill you” The air above ground was filled with toxins and was unbreathable. It was a fool’s errand to go and filter it so the underground had air but someone had to do it. That was 2 of the other scientists’ job. They stayed in the room where the filters were and made the air less toxic.
“But why?” Sara asked. It’s been 100 years”
“Only a fool would go to the surface” Magnus said. “It could take more than 500 years for the earth to recover. She won’t ever return to her beauty again. Not fully. This war has almost killed her. And us. We’re lucky to be alive”
A woman came up to them asking for help and Sara and Alex were sent away.
“It’s not fair” Sara said. “I want to see the surface”
“Me too” Alex said. “Maybe in a few more years”
Sara shook her head. “I don’t want to wait that long”
“5 years?” Alex asked. “Will that work?”
Sara nodded. “Ok fine. 5 years.
About 2/3 of the surviving population picked up the disease and ½ of the infected died. The other ½ survived and the strange additions had remained. The effects were too crazy for the old magician to wrap his head around. Luckily his best friends, Magnus and Isacar, was more scientific that he was. Icarus, Isacar and Magnus had 5 other scientists working on the cure. The radiation sickness combined with this unknown attacker was stressing all the knowledge that the scientists had. The only positive thing, sickness wise was that the radiation killed a lot of the known sicknesses like the flu, yellow fever, swine flu, malaria and others.
“Icarus!” Magnus called. “Have you seen Isacar anywhere?” Isacar was another friend of Icarus’. He was an old man in his 50’s. Grumpy, but a good man at heart. He was also a scientist that dealt with diseases.
“Um, I think he’s testing the survivors!” Icarus called back. “He said he found a new… power?” Icarus huffed. This was too much like Marvel or DC comics for him. Even Magnus was having a hard time believing it. He ran over his notes again and read his a few of his journal entries. One in particular explained the symptoms.
[Day 31
I still can’t believe it. I’ve seen it in so many people, even my own daughter and her friend. The symptoms of this disease are beyond belief. The canines are overgrown like that of a cat’s but more proportional to the human mouth. One might even go so far as to say vampire like. There’s no thirst of blood though. Or any other signs of violence. Once the disease is in full term, the victim gains a rash that forms around the body in all areas, similar to the plague. Violent muscle spasms occur and loss of speech. The total length of the disease can be up to 5 months of this painful torture. Those who do not make it slip into a coma and never return. Those who are able to fight it come out mentally and physically well within 2 months. Only the strange side effects stay. The survivors have the ability to communicate to one another without speak or any visible communication such as body movement. The only signs are a pointing of a finger or a nod of the head. A few have a discoloring of the skin; either a red, blue, yellow or green tint. Some are even pale and appear to be white. The subjects’ eyes are also cat like in the fact that they dilate with the light. Odd colors such as violet and gold are present in in some eyes. There are no other symptoms that I can see and so far it is unexplainable.]
Icarus shut his journal and walked out with Magnus to see what Isacar was doing. Sara and her friend, Alex were messing around with their so called ‘new power’. Isacar said that it was only a case of increased sensitivity of the 5 senses. The disease was giving them more acute senses of sight and hearing and smell. Sara took a deep breath her blue eyes closed and she focused. “I can smell food.” She finally said and turned towards Icarus. Her long blonde hair flowed over her pale white skin. Both her hand Alex had the white discoloration of their skin.
Magnus sighed. “Focus you two. We still don’t know if your condition advance is positive or negative. We need more tests.”
Alex grumbled. “We’re fine, dad” his golden eyes peeked out from his scruffy brown hair at the others survivors of the disease. They too had increased sensitivity. Unlike these frivolous teenagers, most of the victims were scuttling around trying to take care of small children. Most that were effected were the youth under 30 years of age. Even a few kids under 12 had gotten it and somehow miraculously survived with some help from the scientists. They too had the elongated canines and discoloration.
Magnus scolded the teenagers again. A few of the other victims were glaring at them. Most were unhappy and scared. They had a right to be.
“Can we see the surface yet?” Sara asked.
“No” Icarus said harshly. “Not even 1000 years after a war like that, will it be ok to go to the surface. Just a breath of that air would kill you” The air above ground was filled with toxins and was unbreathable. It was a fool’s errand to go and filter it so the underground had air but someone had to do it. That was 2 of the other scientists’ job. They stayed in the room where the filters were and made the air less toxic.
“But why?” Sara asked. It’s been 100 years”
“Only a fool would go to the surface” Magnus said. “It could take more than 500 years for the earth to recover. She won’t ever return to her beauty again. Not fully. This war has almost killed her. And us. We’re lucky to be alive”
A woman came up to them asking for help and Sara and Alex were sent away.
“It’s not fair” Sara said. “I want to see the surface”
“Me too” Alex said. “Maybe in a few more years”
Sara shook her head. “I don’t want to wait that long”
“5 years?” Alex asked. “Will that work?”
Sara nodded. “Ok fine. 5 years.