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  Beyond The Collapse

  Beyond The Collapse Book 1

  Kip Nelson

  Copyright © 2017 by Kip Nelson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Prologue

  Adam Carlyle was sitting in his office, a wide grin on his face. He leaned back in his chair and took a moment to appreciate his good fortune, and his talent. He ran his hands through his unkempt black hair. His stained, creased T-shirt rose up, exposing a tattoo on his right bicep. It was in the shape of Pac-Man chasing the pills, a tribute to the 16-bit games he used to love, and what had inspired him to embark on a career as a video game designer. He now was working for a small, independent label that had had a few smash hits. For most of his life, he now was thirty-nine, had been used to working from small hovels, crammed into a tiny space with other people. He didn't seem his thirty-nine years, although there was gray streaking through his beard, and many people called him a man-child. He didn't mind this so much. He never saw the appeal of growing up anyway.

  Over the past few years his career had skyrocketed. He now was one of the most in-demand designers in the industry, after proving himself with a number of titles that had gone platinum upon release. Because of him and the other talented people working at Rainstorm Productions, they had moved into one of the towering skyscrapers standing tall in the heart of Opal City. He'd always looked with envy at the people who worked in this special, sacred part of town. It always had seemed like another world to him, a world he never would gain entry to. But now he was with them. Among all their sharp suits, he was there, a success. For Adam, that was the best feeling in the world. He hadn't had much of a good life or childhood, but now it finally felt as though things were clicking into place and his life finally was getting going. He liked to say he was a late bloomer.

  “Hey Adam, we're ready for you,” Clark said, poking his head into Adam's office.

  The thin, wiry man pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose. Adam noticed his eyes darting about the room, as they were wont to do. Clark was one of the most brilliant people Adam ever had met, but he often was lost in his own world. Adam clapped his hands with glee and jumped up from his chair, startling Clark.

  “You're in a good mood,” Clark said as they walked to another, larger room, one that was used to test new equipment.

  “Life is good, my friend, life is very good. I think I've got an idea for my best work yet, and it's going to blow the socks off everyone. This is going to be a real game-changer. I think I'll be adding another trophy or two to the collection.”

  “Oh, well, if you're busy, we always can get someone else to test the Hololife.”

  Adam scoffed. “No way, I've been looking forward to this since the first time I saw Star Trek as a kid. I can't believe we've finally reached a point where all those things are starting to become real!”

  The Hololife was going to be Rainstorm's biggest release yet, a virtual reality platform where players truly could immerse themselves in another world. Adam went into the room where his other co-workers, Cindy, a slender red-haired woman, and Benny, an overweight Chinese man, were setting up the device. Adam walked in and, for once, he noticed the headset before he cast his eyes over Cindy, who he'd had a crush on ever since the two of them had met. The feelings were not reciprocated, however, and now, no matter how much he tried, she would not accept the offer of a date with him.

  “It's funny, isn't it? How this little thing can lead to a whole new world of possibilities?” Adam said as he picked up the small headset.

  “We've still got a way to go yet,” Cindy warned.

  “No, this is it, I know it. This is going to be big. We're going to change the world with this. Finally, people can live out their lives as they want. There's going to be no disappointment. People can try out different tactics. I can't tell you how much this would have helped me as a kid. Think of it, you can get over the nerves of asking the girl out to prom. You actually can visit different eras of history and talk with famous people. You can be there at Woodstock and the premiere of Star Wars. You can go to the deepest parts of the ocean, and take one small step on the Moon. Trust me. guys, this is going to revolutionize the way we live.”

  “Adam, people just are going to use it to play games. Let's not kid ourselves here. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm proud of all the work we've been doing, but I think you're getting ahead of yourself. Nothing ever is going to replace the real world,” Cindy said.

  “What's real?” Adam asked. “The only reality that matters is the one you perceive to be important.”

  “He does have a point,” Clark said. “If we get to the point where a virtual reality is indistinguishable from actual reality, then, for all intents and purposes, it is real. I'm not certain we're going to get that far on this first try, though.”

  “Well, I think you guys are crazy. This is good for fun and games, and it'll be great for research, and to help people around the world communicate. Still, like any other piece of technology, I think it's only true purpose is enhancing our existing lives, not replacing them,” Cindy said, Benny nodded in agreement.

  Adam knew it was pointless to argue because he couldn't change their minds, but deep down he knew he was right. All his life he had lost himself in fictional worlds, living vicariously through television shows and movies, imagining himself as living out the adventures of the heroes depicted in comic books and novels. The characters were more than just fiction, they were his friends. He had spent more time with them over the years than any other people. They had been with him through some terrible things, times when he had struggled with the real world, and thought it was better that he wasn't a part of it at all.

  He'd never particularly had a handle on life, and there were some parts of it that just had passed him by. He was reminded of this whenever he glanced down at his hand and saw the lack of a wedding band around his finger. All his life he had wanted love, but it had been one of those things that seemed destined for other people rather than himself. With emptiness in one hand, and the Hololife headset in the other, he tried ignoring the deep, gnawing feeling in his gut that always was present, that always seemed to chip away at whatever happiness he had, the little voice that told him he never really had lived at all.

  That evening, while in his apartment getting ready for bed, he was watching one of his favorite movies and reflecting on the experiences of the day. Sleep never came easy for him, especially when his mind was buzzing with ideas. First, he was working through the new game idea, and second, he was thinking about the Hololife. Wearing the headset had been a comfort for him, an escape, and he wondered if, given the choice, he would wear it constantly, and live a life of his own design instead of living in the real world.

  He'd made a career for himself and was successful at it, but as he looked around, he had to ask himself what he really had accomplished. There were empty pizza boxes and bottles of beer around him, shelves filled with DVDs, b
oard games, and comic books, and nobody to share it with him. The usual message in fictional stories about these kinds of things was that people never liked a life that was fabricated, they always chose the real thing in the end, even if it was ugly and imperfect. Yet, at that moment, Adam easily could see himself trading his real life for one that was, frankly, better.

  Adam awoke in the middle of the night, his back aching because he had fallen asleep in the chair. The television was off, but he couldn't remember turning it off. He rubbed his eyes and looked over at his clock, and cursed for it seemed as though the batteries had died, or that there had been a power outage. He picked up his phone and was surprised when that didn't work either. Then, in the distance, there was a bloodcurdling, roaring sound that sent a chill through his bones. He threw open the curtains to see a plane streaking down through the sky, hurtling toward the ground at an incredible speed. Adam barely could believe his eyes. Was this a terrorist attack? The moon shone down upon Opal City, and in that peaceful night a plane crashed into the Earth, a burst of ash and debris flying upward.

  Adam's throat ran dry. He ran to the toilet and vomited.

  He didn't know it yet, but the world was coming to an end.

  Chapter One

  Adam is alone in the outskirts of Opal City. Behind him the skyscrapers reach high into the sky, but they are no longer the beating heart of the city. They're more like tombs now. His hair is long and tied back into a ponytail, his beard is tousled and unkempt. The stench surrounding him sticks and clings to his dirty clothes, but he long ago had gotten used to it. His throat is dry and his mind is alive, making himself aware of his surroundings. His stomach grumbles. He hasn't eaten properly since this whole thing began. The rain pours down in sheets, and the air is cold. Despite standing under a tree for shelter Adam already is soaked, and his sneakers are wet through and clad in mud. The ground underneath his feet is drenched with rain.

  He used to love the rain. It made a relaxing sound and seemed to refresh the world, but now he hated it. He was cold and miserable and hungry and just wanted it to go away. He licked his lips, tasting the drops that lingered there and felt the relief for his parched throat. He reached up and tore a thick leaf from one of the branches, folding it to try collecting the water and funneling it into his mouth. He was sure he had seen something like that on a survival show once, but it didn't work. A few drops of water caught on the leaves and trickled down slowly but it wasn't enough to slake his thirst. Throwing the leaf down in frustration he cursed himself for not having more bottles with him. There were so many things that he failed at, sometimes it was a wonder he still was alive.

  Since he was already wet he stepped out into the pouring rain and opened out his arms, letting his jaw hang open to welcome the rainwater in. The spear he held in one hand pointed up at the sky, his other hand was free and he felt the rain pattering down upon his palm. The amount of water that found its way into his mouth was not as much as he would have liked, but it still gave him a respite from the aching dryness that had plagued him, and it meant he could go on living. After this, he unscrewed the caps of his two bottles and held them open, letting the water collect in them before he tipped them back and gulped the water greedily down his throat. Then he stood there with them open to the world, watching the rain fill them up.

  How he wished he had more bottles, and that he had carried more with him when he first had escaped the city. Back then he hadn't thought this far ahead; he only had been concerned with his immediate survival. He'd quickly come to realize that so much of his way of thinking had been proven wrong. He had assumed water would be found in abundance since it never had been a worry during his entire lifetime, but after living in the wilderness he now knew it was a scarce resource and quite precious. People used to want for money and gold and sparkly jewels, but Adam would have traded everything for water and a good meal.

  Once the bottles were filled he retreated to the cover of trees again, feeling vulnerable. He was paranoid about what could have been lurking out there, watching him, while waiting for the moment to strike. Beasts and men were dangers in this new embryonic world. He glanced over at his spear, a rudimentary one he had carved with a knife. The tip was uneven and he was certain that it would be looked upon with scorn by experts, but it was all he had and, so far, it had proven useful to kill small animals.

  He had done things in this new world that he never thought he ever would do, and he considered himself a changed man. He'd always considered himself a man of the future and never liked living without technology, but ever since the disaster happened everything had changed. Adam had left the city as quickly as possible, scared by what he saw and heard. All he'd wanted to do was run away and be by himself, thinking that it was the safest place to be. At least nobody could hurt him. But now he was afraid that, alone, he would suffer the fate of so many lonely souls and die because he didn't have a group to support him.

  In the distance, through the pouring rain, he spied his quarry and placed his feet on the ground, hunching over to reduce his visibility. He drew his cloak around him tightly and gripped his spear. The rain blurred his vision and dripped from the end of his nose. Each step squelched as he moved forward. He was worried that either that or the rumbling of his stomach would alert his prey to his presence and it would skitter away, and once again he would be left to go hungry. Over the years of his life he had watched many movies and television shows about survival, but the reality was far different than it had been made out.

  His prey, the mighty beast, was as sodden as him. It stopped for a moment, so Adam did as well, trying to mirror its movements. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a worm burrowing into the soil. Part of him was tempted to reach down and thrust it into his mouth, but he hadn't reached that point of desperation yet. He had read survival stories where people had been so desperate for food their brain chemistry actually had altered itself to make unappetizing things, such as the eyes of a fish, seem palatable. Adam hoped he never would reach that point.

  The beast was on its way again. So, Adam followed, treading carefully, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Part of him wondered why he even was bothering to try surviving through winter when it only was going to get colder and more arduous. The chances of him making it through summer were slim. He'd always had a healthy constitution and rarely got ill, but he knew about the dangers of pneumonia, and without proper medical care that could prove to be fatal. He'd never actually realized how dangerous the world was, and just how many things there were that could kill him. He'd lived in a society coddled by productivity and progress, and although people complained about their lot in life, it was clear now that they had been perhaps the luckiest generation ever. That luck swiftly had changed, however, and now the modern age had been plunged into chaos. There were surely other people who were struggling just as much as him.

  Strangely, he didn't find any comfort in that fact.

  He yelled in pain as he caught his foot on a sharp rock, splitting the sole of his shoe. He bit his tongue and mumbled, hoping he didn't startle the prey he was tracking. He bent his foot up to examine the damage and inwardly bemoaned his fate. As if things couldn't get any worse...he already could feel the wetness seeping into his sock. Yet, he had no choice but to press his foot into the ground and bear the discomfort for as long as he was able. He tried to ignore it as he moved forward, but it was impossible to not feel the horrible damp feeling fill his shoe, caking it in mud as the rain continued pouring down, soaking him to his bones. These were the types of days when he should have been curled up under a blanket with take-out and a movie marathon. Oh, what he wouldn't give for a slice of pizza right now, or a mouthful of beef chow mein. The thought was enough to make his stomach rumble again, and he looked at the beast in front of him, licking his lips in anticipation of dinner.

  In his mind, he saw it as a mighty warrior, an opponent who, if he didn't defeat it, would turn and attack him, possibly injuring him beyond repair. In reality, it was a sma
ll raccoon, bounding and leaping across the ground, occasionally pausing to take stock of its situation. Adam wondered if animals were feeling the strain just as humans were, or if, for them, the world was largely unchanged. One change for certain was that humans were moving into the woodland areas to hunt for food. Before, these animals would have been left to mind their own business, but now people were desperate and were entering the circle of life once again. The canned goods and food in the city only would last a finite time, and he was sure others like him had ventured away from the dangers of other people to try making it by themselves. This raccoon would not be the only animal that fell by the hands of humans. It was not the first and it would certainly not be the last.

  Adam found himself firmly outside his comfort zone, and even though he now had had some practice with his spear, he certainly was no expert. The first few times he had tried to slay an animal he had failed. Either he had missed or he had made too much noise and the animals were able to escape. Learning from his mistakes, however, he had improved, setting his mind to the task as though it were a video game. They had been his entire life. Not only had he made a career out of them, but he had been brought up on them. So, he was used to the idea of starting out weak and getting stronger with more experience. That was the only way he could cope, to be honest, thinking of his life as a video game. This was just the way he had to level up and improve his skills. Eventually, he would be a master, but the difference was that this time it was his actual life at stake rather than simply an avatar on a screen. The hunger he felt was real, as was the desperation and fear.