Blue lightning.
Respawner.
We're going to die.
They did not make any sense to him but the fear in their voices was scaring him. He could hear children crying as well among the people behind the fences. Why are they so scared? What's this talk about blue lightning? He looked up at the clear sky. How is lightning even possible without any clouds? This confused him more because he couldn't understand how he remembered the fact that rain was caused by clouds but did not remember anything from his life.
His thoughts drifted back to the problem of his existence. Of the lack of memories in his head. No, he was sure there were memories in his head but they would not form into anything meaningful. He grasped at the cloudy wisps in his mind but they would dart around his grasp or just seep out of it. He started to wonder if he belonged to these panicked people. He looked hard at their faces in the hope that maybe he would recognize someone and it would jog his memory. He strained hard to remember anything but it was useless. His mind was spinning and his fear was elevating.
There were watch towers among the ghettoes where soldiers with long range rifles stood. He noticed soldiers rounding up the people behind the fences ordering them harshly to get inside. They even pushed some of the starving people forward who were too weak to even walk properly. He heard a few gunshots behind the fences too and they shot fear through his heart.
Michael finally decided that he should ask Elena some of the questions that filled his mind. Maybe it would help him to make some sense out of all this.
"Umm… what were you saying about the people who can't die?" he asked reluctantly turning his gaze away from the fences. Elena looked at him carefully as if trying to decide whether she wanted to talk to this guy.
"They can die. But they just come back to life with a lightning strike."
"How?"
"No one knows."
"But it makes no sense."
"Nothing makes sense in the world now," said Elena. "We've just had to accept it."
Michael had no idea how to respond to that. Maybe she's just joking with me. Either way, she'll helping me, I should be grateful.
"Thanks for the help," said Michael. "Umm… what's your name if I may ask?"
"Elena."
"Where are we going, Elena?"
"To the city. We'll get you help there."
They trudged ahead and Michael did not ask her any more questions. Her tone had not been kind to him and well, why would it be? He was a stranger to her and that was how she was expected to act. In the distance, Michael saw army Humvees and soldiers heading in their direction. There were soldiers with megaphones yelling orders and extensively questioning the people trying to go forward. There was broken-down house nearby of which a whole section of the wall had crumbled to the ground. She hurriedly pulled him towards it and led him to its attic where part of the ceiling was broken. The chilling wind outside drafted in through.
"You better wait here," said Elena. "They won't let you inside the city if you're looking like that and you're going to need a pass too. I'll go get you some clothes. Just don't move from here."
"How long will you be gone?" said Micheal feeling anxious at the idea of being left alone.
"Not long. Here's some water," assured Elena handing him a bottle. She then left him sitting there on the dusty floor and hurried away.
He stared down at the destroyed city of Denver which seemed as scary as ever and could see people swarming outside in the streets. Some were rushing towards the mountains while others were looking in the direction where the blue lightning had supposedly hit. He could hear crying, panicked shouting and even the sounds of fights. He looked up at the clear sky again and couldn't figure out how there would be any lightning. He didn't dare expose himself for fear of people detecting him. He could hear the sound of engines as the army Humvees passed by the house. He couldn't understand what all the commotion was about.
Michael had no idea how long he was inside the attic. It felt like a very long time as he heard the whole commotion finally begin to die down with the approaching midnight. He heard the sounds of army Humvees returning, the soldiers in megaphones ordering the people to return to the city and that there was no danger. But the tension still hung in the city as it resumed its deathly state. It was hard to believe that people would actually live near a place like it.
Micheal had the jacket wrapped around his whole body now. He was shivering as the cold wind began to pick up in the darkest hours of the night. Where is she? Has she abandoned me? No, she'll come back. Why would she lie and leave me to die? No, she'll be back, she'll be back.
He waited and waited as the air got colder and he could feel the wind piercing into his skin. He had stopped looking out at the city and was curled up into a shivering ball. He could feel himself getting weak and beginning to lose consciousness. She'll be back, she'll be back, she'll be back. She told me to stay here. I can't leave. She'll be back. Dawn was now beginning to approach now and Michael shifted his body so that his body could lap up the rays of the early sunlight. He felt weary now, as if the cold had sucked out some of the life out of him. He had almost convinced himself that Elena had abandoned him when she finally arrived with clothes in her hand.
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry," she said through panting breaths and hurried to Michael. "Are you alright? Oh god, you look shaken."
Michael felt relieved to hear her voice. For a moment, he had forgotten the weakness he felt in his body. "Thank god, you're here."
"They wouldn't let anyone here until their investigations had been complete," said Elena placing a hand on his forehead. "You're burning up, you've got a fever. The wind was horrific in the night. I've got some clothes and shoes here. You better put them on now."
Michael winced as he got up to his feet. He was still shivering and his vision was dizzy. He took the clothes from Elena who waited outside as he changed into them.
"Thank you," said Michael again grateful for the warmth that the clothes were providing. He was wearing a red-striped shirt with long sleeves and black, cargo pants. They smelt slightly musty along with a comforting, homely smell.
Elena felt terrible. She had left this guy to suffer in the cold. She was the one responsible for him. She had to get him back to her clinic.
"I'm a medic. We'll get you to my clinic in the city and I'll fix you up."
Michael was barely able to stand still. His mind was woozy and his vision was shaking a bit. He figured he had no choice but to go with Elena.
"Will you be able to walk?" She could see the weakness in the way Michael was standing. He nodded with a shaky smile on his face.
Elena hurried along towards the city staying close to Michael. She felt that he would lose consciousness any second. How could you be this stupid? She cursed herself. You left him in the cold and you didn't even think about how it would affect him. You didn't even think about bringing some medicine with yourself to warm him up. You're stupid.
They finally reached the city checkpoint at the bottom of the mountains. There were huge rows of fences with barbed wire on them encircling the whole mountain range in Michael's sight. All along the boundaries he could see red flags and banners with swastikas adorned in a white background. These designs were also on the arm bands that the guards at the checkpoint wore. Beyond the checkpoint, he could see paved paths that led to roads that curved and sloped upwards into the city in the mountains.
"Stay sharp. They'll still be on high alert after that lightning strike," said Elena as they approached the checkpoint.
The guards seemed to be in a grim mood as they troubled the few people who were still trying to enter. They questioned them extensively and body-checked them, even those who had a pass with them. They sprawled all their belongings on the ground and searched it all. He couldn't see any reason why that would help them locate a respawner though he still had no idea who or what they were.
"What am I going to say to them?" asked Micheal, his voice quivering. He had seen the way the soldiers had been treating the prisoners behind the fence.
"Don't worry, I have a way. Just stay calm and let me handle it."
To Micheal's surprise, the guard acted very friendly with her. He didn't even bother checking her.
"Any luck with the herbs?" asked the guard smiling. He had a heavy German accent though he spoke English fluently.
"Yes, they've grown very well," answered Elena with a smile.
"That's great. My son's getting a cold. I'll have him at your place soon," he said. "I'd have been staying with him if not for that lightning. We're here searching for the respawner. As if there is another one." He said with a roll of the eyes.
"I see," said Elena. "I don't think it's a respawner either. Otherwise, well… you know… things wouldn't be so calm out there."
"Yes, true. I agree with you but duty is duty," he said with a sigh. Then suddenly his expression turned mean and he looked at Micheal. "Hey what are you looking at? This isn't any of your business."
Micheal gulped as the guard began to approach him but Elena stopped him. "Oh, I forgot to introduce him. He's with me. He's my… cousin. He's come to…help me with the clinic."
"Your cousin?" asked the guard inspecting Michael. "Where did he come from? Does he have a pass?"
"No, he just arrived here from one of the desert towns," she replied. "I was hoping to get him registered at the customs."
The guard hesitated. "You do know that we have closed off registrations for new people."
"Yes, I know. But please, just let this one slide. I'm sure the commander won't mind."
The guard sighed. He walked towards the small cabin besides the checkpoint and a few minutes later approached them with a white card.
"Here is a temporary pass for him. You should get him registered within the week. Normally, we do not permit this sort of stuff but your father is the one who saved the commander's wife from an early death after all."
"Thank you," said Elena as the guard let them through and she bade him farewell.