WARNING: The following post contains material that certain readers may find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised.
~AUSTRALIA, EARTH ZF-02~
~AUSTRALIA, EARTH ZF-02~
Approx. Twenty Years in the Future...
"Yeah, Vee?"
The fire crackled, a badly-applied splat of scarlet and orange against the inky black canvas of the desert sand. The sky above was not quite dark, the last flickers of an evening sun daubing the edge of the horizon in duck-egg blue that faded to navy. Stars dotted the plane like the painter of this ongoing metaphor has lost all patience and was now just randomly flicking his brush at his own easel in frustration with the world in general. And, at the very edge of the splat, sat two figures - one blond, the other brunet, lazily draped within the back seat of a mud-splattered car of unidentifiable make.
The brunet, Vee, had turned open, honest green eyes towards his companion, Bee, as he spoke. His voice was the voice of the quiet, gentle European boy down the road who helped with the shopping, and should not have come from what looked like a wind-battered drifter, sand and grit stuck in his spiky brown hair. He looked too young - both did, somewhere in the awkward transition between teens and adulthood. And yet their dishevelled appearance granted them the look of people who had been dealt a bum hand in the great poker game of life, and had no choice but to keep plowing through the dirt to carry on.
"You ever wonder how long we've been doing this?" Vee continued.
Bee shrugged, almost nonchalantly. "Nah. I try not to think about that stuff." His arm emerged from somewhere in the depths of the back seat and raised a half-empty bottle of whiskey to his lips, tipping his head back as far as the weathered seating would allow. Vee politely waited until he'd finished gulping, seeming to not wish to interrupt the other's private moment, then resumed his train of thought once the bottle has descended.
"I mean..." A sigh, almost wistful, passed through his lips. "It all started like a normal day, didn't it? And then the Outbreak happened, and everything in the middle just seems like a bad fever dream, full of screaming and teeth. Somewhere in that mess, I meet you, and now we're just..." Letting his sentence trail off, he gestured to the vehicle they shared - once a fashionable make, it too looked as though it had seen better days, long ago.
"Hey, I ain't complaining." Bee had put back the mystery bottle and flashed a grin at his companion, brown eyes sparking with a mischiefs that seemed bred into his bones. "I'm having more fun than I ever did back home - drifting round the world, living by the skin of my teeth, bartering for fuel, food and places to sleep... Give me this over swinging my dad's stupid sword about, any day!"
"But they-" Vee began, and stopped as a finger came to his lips.
"Are miles away, with an ocean between us and them," came the gentle interruption. "Jeez, Vee, you gotta stop jumping at shadows! They quarantined Australia the moment the Outbreak spread to India, remember? When those things find a way to cross oceans without dissolving like Mentos in Coke, then you can be scared - but not before, alright?"
Vee relaxed a little - but, it was clear, not by much. His face still bore traces of nervous fear, the kind of creeping fear one gets when something hideous and unstoppable is lurking on the horizon, but you don't know when it will pounce. It was a look familiar to Bee, having seen it on many other people in the past, and he himself knew the feeling - one that made him look over his shoulder on occasion in case something was lurking behind him. Fortunately, he also knew how to dispell that fear, and his natural good cheer was only half of the cure.
"Besides," the blond went on, leaning back and grinning, "Australia's got a hell of a lot worse than them. Remeber when we were paddling off the coast of Queensland, and ended up running from that angry Arachnoshark?"
Vee's uneasy face split into a grin as he chuckled. "I remember us being squished together in that crevice for half an hour, holding our breath and trying not to move until it left. And you insisted on me going first, so then you had to squeeze in and lie on top of me, and-"
"Not my fault!" Bee tried and failed to stifle giggles. "You're the one who insists on wearing the tightest swim trunks known to mankind!"
"So do you!" cried Vee, pointing an accusatory finger. "And you weren't exactly subtle about it, either!"
"Speak for yourself, J-Lo Junior!"
"Fuck you~!"
"Fuck you~!"
Conversation was impossible for a while as the two companions laughed uproariously at the memory. This was one of the few pleasures either got out of their current situation - the ability to look back and laugh at all of the things they had been through, despite the underlying horror of it all. Wheras most people would be horrifed at the idea of waiting for a monster to pass, hardly daring to breathe lest it somehow heard them, the duo were able to take that scenario and turn it into comedy, as the mental picture of them crushed together in too small a space elicited no end of laughter.
Gasping, Bee reached for the whiskey bottle again, and was just about to take another sip when a hand caught his wrist.
"You've been hogging that bottle all night," came the reproachful remark from Vee. "If you're not gonna let me have any..." Bee grinned back, a retort on the tip of his tongue, but then turned that grin into a gape as a yawn split his face.
"Yeah," he conceded. "It is kinda late. Better get tucked in, eh?" And without waiting for a reply he stood up and vaulted over the side of the car and onto the sand, his weight rocking the vehicle on it's wheels as the springs squeaked in protest. Vee rolled his eyes at this action, then did the sensible thing and opened the door instead, climbing out through the aperture and carefully closing it behind him. But as he did, he spoke:
"Navi, engage Night Safety Mode. Ensure constant perimiter scans."
"Yes, sir," came a female voice from within. And then the cars's doors locked automatically, the roof folding up from the trunk space and the windows rolling up, as the two made their way to the tent a little way off, on the other side of the campfire they'd erected. The knowledge that Navi, the female AI installed within the car, would be able to defend herself or warn them of impending danger lifted a huge weight off the duo's backs, as it meant that they would be prepared for the unexpected and not have to worry too much about what happened to their conveyance.
Undressing was a quick and simple procedure, since neither wore pajamas, but the exposure of bare skin to the rapidly-cooling air elicited hisses and whispered oaths through gritted teeth. Thus, as soon as both men were down to their boxers, they were all too eager to make for the insulated interior of the tent, squeezing hurriedly through the door together side-by-side. The tent had only been made for one person, for the original owner - Bee - had been travelling on his own for some time before encountering his companion. Yet not one of them woud ever suggest buying a larger tent, for the closeness was more of an advantage to them than a disadvantage, and thus neither one complained about the somewhat confined space they now found themselves in.
"Put some tunes on, mate," Bee yawned as he slouched onto one of the sleeping mats and pulled at the shared quilt cover to wrap himself in it.
"At this time?" Vee quirked an eyebrow, but was already reaching for the small portable radio kept within a side pocket on the tent wall. "What could possibly be on?"
"Anything," was the reply. "I'm tired and I don't care."
The brunet snorted with amusement, but nonetheless began to fiddle with the dials of the radio to try and see what was indeed playing at this time of the night. Reception wasn't so good, since they were quite a while away from civilization, but the device could pick up signals from quite a distance, and a decent selection of stations were available despite the lateness of the hour and the general location, As tired as he claimed to be, Bee was quick to offer his opinion on anything that his friend could find, from pirate broadcasts ("Hey, those guys are still alive!") to sports recaps ("Why don't they just fire that guy already?!") to unidentifiable gibberish ("I'm not saying it's aliens...")
Gasping, Bee reached for the whiskey bottle again, and was just about to take another sip when a hand caught his wrist.
"You've been hogging that bottle all night," came the reproachful remark from Vee. "If you're not gonna let me have any..." Bee grinned back, a retort on the tip of his tongue, but then turned that grin into a gape as a yawn split his face.
"Yeah," he conceded. "It is kinda late. Better get tucked in, eh?" And without waiting for a reply he stood up and vaulted over the side of the car and onto the sand, his weight rocking the vehicle on it's wheels as the springs squeaked in protest. Vee rolled his eyes at this action, then did the sensible thing and opened the door instead, climbing out through the aperture and carefully closing it behind him. But as he did, he spoke:
"Navi, engage Night Safety Mode. Ensure constant perimiter scans."
"Yes, sir," came a female voice from within. And then the cars's doors locked automatically, the roof folding up from the trunk space and the windows rolling up, as the two made their way to the tent a little way off, on the other side of the campfire they'd erected. The knowledge that Navi, the female AI installed within the car, would be able to defend herself or warn them of impending danger lifted a huge weight off the duo's backs, as it meant that they would be prepared for the unexpected and not have to worry too much about what happened to their conveyance.
Undressing was a quick and simple procedure, since neither wore pajamas, but the exposure of bare skin to the rapidly-cooling air elicited hisses and whispered oaths through gritted teeth. Thus, as soon as both men were down to their boxers, they were all too eager to make for the insulated interior of the tent, squeezing hurriedly through the door together side-by-side. The tent had only been made for one person, for the original owner - Bee - had been travelling on his own for some time before encountering his companion. Yet not one of them woud ever suggest buying a larger tent, for the closeness was more of an advantage to them than a disadvantage, and thus neither one complained about the somewhat confined space they now found themselves in.
"Put some tunes on, mate," Bee yawned as he slouched onto one of the sleeping mats and pulled at the shared quilt cover to wrap himself in it.
"At this time?" Vee quirked an eyebrow, but was already reaching for the small portable radio kept within a side pocket on the tent wall. "What could possibly be on?"
"Anything," was the reply. "I'm tired and I don't care."
The brunet snorted with amusement, but nonetheless began to fiddle with the dials of the radio to try and see what was indeed playing at this time of the night. Reception wasn't so good, since they were quite a while away from civilization, but the device could pick up signals from quite a distance, and a decent selection of stations were available despite the lateness of the hour and the general location, As tired as he claimed to be, Bee was quick to offer his opinion on anything that his friend could find, from pirate broadcasts ("Hey, those guys are still alive!") to sports recaps ("Why don't they just fire that guy already?!") to unidentifiable gibberish ("I'm not saying it's aliens...")
But eventually, in the midst of his efforts, Vee found a station that made Bee lift his head and tell him to go back. So he did, and a voice vaguely familiar to him came in over the airwaves.
"-special request from our guest tonight! This is RRRRRRRRANDY AVALON'S LATE NIGHT NUPTUAL, and if you're listenin', then thank God you're still alive!"
The special request immediately came on, just as Vee was making himself comfortable in the makeshif bed.
"-special request from our guest tonight! This is RRRRRRRRANDY AVALON'S LATE NIGHT NUPTUAL, and if you're listenin', then thank God you're still alive!"
The special request immediately came on, just as Vee was making himself comfortable in the makeshif bed.
"They're playing our song," murmured Bee, half to himself and half to the other. Vee didn't respond, but gently let his hand drift over to where he knew the blond had put his. He didn't need to turn his head when his fingers brushed warm skin, flushed from alcohol intake, and on instinct both hands entwined almost lazily, palms pressing together and sharing that same warmth between them. Only then did he glance over at Bee, and their eyes met and caught the traces of gentle smiles, the joy of simply being overriding the encroaching cold of the night as it spread further across the sky.
There was a long silence. Nobody spoke, or moved. For the longest time, it was just them and the song.
Then Bee shifted, and before Vee knew what had happened the other youth had rolled on top of him beneath the covers, pinning him down. Yet the brunet didn't complain a bit - the weight and warmth of the other's body was a comfort and a blessing, a vast improvement from the nights he'd spent alone shivering in temperatures that, long ago, he could simply have shut a door against. And as he looked up into a smiling face and twinkling eyes, and sensed the same content affection flow through him that the blond must have been feeling, it seemed that he far safer in the tent than he ever was in his whole life.
"Y'know," murmered Bee, reaching down to stroke a loose, brown bang out of Vee's eyes, "I never told you what a relief it was when I found you, did I? If it weren't for you... I might have gone mad from loneliness, or worse."
Vee felt himself smiling back, one hand cupping the other's face. "I'm glad you didn't - I never would have made it this far on my own. You don't know how grateful I am that you've taught me so much... and given me a chance at surviving."
"Seems we owe each other a lot, don't we?" The gap between their faces was slowly closing.
"Yeah..."
Then their lips met, and there was nothing else that needed saying.
"Y'know," murmered Bee, reaching down to stroke a loose, brown bang out of Vee's eyes, "I never told you what a relief it was when I found you, did I? If it weren't for you... I might have gone mad from loneliness, or worse."
Vee felt himself smiling back, one hand cupping the other's face. "I'm glad you didn't - I never would have made it this far on my own. You don't know how grateful I am that you've taught me so much... and given me a chance at surviving."
"Seems we owe each other a lot, don't we?" The gap between their faces was slowly closing.
"Yeah..."
Then their lips met, and there was nothing else that needed saying.
-------
The following is a transcript of communications between PF-229, a personal light aircraft, and Control Tower Echo in Melbourne. PF-229 was making a scheduled flight to King Island, and departed from Moorabbin Airport at around 9:35 PM ASCT. At around 9:45 PM, PF-229 radios Control Tower Echo:
PF-229: CT-Echo, this is PF-229, is there any known traffic below 5'000 feet?
CT-Echo: Two-Two-Nine, this is CT-Echo, no known traffic.
PF-229: CT-Echo, there... seems to be a small aircraft below 5'000 feet.
CT-Echo: Two-Two-Nine, can you confirm? What kind of aircraft is it?
PF-229: I cannot... confirm, it seems to me like... two bright- almost like landing lights, bright red-
<static for about half a second>
PF-229: -just passed over me at about a thousand feet above.
CT-Echo: Roger, Two-Two-Nine, and it, it is a small aircraft, confirm?
PF-229: Ah, unknown, due to the speed it's traveling... My level is four and a half thousand, four five zero zero.
CT-Echo: And confirm you cannot identify the aircraft.
PF-229: Affirmative.
CT-Echo: Roger. Stand by.
Communication ended here briefly for several minutes. At around 9:52 PM, PF-229 radioes back, the pilot sounding perturbed:
PF-229: CT-Echo, the aircraft has just passed me again...
<open mic/static for two or three seconds>
PF-229: -playing some sort of game. He’s flying over me two, three times, at a time at speeds I could not identify.
CT-Echo: Two-Two-Nine, can you confirm the aircraft is-?
PF-229: <showing signs of distress> Wait... wait, engine faltering. I've got rough idling, she may conk... The thing is <static for one second> southwest <split second of static> tremendous rate...
CT-Echo: Say again, Two-Two-Nine? We're losing you.
PF-229: <open mic for two seconds, then frightened> -directly above me-
<open mic/static for a further two seconds, unidentified croaking sound>
PF-229: <screaming in terror> -NOT AN AIRCRAFT! OH, GOD, IT'S-
PF-229: <open mic for several seconds, transmitting an unidentified metallic scraping or tearing noise, along with screams from pilot of PF-229 that end abruptly>
CT-Echo: Two-Two-Nine, Two-Two-Nine, we hear something tearing.
<no reply from pilot of PF-229, noise continues>
CT-Echo: ...Two-Two-Nine? Two-Two-Nine, please reply.
<transmission from PF-229 ends>
Further attempts to contact PF-229 were unsuccessful. At 10:50 PM, a search and rescue operation commenced within the area, consisting of all available oceangoing ship traffic, an RAAF Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft and eight civilian aircraft. The search lasted for two hours, and was originally intended to cover over 1'000 square miles around the area in which PF-229 was last sighted
When the crew of the HMS Gravitas found the wreckage, two hours later, there was no sign of the pilot.
Just a lot of blood and shredded organs.
-------
"...Bee?"
"Yeah, Vee?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
"...promise you won't leave?"
"Of course."
-----
"Sir?"
"What is it?"
"It's them. They found a way."
Further attempts to contact PF-229 were unsuccessful. At 10:50 PM, a search and rescue operation commenced within the area, consisting of all available oceangoing ship traffic, an RAAF Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft and eight civilian aircraft. The search lasted for two hours, and was originally intended to cover over 1'000 square miles around the area in which PF-229 was last sighted
When the crew of the HMS Gravitas found the wreckage, two hours later, there was no sign of the pilot.
Just a lot of blood and shredded organs.
-------
"...Bee?"
"Yeah, Vee?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
"...promise you won't leave?"
"Of course."
-----
"Sir?"
"What is it?"
"It's them. They found a way."
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