Reborn in steel

The red headache

I activate to a rising sun that reflects on all the scraps and junk in front of me. It’s nice waking up with familiarity with not a worry in sight, but I have to keep my focus and stay on the mission to have fun with the boys, then leave out of here when Giovanni arrives. I still have a bit of static from yesterday, things in front are a bit unclear, but I will hopefully manage. As I walked out of the garage and let myself set in, a bright blue butterfly landed on my shoulder. I have never seen such a small thing have the best beauty I’ve ever seen. The smallest things can have the most importance. Maybe the static. Or Maybe I’m overthinking it. Footsteps come my way as the boys are finally ready to get the day started. “Hey Ted, ya ready to go?” Andre asks me. “Yep, let’s get this over with. How did you boys sleep last night?” “Eh I slept fine, what about you Maurice?” “I slept like a newborn, slobber and all.” “Gross, how do you sleep well anyway with your mattress on the floor?” “Well, not everyone can afford bed frames like your family, Andre! As long as I have the mattress, who cares what’s under it.” “I guess. So what should we do first.” “We can go to old lady Susie down the way and pick us up a souvenir. Or no, scratch that, we can go to big willy’s! I’ve been craving a burger all night.” Maurice suggested. “But it’s Ten in the morning, Maurice.” “Who cares, can’t a guy have brunch?” Andre Lets out a chuckle. “Whatever, Ted, what do you wanna do?” He asked me. “Well, I’m fine with whatever you guys want to-” The static in my eyes suddenly worsens and sparks start flying out of my head, all I see is red. All I feel is agony. Darkness floods my vision, it feels like the void all over again, but the voices this time were in pain, crying even. The gunshots and the bombs are all coming back, but are more faint in their sound. The darkness leaves my eyes, everything around me feels familiar but different, the vibrant blue skies are now dead cold clouds. The color of everything is faded, almost black and white. My hands are of flesh, everything about me now is organic. I’m Human? “Hello Ted.” I jump in fear as I look down and see Andre, but even though he is different, he doesn’t look happy as he usually does. He even has a wrap around his eye instead of glasses where his eye is supposed to be covered in blood. “Andre, are you okay, what happened to you?” “Follow me.” I follow him with a bad feeling to my core. As we walk on to the street, Bill town is nothing but a wasteland of destroyed buildings, burned cars, and the bad feeling I had made my heart drop to my stomach. I see nothing but a mountain of dead bodies in front of me. “Andre, what happened here?” I say in a soft but fearful tone. He points to the top of dead bodies. “He is what happened.” I look up and see a black mist taking a humanoid form with green glowing eyes with a green grin that makes my bones shiver. “You have to choose, Ted. You can join him. Or you can join us and help us fight.” “What do you mean? What are you even talking about?” I say. “In this new life you were given, you will have to make a decision that will determine the future of humanity as we know it. You must choose wisely and carefully, Billions of lives may depend on it.” He turns me in front of him and makes me look in his eye. “Those who have fallen before you can avenge because you are a warrior, a fighter. The universe chose you. You are its champion, and now you must prove yourself and to the people that you are worthy.” “I don’t understand what you are trying to say.” I look behind him and see people who look like corpses but are still alive. “Are those the people who have fallen?” “Yes and depending on your choice and efforts there may be more or many less, It’s up to you.” He says. I hear planes roar across the sky with nukes dropping out of them. The shockwave turns me into nothing but dust.