The Unthinkable

Day 365 of the year 4020

‘On this day, we stand together as a race that begs for forgiveness’

Harry’s voice was dry. The simple truth rolled from his tongue in painful whips that broke the remaining hearts that listened. A lot had happened.

749,763,283 survivors had dropped and still is dropping. Standing now in the crowd, and watching the only personing willing to lead, is roughly 60,000 healthy people. 50,000,000 are ill and not immune whilst the other 700,000,000 are dead. Many deaths were tragically nothing to do with the disease at all. In fact, many were suicides or other extreme illnesses.

Roughly 50,060,000 still alive. 700,000,000 dead in the matter of 154days.

'Many innocent souls were taken to pay a price only one person was meant to pay. So...I have decided to let each name of the lost be written hung on the last living oak tree we have. To remember them.'

People drop their heads, let tears fall, nod in agreement. Ryo just clutches Lilie's hand harder.

'Before I let you all see the tree I would like to make a very important and upsetting announcement that may shock most of you'

Silence. Harry straightens his back. He struggles to convince himself the words he's going to say are okay.

'We have decided the correctly tested and definite immunes will be sent into a new society. This should hopefully help our race regrow and live on whilst also spreading the new immune disease. I understand that all land was destroyed by extreme tsunami's but in this day and age technology could not be better.

We are forming a solution to neutralise the polluted waters in a specific area and build a land suitable. It will take time and I understand how shocking it sounds but I will not lie to you anymore. There has been enough lying between us all and it is getting too toxic to handle.'

He finishes. Nods his head. And stretches his arm over to the small park.

The crowd moves slowly in a huge flowing group. The robotic and cold faces hardly giving any emotion of speaking any words as they approach the huge oak.

Ryo and Lilie had joined the ceremony. Hand in hand they walked around the huge tree. The plant was obviously modified by science from the unusually huge body and branches, and hanging lightly from every inch of its crusty bark was a small piece of paper. Some green leaves hung down from the twigs but most of the plant was bare and sad.

Everyone stood staring at the masterpiece and so missed the small screen that sat straight in front of it. It had a welcome screen reading The Lost and a search bar.

A young woman who looked around 30 slowly approached it. Her hair was short and curling around her ears and she clutched her woolly cardigan to her chest to stop her fingers from shaking. She was shy and timid. Didn't like the attention or socialising. But like most, she had lost.

Her frail fingers tapped slowly on the screen. Enter. Pressed.

The bright orange glow swam up the vein in the bark, twisting around the huge oak. People gasped in shock and awe at the beautiful display, then followed the light back to the girl. Her face paled and she looked to the floor.

With curiosity boosting her confidence the girl shuffled forwards following the amber glow that almost looked like sap. It flowed all around the tree until it stopped on a piece of paper.

Adam

The screen would detect only relatives from your DNA by using your fingerprint. It was a new technology and worked beautifully. Everyone cued for their turn to see the name of the ones they loved. Even Ryo and Lilie.

Ryo typed slowly as if to savour the name in writing for a second longer. His eyes were full of fresh tears. Enter. Pressed.

The orange guide swam around the tree again, this time climbing higher and higher till. It stopped.

On the top branch, hanging right from the tip. Without hesitation, he started climbing. Lilie stood and watched with a sad smile. He leapt from branch to branch not stopping or misjudging any step. He desperately grabbed onto the top branch and dragged it closer to his face.

It was there.

Flashback

Ryo was taking a walk around the foreign town. They had been let out of the labs for a while now since they admitted the small space was too claustrophobic. It was dark and an early evening, probably from the winter season. He was exhausted.

So when he saw a figure standing on the wrong side of the barrier, where there was a huge drop to the pollution, he almost thought he was seeing things.

He quickly ran over. The person swung their head around, breathing heavily.

'No! Stay away!' she shouted.

'It's okay! It's okay! I'm not going to hu-. Tanya?'

She was shaking. Her frail figure only dressed in underwear where her bones were clearly showing. How had he not noticed this?

'Tanya, what are you doing?'

She started to sob. Big, messy, loud sobs the hurt his head and broke his heart. He reached for her hand but she flinched away quickly, shaking her head.

'Don't come close to me little brother. For I am the demon sister who tried to kill you and I am the sister who killed dad and mum! I did it!'

Ryo struggled for words so let them all tumble out at once.

'What do you mean you killed dad? No, you didn't, it was an accident. As for mum, she was killed by a tsunami that nobody could possibly survive. None of this is your fault Tan'

She shook her head more. It aggressively snapped from side to side.

'No! No, no, no! I made a deal, with Sarah! I had to kill everyone she told me to kill, capture everyone she told me to capture, just to live a life up here. I'm a monster, a KILLER! Do you not understand how it feels to carry that guilt for the rest of my life?

'I failed you. I hurt you. I-I love you Ry...I love you...'

Ryo was taken back. In fact, completely and utterly gobsmacked. His hands were shaking with fear. Fear of his sister's actions in the past and fear of his sister leaving him forever.

The truth is Ryo has always loved Tanya. Always. But he would never say. Ever. Because...well...he didn't want to get hurt. He was scared.

'I have to do this Ry. Nobody wants me. Not even you...not even me'

Ryo held the paper between his fingers and stroked the soft paper. He let the tears fall down his cheek and with a shaky breath, he kissed the small printed text.

Tanya

'I love you too big sis'

I know it's short, sorry :)

I hope you enjoy it and sorry for any mistakes I haven't edited this one. Studying is getting more extreme so updates will be slower but the end of the book is near anyways so don't worry.

Anyway, hope you enjoy x