Chapter 1

Beau’s legs hurt but he was happy to have them and be able to walk in spite of the pain. Oh yeah. There was a sum bitch lot of pain.

The city looked like it had gone through a time warp several decades into a post apocalypse era.

“What the fuck happened?” Beau asked to no.

“Near as I can tell from running around as much as I have for the last few hours some fucking alien appeared over the city and then fell down on top of us. Buildings were flattened.. people died. People set on fire and building burned down in minutes. We’re cut off from the rest of the world by the government. No one in or out for twenty-four hours.” Rider said. “Might be longer but the bitch caused a change in a few of us turning us or killing us out right from the gas and energy it gave out into the atmosphere.” Rider said.

“The atmosphere. Are you saying-” Beau said in and then paused as the truth hit him.

“Yeah.” Rider said. “The city may be cut off but the energy and gas spread outward fast. It’s gone pandemic. We’re all fucked in different ways.”

Beau shook his head. “My Jackie wasn’t effected. She was still normal when I last saw her.” He said.

“Beau.” Rider said and turned to him. “There is no normal. Some of us are different outwardly everybody else breathed in the same fucking shit that dead alien put out into the fucking air. Every person in the city have the most extreme cases because we’re still breathing in the major impact.” He said

Beau shook his head. “How long until they let us out?” He said.

Rider shrugged. “They say around Monday. They’re waiting us out.” He said.

Beau stared at him. “What the fuck do you mean waiting, us out?” He said.

Rider smiled. “Starvation or for the idiots with the worst hit to kill each other off. It’s understandable from what I’ve seen so far. Let’s go.” He said.

Beau frowned at him but he followed. “Where are we heading?” He said.

“I’ve been hearing whispers of some new gang that’s taken a bunch of pretty females, resources and weapons. They are holed up down town in the main square. You’re going to help me break em out.” He said.

“For what reason?” Beau asked

“Stopping assholes from raping women to death is a good enough reason for me. If we don’t find your girl on the way there then there might be a possibility she could be there. I thought you would more inclined to talk less and get the fuck on.” Rider said.

Beau shook his head Rider but followed. “I don’t get you. Do you really think your a some type comic book hero or something?” He said.

Rider shook his head at him. “I told you why I’m doing this, Beau. I don’t have much time left so I’ll do what I want with my life and live it how I choose. It’s my bucket list.” Rider said.

“How do you know your dying?” Beau asked.

Rider was quiet a few minutes. “A doctor that was changed checked me out. She gave me a few days or year at best on her first look at me. She gave me some tips on how to use my powers and hints about my limits.. Besides that I’m in consent pain every moment with a bit of release when I run out of power and can think beyond the pain. Just like your pain right now trying to maintain your legs.” He said.

Beau was quiet for a few minutes. He thought about Rider’s words. Maybe, just maybe. He began to give himself a little hope that he had a chance for fixing whatever the hell had happened to him. If he could live long enough there could be a solution that had happened to him.

“I want to see this Doctor. I want to get checked out.” Beau said.

Rider sighed. “It’s a waste of…shit. We got trouble.” He said charging his hands with lightning and firing off power a group of humans running at them with shovels and knives.

He took down a few of them but the others kept coming and started firing guns at them. They took off running away as the group pursued them for a few blocks but then gave up as both men out raced them.