Resident Evil 6: Papercuts-------Day Five: A voice from the dark.
Day Five: A voice from the dark.
Scene: An office break room with a small kitchen and television left on to the Emergency Alert System. Two persons Karen and Darnell are sitting in this room drinking coffee and chatting.
Karen: Anything on the TV?
Darnell: Same stuff. All of them have EBS across the screen and silence.
Karen: So nothing
Darnell: Yep, nadda
Karen: Due I dare ask about the radio?
Darnell: Oh, due dare, due dare.
Karen: Well
Darnell: Same damn flat monotone ear screeching sound….otherwise nothing.
Karen: God, it’s like ok where going to alert everybody then someone pulled the plug.
Darnell: Maybe. What do you tell the people? The dead are coming to get you. Hide. We’re your federal government and our best advice is run and hide.
Karen: Yeah. I figure with all this the president would have said something or somebody, anybody.
Darnell: He’s either cozy and safe or dead too. We’ll probably never know. Then again maybe who knows?
Karen: Darnell. I’m gonna ask this and it’s a touchy question I know, but
Darnell: But what?
Karen: Where are your kids?
Darnell: It’s ok. They are supposed to be with their mother, my ex, in Colorado Springs. They live in a house there.
Karen: I’m sorry.
Darnell: Thanks, but don’t be sorry. Their mom and I weren’t good together. I pray all the time their ok. As for their mom. Oh well (grins) Really, though I hope she had sense enough. For once I hope she had sense enough. Honestly, I’d blame her if anything happened to them. If ya haven’t caught the drift yet I don’t like her much.
Karen: Why?
Darnell: Long story, but she lied to me, she lied to the kids. She screwed around on me and them. Different guys. Many different guys. Until one day my daughter repeated the name of one of them to me. Then I wondered. So I got sneaky and watched what my wife was up to. I went on a business trip. That was the official description to her. What I did is get a hotel room and still go to work. When not at work I watched and looked up things. She had a guy come over for dinner and meet the kids. She put the kids to sleep and then it was fun time for her and the guy. In my house with our kids in it. There is so much more detail, but does that give you an idea?
Karen: Yeah it does, but why does she have the kids and is out of state?
Darnell: I thought it would be better for the kids. I do travel a lot for this job. Besides she’d have to lockdown at least some for the kids. Don’t get me wrong. I still watch from a distance.
Karen: You are sneaky, huh?
Darnell: Yes mam, I am when it counts.
Karen: So what is she doing in Colorado Springs?
Darnell: Family. She needs the help. Besides I don’t mind it so much her mother is there. Her mother knows how she is and loves those kids to death.
Karen: Death
Darnell: Yeah, um could we change the subject?
Karen: Oh God, yeah sure.
Darnell: Thanks
Darnell: What the fuck?
Karen: Darnell!
Darnell: Look, look at the TV
Karen: Oh my…….(she moves to turn it up)
The Emergency Alert System symbol disappears and is replaced by the image of an American Air Force officer standing behind a podium with the crest of the United States Air Force on the front. The officer is wearing a Full Generals insignia (O-10) on the collar of his uniform. There is a momentary pause as whomever he is seems to be settling in to what he is apparently about to say.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Citizens of the United States. I am Colonel……. I am General Richard Pruitt of the United States Air Force. This broadcast is coming to you from NORAD the North American Air Defense Command center located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In a time of war the location of the origin of this broadcast would not be disclosed. If what our nation and the other nations of the world are experiencing is war, it is war like no other. A disease, a pandemic has run rampant throughout the world. In essence the dead walk the Earth. It is no doubt that the majority of you watching this broadcast know that. The walking dead do not have the remaining faculties to understand that or little else. So I am hoping I am speaking to the living. It is not confirmed, but this pandemic or plague if you will of the dead is manmade. Essentially, someone created a pathogen which has spread amongst the living causing their death, with the newly dead arising and infecting others. The major population centers of the United States are hardest hit amongst our nation. Unfortunately, it does not end there though. It has been detected in every populated area of the Continental United States and to the neighboring nations to the North and South of the United States. As I mentioned before this is a worldwide occurrence. Every continent has been touched. It has even reached some remote islands. Essentially, wherever humanity exists the plague has gone. Estimated, dead or walking dead in this nation alone is over sixty percent of the population or more. This all started as best we can tell one week ago in a small county in Ohio. Once it spread to a larger population center namely Cincinnati there was no stopping its spread. An unfortunate early attempt was made at stopping this plague and keeping it to an isolated area. The attempt was made before we more fully understood how the plague worked. The city of Cincinnati is no more. The attempt failed, though it was conducted as an all out measure to stop the plague from progressing beyond its then bounds. It failed. At 7am Eastern Standard Time 6 days ago the warheads from an SLBM. Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile, detonated over the city of Cincinnati. In essence, destroying the city. However, the plague continued as the full understanding of its mode of operation was not known at that time. This use of nuclear weapons was authorized by the President of the United States under advice from his science advisors. The president’s current location is unknown. However, his decision was made under the best advice at the time. We the surviving representatives of the United States military are under our authority declaring martial law throughout the Continental United States, the non continuous United States, and territories and protectorates of the United States. A curfew will be in effect from sundown till sunrise effective immediately. No, person living or dead is beyond this declaration of martial law. All are subject to imprisonment or to being shot on sight. We do not take this action lightly. However, it is seen as a step towards stability; a step towards hope. In reference to continuity of the federal government, no legal authority has arisen to represent it. At such time that one does we will assist that legal representative to maintain and re-establish the federal government and the solemn borders of the United States. This as we are the military of the United States. Until such time this command represents the United States of America. That concludes this broadcast. Stay tuned to this and other stations for further broadcasts and information. Until such time this broadcast will repeat every hour on the hour. We wish you hope.
Darnell: Ho….ly Shit
Karen (just stands there open mouthed)
Darnell: They nuked Cincinnati. Damn.
Karen: My aunt was there.
Darnell: I’m sorry
Karen: Don’t be, she hated my mother for no reason.
Darnell: Um, ok.
Karen: We need to tell the others.
Darnell: Absolutely. Oh hell yeah, absolutely.
Karen (walking out the door): I will
Darnell: (Sitting down, talking to himself quietly) Colorado Springs is ok. God Damn it’s ok. Well, part of it. Still………