The World Keeps Turning - Original Fic
Last year I signed up for a Big Bang, the story was to be set around an Apocalypse of some sort... unfortunately the artist who was suppose to the art to my story disappeared, as did the beta. But I thought I'd post the first bit of it up anyway, I'm thinking of writing another story in this "verse"; and telling a different story but set in the same post Apocalyptic world.
Unbetaed so all mistakes are my own.
It was known as the 'Last Great War' - a war where entire human population fought against each other, all over resources. The world's supply of oil and coal were at critical levels and each country tried to lay claim to these dwindling resources, saying that they needed it more or that because it was under their country it belonged to them and them only. Countries who were previously allies fought against each other, young men and women were drafted to join the war, brainwashed into believing that it was for the good of the country. Millions were killed and those badly injured were left to die and bodies left to rot where they fell, because field hospitals and ambulances were a thing of the past, they no longer had the resources to power them. But what humanity didn't know was that the worst was still to come, several countries had secretly being working on biological weapons and were planning on using them to win the war.
These disease-filled dirty bombs were detonated above the most populated areas of every country, the diseases they held spread far and wide, six months later over three billion people had died and what remained of the governments had all but disappeared, because it wasn't just one disease killing people but many and it seemed that because these diseases were genetically altered there were no vaccines or antidotes that could be mass produced. Within a year over 99.9% of the world's population was dead, but there were survivors and it seemed that these people had some sort of immunity to all these diseases. It was estimated that only seven million, two hundred and fifty thousand people existed on the face of the earth only two years after the bombs were dropped that ended the war and life as it was once known.
In the beginning those who survived left the cities and towns that they lived in, those who survived were not able to bury the dead so corpses lay where they died, either in their own houses or in the few hospitals that were still working in the end. The smell of thousands of rotting corpses brought in predators and scavengers, even people's pets turned and without humans to feed them they ate their owners.
The survivors moved out into the country, finding abandoned farmhouses they took up residence in them and started tending to the livestock that were left behind while others who were still afraid that the governments were still going to get them moved into heavily forested areas, built basic log cabins and that became their home. The years went by and people settled back into life without power or technology. They raised livestock and grew crops to feed them and their neighbors and when they slaughtered a beast they would share, without the luxury of freezers meat would spoil quickly so most was salted and cured or kept in cool underground larders, when there was a large harvest of fruit and vegetables these were preserved and stores of grain were kept in silos or underground pits for when it was needed. People raised sheep, spun their fleece and created clothing and blankets to keep them warm during the cooler months while cotton was grown and spun into fabric for the summer as well as for housewares. They hunted game as their numbers had increased without a larger population to control them, their hides as well as those from the cattle they slaughtered was turned into leather and made into shoes and some were turned into clothing.
Those who returned to the large towns and cities years after the exodus built new houses by recycling things from the abandoned houses, old wood stoves were needed in pretty much every house and a lot of the old iron in buildings was melted down and remade into stoves and other essential items and a few places had discovered steam trains from centuries beforehand sitting in museums and as tourist attractions. With some work these trains were able to be returned to the tracks, using timber to power them they ran occasionally between the larger towns.
This became life for the first generation of Survivors.
~*~*~
Years turned into decades and the population slowly increased, people were cautious about having children at first, they had survived the disease apocalypse but every couple were worried that their babies would not survive, that they would die soon after birth, but it seemed that their immunity was genetic. Decades passed and scientific types who had survived started creating laboratories in areas that still had access to alternate power; the first laboratory was created besides the Hoover Dam hydroelectric plant and others were created near other alternate energy sources; hydroelectric, wind, solar and geo-thermic to name a few. They took blood samples from friends and relatives who had survived and discovered that the immunity was genetic and passed on from mother to child through Mitochondrial DNA. Scientific advances continued as the decades went by and from just a sample of blood or hair the scientists were not only able the level of immunity passed from mother to child but also if an individual had a genetic susceptibility to other conditions and dispositions.
By 150 PA (Post Apocalypse) these scientists had formed a corporation named The Institute and when a baby was born it became routine for a blood and hair sample from the newborn to be sent to them and they could check immunity levels. When these children turned eighteen it became a 'rite-of-passage' to make the trip to the nearest Institute clinic to get their blood tested again to see if their immunity levels had reduced since birth, they also had their physical and mental health tested as well as undertake an IQ test and from these results they would be put into 'classes'
There were four classes - A, B, C and D and each class was divided into five sub-classes - 1 to 5. A1's had developed the full level of immunity from their parents, were healthy, fit and free from any of the conditions or dispositions that had become undesirable while A5's still had the full immunity but had a possibility of developing one of the minor conditions such as a mental illness. B's in general had a slightly lower level of passing on immunity than the A's but they also had an increased chance of these minor conditions. C's had lower immunity still and there was a higher chance of both minor as well as some major conditions such as heart conditions that would cause premature death, while the D class had the lowest level of immunity and it wouldn't be passed on, they also either had already developed or would develop major conditions.
A and B class people were allowed to marry and breed freely but the lower level C's who had tested for a high level of major conditions and all D class were prohibited from breeding and the Institute would give them a series of injections that would render them infertile. However C's and D's became aware of these injections and many would escape and had started up small communities for these genetic 'rejects', they lived underneath the radar of the Institute and enjoyed their lives as full as they could and never let anyone outside their communities know when they had children.
A mail service had developed although international letters were slow as travel had gone back to the 'old fashioned' sail boats and other countries still had some geological barriers that made travel and mail movement was difficult. Things like internet, fiber optic, satellites and even telephones had all but disappeared and the telegraph was once again the main form of quick, long distance communication. Some people resettled cities that rose up around the Institute clinics and some of these large cities had even re-established a rail link, although it was mainly used by the Institute to move staff, samples and equipment between their clinics. Horses, oxen and carts once again became the main mode of transport.
~*~*~
I'll post more up if anyone's interested.
Unbetaed so all mistakes are my own.
It was known as the 'Last Great War' - a war where entire human population fought against each other, all over resources. The world's supply of oil and coal were at critical levels and each country tried to lay claim to these dwindling resources, saying that they needed it more or that because it was under their country it belonged to them and them only. Countries who were previously allies fought against each other, young men and women were drafted to join the war, brainwashed into believing that it was for the good of the country. Millions were killed and those badly injured were left to die and bodies left to rot where they fell, because field hospitals and ambulances were a thing of the past, they no longer had the resources to power them. But what humanity didn't know was that the worst was still to come, several countries had secretly being working on biological weapons and were planning on using them to win the war.
These disease-filled dirty bombs were detonated above the most populated areas of every country, the diseases they held spread far and wide, six months later over three billion people had died and what remained of the governments had all but disappeared, because it wasn't just one disease killing people but many and it seemed that because these diseases were genetically altered there were no vaccines or antidotes that could be mass produced. Within a year over 99.9% of the world's population was dead, but there were survivors and it seemed that these people had some sort of immunity to all these diseases. It was estimated that only seven million, two hundred and fifty thousand people existed on the face of the earth only two years after the bombs were dropped that ended the war and life as it was once known.
In the beginning those who survived left the cities and towns that they lived in, those who survived were not able to bury the dead so corpses lay where they died, either in their own houses or in the few hospitals that were still working in the end. The smell of thousands of rotting corpses brought in predators and scavengers, even people's pets turned and without humans to feed them they ate their owners.
The survivors moved out into the country, finding abandoned farmhouses they took up residence in them and started tending to the livestock that were left behind while others who were still afraid that the governments were still going to get them moved into heavily forested areas, built basic log cabins and that became their home. The years went by and people settled back into life without power or technology. They raised livestock and grew crops to feed them and their neighbors and when they slaughtered a beast they would share, without the luxury of freezers meat would spoil quickly so most was salted and cured or kept in cool underground larders, when there was a large harvest of fruit and vegetables these were preserved and stores of grain were kept in silos or underground pits for when it was needed. People raised sheep, spun their fleece and created clothing and blankets to keep them warm during the cooler months while cotton was grown and spun into fabric for the summer as well as for housewares. They hunted game as their numbers had increased without a larger population to control them, their hides as well as those from the cattle they slaughtered was turned into leather and made into shoes and some were turned into clothing.
Those who returned to the large towns and cities years after the exodus built new houses by recycling things from the abandoned houses, old wood stoves were needed in pretty much every house and a lot of the old iron in buildings was melted down and remade into stoves and other essential items and a few places had discovered steam trains from centuries beforehand sitting in museums and as tourist attractions. With some work these trains were able to be returned to the tracks, using timber to power them they ran occasionally between the larger towns.
This became life for the first generation of Survivors.
~*~*~
Years turned into decades and the population slowly increased, people were cautious about having children at first, they had survived the disease apocalypse but every couple were worried that their babies would not survive, that they would die soon after birth, but it seemed that their immunity was genetic. Decades passed and scientific types who had survived started creating laboratories in areas that still had access to alternate power; the first laboratory was created besides the Hoover Dam hydroelectric plant and others were created near other alternate energy sources; hydroelectric, wind, solar and geo-thermic to name a few. They took blood samples from friends and relatives who had survived and discovered that the immunity was genetic and passed on from mother to child through Mitochondrial DNA. Scientific advances continued as the decades went by and from just a sample of blood or hair the scientists were not only able the level of immunity passed from mother to child but also if an individual had a genetic susceptibility to other conditions and dispositions.
By 150 PA (Post Apocalypse) these scientists had formed a corporation named The Institute and when a baby was born it became routine for a blood and hair sample from the newborn to be sent to them and they could check immunity levels. When these children turned eighteen it became a 'rite-of-passage' to make the trip to the nearest Institute clinic to get their blood tested again to see if their immunity levels had reduced since birth, they also had their physical and mental health tested as well as undertake an IQ test and from these results they would be put into 'classes'
There were four classes - A, B, C and D and each class was divided into five sub-classes - 1 to 5. A1's had developed the full level of immunity from their parents, were healthy, fit and free from any of the conditions or dispositions that had become undesirable while A5's still had the full immunity but had a possibility of developing one of the minor conditions such as a mental illness. B's in general had a slightly lower level of passing on immunity than the A's but they also had an increased chance of these minor conditions. C's had lower immunity still and there was a higher chance of both minor as well as some major conditions such as heart conditions that would cause premature death, while the D class had the lowest level of immunity and it wouldn't be passed on, they also either had already developed or would develop major conditions.
A and B class people were allowed to marry and breed freely but the lower level C's who had tested for a high level of major conditions and all D class were prohibited from breeding and the Institute would give them a series of injections that would render them infertile. However C's and D's became aware of these injections and many would escape and had started up small communities for these genetic 'rejects', they lived underneath the radar of the Institute and enjoyed their lives as full as they could and never let anyone outside their communities know when they had children.
A mail service had developed although international letters were slow as travel had gone back to the 'old fashioned' sail boats and other countries still had some geological barriers that made travel and mail movement was difficult. Things like internet, fiber optic, satellites and even telephones had all but disappeared and the telegraph was once again the main form of quick, long distance communication. Some people resettled cities that rose up around the Institute clinics and some of these large cities had even re-established a rail link, although it was mainly used by the Institute to move staff, samples and equipment between their clinics. Horses, oxen and carts once again became the main mode of transport.
~*~*~
I'll post more up if anyone's interested.