Immortal by Kelvin Kelley

the names that
they would give their future children.
    “I really like John.” Jericho said, as
Gabrielle looked back to him from her position just ahead of him in
line.
    “But Jonathan has such a nice sound to it.”
She said. “The way it rolls of your tongue.” She said, and giggled
as she stuck out her tongue, as though that explained the
process.
    “Yeah, but it takes too long to say.” Jericho
countered. “John is short and simple. It’s easy to say.” He
said.
    “If that’s the case, then why not Luke?
That’s easy to say.” She said, as she stepping forward as the line
continued to move. He stepped up behind her.
    “No. Not Luke. I want it start with a ‘J’.”
He said. “You know, like Jericho, but just something easier to
say.”
    “So does that mean that you think the second
child, our girl, that her name should start with a ‘G’. For
Gabrielle?” She asked, as she stepped forward again, now almost at
the scanners that bordered the entrance.
    “No!” He said emphatically. “Her name should
start with a ‘J’ too.” A smile spread across his face, and she
laughed, and sweetly hit his shoulder. She stepped forward again,
and placed her hand in the scanner.
    “That is not going to happen.” She said, as
she laughed, and began to pull her hand from the scanner. “Both of
their names are not going to begin with a ‘J’.” She said, as she
began to step forward with the line, but realized that her hand was
still in the scanner. “What the-” She said as she almost lost her
balance. Then her eyes focused on the light on top of the scanner.
Though at first she had been too caught off guard to realize it,
Jericho’s eyes were now focused on the light as well. The light was
red.
    Jericho was surrounded by as the mist began
to fall from above, as his eyes jumped from the red light on top of
the plague scanner to Gabrielle’s unbelievably frightened eyes. He
grabbed her hand and tried to help her remove it.
    “Jericho?” she said, terrified.
    “Be calm.” A mechanical voice said. “The
plague has been isolated. You are in no danger.” The Guardian
stepped from beside the entrance way and extended his control stick
as he moved towards Gabrielle.
    “Jericho!” Gabrielle shrieked. As he realized
he could not remove her hand from the scanner, Jericho leapt in
between the Guardian and Gabrielle. The control stick touched him
in the chest, and every nerve in his body lit up with horrible
agony.
    “Jericho!” She screamed now. Her eyes begged
him. As the painful currents ran through him, he gritted his teeth
so hard, he was certain that they would break. Every muscle in his
body tightened and he tried to fight off the impending gloom that
already surrounded his vision. The darkness of unconsciousness
swept over him, as he felt himself fall. Into the darkness he was
swallowed. The last image being that of the Guardian, the control
stick extended, as it stood over him. The last sound he heard, was
that of Gabrielle as she screamed his name.

Chapter 12
     
     
    Slowly the darkness began to fade. And as he
first became aware that he was still alive, he realized that at
least he was still breathing. Slowly, but surely, air entered his
lungs, and then as slowly, exited. As he began to rise in awareness
to consciousness, Jericho also became aware that he was being
carried. Opening his eyes, he could see the ground beneath him as
it moved past, and though slightly disoriented by the view, he was
able to determine that he was draped over the shoulder of a
Guardian. The Guardian’s hard metallic body dug into his abdomen
with ever step. As he fought to come to full consciousness, he did
not move, but just observed. The Guardian came to a stop. Faced
backwards as he was, Jericho couldn’t see why the Guardian had
stopped. He heard a sound, like that of rock as it ground against
another rock, and then felt a wash of cool air come over him.
Darkness enveloped him. As Jericho’s eyes began to