either
chipped, cracked or crumbling to the ground.
Kirken hated the outside.
Still a block away from where
his stepchildren waited for him, the holovid strapped to his belt beeped twice.
Kirken slowed to a walk and then stopped when he saw the flashing blue lights indicating
a priority message was coming in.
"Commander Kirken," he
identified himself to the holovid's small screen.
He leaned against one of the
crumbling storefronts while waiting for the sender's image to settle in.
"John."
Kirken was surprised to see the
concerned expression of his physician friend, Jack Everson, on the screen.
"Yeah, Jack. What is it?
I'm about to go eat with my kids."
"There’s been a recall,
John," Everson said gravely. "All personnel on the outside are being
ordered back. You have to come back right now."
"Recall?" Kirken
questioned taking a quick glance up the street. Brandon and Mel had turned
around and were walking back toward him. "Not for me. I'm not coming back,
Jack. Recall or not. I'll be there in a couple of days."
Kirken started to close the
holovid. Everson's nearly pleading face stopped him before he did.
"It’s an emergency medical
recall, John," Everson said tripping noticeably on his own words. "We
need to haul everyone back in for health assessments."
"That's bullshit,
Jack," Kirken said trying to read the expression on his friend's face.
"Tell me what the hell is going on. There's never been a recall
before."
Everson didn't respond.
"I'll check in with you
when I get back." Kirken tried to close the holovid again. “You can give
me my health check then.”
“John," Everson's voice
became more urgent. "A dome wide epidemic has broken loose and up to
now is still not contained. Lockout conditions are being implemented. If you do
not return within the specified time, the domes will be sealed permanently, and
you will be forced to finish your life outside. Your dome citizenship will be
revoked."
"What?"
"It's that bad, John. The
doors are slamming shut. Come back in. We need you here."
"Why wasn't I informed by
my unit?"
"They're not informing
those on leave. I'm just passing on to you what I heard myself."
"Jack, what the hell is
going on?"
"Just come home,"
Everson warned. "While you still can."
The holovid screen faded to
black as the transmission ended. Kirken quietly reattached it to his belt and
looked towards Brandon and Mel. They were almost to him.
Everson's whole message was odd.
There hadn't been a dome wide epidemic in years. In all the time he had
lived within the domes, he had never heard of a complete personnel recall. He
knew something was not right. Yet despite how much the guilt stabbed
uncomfortably in his heart, he still knew he wasn't quite ready to give up life
in the domes.
Brandon and Mel finally reached
him. Kirken looked sadly into both of their eyes knowing that he would have to
return.
"Why did you stop?” Brandon
asked noticing Kirken’s stare. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?"
"I need to report
back," Kirken told them sidestepping an even more sickly looking group of
citizens wandering past.
"Goddamn it," Brandon
swore softly and spit on the sidewalk. "Now? Now you’re going to leave.
Why do you even bother to come here at all?"
Kirken ignored Brandon's sharp
comments and looked over at his stepdaughter. She said nothing to voice the
disappointment that was very obvious across her face.
"It's not my
decision," Kirken defended. "It's a facility-wide recall. I have no
choice."
"It doesn't matter to
me," Brandon said the anger now leaving his voice.
Apathy colored by a slight tinge
of remorse had replaced his anger and bitterness. His shoulders relaxed when he
turned around. The glare in his eye, however, did not lessen.
"I just know Mel’s been
looking forward to seeing you. It’s been a long time."
"Brandon…," Kirken
began.
Brandon turned and walked away.
Kirken stared after him while he moved away from them down the street. He
didn’t turn back
chipped, cracked or crumbling to the ground.
Kirken hated the outside.
Still a block away from where
his stepchildren waited for him, the holovid strapped to his belt beeped twice.
Kirken slowed to a walk and then stopped when he saw the flashing blue lights indicating
a priority message was coming in.
"Commander Kirken," he
identified himself to the holovid's small screen.
He leaned against one of the
crumbling storefronts while waiting for the sender's image to settle in.
"John."
Kirken was surprised to see the
concerned expression of his physician friend, Jack Everson, on the screen.
"Yeah, Jack. What is it?
I'm about to go eat with my kids."
"There’s been a recall,
John," Everson said gravely. "All personnel on the outside are being
ordered back. You have to come back right now."
"Recall?" Kirken
questioned taking a quick glance up the street. Brandon and Mel had turned
around and were walking back toward him. "Not for me. I'm not coming back,
Jack. Recall or not. I'll be there in a couple of days."
Kirken started to close the
holovid. Everson's nearly pleading face stopped him before he did.
"It’s an emergency medical
recall, John," Everson said tripping noticeably on his own words. "We
need to haul everyone back in for health assessments."
"That's bullshit,
Jack," Kirken said trying to read the expression on his friend's face.
"Tell me what the hell is going on. There's never been a recall
before."
Everson didn't respond.
"I'll check in with you
when I get back." Kirken tried to close the holovid again. “You can give
me my health check then.”
“John," Everson's voice
became more urgent. "A dome wide epidemic has broken loose and up to
now is still not contained. Lockout conditions are being implemented. If you do
not return within the specified time, the domes will be sealed permanently, and
you will be forced to finish your life outside. Your dome citizenship will be
revoked."
"What?"
"It's that bad, John. The
doors are slamming shut. Come back in. We need you here."
"Why wasn't I informed by
my unit?"
"They're not informing
those on leave. I'm just passing on to you what I heard myself."
"Jack, what the hell is
going on?"
"Just come home,"
Everson warned. "While you still can."
The holovid screen faded to
black as the transmission ended. Kirken quietly reattached it to his belt and
looked towards Brandon and Mel. They were almost to him.
Everson's whole message was odd.
There hadn't been a dome wide epidemic in years. In all the time he had
lived within the domes, he had never heard of a complete personnel recall. He
knew something was not right. Yet despite how much the guilt stabbed
uncomfortably in his heart, he still knew he wasn't quite ready to give up life
in the domes.
Brandon and Mel finally reached
him. Kirken looked sadly into both of their eyes knowing that he would have to
return.
"Why did you stop?” Brandon
asked noticing Kirken’s stare. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?"
"I need to report
back," Kirken told them sidestepping an even more sickly looking group of
citizens wandering past.
"Goddamn it," Brandon
swore softly and spit on the sidewalk. "Now? Now you’re going to leave.
Why do you even bother to come here at all?"
Kirken ignored Brandon's sharp
comments and looked over at his stepdaughter. She said nothing to voice the
disappointment that was very obvious across her face.
"It's not my
decision," Kirken defended. "It's a facility-wide recall. I have no
choice."
"It doesn't matter to
me," Brandon said the anger now leaving his voice.
Apathy colored by a slight tinge
of remorse had replaced his anger and bitterness. His shoulders relaxed when he
turned around. The glare in his eye, however, did not lessen.
"I just know Mel’s been
looking forward to seeing you. It’s been a long time."
"Brandon…," Kirken
began.
Brandon turned and walked away.
Kirken stared after him while he moved away from them down the street. He
didn’t turn back
Similar Books
