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Tocino LivesAct II- Secrets

By D.J. Bacon @2015

Chapters List:Act II- Secrets:

1. Chp. 1- Unfamiliar Territory………………………………………………..Pg. 2 2. Chp. 2- The Prophecy…….………………………………………………..Pg. 93. Chp. 3- Time For Training…………………………………………………..Pg. 124. Chp. 4- The Surge……………………….…………………………………..Pg. 165. Chp. 5- The Prophecy Untold……………………………………….…….Pg. 196. Chp. 6- Aurora Sky…………………..………………………………………Pg. 227. Chp. 7- Amnesia………………………………………………………….....Pg. 248. Chp. 8- The Search (Anna’s Perspective)……….…………………..…Pg. 279. Chp. 9- Medical Evaluation…………………………………………….…Pg. 3010. Chp. 10- The Truth Unfolds.………………………………….……………..Pg. 3411. Chp. 11- End of the Line……………………………………………………Pg. 4012. Chp. 12- Aftermath (Maria’s Perspective)……………………….…….Pg. 4313. Chp. 13- Where Curiosity and Fate Collide........................................Pg. 45

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Chapter 1: Unfamiliar TerritoryWe are all born for a purpose unknown from the start, but revealed

slowly overtime. Our destiny will follow us until the end. What we are meant to do will always be revealed to us, but you decided whether to accept reality or not. So stand up, take a walk, and head towards fate before it finds you. It is time to rise up and become something. It took me forever, I always felt like I was nobody. Then, everything changed when I got these unknown special abilities. I don’t know what they are for or why I have them, but for now, I’m listening to reality, relying on hope, and surely I will bring justice in the end……….

My body lay restless upon a sheeted bed and standing over me was people that I did not expect. The cloaked figures revealed themselves to me, and told me that my body shouldn’t have survived the time warp. It was 2052 and I was helplessly unprepared for what comes next. “So why I am here, and who are you people?” I said while speaking out of my unmovable body. “We are here to help you, to understand your destiny, and all of that will be determined by the tests we will put you through, and when you are ready, we will train you and reveal ourselves to you. Trust me, you need us more then you know.” A man in a white cloak said to me while preparing the tests.

As the people prepped the tests, they hooked several wires up to my body. Then suddenly, I heard one of them say, “Do it now!” The next thing I know I feel a sudden surge of electricity flow through my body, then in a dreamlike state I saw Annabelle and Maria both walking toward me, and I was not sure what was happening right now. It surely was a test of loyalty, but who do I choose? Maria, the girl that has been my best friend forever or Annabelle who has also known me forever, but she’s the one I suddenly fell in love with because I thought Maria had given up on me. Around my neck still was my infinity bracelet for Maria and upon my finger was the “Tocino Lives” sapphire ring that Annabelle gave me. I walked forward and I saw myself placing my ring on Annabelle’s finger and I then I put my necklace

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around Maria’s neck, and then they both disappeared. Simply vanished from nothing. However, there was more than just one test.

I saw this computer generated world evolve into a new test that was far more complicated. It tested my memory more than I could believe. Standing before me was now the presence of my very first love Chyenne. I knew her since I was four years old and we were best friends for years until one day we got separated after my church kicked me out for something so small as throwing chairs. After I returned a year later, I found that she had stopped going to church. We were separated for a few years and during this time I fell in love with four various girls. It started with Maura at Williams Magnet School in 5th Grade through 6th grade at Eisenhower Middle School. Then, however after my friend exposed my secret to her, I fell in love with a girl more like me. Her name was Heather and how close of friends we became. She is the most intelligent girl I have ever met. We used to talk on Facebook all the time. I still remember my 6th grade project where I built a website all based on Microsoft for the PC vs. Mac debate. However, there was never a clear winner. I continued to work on my website over time while maintaining Heather as a very close friend. However, there eventually came a time when I moved to a new place and that’s where I met Maria, the girl with the most caring family, a family like my own, a family I felt like could be mine. However, even after I met Maria, I still fell in love with Heather gradually, but then later that winter, Maria revealed to Heather that I had a crush on her, which I felt changed our friendship completely. Heather later came to my 14th birthday party along with Maria. However, during my party, Heather realized that Maria and I were very close, and believed we could become a couple. However as the next year went by, I fell in love with the fourth girl, Annabelle. I felt sorry for her as she had similar emotions to mine and has experienced more dramatic things then I ever will.

As the dreamlike state made me remember these girls, each one had a question I had to answer. Chyenne asked, “What did we pinky swear on when we had the picnic at the zoo when we were kids?” I looked up and saw her and I as little kids in the back of my Aunt and Uncle’s car. “Promise me that when we grow up, we will get married.” The younger Chyenne said. I then watched as I said, “Pinky swear.” Then, following that, we did indeed pinky swear. Our promise I guess may or may not fall through.

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Then, the memory disappeared and so did Chyenne. Then, it was Maura who then asked me, “Who introduced you to Heather?” I then watched as the next memory played showing my 6th grade self, walking with Maura where she introduced me to her two close friends Bryanna and Heather. I said, “It’s nice to meet you.” I then saw myself continuing to talk to them as the memory played, showing various moments of us laughing joyfully. However, then the memory disappeared once again and so did Maura.

Then, it came time for Heather to ask me a question, but the memory didn’t play, and instead I saw something else, I saw a glitch in the system. I saw her fade away like she didn’t exist. Now, the only two that remain before me was Maria and Annabelle. However, I saw all my friends suddenly behind them, and then one by one they all faded away. I didn’t know what was going on, and then I saw it….I saw myself in the future, however I was losing something. I saw all my friends die and I was the only survivor. “Okay, pull him out now! He’s seen too much!” A feminine voice said as I was suddenly awakened back to reality.

“At this rate we will never find out if he’s capable of doing what is necessary!” The white cloaked man said. “He’s just the test subject, you already know he’s not going to make it, his blood is killing him!” The feminine voice now clearly coming from a woman with long blond hair. “He needs to be ready before the Surge comes. Otherwise we will never stop the war!” The man in white argued with the woman. “Ok, just shut up and let me talk! Where am I? Plus, what the hell did you do to me?” I said angry and confused, but still unable to move my body.

“It’s too soon, not yet, we must continue testing, immediately!” The man in white said. “What are you testing me for? Plus, why can’t I move?” I said. “You fell through a time warp, and now you are in the city of Curiosity in the year 2052. Plus, you sustained severe injuries before you came here.” The woman with the blond hair said kindly as she walked up towards me to point out my injuries. “My name is Chyenne by the way; you probably don’t recognize me in all the years it’s been.” The woman with the blond hair said to be revealing herself to be Chyenne; however, this led me to a massive amount of confusion. “It’s true, that is Chy and I am simply………..your brother.” The man in white said. “That’s impossible; my brother was helping

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my father in the war and nearly killed me!” I said as I eagerly wanted to kill him right now. “However, I’m not your brother Brandan, I’m one of your other half-blood brothers from your dad’s side, but I never agreed to the mess our father has made. My name is Ricardo or Rick for short. We are the few survivors of the Uprising and the war of 2014.” Rick said to me revealing himself to be another sibling of mine. “Where are there others? What happened?” I said as I wanted to know more about what happened.

“Simply stating, the reason we are still young is because you are in the sim-,” She was cut off by my brother Rick telling her, “It’s not time for him to know the truth, it’s not what Olivia would’ve wanted.” Rick said revealing more curious information as he continued to pace back in forth. “Who’s Olivia?” I said in curiosity. “You ask a lot of questions my dear friend and brother. Olivia was both our sister, however she possessed the same abilities that you have. She was the original Alpha Guardian and had mighty strong powers, but she died a tragic fate. Her blood was discovered as a healing agent and also that her blood could be used to give other people powers. So our father made three top secret projects and then many more after that. However your sister died 2 years ago when our father drained her of her powers and transferred them to not only your brother Brandan, but injected her blood into what he now calls super soldiers who now also have these powers. However that didn’t stop him from trying to replicate her mysterious powers even stronger on a new subject…….you. We have you currently hooked up to what we call the Virtual Imagery Cinematic Scenario device or VICS for short. It has the ability to unlock memories from your past that you can’t remember and we are trying to figure out if somehow you are bonded to Olivia in a way, she was one year younger than you, however for some reason, you also now have powers. It’s a very long story for you to take into account right now, but there is a war coming in 2074, and that war will destroy what is left of our world.” He said very seriously in trying to get my memory of how I got these abilities.

“Ok, so what does this have to do with me?” I said in seeking the truth while other people entered the room. “It means all the matter in the world. You could lead us to the new Alpha Guardian, who will be able to prevent the destruction of our world in 2074. Your memories are the only chance we got. So if you will, please lie back down, and let us continue testing you. Plus, you need to heal, so you’ll be ready for training soon. My name is James White,

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and I am the leader of the remainder of the Uprising.” The guy named James said as he entered in the room with luxurious equipment on, as well as the other people that entered the room. “Ok, what do you need from me?” I said as I got ready to enter the VICS device once again.

As time continued to move forward, more of my memories were replayed over and over again until they could unlock what happened when I was born. Then, the next hurtful memory played. As I watched the next memory, I watched when I was five years old in the hospital with mono. I was there for one week. I watched as my family were at my bedside praying for me as the doctors did not know what was wrong with me. I had numerous testing done as I watched the doctors determine I had mono. However, as I recovered from the sickness, I got the phone call. The phone call I would dread for the rest of my life. It was my father calling……it was the first time I had ever spoken to him. He said to me, “Son, I promise I’ll do whatever I can to be there, however I can’t right now, but I promise I’ll be there next summer.” I began to cry out of confusion because I never knew my father. Then, the memories played over the following summer when I desperately waited outside for my father to come, but he never showed. The memories continues showing me standing outside in the summer waiting for my father to come as each year went by, seeing me hope and pray he would come, but he never did.

The memories continued to get more intense as I watched myself grow up with my Mom and Grandma as they taught me everything I know along with the help of my Aunt and Uncle along the way. It was like watching my entire life float by in a matter of minutes. I saw all the fun I had at school growing up and hanging out with my friends. I was a happy kid, but then slowly I began to fall as my life continued. I saw myself get angrier and more violent along the way. Eventually, by the time it caught up to me, I saw myself skipping from school and becoming more different. I fell into peer pressure and started smoking a couple times. It made me remember the couple times I did drugs, however I never made a habit of it. I saw myself trying to help my friends stop as well. I realized as all these memories played that I was just like everyone else at one point. I was just a teen with nothing special. However, then came the day I got my powers. I saw all the things I did with my powers; however it never showed how I got them. My memories

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couldn’t even tell me how I survived the tornado incident. It was a blessing, but what is the purpose?

“This is getting hopeless. It’s been three weeks now and still we can’t determine how Dakota got his powers.” James said as he felt hopeless for his own team of soldiers. “Wake him up, I got an idea.” Rick said as he took me out of the system. “Ok, brother, are you ready for training.” He continued as he unhooked the final cables. “You think I’m ready?” I asked as I lifted myself off the VICS device. “We can’t hold you back any longer, we need to train you, and so you can get back to your friends before they die in the war that was started in the purpose of finding……the Alpha Guardian. However, without your locked memories, we can’t access the origin of the powers meaning we can’t determine who the next Alpha Guardian is.” Rick said as he led me to the outside for the first time since the rescued me. As I walked outside, I felt the fresh air, but however the city I saw gave me a vision of devastation and I fainted. As I collapsed on the ground, Rick and the others began trying to revive me, as if something was killing me, but as the sound of their voices got distorted, I finally fell into another coma.

As I began to speed through all my memories I was suddenly standing on top of the Empire State building in New York City. I saw the world falling apart with explosions all around. The world was collapsing. Then, finally the woman figure I always saw many times before that told me in the past to be patient, finally came forward as I said, “Who are you?” Then she disappeared like smoke, but then I heard the feminine voice whisper in my ear, “Turn around and you’ll see.” As I turned around with the world collapsing around me, I finally saw her. A teenage girl dressed in all white clothing. She had brown hair with red tints to it, and she had the brownest of eyes. “It’s time for you to know. It’s time for everything to be revealed to you. It’s time you knew the prophecy. All this time waiting, but here you are, standing before me. I have been watching you, guiding you towards your fate.” She said with a simplistic smile. “I just want to know who are you before you keep talking, and tell me what’s going on.” I said as I began to see a cloaked figure in the distance, restoring the destruction of the world. However, before I had time to see what was going on, the woman in white said, “You’re just like Rick; you have such a pure heart. You inspire others, you motivate others, and you help others. Plus, we share something in common, Dakota. We have the same blood my brother. My name is Olivia and now if you’ll follow me, it’s

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time for you to know the truth.” The beautiful woman said revealing herself to be my sister Olivia, and from that moment, there was a peace, and the truth shocked me. However, I followed my sister, and all that was meant to be revealed, is revealed to me. “Now my brother, take my hands, it’s time that you see the past, present, and the future.” So as my sister said, I grabbed her hands and together we stepped into the light.

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Chapter 2: The ProphecyWe are all afraid of something. We can say all day long that were not

afraid of anything when deep down even the most fearless leaders have some sort of fear. However, fear is what destroys, is what makes us fall into peer pressure, and ultimately leads to darkness. However, what is it like to be fearless? To be painless? I don’t think we’ll ever know. However, seeing my sister and learning the prophecy will make you more afraid then you would believe. If you knew all your loved ones would die, and the only chance of saving them was you, then wouldn’t you be afraid? I was preparing to learn the biggest truth I have ever faced, and let me tell you…..I……..was…….afraid. However, being afraid doesn’t make you a coward, it only makes you human. Nobody is perfect, not even me. I have made mistakes, as will everybody in the world, but if I’m going to fulfill this prophecy, then I must not make a mistake……..our lives depend on it.

As my sister Olivia and I stepped into the light, I saw us looking down at the past where she revealed the memory I couldn’t remember. I saw my father inject some sort of fluid into my body, then he carried be over in tears towards this spectrum of bright light, but it was actually electromagnetism, and as he laid my body down. He pulled the trigger, and as my baby sized body got electrocuted, I felt the pain from it like it was happening all over again. However, then my mom entered the area. I saw my mother and father argue, before I saw my mom take me away and my father was angry and kicked over his science equipment, and then he shouted, ”That’s our only hope lying in your arms!” My father said while walking back up to my mom and grabbing her. “What did you do to him? He’s just a baby!” My mom yelled back trying to protect me. “I did what had to be done.” My father yelled as my mom walked away, and after this point my father was never seen again.

However, that’s when Olivia revealed that the following year he tried a more similar procedure on her. However, the effects were rapid, with her powers taking effect immediately. She grew up with her powers, becoming stronger and stronger each day, until soon, my father used her for what she was made for. She was the Alpha Guardian meaning that the she was the only one with the power capable of finding, using, and destroying the Matrix

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which holds the power to anything a man would want. It has the power to create anything. However, although my father used the Matrix to finally accomplish his dreams of making a bridge through time and space, along with a bridge to create a computer generated world, but it never showed if he was successful, as eventually the Matrix rejected him and my sister both, because it was no longer time for my sister to be the Alpha Guardian. It turned out that there was a more powerful Alpha Guardian out there somewhere who the true master of the Matrix was; however as the Matrix left them; it concealed itself in the bridge of space and time deep within a convergence of massive electromagnetic power called the Alpha which refers to the name of the Alpha Guardian. Upset and angry at the loss of the Matrix, my father did more tests on my sister that would eventually lead to her demise. Soon it was discovered that her blood could cure any disease, any illness, and injury with a simple injection of her blood into another body. However, there were complications. Anyone injected with her blood also received powers in different ways. So after being completely drained of her blood, my sister died and the Prophecy now belongs to the new Alpha Guardian.

My sister then showed me the present day back in 2014, where I saw my friends for the first time in nearly a month. My friends ended up fighting the soldiers and won. However, there was a bigger war coming, very, very soon. I saw the corruption spread across most of the nation, consuming everything. However, last but not least, I saw my friends killed, because I wasn’t there to stop this monstrosity. However, as Olivia continued to show me my friends desperately searching for me as weeks have gone by, I realized I really do have true friends. Then, the pain started again, and the world around me began to collapse.

“It’s your blood isn’t it? It’s killing you.” Olivia said while trying to help me stand back up. “I know I’m dying, I been having nosebleeds ever since my powers started.” I said as my sister Olivia began to show me the future. “Then the prophecy is true, you are the one that is meant to find the Alpha Guardian and help him or her end this war.” Olivia said trying to show me my destiny. “Your fate, you are dying from a disease, did you know? It’s progressing rapidly. If you don’t do something soon, you surely will die, however the time is not now.” She continued as she paced in desperation. “What do you mean?” I said confused by her saying not now. “In the

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prophecy, you surely will die, but that is after you stop this war.” She said showing me the destruction of our world in 2074. “There are some things I can’t tell you as you must learn the truth on your own, but once you die, you can finally come home.” Olivia continued as I was shocked to realize I was dying, although I was suspecting it all along. “Ok, if I’m going to die, then I hope it’s worth it.” I said desperately. “The prophecy states that the Alpha Guardian must destroy the Matrix before it falls in the hands of evil, and to stop the destruction of our world. However, it’s time I say goodbye for now, as the truth is for you to discover on your own.” She said as I suddenly woke up back in the arms of my brother Rick. “I’m dying, did you know?” I asked my brother. “Yes, I did, I suspect you saw Olivia, so now it’s time we tell you what we know and prepare you for what’s next.” He said as I began to feel something inside me that shouldn’t belong. I was dying not from my injuries, but from a disease, and I think I know what it is.

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Chapter 3: Time for Training

Have you ever noticed that time is far more complicated than anything else out there? What is time? Is it real or is it simply something made up by scientists? True we have night and day, but time was made up to help us create a pattern, a schedule of life. Time itself is an illusion. In reality there is no time. True, we age, we grow, but it’s all part of a simple, but complicated concept. However, when you know you’re going to die, what would you do? Would you seek out old friends? Old memories? Or simply just wait to die? Now that I knew the first part of the prophecy, I knew that in the end I must ultimately die. However, I must find this Alpha Guardian and stop this war before it is too late, but who is it and where do I find them? My ultimate journey is about to begin…..

“So, Dakota, how old are you again?” James, the leader of the remaining Uprising asked me as he walked up to my resting body. “I’m sixteen as of May this year.” I said as I drank some sort of medicine from a silver cup. “Ugh, what is this?” I said in disgust. “It’s something to help you stay alive; we need you for as long as we can.” Rick, my brother, said as he has been the one doctoring me. “It doesn’t matter, he’s too young for training, and he has to be at least eighteen.” James said as he reasoned with Rick. “It doesn’t matter, we need him. The surge is one week away, and that is our only chance for him to get back to his friends.” Rick said as he paced while clearly stating this was the only way out. “I’ll take him in.” Chyenne said as she entered the room and told me to get ready.

As I prepared the stuff they provided for me, I finally got a look at the center of the place where they were keeping me. “This way, follow me.” Chyenne said as we entered this elevator. “Where are we going?” I asked while the elevator descended. “We’re going to the center of town. It’s time that you train from a true master.” She said as I saw a giant ball of electricity in a glass bowl powering the facility. “What is that?” I said as I looked at it curiously. “That is what powers the town now; we are in the center of the town in the headquarters for the “VICS” device. After the war several years ago, electricity became non-existent. So did oil, coal, and other sources of power. Now we rely on fusion power made from this reactor core of electromagnetism.” She said explaining the downfall of the war of 2014.

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“Today, Cody you will begin training to use your powers in a world that is non-existent of electricity which fuels your powers.” She continued. “So if I’m so important, how do I stop this war?” I asked as the elevator stopped. “Only you can figure that out. The prophecy is yours to figure out.” She said as she led me outside for the first time in a month where I saw brilliant city structures unlike anything in the past life. The structures were similar to skyscrapers, but they floated off the ground by fusion power. There were also mono-rails as high as the clouds, transporting people from city to city. The cars also ran on fusion power and had no wheels as they were like hover boards gliding down the street. “Wow, what is this?” I asked as I walked out in the sunlight to see a hover car land beside me. “This is the future, now get on.” She said as I got into this vehicle of supreme technology and appeal. “I wasn’t expecting this.” I said as we began to maneuver the great city.

“None of us expected this to tell you the truth. We were all condemned to this place of lies.” Chyenne said as we neared a giant floating arena. “What do you mean condemned? What is this place?” I said wanting to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. “That is for you to discover on your own. You can’t remember me do you? This is what this place does. It manipulates time, stability, and life all for the cause of trying to save mankind. This is why you’re here. To help us prevent the destruction of our world.” She said as we landed and I told her that, “I’m not ready.” “You are already ready, but this is why I brought you here, to train from a great leader.” She said as we began to walk through these doors large enough for cruise ships to pass through. “So if you made it through time to here, did Anna, Corey, Hondro and the rest make it as well?” I said making Chyenne realize I did remember. “So you do remember?” Chyenne said looking at me in surprise as we walked into the arena. “Of course I remember who would forget their most important friends in life, not me ever. I have had people turn their backs on me, but I still watch from a distance making sure everyone is ok. Now, you tell me again I would really forget about you and everyone else. I’m just confused on how this is all happening in the first place.” I said as I walked into a room of people shaking my hand as I entered and then I was in the large arena, except it was to practice using my powers. To make me stronger. “Ok, then don’t worry only some of us got stuck here, all your other friends are still back in 2014 in which there is a war

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you must stop. So here you are to train.” Chyenne said revealing what was next.

As I emerged from the crowd of people desperately awaiting my arrival, I saw it before me like a mountain. I saw this giant platform high in the sky and my objective was to get up there. As I tried using my powers, it all but failed as immediately we were under attack. Someone, somebody was taking a hit on the floating arena. “Ok, we have to leave now.” She said as immediately everyone flooded the exits. “I thought we were here to train. There is something you are not telling me, so I’m going up there.” I said as I immediately forced myself to get to the top using a various amount of my powers against their will. However, as I reached the top, I was suddenly struck by a missile and the explosion caused me to free fall. As I was free falling I had no control of my powers. I flew through the buildings like a knife piercing tomatoes. An explosion of monstrosity continued as I finally landed on a hover car, causing my wounds to reopen. However, as I dragged my body across the ground, I began to see visions of a dark power called the surge which will destroy the city tomorrow unless I stop it. However, as I dragged my body I saw soldiers racing up to me, however, Rick and Chyenne emerged from the wreckage and killed the soldiers. As they carried my body back to safety I asked in my chocking breath, “What is the surge?”

“That’s your training my brother; you must absorb the power of the surge’s electromagnetism to not only save the city, but to unlock your fusion side of your powers. However, I have something shocking to tell you Dakota. I ran tests on your blood and it’s the same as Olivia’s, it has the power to cure anything except for your own weaknesses. You however possess something that Olivia never had; the reason why you survived the Time Warp is because you are immune to electromagnetism. Meaning only you can absorb the power of the surge, and if that is possible you will be able to get back to 2014, however your blood also contains something else entirely. The DNA of your blood maps out the location of the Matrix, which only the Alpha Guardian can destroy or use. So after the surge is over, you must find the Alpha Guardian and destroy the matrix before it is used to destroy our world in 2074. However one thing, I would consider most wise is do not tell anyone about your blood, or it would mean your life.” Rick informed me as he used the last vial of Olivia’s blood to save my life and heal my injuries,

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which almost immediately gave me powers unlike my own, but before I had time to respond, I let my sister’s DNA bond with my own, causing me to faint.

Chapter 4: The Surge

Sometimes you live to relive past experiences. It’s why we are here in the first place. We go through hard moments in life to learn how to push

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through if the situation arises again. We’ve all had our experiences, but we will not fall. We will not succumb; we will raise up and over power our obstacles. However, to do so takes a lot of strength and courage. However, when it involves somebody else, will you be there for them? To help them rise up? Or will you turn your back on them and watch them fall? The people you could’ve saved. But you didn’t, that was on you. However, to live a life in someone else’s shoes is unimaginable, to live all of their memories; you truly learn who they are. However, as my sister’s blood was now bonding with my own, it finally unlocked something I needed to know.

As I feel asleep once again, they placed me back in the VICS device to see if the bonding of my sister’s DNA can unlock some of Olivia’s memories. However, it was all a painful process. Her blood fused with mine, unlocking boundaries set by my old powers, but now I had new powers, however it was not time to use them yet. As I screamed in pain, I finally saw my sister’s memories. This unlocked the truth of her death and the truth of how she got her powers. As my brother, Rick, and my old friend Chyenne watched the memories on a screen wired to my thoughts, we together watched Olivia’s life unfold before our eyes as my body had finally accepted her blood.

I watched as I saw my sister as a child, gaining strength as she grew older; however I finally saw the truth. It turns out that when I was a baby, my father took a vial of my own blood and experimented on it to give it a faster acceptance rate. Once my sister, Olivia, was born, my father injected her with my own blood, which gave her abilities quicker than how I got my own. I then watched as my sister grew up in the presence of my brother Rick who is 7 years older than her. However, what they didn’t know is that my father continued to experiment with stuff he shouldn’t have tampered with. He was messing with space and time with the newly found Matrix. Olivia found the Matrix one day on the beach buried deeply in the sand. Once she touched it, it sort of activated and became loyal to her, showing her all the powers she had, however, the Matrix eventually in time, rejected her in search of a new Alpha Guardian. However, the Matrix was waiting for its true master to arrive. The Real Alpha Guardian is still out there somewhere, and the War is coming.

However one of the last projects my father was working on was something extraordinary. He was working on an alternate universe, where

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time & space could be manipulated as well as disease, life, and prosperity. All controlled at the fingertips of him. However, I had a feeling his motives were far worse, but my thoughts began to blur, and I saw Olivia again. Where she revealed to me, “Be quite and patient, you’re almost nearly there, but not yet, you are not ready for the whole truth. However you do need to know about the Surge, its only hours away, and you must absorb its power to unlock all your powers and to return back to the past. I’m sure you miss your friends, but if you don’t stop the Surge it will destroy everything.” My sister said while showing me the immense destruction from the raw power of the surge caused by a solar eclipse and comet that will merge at the same time. The name of this comet is called Amelia and the comet is made of an element that when it reaches the Eclipse, the raw power of both will cause the earth to destabilize. “Do what must be done; you will know what to do.” She said as she finally left and I awoke.

The Surge was coming and I needed to stop it. “How do we stop it?” I asked my brother Rick and everyone else in the room. “That is for you to decide.” My brother said to me as He led me to the top of the headquarters. I over looked the city and a massive storm began to form around the city. Then, I thought about the high price for whether this could kill me or not. I then decided that the Surge will merge wherever the source of power for the city is. As the eclipse began to form and the comet nearing in site, I climbed to the top of the building’s fusion array. If I was really immune to electromagnetism, then surely I won’t die.

In a last ditch effort, I stood on the edge of the array as the fusion area was directly beneath me. As the convergence began with the comet and the eclipse the immense fusion storm began. Everything began to get struck with some sort of powerful fusion lightning. However, whilst looking over the city one last time I thought about my friends one last time, Including Maria and Annabelle. I been gone for so long, but could I actually finally come home. What were they going to say? It was time I found out.

As, the storm erupted and began to destroy the buildings surrounding me, I used my telekinesis and electrical ions in my blood stream to directly target itself toward me. The fusion lightning finally struck toward me, and I finally had it where I wanted it. As I absorbed all the power from the Surge, the power overwhelmed me and as I tried to control all of it, my nose started

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to bleed once again. I could feel the power of the fusion mixing with my body. It was pushing me to my limits, I tried to hold on, but as the entire city was watching me absorb all this power I began to watch drops of my blood dripping to the ground. As the power flowed through my body I began to relive my life before my eyes. I had flashes of the kiss with Annabelle, the necklace I gave to Maria, my Grandma’s death, the explosion of the school, and even all the memories from the years prior where I watched myself grow up. However, as the surge ended, I finally fell backwards, falling through the glass. As I tried to hold on to nothing, I plummeted and fell into the city’s source of power, the fusion transformer. As I fell into it I finally felt the electricity flow through my body, as my body was electrocuted from all the power. However in an instant I finally saw myself in between Space & Time, where my sister finally came to me and told me, “It’s time you learn the rest of the prophecy.” As my sister and I marched through time together I finally learned the confusing truth.

Chapter 5: The Prophecy UntoldI realized something today. It is my 17th birthday. However today is the

day that I must die to protect the ones I care about the most, but what I

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realized is, is that not all people are worthless. Whether you have powers or not, you have the ability to do something special. Something that can change the world entirely. Everyone one is born a purpose; it’s time to stand up and use it. Be part of the World’s Army against the dark forces that seek to destroy us. It was only a matter of time before I learned what is wrong with me and what I must do to stop this war. My illness has spread to the deep portions of my body; I’m only a matter of hours away from death. With the Matrix in my blood stream, and the world slowly collapsing, can I destroy the Simulation in time? There are a lot of questions left unanswered, but all will be revealed in time. This is my destiny; it was the fate that was always meant to be……

9 Months Earlier……..

Olivia and I were standing between life and death, watching the past, present, and future revolve around us. It was like spectrums of light flowing all around us. Something however was so curious; I needed to know more about the Alpha Guardian, where to find him, and how to stop this war in 2074 that will destroy the world. Olivia then lead me through a blinding path of light where it was revealed something I didn’t want to hear. “Dakota, you will die in the end, do you accept this fate?” A man in his near twenties said as he marched towards me. “Who are you?” I said as I walked towards him. “I am you in the form of the past, present and the future. Our sister so kindly brought you here as you are in a limbo between time and death from all that energy you absorbed. However, the body I take form of now is the body you will die in. However, today is the day I explain to you what must happen, and you must accept everything I tell you. Is that clear?” He explained as he prepared to show me things I never seen before. “Yes, I’m ready.” I said as I sat down in the special chair with wires all around. “Ok, good, we are ready to begin, but first you need to understand that as soon as this is over, you will return back to your old time in 2014.” “I understand.” I said as he brought me a vial of blue liquid in a test tube like shape. “Drink, and then you will see.” He said as I started drinking the medicine tasting fluid. Suddenly I fell in a trance and all that was clear became blurry and I feel asleep.

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As I open my eyes I found myself in the middle of war, however it stopped in an instant and all life was destroyed. However, things began to switch back to the past. I saw my friends hopelessly looking for me for months, and slowly they are losing hope as they slowly get captured by my brother, Brandan, who is desperately trying to find me. I saw more things about this unknown “simulation” project. I began to see visions of my life as a young child waiting for my father to show up when he never did. I saw myself as a little kid with my friends I grew up to know, not knowing that we would one day we would face this monstrosity together. Then I saw it in a glimpse, I am dying, but from what? However, I also saw myself in the presence of my father, while I was cloaked in a red and black uniform. Plus, I had more power than I ever had before, and slowly I watched the world explode around me as the earth was destabilizing. However somehow in another glimpse slowly I saw myself carrying with what appeared to be a child, where it was then where I told the child, “The prophecy belongs to you now.” I then left to face my final battle where I sacrificed myself to destroy the one thing that threatened everything I cared about. I saw myself die and a blurry figure came to my side, and in a final revelation I said, “Aurora is the Alpha Guardian now. Protect her. Teach her. Tell her it is her destiny to do what I could not.” It was then where I died, and then the visions came to an end. However I was confused, and then I awoke back in the presence of my sister Olivia.

“We need to make sure you understand. It’s time I show you what to do.” She said as I saw for myself what was coming. “Are you ready?” Olivia said as she began to wave and control the space & time. “I may not be the Alpha Guardian in the Real World, but I am in this world.” She said as my curiosity heightened. “What do you mean this world?” I said as I walked in the midst of time and space. “You will learn eventually. That is for you to discover on your own. I’m ready to leave now; all of this will come back to you in time.” She said as she walked away in the passage she was trying to lead me into. As I walked through the passage, everything around me began to spiral in all directions with bright lights heavy on my eyes. I saw the whole world race around me, I saw everything I needed to see, but before it ended I saw a glimpse of my dead body lying restless on the ground in the middle of a snowy forest with a pool of blood surrounding my body. Then suddenly I awoke, but something was wrong. I still didn’t know who the Alpha Guardian

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was or where to find him. However, something inside me told me that I knew who it was.

Chapter 6: Aurora SkyIt was a curious thing to see some of the future. However, the thing

about curiosity is that it can be very dangerous and powerful. I was confused

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about everything that was happening and now I get to go home I can be free. However, as I walked through my past, present and future, the light got brighter and brighter and then there before me was somebody I didn’t expect or know and for a while we starred at each other curiously.

Standing before me was a teenage girl about my age and it wasn’t Olivia, it was another girl with dark brown hair with a red tint to it. Her body tall while lean and slender. The girl also looked like she meant business with her strong posture. She was wearing what appeared to be a red and black stealth uniform with a hood, similar to an Assassin’s Creed uniform. As I wondered who she was she eventually looked at me and said, “Hello.”

“What happened to Olivia and who are you?” I asked with my voice desperate with curiosity while pacing back and forth in a place that is indescribable. “Well, let’s just say I been taking the form of Olivia all along to lead you to me so I can eventually reveal the truth to you. I’m sure you have a lot of questions and so do I. I showed you a glimpse of the future where you will die, and also about the baby you will have.” She said while walking closer toward me with her hands on her hips. “What, you are saying Olivia was you all along? Plus, what about the child? What about the mother, who is the mother?” I said frantically now even more curious. “Well, let’s get one thing clear. I’m not allowed to tell you anything about the future as it can break the balance between time and space. However, what I can tell you is the baby girl that you were holding, well that was me. So once again, hello, my name is Aurora. What is yours?” Aurora said very cautiously and ultimately revealed she is my future daughter. This made me tremble from head to shoulder not believing what this girl is saying to me.

“So what you are saying is that, you are my daughter? How can that be? How are you here right now?” I asked her stepping back as I began to become afraid of her. “Yes, I am your daughter, eventually that time will come, and however for right now I need to tell you what is coming soon and what to prepare for.” Aurora said very serious like it meant the end of world, and that her life depended on me knowing the truth or was it me that she was worried about?

“I don’t understand how you are even here right now and what you so desperately want me to know. Why does this matter?”

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“It means absolutely everything. There is a war coming far worse than you know about. You must find him, The Alpha Guardian as he is the only one that can control the Matrix and destroy it. If your father finishes what he started with Olivia then it will mean the end of us all. Your blood can heal people right? However you still don’t know what you are dying from do you? All I can tell you is that the Matrix is a very powerful device, and if he finds it, it will ultimately destroy the real world and only the false world will exist, the simulation. You will die in the end, it is your fate to stop this war. Otherwise billions will die. So dear Father, I ask that you look deep inside yourself and find who you are meant to be. It’s all up to you now. The fate of the world rests in your hands…..”

“What do you mean my father? What’s the simulation? How do you know all of this?”

“Well, in the distant future I am…….the Alpha Guardian.” As she said those words, she left and disappeared before I could ask questions and instantly beneath me the floor crumbled and I fell, and then everything went out of perspective. Everything was so confusing now, I don’t know what’s happening, but now I know I must find the Alpha Guardian, soon……..

Chapter 7: Amnesia

Some are wise, some are not. Some are strong, while others remain weak. It is to who seeks vanity and pride that shall ultimately fail, but for those that seek serenity will prevail in every possible way. I don’t yet know

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what my talents are, I don’t know if I will ever be recognized. These powers have led me on a path that has ultimately changed my life, however is it worth it? Every choice, every decision, and every action comes with consequences. I have lost a lot along the way, while I have learned the truth which is the most important, however I am home now, and all that I have is compassion for the open arms of my friends racing towards me. Finally, I am here. I am home. However something remains empty inside……..

Suddenly, I was lying upon the wet ice cold pavement at the middle of the night. I had upon me no jacket, nothing to keep me warm. As I stood, blood slowly dripped from my nose into the puddles of water on the ground. However, the freezing fall air slowed down my bleeding nose quickly. As I started to walk around, I looked to see where I was……and I was home. There was snow slowly starting to fall and my breath was clearly visible. I walked on, shivering from the night air as the snow began to stick to my hair. However, something was wrong. Everything was too quiet, no sign of any further destruction or desolation. The war? Was it over…………..it was too soon to tell. I continued on my adventure to home as I saw the ruins of houses and cars all around me. The war was clearly over now, but I just hope my friends and family are safe. Eventually as time passed I made my way back home, however as I saw my friends they began to rush towards me and hug me and they all asked where I had been. However as I sat down to tell them, bright flashes of memories popped into my head, but it felt like something was frying in my mind. I couldn’t remember where I was. I couldn’t remember what happened. I even asked myself once again, who am I?

“Dakota? Are you alright?” Maria asked as she was looming over my cold body. “Where have you been?” She continued as she walked over to pour me a glass of hot apple cider. “Yeah, of course I’m alright, what happened?” I said as my vision continued to blur and my thoughts disorganized. “Well, luckily we stopped the war, and then…..poof. You went missing and we went searching for you for days.” Annabelle said as she was laying upside down in a brown chair recliner.

Suddenly, my attention was focused on Corey, who walked over to the refrigerator and poured himself his 7th glass of milk. “You and your milk will never be separated; I guess you have good bones then.” I said as I started to

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recuperate some memories as Corey responded with, “Like I said before, Milk settles the nerves, I drink it to stay calm. The world may have fallen but I’m not the jackass that started it was I? Nope. Not me. You just get some weird random ass powers as this war just suddenly drops from the sky. Nope, I don’t think this war is just random. This war has a purpose, and I believe it is to find you. Practically the war seems over, but that is only because your brother made you disappear. So in reality, we are simply playing hide and seek while they are playing seek and destroy. So as part of the Uprising, I guess our duty is to protect you, however we can’t do this on our own, and we need you and only you.” Corey says with an enormous amount of truthfulness and wisdom.

“Exactly, so you need to tell us exactly what happened before you came back.” Meresa says while walking over and staring hard into my eyes with a straight face. “I….don’t….remember…..” I said as the pain from the flashes of light in my head made me dizzy and clueless. “What do you mean you don’t remember?” Maria said as I began to drink the Apple Cider warming me from the cold winter weather outside. “I just don’t……I just feel weird. I need your help guys….” I said as I began to walk over to the kitchen sink to place my empty cup while my memories were flashing like lightning bolts in my head.

“You need our help? We are the ones that need yours. We can’t do this this on our own. We need you, Bacon.” Emily said as she trying to influence me but I was still, then suddenly it hit me. I start to collapse over the kitchen sink and blood was flowing everywhere from my nose. As I tried to balance myself, I kept falling over, against the wall, smearing blood everywhere with my hands. Then everyone tried to come to my aid, but then I remembered that I was dying but from what? I even started to choke on my own blood, and finally collapsed on the ground, my head hitting hard against the tile floor and I felt a warm puddle of blood beginning to surround my face. Everyone tried to help me, but their voices where turning into unrecognizable blurs of sound. I finally started to see the light fade, and then I heard a voice. A voice saying, “Dakota, we need you, and I need you. Without you I will never exist. Remember to follow your heart and all will be revealed to you. Don’t die on me yet……..dad.” It was Aurora’s voice. She was still watching over me, and then my memories started to come back, about what I needed to do. However, in a way I felt like I was losing a war

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with myself. My blood was everywhere and finally as I felt my body being lifted up by somebody, I felt the blood dripping down my clothes, and then everything went dark. No sound. No sight. Just a sudden and abrupt blackout, taking over my life as I was bound to die, it was now only a matter of time……

1 Month Earlier……

Chapter 8: The Search (Anna’s Perspective)We were winning the battle, not at first, but eventually. I personally

couldn’t shoot a single thing. The soldiers were marching towards us and everything changed. Corey stepped ahead and ultimately killed off the rest

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of the soldiers that were racing after us. However, even though we won, we all wondered where did Tocino go? He went missing, none of us knew where he was and we were all curious wanting to find him, or did something happen? Did he die? Was he kidnapped? So the search began…….

“Did you look over all the dead bodies to make sure that Dakota may still be alive?” Emily asked probably Corey since he was the one dragging the bodies away where they couldn’t be seen. “I couldn’t find him. It’s like he disappeared out of thin air.”’ Corey said with a worried face, while we were driving the bus throughout the city.

“That’s not possible; he can’t just vanish like that.” Meresa said trying to understand the concept of vanishing. “Well, he does have powers, duh, maybe this is a new one and he doesn’t know how to control it yet, maybe?” I said while trying to be as obvious as possible, but still like everyone else I began to worry.

The concept of him being gone was actually becoming truer by the second. We searched the city long and hard and we came back with nothing. Eventually more time passed and we left to go back home to Topeka. When we arrived everyone was excited to see us asking us how everything went. However, I saw Maria and I wanted to tell her how selfish she was or not coming with us. Now Dakota is somewhere else and we don’t know what is happening to him.

I eventually approached Maria and said, “Oh miss darling, you think you and Wayne are so special that you couldn’t even come with us. We won, I thought you should know, but Cody is gone, and we all had to search for him, while you did nothing. You were probably being a slut or a drug addict while being with Wayne. Or were you smoking the Mary Jane the whole time? You are such an ass, you could’ve of been there and you weren’t.” I said as Maria looked at me shocked and surprised at what I said. “That’s right you heard me. You are so pathetic, and I thought we were friends!” I said out of the heat of my anger. “Well, if you were my friend you would’ve told me that you had kissed him, and well…..you didn’t.” Maria said trying to backtalk to me, I don’t think so. “This doesn’t concern you, because you weren’t there in the first place, and don’t get in my business again.” I said as I punched her leaving her with a bloody nose as she simply walked away.

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Things started to become more intense and we all had to find shelter somewhere before the blizzard rolls in. Maria and I exchanged fake happy smiles at each other while we walked together as a group with everybody, shivering in the snow as the night approached. On the way to find shelter, we stopped by some run down grocery stores, and let’s just say, we all raided the shit out of it. We even stole the grocery carts. Then we were on our way…..

We eventually found a house that was unlocked and we all settled in it. It actually was nice, it had a nice leather couch, a huge flat screen TV, a brown plush reclining chair, and there also was a pretty huge kitchen with a long dinner table, large enough for us all to sit at. We all realized that night was coming quickly, so we opened mostly boxes of snacks we got earlier. It was a nice variety of Twinkies, Cosmic Brownies, Snowballs, Oatmeal Cream Pies, a couple pies, and some Zingers. For drinks we found some apple cider cartons and a couple 2 liters of Coke and Dr. Pepper-my favorite-and we all had a nice conversation together. However, a few hours passed and we found different areas to sleep, however each room had bunk beds in them. However, Maria and I got stuck with each other. We didn’t talk to each other, but while I had the top bunk I watched outside to see the giant snowflakes floating by and waiting to see if Cody had found his way back yet. No luck……

Eventually the 4th week came, and it was another day just us six people, Corey, Andres, Meresa, Emily, Maria, and I. I guess that with no school and with a massive war on the horizon, we sort of became a family. However, this evening as I lay upside down on the back of the recliner I started feeling like there was no more hope of seeing Tocino no matter how much we needed him. Until suddenly, I hear Corey say with a deep amount of excitement, “It’s Dakota, I swear it’s him.” That’s when they all left rushing outside while Maria and I stayed inside. Maria was heating up the Apple Cider on the gas stove while I stayed in my chair just simply twiddling my thumbs.

“I told you it was him.” Corey whispered in my ear as he brought Cody over to the leather couch who had a strange confused look on his face. Corey was talking to him for a while until Cody revealed he doesn’t remember what happened to him while he was gone and all I could think-Was he tortured?-

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Then eventually Cody stood up and walked over to the sink and it looked like he was drunk. Then, as he walked back over towards us, he started to fall backward, and then I noticed it. His nose was bleeding, and that’s when he fell backwards against the wall. As he desperately tried to hold on to something his hands were smearing blood all over the teal colored walls. When he fell he didn’t speak or blink. We all rushed over trying to help, but time was up, we were too late, there he lay in a pool of his own blood, eyes wide open not moving. We were all screaming his name, and then I bent down and closed his eyes as if he was dead and that’s when the tears came. However, I wasn’t the only one, we finally had him back, and immediately he was dying. What was the secret? Why didn’t we know? He’s died twice already; I don’t think he wants to go through that again. “I got you buddy, I got you, we’ll get you help.” Corey said as he lifted Cody into his arms and carried him outside the door in the snow. Cody’s arms and legs were listless as if he was paralyzed, then I saw Cody’s blood dripping down Corey’s own clothes as we all marched toward the nearby hospital. I couldn’t help but feel his sticky blood still on my hands and tried to use the snow to wash them off, but my hands were still stained red. Tonight made us whole as family with one goal……to make sure our friend would survive……..

Chapter 9: Medical Evaluation

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We all face problems in life. Some difficult or others sometimes easier than others. When the whole world around you begins to crumble, you have to have faith and hope, because that is what keeps us going, it’s what keeps us alive. It was time to learn the truth. To learn what was killing me, and we needed to progress. We needed to finish the mission, to end the war.

As I was drifting off I saw all of my past as a child so innocent and kind. I saw all my friends at school that I missed so dearly. I saw a panorama of all my different memories floating by like a race car. Every moment of my forever was spinning in my head. All I could wonder is what is going on now, with my great sense of curiosity. Then, eventually I left my body to see them working on my body from above.

In my out of body experience I saw them working hastily and quickly, to find out what was wrong with me. “Ok, this fellow needs an MRI scan pronto.” One of the Doctor’s said as he was figuring out what was wrong with me. “You’ll be alright buddy.” The nurse said as she rolled my gurney down the long hallways to the MRI room, there a couple nurses lifted me onto a retractable steel bed. As I watched my body be placed upon the steel, they placed my head into a brace so it wouldn’t move and they placed my arms into my lap and then slowly my body was pulled into this massive machine with a huge tube running through it like a tunnel and then my whole body was inside and then the buzzing began.

As the buzzing started, my mind was distorted and I was confused and disoriented. I felt bursts of electromagnetism emitting form the machine as that was my source of power. I felt radiation also shooting into various places in my body.

I was also shocked to see all of my friends in the waiting room outside in the lobby. Then about 30 minutes later the buzzing stopped. However, suddenly I saw my father talking to my brother again. “Is everything set for the takeover of Washington on January 4th, Brandan?” My father asks sternly while holding an envelope of classified documents I guess. “Yes Sir, the attack will be ready by then, we will have them, are you returning home sir?” Brandan replies like he’s an obedient child with a straight face. “Yes, just make sure you don’t screw this shit up, and yes I am on my way home back to Albuquerque now to try to clear some things up.” My father said as his

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helicopter lifts off. I then followed my father home to remember where he lives.

Then, suddenly before I could find out I was back at the hospital staring at my body back on a gurney except this time the room was full of surgeons. “Make sure the anesthesia stays on constantly, we don’t want him waking up during this.” The surgeon said while getting what appeared to be a drill to do something to my head. I watched them for a while and then eventually they inserted tube like things into two little holes on my head, then they slowly extracted what appeared to be blood but then it was a yellow fatty substance.

“We won’t be able to get all of it sir. It’s too widespread, he won’t survive long.” Another surgeon said as he spoke to the main surgeon with a serious face. “Then, our only option is to inject him with the new D1D2 serum.” The surgeon said as he finished up the surgery and then prepared a vial of blue liquid and injected it into my neck. Then, instantly I was back in my body and I awoke.

“Hey, Cody, how are you, you been gone for so long.” Annabelle said as she sat next to me staring at me smiling, while I finally was able to move around, but my arm was connected with an IV to a bag of Yellow fluid. That’s when I knew. “I’ve never been so happy to see your face.” I said as I my body was still numb from the surgery and could easily feel gauze wrapped around my head. “What did they do to me?” I asked all my friends in the room. “We don’t know yet, we are still waiting on results.” Corey said as he looked at me glad to see me awake.

“I have to tell you guys something. I remember where I was now. I was in this city called Curiosity and I was in the year 2052, seriously guys. Plus, they did these tests on me to find out how I got my powers, and I found out my father is behind it all. However, I met my dead sister Olivia who told me that it was fate that I will die whenever this is all over, but she said that I have to find the Alpha Guardian before my dad does otherwise the power of this thing called the Matrix can destroy the real world and make this world called the Simulation the real world whatever that is. However, before I came back here, Olivia showed me some of the future and I saw myself older with much greater powers than I have now, but I saw myself die in this pile of snow with blood everywhere. However as I was dying I saw a blurred figure

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come up to me and I said something like-Go protect her. She’s our only chance now- then I saw myself holding a baby, that turned out to be my daughter and her name is Aurora, however other than that I didn’t see much else or the mother. However, then I saw Aurora about our age standing before me and she revealed she was impersonating Olivia the whole time and is also the future Alpha Guardian, but she said that ultimately I have to find the Alpha Guardian before my father and that the fate of the future is in my hands.” I said as I revealed our next mission to everybody while they had their mouths wide open uncertain if I was telling them the truth.

“Wow, that’s a pretty good story.” Andres said laughing, while the others remained serious as the guy who performed my surgery walked into the room. “Hello Dakota, if it hadn’t been for your friends here last night, I’m pretty sure they would have lost you. Plus I’m terribly sorry to inform you of this……..but…..do you know what that yellow liquid is that is currently flowing into your body right now?” He said very seriously as I knew what it was, and I knew what my disease was instantly. “Let me guess, it’s a chemotherapy pack.” I said very seriously as I knew the news was not good.

“Yes, it is indeed. You see back during World War I and World War II, the use of mustard gas was pretty common. Sometimes it was fatal, sometimes not, however the doctors back in those days discovered that some of the soldiers that had a certain disease had improvements after being exposed to the mustard gas. So they turned it into a medication for the disease. So I bet that you’re aware of what that disease is?” The doctor said very seriously like he was about to die of a heart attack. “I’m pretty sure, yes.” I said not wanting to reveal it myself. “Ok….ummm…..let’s look at this screen over here. You see this is an MRI scan of your brain and that whitish material surrounding your cerebral cortex and outer brain stem is well the source of your problems. I managed to remove some of it last night, however I’m afraid that this disease has paralyzed you from its progression.” The doctor was very close to spilling the beans I could feel it. “So how can I move?” I asked curiously. “Ok, so let me tell you what you don’t want to know. You did have a Stage 5 brain tumor last night, but I removed part of it and its back at Stage 4 but it is terminal and in 4-5 months you will ultimately die. However, this one time dose of Chemotherapy is enough to slow the disease down temporary. However in the long run, I have injected you with an experimental drug called D1D2 and it basically reverses the

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tumor’s effect on the Central Nervous System, meaning that although you are paralyzed you will still be able to walk, run, jump, play, make love…..ummm well you get the idea. It also dramatically slows down the nosebleeds as well. However, you have to inject yourself with the drug every two weeks to stay active until your death. Here is a five month supply of D1D2 and I’m sorry this had to happen to you. You are free to go.” He finally says the news none of us wanted to hear while my friends look at each other shocked.

As we arrive back to the shelter I look at myself in the bathroom mirror and I say to myself, “I have to do this, I won’t let this stop me. I won’t let it STOP ME!!” I said very persistent on getting our mission completed, but I was also wondering what does this mean for my daughter?

“So now what, Tocino? If you’re going to die, then how do we stop this?” Meresa says with her palms against her face, and I look around the room and I notice everyone’s hopeless face’s staring at me. That’s when I say with immerse power, “As I thought I was dying again I saw my father and brother talking about an important event on January 4th, and I know that my dad is behind whatever it is and that he lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. So we go there and we raid his house to find out any information we can and we will end this! So who’s ready for a road trip?” I look around as everyone nods and agrees, so I say, “So it’s settled then.” I’m not letting the tumor stop me, not now…….not ever.

Chapter 10: The Truth Unfolds

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Today, tomorrow, or whenever we arrive there will mark a new beginning…..for all of us. We stand so close to the truth on baby steps away, it all seemed so obvious, but I wanted proof. We all desire something new……..it’s due to curiosity, just simply admit to yourself that it is everywhere. It is the strongest temptation and impossible to resist. We are all curious at one moment or the next on whatever subject it may be. Sometimes we have to avoid the urge to “want to know”, to “want to experience”, to “want to see what happens if I do this”, and so on it goes….. However, I just learned that I’m dying from a tumor inside my head, and there was only up to five months to experience life, however no matter how curious I may be right now, I must step aside and finished what was started……….

We all struggled to find the bus depot back in the city, where most of our friends had been seeking refuse since after the war, since after my coma 8 months ago. It was the only place where we could get a few extra helping hands for this mission in case it does lead to war. As we arrived we found all of our missing friends and we all gather supplies onto the abandoned Greyhound bus and as we were waiting for the bus to be fueled I saw all the people that wanted to help or that were simply coming with us. I saw Michael, Watson, Wayne, Jordain, and surprisingly even Serena and Lexie.

“So where we going, hopefully to the new world, I hope we are.” Watson said so eagerly as he got on the bus it was ridiculous. “You know that there is no new world, Watson. I’ll be surprised to find anything that wasn’t destroyed by the nukes and so on out there.” Michael said as he also hoped on the bus from the other side carrying a lime green backpack filled with mostly snacks and cans of soda. “Is that supposed to be some play on words, just because you kept killing me off in the Nuketown 2025 map on Black Ops 2? If it is that’s idiotic.” Watson said with a straight face as he walked towards Michael’s seat. “Oh so what Watson, so I beat you in a few games, but I’m serious, I saw the news on TV, whoever Dakota’s crazy ass father is was nuking the hell out of the cities around the U.S., mostly major cities though. Some cities have so much radiation still there they have what they called-radiation zones-so I bet once we leave the city it will diffidently be a new world for us to experience, but the world as you know it is gone, probably forever.” Michael expressed the truth to all of us as we all boarded the bus and took are seats, but we were in shock to say anything.

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“Nukes?” Annabelle and I said at the same time, then turning to look at each other with a stunned look. “Yes, Nukes, as in nuclear radioactive weapons? I’m sure you heard of what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 with the atomic bombs?” “Yes, I heard of it Michael, but you are saying all the major cities? Is one of them Albuquerque?” I said hoping that the city wasn’t in too much damage. “Yes, it is actually. Why?” Michael asked intrigued, but not fully. “Honestly Michael I wish today was one day that you were just joking as this is serious, but I asked because we are going there to find out any information we can about my father and what his war mission is planning to do next.” I said trying to inform everyone what our current objective is but not fully telling them what our mission was and I didn’t tell the others about my disease. Only Andres, Corey, Annabelle, Maria, Meresa, and Emily know about the tumor.

“So why do you need our help? I don’t want to die!” Serena said frightened about what we were about to do. “It’s because right now, all we have is one another and we are a family, and I will not let anyone in my family die alright?” I said trying to reassure everyone who is simply keeping their mouths shut. “Hey, I found a phone and its charger, and I’m so happy I found a can of Monster left in the grocery store.” Emily said happily as she was about to open the can. “Hey, I want some-“, “No I want some, I love it mo-“, “No you should let me have it.” Everyone was suddenly in a frantic just because of one can of Monster, while I was more interested in the phone. “Hey, everyone settle down! Don’t make me get out of this driver’s seat!” Corey said on my behalf that had a gallon of milk on the dashboard. “Emily does the phone work, see if Facebook works.” I said hoping so that it would find someone to communicate with. “It’s a flip phone and it has no signal…… bummer.” Emily said as she played around with a small red and black phone. “Oh well, fine drink your Monster in peace then.” I said as Corey and I noticed that Jordain and Serena were smoking cigarettes. “Hey, ummm, do you see that sign over there on the front of the bus. It says-NO SMOKING- so do you want to toss those out the window or do you want me to slap it out of mouths. Huh?” Corey said once again and I swear this guy just makes every scenario better with his personality.

The next thing that we heard before we left was a bang on the door. As Corey opened the door I rushed over to see who it was. “Hey, Cody, I thought you could use some help. Do you want us to come with you?” Davy said

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carrying supplies with Hondro and Matt standing behind him. “Sure, of course, come on, we got a hell of an objective to complete.” I said excited to see some people I thought were missing for a long while. “Alright.” Davy said as he and the rest got on the bus, and Corey began to drive the bus. We were 13 hours away from our destination; this is going to be a long ride.

As most of the time past quickly, we all became very quickly tired of the hard seats on the bus. However, as we neared the city we started seeing the “DANGER- RADIOACTIVE ZONE” signs in the distance. The looming of tall skyscrapers with severe damage began to appear in the distance, and I knew we were heading into an unstable environment.

As we arrived in the city, something happened that was unbelievable. “Hey, the phone has signal here, come check this out.” Emily said with excitement and we turned and looked at her like she was crazy. “Are you sure?” I said knowing how to find my father now. “Yes, it has signal, I just don’t have anybody to call.” Emily said with a joking smile. “Do you still have the computer and the usb adapter for the phone?” I asked hoping she did. “Yes, I do, here you go.” Emily said as she handed over the stuff. “What are you going to do with this, it’s useless.” Annabelle said unsure what I was planning to do. “Well, for you that don’t know this, if you connect your phone to your computer and go into the internet settings, you can tether the phone to the computer, meaning that the phone will share it’s internet with the computer, and I noticed this isn’t an ordinary laptop, it was dropped by one of the soldiers and has a list of information and addresses.” I said excitingly as everyone gave me different distinct looks as I powered the devices on. “Are you sure this will work?” Watson said from the back of the bus. “Sure it will, I just need time…….here we go it’s working, now I’m going to into the command prompt to override the encryption key.” I said bringing out my inner nerd again. “Well that’s why we need you, because none of us know shit about this stuff.” Andres said trying to get a closer look at what I was doing. “There it is, the profile for my father…..except he lives in one of the Radioactive Zones…..I’ll go in alone and see what I can find.” I said as I was already dying ready to make another sacrifice to end what I started….. “Ok, you be safe now, we can’t lose you again.” Davy said as he watched me leave the bus into one of the radioactive zones, but then I knew I would eventually have to tell all of them about my disease. I can’t just die without them knowing how……

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As I walked through all the wreckage and debris, it was exactly like how Topeka was after the Tornado nearly two years ago. The buildings that were still standing had sections missing from the bottom, with no support to help it stand. However, as I got deeper into the zone the destruction was worse with even scorch marks from the explosion in various areas, and then my body began to become weak again and that’s when I realized that when I absorbed the power of the Surge it gave me Fusion power, which is another form of radiation, and the two elements where battling inside my body. However, I managed to maneuver over all the pieces and debris, and then I found it, my dad’s house. I was ready to learn the truth, except I was kind of scared in a way. I didn’t know what I would find. So slowly I twisted the door handle which was surprisingly unlocked and I opened the door.

As I entered the house, it felt like any other house. Small, delicate, neat, with a living room and nice rugs. It felt familiar like if I been here before……but I do not remember. I looked around the house and then I realized things were missing, no computers, no TVs, no books, nothing, nothing at all except for a kitchen with a stove and a microwave, and a living room with a couch and a rug and there were even two bedrooms with bare beds with no sheets or blankets. It was exactly what I heard my father say when I was in the hospital. He said he was coming back to take care of some things. I felt like I lost suddenly as the house had no information on my father’s plans. I was about to leave when I noticed what appeared to be a small lump beneath the living room rug.

I removed the rug and I found a square cutout in the floor, it was a hatch with hinges and I opened it up to find a ladder leading down to a bright light. It was just big enough for my body to fit through and I went down the ladder. As I reached the bottom I saw a huge immersive laboratory with white walls and bright white lights and white tiles. There were test tubes full of different liquids spread all around, and then I found some folders in one of the desks. I opened it to find a picture of my sister Olivia which read K.I.A. over her picture. She died so young, and it had a project name as “Test Subject 1-A”. So I wondered what projects did he do on her, and I read about this project of a “Space and Time Continuum Vortex” which had a description of, “This project introduces the Simulation as the new beginning at our chance of sustaining life in a new environment with the possibility to erase the codex of our DNA and replace it with another’s. However, the real world

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has been slowly collapsing due to my experiments, so I must proceed with the Simulation project to save mankind, otherwise we will all die, however I need to finish testing on the other subjects to find out who is the Alpha Guardian.”

I was shocked. Could my father actually succeed with such a big objective? Could there actually be a world without disease and the ability to manipulate time and change our DNA? I flipped through the rest of the pages and then I found my name with the project title of “Test Subject 2-B” with the description saying, “Test subject appears to accept the serum and is immune to electromagnetism. He is unaware that he will have something strange happen to him between the ages of fifteen to seventeen. However, Melody took him away from me before I could finish the tests. I need to retrieve him eventually as he is the only one capable of finding the alpha guardian since he is half born in the simulation and half born in the real world. He possesses great powers, and the serum worked well on him as his DNA is not severely damaged like my other children. He is the only one that can find the Matrix. I need him, otherwise the plan will fail.”

I didn’t understand anything that was written, I felt like I was more important than ever, with my father being more dangerous then I intended, and he also stated that Melody who is my mom took me away from him. So what did he do to me? As I flipped through for more answers, I found my brother’s picture listed as “Project Super Soldier” and I read the description which said, “I have retrieved Melody’s other son in hope his DNA is genetically pure like his half-blood brother Dakota. However, after testing Dakota’s blood I learned that he has the same DNA as his brother. So I injected Brandan with Dakota’s blood which not only healed him from his failing heart, but it gave him power’s at a much faster rate and his father left him so I took him as my own and I will raise him and teach him to find his brother and bring him to me as Brandan does not possess the same immunity to electromagnetism like my own son.”

So as it turns out Brandon has powers like mine, slightly stronger, but I had an advantage, I was inoculated to electromagnetism. However, I flipped to the next page and what I saw shocked me through all my bones. It was a picture of Maria titled “My Last Hope” with the description reading, “I can’t do my tests anymore, not on her. Olivia died due to my experiments and

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greed. I will willingly give Maria up for adoption and I hope she finds a good family, and just maybe I’ll see her again someday. She will probably never know that Olivia and Dakota are her siblings, but when the time comes she needs to know, before the war starts……”

I was in utter shock from learning all these things just now. I couldn’t bear the truth. The girl I had loved for so long and shared so many good memories with was my own sister. How was I going to tell her this? There was no way I could. I don’t want her to feel like her life was a waste. Then I finally found what I was looking for, I saw out of the corner of my eye a document that was labeled “1-4-15” which instantly I knew resembled January 4th, 2015. I opened up the document and what I saw surprised me. There was a plan to attack Washington D.C. on that date, which is only two days away; however I thought I saw Washington being attacked the day the war started in Topeka, the same day I told my own sister Maria that I loved her as I gave her the infinity necklace.

As I raced out of the house leaving the documents behind, I got to bus and told everyone about the war in Washington in two days. However, something didn’t feel right, was I meant to discover the truth or let it rest. I felt like I was going to be sick as I sat in the front seat by myself trying to understand the concept of Maria being my sister, and ultimately how to tell her the devastating truth. However, now was not the time as we had a new war to stop………

Chapter 11: End of the Line

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Sometimes it is better to resist curiosity as possible. I just learned things I didn’t want to know and now that I know the truth I can’t handle it. We all have our secrets, but I didn’t know if I should keep the truth about Maria a secret, just to protect her. I don’t want all of our father’s experiments to involve her; I don’t her to waste her life. I just couldn’t bear to talk to anyone afraid to reveal the truth that I so desperately want to hide. It has been nearly two days now and everyone is wondering why I’m so quiet, and I just been sitting alone, I haven’t even talked to Annabelle, the girl I was supposed to be in a relationship with. I don’t know anymore. Everything has slipped out of my mind; all I knew is that I had to end this war…….

We reached Washington and we noticed that nothing was really happening. We didn’t know what was going on or when, and I started to believe it was a trap. We left the bus and we started walking away as debris was blocking our path, and suddenly it happened.

In an instant flash, the bus exploded and shrouds of debris began to rain down, then suddenly the skyscrapers around us began to erupt in flames and collapse all around us and the people from the city as well. “Everybody, run!” I shouted to everyone as the building was about to crush us. We ran and ran as ash and dust poured all around us like it was 9/11. In the distance I saw a woman with her child in the path of the collapsing building, and as my friends ran I raced over with my super speed and grabbed them and pulled them away from the falling building. The woman whose face was white as snow from the ash was almost speechless and finally said, “Thank you for saving me and my son.” “I didn’t really save you, I just moved you out of the path of the debris so you wouldn’t die.” I smiled. “Are you a superhero?” A young boy’s voice said behind me, he was covered in dust as well, and he was smiling as he stared at me. “I’m not a hero; I’m just like everyone else. I have made mistakes, some I regret. I only saved you because it was the right thing to do.” I said to the boy smiling. “Everyone makes mistakes, my dad use to tell me, it’s not about living, it’s about the impact you make in another person’s life.” The boy said looking up to me and instantly I had the motivation to help one another. “Your son is very smart for his age. You must be a great mother.” I told his mom as the bombing run began easing up the streets toward us and then I heard Corey shout, “Hurry up Tocino, over here.” I turned towards the boy and his mom with the flashing explosions getting closer towards us and said, “I may not be

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a hero, but follow me and hurry I can get you to safety.” I ran with the boy and his mom towards the bank that Corey and the rest were in and I used my telekinesis to open the bank vault and let everyone inside, and as I closed and sealed us inside the vault. I heard the sudden and abrupt explosion above us, and the building collapsed around us.

“My name is Becky by the way and this is my son, Luis.” Becky said as she finally felt not as shocked and disturbed like earlier. “You may not believe you are a hero, but you are my hero.” Luis said with a grin on his face jumping up and down. I then saw Maria in the distance and I thought it might be time to tell her the truth. However before I had the chance that’s when I heard it, yelling from the outside.

As I opened the vault door, I was surprised to see collapsed buildings everywhere and fire surrounding us. I then focused my vision better and that’s when I saw them. I saw an army of soldiers surrounding us with my brother leading them forward. “Why don’t you come out brother? You found what your father left you and now is the time to surrender.” Brandan said proud to finally have me cornered while he was laughing with a serious face. “Ok, if I surrender will you leave my friends untouched?” I asked seriously to my brother now realizing this was a trap all along. “Oh, I can’t promise that. Your dad has somebody very eager to rekindle with besides you.” He said as the soldiers marched closer towards us.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I said as my friends left the vault to see the confrontation that had us trapped. “Oh, are you sure about that?” Brandan said as he was going to reveal what I didn’t want her to know. “How, about her in the red hoodie? What you didn’t tell her after you found out?” Brandan said destroying everything I tried to keep a lid on, the only secret that needed to be kept. “What’s he talking about Cody?” Maria said with a nervous and curious face. “There is a reason, we have bonded very closely in the past few years, there is a reason we have so many things in common, there is reason we both have brown eyes and brown hair…..” I said trying to give myself more time. “Tell her!” Brandan shouted desperately for me to admit it. “Maria……you are my…..sss….si…..sister. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” I said as I began to fall apart from the truth, it just destroyed what was left of me.

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Suddenly everyone was looking back and forth at both Maria and I. “I’m your what, that’s impossible. How?” Maria said dropping to her knees and running her hands through her hair. “I found out a couple nights ago, my father gave you up for adoption when you were still young.” I said almost in a whisper unable to speak. “That’s right Tocino, and he doesn’t care about what happens to her anymore.” He said while he grabbed something from one of the soldiers and then he pointed it towards Maria and my friends. It was an RPG and in an instant I heard the trigger click, and in slow motion I saw the rocket coming towards us, and then I leaped in front of the path of the rocket while shooting a burst of electricity into it while shielding everyone behind me. As my powers merged with the rocket, it instantly exploded backfiring on my brother and his soldiers supposedly killing them and then that’s when I felt my body being torn apart. There was no surviving now. I flew into the ground behind me……….blood everywhere. My friends all raced towards me and they carried my body and ran and escaped into one of the military vehicles, and as we drove off I saw him in the distance……..my brother……he survived….but he was wounded and then he shouted, “I will find you and I will kill you, Tocino!” Then finally in the company of my friends I finally died, but then I woke up………

I felt every ounce of pain from what just happened, but then my eyes opened and I found myself in a capsule like tube. I had wires glued and taped to various portions of my body, and I ripped them off. I then banged and banged against the wall and it opened and I fell from it onto the ground landing on some glass. As I stood up I found myself wearing only boxers and as I looked around I saw thousands of others in capsules like mine. I walked around the massive place for a while, and I was surprised to find nobody here and that’s when I found the document next to a giant super computer that looked beyond futuristic. The folder was labeled “The Simulation Project” and as I opened it I had recognition of everything now and I stood there screaming, shouting, and I fell to the ground unable to figure out what to do next.

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Chapter 12: Aftermath (Maria’s Perspective)Everything that just happened ripped us all apart. Everything I had

known was gone. Why didn’t my parents tell me the truth? I felt so angry now, that everything I had was gone. I just found out that the one person I cared about most was my brother and then instantly, just like that, there was a flash and a bang and he was gone. Now he lays in the back the vehicle…..not moving….not breathing……he was dead.

Everyone was still shocked at what just happened. As we drove away back towards Topeka with Cody’s dead body, everyone seemed like they were crying, even I shed a couple tears, even Annabelle was crying and I walked over to her and hugged her, feeling her pain as I believed she felt mine as well. We were all silent on the way back home.

“I don’t believe it, the war was just the attempt to find and kill Dakota. Everything we knew about the war was a complete lie.” Corey said as we made our way back to our shelter. “I can’t believe that you just found out he was your brother and just like that he died protecting all of us.” Annabelle said still crying over the loss of our friend. “Yeah….ummm…..you were right. I should’ve been there for him. Thank you for being there for him when I wasn’t. I just can’t believe that if he’s my brother, then why did we kiss last year at my birthday. I can’t believe that I kissed my own brother.” I said to Annabelle who starting laughing and crying at the same time while I remained confused and in complete disbelief of everything I knew. “Well, you’re welcome….that’s…….wow…..you kissed your own brother? Well, but he’s gone now, but I’m tired of finding new boyfriends, so I will remember him as my last. However, Maria we may have fought a few times but we are family now. However, even though his body is dead, I still have a feeling he’s coming back.” Annabelle said hugging me reassuring me of the possible future.

As Corey carried Cody’s body over to his old house, his blood dripped all over the snow. The contrast of the white snow and his red blood was brilliant, but disturbing. Corey placed his body in the center of his house and said, “This is his home, if he is going to rest in peace then we should let him do it in his own home.” He said while bringing cans of gasoline over and pouring it around and on the house. “Anybody have any last words to say?”

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Corey asked everybody. Annabelle went forward and said, “I’m sorry this happened to you, and I want to thank you for the journey we had together, and I hope that somewhere you can hear me and hopefully one day you will return.” Then, Michael walked forward and said, “You were a great friend, you were funny and great. I wish we could’ve of had more time with you.” Eventually everyone said their goodbyes then it was time for mine.

I stepped forward and at first I didn’t know what to say. So I just said what came from my heart. “You were such a great friend and I should have appreciated you more when you did so much for me. I only wish that everything could go back to the way it was. I know you’re my brother and I miss you and I admit I love you too. I cared about you too late and to find out you are my brother has changed everything. However, I know this is just the beginning. You may not hear us, but I know you will return.” I said while crying from the loss and feeling like I was the burden. Then, Corey walked forward to do the hard part; he lit the match and set the house ablaze while he finally said, “Rest in peace, Tocino.” We then all stepped back and watched the house erupt in flame and fall apart watching the smoke fill the sky as the sun finally shined upon us.

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Chapter 13: Where Fate and Curiosity CollideThey were right….about all of it. It’s true what they all say, the things

I’ve heard over time. It’s a fact that curiosity is everywhere, but I shouldn’t have tapped into it. I let the power of an unknown universe compel me and now everything I knew was false. I don’t know where I am or what was happening. All that I know is that I lost everybody I loved. I’m still trying to figure out what to do now, but all I know is that curiosity will destroy you. Curiosity kills. I let it come into my life, and now my memories are obliterating. Everything has changed now, but this is just the beginning……

I looked around and I saw the folder I dropped on the floor and I shook my head, I couldn’t believe what I read. My father succeeded after all. I just learned that the Simulation was something much larger, it was a world of its own, and it turns out we had all been living in it this whole time. It’s a test that’s been going on forever. It turns out that there was never any war in 2014 at all. It was just a play by the simulation. My father showed me everything I needed to see to destroy my life. However, I was furious. I flipped over all the desks and destroyed as much as I could, I even lit the Simulation folder on fire. I even tried to destroy the super computer that ran the simulation but I wasn’t powerful enough. My vision started to blur and I recognized I was starting to grow week again. I didn’t have the D1D2 to inject myself with, but I still had a little amount of time to figure things out.

As I stood up just wearing my boxers, I staggered towards the exit. I noticed that the exit stairs lead out of an underground facility in this massive hill, that’s when I starred at the city and it looked familiar. It was the city of Curiosity, but more futuristic than before, and I recognized the hill I was on, it was Burnett’s Mound, and that’s when I realized………Curiosity is the future city of Topeka. I suddenly saw what appeared to be fireworks in the distance around the rebuilt capital building. Something big was happening, and I began to march toward the center of town.

As I walked through the back of somebody’s backyard, I took some clothes from the clothes line. I put on a pair a black jeans and a red plaid shirt. I found a pair of boots by the back door and they were my shoe size. I then looked through the window and read the calendar and it said it was January 4th, 2074. I was now much farther into the future than I thought.

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However, I was in the real world now, so why were we living in the year 2014 in the Simulation?

As I continued through my redesigned town, I was shivering as I had no coat. However, I noticed that everything still ran on fusion power except the war that I was warned about that was happening this year hasn’t happened yet. I still had the advantage, I didn’t know if my father or brother knew I was here. However I proceeded through the town, trudging in the snow and that’s when I found a black pea coat just simply laying on the ground, so I took it and wore it.

I noticed that people had these incredibly cool cellphones that looked like glass slides, completely transparent. I felt myself gradually getting even weaker but I couldn’t stop yet. By the time I made it to center of town, the snow was blowing hard against my face and my legs were becoming very unstable.

Eventually, I saw a large group of people going inside the capital building. I walked amongst the crowd and did my best to blend in. As I entered the building I was relieved by the nice warm air. Then, instantly my hair was soaked as the snow melted and water was streaming down my face. As I sat with the rest of the crown in the large auditorium, music began to play, and to my surprise out marched my father. At the same time everybody started cheering and booing as well from a few. I just sat quietly to see what was going on.

“Hello, some of you know me as the great scientist that built this town for prosperity, freedom, and hope. As you all know, the attacks between the nations over the past few years has left our world steadily collapsing to my belief, but as your president of the World Government of United Nations, I’m happy to show the world what could change everything. Most of you now know that the town of Curiosity is the most populated city in the world now as the rest of the world has been decimated by the belief that a World Government cuts off their freedom. However after the Fusion War, we have made a new life for everyone inside this city. However, believing that a bigger war is imminent, I have found a way to create a world that has no disease, no war, and people can live and experience any time period they want to live in. I call this the Simulation Project. I’ve been testing this project for over 16 years now, and the results have been fantastic.” My father begins

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his speech as he pulls down a screen with a projector displaying the lives of everyone in the Simulation and that’s when I knew that he knew that I was here, because he showed the audience my friends putting my body inside my home, saying their goodbyes and then burning the house down in honor of me. The sight of it started to make me cry as my father continued, “However to make this project continue I need your help to find a powerful, round red orb like object called the Matrix. It can be used to run the simulation forever while we all depart this world and let it collapse in on itself. However, there is only one person that can walk into the Alpha convergence of electromagnetism and retrieve this object for me. However, I still need a very powerful person called the Alpha Guardian to control this device otherwise I will have to resort to other……methods. However, what I can tell you is that this person is sitting in this very room, and he only has so long to stop me. However, to everyone that wants to enter the simulation and live a prosperous life, is that all I ask is that you get injected with a chip that stores all your history and identity so we can track you. You have five months…….otherwise it will be too late. Thank you and I hope you all choose wisely, and I invite the Alpha Guardian to meet me soon or he will meet a disastrous fate.”

As I left with the rest of the crowd, I finally understood what was happening. My father started the Fusion War by being the founding father of the World Government of United Nations. The World Government resulted in people revolting against it starting the war. So my father built this city for protection against the outside world to gain people’s trust. However, the World isn’t collapsing yet. He doesn’t want the Matrix to fuel the simulation; he wants it to destroy the world.

So the war is coming like told in the prophecy. I now know what to do, I have to rescue my friends from the simulation then destroy it. Except how do I do this? So, I must find the Alpha Guardian before him….except with my powers getting weaker, I can’t rescue my friends until I get stronger, but I have no D1D2. I have to find a way, I must.

Suddenly, I see my father boarding a helicopter and I decide to confront him, so I enter the building and race up the steps with my legs trembling and my vision blurring. However, as I reach the rooftop, the helicopter finally leaves. I watch it fly away as I walk towards the edge. This

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was just the beginning of a war that hasn’t even started. It was the beginning of the prophecy. I have to rescue my friends and then I have to find a way to control my disease. I was alone now, I know nobody. I have no shelter, no food; I was one of the homeless now without a friend or family members by my side. So as I look over the city one last time as the snow falls, I look toward the future, and ultimately the hope of seeing my friends once again. Then, that’s when I feel a slight warm liquid on the top of my lip. I touched it with my bare finger and then I looked at it horrifically. It was blood, reminding me of my ultimate fate, and also telling me a sign that I don’t have much time left.