Let Me Tell You About This Brand New World

7/27/2019 Let Me Tell You About This Brand New World

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Let me tell you about this Brand New World.

In the year 20XX, a system error caused nuclearplants across the United States and Europe to

malfunction. No one was quite sure if it was a formof cyber terrorism or an actual problem in theprogramming. After months of trying to get the plantsback under control, they were unable to prevent atotal nuclear meltdown. The resulting fallout blockedout the sun, and a nuclear winter began. The northernhemisphere was rendered completely inhabitable.

A billion people died immediately from the explosions

and another two billion died in the next ten yearsfrom radiation poisoning, starvation, fires, freezingtemperatures, and cancer. It was determined that theNorthern hemisphere would remain uninhabitable fromthe radiation for the next several hundred thousandyears.

Southern governments shut down borders to try andprevent political unrest within their borders to noavail. Over the next twenty years, governments wereoverthrown and a new system was created.

Most of the remaining human population suffered fromvarious health conditions, thanks to the huge amountsof radiation coming from the North, so medicineevolved quickly to keep up with the rate of disease.The new governments immediately invested huge amounts

of resources into producing qualified medical staff.There was now an abundance of doctors, nurses, andother health care professionals, and they were taskedwith healing the human race.

With nuclear radiation still flowing from the North,the governments had to come up with a way to protectcities from the toxic rain and snow that fell everyso often. Things like hourly weather reports,

mandatory anti-radiation facilities in every


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residential and commercial building, and undergroundpassages and transportation could keep the remainingpopulation as healthy as possible in day to day life.After the age of 16, biannual cancer screenings are

mandatory for everyone. Water is collected from deepunderground springs and processed. Food is grown inisolated biodomes scattered throughout the cities.

After turning sixteen, every healthy able-bodiedperson must spend four months per year for ten yearsdoing agricultural service of some sort. Meat israrely eaten, except for small animals like chicken,guinea pigs, and rabbits, which are fairly easy togrow. Vitamins and other nutritional supplements areproduced in laboratories and distributed among thepopulation to ensure everyone is getting thenutrients they need. Hunting is expressly forbidden.Eating their meat may be dangerous for humans, andmany populations have not yet recovered from thenatural disaster.

The story takes place in a post-capitalist societywhere workers have direct representation in thegovernment. There are many different parties thatwork together, each one representing differentdemographics, and each one with an equal vote.Representatives typically work exclusively for theirrespective parties for a year or two, when theyretire and return to their every day lives. They are

tasked with representing their constituents.Representatives are chosen through popular elections.All government meetings are broadcast live onnational television, and there are question andanswer sessions where citizens can call in anddirectly participate in the discussion.

Most governments have no power outside urban areas.While anyone can technically come in and live in

another city with relative ease, people are generally


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suspicious of outsiders since immigration is rare.Xenophobia is common and is not usually talked about.

Other forms of prejudice still exist, such as

transphobia and racism. The government coalitionshave programs to educate the general population onhow to treat others, and there is progress beingmade, but its slow. It is illegal to discriminatebased on sexuality, gender, disability, race,nationality, appearance, or body size, but of course,people still find ways around hiring those theyconsider ugly or subhuman.

Nuclear energy has been banned completely. Fossilfuels are used to a limited extent, but for the mostpart, energy is drawn from tidal, wind, and solarenergy. Cars and airplanes are used in long distancetrips between cities. There are few trains thattravel long distances. Within cities, people ridebicycles, use trains or subways, or even ride horses.

There are few, if any, people living in the northernhemisphere. Countries like Brazil, South Africa,Australia, and Indonesia now dominate the globalpolitical scene. Fortunately, they all work togetherto restore the environment and to create a new world,to ensure that such a catastrophe will never happenagain.

The story takes place in Brazil, in the new capital,

Rio de Janeiro. It was cleverly nicknamed Neo Riowhen it was inaugurated and the name stuck. Neo Riois home to 10 million people. It is the largestmetropolitan area in the world. Its officiallanguages are Portuguese and English, withsignificant numbers of Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, andSpanish speakers. Most people are bilingual (thinkcurrent-day Quebec) and all government documents are

written in both languages.


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The concept of nationality still exists, but mostpeople no longer have home countries. Many simplyidentify themselves by race or ancestry.

There is a small military force used for securitypurposes during intercity travel. This military is aninternational force that does not answer to anyparticular government, but must observe any and allrules and restrictions in any given countrysterritory. They are highly trained and capable, butunlike in modern day militaries, the new army is openabout their actions and routinely reports activitiesto government agencies.

Many still live outside the cities, and they oftenattack travelers for food. There are reports ofcannibalism and the like, but these things aredifficult to confirm. People who live in the wild areusually referred to as Outsiders. While they are toofew in number to actually overtake an entire city,even a small one, they pose a risk to individuals and

so most people are wary of non-natives. They cannever really be sure if someone hails from anothercity or if they are an Outsider. Outsiders carryconsiderable stigma, and while governments arewilling to fit them into society, many peopleactively avoid Outsiders, even if they have beenliving in a city for years.

Essentially, day to day life hasnt changed very

much. People dont need to worry about food orshelter or clothing. Basic needs are met fairlyeasily, and most of the population works in eitheragriculture or the medical field. People aregenerally content with their lives.

However, not everything goes as it should. There arerumors of Outsiders who enter society but are unable

to adapt. At first, people who lived on the Outsidemay begin exhibiting signs of emotional disturbances.


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Then they may have momentary lapses in their controlof complex motor functions. It eventually progressesinto full-blown psychotic episodes, seizures, andeventually, death. No one understands why it happens,

and not every Outsider who is integrated into societydevelops this strange condition. It affects children,adults, and the elderly and can surface at any givenmoment. The disease takes roughly ten years tofinally take its toll, and the fatality rate is 100%.There is no cure, no known cause.

Doctors think it might be a prion malfunction, likemad cow disease, or perhaps heavy metal poisoning orradiation sickness. However, there have been noreports of similar symptoms appearing in people whostill live on the Outside. It doesnt appear to becontagious or have any particular triggers. Oddlyenough, the full moon affects the severity of thesymptoms, though this is only a casual observationthat doctors have not been able to confirm.

They call it Outsider sickness.


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Naota MoriAge: 19Height: 56Weight: 103lbs

Nationality/ethnicity: Japanese/East AsianEye color: mostly pink with flecks of slate greyHair color: shoulder length and whiteHome: Naota lives in a small apartment by himself inNeo Rio.If he were an animal, he would be: an Arctic fox

General appearance notes: Naota is albino. He has asmall angular face, almond-shaped eyes, and small,flat lips. His eyebrows and eyelashes are white andhe has extremely pale skin. Hes very susceptible tosunburn so he constantly smells like sunscreen. Hiseyesight is fairly poor. Naota is androgynous inappearance. He is naturally thin, but doesnt eatmuch anyway. Naota sometimes uses mascara andoutlines his eyebrows in black so it doesnt looklike hes completely hairless.

Personality: Naota is comfortable with hisappearance. Hes laid back, gentle, and generallygood-natured about most things. He very rarely getsangry and usually smiles a lot. Naota finds it easyto talk to others.

Background: Naotas parents died when he was fairlyyoung. He was raised by his fathers brother and was

a fairly happy child. When he was eighteen, he andhis uncle took a trip outside the city. The carmalfunctioned and crashed. Naotas uncle diedimmediately. For several days, Naota lay in thewilderness in agony, waiting for rescue. After fourdays, he was finally discovered by passing travelersand taken to a hospital in Neo Rio.

His right wrist was shattered and his right femur wasbroken in three places. Naota was delirious from


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hunger and his body temperature was only 32 C. Inaddition, doctors soon discovered that he had losthuge chunks of his memory.

Naota spent several months at the hospital trying toget full use of his legs back and working onstrengthening his memory. He cant remember a lotfrom his childhood, and since most of his closerelatives are dead, his past remains somewhat of amystery. Since the accident, Naota has had difficultylearning new skills and often forgets things mostpeople would remember, like the names of newacquaintances.

To make up for it, he became personable and friendly,making sure he touches new people gently, repeatingtheir names while speaking to them, and maintainingeye contact. The effect is somewhat jarring onothers, as most people dont expect to be treatedwith such warmth from strangers, but Naota needs tobe friendly so he can associate feelings and touch

with people. It is the only way he feels he canconnect with others.

He is extremely organized. Naota writes everythingdown, first in a small notebook he carries with him,then in his cell phone. At the end of the day, herereads his notes and writes a small report of thedays events on his computer. Before going to bed,Naota leaves himself notes on the bathroom door,

briefly recapping the previous days events andmaking a small list of items to accomplish for theday.

He works hard on his memory, though most people dontrealize the amount of effort he has to put in just toget through the day. In fact, most dont realizethere is anything wrong with Naota until they come to

his apartment. There are corkboards everywhere andstacks upon stacks of neatly places notebooks


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containing notes from every day since the accident.Naota keeps everything he writes on, at least untilhe can organize, type up, scan, and save every scrapof paper. Then he backs up copies of everything on

various hard drives.

Naota knows that should he lose any of theinformation hes gathered, he will never be able toget it back. His memory isnt recovering as quicklyas he would like it to, so he is extremely dedicatedto his task.

In addition to his severe memory loss, Naota has some

pain and numbness in his wrist from time to time, andhe cant play any sports involving physical contact.Thankfully, he is left-handed. Naota considers theseto be minor, considering he spent so much timeexposed to the elements after the crash.

He was born with albinism, which earned him a greatdeal of stares while growing up, but Naota alwaysliked his appearance. He has astigmatism so he has towear glasses when reading or writing.

Naota wants to become a nurse but feels hes notready to go to school just yet.


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Junko WatanabeAge: 21Height: 510Weight: 168lbs

Nationality/ethnicity: Japanese/East Asian and SouthAfrican/BlackEye color: dark brownHair color: black and grey, choppy long blunt bangscropped short in the backthink Ramona FlowersHome: Deijiko lives with Imanja and Fatima in a smallapartment in New LeblonIf she were an animal, she would be: a hyena

General appearance: Junko is tall and athletic inbuild. Her face is long and oval-shaped, with fulllips, a flat nose, and small, almond-shaped eyes.Junko was born with a cleft palate and still has aminor scar on her upper lip. Her skin is a dark olivetone. Her hair is naturally very dark, almost black,but is beginning to go grey, something she freaks outover every so often. She is somewhat flat-chested so

she usually wears sports bras.

Personality: Junko rarely smiles. She doesnt showmuch emotion, but unlike Naota, who simply disregardsunpleasant attitudes as personality quirks, Junko isfairly quick to anger. She usually has a comebackready for every situation. Junko is a fairly cautiousperson who keeps people at arms distance. Rarely

does she make friends and she can definitely come offas cold or unfriendly at first. However, Junko is anextremely loyal person once her trust is earned.

Junko enjoys solitude. She is a quiet but confidentperson and while she rarely speaks or smiles, whenshe does, its usually for a good reason. She learnedhow to become an excellent judge of character toavoid getting hurt, but sometimes its unavoidable.

Once she loses trust in someone, theyll never have a


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second chance. Junko is young but acts much older,and while she isnt necessarily the mothering type,she looks out for others like a big sister. She has avery clearly defined set of morals and can seem

stubborn until you realize where she is coming from.

Overall, Junko is likeable but aloof, and she willgive others the shirt off her back if necessary.However, she makes it quite clear that her generosityis not a sign of weakness, but a true display of herstrength.

Background: As a child, Junko had dreams about going

to bed and waking up Christmas morning to discovershe had become a Real Girl. Her parents suspected shewasnt normal when Junko innocently asked when shewould become a girl like her mother. At that moment,her parents realized something was up. They took herto the local childrens clinic and the doctors helpedJunko realize she was transgender.

The clinic was a specialized center that dealtspecifically with transgender children. All of thestaff identifies as transgender so the children canbest receive the care they need. After an evaluation,Junko began taking hormones and going to therapy totry and help her construct a healthy and positiveself-image.

As an adult, she feels like she passes quite well.

Her parents have always been supportive and would doanything to protect their daughter, but theres onlyso much they could do when it comes to protecting herfrom the outside world. Junko learned from an earlyage that things empty phrases like equality meanvery little when applied to someone who is stillconsidered an anomaly in society.


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She was always a serious child, but in heradolescence she grew an iron-strong defense againstother people and locked herself away.

She has decided against surgery of any sort, sinceshe is quite happy with the genitalia she was bornwith, and hormone therapy has helped her grow amodest bust. She experiences dysphoria sometimes, butknows she is lucky to have transitioned so early.Junko is somewhat against to outing herself to othersbecause she is afraid of how others will react,especially romantic interests. Her dysphoria kicksinto high gear at the very thought of coming out toanother person, and so since she passes well, Junkochooses to keep quiet until directly asked. She wontlie, but she also wont willingly offer informationabout her, especially when it comes to whats in herpants. Besides, she feels it is no ones business buther own.

Junko isnt that self-conscious as far as her gender

identity goes, but she is very insecure with hersmile. She has a faint scar in the middle of herupper lip, which she swears up and down that everyonecan see clear as day, and her teeth are prettycrooked. She sometimes refers to her mouth as a beartrap because her teeth look scary, though mostpeople probably look surprised when she smilesbecause it happens so rarely.

She enjoys running long distance and keeps herself intop shape. Despite claiming to be completely adverseto domestic tasks, Junko is an excellent cook. Shestudies medicine at the Federal University of Neo Riode Janeiro and wants to be a doctor.


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IanAge: 23Height: 63Weight: 190lbs

Nationality/ethnicity: Chilean/Latino andEgyptian/ArabicEye color: Green and light brownHair color: Dark brown; very thick, somewhat wavy.Home: Ian lives with his parents in Flamengo butspends a good deal of time at Naotas apartment.If he were an animal, he would be: a grey wolf.

General appearance: Ian is tall and muscular, butlean. His skin is a medium to dark olive color.

Personality: Ian tends to keep to himself. He takes awhile to warm up to others. He can be very insecure,not so much


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you for a while if you bring up her body or eatingdisorder.

She has a pretty low opinion of herself. Imanja

doesnt believe she has any reason to be sick sinceshes never experienced any trauma and has alwaysbeen a rather happy child. She knows that thesethings sometimes happens spontaneously to people, butshe still thinks she has no right to be mentallyill. Imanja has struggled with anorexia for about tenyears, with about three years total spent in thehospital. She thinks this is an incredibly boringtopic so she avoids discussing it at all.

Despite this, Imanja hates fighting and confrontationand only complains when absolutely necessary. She iseasy-going and caringshe just doesnt care forherself very much.

Background: Imanja was an average girl from anaverage family with average and loving parents. Inher mind, she doesnt feel like she has a reason tobe so thin, considering how her parents alwaysencouraged her to feel positively towards herself andshe was never bullied in school. Imanja wascompletely average in every single way possibleadecent student who participated in class regularly, alittle shy but friendly once she opened up, helpful,polite, respectful.

She was diagnosed when she was thirteen.


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You know, if you drink too much coffee, youll turninto a coffee bean. Naota looked up from his cup andimmediately smiled. Ian sat down in the chair infront of him before leaning in for a quick kiss.

You just made that up, said Naota, feigningindignation. His lips formed a pout but he found ithard not to smile. Inside, his heart was pounding.Ian had been away at the farms outside Neo Rio,serving his duty as a citizen of the new world. Everyable-bodied citizen had to serve at least four monthsper year in the food industry. It was an importantpart of the society because without full cooperation,starvation would become common once again.

None of this mattered to Naota at that moment. Itfelt like Ian had been gone for years rather thanmonths, and it was a relief to see his now-shaggyface in person once more.

Ian took a sip from his own cup of coffee andsmirked. Yeah, I suppose I did, he said softly. Iandidnt even bother going back to his apartment todrop his things off. He too was excited to see Naota.Every single night, Ian and Naota spoke on the videophone for hours, sometimes not saying anything atall. Naota would fall asleep, and Ian would simplystay on the line, watching him and humming softly.Four months was a long time to spend away fromsomeone he loved so much, but it couldnt be helped.

All that mattered was that they were together again.

They fell into a comfortable silence, both staringnervously into their mugs of coffee as if they wereon a first date. They had hardly touched, hardlyspoken, hardly breathed since Ian had returned onlyminutes earlier. Naota wanted to remember how thismoment felt.


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I missed you, he said softly, breaking the silencebetween them and looking up into Ians vivid greeneyes. Naota continued, Some mornings when I woke up,I could hardly remember where I was. You know, my

memory is worse on some days than others. I dontreally get it. He smiled.

But for some reason, even when I was in a totalhaze, I remembered you. Like, your face and yoursmell and the way it feels when Im around you. Iwould sometimes get goose bumps, and then your facewould flash in front of me and I would remember you.Even if I didnt know who I was, I knew who you wereand what you mean to me.

Naotas lip began to tremble. I justI dont knowhow to explain it. Why would you stay in my mind likethat? How is it possible? And of course, its becauseof how I feel towards you. Its because I like you. Ilove you.

Ian felt his throat close up. Naotas memory was sobad, some mornings they would wake up and he wouldimmediately push Ian off the bed because he hadforgotten they had spent the night together. Naotawould stare at him with genuine fear in his eyesuntil Ian calmed him down, gently reminding him oftheir relationship. Sometimes it was funny, but thosefirst few moments of genuine terror shining inNaotas pale eyes always felt like a stab wound to

the heart. Hurting him in any way, evenunintentionally, was Ians worst nightmare.

He reached for Naotas icy, thin hands and held themtight. I love you, said Ian. I havent stoppedthinking about you for a single moment. Nothing willever change the way I feel about you. Not some farmwork, not damaged neurons, nothing. Nothing at all.


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They sat there, smiling at each other through wateryeyes, before they broke into nervous laughter. Thisis so damn sappy, you know that? Its not like you,Ian, said Naota, wiping his face with the back of

his hand. But you know, Im really glad anyway.

Ian nodded. Hey, let me get another cup of coffeefor the road, I havent had a chance to shower oranything yet and I really want to take a nap.Alright? He stood and placed a kiss on Naotasforehead, lingering for a moment before kissing himon the nose and lips. I wont take long.

Naota felt his face turn pinker than normal andnodded. He watched Ian walk up to the coffee shopcounter in his dirt-covered blue jeans and wornleather jacket, looking every bit like a workingclass farm boy. Sighing dreamily, Naota stirred hismug mindlessly, like a schoolgirl fawning over someprep school bad boy across the courtyard. He couldoverhear their conversation.

I want a pumpkin thing. Like, a pumpkin late.

You mean a latt?

Yeah, thats what I said, gimme one of those.

You did NOT say latt, Ian, do not do this to me.

Gimme my goddamn late, Joseph, thats the thing myman likes.

Ian, you goddamn idiot.

Naota rolled his eyes, hiding his grin. Ian lookedback at the table and winked. He knew Naota got akick out of watching him torture the baristas, whowere more than happy to entertain them when the shopwas slow.

The customer is always right.


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Nowhere on the menu is this thing called a lateyou asshole.

Joseph, you understand me so well. Get me my late,

will you? A pumpkin late. With a gave. Naota canthave sugar.

Ian, YOU SPEAK SPANISH! Its called AGAVE!

This time, Naota couldnt hold in his laughter andburied his face in his hands, practically squealing.Its okay, Joe, you dont have to put up with himtoday, he laughed.

While the improper pronunciation of certaincaffeinated drinks irritated him, Joseph enjoyedhaving Ian and his friends in the caf. At least theynever threw temper tantrums over coffee like some ofhis other customers do. What can I say, I missedthis illiterate motherfucker too. Ill be back withyour damn LATT.

Its a LATE, we dont use goddamn accent marks inEnglish!

Ian leaned back on the counter and smiled. The worldfelt like it was in order again.


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Chapter One

Junko is not herself.

No one really notices. Passing people in the

hallways, nodding silently, receiving bland smiles ofacknowledgment in returnits not like shes the mostoutspoken person, anyway. Junko is serious, her lipsin a perpetual frown, pressed tightly against oneanother, as if afraid she might blurt out somethingtreacherous. It doesnt really matter, since mostanyone these days can find out whatever they need tosatisfy their sick curiosity.

Adriano notices, of course, because Adriano is nosy,but not in the way Junko hates. He comes in, his afropicked to perfection and his standard cocky smirk inplace. He looks more like a model than a doctor, ormaybe an actor. Dark skin and well-kept facial hair,toned muscles, glowing white grin. That grinhealways looks like he knows something you dont. Theyare virtual opposites of one another. Still, Junkohas a silent respect for him. He may be silly, butshe feels he brings out the best in her.

Hey partner, dont look so grim. Not like werebrain surgeons or something! he says, then guffawslike its the funniest thing hes ever said. Adrianosays the same thing nearly every single morning.Junko feels her face flush despite herself.

I cant wait until your first surgery. Maybe youllstop being so cocky, she responds, a little icierthan she intends. Adriano raises an eyebrow. Hisgrades in medical school were mediocre at best, butwhere he truly shines lies in his uncanny ability toread people.

Oh? Adriano leans in closer and Junko can smell

that curious espresso-mint scent that seems to cling


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to his skin. Girl, you gotta tell those bitches toget fucked. Or do I gotta break some skulls?

Junko rolls her eyes. Adriano continues, You know,

after this year, well start assisting in surgeriesand well have access to the really cool shit. Cantwait to get my hands on a bone saw. He clicks histongue and winks. He is about as violent as a stuffedrabbit. No one would guess he cried the first time hesaw an actual corpse in medical school.

Junko raises an eyebrow. So full of macho bravado asalways. Maybe thats what she likes about him,

though. She brushes her graying hair out of her eyesand turns away from him, trying to cut off theconversation. She doesnt want to talk about this.Not at work.

Theres no where to hide at the moment, however. Thebreak room is small and feels cluttered. It simplywasnt built for two people to lounge about inside atonce. Junko suspects it was once a broom closet. Itsless of a rest area than a place to set the coffeepot.

Its spotless, of course. The nurses are anal aboutthis kind of thing. The room is somewhat dark, as ifthe lighting was added as an afterthought. Still, thenurses take pride in what little space they have andhave no qualms about making even the most senior

doctors clean up after themselves. Junko wonders ifthis is a trait most nurses seem to have. Mostdoctors she knows are complete slobs, herselfincluded.

No but really, continues Adriano, unfazed. Yourealways welcome to stay with me.

Junko freezes while reaching for the coffee pot. She

doesnt like talking about this. Even if its thecause of her foul mood this morning, and even if she


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and Adriano are close, she hates talking about herpersonal life. Junko is professional.

A nurse pokes her head in through the door, much to

Junkos relief. At least Adriano will drop it fornow. They recognize the nurse in the doorway asImanja, a tall, chipper Indian woman who looks as ifshell snap in half at any moment. Junko feels badfor thinking that way about her. There are far toomany rumors and nasty bits of gossip about her. Anti-discrimination laws can only do so much, Junko thinkswith particular vitriol.

Oh, you two are early today! Ready for your rounds?

Nurse Imanja, if we werent ready before, we aremost definitely ready now. For your smile, radiantand shining, is more uplifting and energetic than anycoffee in this brand new world of ours, saysAdriano, taking her thin hand and planting a kiss onit. His English carries the romantic Brazilian accentthat the Old World Anglophones ate up. These days,though, there arent any Old World anyones left toimpress.

Imanja laughs so hard she has to wipe tears from hereyes. She is used to having brand new residentdoctors wandering around the psychiatric ward withtheir seniors, but she always has her favorites. Oneof the rumors says that her favorites always get a

glowing letter of recommendation from the staff.Whether this is because she is good at sniffing outgood doctors or because she has sort of pull with thehigher ups is unclear.

It is obvious Imanja has a particular fondness forthem. Save it for the patients, will you? I knowMarisa in 302 loves hearing you talk, she says witha wink. Adriano shudders.

Shes old enough to be my grandmother! he groans.


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Thats what you get for laying on the charm. AndMiss Marisa doesnt like just any old doctor, youknow. You have that touch. Imanja looks up at Junko.The patients love you too, you know, especially when

youre with Adriano. You guys do that good cop, badcop thing. She looks contemplative for a moment.Very different bedside manners. Both of you havepotential to be great on your own, but together youtruly shine. Dont let go of each other, okay?

The nurses bell chimes and Imanja glances over tothe front desk. She is needed. Have fun on yourrounds, you two.

Imanja gives them a warm smile and quickly scurriesout of the break room.

Junko has to hide her smile. As hard as medicalschool was, and as unforgiving their residency hasbeen so far, its definitely rewarding in a lot ofways. Adriano glances knowingly at her. Thats whatI like about us, he says, throwing an arm around hershoulders. You put on this big show like youre somekinda tough girl but I know you.

Perhaps he can tell what happened that morning. No,he definitely knows. Adrianos brown eyes are like x-ray machines, and they can see the thoughts bouncingaround your skull.

They are quiet. Adriano simply gives her a look that

says it all: Youll be fine. Im here.

At the end of the day, Junko is reluctant to go homebut Adriano cant stay for dinner. He surfscompetitively and theres a contest this weekend.

I gotta go train, princessa, but well talk, hesays, running-skipping towards the subway station.Dont let the bastards get you down.

She thinks a lot about that, and lights a cigarette.


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Chapter Two

There is a lot of white light. There is also themetallic smell of blood in the air. The air tastes

like blood for a single terrifying moment, until herealizes his mouth is filled with the stuff. Panicsets in.

There is no one around except for his uncle, who iscrushed under a tree. They are in a rental car. Hedoesnt know how he knows these facts, but this isclear: His uncle lies beside him, face crushed in bya large tree, in the drivers seat a rented vehicle.

There is no time for grief. He cant see. There areblack spots in his vision. There is the smell ofgasoline, precious fuel, pouring out of somewhere.Requesting enough fuel for an intercity trip isdifficult and there is a long waiting list. Hedoesnt know why he thinks of this now.

There is the deafening sound of absolutely nothing.For a long time he thinks he has gone deaf, until thevultures start circling overhead. To him, it soundsas if they are screaming. They are going to eat me,he thinks. But Im not dead yet.

He moves his right hand and screams in pain. Thereare stars in his blurred vision and he can hardlybreathe from the agony. He is afraid to move againbut he has to know. Left hand, his dominate hand, is

fully operational. Left foot is fine. Moving hisright foot, however, sends an electric shock ofwhite-hot pain into his spine and once more he cantstop himself from screaming. The vultures land nextto the car, flapping their wings.

He stares up at the caved-in roof. He doesn'tunderstand why on earth hes there. Outside, thereare trees so thick and tall they block out the sun.

He can see a road to his right, about twenty meters


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away, but so far there has been no traffic at all.Besides, the trees are so thick he fears he may notbe seen. Night is coming. He doesnt know how longhes been there.

The blood in his mouth dries. He does not try to moveagain.

You have your map and compass in case the GPS fails,plus your all-purpose tool set and youre bringingyour emergency blankets. Right? Anxious hand-wringing. Ian can tell she is struggling to hold backtears.

Wearing the look of a child embarrassed in public byhis parents, he says, Mom. Relax. Or at least tryto. He is nearly ready to leave the house foranother week-long excursion to the Outside. Part ofhis job as a ranger includes expeditions and makingobservations of the world outside the city gates. Itusually isnt very dangerous work, but he has had afew close calls.

His mother, Nadia, knows what happened the last timeand continues to worry despite Ians attempts to calmher down. Mom, you trained me yourself. If you cansurvive out there, so can I, he says, kinder thistime.

Nadia shakes her head, tucking a stray hair under herveil. A devout Muslim, Ian knew the moment he lefthome she was going to pray until she went hoarse.What a stubborn child. Youre underestimating howdangerous it gets out there sometimes. I cantbelieve you can be so arrogant considering the lasttime you went out there!

Ian was in the hospital for weeks after a wild boarknocked him off his feet. Luckily, its tusks only

grazed his leg, but it was enough to shake him offbalance. He fell down a hill and hit his head so hard


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he passed out for several hours. Somehow, Ian made itback to the city gates.

Though he recovered quickly, Nadia refuses to forget

the incident. Ians job is necessary for the good ofthe New Worlds future. Most of the territory outsideof the cities has been lost to the wilderness in thepast thirty years. The land is radioactive, butdespite this, the Amazon has returned with avengeance. Mankind may still be sorting things out,but nature wastes no time. No one knows for sure whator whomay be out there, and only now are newefforts being made to explore and study the land.

The world ended several years ago. Nadia was only achild when it happened, but like many of her time,she knows how dangerous and unforgiving the world canbe. Its not just the Outside I worry about, Ian,she says with a genuine glimmer of fear in her goldeneyes.

Ian decides not to ask what she means by that.

I know, mom. He moves towards the door, not wantingto prolong this farewell. The cold morning air feelsstrange, maybe even ominous, but Ian does not daremention this to his superstitious mother. Listen,when I reach the gates Ill give you a call and thefirst thing I do when I get back is let you know Imalive, alright?

He has his gear on, hiking boots and green khakis anda thick hooded sweatshirt to block out the mosquitosong in his ears. Even though its midsummer, themorning sun shows no sign of warming up any timesoon. Nadia gives her son a worrying look. She kisseshis bearded face and holds him close. Stay alive,says Nadia.

The sun is cold.


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His hair is pink with blood. He hates pink. He isthirsty and hungry and tired. The chill is comingfrom inside his body.

He closes his eyes. He is too exhausted to cry, andmerely lifting his head is a struggle. Once he readthat death by starvation is actually quite pleasantafter a while. Euphoria sets in, followed by deliriaand hallucinations, or something like that.

Let Me Tell You About This Brand New World

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