TT2022 - Team 15

"It's heavy going climbing over this rubble, Zach. Let's take a break. Call it in."

"Sure thing, Andy." Zach pressed the Comms button on his cuff keypad. "Team 15, Sector D checking in."

"Go ahead Team 15"

"Yeah, we're taking a quick break, do you have our co-ords?"

"We have you Team 15. Ahead 55 metres is a potential subterainian area. Take your break there and survey. Beware, this area could be unstable."

"Received, understood. Out."

Team 15 continued on their Sector Sweep until they reached the rest site destination. Massive tilted slabs of part-demolished building sides complete with window openings hosting mangled blinds and tattered curtains. The windows panes long shattered, left jagged dusty teeth of glass clinging to the frames. Underneath was a pile of undiscernible rubble of brick and concrete, with an occasional piece of broken furniture and household appliance. In the centre of this mound was a large empty pit - the apartment block had partly collapsed into it and, according to their map data, into a subway line below.

Following standard protocol, Team 15 descended one man at a time into the pit using the broken slabs as a crude staircase.

"How's it looking, Andy?", Zach radioed to his partner.

"Don't worry, squeamish, no bodies so far. I can't see anything of interest here, but I can see a ledge for us to rest. I'll buzz when I reach it."

Zach waited for his buzz to proceed, keeping a close eye on Andy's path down to the ledge so he could follow it safely. He noticed with irony that the ledge was once a wall with a doorway marked 'EMERGENCY EXIT'. His cuff keypad buzzed so he carefully made his way down to his partner.

"I don't think we're going to find anything down here, Zach"

"Looks like you're right, unless we go down to the subway line?"

"No, it's not a station, just a junction. The only thing we'll find down there are rats. Plus, that's the realm of the tunnel teams. We don't get paid their big bucks for that sort of risk."

"We don't get paid enough for this either!" joked Zach. Andy grunted in agreement.

Andy sipped from his fluid straw to the left of inside his helmet and stared at a spot across the pit, about 2 metres above them. "Hey, is that a door there? I think there's sign on it." Zach looked to where Andy was pointing and zoomed in with his helmet cam. "I think it says 'Jessica's Room' on it", Zach confirmed.

They both looked at the door with the same intense curiosity. "Let's open it" they both said in unison. Carefully working their way around the edge of the pit they found themselves beneath the door, but unable to reach the handle.

"Pass me your pick, could you?" Zach handed his partner is tool for picking up small items from the floor. The geo-survey suits, although fully jointed, were cumbersome for anything other than walking. Andy reached up to the door handle and pulled down. It opened. Unsure of what was behind it - rubble, ironwork, furniture or even a body, they both ducked to the side of the door. The door swung open but nothing came out except dust and a cascade of grit. The room was dark, with only a broken lightbulb hanging from the ceiling visible to them.

Andy turned on his helmet lamps. "Hoist me up, will you?" as he held out his foot to be cradled. Zach clasped his hands together and lifted his partner into the room. Using the door frame for leverage, Andy heaved himself up through the doorway and managed to stand, scanning the room quickly at first and then more methodically.

"It's a little girl's room." he radioed down. The room was decorated with colourful drawn pictures, paper butterflies, many stuffed toys and a small plastic toy kitchen with pots and toy vegetables. On the far end wall was a bed, a small chest of drawers and a child's size wardrobe. Andy cracked a few light sticks and placed them around the room, producing a soft yellow glow. He walked back to the doorway and lifted his partner into the room.

"There's no window." Zach commented. "And it looks like this room was under a structural basement staircase before the collapse, which is why it survived intact."

Andy agreed. "We should find some exhibits here."

"I don't think so" replied Zach "It's just toys, and we have plenty of those."

Undeterred, Andy walked over to the wardrobe and opened it. A coat, a few dresses, dungarees with a teddy bear on the front pocket and a neat line of footwear, with two blankets on the top shelf. He stepped aside to the chest of drawers and opened the top drawer; underwear and stockings. The bottom drawer was full of tops, T-shirts and vests.

"I think you're right." Andy reluctantly agreed.

"What about under the bed?" Zach asked.

"Throw me one of those blankets to put on this floor and I'll take a look." Zach grabbed hold of a blanket and passed it to his partner.

'THUD' Both men startled and turned to the wardrobe. On the floor was a thick, large book that must have been under the blankets and fell to the floor when one was pulled out. Andy strided over to it. It was made of thick paper pages, most of which were warped and crinkled.

"Jessica's Scrap Book" Andy read out. They looked at each other with anticipation. Zach joined Andy and they both looked through the pages, one by one. All of the pages were of newspaper heading cuttings from the New York Times.

"This is a great exhibit!" Zach excitedly exclaimed.

Back at Sector D Base, Team 15 handed over their exhibit with anticipation, hoping for it to be approved. Meanwhile, Andy and Zach continued their sweep of Sector D in search of more exhibits.

[cont 1/2]

[A week later.]

The Head Curator finished examining an item on a large table of exhibits. "Not this one." he said, as he handed it to his assistant, and moved to the next. 'Jessica's Scrap Book' read the title of a large, warped paper book. He picked it up, closely examining front and back looking unimpressed. He opened the cover page and found a series of newspaper cuttings glued to the pages. He read them to himself as he turned the pages;

RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE
Despite ongoing diplomatic negotiations by NATO, Russia makes a decisive move on Kiev

OVER ONE MILLION DEAD AS RUSSIA TURNS TOWARD THE BALTICS
1.1 Million confirmed dead, millions more wounded and missing as sanctions fail to deter Putin

ENERGY CRISIS IN EUROPE
Without Russian gas, Europe asks US for help solving gas shortage

US & EUROPE DECLARE WAR ON RUSSIA!
NATO allies prepare for war in joint declaration. USA ships over arms to Europe

CHINA TAKES TAIWAN
Emboldened by Russia's move on Kiev, China launches massive air and sea invasion of Taiwan

"This is an amazing historical record." the Curator said aloud to his assistant, not expecting a response, or waiting for one, "This documents how it all began." He continued reading.

PUTIN LAUNCHES TACTICAL NUKES!
Heavy casualties after Russia strikes NATO forces building up on the Ukraine border

WORLD WAR III
China supports North Korea as they invade South. Japan on standby. India strengthens border as China rolls into Nepal

WEST TRADE SANCTIONS ON CHINA
Trillions of dollars worth of Chinese goods turned away at ports. US corporations in turmoil

US COUNTERSTRIKES! NUCLEAR WAR IS ON
Tactical nukes fired into Russian heartland from carrier & European bases. Heavy casualties reported.

RUSSIA & CHINA JOIN FORCES
Touted for months, now Russia and China officially join forces against West.

ALL OUT WAR!
Red Alliance strikes first taking out comms and GPS satellites. US retaliates.

The Curator read on throughout the evening and into the night transfixed on the unfolding story. "This is a magnificent exhibit." he thought.

-----------------------------------------

A few months later Andy, Zach and their families travelled to their capital city with VIP tickets to see the exhibit at the Museum of Earth. Both men rushed passed the other exhibits despite protests from their families, but they were here for just one thing. Finally, in the Great Hall, they came to it.

"It's here, it's here!" they both said together, and proudly placed their families in front of the display.

Beautifully lit behind a glass wall was the book. On the back wall a screen displayed the pages in turn. But next to the book, a small card almost invisible in front of the backdrop read;

'Found by Andy & Zach, Team 15, Sector D, New York City, Earth.'

The END.

a reply to: TerraLiga

An intriguing and prescient story that kept me interested to the end.

Let's hope your take on current events remains in the realms of fiction.

S&F

a reply to: TerraLiga

You are officially the first to put pen to paper in this new Contest.


Thanks for your submission and good luck to you!
Johnny

originally posted by: Encia22
a reply to: TerraLiga

An intriguing and prescient story that kept me interested to the end.

Let's hope your take on current events remains in the realms of fiction.

Exactly. Watching the news I thought of what could happen if it all goes wrong and to extremes. Then I thought what a visitor from another planet would think of this total destruction of a nuclear world war with no survivors. Or even humans from another time.

I'm not sure if I got either of those scenarios across though, as it may seem like Andy and Zach are survivors of the war rather than visitors.

originally posted by: JohnnyAnonymous
a reply to: TerraLiga

You are officially the first to put pen to paper in this new Contest.


Thanks for your submission and good luck to you!
Johnny

Thank you. I remember a few years ago there was a craze on YouTube where people rushed to be the first to comment on new videos.

It's started...

a reply to: TerraLiga

That was a very good read. I can always tell a good read, because it draws me in and I want to get to the end, and at the same time I don't want it to end. Well done !