ATS Collaborative Fiction #1: "At the playground"

Welcome to the first collaborative fiction work on ATS.

A note to writers. Unless you are assigned an additional story to work on, keep your posts limited to this thread. Work together, but only within the confines of this thread (do not pre-determine plot through private messages), and have fun!

Your authors for this story are;

Lurker, Dragonrider, Quicksilver, MorningtonCrescent, Ocelot, AF1, Xoas, Nans Desmichels, and Tetsuo-51.




Here is the start of the story;





It was quiet again, almost too quiet. I suppose I should have been concerned, but complacency has a way of sneaking up on you and causing forgetfulness of one's deepest fears. Everything suddenly came back to me in a mind-numbing rush when I heard the voice on the phone.


[Edited on 28-4-2003 by William]

[Edited on 28-4-2003 by William]

-"Xyu etui eakyglk lpoha n ?" (The voice of the phone spoke in a langage I'd never heard)...
- I said : "What ?"
-"Hluhlk iuhezam oihz �a !"
-"Hu ? What you mean ? What you want ? Do you speak english ?"
-"luhgae miehlcimjha m ihoalizjmoi�"
-"If it's a joke, it's a bad taste !" I said, but something in the electronic voice that I had in my phone told me that it wasn't a joke... "f--k off ! Stop anoying me !"
And I hang off the phone... Suddenly, my bell door rang...

Ding-Dong Ding-Dong

I walked to the door, and opened it. Standing there was a tall, unimaginably thin man with a wide brimmed black fedora, a long ebony trenchcoat with black slacks beneath. His dark costume finished with black leather gloves and shoes. I returned my gaze to his face and was startled by the materialization of a silenced .22 automatic pistol in his hands.
"Get in the car."
His tone offered the suggestion of a choice: to enter the black (quite the somber fellow, eh?) cadillac, or to end up with a head full of lead.
Being the self-preservationist that I am I walked to his vehicle and got in...

[Edited on 28-4-2003 by xaos]

[Edited on 28-4-2003 by xaos]

I slid into the back seat of the car, sandwiched in between the thin man and a larger man wearing an equally odd black getup. They both stared at me silently. I wasn't sure whether to worry that I had something hanging out of my nose or to fear for my life. We drove in silence for several minutes, my seatmates staring at me and the driver of the car seemingly oblivious to the backseat's occupants. After a few more moments, the driver spoke.
"We knew you wouldn't come with us voluntarily.", he said.
"What is going on here? Why did you drag me out here?", I asked, still somewhere between terrified and angry.
"The fewer questions you ask, the better off you will be. Trust me", he said. His tone of voice left no doubt that I had little reason to trust him.
We pulled into the parking lot of an abandoned elementary school in a little-traveled part of town. For the first time in our journey, my seatmates stopped staring at me and looked straight forward. My eyes followed their gaze...

[Edited on 4-28-2003 by MorningtonCrescent]

To a group of men standing in front of the playground. The school itself was run-down and was in the inner-city. At this point my mind is racing a mile a minute, pondering why exactly these men brought me here. It felt like my heart was trying to catch up as it beat harder and faster each second that passed.

The driver stopped the car about 20 yards away from the group of five men.

"Take this." said the thin man, thrusting an envelope into my hands. "Walk over there and say only this word 'brownie.' Whoever answers with 'pop,' you give this envelope too, simple enough. If no one answers then I suggest running, but at this point it will already be too late."

Then the thin man opened his door and got out. He stood there while I sat in bewilderment. The big time wasted no time in pushing me out though, and before I knew it I was walking with an unmarked envelope towards a group of men.

They are looking at me in a strange way. Almost studying me. Im so nervous that I can hardly breathe. I cautiously step towards the men. I take a glance behind me only to find that the men that captured me in the first place have vanished. I dont think twice. I run.

As I approach the strange group, my pulse is pounding in my ears, every hair standing on end, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

I stop about 10 feet from the small group. Slowly, they spread out and form a semi circle around me....

I look at the envelope in my hand, and carefully look at each persons face, trying to make out their intentions.

Usually I am a good judge of persons, but for some reason, I get nothing but an eerie blankness from each person. There are 4 men and 1 woman, but beyond that, not much that can be made out. For some strange reason, the features that normally stand out refuse to register in my mind, as if some form of psychic camoflage was being used to keep me from remembering exactly what each looked like.

Feeling rather stupid, but scared, I say "Brownie"....

My eyes sweep the group, looking for the slightest movement. For more than 30 seconds, there is no movement and no sound. The man immediately to my right thrusts his hand out and say "Give it to me!"

I step back, and his hand locks on my wrist. His muscles are powerful, and starts to pull me towards him. I reverse my direction and lunge toward him, driving my head into his face. His grip loosens, and I turn.

I sense movement behind me, and the feeling of a set of hands brushing along my back. I twist away and sprint as fast as I can...

I turn to the group of men in that and look at them in a way asking for help. They don't look back just gave forward in eerie silence. Once I realize they are no help I turn to see how close my pursuers were. No more then ten feet behind me. I look forward should I run to the school or the woods? my decision must be quick.

I jig a quick turn to the right and run like hell for the woods.

As I make the tree line, I zig zag a bit, dodging branches and roots, trying to create as little disruption in the vegetation as possible.

After penetrating 50 yards or so into the woods, I find a good sized tree and duck behind it, trying to slow my heart rate. Becoming as still as I can, I look around, listening to see if anyone is still following me.

Very faintly there is a the sounds of muffled voices, as my persuers pace along the edge of the treeline, not comfortable penetrating the dense foliage after me.

I wad the envelope up and shove it in a pocket, then reach down to my left ankle, pulling my pants cuff up and popping the strap off of the ankle holster, freeing a small S&W Chiefs Special .38 snub nose revolver. Flipping the cylinder out to ensure it is loaded, I lean back, thankful that my captors didnt search me thoroughly.

Then, several yards off to one side, a stick snaps as someone penetrates into the woods...

Still buzzing from the recent adrenelin rush I raise my snub .38 and take aim at what I have yet to see. For the first time in my life I am in a situation where I have no control or idea whats going on, sweat pours down my face like a water fall. Suddenly the crackle of a mic and voices, "Sweep the area he didn't get far." within mear paces of my position and I hold my breath yet again and then I see him. Dark crouched and stalking through the bush as if he is at home, only he don't see me as I sqeeze the trigger KABLAAAM!! I felt more sweat pour down my face or was it blood I don't care anymore "OVER THERE, HURRY!" Damn I have only seconds to frisk this guy. I grab his radio and haul balls to a trail I used before while jogging.

[Edited on 3-5-2003 by Lurker]

suddenly, a woman appear front of me. She litteraly appear like an ethereal form becoming solid, just in front of me. She try to catch me in my rush. I fall on the ground. She appear just in front of me. She hold me her hand for I wake up. And I think i my mind that all this must me a nightmare and I will probably wake up in my bed, in my room, in my appartement...
I scream "Whaaaaaaat ?!"
She answer "Pop"...

I was so scared I got up and ran.

As I ran down the trail a million thoughts raced trough my mind. Branches smacking me right in the face as I ran. It was pitch black... you could barely see anything.

I ran as fast as I could, not daring to look back. Not even for a second. After what seemed like an eternity I stopped. I was too tired too keep running.

I stood there in complete silence trying to catch my breath. I couldn't hear anything so I thought maybe they quit chasing me. I decided I needed to get out of here and fast. Here I am in the middle of nowhere, a couple of miles out of town, with only my gun, a radio, and the envelope. The envelope...... I almost forgot about it.

I headed down the path to see if I could find the main road that leads to town. After about 15 minutes of walking I finally made it to the side of the road. I saw a car coming in the distance. I stood in the middle of the road waving my hands to see if I could get whoever was coming to stop and give me a ride.

The car stopped and I went to the driver's window.

-"I need help. Some men are after me and I need a ride to town please you have to help me!!"

-"OK. Hop in I'll take you to town" the man replied.

I got in the car as fast as I could. Fastened my seatbelt and off we went.

-"Who is after you?" "You're not into anything illegal are you?" the man asked.

-"No" "I dont know who is chasing me" " All I know is Im lucky to be alive"

-"Is that right?" "Dont worry we'll get there in about 10 minutes"

All of a sudden I heard this loud noise and the car shook. BAMMMM!!!

Another car hit us from behind. I looked in the rear view mirror and it was a black SUV with tinted windows trying to force us off the road.

-"Hold on" the man said.

-"Forget about me just drive!!!!" I screamed.

Then I heard a shot. BAMM BAMMM. The car's rear window blew up. Hundreds of tiny pieces of glass flying all over the place. When I looked to my left I saw the man hunched over on the steering wheel. He was hit in the back of the neck and was obviously dead. I tried to grab the wheel in time, but I was too late. We hit a tree head on.......

[Edited on 29-4-2003 by Ocelot]

[Edited on 29-4-2003 by Ocelot]

[Edited on 29-4-2003 by Ocelot]

I awoke with the taste of blood in my mouth. The sun had just broken through the trees. I surveyed my surroundings to find myself still in the car. The car was totaled, and when i turned to my left I saw the body of the driver. I didn't even know his name, yet he was dead because of me.

I have no idea what happened to my assailants. Perhaps they had left me for dead. I realized now that they also left the envelope. What could be in this that would want people to kill for it. Well I wasn't going to waste any more time at the seen of the accident and got out of the car.

I slowly walked down the road praying that someone would pull over and help me, and that I might find some sanity in all of this.

I was hitching cars when a red mercedes stopped. I looked inside, it was the girl I met in the wood, this morning.

she tell me

"Come on fast, they will soon find you and kill you"

I enter the car without asking if she was a good or an evil one. Anyway, I had enought emotions for the day and my mind was in trouble, because of what went to happened to me.
She start driving, after a few minute I asked :

"Who are you, and who are these guys ?"

"I cant tell you my real name, you cant understand it in

your human langage, you can call me rebecca, reb if you prefer. Dont be afraid, everything is safe now..."
I was in panic and I asked again :

"And these guy, and you appearing, disapear, and, and and the envellope... What's the hell is that # ?!"

She stop the car in the take-away area of a Mac Donald and asked me :

"Are you hungry, do you want a coffee ?"

"No, no, I want the truth ! I just want to know what is happening to me. Ho, hell it's a nightmare and I will wake up soon..."

"No, it's not a nightmare John. The envellope that you had this morning contain an extraterrestrial virus very destructive. In fact, it's not only a virus but an intelligent E.T. virus. A virus who try to invade your planet..."

"How do you know my name is john ? I've never meet you before ?"

"I know a lot of things about you John. Consider me as your Guardian angel..."

"A guardian angel ?! It's stupid, I dont believe in GOD. You are an agent from the FBI or the CIA !"

"So consider me like an agent of the CIA..."

Shaking my head "This is unreal, no, no! Why did you pick me? What do I have that is so special?"

"The special thing is that you are in no way special. It may sound Like a paradox but hear me out-"

"Let me out of the car I cannot take this, Why did you have t-" Sunndenly I cannot move, my mouth does not move, my muscles dont respond and as I notice the world outside the car, it has frozen. Completely. I see flocks of birds in the air, still as the grave, but yet at the same time I can sense life in them.

"In this modern world, nearly everyone has been implanted with some form of device. Sub-skin watches, tracking devices, ID and Monetary Storage devices, a cranial enhancer implanted into the brain, these are being used to control the populace. But you have not allowed yourself to submit to this." This was true, but only because my body rejected these devices, I had become almost an outcast."We shall take you to a place where we will train you to fight this secret worldwide order of controllers..."

..."Here take this" she says as she hands me her bandana, "Wipe your face off quik, ur bloody." Doing as she instructs I hastely clean up while pulling up to order.
"Welcome to Mac Donalds" an obnoxious voice cuts out , "May I take your order please?" "Yes, a coffee double cream, no sugar...you sure you don't wan't anything?." "A sure gimmie a large OJ." I tell her, as my mind swirls again..."By the way Rebecca, since you said pop, this is yours." As I dig out the envelope. "But you and your people owe me an explanation." Its seems like days have gone by since I got started this morning. Crazy thing is, its only been a few hours. Scene by scene my mind played back the events since that phone call. Sipping my orange juice, I listen to her words...



[Edited on 29-4-2003 by Lurker]

[Edited on 3-5-2003 by Lurker]

She paused a moment to stir her coffee. I wished it was still early enough to actually get a McDonald's breakfast. Darn 10:30 cutoff. If I ever needed greasy comfort food, it's now. I sighed.
"So you're going to train me as a fighter? That'll take some doing.", I said as I looked at my stomach. It was painfully obvious I was a fan of greasy comfort food. I was in the middle of the biggest thing that had ever happened to me, and the banal and everyday still kept intruding. I guess that meant this must be real. In action movies, no one ever stops to get McDonalds, right?
"Mmm. Maybe not a physical fighter, but a fighter nonetheless." she replied.

As we were pulling out of the parking lot something in the sky caught my attention. It looked like a black helicopter. Hovering rather low and circling the area. Then out of the corner of my eye I noticed five more.

"Step on it!" I yell at Reb.

"Stay calm," she nonchalantly replies, "They dont see us."

"What the f-ck are you talking about!? Were in the middle of a f-cking McDonalds parking lot!"

"Would you like me to let you in on a little secret?" replies Reb.

[Edited on 29-4-2003 by Tetsuo-51]

"Let me in on a secret? Yeah, that would be nice. Could you start off about why I was about to just kick back and relax, and some a$$hole shoves a gun in my face in my own home and drags me out here???"

Cutting me off rebecca starts.

"Calm down, listen as I said before you didn't allow yourself to be implanted with devices. Makeing you virtually untraceable..."

She sat there driving and explaining to me, that since I had no devices I can't be traced by the government. She even explained the nausea and dizzy spells I get, that they are waves of some sort passing through me or around me. All this time I keep silent listening to her talk about "Sponsors"and some group named "SWOC" or Secret World Order of Controllers. It sounds all too much like a crazy holo-Vid, or Sureal-cade. and then it happened again.

Suddenly I cannot move, my mouth does not move, my muscles dont respond and as I notice the world outside the car, it has frozen, Completely. I see the helicopters in the air, searching, but all I sense in them is death.

Gaining strength, I sit up while saying to Rebecca.

"I still see them, are you positive they don't see us?! I felt one of those..waves you mentioned?"

After finishing her coffee she says.

"It doesn't matter, they won't be able to follow. The sponsors are underground."

I interject.

"Oh, sort of like the magazines, they operate in secret."

"Not at all, they are underground literally."
Rebecca states matter of factly.

Great! Not am I only forced out of my home by gun point, hunted by helicopters and freaked out! I have to encounter my childhood fear...I've been afraid of confined spaces since a hurricane collapsed our complex, trapping me. Only made worse by the fact I was seperated and alone for three days. Man..no wonder I found food as a comfort.








[Edited on 30-4-2003 by Lurker]

[Edited on 3-5-2003 by Lurker]