Ground Zero: Prequel to Numbered Series (5 page)
Read Ground Zero: Prequel to Numbered Series Online
Authors: Magus Tor
“Here!” shouted her father.
He'd found three seats, all in a row, and was
carefully guarding them. Aurelia smiled at him, as she and her mother joined
him. It wouldn't be long now. The lights were already starting to dim, they
were right on time. Settling into her seat, she found that both her mother and
her father reached for her hand. Laughing quietly, she took a hand of each of
them, and squeezed tight as the Director of the Medical Institute walked across
the stage to begin the ceremony.
***
She had the night to think about it. That, her Trainer
had explained, was the best that they could do. And it was only being done
because Marnee was a Med Worker Trainee. For anyone else, the job would already
have been done.
As always, Aurelia's father was working when she got
home, a halo of gold light from his desk lamp surrounding him. She dissolved as
soon as she saw him, the sobs wrenching and
hiccuping
so that she could barely explain what had happened. It was a long time before
she could speak. And then she felt that she had been drained completely of
emotion.
“And what will you do?” he asked.
Aurelia shook her head. “I don't know. I don't think I
can do this.”
Her father nodded. “I understand.” He shifted on the
couch, so that he was facing her. “But I cannot begin to understand how you
must be feeling. I know you love her. And this last request is a terrible and
beautiful thing.”
“Dad... I...” She paused to regain control. “I know it
will happen anyway. I know I can't prevent it. I can't prevent her from going.
But I don't know if I can be the one to do it.”
He pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms.
“Aur, I wish I could help you,” he whispered. “But
there is nothing that I can say that will give you any aid. You must just obey
your conscience. Do what you think is right. Trust yourself.”
They sat up long into the night, sometimes speaking,
but often silent. Until the red gold fingers of morning stroked the windows.
She still didn't know. Walking into the hospital,
getting into the elevator, opening the door to Marnee's room, she had no idea.
Not a clue what she was to
do.
As her Trainer had
promised, there was a small unlocked vial on the table beside Marnee's bed.
Aurelia tried not to look at it. It was not procedure for Trainees to inject
patients such as Marnee, and besides, Aurelia had already injected, had already
passed the test. But an exception was being made. The Trainer had used his own
ID number to unlock the syringe, but had left it where Aurelia could find it.
There would be no record of what she had done, or not done, as the case may be.
Marnee was awake, the pain drugs making her speech
slower, but she was perfectly coherent. Aurelia sat on the edge of her bed, and
the two began to talk. They didn't speak of the future, only the past. And for
long hours, they reminisced, laughed, and cried only a little. And still
Aurelia didn't know. She just had to trust herself, as her father had said.
Trust.
***
The ceremony was brief, shorter than Aurelia had
expected. But then she supposed that all the Workers here probably needed to
get back to their jobs. From the way the Director was standing, she could tell
that he was almost finished speaking. And then there'd be the rush, as the
newly qualified Med Workers ran to their Training rooms to find their job
postings. Adrenaline was already pumping through Aurelia's veins ready to push
her through the crowds to find what her posting was to be.
“And finally,” the Director said, his voice strong and
carrying through the auditorium. “We come to the most prestigious part of our
ceremony. Every year, the top of the year's cohort is given the ultimate
posting: that of Lunar City Hospital.”
There was a collective intake of breath from the
audience. Lunar City Hospital was the best hospital in the Empire, and Lunar
City was a City reserved for only the Elite, those who were above Workers.
Aurelia smiled, wondering which lucky soul was going to be taking the shuttle up
to Lunar.
“This year, this honour goes to one of the best
students I have ever had the pleasure of teaching. Her natural aptitude,
intelligence, and perseverance have persuaded all her Trainers that she is
deserving of this posting. The top student of this year's cohort is Aurelia
Cole.”
Aurelia shook her head, disbelieving. And it wasn't
until she saw the pride in her mother's eyes that she knew she'd heard what
she'd thought she'd heard. It was her. She was going to Lunar. She was being
put on the fast track to success. It was everything she'd ever wanted. And
Marnee was not here to celebrate with her.
***
“It's time,” Marnee said, putting her hand on
Aurelia's arm. “Please.”
Trust.
That's what it
was. Marnee trusted her.
And loved her.
And this would
be the last thing she would ever do for her best friend. Swallowing hard,
Aurelia picked up the syringe. Her hands were shaking.
“Thank you,” Marnee said, quietly. “Thank you.
For everything.”
“I love you,” Aurelia said, hands trembling so much
that she couldn't inject.
“I love you too,” said Marnee. “I'll miss you.”
Slowly and carefully Aurelia placed the needle on the
skin. This was the right thing. No, no it wasn't. The world wasn't black and
white. It was grey. But this was the best and most honest choice she could
make. She pushed the plunger down, emptying the syringe.
“I'll miss you too,” she said, to the strange, quiet
stillness that filled the room.
***
Her parents, Trainers, and classmates all crushed her in
their congratulations. She seemed to go from one set of arms to another, as
everyone tried to hug her at the same time. She was happy. Of course she was.
But there would always be that little splinter of sadness in her heart. But
this, this was her chance. And even as she was being pushed into yet another
hug, Aurelia vowed to herself that she was going to be the best Med Worker
Lunar Hospital had ever seen.
But more than that.
She
was going to change things. She was going to change things for Marnee.
“Just believe in
yourself
,”
her father whispered, pulling her close. “And you can do anything.”
Aurelia smiled. She believed. She could change things.
*****THE
END OF A BEGINNING****
“Thank you for reading this book. I hope you had
enjoyed Ground Zero. If you did, please kindly write a review about your
experience with this story. It will be greatly appreciated.”
Magus Tor is born and raised in Singapore, by his
hardworking parents who sent him to medical school. In contrast, he is lazy and
frequently escapes reality by reading or writing.
D-Nine: Protectors of the Crown
n
A
fantasy
story whereby a male doctor fainted and woke up in a different dimension with a
different body, that of a teenage princess.
n
King
just
entered Black Flag, a pirate theme VRMMORPG, and was supposed to meet up with
Elize but she didn’t turn up. In fact she was attacked by the Phantom and her
mind imprison in the digital world. Join King as he journeyed the five seas
trying to save his friend from a certain death.
The Ultimate Guide to LIFE: The Greatest
MMORPG
n
If
LIFE
is just a game, how should the guide book be written?
n
Daniel
is
plagued with the lack of money but when he finds a bank book that allows him to
withdraw money in exchange for his lifespan, will his life change for the
better?
n
John
Bird
knows that he is different from other kids but what exactly is the problem he
doesn’t know. Grow with John as he learns about himself and love.
Dream Killing
(With Carrie Lynn Weniger)
n
Ex
-CIA
agent Drew is starting a new life and soon he is embroiled in a killing game
that goes on in his dreams.
Book 1
Dream Killing
Book 2
Dream Killing 2
A Man’s Love
(With Carrie Lynn Weniger)
n
Romance
isn’t just about the woman but man can loves equally deeply. Follow Jonathon’s
journey of love and self discovery.
Book 1
First Love
Book 2
Bitter Love
Book 3
Divine Love
Numbered
n
In
the
year of 2278, everything living or non-living is numbered. Join the trio, a
doctor, a politician and a clone soldier, in the fight to change the world of
unfairness.
Book 1
Want: Trust no one, no one trusts
Book 2
Tool: Born for war, war for bonds
Book 3
Tree: Live to give, give to live
Book 4
Fall
: Cross of the
past, key of the future
True Love Comedy
(with Carrie Lynn Weniger)
n
Each
book
is a story on its own filled with laughter, tears and love.
Book 1 Love
Triangle:
XX version
, or
XY version
Book 2
Another
Cinderella
Story
Book 3
Butterfly Dream
Book 4
Only You I Love
Book 5
Without
You
Book 6 New Beauty
and the Beast (coming soon)
