The New Dead World

Chapter 5: Breakaway

The morning after Emiko's death, was a hard one. I felt more alone since the new world started. I didn't get any sleep that night. Which isn't anything knew with me. There has been countless days, and nights where sleep was a stranger to me. The faces I've lost flash through my brain. Mom, Dad, and Emiko. Newborns who I couldn't save, and friends I've either had to watch get ripped apart. Or had to put down because a Freak took a chunk out of them.

I've decided to leave Eos, and finally head to LA. I've put it off for a while, mainly because I was too much of a coward to go. But Emiko dying... I've got nothing left here anymore, it feels empty now.

I'm sitting on my little perch, on the roof of Eos. A small little platform, on the edge of the roof. A metal railing along the edge, but really just a formality. It's about waist height, and the bars are wide apart.

I sit on the edge, my legs dangling off the roof. A few inches more, and I'm falling a few thousand feet to the hard concrete under me. A group of ant sized people started building a wooden funeral pyre for Emiko. Soon after its finished, they will lay her down on it and set it on fire, cremating her.

After I got back to Eos, after meeting the Cowboys. I went to the freezer where Emiko was being kept. She was laying there on a table, her regular Idol clothing was taken off, and a light white gown was put on her. The blood cleaned off, she looked like she was just sleeping in bed.

Her hair loose and very pink gently laying behind her shoulders. Slipped my hand into her now cold hand, and I held with both of mine.

"Emiko... after you get burned into dust. I'll be leaving to LA. Hehe... It's funny, the only thing keeping me here gets killed off..." I hold her hand up to my forehead. "I always thought our roles right now would be reversed. Hell... I would give anything to make it, to where I'm on this table and your sitting here talking to me. But, then that means I made Emiko even more sad. Shit... I don't know how to do this. Why did you have to leave? You where the only one who could talk me out of doing stupid things! I killed off the Cowboys last night, all of them free Freak meat right now!" My eyes burning. "Ok... Ok... I'm sorry for yelling at you. I guess it's time for me to go. See you soon Em." I lay her hand back onto the table, and I lean over and kiss her cold forehead.

At the doorway I turn back around to get one last look at her. Then I headed up to the roof, where I sat watching them finish the pyre. The cart carrying Emiko slowly got pushed out, and they gently laid her onto the pyre.

Soon a crowd empties from Eos, and surrounds the pyre. King and his husband Junior, stand next to Dum Dum and Wren. All of the Idols, and Kings, and Rednecks in the crowd. I stand up and lean against the railing.

Tori holds a touch and slowly walks to Emiko. She slowly puts the torch onto the pyre, and it erupts into a giant flame, engulfing Emiko. She burns for a while, the pyre getting smaller and smaller. The crow soon disperses, only a few Idols left ready to collect it's ashes.

I stay until the fire goes out and the few Idols collect the ashes. I get up and head down to my apartment. The door opens and Wren, Tali, King, and Junior, and Dum Dum sit waiting for me. Tali ran up to me and wraps her arms around me tightly.

"Oh my gosh... Saren I'm so sorry." She said while hugging me.

"It's ok kid." I said and hugged her back. She lets go of me and slowly backs away.

"Hey kid." King said.

"I'm leaving." I said quickly.

"Where are you going?" Tali said.