Beyond|✔️ (Book one) [Draft One]

Chapter One (Rewritten Edition D4)

DISCLAIMER: This was posted on the 23rd October 2023, and therefore may not match up the the final edition of Beyond. I am posting this as a farewell gift to any readers.

If you are interested in one day having (hopefully) a copy of Beyond (title may be subject to change lol but still), do check my profile and other chapters for social media!

Enjoy!

CHAPTER ONE: THE FALL

    The 28th of July 2045, 11:03:39 am— that was the official time scientists calculated as the beginning of The Fall.

11:04 am. The first casualty, caught on live tv, livestreams, photos. Still resurfaces on the internet from time to time, no matter how quickly it gets taken down.

11:05am. It was estimated the death toll reached approximately a hundred people. Many were crushed in the crowd rushing from the scene.

11:15am. Evacuations were announced for all London boroughs.

12pm. The death toll reached three hundred.

6:15pm. The evacuation is extended to the entire United Kingdom. Borders are closed, flights cancelled or rerouted. The death toll is roughly 1,500.

1st of September, 9:00am. 5000 dead. 15000 missing.

-✧-

28th July 2045, 10:45.

"Athena! Wait up!" Apollo whined, struggling to keep up with me as I wove through the crowd.

I laughed, craning my head back to look at his sweaty, dishevelled face. "What, you can't be bothered to keep up? We need to see Yvonne’s speech, hurry hurry!" Before I could speed up, Apollo snatched my arm and I lurched to a stop, whirling my body around to glare at him.

He huffed, hunched over like he was on the verge of kneeling in prayer on the floor. As he looked up at me, drenched in sweat, he panted out, "Yvonne's speech is in ten minutes, so we don't need to rush. Besides, we're only like a minute away, so can we just please take a break? It's hot."

"But it's already so busy," I said, gesturing to the crowd passing us, "if we don't get there soon we won't get to be at the front."

"We don't need to stand at the front, there's TVs there so we can see even if we're not at the—"

"—But you promised I'd get to be at the front so I could ask her a question!"

Apollo groaned, then pressed his lips tightly together. After a moment to recollect himself, he stood, wiping his forehead. "Alright, fine."

I smiled. "Don't worry, I'll make it worth it. I'll treat you to an ice cream with the pocket Nana gave me."

"If it’s got a 99 flake, I’ll take it.”

I couldn't suppress the grin that formed on my face as I said, "Well, you'll only get it if we run and make it before the speech starts."

"Wha– Athena!"

Ignoring his cry, I bolted off, slipping through a group of adults and shouting out an apology that was carried away in the wave of cheers and excitement and booming music. The parade's cheerful melodies egged me on, echoing loudly through the streets of Enfield and almost drowning out Apollo's haggard panting as he ran after me.

There was no way I was missing the unveiling. Elysium was known for its life altering inventions. From medicinal cures to 3D printers that could create anything, Elysium was a household name, not only in the UK, but worldwide. Their yearly parade that passed through many boroughs was one of the biggest events Enfield got, except for that one time the Olympic Torch passed through like thirty years ago. And for once, the main event— the unveiling of their greatest invention this year— was happening in the quiet borough of Enfield. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.