SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST (Watty Awards 2011)

Part Four: End Of Days

2049 A.D.

Matthew Tresnov was a 19 year old German American living in Moscow with his mother.   Matthew’s father was a German citizen who worked in the American embassy in Berlin.  He became apart of a dangerous crime syndicate operating in Berlin and was ordered to forge passports for several members.  Matthew’s father did not comply with the criminals and was hunted down like a dog.  He hid Matthew and his mother away to his brother’s home in Azerbaijan while he stayed behind to deal with the situation.  The criminals sent Matthew’s father’s head where they were staying.  Matthew’s mother didn’t want to leave for fear that her family was still in danger.  As the years went by Matthew’s uncle died in a car crash leaving him to take care of his mother who had been growing deathly ill.  During the bombings, their home was hit by a stray bomb and Matthew’s mother was killed.

 In his childhood, Matthew spent most of his time wanting to be like an American cowboy, or a kung fu master like Bruce Li.  His father allowed him to take martial art classes and he excelled at only 11 years old.   Matthew then wanted to expand his abilities and work with weapons.  His master urged his parents to agree because he was a protégée and could have a future in martial arts.  He could be an instructor for actors in movies or even become an expert on ancient weaponry.  It took awhile for the parents’ consent but they eventually gave in to their son’s demands.  Matthew believed that the Japanese sword was too overrated and believed that the traditional Chinese sword was a much more elegant blade.  Matthew’s parents would never approve of him owning a weapon, but his master gave him a sword that belonged in his family for many generations.  His master believed that after Matthew’s years of dedication, that he deserved it.  He appreciated everything his master taught him and on that very night Matthew killed him with the very blade his master gave to him.  Matthew was a sociopath.  He truly believed he was a warrior destined for greatness and had killed his master out of honor for succeeding him.  When his mother died, Matthew became a scavenger, killing anyone in his path.  He dawned a black leather cloak and leather hat as a memento to his childhood dream.  He became a legend overnight.  People were afraid of his shadow and would never look into his face.  The people that crossed his path and lived called him the Black Mist.  He would kill and vanish into the night.

        2056 A.D.

After several years of pillaging and murder Matthew had a revelation.  The world was coming to an end and he would be responsible for destroying the tyrants in charge.  Word had it that many scavengers and notorious killers were gathering in the mountains for fear of invasion.  Matthew traveled to the mountains and took control of all the men there.  He told them he was their savior and that they were meant to be an army of true greatness that they were meant to reshape the world as they saw fit and destroy anyone in their path.  The scavengers assumed the name of the “Marauders”.  For several months the army continued to grow and expand all across Europe, all those who were alone joined out of fear.  These men were not soldiers, they were cowards with guns.  After the old Pangaea tried to invade Europe, Matthew and his army hunted down the intruders and stole all of their weapons, vehicles, and supplies.  They had setup several base camps, which included tanks, heavy machine guns and cannons.  They now had the fortitude to fight off any foe.

  A man came to Matthew begging to serve Matthew as his servant.  Matthew had kept an eye on this man and saw that he was a valuable warrior with loyalty.  One day after destroying a small settlement, the man had been following Matthew for three days without any food or sleep.  He fell on the ground in the middle of the rain.  Matthew picked him up from the mud.

“You were not meant to be my slave but instead serve as my arm and use the strength we have created to destroy any one in our path.  You are the one I will place my complete trust in.  You are the hawk in the sky, with the vision of my eye, so from hence forth you will be known as Hawk Eye”