The Echo

Prologue

Prologue

I heard him. The clatter in the utter silence. In my loneliness, silence does not exist. There is always some noise. Something happening. True silence did not exist.

Being the leader of the small population of humans that was left on this world, I led it with dignity. I needed to keep the people down. Control them. In this world, only the strong survived. The ones who could resist the virus. The strange, quickly spreading virus.

It caused the infected to go mentally insane. Think way more than they should. Make them unique. Only some children born with the virus survived, and they were kept secluded until the age of eighteen. It was the only known "solution". The people with true power had all once had the virus. Especially Professor Pravis. His case was stronger than most. He was kept in solitude for twice as long as the normal time limit.

I heard him now, his clunky black shoes clicking against the bland white floor. The two doors opened to my office, by Professor Pravis. He was a tall, frail, skinny old man, who always looked very pale. He wore blue, plastic gloves, and a long white beard dangled from his face. Usually, the men of this period were not allowed to grow facial hair. But he was an exception. In his hands, covered in the stretchy plastic gloves, he held a baby.

I knew exactly what was happening. This happened at least twice a month, where Pravis would bring in a baby with signs of the virus, and I would inspect it to see if they would be solidified or proved defective and sent to be terminated.

This baby gave off a different vibe, though. He was swaddled in a blue blanket, and was awake, though he remained silent. His big, strange violet eyes were glued to Professor Pravis's, and I could tell he was unfortable under the child's stare.

"Sir. There is... Another." Professor Pravis said to me. I nodded solemnly, clenching my fingers together on my desk.

"Bring it here, Professor," I replied quietly. And he walked slowly up to my desk, climbing up the small stairway towards it. He handed the baby to me. I held it with my hands.

This baby. This boy. He was different. He showed signs of... the virus. Having the virus was no good. No good at all. It was weird, strange. His violet eyes were knowing, he had to be removed.

"Pravis!" I yelled at him. "Remove him." I said. Cold. Heartless. He nodded slowly, and took the baby from my hands. He walked out of the bored white room, the baby in hand. Then I heard it. The echo.