Take Me Home • h. styles ✔

18 | The Phenomenon

HARRY

     What would be the best words to describe what I’m feeling right now?

     Fear. Dread. Paranoia.                

     Any word synonymous to those words I guess would best depict my emotions at this time. It had been more or less two or three weeks since my eyes laid their sight on the once majestic vista of London, only to be superseded by the ghastly fate of the total wreck caused by this appalling apocalypse. The early morning sun had yet to make its vivid debut anytime soon, as the little stars were making their final sojourns right above the gloomy sky. Those stars might be diminutive in size, but what mattered was the fact that they were still going on, persevering to make their final moments of luster to provide even just a glint of light that would make the dusky blues sparkle with glee. Like those little stars, I was persistent to carry on. I still had that little spark of hope that everything would be alright, and I would hold on to that little hope to live with my friends as soon as we would find the answers.

     “We’re almost there Harry. Are you ready?” Mike suddenly asked, interrupting my thoughts of my expectations after this treacherous trip. He kept his eyes on the road, his knuckles almost turning to white as his hands held firmly on the wheel. We had been cruising along the dangerous roads for a few minutes, passing through the streets and boulevards dwelled by the Creatures as they could only look at us as we drove through.

     “Yeah. I think I am,” I answered, giving him my best smile.

     Apparently, I felt suddenly unenthused with my decision. As each second passed by, the view of the massive structure was coming closer, and it did look like a place where all of the scientific pandemonium had happened that caused all of this mayhem – its seamlessly plain white partitions matched with the crystal glass doors and windows that altogether formed an obscure spherical-like building, similar to some of the laboratories I had seen in science fiction movies. It would’ve had been a great place for a school excursion of science geek kids and their dreams would be answered if they’d see this, but the thought that those children’s lives taken away because of the dreaded Plague sent an upsetting feeling in my heart. The little kids back home in Cheshire would be delighted if they would see this, for it was every child’s dream to explore and learn new things, especially involving the field of Science. Yet, they didn’t know that this renowned fantasy institute had caused all of this mess which caused a great amount of people be carried away from the bliss of life.

     “Shit,” I mumbled to myself as our car made its hushed halt beside the bushes parallel to the building. Mike immediately got his gun from behind the seats and he urged me to do same. We both paused for a while, letting our eyes feast on the shocking sight in front of the Schmidt Institute.

     “You’re right. Funny how the name of this place suits it. It’s just full of shit,” he kidded sardonically, trying to relieve the situation we were in. He gave me a warm smile, and that was all I needed in order to feel somehow a little at ease despite the growing fear in my soul. My heart was beginning to beat like a drum, making endless pattering rhythms similar to someone having palpitations.

     “Just tell me when you’re ready, lad. I got your back,” he said reassuringly, and his tactics of making me feel secured was quite working. “Remember our simple plan?”