CLONED

Prologue- The 'GROUP'

" World War 3 raged on for twenty long years. Disease and starvation overtook the world, and with this empty holocaust, having perfection is our only choice left." The seven native survivors of the 'Last War' stopped to look up at the solitary scientist that had made it through the explosions.

He cleared his throat and moved forward by the large rock serving as a makeshift table. " After World War 3 should come a new beginning, not just for our nation, but for all the provinces that have suffered. Our diminished country , no, the world! Has gone through so much, and has gained so little. We must clean up the errors, the blunders, the faux pas, and the slips our so called fathers have left behind. We will create new provinces that will not tolerate mistakes, we will have the 'perfect' world."

Voices murmured and the scientist slowly sat down, a ravaged woman behind him stood and slowly spoke.

" Mr. Gregory, how can we create an entirely new province and restore more than half the human race, when we barely have enough to eat?"

Mr.  Gregory paused, " Miss Raven," she looked up at the scientist and quivered slightly.  "I never said that we would be using humans." A man opened his bloodshot eyes in a flash and scrambled toward Mr. Gregory with the speed of a niverous.

" Gregory! Do you realize what you're saying? If you're proposing we allow those crazy beasts out there into our lives-!? What next, you invite the niverous in for tea, oh dear bird, please don't eat my face!!" The man couldn't stop sputtering, cursing loudly, as the water dripped slowly too the floor. Mr. Gregory stared him down calmly, and faced the group.

" Mr. Otero, the answer is simple, the necrotic bombs did not destroy the most important parts of my lab. I still have doors of metal to open a new generation, and enough components to create the second Pangea. A conjoined land of artificial life."

The heads of all six people in the room turned to hear his booming statement.

" The second Pangea!" Mr. Otero spit out. " Making artificial life? That's impossible! You've gone mad! He's infected, everyone stay away from him!"

Mr. Otero stared around the room daring anyone to defy him. The silence was deafening, shaking the core of everyone in the small cave. Was it possible for one of us to be infected, they all wondered.

Until a shaky voice whispered, "it's possible."

Mr. Otero whipped around, " Who are you?" he asked sneering.

" Malcolm Ulay, to you sir." a small lad stood bravely as he watched Mr. Gregory from the corner of his eye.  

Mr. Gregory smiled, " Miss. Pew," he gestured at the squatted woman, "Miss. Raven: what do you think?" They smiled at Mr. Gregory.

" Gregory," Miss. Pew bundled her thin shawl under the dimming light, " if, as you say, all we have left is the freedom of perfection, it may seem a broad path, but I will follow it."

" Then it's done, pack up your things, we'll head to my lab at dawn, thank you for hearing me out." The 'Group' hustled out of the cave, and into the swampy marshes looking over their shoulders for any carnivorous birds. " Oh and Mr. Otero, your stance, it's..."  Mr. Gregory paused looking over his shoulder, "imperfect."

All members, two woman, five men, began to readily find positions for a night's rest. They all knew, whether by the scientists speech, or by the knowing that the remains of their family members were rotting by the feet of the cruel world; a new era was about to begin.

And it would all begin, with a clone.

I hope you enjoyed, its still a work in progress!