Eden - Vol 1 - The Heirs (BxB)

Chapitre 1

1

Since recent attacks perpetuated by Gardenia, security had been strengthened in Edenia. Each access was controlled and for vulnerable sites – such as malls or universities – exits has been limited. All of Edenia citizens' life was overprotected by the Vigipirate security plan. Eden, the capital where political elites were gathered, was overcrowded by military and police forces. Even if it was constraining people adjusted to it and the search of the bags and coats became a daily life nobody could avoid.

At the Eden 7 university, security checkpoints were few in number: at each building, only two exits remained open with a guard controlling students' bags. The security was unfailing!

A student sat down on the stairs of the second closed entrance to eat in peace. Trough the giant grill he watched the other students hurrying to the cafeteria or the library. Among this mix of students and professors, he was nothing. He was only a drop in the ocean, who affected nothing if it disappeared. Nevertheless, he liked to think this idea was wrong and someone would be devastated if he ceased to exist. From this feeling of insecurity, a bright idea sprouted in his head, the State had the duty to protect them, the future of Edenia. So why this grill in front of him was trapping them? This Vigipirate plan should have been in their best interest, so why did he feel so vulnerable? He would show them! He would show them Edenia was not protecting them!

*****

Like every morning Kilian Austin opened his backpack so it could be inspected by the guard before going to his auditorium. Sociology class started in ten minutes, leaving him time to find a good seat and to put his supplies on the table.

Professor Lavin arrived and the lesson began.

Kilian tried to focus on his teacher's monologue but he was bothered by incessant giggles from a group behind him. The young man sent them a death glare, cursing himself that he did not choose a lower seat in the auditorium. He didn't understand why these people came to class if they were not listening. The urge to tell them to shut up was eating away at his inside. One of them turned his attention to Kilian and gave him a mocking grin that pissed Kilian even more. Again, he tried to listen to his teacher but the playful guy took the seat next to him. Kilian couldn't say anything to him before the shrill fire alarm sounded in the auditorium.

"Calm down" ordered Professor Lavin, "And calmly go out".

However, a burning smell took over the space and all the students realized it was not a simple fire prevention exercise. The panic was general.

Kilian picked his things up and walked towards the exits but with the Vigipirate plan in place, the fire escapes were limited to the only two remaining opened entrances. An influx of students blocked the way-out as some had already been caught up by the flames. Like many others, Kilian slipped and fell, he managed to stick to the wall to avoid being run over. He panicked when he saw the unconscious body of his teacher, most probably trampled in the chaos.

The fire was close by and the smoke had taken over the hallway. In front of him a crowd of people and behind him a blazing heat that wanted to burn him away. He was going to die.

A hand took a hold of him and carried him. Kilian could not see who his savior was but he understood that they were taking him in the opposite direction of the exits. He struggled to get free but didn't succeed. The smoke slithered inside his lungs which caused him to cough. Breathable air was running out and he was suffocating little by little. The fear of dying took over him, the lack of fresh air numbed his mind and was making him confused.

Without understanding how, Kilian found himself outside, he took a deep breath to fill his body with the oxygen it longed for. He glanced at the person who carried him and recognized the playful guy from sociology class. He noticed there were at least ten students on the rooftop of the building consumed by flames.

Firemen arrived quickly on site allowing them to be evacuated by helicopter. The damages from this fire were impressive: the fire started near the bridge separating the two wings of the building, effectively trapping the students from the East wing. Some of them had made it out just fine, but the luckiest students were from the West wing who got to use the two exists. We already knew that a part of the serious burn victims would not survive the night. It was a major tragedy.