New World Order Re-Written (TNE)

Chapter 2 - Outside

There is a certain phenomenon called "paranoia" that humans often experience when something that could be potentially harmful is left unaccounted for. This can typically be observed in examples of leaving a workplace with a water source running, or keeping an oven on a high temperature. Paranoia can also be a problem in human interactions and dealing with fears of upsetting somebody who you cannot see. A type of paranoia that is less commonly observed is paranoia about a total and complete unknown. During a horror film for example, one might feel paranoia about the creature just barely out of sight that the characters keep being killed off by (or merely spooked by, depending on the film). Although even then the effects of a reaction can be completely known by the end of the movie as the mysterious being is shown if not defeated in some way. Even if the horror movie has some terrifying aspects that build up paranoia throughout, some part of a common moviegoer knows the formula and can predict the order of events. There is a certain level of safety in movies, no matter the genre, after successive watch-throughs.

Unfortunately, that safety can also be abolished with a few simple actions. Especially if those actions are performed in real life instead of on the screen.

The outside world looked old and tired like a snail at the end of it's days. Every inch was covered with cityscape buildings, reduced to debris and dust. Soot covered the eyes of anybody outside and caused them to fall to the ground dazed. Grey clouds enveloped the sky in a protective shield to stop any of the purple gas from escaping. Skyscrapers were reduced to scraping across the ground as powerful muscular hybrid creatures hauled them around town for trading. The last remnants of the last civilization were growing in value for their inherit nostalgia and recognizability. It clicked in this exact moment in Martin's mind just how far gone the city now was.

"This is it. The outside," Martin explained in a dry raspy voice. He desperately needed water to drain out the soot from his vocal chords. Where to go for water was slightly more difficult. There were supermarkets still around, but there were monsterized creatures guarding them, typically with wings to defend against fliers of any sort. Meanwhile in the smaller stores and businesses they were being pillaged of their most valuable materials as to bring them over into wherever people were moving.

Where were people moving?

"People seem to be unanimously heading in some direction. Aside from the few raiders around town it appears as if they've come to a consensus somewhere." Plum explained to Geoffrey and Marissa as they joined her on the upper steps of the subway exit. The Unknown was now nowhere to be seen, yet the same travel path seemed to be consistent across the whole city. Plum decided the best course of action would be to begin asking around. "Excuse me, ma'am, if you don't mind could you explain where everyone's off to?"

"The green thumb gang. The botanist's club, they're calling it now. It was all over the news. Last salvation" A woman with red hair and red war markings across her face and chest seemed to utter. Her eyes stared into the distance seemingly looking at the botanist's club itself. Martin knew what she was talking about, but was unaware of the name change. The safe with plants consistently growing would provide a useful food source for those who recently monsterized and wish to avoid the lifestyle of stealing and attacking.

As everyone was walking the path towards the botanist's club a golem figure made of a wet clay hit Martin in his path forward. Martin at first tried to brush it off until the golem figure smiled back at him with a tasteless glee. Clearly it was a taunt, but Martin couldn't resist it. This guy Martin's confusion and his fear at this new world that was being formed in front of his eyes and was drinking it up. Every inch of fear that was felt seemed to blow in the clay man's eyes with a sense of second hand pride. It was as if the bump was meant to signal a sense of accomplishment. Martin punched him back using his right hand as a spiked club, sending him into the ground.