THE BEGINNING Book Two (THE EVENT) Read online

  As Randy was heading over to the hospital to see if Rachel, his wife, could get free for lunch he replayed the conversation in his head. As he got to the steps of the hospital, he stopped mid-stride. Finally he sat down on one of the steps.

  He realized it wasn’t just about how they should keep track of time and dates. This was about the beginning of a whole new world that may or may not accept the same rationale that they came up with. Different areas might use different systems and that would change everything.

  Another thought crossed his mind. All time before The Event was predicated on GMT as the standard for all timing. That could very well not be valid since the speed and gravitational changes of the Earth. All weight, load bearing, and even horsepower ratings would have to be altered as well. It dawned on him that this was something bigger than the council was going to be able to solve. This would need scientists and mathematicians to figure it out.

  “Hey, what are you doing sitting out here?” Rachel said, coming up behind him.

  “Oh, Hi honey.”

  “You can come in. We don’t bite in there,” she said smiling down at him.

  “What do you call these teeth marks on my shoulder?” he asked.

  She giggled and blushed. He was amazed at how beautiful she looked. She certainly wasn’t the same reserved girl he met on that first scuba diving trip.

  “Do you deny it?” he asked as he got up and hugged her.

  “So why are you sitting here?”

  “I just left our weekly meeting and I realized that we were wasting a lot of effort trying to deal with the concepts of time and gravitational changes.”

  “Heady stuff certainly but I don’t think that it is a waste of time. I mean, we all have to agree on what time and date it is,” Rachel said.

  “Yeah, that part is true enough but the problem is we don’t know what other areas of the world will do. What makes it all work now is that we have a standard measurement. GMT +1 and so on. Can we still use that? Hasn’t the gravitational change and rotation of the earth rendered that invalid? Hell honey, I can’t say for sure because I really don’t know the far reaching effects. We simply aren’t informed enough to come up with the right solution,” Randy told her.

  “You know, if you took a girl to lunch, you might be able to think more clearly,” she said.

  “We are a tad short on good restaurants around here.”

  “Not so, uninformed one. We now have a cafeteria in the hospital. Not only that, but the person running it was once a chef at a country club so the food is pretty darn good considering what he has to work with.”

  “Ah. In that case, let me buy you lunch.”

  “Hey,” she said, slapping him on the shoulder, “What kind of a cheap date are you?”

  “The only kind you had better have,” he said swatting her on the butt.

  ~~

  Colonel Webber was having many of the exact same thoughts. He knew they were attempting to set standards that they didn’t really fully understand. He also lamented that they had no way of knowing how the rest of the survivors in the world would react. He decided that at the next meeting they would try to narrow the scope of what they were attempting to accomplish.

  CHAPTER THREE

  -OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD-

  China had its own unique problems. A country that had been under the thumb of a government with little regard for human rights for centuries suddenly found itself with an even more repressive dictatorship. Decisions were now made at the whim of one man. With the advent of the civilian government being eliminated and only the military in control, there was even less regard for human rights.

  Russia was somewhat different. The heavy handed government and military were no longer the dominant force. In a country even more ethnically diverse than America, they were facing some very difficult obstacles in trying to rebuild their nation. While under military control still, the new leadership was willing to entertain the idea of more freedom based on a democratic government.

  The rest of Europe had their problems but they mostly revolved around finding survivors and trying to work out a resolution with the other countries. France, Spain, Germany, and Italy each had their own unique challenges. While not as large as Russia or China, collectively they represented most of Europe.

  These countries had the largest number of survivors in the Northern Hemisphere. What had happened in the Southern Hemisphere was just conjecture. No contact had been possible thus far.

  In the part of Northern Africa that had been scanned, the most pressing concern was once again food. Never in abundance, it was the prevailing issue behind everything. The government had never put much effort into ensuring the welfare of its citizens. The military was nothing more than a bunch of thugs making life for the other survivors even more precarious.

  The world's previous power brokers were essentially gone for all practical purposes. The Pacific Rim was mostly under water. Japan had only a few survivors and most of the outlying islands had disappeared when the ice caps started to melt.

  The Middle East was a shadow of its former self. The vast deserts had offered little shelter from The Event and few survived. The geographical terrain was the major factor in the disappearance of most of the inhabitants of the Middle East. Essentially, the majority of survivors were military personnel or government workers in the hidden underground complexes where nuclear and biological weapons were being stored.

  One thing for certain, overcoming language barriers would be one of the more demanding obstacles as nations began to resurface. But for now, simply feeding and sheltering the survivors was taking precedence in every decision being made.

  With isolationism caused by distance and no means of mass communication, no one knew for sure what had happened or if other survivors even existed in other parts of the world. It would be some time before communication was re-established and the possibility of long distance travel could be contemplated. For now, it would have to remain on the back burner as each country struggled with trying to rebuild its own society.

  As with all societies, some would be up to the task while others would stagnate. America, always innovative, would be one of the first to make significant progress. The leadership in Russia would assure their swift progress as well. As always, leadership is the most important element in recovering from any adversity.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHINA

  Life had been pleasant enough for Ky Kinjo when he was studying at the University, but now it was different. Nothing was easy about working in the dirty and dangerous mines.

  China produces almost one third of the coal used in the world but also accounts for eighty percent of all mining accidents and deaths. Safety had not been their greatest concern. Many died from pneumoconiosis, a disease of the lungs caused by long-continued inhalation of dust.

  Coal mines, however, are not the only thing that is dangerous in China. Gold mines and other ore mines are equally perilous with hundreds dying each year. While the government had talked strongly about increasing mine safety, the workers have yet to see any of the dialogue put into action.

  Kinjo had been at the Miaojing Coal Mine for the past year. The mine was located in the Shanxi region near Jincheng City. Ky was not a coal miner by choice. He had been tried and found guilty of political crimes against the central government and the murder of a young American woman.

  He had been a part of a foolish prank that had landed him in jail. He was considered guilty before his case had actually come to trial. Such is the way the justice system in China worked at that time. He had confessed to his crimes and had been sentenced to twenty years in the mines. Ky had been an academic most of his life. He had gone to Tsinghua Qinghua University in Peking. It is China’s most renowned University for engineering and science.

  His interest in engineering had been spawned when he was young. His inquisitive nature landed him in trouble on many occasions. This usually ended in him getting a good thrashing from his father or a swat
on the butt from his mother. Despite the trouble he seemed to excel at getting into, his father was actually quite proud of him.

  Ky’s parents lived in the small city of Mentougou, which although on the outskirts of Peking, was still too far to commute on a regular basis. When he was accepted to the University, it meant he would be on his own for the first time since he was brought into the world.

  At seventeen, he was one of the younger members of his class and he arrived with a great deal of trepidation. Walking along the river and under the large arch he realized how insignificant his life had been up to this point.

  He had only been outside of Mentougou on two other occasions and had not really seen much either time. Now he was about to become part of a very different world.

  School was difficult for him but he was determined to succeed. He would be the first of his family to have attended the University and he was not going to bring disgrace and shame to his mother and father. He soon became fascinated by the city and would spend his time just wondering around when he wasn’t studying.

  It was on one of these trips that he met a beautiful young girl. She was much more advanced than the humble farm boy. Her city ways enthralled him.

  “So, you go to the University?” she asked, pulling at his hair.

  “Yes. I am studying to be an engineer,” he said blushing.

  “Why? That sounds boring.”

  “Oh no. You are wrong. It is very exciting,” Ky stammered.

  “I guess. What are you doing here?” she asked, looking around the dance floor.

  “Actually, I didn’t intend to come in but I heard the music and thought I would see what was causing it. It is very loud, the music.”

  “Not so bad. You should see some of the places I go to. They will blow your eardrums out,” she said and giggled.

  “What is so funny about having your hearing damaged?” he asked seriously.

  She looked at him for a second, making sure he wasn’t putting her on. “Wow, you really are from the farm. It’s just an expression. You know, like ‘chill out’.”

  “Chill out?” he said, looking at her with a blank expression.

  She laughed again.

  “Never mind, let’s dance,” she said pulling him by his arms out toward the dance floor.

  “But I do not know anything about dancing,” he protested but did not try to pull free.

  “Nothing to it. Just move your hips and arms. No one cares what you are doing anyway,” she said, practically having to yell over the music.

  Ky watched in amazement at her gyration and movements while he moved his arms a little. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Mercifully, the music ended and they went back over to the table.

  “You want something to drink?” he asked.

  ”Sure.”

  “What would you like to have?” Ky asked eagerly.

  “A Kamikaze,” she said.

  He just stared at her for a second.

  “A Kamikaze. You know?” she said.

  “I do not know what that is. Is that a kind of drink with alcohol?” Ky asked.

  “Just tell the bartender you want a Kamikaze, up, and not too much lime juice in it,” she said.

  This was indeed a strange place he decided as he fought to make his way up to the bar.

  “What can I get you?” a tired looking man behind the bar asked.

  “A Kamikaze.”

  “Up or on the rocks?

  “Up.” What a strange question he thought, and what kind of drink had rocks in it?

  “Got it,” the bartender said, grabbing the bottle of vodka from the speed well. He put ice in the metal shaker cup, poured a generous amount of vodka and added triple sec and shook it vigorously. He put ice in the glass letting it cool the surface. Throwing the ice out of the martini glass he strained the clear liquid into the large glass and floated some light green substance on top of it.

  “What is that?” Ky asked.

  “Rose's Lime Juice,” the bartender said.

  “Oh, not too much of that.”

  “Okay” he said and slid the glass over to him.

  Ky reached for the glass and the bartender said, “That will be twenty-one yuan.”

  “Twenty-one? For this one drink?” Ky asked, astonished.

  “Twenty-one,” the bartender repeated.

  Ky shook his head and reached into his pocket. He only had two hundred and fifty yuan left for the rest of the week. He took the drink over to where the girl was sitting but she was not there. He looked around and saw she was out on the dance floor with some other guy. He was much better at dancing.

  When the song finished she walked over, picked up the drink, and took a big gulp.

  “God that’s good. Where is yours?” she asked.

  “I have never had a drink with alcohol before.”

  “Well hell, this is as good a time as any to give it a try. Here,” she said holding out the glass for him to take, “Have some.”

  He hesitated and then decided to give it a try. This was part of education too. He closed his eyes and took a drink. It slid down his throat easily. In fact, he was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to drink.

  “This is very good,” he said, taking another sip.

  “Told ya. I love them,” she said and giggled.

  She took the glass from his hand and downed the rest of the liquid.

  “What’s your name?” she finally asked as she downed the last of the drink.

  “Ky Kinjo” he told her.

  “Ky? I don’t think I like that name. I think I will just call you Xiaogou. Yes, Xiaogou would be a better name,” she said, running her finger around inside the glass and putting it to his lips to suck on. Xiaogou translated into ‘puppy’.

  Ky wasn’t sure he thought much of that but he was too happy to protest. By the time they left, he had spent almost all of his yuan and felt unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

  He was unsteady, dizzy and laughing like a little girl. Everything seemed funny. He finally found out the name of the girl after the third drink. Xiu. He didn’t know if was her real name or just a nickname but he liked the sound of it. It meant ‘elegant’ and he wondered if she was from a privileged family.

  They walked arm and arm down the street laughing and singing. Suddenly he was in her bedroom and she was undressing him. She slipped out of her clothes and he stared in disbelief. He had heard some of the older boys talk about girls but he had never seen one without clothes.

  “Come to bed,” she said, patting it with her hand.

  Like a robot he slowly walked over and sat down beside her.

  “Have you ever been with a woman before?” she asked.

  “Sure,” he lied.

  “I don’t think so,” she said smiling.

  Ky blushed but didn’t answer.

  “That’s okay. I will show you what to do,” she said and laid back.

  When Ky awoke the next morning he was taken aback at the strange surroundings. Xiu was lying on her stomach with no cover over her naked body. He shook his head and got out of bed. Xia stirred briefly and then fell back asleep.

  He went down the hall and found the bathroom. When he came back she was still asleep. He finished dressing and just sat in the only chair in the room waiting for her to wake up. At some point he must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing he knew she was shaking him.

  “What? What?”

  “What are you doing here?” she said, standing in front of him in just her bra and panties.

  “What? I guess I fell asleep,” Ky said, rubbing his eyes.

  “You should not be here. How did you get in my room?”

  “I don’t understand. You brought me here. From the club.”

  “No way. I would never bring some farm boy like you home.

  “But you did. You named me Xiaogou. Remember?” Ky insisted.

  “Get out of here before I summon the police,” she said angrily.

  “B
ut what about last night?”

  “What about it?”

  “We made love. You taught me about…you know…sex.”

  “You are crazy. I would never have sex with someone like you. Now get out. I mean it. If you don’t leave immediately I will yell,” she said raising her voice.

  Ky was so confused. She had brought him here and they had made love. Why was she acting this way now?

  “I mean it. Go now or I start screaming.”

  He got up and walked to the door.

  Before leaving he said, “I don’t know where I am. How do I get back to the University?”

  “That is your problem,” she said and pushed him out the door, slamming it behind him.

  He reached into his pocket. He only had nine yuan, five jiao and two lonely fen. That had to last him until next week. He was going to have to walk back to the Tsinghua University. It seemed like days, but it had actually only been two hours before he came across a street he recognized. Jiefang Avenue would eventually wind its way back to the old gate that was the entrance to the University. It was well after noon before he finally reached the campus.

  He did not go directly to the dorm but went instead to the Lotus Pond and sat down on one of the rocks by the water. It was quiet and peaceful. He picked up a small pebble and threw it into the pond.

  Why had she acted like that? Had she been that drunk, so drunk that she did not remember making love to him? He realized how little he knew about women.

  ~~

  By his third year Ky had taken a keen interest in political events happening within China. The government was allowing more latitude in the acceptance of Western culture.

  Ky found America to be both fascinating and frightening. He would watch the television programs in his dorm showing the weapons they possessed and how they devastated the enemies that got in their way. Could this happen to his country as well? They looked so big and powerful. The weapons they had were unlike anything he had ever seen before. He decided to find out more about this fearsome nation. He had been required to take English for the past two years and while he knew some words, he in no way felt proficient. Still, he was not going to learn more unless he went to the international dorms and tried to get to know some of the students.