John Williams
Stories
9
Chapters
3,072
Words
1.2 M
Comments
0
Reading
4 d, 2 h
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Euphoria (III) There was something peculiar, almost unsettling, about returning to the Tower, Cain realized. It was a completely familiar sensation, one he had experienced thousands upon thousands of times before, but on the cusp was something else, now. He knew -- unlike everyone else in the world, all these soldiers standing around with their guns at a ready, unlike Rick and Emma walking excitedly next to him, unlike all those still trapped inside the Towers... he knew that as much of a blessing…-
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Euphoria (II) Though it wasn't quite on the level of the limo that Cain drove in from the airport with Rick, the SUV was also remarkably luxurious. Tinted, clearly bulletproof windows, dim, pleasant light, leather seats that made his ass uncomfortable over sitting on them... yup, rich people really do live differently... Rick sat upfront while Emma and he sat in the back, driving in silence for a long time while Cain calibrated his thoughts. How much should I tell them? There was a fine line with…
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38 •
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Euphoria (I) Was it always this big? Cain mused inwardly as he stood in front of tall, broad gates of iron, white glow resplendently shining from their cracks. It was the entrance, and the exit, of the Tower, though right now it was closed unlike every other time he walked in here. The gates were well over twenty feet tall, broad enough for ten grown men to walk in a line through them, and had an air of serenity to them that was difficult to describe. "... maybe I grew shorter while coming back?"…
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38 •
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Towers Descend (II) A plain stretch of green extended for nearly a mile, blending into a rising cliff with high falls on both ends. From what Cain knew, nobody had ever descended down the cliff to see its bottom, and it remained one of the three unexplored places on the first floor. On top of the cliff was a fortress of sorts, built out of bronze stone with high towers charged with ballistae overseeing the prairie down below. Cain observed it from the safe distance, confirming that it was the same…
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Towers Descend (II) Emma was currently running amok in her kitchen trying to quickly put together Lana's breakfast. She cursed herself inwardly over having stayed up late last night to watch a bad soap opera and clocking her alarm twice into a wall before finally remembering to wake up. Pieces of salad were stuck to her apron, and a burn mark on her right forearm was a good indicator of how sleepy she still was. Luckily, she still had roughly ten minutes before she had to wake up Lana, so it ought…
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Towers Descend (I) It's a good day, Cain mused as he stepped out into the streets of L.A., taking in a deep breath. He couldn't help but feel excitement swell slowly, like a prelude to a song's drop. After all, his life was the Tower for over twenty years, and after so much time spent in it, he developed a sense of comfort despite the dangers. He headed toward the Downtown L.A., though he could have stayed nearby as the Tower would encompass a huge swath of the city. However, just to be on the…
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The Return (IV) Ah, sweet L.A., Cain took a whiff of fresh air as he stepped out of LAX and removed himself from the sea of people. Hundreds ran left and right, everyone too busy with their own stories to care much for everyone else. The city that Cain was seeing, however, was distinctly different from the one he spent the majority of the last twenty-five years in. While the obvious lack of the Tower that at all points of the day had half the city in shade was there, it was more about everything…
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The Return (III) Loan sharks, or a bank? Cain mused silently, a faint smile hanging on his lips as the smoke of the cigarette between his fingers twirled around his face. Bank, definitely a bank, he made a snap decision and took another puff before tossing the cigarette down, stomping on it. Taking a deep breath and stretching, he went into the bathroom and took a quick shower before dressing in some casual wear and leaving his apartment. However cheap the tickets for airplanes have become, they…
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The Return (II) Cain stood leaning against the thick trunk of a tree at the entrance of a local park, appearing out of place in more ways than one, surrounded by numerous families streaming in and out. Quite a few glanced at him askew, though he largely ignored it, fiddling with his phone as he waited patiently. With the spring on its last legs, the weather had slowly begun to warm, with temperatures in the seventies, hot enough for the summer clothes he was wearing. As it was the Saturday, the park was…
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The Return (I) "My back is killing me..." Cain groaned under breath as he opened his eyes. They quickly widened as he failed to recognize the moldy ceiling for a moment. It was just a moment, however. "I'm... back? Holy shit, I'm really back! Mother Mary, I'm fucking back!!" he exclaimed in excitement as he shot up to sit down. "Ay-ay-ayaa... that hurt... my poor back..." he yelped in pain just as quickly as his excitement dimmed, rubbing his lower back. Looking around pensively, he realized he really…
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