Novels2Search
The Beacon
Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Leaked oil pervaded into the profound depths, slowly filling up an enormous tank buried deep underground. A network of pipes connecting it illuminated progressively when fluid traveled through in a radiating manner, spreading through every place on Earth. While a stone-made cylindrical pillar was emerging from the ice, the ground shook vigorously with lightning zapping and cracking the floor open. A humongous bright white laser beam spurt out of the pillar, zooming through the night sky. No one realized that occurred, though.

Todd was still frustrated by the annoying siren. He neared the doorway to look around. There, he saw files of soldiers marching through solemnly towards the central hub of the oil mining facility. A few scientists followed them with a worrying face as if something ominous had happened.

“Perhaps this is the first alarm since day 1 here.”

A scientist spotted Todd standing still at the doorway of the experiment chamber. She approached Todd with a worrying face, too.

“Is it a fire alarm?” Todd blurted out.

“No, guards bundled into the control room to check whether a human error triggered the alarm. However, no one was in there.” Lexi said.

“Wait, isn’t Spencer and Sarah on duty? I glimpsed them in the control room an hour earlier.” Todd asked.

“I don’t know. Who is Sarah? I haven’t even met everyone here. Actually, I am not intended to.” Lexi replied.

“Alright then,” Todd said.

“ATTENTION: ALL STAFF IN the FACILITY, PLEASE REPORT TO THE CENTRAL HUB. REPEAT, PLEASE REPORT TO THE CENTRAL HUB!” said the announcer.

Todd and Lexi followed the files of soldiers and headed into the hub. Waves of cacophony ruled over the atmosphere. Researchers assembled into circles to talk about what had happened just now. Jostled through the crowd, Todd collided into a brawny and built man. The man glowered at Todd.

“Are you guys aware of what happened?” Todd questioned, averting his eyes.

The researchers sized Todd up and sneered at him. They didn’t want a stranger to chime in.

“No,” a woman said arrogantly.

“What’s wrong with your attitude?” Todd retorted.

“Can you just leave?” The brawny man said.

“Hey! Could you guys speak softly? He had done nothing wrong! Why...” Lexi argued.

The man pushed Lexi on the shoulders and gave out a sneer. 

“Hey Hey! How dare you push a girl?” Todd shouted, racing towards the man and pushing him.

The man shoved him backward and Todd stumbled. 

“Haha, you are stupid.” The man said, giggling at Todd.

Todd could no longer suppress his anger anymore. He kicked the man in the stomach while lying down. 

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“**** you!” screamed the man. A few more researchers joined the fight and began stomping their feet onto Todd. 

“Stop! Stop fighting!” Few female researchers tried to bang the fighters’ heads together.

Soldiers witnessed the brewing chaos and began storming towards them.

Suddenly, as the main gate was majestically opening, sunlight streamed through the gap. Everyone abandoned what they were doing and stared at the entrance. A tiny figure emerged from the horizon under a heavy snowstorm. It was a soldier, panting and shuddering.

The soldier stumbled and kneeled down when he crossed through the gate. Silence reigned in when the soldier was collecting himself.

“Spencer is dead!” The soldier gasped.

“I saw him flying a helicopter. Within a minute, he crashed into the water!” The soldier shouted.

The crowd was not in dismay at all. Some didn’t even know who Spencer was, so they didn’t feel a thing for him. Most of the researchers were only concerned that Spencer brought away something important from the facility. They only wanted to save their own lives. 

“Where’s Sarah?” Todd said after his pain was relieved.

“Who cares? Fewer people here, more survival time.” The man who fought with Todd said.

“Can you shut up, m*********er?” Todd scowled.

“What did you call me?” The man raised his voice. He clenched his fists and quickened his pace towards Todd.

When the man’s fist almost hit Todd, two troops twisted the man’s elbows and dragged him away.

“AHHHHHHHHHH!” the man shrieked.

Just when Todd began leering at the man, a pair of handcuffs was secured on his arms. He looked back and realized that a soldier was pulling his arms backward. Todd was in awe, not knowing why he was detained.

“I DID NOTHING WRONG STOP DOING THIS HELP!” Todd screamed out of his lungs. He kept on struggling, without any signs of stopping. Finally, the soldier took out a taser, stunning Todd to unconsciousness. 

*GIZA, EGYPT*

An influx of visitors rode on camels to admire the breathtaking view of the pyramid complex. Because of climate change, the layer of sand became thicker and thicker throughout the years, submerging the pyramids with a higher layer of sand. 

The sun was setting. Stars were slowly filling up the sky. More and more visitors arrived to take a picture of the pyramid at night.

Plenty of visitors gathered around the pyramid, trying to steal a couple of stone bricks as souvenirs. These days, they didn’t care about heritage. Most of them were deliberately vandalized by these people.

A sharp and high-pitched creepy sound emitted from inside the pyramid.

“Wait... Could you guys hear that?” A stone stealer said. 

“Uhh... No.” Another stealer said.

"VROOOOM!!!"

“Look, the pebbles are vibrating!” said the stone stealer.

"VRRRRRROOOMM!!!! BANGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

A giant laser beam erupted from the pyramid. It burnt the cap and sent stone bricks flying down. It zoomed through the sky, blinding the visitors.

“WHAT IS THAT?! IT’S SO BRIGHT?” A visitor wondered, with his head averted.

Some shut their eyes, but some strode forward and took pictures with the unusual phenomenon.

“OMG LIKES! INSTAGRAM LIKES FLOODING IN!” Someone exclaimed.

Briefly, the sandy ground started shaking and rumbling. Sand particles soared and whirled around the pyramid. Visitors became unsteady on their feet and collapsed when sand hit their eyes. They couldn’t scramble up as the earthquake was becoming more severe and severe. With their bodies on their side while lying down, they could discern the beam sending energy through the sky and becoming thicker. At one moment, the light beam transformed into a ring of neon plasma, gushing and radiating outwards from the pyramid. The whirl of hot sand particles blasted through the air, landing on the bodies of the visitors.

“AHH!” whimpered a visitor. 

The sand singed the skin of visitors, leaving them horrified and desperate. 

“BOOM!!!”

After a sharp thud, the plasma ring rammed into the city of Giza. All the lights shut when in contact with the ring, while also setting the buildings ablaze.

Pedestrians began scuttling and screaming when everything was on fire. Objects jumped and projected when the plasma ring passed through, taking a toll on the city. 

When the plasma ring subsided, serenity did not suffuse as the city was still in chaos. Absconders scurried through the streets, battered and exhausted. Without light, they didn't know where to go.

*IN A HOSPITAL*

Molly was a brain-dead patient sleeping on her hospital bed. As the power was out, oxygen had stopped pumping through her nostrils. She couldn’t breathe any longer..... Or could she?