The day of the second wave of the Emergence started like any other. Well at least like any since the first wave anyways. This meaning I was in the lab studying a particularly interesting little cube found in the ruins of Seattle. We’d found that the cube in question seemed to generate complex distortions in the usual laws of physics when handled. We were trying to get a sense for how to manipulate it at will and get an idea of its capabilities.
Work had certainly been a lot more interesting in the days after the Emergence. I could remember the day it happened like it was yesterday. The surreal sky lit brilliantly with myriad colors. The dazzling light so bright that I could scarcely see after a mere moment. As the light overwhelmed me it was as though a wave came crashing down, though it seemed to be everywhere at once. Not so much like a wave of the ocean, but of reality itself, leaving a sense of overwhelming power and awe in its wake. Just like that it was over.
Or should I say it had just begun. That event had left untold number of people irrevocably changed. These changes were as numerous as the people who were changed. Some with superficial changes and as many more gaining strange powers of varying scales. Some reminiscent of comic book heroes, others more like minor miracles or even parlor tricks.
Not just people but places. A prime example being Seattle, which I could only describe as having been largely overwritten.. Ruins of an unknown civilization had simply appeared transposed over top of the city. Leaving a mish-mash of Ruins and the remaining portions of the city that had originally been in their place.
The big movers in the tech world had wasted little time in trying to acquire as many relics as possible from any ruins they could. In most cases legally, but if need be illegally worked just as well for them. Sometimes the right pockets just needed to be lined because the dollar is king.
I work at one of these companies, DRF International. I used to be an Electrical Engineer, designing circuit after circuit for one gizmo or another. It’s seemed so much more interesting in college. Over the years it had gotten stale. Honestly there were so many other paths I’d wished I’d taken.
Worldwide after the Emergence, tech conglomerates were quick to put their top talent to work, trying to uncover the mysteries of these baffling new relics. The uses of most were still a mystery, but what we’ve found thus far varies as widely as those changed in the Emergence. Work has certainly been a lot more interesting of late.
My reverie was broken by Matt snapping his fingers uncomfortably close to my face. “Earth to Dave! Wake up DAAAAVE!” Ok, so Matt can be a little annoying at times, but he’s really a good kid. One of the smartest people I ever met, just a little socially awkward. Definitely the ultra nerdy type, and he takes an undue amount of shit for it.
“Huh, what’s up kid?”
“I was asking if you thought it might be picking on our nerve signals when we handle it.” Referring to the odd little cube in front of him.
“Might be, we can look into that, buuut how about after we grab something to eat?” I was starved and definitely ready for a break, I’d been having a little trouble focusing today, and it was already getting a little late. It wasn’t uncommon to work really late in a rush to be the first to market with the latest and greatest new discoveries.
“OK, I brought so I’m headed to the break room.” With that Matt wanders off leaving me to head out on my own for lunch. He’s not a fan of the cold and refuses to go out into it unless absolutely necessary. I grab my jacket and head for the stairs.
After leaving the building, I start walking down the street. A fresh layer of snow was starting to build a brilliant white coat, over top of the pervasive grey slush. I’m headed to a pizza place a couple blocks down the street. They’re kind of a hole in the wall, and look like they might go out of business any day, but they’ve got some killer pizza just the same.
As I headed down the street I started to get this nagging unsettling feeling I’d been having on and off for a couple days now. I look around and notice that there are two huge men behind me in black suits and even sunglasses despite the rapidly dwindling light. Clearly just some local muscle trying their best to play at being some kind of secret service agent. These guys are really committed to the bit. They seem to be matching pace with me. Ahhh, I’m probably just paranoid… Oh well, I’m about to the pizza place anyways.
Just as I arrive the two I’d been worried about move to block my path into the pizza place. Great. Just what I need.
“You mind, guys? I just want to grab a couple slices and I don’t need any trouble.” I say, not looking to rock the boat, I just want dinner.
They don’t say a word, just gesture for me to turn around. Reluctantly I do and I see a car pulling up to the curb. From the back seat another absurdly large man gets out, again dressed up like some cheap knock off agent of an agency that doesn’t officially exist. Despite my disquiet I’m just getting irritated.
“David L. Brooks, please come with us. I’ll be frank with you, this is not optional.” He says with no preamble, breath visible in the cold winter air.
I start laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Not two weeks ago there’d been a staff meeting for a few of us who’d begun to be well known in the industry. Those with the knack for making useful tech out of the mysterious relics were becoming a hot commodity. The contents of the meeting had been about abductions becoming a real possibility as the arms race between a few tech firms heats up. I had blown off that meeting, dismissing the idea that I needed to worry about such a thing as a 32 year old, 6’ 3” guy. And yet, here I am.
“What might I ask is so funny Mr. Brooks?” He asks through gritted teeth. Short fuse on this one it seems.
“Oh, just that you said it with a straight face.” I pause to continue laughing, I don’t really know why I feel the need to rile him up. I know it’s stupid, but this whole situation is ridiculous. “Yeah, that’s not happening.”
With that I bolt back towards work. Now, I’m in good shape. I have an unhealthy number of hobbies, several serve to keep me fit. That said, running through the snow in shoes with practically no tread is a poor strategy. It quickly becomes evident that they will catch me if I don’t do something quick.
I duck down an alley in hopes that I can throw a few twists and turns in to hopefully lose them. Just as I turn a corner a shot rings out. Holy shit! They were shooting at me. What the ever loving fuck is going on? Here I thought they were going to try to get company secrets from me or something and now they are trying to kill me?
Fueled by a huge surge of adrenaline from almost being shot, I redoubled my efforts to get away and found myself headed down a dead end.
Shit! What the hell do I do now! I’m gonna fucking die here? For what? Some company secrets? Some rich assholes bottom line? It’s not like I’ve ever done anything to merit this. FUCK!
One of the buildings in the alley way juts out a little more than the rest, but it isn’t immediately evident how much of a blind spot there is. I nessle myself in as tight against the building as I can, pulling the pistol I bought years ago for self defence from it’s holster. The gun, which had long been left in a safe at home, is the only concession I’ve made to my company's growing insistence about my security. I hold the gun tight to my chest trying to keep it aimed ahead of me, ready, but out of sight of the goons chasing me.
When I first moved to Penrith, like many cities in the rust belt, I found the crime rates to be alarmingly high. It wasn’t uncommon for the more affluent of Penrith to carry something for protection. Not trying to say I’m rich or anything, but I do live a comfortable life.
Shortly after I’m in place, the three goons go barreling by. Just as I think it might be safe to try and run back out of the alley, the goon in the back turns around and spots me sliding to a stop. “Got him!” He yells to his compatriots. He’s already taking aim while the others are struggling to come to a halt. They hasten to get me in their sights while keeping their balance in the built up snow and slush of the unkept alley. Quickly they regain their bearings, guns trained on me. In their haste it seems they miss my gun pointed back at them.
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Just when I’m thinking of surrendering the lead goon from the car smirks at me. “I told you just to get in the car... Fucking smartass. Light hi-”
His command cutoff as I yank the trigger as fast as I can in a panic. I have no idea how many times I shot, I wasn’t even conscious of the decision to shoot. It was just pure terror guiding me. As soon as I realized I wasn’t going to make it out of this alive, it just happened.
Completely deafened by the sound of the gun in the small alleyway, the only sound I can hear is a loud ringing in both ears. It was so loud I feel disoriented and sick. Adding that with the adrenaline and the panic, I was beyond any form of coherence.
I stare in shock at the men who have collapse to the ground, their blood staining the dirty snow a dark red. As I look up from the bodies, Oh my god I killed people, holy fuck, holy fuck, I notice people looking out the back doors of a few of the businesses that backed up to the alley, trying to figure out what just happened. I feel a terrible sinking sensation in my gut as the reality of what just happened begins to sink in.
Unable to hear anyone over the ringing in my ears, it becomes clear to me that these people see me as a murderer. I can see it in their eyes and reactions, phones coming out as they dial 911 in horror. My panic ratchets up to another level as the potential consequences of what I’ve done start filtering to the forefront of my mind.
Somewhere in the back of my head I know I should be calm. I should wait for the police and explain, but with everything that’s happened I need to get out of there. I take off at a run and in my disorientation I clip the corner of the wall of the alley causing me to fumble the gun and drop it. I can’t even imagine turning around to grab it, so I keep running at full tilt.
I don’t even know what direction I’m headed at first. After a few blocks I slow my escape, starting to calm down and catch my breath a bit. I really shouldn’t have run… that just makes me look guilty, then again, I mean, there were three of them all with guns drawn. I’m sure be able to explain it.
My hearing is getting better although it still rings loudly. I notice that I can hear my phones notification sound going off in a series of cheery tunes. I pull it out and have a look, several texts from Matt.
I’m about to just shove it back in my pocket given the gravity of everything else going on right now. The fact that Matt never texts causes me to reconsider. I let my curiosity get the better of me and check anyways.
[Matt]: Dave, what the hell is going on? There are police here asking about you.
[Matt]: I overheard them talking with boss. They’re saying you stole tech and sold it to Yelmorn.
[Matt]: Look I know you didn’t do it, but what the hell is happening?
[Matt]: Shit looks like they’re coming to talk to me… I’ve got your back.
Staring at my phone I just stand there for a minute. Shit, I guess that smarmy mother fucker wasn’t lieing about that whole ‘not optional bit’. Just how deep is the shit I’m even in…?
At this point I don’t even know what the hell to do. I’ve never pictured myself on the wrong side of the law, and I’m getting the feeling that I am well and truly fucked. It looks like they were framing me to take away any hope of escape. Maybe I shouldn’t have antagonized them so much.
Without and other ideas I figure I will head towards home. I really have no idea what else to do, I’m probably still screwed but hopefully I can get in and grab some stuff before trying to make an escape or something and try to clear my name or whatever… I don’t even know anymore.
Heading to the nearest station I hop on the T which will get me most of the way home. I make the long cold walk back to my house from the station. Like everything else today the weather is really turning to shit. Cold blizzardy shit. I wasn’t a fan... of anything right this minute.
Almost unsurprisingly at this point I arrive at the entrance to my neighborhood to the sound of sirens blaring. I can see fire a couple of blocks in, flashing lights and yelling firemen surrounding it. Right where my house used to be.
What the fuck else. Of fucking course. Life was still mind numbingly normal just an hour ago! How can so much change so fast?
As I’m thinking things over and, yea, admittedly wallowing in self pity, I notice those same strange colors in the sky I’d seen once before. Just as before I stood there briefly mesmerized. I’m losing myself in the spectacle when realization washes over me. I can hear a distant thunder rapidly approaching and the lights in the sky become painfully intense. I never thought I‘d experience this again. Like before an immense energy bears down from seemingly everywhere. Unlike before I’m beset with pain. Intense pain, it feels like I’m being crushed. My bones popping and cracking as though they are buckling under pressure. I can feel intense burning sensations all over. It seems localized in a few spots, but I’m in so much pain I can’t even focus on what’s happening anymore.
As the pain begins to recede I groan. It seems as though the thunder of the second wave of the emergence damaged my already beleaguered hearing. Nothing sounded right. Opening my eyes I froze for a hot second, nothing I see made sense anymore. I’m sitting up against the fence next to the gate into my neighborhood. My clothes are practically puddled around me. The whole world suddenly looks... alien, surreal, as though the settings my brain had gone out of whack.
It did not take a rocket scientist to work out the Emergence had come again and it had been my turn to experience changes. I started to take stock of myself. I could feel an odd, and seriously unpleasant sensation of something smushed behind me. In attempt to dislodge this nuisance I started to lean forward and in that small movement I was clued in on how profound the changes were.
My hands fly to my chest. Yup, boobs. My hands hover there for a minute as I try to comprehend that this is real. I then double check the equipment below. Through my now super oversized pants I can’t exactly feel every intricate detail, but I can quickly tell ol’ trusty is gone.
Strangely, I’m not panicked about having Emerged and suddenly becoming female. Maybe it’s just in the face of everything that happened today it’s just not high enough up on my wierd shit’o’meter. Yeah no. That’s a lie. I just realize that I’m actually totally good with it. Or at least what I’ve found so far. There’s some trepidation about the exact details surrounding all these changes.
Picking myself up off the ground I continue to take stock, trying to shake some of the snow and melting slush off of my pants as I do. I find the nuisance at my back is actually in my shirt. What the fuck happened here? As I’m grabbing at it trying to figure out what the hell has gone down my shirt I realize I can feel myself touching it. An utterly odd sensation at first.
“Cute cat ears.” I hear from behind me. I turn to see a teenage boy looking at the top of my head.
“What? Huh …” I ask and hearing my new voice for the first time my hands fly up to my mouth. The ‘huh’ comes out in a cute little burst. Causing further … embarrassment? Delight? I’m honestly not sure. It was pretty cute. Maybe both?
“Just emerged huh?” He asks.
“I guess so!” I say a little giddy.
“Well good luck, my parents will lose it if they see me talking to you. They’re probably freaking out anyways.” With a wink he heads off into the neighborhood.
I doubled back to the comment about the cat ears before I got side tracked by the sound of my own voice. I reach up and sure enough I have a pair of cat ears perched atop my head. I mean, I can’t see them but they feel the part. As I tickle the top of one, accidentally brushing the top, a shiver runs through me. My ear, almost as though it has a mind of its own, flips down and then back a couple times as though trying to shoo my hand away. This sensation just tickles more and I practically fall into a self induced giggle fit.
What. The. Hell. Is up with me? I am acting and feeling quite incredibly strange, and I’ve got more pressing matters to deal with. Holy shit, get your head on straight… but wait… I don’t know what I look like, but I’m guessing no one is going to see me as a ‘Dave’ anymore….
Soooooo, maybe problem solved, you know, aside from the place to live, career, contact with anyone I know, etc, etc, wow this is starting to sound really bleak!
Even with the police trouble behind me, I have a lot to worry about. I have no idea what’s going to happen at this point. I guess I really need to go sit down and figure some of this shit out. I’m not about to try and unravel the mysteries of the universe and my new reality standing in the streets.
Pulling the back of my shirt free of my pants I let loose what I correctly assumed is my tail. Holy shit, that thing is long. It reaches down just shy of the ground at its extent. A position it seems almost unwilling to maintain as though it has a mind of its own. I spin a circle or two trying to grab it to investigate further as it manages to escape my grasp. I can feel my ears rotating down and back. Frustrating!
As I’m making my third attempt to grab the thing I hear someone speak up next to me. “Miss, I’ll need you to come with me.” He surprised the shit out of me and without thinking I find myself in the air. I land in exactly the same spot I had inadvertently vacated. OhMyGodHeScaredTheShitOutOfMe. Wait, did I really just jump like a scared cat...Oh… Emm… Gee. I finally calm down and have a good look, it’s a patrol officer… Great.
The officer is standing next to his cruiser eying me as though I were a dangerous wild animal bound to attack at any moment.
“Huh, why, what do you need?” I ask calming down a bit, still sounding a little out of breath.
“Everyone saw and heard the show just now. We need to bring in any new Emerged to document, get prints, you know, the works.” He explains.
Oh HELL no. I know what a shit show the last Emergence was and I am not about to be caught up in all of that!
“Huh, what, no, this is just a cosplay. Have a good one!” The words just tumble out of my mouth before I even realize what I’m saying. I turn around quickly and do my best to hold my new tail and ears still as I walk away, trying to stifle a laugh.
He’s about to follow after when the world suddenly quakes with yet another deafening blast. We turn the direction it came from to see a towering flame a few blocks down. Even at this distance I could see debris raining down in the aftermath. The sounds of people screaming as they flee the conflagration.
I’m having none of that. Yeah, I’m good on that mess! I may have Emerged, but I’m no hero! I start to scurry away from anything and everything that might have been responsible for that sort of catastrophe. No thanks!
“Ohhh shit here we go again…” I hear the officer say as he starts yelling into his radio running back to his cruiser.
Once I’m away from any evident imminent threat I start to think about where to go. The thoughts of my new form buoying my mood as I wander down the snow swept streets. The city is as I’ve never experienced before, surreally empty as though abandoned in a rush. The streets devoid of people who’ve fled indoors from this latest iteration of the cataclysm known as the Emergence. Even the usual lights along the roads and buildings are muted under the heavy snowfall.
“Ahh, about that pizza!” I say to myself as I head out with a new purpose.