When I said virtually all life on earth was wiped out, that was not hyperbole. Only a couple thousand humans remain. Humans were one of the only life forms that were able to survive the rapture, and even then, their population is still on a steady decline.
But when I say all life, I mean ALL life. Not just the ones we can see with our own eyes. All single-cell organisms died out at well. Now how did that happen? Was there a sudden change in the atmosphere that caused the air to become toxic? Obviously not. If that were so, Lucas couldn't be up and walking around like he does.
Was it perhaps a fatal change in their genetics? No. The rapture couldn't do that. It only creates. It doesn't change or destroy. It is its creations that does all the destruction for it.
What if I told you the rapture didn't just create apostles such as the spider, lurkers, and hounds. It also made apostles so tiny that they could function like a bacteria. Well, that's exactly what it did. In addition to millions of large species of apostles, there were a couple microscopic ones.
Most apostles are designed to do a specific job. Lurkers are built to operate in hordes, and use their claws to slice anything that came into their path. These microscopic apostles were designed to kill most microscopic organisms, and they were extremely effective. Within the first couple days they existed on the earth, sixty-seven percent of all microscopic organisms had been killed. By the second week, it raised to ninety-nine.
There are various types of these microbic apostles. There are a total of seven types. Six of them are designed to attack other bacteria. The seventh one is interesting though. The way it works is like none of the other ones. It can hardly be called a bacterium. The seventh apostle is like a microscopic flying ant. They travel in colonies of millions. They invade the human body and consume it from the inside out.
The leftovers these ants leave behind are devastating. They can enter your body from any of the millions of pores. They'll enter through your nose and feast on your brain. Through reproduction, that colony of millions turns into billions, all feasting on your brain. It only takes a week for the most vital parts to be completely gone, and rendering the body dead. Sometimes it can take up to a year.
None of this was new to Janice. She was a scientist. She studied the biology, or lack thereof, in apostles ever since they appeared. She was an expert. There is no one who has put more hours into that research than her.
She is the one who came up with the solution to the flying ants. Gas. A lethal toxin inhaled by the host. She could tell that this description, although technically accurate, wasn't exactly the most comforting.
She had never needed to explain this to anyone, so she shot it straight. She told Lucas and Stella exactly what it was.
Lucas suddenly raised the crossbow back up at her. Janice didn't react.
(Lucas: "What did you make us breathe?")
(Janice: "Calm yourself. It's a lethal toxin, but not to humans. At least not in smaller doses like a couple inhales. That sleepiness you're feeling. That's all it does. It makes you tired. Breathe too much of it, and it'll make you sleep forever.")
(Lucas: "Are you trying to kill us?")
(Janice: "Of course not. You're the one with the crossbow pointed at me. You all were potentially infested with microscopic apostles. That gas kills all the apostles inside of you. It would take an hour of continuous breaths to kill a human.")
(Lucas: "So everything is fine now? We're safe here?")
(Janice: "You are safe.")
(Stella: "You could have just said that. You didn't have to scare us into thinking it was deadly.")
(Janice: "Technically, it is deadly. Only in higher doses though.")
(Stella: "That's not funny.")
(Janice: "You're right. It's honest.")
(Stella: "Whatever. As long as everything is okay.")
(Janice: "I wouldn't say that quite yet. I need to do some tests on you guys.")
(Lucas: "Such as?")
(Janice: "Blood tests. I need to know who you guys are, if you have history with the H.S.A. and if you need any vaccines. That baby will certainly need to be vaccinated.")
(Lucas: "For what? There aren't any diseases left.")
(Janice: "Did you know ninety-nine percent of all bacteria was killed after the rapture.")
(Lucas: "I did not.")
(Janice: "Where do you suppose that one percent went?")
(Lucas: "I'm not sure.")
(Janice: "Isn't it obvious? Down here! These Units are sanctuaries for life. Bacteria still exists down here. You can still get sick. You can still die.")
Lucas wasn't phased. He only looked at Stella. He wasn't concerned about himself.
Janice began walking again. They followed right behind her.
(Janice: "So what's the babies name?")
She said this without looking back at them. Stella looked at Lucas without saying a word. Lucas didn't even know the name of the baby.
(Stella: "Well, um. I don't know. I haven't named him.")
(Janice: "You haven't named him? You two are horrible parents.")
Lucas scratched his brow.
(Lucas: "We aren't the parents.")
(Janice: "What? How did you get him?")
(Stella: "I, uh, found him next to his actual father's body.")
(Janice: "Huh. Strange.")
They soon arrived at a door. There was a magnetic card terminal next to it. Janice reached into her collard and pulled out a lanyard wrapped around her neck. It had a keychain, as well as a card. She touched the card to the terminal and the door opened.
Janice stepped to the side and invited them to step in first. Lucas hesitated, but he gave in and walked through the doorway, and Stella followed right behind him.
What they saw was like nothing they'd ever seen. It was a fully-fleshed laboratory. There were monitors everywhere. Cabinets filled with flasks, tubes, and other equipment. But there was one problem. There was no one there.
(Lucas: "Jesus. You really are the last one here.")
Stella walked inside and the door closed behind her. She didn't say anything. She simply sat at her desk. You could tell it was hers because it was the only one with trash, cups, and unfinished food on it.
(Lucas: "Where is all the housing? There should be rooms for us somewhere.")
(Janice: "You must know a lot about these Units, huh?")
(Lucas: "No, I didn't mean it like that. I just figured-")
(Janice: "Don't get ahead of yourself. I still need blood samples from the both of you.")
Lucas sat down at another desk. Stella descended from behind him and shoved something in his arms.
(Stella: "Hold him. I'm going to explore.")
She had put the baby in Lucas's arms and run off.
(Lucas: "Son of a-")
He looked down at the baby. He never got a good look at the baby before. He never wanted to. But now the baby has been thrusted into his arms. He practically had to take a look. The baby had light brown hair, brown eyes, and a curious gaze.
The baby had never gotten a good look at Lucas either. They both saw each other for the first time. The baby studied Lucas, looking his face up and down.
Lucas' heart almost stopped. Seeing this baby. It reminded him of the baby he never got to see. He never got to see his own child, his own flesh and blood. His brain went numb and he didn't know how to react. He couldn't tell what emotion he was feeling. Happiness, sadness, fear, anger, love?
The baby switched it's expression. It's curious gaze turned into an infectious smile. Lucas' heart ached. It aches for this child, and how he would be leaving him with Stella in a few days. But Lucas had succeeded. He had succeeded in protecting both Stella and the baby. They were safe now. They could stay here forever. Just knowing that brought Lucas hope. Hope that he could one day find his wife and bring her to safety.
All these emotions flooded Lucas all at once. He wasn't used to this. He was accustomed to fear, dread, panic, and now he was feeling truly happy. Is this what being human feels like?