Earth's Fall- Day 4701- 1:15PM- PassBox 1P178, Tundra's Death Harbour, Tundra, North Wing.
Little Levi clung to his father with one hand and grasped an action figure of Chris Redfield in the other, as they strolled toward the AreaSpace. The rustling leaves of palm trees, the squawking of seagulls, and the tranquil movement of the sea created a beach-like atmosphere.
This was the only place in Tundra with abundant vegetation and a natural feeling. It must have been purposefully made and carefully maintained that way, to keep the tranquillity for the events that take place there.
Every city in the North Wing has a Death Harbour, which serves as a form of cemetery. Unlike the conventional type, it doesn't feature tombstones, dug-up soil, or caskets. In a world grappling with a direct scarcity of land, burying one's loved ones is regarded as a crime.
The Death Harbour was simply a meeting spot for grieving families and the Greyson Corporation. Indeed, Greyson Corp. originated these processes, offering a consoling sum of money to the families in exchange for their loved one's bodies.
Today, Levi and his father, dressed in all black, were walking toward the space. Mrs. Parker had died a few weeks back, all thanks to the deadly syndrome. And though Levi's father had initially refused to give up the body of his lover, it had started to decay in their home, leaving him with no choice.
Levi coughed dryly, heaving his chest. His father, noticing, bent down to face his son. Jean Parker pulled a pill from his pocket along with a bottle of water; he carefully administered them to his son, gently stroking his brown hair.
Jean Parker looked into his son's eyes as the little boy began to recover from the brief symptom. Levi had brown eyes, just like his father, and brown hair, also just like his father. Such a tragedy that he had to inherit the internal features of his mother.
Jean slowly kissed his son's forehead, not because he wanted to kiss it, but to hide his own teary eyes. He didn't want to lose his son to the illness, too.
"Why don't you wait over there for me, eh?" Jean said to his son, pointing at a field bench not too far away.
Levi only nodded. Gripping his toy, he made his way to the bench and sat. His father watched him, uplifted by the bright morning sunrise.
Jean stood erect and arranged himself, signalling to some men behind him who were carrying the coffin containing his wife. He took another glance at Levi before making his way to the AreaSpace.
The AreaSpace was just a group of metallic storey buildings guarded by troops wielding raeger and phaser rifles.
Levi stroked the carvings on his action figure, regularly tapping the button on its back to prompt the character to speak.
Levi didn't cry when his mother died. Although he was very close to her, being almost inseparable, he never went to school because she said so. He stayed at The Shade with her day and night until the day she had one of her usual seizures, but this time, the pills didn't do their job.
Now, his father had suggested he starts school.
Three weeks drove Levi's father crazy. He was deeply aggrieved and depressed, at times forgetting he had a son. Later, he became obsessed with the idea of finding a cure for Lead Syndrome, something that had never been found after much research
Jean Parker had made a lot of budgeting.
With the consoling funds he would acquire from handing over his wife's body, he hoped to accomplish all this.
Levi watched his father and the men enter one of the buildings.
"Hey," a voice from behind startled him. Levi gripped his toy, turning, he could see another boy of around his young age. A dark skinned skinny lad with non-native brown hair.
"Hello," Levi replied sheepishly, scooting to the right of the bench nervously.
The boy smiled and sat down on the space next to Levi who started to feel uneasy. The boy noticed Levi's discomfort and laid back for a while.
"I saw ya at school the other day. Ya gonna join or summat?" He asked.
Levi didn't respond, he only looked down at the ground, tightening his grip on the toy. What does he want? Levi thought.
The boy looked at Levi's action figure and nodded his head. "Can I take a peek?" He requested, stretching his hand.
Levi raised his gaze to the boy and cramped himself to the armrest of the bench. He wants my toy, Levi thought. He wants to steal my toy.
But no one had ever sat down so close to him, knowing he has Lead Syndrome that was scribbled all over his face. Something in Levi made him trust the boy.
He slowly handed the action figure to the boy, who welcomed it.
The boy adored it, examining its construction. Tapping the button, the character spoke, "I'm Nah Goin' To Stop 'Till I'm Dead." The boy pressed the button once more and it spoke again, "Suc' On This, Wesker!"
He finished with a laugh and handed the action figure back to Levi, who was smiling too.
"I'm Brody," he officially introduced himself, stretching his hand again for a handshake. "Brody Solarin," he added.
Levi stared at the lengthened gesture, unsure of what to do. Was this Brody aware he had the syndrome? No one ever wants to shake someone with the illness.
"It's not transmis- transmi- passable by body contact," Brody piped in, still smiling.
Levi felt his heart lighten, his spirit lifting. He slowly reached out and shook Brody's hand. "Levi Parker," he responded.
"Levy Parker," Brody repeated, still keeping the shake.
Levi chuckled, "No, it's Levi not Levy," he corrected.
"Oh," Brody exclaimed as the handshake was broken. He flashed a mischievous smile. "I prefer Levy," he said.
They both commenced a discussion, Levi forgetting today was his mother's Harbouring day.
∞
Levi opened his eyes back to reality, tears flooding out after reliving the past.
He failed Brody.
Brody had always been there for him, looking out for him and he couldn't do the same.
Brody never wanted to be on this expedition, but Levi dragged him along and he was so pure to accept just to cater for his welfare. Levi whimpered as he forced himself to retreat his tears.
The synthetic voice of his construct condemning him didn't help as his restrained sobs echoed around the dark quiet cave. The rest were sound asleep to his best guess and he stayed up flinging himself to a headache.
How many more of his loved ones would he lose? Levi counted his family and then, added Brody. He dropped to his side and gave a final hiccup while staring into the darkness of the cave, allowing his last tear to roll down to his ear.