Grim Future Volume One: Grim Future, #1

By David Konkol

Used to be Titled, "Axiom: Tales of a Grim Future'.
This new version now has a title to reflect the entire series. As well as a lot tighter editing.
Enjoy!

The world did not end in a fiery nuclear holocaust as most surmised. Instead, it slowly rotted away, like a tooth. In this bleak, dark, future, we follow the tales of the Covered Man. A super from the BeforeTimes who tries to survive day by day in the Aftermath of civilization. Along the way, he encounters gangs of mutants, otherworldly monsters, and things that live in the ruins of what was. David Konkol expertly weaves together stories of a dystopian world, full of things that crawl in the night. Tales that will keep you turning the pages – while keeping a bright light on.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Konkol
• Release date: Apr 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201558420

David Konkol

I am a writer. More to come. I am just trying to fill out the Basic Profile here currently.

Book preview

Story I

The Town of

Warren

––––––––

I

t was the last day of their lives. All save one.

The early summer sun was bright and warm. Christine drove her SUV down Highway 78, her sandy brown hair dancing from the window that was opened just a crack. She felt a warmth of happiness listening to her four best friends.

Alice sat in the passenger seat, her bright blonde hair also whipping about as the wind rushed in through her window. Sipping the last drops of her coffee through the plastic sippy lid, she said little. Christine had met her in History 101, and she had not changed one bit in the past three years. Always contemplative and clever, Christine was certain Alice was analyzing the conversations of her friends.

In the back seat sat three more girls Christine had grown close to over the years. Behind Christine sat Annabelle, chatting about work with Rosemary. They both worked in the medical research facility at a college; Annabelle knowing more about practical medicine, while Rosemary did more of the actual research. Christine had met them both at a sorority party. Rosemary was one of the most caring people Christine had ever met, while Annabelle was the most talkative.

Carrie was content to stare out the window, saying little but occasionally laughing along with jokes to show she was listening.

Every few months, the girls would get together for a road trip; sometimes to museums, sometimes they took summer swimming trips or skiing trips in the winter. This May, there was a music festival along the Mississippi River in Savanna, Illinois. So, they all piled in the SUV and off they went. They had made the trip dozens of times before. Christine, always a master of the road, knew the best places to stop to get the cheapest gas.

Highway 78 roamed lazily through the lower prairies of Wisconsin. Crossing the Illinois border, they entered the outskirts of the sleepy town of Warren, population of about 1400, according to the sign. The smell of fresh-cut lawn filled the vehicle as the girls talked and laughed. Annabelle began to tease Carrie. Carrie had seen a guy she thought was cute at a restaurant they ate at the last time they had passed through, even though nothing came of it.

Passing into the town center, most of the buildings were of reddish or tan brick.

Rosemary glanced out the windows on either side of the vehicle. Not many people around. Where is everyone? After thinking a moment, she added, And we haven’t even seen another car on the road in a while, either.

Annabelle gave her a playful shove. You’re just being paranoid as always, girl.

Christine looked over at Alice and grinned. You know you have ol’ Alice to thank for that. Freaking out about wanting us to head down on a Friday.

Alice laughed with the empty coffee cup still pressed to her lips, the edge of the plastic lid having slight chew marks on it. Early to bed, early to rise. Plus, remember the time we went kayaking and we didn’t show up a day early?

Annabelle groaned.

Alice and Rosemary chimed in at the same time. We spent half that trip just trying to find a hotel!

All the girls laughed.

Annabelle grinned and said, You neurotic bitch.

Alice turned in her seat and looked her in the eye. Damn straight, baby. It’s a luxury only those with a Ph.D. in genetics can afford.

Rosemary added, Well, Doc, maybe you can examine Christine here.

Christine felt her heart beat faster, as she knew what was going to be said next.

Ever since that parasailing incident...

Alice added, We even got Carrie to go, but Christine refused.

Christine chimed in and mimicked her, talking word for word, as if it were said a thousand times before. It was the first time ever Christine pooped out on us. Christine hoped her laughter helped cover the fear she felt, recalling the incident. At once, she pushed the feeling down deep inside of her.

Pulling the SUV into the Fast Stop, a gas station and convenience store that was built to look like a barn. The girls piled out of the vehicle to stretch and try to get the blood moving in their legs again.

Christine took the gas pump off the handle, swiped her card, and began filling the tank. Annabelle and Rosemary kept talking about this and that. Alice and Carrie chatted as they strode inside to find the bathroom. Christine’s mind began to wander, thinking about their destination and if any of her favorite songs would be performed at the festival.

Out of the corner of her eye, Christine saw movement in the window across the street. It looked like the person didn’t have a stitch of clothes on, but she couldn’t be sure—it happened so fast. She stared at the window, wondering if she would see the person again. From the small green sign next to the door that read, The Flash, the window belonged to the local newspaper. She began to doubt someone would be wandering around a newspaper office in the nude. Convincing herself she had been seeing things, she topped off her tank and went inside to check up on her friends.

***

Carrie opened the door to the bathroom, with Alice close behind. The lights were flickering on and off, but mostly off. It would have been pitch black in the room if not for a small window on the outside wall.

Of the three stalls, Carrie chose the nearest. She heard Alice open the stall two doors down, but then heard a sound like she slipped a little.

You all right, Alice?

No reply came.

Alice?

Carrie hurried up, finished and strode over to Alice’s stall and knocked on the door.

Alice, hurry up.

She knocked again. No reply.

Maybe she hit her head on something? Kneeling on the floor, she noticed the smell of fresh bleach. As she peered under the stall door, she thought she saw a glimpse of something move but couldn’t see what it was in the dim light.

Alice? she said with a quivering voice.

Taking out her cell phone, she shined the light under the door. The floor was a patch of black. No sign of Alice’s feet or anything else.

Alice, you’re scaring me. Come on!

Rethinking her plan, Carrie stood up and entered the stall adjacent to this one, holding the call phone in front of her like a weapon. Putting the seat down, she placed her free hand on the side of the stall to steady herself as she climbed up on the toilet seat.

Standing on her tiptoes, she held the phone over her head and peered into the stall.

Alice?

Alice was not in the stall. There wasn’t even a toilet, just a pipe attached to the wall. In fact, there wasn’t even a floor. A pit led down into blackness, as if some giant had punched a hole in the floor.

Carrie almost slipped as she jumped off the toilet. She hit the floor running. Bursting through the bathroom door, she saw Rosemary and Annabelle discussing which brand of cheese doodles gave you the most for the price. Christine was reading a newspaper she had picked up off a stand. She ran up and grasped Christine by the arm, but when she tried to speak, no sound came.

Carrie, are you all right? Where’s Alice?

We need to call an ambulance! There’s this huge hole... an... and Alice...

Carrie saw from the looks on their faces they didn’t believe her. She ran to the cash register. A middle-aged woman who sagged in all the wrong places, stood behind the plastic barrier. The woman’s voice was odd, with a garbled, slobbery quality to it. Any gas?

Carrie noticed that the bags under her left eye drooped slightly more than the ones on the right.

What? No! She glanced at Christine, who strode up behind her, followed by the others. Yes. I mean, I don’t have gas, she does. What I need is help! Our friend fell into a hole in your toilet!

Your friend fell into the toilet?

Not the toilet. The hole where the toilet is supposed to be!

Carrie’s skin prickled as she felt the gaze of four people staring at her in disbelief.

Come on! I’ll show you!

Company policy. Employees cannot leave the register area.

Rosemary stepped in. Show us. Maybe we can get to the bottom of this.

The four girls headed into the bathroom. Rosemary flipped the light switch up and down rapidly a few times. Doesn’t anything work in here?

Carrie pointed at Alice’s stall. That one.

Christine walked to the door and gently knocked. Alice?

After a moment without a reply, Annabelle grabbed a short-handled broom from the corner by the door, entered the neighboring stall, and stood on the toilet. Being a smidge taller than Carrie, she easily managed to peer over the edge.

Holy shit! she exclaimed. Carrie was right. There’s nothing but a huge hole here! Reaching over the edge of the stall with the broom handle, she pushed the lock open, and Christine opened the door. All of them gazed into the black hole, not really sure what it meant. They just knew their friend was missing.

Christine called into the opening, Alice!

The other girls mimicked the cry, Alice! Where are you?

Rosemary pulled out her phone. We need to call 911.

Carrie tapped her thigh rapidly. I told you so!

Annabelle hopped down from her porcelain perch. Move aside.

The other girls moved out of her way and watched as Annabelle sat on the edge of the pit with the broom handle.

You’re not going down there, are you? Rosemary asked.

Annabelle looked concerned. What if she’s hurt? I have some basic first-aid training. Maybe she broke her leg in the fall and went unconscious from the pain. I can climb down and see if she is all right. She began climbing down into the hole. But make sure help gets here as fast as they can! Gripping the edge tightly, Annabelle disappeared into the hole.

Rosemary held the phone to her ear. Hello? Yeah, there has been an accident at the Fast Stop on Main Street in Warren. Yeah. Yeah. Our friend... She pulled the phone away from her ear and covered it with her hand. What the heck should I tell them about Alice?

Christine said, Tell them she’s missing?

Missing in a gas station? Carrie said. They’ll never come for that? Tell them she fell and broke her leg.

Yeah. Yeah. Tell them that, Christine said.

I’ll get the clerk to try and relay more information about this hole to the 911 operator, Rosemary said, as she lifted the phone back to her ear. She headed out of the bathroom.

***

Annabelle dropped about seven feet down before reaching the floor. She flipped on her phone’s flashlight app and shone it around like a lighthouse attempting to save a ship in a storm. It appeared to be some sort of storage room for