Bloom

Bloom

A short story by Zac Mathias @zacanarchy143

Fenix brushed the ash from his short beard as he put on his Pollen Mask. Three tall stacks erected high behind him billowed smoke into the hazy sky above Eden. They usually didn’t run this early in the morning. The butchers, teachers, and craftsmen of all sorts would soon be rushing to work. It made him shudder. He had love the early dusk of the city. Quiet and peaceful, but nights full of nightmares invaded his mind. He could no longer conceptualize tranquility.

About a block in front of him a thin line of green shot out of the ground and towered to his waist. Another Corpsman saluted him as he walked closer.

“Lieutenant!” He shouted as he threw his fist to his chest.

Fenix returned the salute and said, “Private… Must have shot up overnight.”

“Yes, sir. Tha’ bastards don’t even need sunlight anymore.” He said

His voice was robotic through his facemask.

Beep beep

Fenix’s and the privates wristbands flashed red.

“This morning’s Pollen Warning: Pollen is set to rise 20% higher and faster than last weeks average. Besure all windows are properly sealed and vents are to code.”

Fenix took a left as he crossed the empty street on his way to the southeastern wall, and he could see where the Corpsman insignia jutted into the sky. The Private hosed down the plant with liquid nitrogen. It was only 30 years ago that fire no longer kept them at bay, and only 10 years since the last person who could remember a time humans ruled the world had died.

He passed a small fountain of gray concrete surrounded by gray and blue course tiles. A memorial for the lost Corpsman - who the Statesman would never say deserted - was erected with big bold letters to declared the greatness of men who laid down their lives for the good of the species. The men like Fenix who would take the world back. Loyal men who unquestioned their role, and who would sacrifice everything to ensure their society would return from nature so that their culture would flourish again. Blue tiles surrounded the fountain in shiny gold letters read: Dedicated to those who sacrifice their lives to return Humanity to its rightful place as Masters of the Earth.

Around the fountain large group of teenage girls gathered for an early morning class after their 5 mile jog. From 5 to 14 all children lived in co-ed dormitories and began their education. Physical fitness was paramount to ensure they passed superior genes, and every morning 0430 hours began Physical Training followed by a two hour lecture on the merits of citizenry and the individual’s duty to Eden before they entered classrooms for core curriculum.

“Why can’t I join the Corpsman? I can do my part!” One tomboyish women lamented to the teacher.

Her teacher replied, “Your part is to help ensure the survival of our species. Women are not expendable. You can do anything you want, but our species must always come first. Remember you are goddesses. You are essential, and we are what keep the world turning.”

All but one girl applauded and cheered.

Their teacher continued and said, “Historically speaking our gender has seen many dark times, though they pale comparatively to what we, our species, have experience as of late. While our men fight and die and sacrifice to keep Eden safe from the invasive foliage, it's up to us to not only usher in new generations of men and women by gaining a position in Breeders, but also to ensure the proper governance of Eden. Can someone tell me, how many women serve as Statesmen?”

One young hand shot up, and after the teacher acknowledged it the girl shouted, “Fifteen!”

“Why?” She asked.

A separate hand shot up, and again the teacher acknowledged it and the young woman replied, “The ratio states there must be three women for every man, it's only fair and equal for the Statesman reflect the ratio.”

“Excellent,” the teacher replied. “But what of the inner workings of the Statesman. The aids, the secretaries, the analyst, the scientist, and the many other important positions and work that aid in the safeguarding and advancement of our society. How many are men?”

There were no hands in the air at first but eventually the tomboyish woman raised her hand.

As quickly as her teacher acknowledged he she said, “Because it isn’t their role.”

“Exactly.”

Fenix crossed the Fountain as the lecture continued behind him and into a small market of handcarts and stands. The smell of synthetic meat and it’s smoke mixed with the smoke in the air from the night in the most unappealing way. The butchers had emerged from their apartments. Aged out corpsman and young pregnant and nonpregnant women sweated over street carts and in kitchens. The craftsmen soon followed, peddling wares of all sorts recycled and lost and hand-me-downs from the Statesmen. All of them aged out men or women who hustled to their day jobs.

A young woman darted out in front of Fenix. She struggled between a large pregnant stomach, that she seemed to young for, and two large bags of cloth and clothing. She ultimately tripped and fell into Fenix’s arms.

“Thank you,” she said as she struggled to gather her bags.

Fenix picked them for her and using a long cloth fastened them together draping the connected bags over her shoulder on her back, and he replied, “Not a problem… may I ask, how old are you?”

She smiled, blushed at him, and replied, “I’m sixteen. I know it seems young, but I have superior genetics. We all must do our part?”

Fenix smiled and nodded.

“After I give birth and pass a physical test, I may get a waiver to go back again early! Hopefully I will see you there sometime?” She said.

“Uh…” Fenix said as, “You are a little young for me…”

An old woman ran across the street wrapped her arms around her, she scolded her for wasted time, and she ushered her away quickly.

As Fenix let out a sigh of relief the metallic wall shimmered to life next to him and a scantily clad holographic woman appeared. She had bright red hair and smokey eyes. His wristband connected to it and divulged his secrets and desires, all protected of course.

“Fenix Oberlander,” she seductively spoke to him, “It seems you are running a surplus. Won’t you come visit me tonight at a Breeders near you. We will do our part, are you doing yours?”

He continued his walk as an infographic played behind the woman: Birth Rates down 20%. Do your part to uphold the 3:1 ratio.

Another woman appeared on the screen her hair slightly more brown than red.

“You could come visit me!”

Another woman and another and another appeared.

“With a surplus like that, you could visit us all… Together!”

”This wall can’t end fast enough…” He thought as he quickened his pace.

Rounding the corner he collided with an aged out man without a mask, and knocked the man to the ground. Fenix towered over him.

“Please,” the man pleaded, “help me! I don’t want to burn!”

Fenix displayed his Corpsman badge and sternly yet sympathetically replied, “Stand up like a man! You will burn or you will Bloom, and if you Bloom who else will you take with you?”

The man was speechless as Fenix stretched out his hand and pulled him off the ground. Two Privates sprinted around the corner and gasped for breath as they met Fenix.

They straightened up and saluted Fenix who lazily returned it.

“Sorry sir!” They said in a robotic unison.

The taller Private spoke up, “He should have turned himself in at first notice. The bastard deserves what is coming to him.”

“Private,” Fenix said the sympathy gone from his voice, “you will speak when spoken too.”

“Yes sir, sorry sir.”

Fenix glared at the private.

“Sor-” he started before he looked down.

Fenix looked toward the shorter private and asked, “How did this happen?”

“An oak sir,” the shorter private answered. “A sampling sprouted through the northwestern wall near the abandoned arts district a few days ago. Apparently it was well hidden from view and a few lazy recruits missed it. About ten of these vagrants were living in the abandoned building in filth in the area. This one made a break for it, like a coward.”

“I can do without your own personal opinions private,” Fenix said. “Take him to the quarantine. He will begin barking soon.”

“No,” he protested, “please sir! Kill me first! Shoot me now and end my misery before I burn!”

Fenix shook his head placed his hand on the man’s shoulder.

“I trust you will do the right thing. Don’t give these young men any trouble. You will be sedated at the facility, if you get there while you still have skin to pierce.” Fenix said.

The man looked down and held his wrist together and out for the Corpsmen to restrain him, and they pulled him away toward a large biohazard sign ominously loomed in the distance. Fenix crossed the last street with the Corpsman Operation Hangar door moments away from him.

Fenix stood his leg propped up on top of a large blanket covered crate while he stared into the glass room full of women and a few aged out men across the hall. He couldn’t hear the sound, but the screens told him everything. An earthquake had taken the last city in Japan splitting it and sinking it into the Japanese Sea. Dual Hurricanes pounded what was once known as Florida, flooding the entire state - no casualties as the state had been inhabitable for 50 years. Drones captured scenes of the Italian rescue efforts as volcanic activity plagued their coast. Video showed one of the last two South African safe cities fell to the encroachment of the plants. Masses of bodies Bloomed.

“Hey, LT! Hello? Anybody home?” Allende asked. “Welcome back to the world of the living!”

Fenix turned to them. Allende, King, and Rennick laughed.

Rennick, “Alright, enough you two. What is the score LT? Another scavenging op?”

Fenix took a deep breath, “No, just a simple drop off of a research pylon in Zone 7. In and out.”

King and Allende booed.

Rennick yelled, “I said ENOUGH! You two act like you are fresh out of the dorms sometimes.”

Fenix said, “He’s right. Zone 7 is the most overgrown out of all the sectors. Less than twenty percent of our ancestral homes are still standing. Get your heads on. We leave in five.”

Allende and King hid their smiles, and hustled to the armory. Rennick stayed behind for a moment, as Fenix moved the crate.

“You need-” Rennick said.

“No.” Fenix said as he interrupted Rennick.

“-any help…” Rennick finished. “You know you can talk to me right. Whatever has been going on with you the last 4 months… hell, the year really.”

Fenix shook his head and looked him in the eyes.

“You know,” Rennick said, “it may seem like we are just staving off the inevitable, but we are doing good work.”

Fenix nodded and replied, “Its challenging sometimes. It just always seems to get worse. Birth Rates down, there's more and more pollen, and how long until the plants can’t freeze? We get no winter reprise as it is.”

Rennick chuckled.

“Any good news?” Rennick sarcastically asked.

Fenix cautiously looked around and smirked.

“I don’t think the Statesman know what good news is.” Fenix said darkly.

On top the wall a helicopter had prepared to take off, air whipped off its blades and snapped Fenix’s clothing tight against his body. He held the blanket down on top the crate so it didn’t blow away. He secured the crate underneath his seat and climbed in. On the opposite side he was met by the other three Corpsmen who secured their own gear.

“Smells like piss!” King yelled into his microphone as the helicopter roared and took off.

Fenix replied in a normal voice, “Chemicals.”

He tapped on the crate snugly tucked underneath him.

“Speaking of chemicals,” King said, “I found bourbon at the market. What say we all go to a Breeders tonight? Huh?”

Allende, “Hell yeah I am in. Been saving up for a special occasion. Bourbon sounds like a good occasion. Rennick how long has it been you old coot?”

“Less than 24 hours, kid.”

They let out a laugh, except for Fenix who looked out to the north.

“Are you doing your part?” Allende mocked the ad while he nudged Fenix.

Fenix snarkily replied, “I’m doing my part right now.”

“We are here,” the pilot said.

In the distance a tall skyscraper pummeled to the ground as the vines and trees crushed its base and constricted its walls.

“Jesus…” King said. “I’ve never seen one fall.”

“It won’t be your last,” Allende added.

The helicopter lifted away as it left the four Corpsmen in a vast and overgrown city. A concrete jungle returned to a natural forest. The greens and vibrant colors flowered around and nearly glowed against the gray backdrop and the dark clouds over head.

“Alright, you three set up a perimeter,” Fenix commanded, “I don’t want to be fighting off plants just so we can leave.”

Allende moved closer to the crate as he noticed its weight seemed to shift from side to side. Perplexed he looked closer.

Fenix yelled, “You guys want to go to Breeders or not? Get the extraction site secured!”

King, “Oh man, looked who changed his mind! We are in for a treat!”

It worked Allende seemed to forget about the box as he smiled at Fenix.

“No,” Fenix said as he changed his tone again, “I’m just saying… I have surplus. I am sure I can delegate some of it to you guys.”

Fenix pushed the hovering crate up a steep incline of rubble to some stairs that freely stood. Up them and to the left was the floor of the tore down building supported by trees and plants of all sorts created three separate tiers. He came to the end of the second level, vines hung down to hide him and the crate. Two small figures were down in field. They sprayed liquid nitrogen at the grass and vines as they encroached around them.

“King and Rennick,” Fenix thought as he opened the box. “Where was Allende?”

He lifted the lid and a young boy looked up at him. His pants still wet from the time in the box and a few crumbs of dried meat he ate while he waited. Fenix dug through his leather bag and carefully handed the boy a new set of clothes. He noticed the boys mask rapidly blinked red.

“Okay… this is okay…” He thought as he returned to his backpack and rummaged through it throwing items around him.

“Shit.”

Fenix closed his eyes and drew a long breath.

“Bloom or burn,” he thought.

Quickly he unsnapped his mask and took it off. The air was sweet on his tongue and light in his lungs. He felt the weight off his chest and a rush of oxygen woke and stimulated his body. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

“Kid,” he said as he handed his mask over, “hold your breath.”

The kid was petrified, and he stared past Fenix.

“Hey, I promise you will be fine. Just hold your breath.” Fenix said again.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he felt a gun on him.

“What the hell are you doing?” Allende yelled from behind him. “Put your mask back on! Rennick, King get your asses up here now!”

“Allende-” Fenix said before he was interrupted.

“Shut up! Don’t move!” Allende yelled. “Rennick will take command.”

Fenix pointed to the box, leading the boy in. His other hand crept slowly to his pistol on the ground.

“Where the hell are you guys?” Allende yelled again. “Fenix, I said-”

Fenix lunged and spun around and grabbed at his pistol as Allende fired at him. The bullet tore through his shoulder. He fell to his back as the boy rushed to his side. Fenix handed the boy his mask again. He reached with his good arm and unfastened the boys mask.

Allende yelled, “Why did you make me do that! Stop moving!”

With Allende’s gun still pointed at him Fenix replied, “His mask is about to die. Have a heart.”

Fenix looked past Allende as two brute men rushed Allende and plowed him to the ground. His gun went off and missed Fenix by a hair. One of the men was on him before he could grab his pistol, and from behind him a young woman with dark red hair and violet eyes emerged from behind a vine hidden corridor. Then with a sickening crack across his head the world went dark.

Fenix coughed and light slowly leaked in around him. A small fire lit the domicile crafted from twisted and living branches and vines. The woman sat next to him and wiped sweat from his brow. He coughed again with little force as his throat was parched.

“Water,” Fenix said.

The woman poured a some water into his mouth, and soaked the drips from the corner of his lips with a cloth. The boy was on the opposite side of the fire as he ate fruits and vegetables no mask on. To his left his three comrades knelt restrained with no mask on. Allende glared at him and King whimpered. Rennick remained stoic.

“Why?” Fenix asked before he coughed more.

The woman wiped his mouth again her cloth red with blood.

“We watch. We don’t know.” She said and shook her head as she turned to some plants.

Allende had not stopped staring at Fenix and asked, “Were our lives worth it Fenix? Were we so cheap?”

Rennick replied quicker than Fenix, “Allende, it's done.”

“No,” Allende said fiercely, “I want to know is this worth it?”

Fenix sat up straight and winced as his muscles stretched and his bones creaked. He coughed and caught thickened blood in his hand. Bloom.

“Allende,” Fenix said as he winced, “let me ask you. Do you think about your children?”

“We aren’t supposed to. We are supposed to take their world back!” Allende said angrily.

“Oh, suppose this, suppose that.” Fenix said. “I ask if you thought about your children.”

“Yes!” Allende replied as he scoffed.

“We aren’t fathers though. Not husbands. And our women they aren’t mothers or wives. We aren’t even lustful lovers. We just lust.” Fenix said.

“What is your point!?” King yelled.

“For every one boy birthed, we must have 3 girls with them. Lately not enough girls and too many boys.” Fenix said. “What do you think happens to them?”

In the silence Fenix grunted, coughed, and winced. He contorted to his side while he struggled to breathe. He gagged. His insides crawled. The young woman helped him back up, and she patted his head as it laid against her chest. Rennick could see the tears on Fenix's face.

“Last year,” Fenix said, “I met the most amazing woman… She looked like you. Different eyes, but you had the same soul. But there was no point was there? Maybe because I spent the day with her at the pool, but that night I went to Breeders for the first time.”

The young woman smiled, but it quickly faded.

He said, “She was there. At the club surrounded by men of rank and prestige. But she saw me. She chose me.”

He scratched at his arms. Small leafy green flakes peeled off under his fingernails. The woman quickly stopped him, and she snapped the leaf of a plump thick plant and rubbed the gooey innards on his arms. She slipped her hand down the collar of his shirt withdrawing it quickly as she looked into his eyes and shook her head.

Fenix closed his eyes as it soothed his arms. He did his best to ignore the burning in his lungs and the crawling in his throat.

“A few months later she waited for me in my apartment scared, manic I thought.” He quickly said. “She was having twins. One of them was going to be a boy. She just knew it. Run away she asked me. And I could have. I should have, and I wanted to more than anything when I looked into her eyes… I wanted to take her far away from there.”

Fenix took another drink of water.

Rennick asked, “So what happened to her? She run away?”

“No,” Fenix replied, “I did what I was supposed to do. I turned her in. I assured her. It would all be fine. We would have a beautiful girl, we would make sure our species survived. She was locked away in the hospital on suicide watch after we found out that we were having a son. So I ask again, what do you think they do with the extra boys?”

The woman covered her mouth and looked away from Fenix. She laid him against the vines behind him and he felt his back reach out for it and grab it.

“The hardest part was pretending I didn’t love her. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her, and I thought the worst part was not getting to admit it. But worst thing I ever felt was, when I knew that my son would never to bloom into a man. They just burned.”

Rennick wiped his cheek against his shoulder. Tears streamed down Kings face as he frantically wiped his face between sobs, and Allende was in awe.

“I-I didn’t know,” Allenda said with the anger gone from his voice.

“Neither did I, Allende.” Fenix said. “I didn’t realize, that Eden wasn’t our real world. I couldn’t allow it to be real anymore.”

Fenix went to wipe his cheeks only to realize he couldn't move his neck. It was as stiff as wood, and his hands rooted into the earth. His lungs whined as he tried to breathe, and he heaved emptiness from his stomach.

An old woman walked past him and handed the younger woman a small wooden cup of steaming liquid.

As she set it down to cool, Rennick asked her, “How come we aren’t all infected?”

The woman looked perplexed.

“Infected?” She asked.

Rennick nodded to Fenix whose gunshot wound sprouted a small green leaf.

She shrugged her shoulders, shook her head, and replied, “Some of us don’t.”

King asked, “And you just accept it?”

The young woman replied, “We all die. We all go back to our Mother. Some fastly than others. We mourn, but we live not fear.”

Fenix smiled as she seemed to calm King. It quickly faded as he screamed and gagged and screamed, and his body spasmed against its roots in the ground.

The young woman picked the cup up off the ground and held it up to Fenix.

“This will help.” She said. “You can sleep through it.”

“No,” he said in between heaves and gags, “I finally feel free from the nightmares. I can’t go back to sleep…”

She reluctantly nodded, and she motioned for the older woman to take the kid away. Fenix wanted to wave as the kid and the older woman walked past him; however, he could only smile as his arms became one with the vines and ground around him.

He could feel his mind slipping. His pulse had slowed. No water could quench his thirst.

“Please,” he said, “let the men live…”

“They will.” She said as tears formed in her eyes.

He looked into her violet eyes, no, they were blue…

“I got us a son,” he said as he stared into her eyes. “I gave you back a son….”

His voice shook and broke.

“I am so sorry…” he said continuing. “I didn't know.”

Rennick asked, “Please, miss. Let me stop this. He doesn’t deserve to suffer like this.”

He looked at Fenix and said, “The Bloom or the Bullet?”

“The Bloom,” he said. “I don’t deserve the bullet, I want to Bloom.”

He imagined he moved his hand up to the young woman’s face. Softly he grazed her cheek and brushed her hair away from her eyes.

“I love you.” He said as his voice shook. “I wish you could have known… I love you.”

The young woman walked her hand through his hair. She got to the end where his skull intertwined with the vine wall behind him and leaned forward over him. She kissed him softly for as long as she could until a great bulb forced her away with his last breath. She motioned for the men to untie the vines bound around the Corpsman's wrist. They bore witness as the great bulb bloomed into a magnificent purple flower with petals reaching over his lips Soon smaller bulbs bloomed along his arms, and petals and leaves peaked through his shirt. The young woman closed his eyes and wiped away her tears.

As he became a part of the domicile she smiled and said, ‘Thank you for letting me bloom. Thank you for giving me the child I could never have.”

The End

Thank you guys for taking the time to read my short story. Apart from school projects, this is the first time I've shared a story on a massive platform. If you liked it, then feel free to upvote and resteem. My main goal in posting short stories here is to open myself up to feedback and criticism, so if you didn't like it (or have advice) please comment to let me know why so I can continue to grow and perfect my craft.

Again thank you, and I look forward to speaking with you.

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