Episode 4: Motherboard

“This is as far as we can go Saki!”

Griffin Folklore spoke to his Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle as he slowed his bike to a halt, finding an overturned semi-trailer blocking the entire highway. With fencing on both sides of the roadway going around was not even an option. He knew he was only a mile from his mother Cassie’s home so if he had to hoof it then so be it. He didn’t really mind the walk it was a beautiful day. It would be even better if there weren’t such a dull silence like the grave. Not even birds or insects to liven up the mood. No car horns, no engines running, nothing! After nearly 24 hours since the event nullifying the world’s population, as a guess anyway, cars were out of gas, batteries dead, persistent fires were likely doused in last night’s showers. Unable to even see over the toppled trailer he considered his options. With a pile up of cars having slammed into the underside of the rig they wedged against it tightly.

“I either walk or jump my bike somehow. There are enough cars on this side that I might be able to drive up on top of the trailer but the going down on the other side might be tricky. If I screw the jump up, I lay on the road with a broken back or worse. Damn, I don’t want to leave my bike.”

Kickstand down he removed his helmet and backpack leaving it with the Ninja. Going to the rig he carefully climbed up on to the aluminum sided trailer and got a look over the other side of the world. “Wow! Roads pretty clear over here. This rig halted ongoing traffic so whoever was driving on this side kept on going until they couldn’t go any further. Plenty of clearance to land if I try jumping it but even with cars to drive up on, I won’t have enough speed and momentum to actually jump. I’d basically roll off the side and crash headfirst. I can’t do that I’ll hurt myself and trash Saki.”

Taking a break to decide his next move he took out his cellphone and called Sonya, the hotel manager he rescued. He prayed she was still in our reality. Two rings of hopefulness she picked up.

“Griffin?”

“Telemarketer! Wanna buy into a condo in Florida? I hear there’s plenty of vacancies.”

“Funny man! I’m still here. I’ve been sucking on your fingernail since you left. I’d rather it be your dick!”

“I’ll be back tomorrow unless something holds me up. Just stay with me Babe.”

“I’m trying to believe me. My body feels a static charge but I’m not ghosting yet. I’ve even taken three showers to keep hydrated. I was getting ready to go downstairs and grab groceries.”

“Be careful! I want to be able to find you when I get back. I’m facing a crippled tractor trailer on its side. Can’t drive around it, can’t drive over it safely. Might have to walk to mom’s from here which is roughly a mile.”

“My turn to say be careful. We don’t know what curveballs might be out there. There could be others still alive like you but not as friendly.”

“Maybe! Somehow, I don’t think so though. There are no animals, insects, sadly, pollution isn’t even bad. With no cars running and no gas fumes, it’s kind of nice, until I start my bike.”

“Griffin? Are we Adam and Eve?”

“As long as Eve doesn’t become Leave.” He chuckled, “Bad joke! Sorry!”

“Meanie!”

“Okay, let me get moving! Text me every thirty minutes so I know you’re with me.”

“I miss you, master.”

“You barely know me, Sonya.”

“Goes both ways, but you saved me so I’m beholden. You could have kept that Kaycee girl.”

“Still might.”

“I don’t mind sharing.” She giggled.

“If I can save my girlfriend Jade you might have to. If I can bring mom home to meet you I will. Uh? Not sharing mom.” Even he cringed at how that sounded.

“Call first, in case I need to clean house.”

“Cute! See you soon.”

“Hope so! Bye, Griffin.”

“Bye, Sonya!” Hanging up he stashed his phone inside his borrowed Yankee’s jacket and went back for his bag. “I don’t want to leave Jade behind, what little I still have of her.” Grabbing her pack, he returned topside of the trailer and carefully clung to the edge as he dropped to the asphalt. It was good to get some exercise anyway.

Exiting the overpass he spotted a bicycle alongside the road, a bike messenger by the looks of things, clothing, helmet and a delivery tube. The bike seemed to be in good shape only hitting a curb and falling from taking a corner slower than average. Utilizing it he rode the remaining distance to his mother’s unique lodgings. “I hope my borrowing this bike doesn’t make the owner follow me. Sorry dude!” He realized that was always going to be an issue. “You guys are just going to have to get over loaning out things.”

Cassiopeia Folklore’s home was inside a domed science facility where she shared it with a number of fellow scientists. With shaded black panels covering the roof he brightened up at the possibility she had saved herself, possibly her friends.

“Maybe mom planned ahead too. If those shields are like what she installed in my loft, she and her team might be okay inside.” Riding directly up to the door he stood the bike upright and tried to simply walk right in, of course, the exterior doors were locked. Going to the intercom he pushed a buzzer multiple times with no reply. Edgy he paced in a circle trying to decide his next move.

“Not a good sign! How the hell do I get in? I know these doors are reinforced steel, there’s probably even shielding in place on the other side of it. I wonder why the timers didn’t reopen like they did at my crib?”

No easy answer he took a walk around the entire building hopeful of some sign of life or even an unexpected way in. Nothing! He did discover a set of clothing and pack of cigarettes near a tree by a koi pond his mom built as a stress reliever. No wallet he could only presume it was one of his mom’s lab partners. Lifting the pants using both hands to inspect the size he presumed, “Gotta be Kerwin.” The man was fairly large. “Which means that he’s probably right here next to me asking why I’m holding his khakis. Wonder if I can reach around and accidently touch him to bring him back?” Nothing but open air. “So, much for my Jedi Mime trick.”

Just like the hotel the fish in the pond were still alive and swimming as if nothing had ever happened. “Live it up while you can guys. I’ll find you some food to keep you going for a while but sooner or later, you get the idea. Boggles the mind why fish seem to have survived this shit. If I were closer to the river, I’d ... wait! The sewer drains, there’s probably a way inside the dome through there, security tunnel. If I make it back guys I’ll release you into the sewers, at least you might have a chance of survival if you meet the river somewhere along the pipeline.”

Searching for a manhole cover he struggled to pry the heavy lid off. Unsuccessful, he looked around for something to use as a pry bar. Cursing at his bad luck he looked out over the trees and noticed a crane which had been tearing down an old tenement to build better lodgings. “Job site might have a pry bar. If not, maybe I can just bring a bulldozer here and tear down a way inside. Mom will kill me destroying the place but if she’s zoned out like the rest of the city, world, she might just be happy I did. Prybar idea first, but if I can find a key to big equipment, I’ll ride it back here as an option.”

Walking the three quarters of a mile down the road he found a breakroom trailer for the crew and raided a vending machine for snacks. Taking gloves and a hard hat he noticed an acetylene tank off by itself out of harm’s way.

“I could try and cut my way inside with a blowtorch. There’s bound to be enough here to accomplish that. It would be less destructive than my tearing down an entire wall.” Finding a pickup truck belonging to the site Foreman which had the keys in the ignition, he loaded up the tanks and equipment, finding a crowbar in the trucks toolbox he figured he would just start there and come for a bulldozer as a last resort. Truck with a full tank of gas was a blessing too. He just hoped the Foreman’s attachment wasn’t centered on his F-150.

Driving back, he listened to the owners Country music CD, it was honoring his passing of a sort. The short drive back Griffin just hopped the curb and drove through the yard out back. He knew the back half of the complex was mostly just a family room style area with a pool table and such to relax by. Being a shared lab and living arrangement between his mom and fellow scientists Viggo Sorenson, Terri Madeen, Parkhurst Wardell, and Kerwin Jarvis, it was rarely used. All of them being so into their work it was simply wasted space. Sadly, Griffin was probably the last one to even pick up a cue stick.

While holding off any devastating measures he grabbed that pry bar and set his backpack on the tailgate. Gloves pulled on in order to protect his hands he set out to pry the lid off the manhole. Successful this time, he removed his Yankee jacket to keep from ruining it, in doing so forgetting his cell was stashed away within the inside pocket. Freed up, he put on a bump cap just in case along with safety goggles. Down the rabbit hole he went!

No light became a burden right off. Heading back up he did find a flashlight in the Foreman’s truck, then recalling his cell taking time to grab it. A flask of bourbon too. Good times for thirty seconds. He needed the kick to get him going. Chips and a Coke was just not doing it.

Back down the drain he flipped on the flashlight and followed a narrow pathway that went beneath the DOMEicile, a play on domicile, as his mother called it. Damp dark and musty was about all he was going to get. With high profile experiments within, it was a safe bet even any secret escape tunnel would have security protocols. Sure, enough another door, but this one had a palm pad. Keypad too!

“I wonder if my handprint will work.” He lifted a safety glass, removed a glove and applied his palm. Immediately it responded with DNA required flashing in red. “Say, what?” Shrugging he spit on his hand then thought of something, “Mom used to always spit shake with me when we made deals. Is this her way of letting me in?” Spitting on his hand he planted his palm back on the pad. This time it flashed “Identity Recognized. Secondary Password Required!” Just his luck!

“Great! Password? Dammit!” Eying the pad he thought of every possible combination that his mother might have used. “Not my birthday! She would know that’s what I’d try first, so the code is probably related somehow.” Puzzled for ten minutes he heard his belly gurgle. “I just ate ... geez! Wait a minute! Mom always made me chicken enchiladas on my birthday.” Typing in the word enchilada sure enough the pad lit up to an Access Granted. “Woohoo! Guess I won’t be needing that bulldozer after all.”

Entering at the sound of a click, he shut his flashlight off and sat his bump cap at the top of the stairs. Once inside he felt a tingle all over his body. “It feels like I just walked into a haunted house.” Maybe he did!

Searching the main level, he found nothing until he chose to use the bathroom. A shared powder room by the kitchen he went in and found clothing on the floor. A black skirt and pale blue blouse lay over the toilet seat, halfway wet from dangling within. “Whoa! I know this isn’t mom she never wears skirts. It has to be Terri.”

Plucking the garments out of the indoor pond he tossed the wet skirt aside. The toilet ring lifted using her blouse rather than his bare hand it too was cast away. From there he hovered over it to piss. Whipping it out he stood there ready then paused, “What am I doing? Terri is sitting here. So why has my not touching her brought her back? Unless it only works with flesh contact, not through her clothing. I might have lifted the seat without touching her ghost.”

Having to piss badly he lost control and a shot of urine burst free. “Oh, fuck!” Sure enough, Terri Madeen, the youngest of the science team revealed herself in physical form. A silent scream led her to gradually come to her senses, yet with only a short trickle of piss bringing her back she began to fade again, a look of horror in her lost expression.

“No! Don’t go...” He did! His urine in full force instantly brought her back, the stream pelting her belly and tits. While Terri was no beauty queen, she was still average of looks. Age 32 with brown eyes and reddish-brown hair in a bob, she possibly weighed 145 pounds. Once her new scream of silent rapture ended, she looked at the penis before her, then up at its owner.

“Hi, Terri!”

“Griffin? What are you doing?” She touched her body to find the wetness. “Why am I naked?”

“You’re the scientist, you tell me! The whole city ghosted out except for me as far as I’ve seen ... not seen anyway. Sorry I pissed on you, but my DNA brings the ghosts back to reality. When everyone faded out their personal possessions, clothes, jewelry, stuff stayed behind. Don’t rub my urine off it’s the only thing bonding you and I right now. Where was mom the last you knew?”

“Her section of the lab. She locked herself in recording with a camera. What the hell?”

“Rapture, maybe?”

“Too biblical for my scientific mind.” She frowned,

“No other explanation, is there?” Griffin then stepped back and retrieved her clothing. Handing them to her as she stood up, he turned his back while she got dressed. Even she was grossed out by her wet clothing, but the coolness did feel invigorating.

“Where are my glasses?” She looked about with blurred vision. “Shoot! They fell into the toilet.” How did he miss those looking up at him?

“Might as well reach in and get them. Some of my DNA is in that water. Maybe yours too before you faded out.”

Gritting her teeth Terri knelt down and dug into the well for her glasses and shook them off of water. Rinsing them at the sink she dried them with a paper towel. “I’m so thirsty.”

“Don’t drink out of the toilet!” He sighed, “Although, if it keeps you around that might not be a horrible idea.”

“I am not a dog Griffin.”

“I know that. Just looking at options to keep you around.”

“Put that away please.” Terri avoided eye contact as she pointed at his dick. Why he hadn’t zipped up by now was purely on his lack of bad judgment.

“Oh! Right! Sorry, too excited to have you back. Uh?” He stashed his pecker and zipped up, “Don’t read into that. Bad choice of words. Let’s go find the others and see if we can figure out what the hell happened.”

“Follow me!” She led him to the side of the building where Cassie’s lab was, on the way moving past cages. Empty but likely still inhabited.

“Are there animals still on site?”

“A young male chimpanzee named Garza. He’s adorable! Viggo was working on communication skills with him.”

“Sign language?”

“Yes! He’s quite intelligent.”

“Was! Obviously, he got zapped too. I’m not seeing birds or animals anywhere here or outdoors. Only fish are still around for some reason. The Koi outside are swimming their life away.”

“While that’s not my field of expertise, I’ll make a guess.” Terri speaks with dry lips, “I’m parched so maybe being underwater rescued them somehow. Humans unfortunately don’t breathe underwater so there goes our safety net.”

“Wonder what happens if I take a fish out of water?”

“Only one way to find out, but again the damage might already be done and over with. How did you manage to survive the problem?”

“I think mom shielded me in my loft. I woke up locked in with time lock shudders on the windows and door. I don’t know when she had the time to do it without my noticing though. I don’t recall them set up before I got drunk the other night. But again, I barely made it up the staircase.”

“Interesting! She did go out about 9:30 PM after I got up and around. She said she was going for food. I’m a day sleeper so I went to bed shortly after noon but got up to work again by 8:00. She did come back around 2:45 AM and went straight to her camera setup. If she was prepared already then, I’d say she would have had time to manage keeping you safe.”

“Why didn’t she just stay at my place and save herself too?”

“Good question. For that matter why did the lab not get fitted for whatever she must have known was going to occur? At least a bomb shelter of some sort. A warning would have been nice!”

“There are shields up but not enough evidently. This is a big place, and she probably didn’t have enough to work with.” He pointed to the windows.

“She had those installed last week. Did she know that far in advance?” Terri grew haunted, “I’m so going to kill your mother.”

“I wouldn’t do that; we may need her to fix all of this. Kerwin was outside by the koi pond I found his clothes. Couldn’t find him to touch him though. From what I understand in observing the ghosts, which technically I can’t see until it’s dark and the moon is out, the ghosts are in a loop. They always return to their last possessions, clothing and stuff.”

“Poor, Kerwin! Perhaps we can find him later tonight if I don’t vanish before then.”

“Only solution I’ve got is anything with my DNA on it. I saved a couple girls by...” He paused not wanting to admit it took sex to accomplish that, he would look dirty. “Spit! Urine! Considered jizz but...” She knew he was lying; his eyes gave him away.

“Griffin? I’ve known you for five years now. It’s alright to speak up, the truth could save us all.”

“I fucked two girls at a hotel. My jizz kept them around for a while. Once I figured that out, I guess I probably abused my gift. How red is my face?”

“You did what you had to. I’m sure they were grateful.”

“Oh, yeah!” He shared ego then cleared his throat, “When I left the hotel, one of them was still normal. I gave her a glass of urine, hair follicles, and peeled a few fingernails. I know it’s gross but it’s working. For how long I don’t know. It’s not like I can save the world or even a few for very long. Unless you guys can figure some solution out.”