Erin stood in the crowd that ringed the barriers, and hoped her record function was getting all of this. The crowd was full of Citizens and Daytrippers. In a disaster, class was irrelevant. She was a reporter, and this was her moment. The fire and smoke had cleared away, leaving half the building ruined and sooty. The glass had vanished rather than shattered. The top few floors were gone as well, as though they were never there. In their place, there was a tear in the sky, pulsating violet and black. It was like staring into the face of God.
The City: 075: Erin
January 9, 2015
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, CPD, Drabble, Erin, Midas Corp, The City Leave a comment
The City: 073: Sol
January 7, 2015
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, Drabble, Midas Corp, Sol, The City, Zombies Leave a comment
Sol worked on the 87th floor. She was an accountant, and she thought working ‘on site’ in The City to be the most tedious and ridiculous part of her job. The commitment to simulation cost her at least ten man-hours a week alone! She was in the supply closet, searching for virtual toner her virtual printer, grumbling, when the wall of fire hit. As a result, she was the only survivor. Afterwards, she peeked her head out, and saw the charred ruins and the prone bodies, horrified. She screamed and ran when the dead stood and shambled towards her.
The City: 072: Kastor
January 6, 2015
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, CPD, Drabble, Kastor, Midas Corp, The City Leave a comment
Kastor stood by the stairs and listened to the chatter on the police band cut off. Floor by floor it just cut out. In an analog system there would have been static, but it just cut to eerie silence in a staccato rhythm as whatever was happening hit floor after floor. The disarming didn’t go as planned, apparently. He swore and patched in.
“This is Petrosky on Floor 75. Change of plans. This is now an evacuation. Get the whole building cleared out, on the double.” He opened the door to the cubicle farm and hoped there was enough time.
The City: 071: Anka
January 5, 2015
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, Anka, CPD, Drabble, Midas Corp, The City Leave a comment
Anka glared at the police officers as they wound their way through the maze of cubicle half-walls. Who did they think they were? The cops were the company’s token nod to the idea of an outside authority, a fictional check against the truth: Midas Corporation ruled The City, absolutely. What purpose did they think to serve by this ridiculous show of force? Eventually, they would have to withdraw, embarrassed and humiliated. Midas would issue a statement of ‘apology’ and things would carry on. Midas was invulnerable. These were her last thoughts before the wall of flame swept the office.
The City: 070: Zidane
January 2, 2015
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, Dawn, Drabble, Kaboom, Midas Corp, Mildred, The City, The Daytrippers, Zidane Leave a comment
Summoned by the CEO, Zidane muscled his way into the office. His own physical size was impressive. He found that he intimidated even here in The City, where such things were of no consequence. There was no inherent value in his strength in the digital environment, it was merely an accurate representation of his stature. But it made people nervous, and it made them forget how smart he actually was. The interviewer girl looked suitably impressed, certainly.
“Ma’am?”
“Ms. Evans was just leaving.” Dawn began to protest, but stopped. Together they watched the top of Midas tower erupt in flames.
The City: 067: Kimiko
December 30, 2014
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, CPD, Drabble, Govad, Kimiko, Midas Corp, The City Leave a comment
In the labyrinthine bowels of Midas Corp. Tower, Kimiko met the glares of a chorus of office drones, and concentrated on staying polite.
“As I said, there is a threat in the building, and we must ask for you to evacuate the premises in an orderly fashion.”
“What kind of threat,” Govad, that floor’s ranking manager demanded. “You’re the ones assaulting the building!” He thrust a finger in her face like a scolding parent. “If you’d done your jobs in the first place, the trains wouldn’t have been shut down, either!” She took a deep breath. Then she stunned him.
The City: 066: Thom
December 29, 2014
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, CPD, Drabble, Midas Corp, The City, Thom Leave a comment
Thom stared down at the desk in consternation. He was the chief bomb disposal technician for the CPD. Up until now, the job description had been a joke. Explosives, along with most other kinds of weapons, not only didn’t exist in The City, but supposedly couldn’t. But he was an expert in the code used to build and break down buildings in The City, so he was what they had.. He examined the clock face, the coils of multicolored wire, and the cartoonish red dynamite sticks they were attached to, and was sure that this was a different beast entirely.
The City: 065: Lucinda
December 26, 2014
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, Deborah, Drabble, Lucinda, Midas Corp, The City Leave a comment
Debbie followed Lucinda’s call into the CEO’s office and stopped dead when she saw the impossible object counting serenely down on the holographic glass.
“Luce, tell me that isn’t what I think it is.” The other woman shrugged.
“I didn’t want to touch it, but the bastard left a note.” Lucinda handed it to her superior.
“Good luck?” She read. “For fuck’s sake. I’d better radio it in. Best case scenario, maybe we’ll just make fools of ourselves.” She opened her comm channel.
“I’m going to need an immediate evac of the building. There’s a bomb sitting on Sizemore’s desk.”
The City: 064: Kumar
December 25, 2014
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, Bob, CPD, Drabble, Kumar, Midas Corp, The City Leave a comment
On The City’s streets, The Midas Corp. Limousine led a dozen patrol cars on a merry chase. No matter how they diverted traffic, finally easing after a morning of unprecedented congestion, the luxury car was one step ahead.
“Who the hell is driving that thing?” Patrolman Kumar cursed.
“I heard that Bob Tolstoy was Sizemore’s driver. Might be him.” His partner said.
“The king of the racing underground? When’d he turn Citizen?”
“A few years back. Everybody’s got to eat.” The limo made a sudden u-turn, slipping through a gap in three lanes of traffic and disappearing towards the bay.
The City: 063: Deborah
December 24, 2014
Free Fiction, The City 140 Characters, Deborah, Drabble, Midas Corp, The City Leave a comment
Deborah’s team was the one that got the short straw: The CEO’s top-floor office. She took point, her stunner and boot gun out. The palatial offices of Midas management were deserted. All they found were empty rooms. The digital marble echoed with her simulated footfalls. She shivered, forgetting she was in an Arizona office park.
She went to a filing cabinet and opened it. It was entirely empty. So was the next one. Every bit of information in the office was gone. It wasn’t possible. “Deb, you’ll want to take a look at this,” someone called from the inner office.
Hugh J. O'Donnell 