Reading: "ARKTALUS" from Evenfall of the Helical (A.Glass 2022)
“...It's like a dream...” She says whilst transfixed on the images displayed of the outside.
“Yeah, one never gets used to these storms,” Bayol replies, also mesmerized by the camera footage of the storm.
Suddenly a chime is heard.
“Call out. EMR unit Sixty Five. Emergency in Sector Eight, Sub Level Twenty Three. Preliminary diagnosis: cardiac arrest, time response 10 minutes.”
“Copy….” Bayol says, he stands, as does Tadri, quickly collecting their two reddish hue colored medical bags. Bayol transfers the call to his attached headpiece microphone as he and Tadri leave their small station, with the door shutting behind them. Standing within a narrow hallway opposite their emergency station they face anther door, which opens promptly to a small tube alike elevator that will take them down to the sub-levels beneath the building to where an underground rail system is located. Specifically designed for EMR teams, which will transport them both to where the emergency is located via a nearby apartment block. They enter the small elevator as the door closes shut, it then rapidly descends to the sub level.
Tadri looks at her data-sync readout attached to her right wrist, as the Central System has set the response time and directions for the emergency call, as it begins counting down the anticipated time frame for the EMR unit, while a small 3D digital map illuminates from the screen of the looming sub-levels. Bayol stares up at the numbers as they rapidly descend, counting down towards zero, he thinks of the other term that is used to describe the sub-levels of Artakus, sometimes refereed to as the Negative Divide.
“The elevator from Hell,” he says, still staring up at the numbers as they fall into the single digits as Tadri checks over her equipment, ensuring that the Paramedic bags have been correctly packed, she taps a button on her wrist readout, notifying Central System that her colleague and herself are now on route to the emergency call out.
“When is the last time you’ve been down to the sub-levels?” Tadri asks, as she also looks up the numbers which are now slowing down moving past beyond zero, with each number appearing via the electronic display, accompanied by a minus sign.
“Two years back since the last C-Storm, no need to come down here. What about you?...”
She looks at her colleague, without replying.
“...Oh yeah right...I forgot, sorry...”
Tadri returns her focus at the numbers as the elevator stops. “It's ok, I gotta face things again, Y'know?” Referring to her assault that occurred six months ago.
___
"ARKTALUS" from Evenfall of the Helical (A.Glass 2022)
I. ARKTALUS
II. ORACLES MYSTERIUM
III. DACEION IONADI
IV. THE AZIMUTH PRINCIPLE
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