First “chapter” of SG. Probably won’t be touching this one any more. Best version of the opening by far. I’m considering having it completely gone in a pro post-modernistic move for the story to be more confusing. I’ll see how it goes.
Sign of Evil
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.
He possessed my brother and cracked open the skulls of my parents with a rusty pickaxe in the darkness of the night. I got up and he first hit me with the blunt end down onto the ground and then the sharp one into my guts and he looked at me with a stare that almost seemed sorry for me.
I was to leave the day after that night for my first national endurance running competition, but my brother went rabid. He was gunned down by a policeman on the street after attempting to attack him as well. And, of course, my parents were dead. All that had to be covered by none other than me. Suffice to say, my financial capabilities at twenty-two were not impressive, despite working to become an athlete. It felt like there really was nothing to work for, like there was no point.
A lonely man with nowhere to go.
Instead of making use of my opportunities I let them all go like a fool. At twenty-six I was back at square one, my upcoming career may as well not have existed. I had to sell my parents’ apartament in Los Angeles to hold on financially, but I would never confess to anyone that doing so had brought me some solace.
So I enlisted for the Union Aerospace Corporation’s private militia. The UAC was one of the biggest corporations in the world working on extra-terrestrial transport technology, weaponry and other fields of research and development. Their HQ happened to be in Los Angeles, where my parents had lived and, to my surprise, they were the buyers of that cursed apartament. They assigned me to the space marine security team on Mars and offered to let me live at my old home while I get my bearings after my injuries and later, during training in the HQ in the city.
I couldn’t stand the thought of spending another night in that flat. I would never again fall asleep there. I told them – No. I will only go there to get ready before I’m to leave for Mars. That’s where they wanted me. They have some huge research and development facility on the surface of the red planet where they work on teleportation, weapons and interplanetary travel. I will hopefully only spend less than an hour in that apartament…
Leave this mess of a life behind.
Jan.
Music to die to: