The Missing Heart

The Missing Heart

The year is 2999 and the world is now a former shadow of its past while also becoming more unrecognizable day by day towards the future. Three decades prior the world was once “peaceful” to many, yet the world has been unkind to many others. Those who had enough of the unjustified balance released a virus known as the cloak. Shot into the atmosphere the virus separated the earth from the sun and moon, making the earth now into a dark world of thunderstorms and rain. Many communities became overflooded from the rain and were destroyed by the storms, yet many built establishments to last under the weather. Despite this humanity continued fighting to survive the endless storm and formed a new government called S.O.L.E: Solidifying Opportunities in the Living Equinox.

The skyscrapers from the old world allowed humanity to recover, creating a new city called Nero and built shields that protected them, allowing them to live a reflection of the old world. S.O.L.E provided these shields, giving humanity a chance again to reclaim their home that was once lost. Nero, with their technological advantage allowed the city to prosper giving the new world the forgotten sun and moon. In the city of Nero, civilization was allowed to live again under the sun and moon, with a rotating cycle like the one before. Nourishments grew naturally there making the city of Nero become known as “The City of Paradise” in the world of storm.

However only those who reside in the city of Nero can call it a true paradise, while those on the outside only dream to be inside those walls. The city of Nero became a fortress blocking any who weren’t given permission to reside in this paradise. Those who survived and still had power from the old world manipulated Nero towards their own benefits of survival. Checkpoints were formed as the new branch of security called G.R.I.M: Guiding Residence in Impossible Measures, overgrew in power forgetting the value of humanity with each life they denied entry. Many in the black market became successful smuggling people from across the nations through land or by the sea, both have become a tremendous dose of danger.

With risk of being struck by lightning, drowning by the overflowing ocean, shortage of food, crushed by rubble, or killed by another human. Many lives were lost during these travels, but no one cared as long there was currency given in a world of no order. Two travelers from the east of the city, Lina and Jakob Ishmael, twins at age 16, tall and slim in built over years of surviving the storm together found themselves approaching the dangerous border to reach paradise. The world outside was cruel every day and the only place they knew they had a chance was in the city of Nero. Underneath the borders separating Nero from the world the two approached a man in a black raincoat where others awaited to meet him. This man was known as Usurer, the sea devil, and too many he became the only chance of hope.

Shipping containers and men with firearms surrounded the passengers as he entered under the spotlights. Bulky glasses on with a smile of a jester Usurer spoke to the crowd like a celebrity waiting to be embraced.

Usurer: Ladies and gentlemen of this beautiful destruction. Some of you of know me as the sea devil, some of you know me as the beacon of hope. Unfortunately, I am both depending on what you can provide before your travels. Now I do value the lives of people and that’s why I am here to escort you to paradise. However just like Charon from the Greeks, I require payment. Step forward and we’ll both see who’s worthy to see Nero.

The twins waited online watching as people who made Usurer smile entered his boat without a problem. While those who made him stay silent were removed from the line and taken somewhere else. To the twins surprise the line moved quicker than expected. Before they knew it, they were already at the front. Just from standing near Usurer the twins both caught a feeling that made their stomach feel tight, this guy meant business, but his presence screamed bad news. Lina being the oldest steps forward and drops a bag on Usurer table and opens it. She opens the bag and what spills out leaves everyone on the line gasping from shock.

Treasures from the old world and many of it. Watches, chains, diamonds, jewels of every color. Usurer was surprised himself he couldn’t help but start laughing.

Usurer: Well, aren’t you two some lucky scavengers. With all of this you could buy your own version of Nero if you wanted.

Lina looks Usurer in the eyes and speaks with intention.

Lina: The way I see it, you’re the lucky one. Take all of it, it’s yours if we have safe passage.

Usurer: Safe? That doesn’t exist out here.

Lina: It exist in the city.

Usurer grinned, amazed by the young woman who stood before him fearless while also hiding her hands that were slightly shaking. In the moment of observing the twins he notices that Lina is wearing a heart shaped locket. Not one he has ever seen before, obsidian blue yet small, still enough to reflect light on his glasses. The silence grew as the twins waited for his response.

Lina: Everything in the bag belongs to you.

Usurer: I have a better idea!

The twins looked at him shocked but do their best not to show it. Usurer lifts a finger dangling from his hands and points towards the locket. He gives them a devilish smile and giggles.

Usurer: Give me your locket and you can keep everything in the bag for your new life.

The twins looked at the man almost with disgust that they can barely hide it. Usurer sees their disgust but knows at this moment he is God, and his word is law.

Jakob: The locket is from our parents!

Lina: Jake!

They both fell silent knowing they misstep their action with the sea devil himself. The man stops smiling and looks at them like prey waiting to be devoured. He moves his hand with a quick flick pointing his thumb right. Some guards holding guns approached and took Jakob off the line. In a panic Lina takes the locket off and holds it above Usurer head.

Lina: HERE! TAKE IT!

The guards stop and looks at Usurer. He chuckles with his small victory, one of many in this business he became successful in.

Usurer: I love working with kids. Bring him back, take your bag, and get out.

The guards release Jakob, the twins grab the bag and make their way towards the boat with frustration and embarrassment thinking they would have the upper hand in all of this. Annoyed beyond comprehension the two entered the boat and waited to leave, watching Usurer welcome other with a sense of bitterness or send people off to the unknown with is men. The twins plan fell into smoke, and they had to find a way around this somehow.

Jakob: Do you think we can make another deal with the devil?

Lina looks at him with vacant eyes and shakes her head no, in silence as the storms continued outside. Sooner after the boat was locked down and an announcement was given over the speakers.

Usurer: To my lucky passengers we are about to head to the city of Nero. Secure your stuff and loved ones because you might just lose it all tonight. Enjoy the ride! If you’re looking for entertainment, have no fear. The endless thunderstorm is a great light show.

Jakob: We can’t just let him walk away with our parents locket. We must do something before it’s too late.

Lina: I know… We’ll figure it out in the morning. We can’t focus on taking something from someone like that after 3 days of not eating and sleeping. Tomorrow will be a fresh start, everything we wanted.

Lina climbs on top of her bunkbed and tries to get herself to sleep despite her heart feeling a mixture of emotions. Jakob lays on his bed reluctant to sleep, hoping to find a plan to reach Usurer to claim back what is rightfully theirs. Exhaustion over the past few days took over and before Jakob knew it, he was in a deep sleep. The cool wind from the ocean allowed the twins to sleep peacefully. A sleep that hasn’t been felt in so long after so many trials and errors. Yet to sleep this way under the roof of Usurer prized possession still left an uneasy feeling in them both.

A big wave makes Lina fall off her bunkbed, waking up in pain but just reminder of her reality. She jumps up hearing the commotion, passengers running up and down the hallways, barely able to stand for the pain from her head the shaking of the ship. What is happening? She goes to investigate.

Jakob: Wake up! Put your stuff on, something has happened.

Lina goes out into the hallway where the commotion resides, passengers pushing pass each other with no avail of any existence. A voice over the speakers is heard from the Twins and passengers in chaos.

Usurer: Unfortunately, the ship is sinking but this happens to anyone who dare to do this. Do your best to survive and hopefully the damages won’t be too bad.

Jakob: We need to find him before the ship sinks!

Jakob, without a moment of hesitation sprints out in the opposite direction of where people are running. Pushing through the crowd pushing towards him with ease as he tries to find Usurer in the large ship. Lina runs after him but fails to push through with ease and loses him in the crowd. Jakob just keeps going through every turn in hallways and bump through people he didn’t care, he had to get that locket. Red lights painted the twins vision as they both searched for what they truly desired. Jakob finds a door locked and hears the sea devil himself humming a song behind it amidst the chaos that followed them. Jakob banged and yelled his lungs away, but Usurer paid him no mine as he was safe from the madness on board. Just when he was going to give up Lina found him out of breath at the end of the hallway, she screams to him.

Lina: Jakob!!

He turns his head to see her with sorrowful eyes they both could understand. Lina runs to him when the hallway splits in half from the crash of the wave and thunder. The two separated by both ends, this cannot be the twins thought as they both screamed and ran towards each other. Lina will not take this and refuses to lose her last family. She gathers all her strength and balance with the shakiness of the ship and jumps across to reunite with her brother. Jakob grabs her just in time as her side of the hallway rips away from the ship. He struggles to hold tight being soaked from the rain with nothing to help his balance, he struggles to pull her up. He doesn’t give up and continues to pull with all his might until he notices another wave coming for them. The twins panic but Lina knows that it’s okay… These things happen.

Lina: I love you Jakob, trust yourself and never forget who you are.

Jakob: Li –

Before he can finish the wave hit them and he lose consciousness. He wakes up on the beach coughing up water with no one around him but only three things. The locket around his wrist, their bag of jewels, and a note that read “Welcome to Nero, you owe me one kid”. Jakob can’t stand from the shock of what happened. He holds the locket as tears fell to sand.