NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 1: Parade Grounds
Zenith Studios Incorporated, Arkham, Day two hundred and three.
"But sir, we are still yet to complete the stages for the program." A man dabbed in a grey lab coat relayed to his master the current condition of the project he was tasked to handle. "The tests carried out, came back with some tasks incomplete. Safe to say we are not sure of the outcome if we proceed."
"Proceed as planned, we do not want to keep our investors waiting for results."
The resounding music echoed through the streets as the marching bands played to the rhythm of the crowd. The guests arriving at the event were all pricelessly dressed in adorning outfits as they walked into the building that held high the billboard 'E O S I S PROJECT UNVEILING.'
"Boy, are you deaf or do you just want to get beaten up?" the outsized officer roared.
He had exercised enough restraint given that there was a large presence of well-endowed citizens around and in the building. Struggling to fight his way through the glass door was a young boy. He looked unkempt and rough, exceedingly distinct from other people around him.
"Let me in! Please! I have my ticket, I paid for this sci-exhibit sir!" The boy pleaded.
"Scramble away to your home, you little rat! Events like this are not for rotten denizens like you" The officer growled at him.
"It's not fair! I need to be there!" The young boy proclaimed in tears as he was jacked off his feet "I paid to be there!"
The officer marched towards the gate with the boy on his shoulders. With surprising strength, the boy wiggled his way through and dashed towards the glass door.
Almost immediately, the door was swung open from the inside revealing a rather regal man, he was Captain Renald Lirk, commander of E O S I S projects, host of the day's event.
"What's going on here?" Lirk asked, his voice demanding, extremely deep, and hoarse.
"Nothing to worry about Captain, I was just about taking care of a little problem", the officer announced grabbing the boy by the arm.
Lirk's eyes quickly scanned the surroundings before resting down on the boy, "And you are?"
The boy freed himself from the officer's strong grip, "My name is Rohan Hol, Sir." He wiped off his tears with the back of his palm, "I had paid-"
"What did you say?" Lirk interjected with a severe insisting look which startled Rohan. Lirk snorted and glanced around at the onlooking crowd before settling his eyes once again on Rohan.
"Did you get lost?" Lirk asked.
"No Sir! I'm here for the unveiling" Rohan said feeling the tears coming back once more.
"The unveiling you say?" Lirk adjusted his eyes into that of Rohan "That's quite an odd choice for an indigent to spend twenty silver lyre on an event for selected guests." Making a hundred bronze lyre which was equivalent to a silver lyre. People would have to work several hours a week and with the cost of items in the region, one could spend more than he earned if he was not careful enough.
He came closer to Rohan, hovering over him, "So tell me, why are you here?"
"I- I..." Rohan tried to speak but couldn't find the exact words, this was the first time he was encountering the captain he had heard much about.
Lirk took in a deep breath and let it out, "You bought a ticket? Let me see it."
Rohan managed to pull out his ticket and handed it to the domineering man. And in awe and enthrallment, Rohan watched as the Captain who he had known to be a dictator since when he was little, raised his ticket into the air and tore it into many unmergeable pieces.
Rohan dropped to his knees, the tears finally rushing out. He picked at the numerous pieces of what was once a valuable item to him.
Lirk bent over to meet Rohan's pitiful face, "Look around you boy, everyone here is prestigious and of prominence. I wouldn't let a scumbag like you reduce the quality of my projects to third class". Lirk stood upright and clenched his jaw, "This is the first and last time I'll see you in Parade Grounds..." Captain Lirk managed to mutter his name. "Rohan."
Rohan looked up and around him, he felt helpless and powerless, he had come here looking for answers about who his father was, or where he was. He had spent his last lyre on the ticket hoping this would be the final chapter to all the hardship endowed on him and his mother.
It had been a few months already since he last saw her, she was dragged away to tonic slavery, a place where those who went never returned. Finding his father was the last message his mother had given to him.
Rohan was cut short of his thoughts at the sound of Lirk's cold orders, "Take this brat. He stole a ticket from one of our guests, make sure to deal with him accordingly!"
Several strong hands grabbed Rohan by his sides and began pulling him backward. "No, please! Sir! I'll do anything you want me to do, just let me in for a few minutes". Rohan tried to free himself from the grasp but it was to no avail. "Please, Sir!"
Everyone watched as Rohan's voice became far off as he was dragged to the mouth of the gate.
Why did things have to be this way? What is next for him in his life? Rohan thought as he was easily tossed into the back of a van. Ever since the handover of commander to Captain Lirk, families have been subjugated to poverty, he had dictated the nation; drowning its resources into E O S I S-related projects. Now he was hungry and was about to be taken to a disciplining center.
"Where the hell is the brat?" Rohan heard a voice coming from the side of the van. Master Caperon Lirk, the Captain's stepson, Rohan's worst enemy. 'He has come to begin my torture,' Rohan thought.
"Well, well, well, look who it is", Caperon clapped his hands as he appeared at the back of the van, he had brought his fellow bullies along with him. "Did you think you could easily get in anywhere you want at any time?" He gave a cynical laugh, "Finally you're going to join your mother, to where you belong. I was wondering when this day was going to come."
"Don't talk about my mother that way", Rohan snapped back. He hated Caperon since when he ever knew him. Caperon was a proud jerk who loved to see the weak suffer.
Caperon kept an aggravated look like he was being slapped, "Or what?!" He barked, "You know what? Get him out of the van." The officers took the order quickly and forcefully pulled Rohan out of the van as he slammed the ground hard.
"You think you're tough? Let's see how tough you are eh?" Caperon snarled as he swung the first kick into Rohan's ribs. His friends began swinging boots at Rohan. "You're not that strong are you now? Stand him up, I want him to fight back."
Rohan was raised to his feet sluggishly, the officers watched this horrible act with no further action taken. His sides were aching and sore, he could barely stand.
"Come on, throw your fists" Caperon mocked as he attacked Rohan bringing him down to one knee, "Know your place mutt! I won't stop until you throw a punch."
Rohan glanced around, looking for a way to escape this immorality, but he was surrounded by Caperon's friends. With the last possible strength he had, Rohan flung his fists, it landed right on Caperon's smug face.
In a second of astonishment, Rohan made a quick dash away from the clique. He felt them running after him, He felt his ribs throbbing in pain, he just had to get out of there, no, he didn't want to go to the discipline center, he wanted freedom.
Rohan ran into an open entrance from the base of the huge fence. Shutting the entrance door immediately he was safe inside. As the officers and the gang banged on the door.
Rohan managed to get to his feet, wiping away the tears from his eyes, he took a long look around this strange place.
"Where am I?" Rohan asked himself. The place was large, etched in blue and white. In realization, Rohan was overcome with fear and joy, he was where he had wanted to be, in the E O S I S project unveiling.