Brooklyn, New York
The Apostate, morning
“Good Morning New York and welcome to a lovely summer’s day here in the greatest city on earth! We got some classics comin’ right up for-”the DJ jockey’s voice was cut short by the sound of Darren hitting the snooze button on the top of his alarm clock. He groaned and sluggishly moved onto his back. He rubbed his eyes and groaned like a bear in hibernation. It was just another day. He pushed himself to get up and get ready for the day. 10 years ago he would have slept till afternoon like some drunk but he had now been gifted with responsibility and her name is Sophie. Darren jumped in and out of the shower quickly, frantically placed his boilersuit on and adjusted his cap. He looked into a mirror and felt quite strange. He had felt odd looking at himself in the mirror ever since Sophie. He would never have pictured himself making an honest living. He always thought that he would have spent half his life in prison but instead, his life took a turn for the better. She makes him happy. Truly happy.
He walked joyously into his 6 year old daughter’s room and sees his ray of sunshine right in front of him. There she was, sleeping peacefully like a little lion club. Holding onto her pink giraffe and surrounded by a variety of other plush wildlife. It seemed to be a shame to wake her up. While sleeping, she picked her nose sweetly unaware that her father saw her. He just chuckled at the sight. It was cute. Without further adieu, he proceeded to walk up to her and shake her gently on the shoulder. “Wakey, wakey sweetheart.” She turned on her back to see her father gently shaking her shoulder. She gave a groan and weakly tried to move. “Daddy…I don’t feel well.” Darren’s face switched into a worrying look. He touched her forehead to check her temperature. She was burning up; it was almost ridiculous. “Goodness me, you’re racking up a fever!” She gave a slight nod and started to drift in and out of sleep. Darren walked towards the kitchen with a strong motive and grabbed a cold cloth from the sink. He walked back to his sickly daughter and placed the cloth gently on her head. He then proceeded to say something that he truly meant.
“I will never leave your side.”
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Manhattan, New York
6-7 years later, present day
Darren wakes up suddenly with a fright, breathing heavily while doing so. He gives a look of grief and sadness as he comes to terms where he was again. He was back in hell but it was not as red and hot as described in the tales of old. It was green, cold and nostalgic. He places his head back onto to the soft, green bush that was resting against a creaky old computer desk. The room around was once the living embodiment of a lively organism bustling with life but now, it’s a lifeless husk. He looks upon at the damp, moss-infested ceiling. The floor belonged to some office firm years ago and now the whole floor was claimed by the new land-lady called Mother Nature. If someone years ago told him that eventually he would be living in an abandoned office building, he might have believed it. His criminal record could have almost predicted it but he still can’t believe.
He stands back up and walks towards the massive hole in the wall that reveals the eerie view of Central Park. It was now a forest, brimming with wildlife, nature and death. The view from the 20th floor also showed the other buildings too. They were abandoned by man and left for Mother Nature to creep up the building with her hand of branches hugging them. He reaches into his pocket and takes out a small bottle of whisky from his jacket pocket. He pulls the cap off and proceeded to take a big of gulp of ‘forget-juice’. It was the only cure in this broken world and it was all he had. The food, water and guns may be in short supply but the alcohol still persists. He reaches into his backpack for some breakfast but all he found was a slightly dirty red apple. He rubs the apple of his jacket and continued to take a bite out of it. If this was his only food, then he’ll have to go to gathering for food down in the woodland area known as Central Park. He picked up his backpack and fire-axe and proceeded to walk through the ruins of the office floor towards the large stairwell. His plan was to collect some fruit and maybe catch a rabbit and start heading towards a different place to camp-out. Never sleep in the same place twice. This was a rule to remember in this god-forsaken land because one way or another, the Children of God will eventually find you.
He walks out onto the street in front of him and was welcomed with the sight of a road filled with patches of grey asphalt and green weeds. It was a battle between civilization and nature on the road and so far nature was winning. Upon this road were rusty shells of cars that had died out years ago. They were un-driveable and almost unsalvageable. All that was left was the rust slowly eating away at the cars like flies to a carcass. The major sight that took his eyes was the mass forest in front of him that used to be home to your average dog walker and jogger but now it looks like something that rich men use for building hunting cabins. Nevertheless, it wasn’t the first time he had trekked this infamous “park” and it wouldn’t be his last. The only difference between this time and his last time is that the forest always grows a little taller each time. Eventually it’ll be so tall that light will never be able to penetrate the forest floor. He sighs and starts walking through the Central Park entrance. He looks up and sees the sun being partially blocked by the forest branches. The forest has given many fortunes and misfortunes to wanderers in the past. Darren, today, is very pessimistic of his chances.