Chapter 5: Home

5:00 p.m.

Rick stumbled to the bus stop and watched as the cloud darkened and the wind began to whip. A bus pulled up and the doors opened on the driverless bus. He quickly found a seat on the empty bus and contented himself with waiting.

At his old apartment the wind was buffeting, making walking difficult. The benefit of the oncoming storm was that the streets were empty so there was no one to witness him break in.

The hallway was choked with dust, suitcases lay strewn haphazardly and doors were left ajar. He moved up the stairs till he came to his door, closed, and locked. He attempted the fingerprint scan but there was no power to the building. With a sigh he picked up a discarded lamp, removed the base and used it as a wedge to break the door open. Within nothing had changed except for the omnipresent layer of dust. He opened a drawer and pulled out his simple wooden Guardian pendant from childhood and spread his bunched up prayer rug and then prostrated himself with hands clutching the pendant stretched before himself facing the Nexus.

“Oh, guardian above, one subservient to the great Nextian. I know you are the protector of all. I ask that you look favorably on my actions and use them to wipe out those in power who harm those in service to them.”

Distant explosions could be heard. The timebombs Rick had placed had gone off, and it seemed perfect timing right before the brunt of the storms force hit.

“Protect Felice and Jarod, both from the oncoming destruction and from the consequences of having known me.”

The building rocked as waves crashed into it due to the sea walls not being there to break the waves.

“Protect Janice, she does not deserve the destruction to come.”

The building began to groan from the water’s onslaught.

“I ask though for the destruction of the powerful, the mighty, and those who enforce unjust laws.”

Water shattered the window into his room showering him with water and shards of glass.

“Destroy those who ruin lives with no thought of the effects or repercussions.”

The building lurched, stone cracked, and the floor beneath Rick bounced down a few inches, stabilized then gave way. Rick crashed into roiling churning water, then the concrete of the floors and walls above him crashed down upon him.