Human Nature (Book 4): Human Nature IV

by Borthwick, Finlay

  Slamming her bedroom door shut behind her, Vivi threw her handbag against her wardrobe and groaned loudly.

  “Fucking piece of shit school!” She bellowed as she kicked her handbag repeatedly.

  “What the hell are you doing up there?” Vivi’s mother shouted up the stairs.

  “Just leave it!” She screamed back to her mother.

  After several silent and tense seconds had passed, Vivi’s mother went back to whatever she was doing, feeling it best to leave her daughter be.

  Sighing, Vivi sat down at her makeup desk and stared at her face in the mirror. Then, her aggressive look soured even further into one of disgust.

  “Take all that makeup off you slapper!” She screamed at her reflection as she reached into the desk’s drawer for makeup wipes.

  Within minutes, she had wiped off all of her concealer.

  Now, she found herself staring at her reflection once more; though this time, she felt herself slightly calmed by the sight of her more natural look.

  Then, just as she thought she would finally be able to take a breath, her phone started buzzing.

  “Oh, come on!” Vivi raged through gritted teeth as she reached into her pocket to pull out her mobile.

  “Hey Vivi! You good?” It was Lucas, her friend, at the other end of the line.

  She sighed, “Look, Lucas, can I talk to you later? I’ve just got home.”

  “Oh,” he sounded slightly disheartened by how apathetic she was being, “Yeah sure, we can talk later—I was just wondering if you were still coming to the party this evening?”

  Vivi squinted and scrunched her face up awkwardly as she remembered that there was indeed a party happening on this night.

  “Vivi? You still there?” Lucas prompted her for an answer even though she had only been silent for no more than two seconds.

  “Yes, yes… Honestly, I don’t know, Lucas,” She grumbled in response, “My feet are all sore and aching—Not to mention that I’ve got like fifty different assignments to complete.”

  Lucas laughed, “Hey, don’t worry about those. Leave them for tomorrow. Just focus on having fun tonight. Why not?”

  Although she knew this was some rather bad advice, Vivi gave into it nevertheless, “Fine.” She gave him the answer he wanted to here with a minute sigh, “What times does it start again?”

  “Seven!”

  But this was where she drew line, “I’ll be there at eight, okay?”

  “Sure thing, Viv’! Can’t wait to see you!” This was rather an odd thing to say seeing as the two had only seen each other earlier that day.

  “Yeah, you too, bye.” Vivi half-heartedly and hastily ended the call, feeling slightly sick in the back of her throat at the fact that her own friend rather obviously had a crush on her.

  LONDON

  NOVEMBER 2034

  Despite the fact that she was now twenty-six, Vivi ironically found herself looking forward to partying more now than she did back then, though perhaps the stress of the apocalypse played a heavy role in that excitement.

  “Vivi?” Maylene noticed that her friend had slowly broken out of the party atmosphere, “What’s the matter? Are you okay?” She asked with genuine care.

  She nodded quickly and smiled, “All good over here, May.”

  “Then why are you sulking at the back of the bus for?” As she asked this, Maylene grabbed Vivi’s hand, “Come on! Let’s get into the mood!” She forced her up onto her feet and danced with her to the upbeat and funky music that was now blaring out of the party bus.

  “You know,” Cora mumbled to her mother as she too listened on as the party bus came closer, “I never would’ve had Tina down as a party gal, and yet, she’s the one driving that rather loud and obnoxious piece of junk.”

  Erica laughed, “Tina’s full of surprises.”

  “Well,” Cora agreed with a raised eyebrow, “Given the fact that she’s gone from being that random nurse that worked with you all those years ago to now being my potential stepmother? I think you understate just how full of surprises she is; she’s bursting at the seams with them.”

  Again, Erica laughed, and felt a warm level of endearment at how Cora had referred to Tina as becoming her stepmother.

  As Vivi continued to dance with Maylene, she appeared to be rather upbeat and living in the moment on the outside. However, inside her mind, she was remembering the last time that she had danced with someone…

  HERTFORDSHIRE

  JULY 2025

  Although Vivi had told Lucas she would arrive at eight, the time was far closer to nine by the time she had arrived.

  Almost instantly, she was regretting her decision to turn up. As she waded through the overcrowded house party, she was slightly put off by the sight of couples snogging on the sofas, underage lads drinking themselves into a blackout state on the stairs, a gang of several older teenagers taking illegal drugs in the bathroom, and many other rather surreal sights too.

  “Vivi!” Lucas noticed her in the living room from the conservatory. He quickly came trotting over to her with two beers in his grasp.

  For once, Vivi was actually pleased to see him.

  “Here, I got you a beer!” He told her excitedly.

  “Thanks.” She replied with a blunt smile as she carefreely accepted the bottle from him.

  Not sure of what to say to her, Lucas awkwardly stood in front of Vivi and watched her as she sipped her drink.

  On top of everything else going on around her, her own friend being creepy was the last thing that Vivi needed.

  “Who else is here?” Vivi asked, as she had not recognised any of the other faces on her way in. “Whose house even is this?” It had only just dawned on her that, although Lucas had given her the address, he had not told her who it was that even lived here.

  “Honestly,” Lucas began before leaning in to whisper the rest of the answer directly into her ear, “I haven’t a clue!”

  As Lucas retracted from her personal space, there was a great look of bemusement on Vivi’s face, “So, you mean you’ve just showed up at some random person’s house and then invited me along? Why?”

  Lucas shrugged, “Not sure. Like I said, just a bit of fun, right?”

  Vivi rolled her eyes and sighed, “Goodbye Lucas.”

  “Wait, where are you going?” Lucas halted her as she turned around.

  “Home.” Vivi affirmed bluntly. “I appreciate the invite, Lucas, but like I told you over the phone, I’ve got a shit ton of assignments to do and the last thing I need right now is, well, this.” She threw her hands up, gesturing to the party that was all around her.

  “Don’t leave!” Lucas pleaded with her, “Come on, just finish your beer first at least. Please?”

  Although she thought about conceding for a moment, Vivi ultimately stood her ground, “No. I’m going home, Lucas. End of.” Without another word, she stormed out of the house, leaving Lucas stood there in the middle of the living room with an accidentally broken heart.

  LONDON

  NOVEMBER 2034

  After doing several laps of the safe zone, the party bus had finally arrived at the recreation park.

  Quickly, all of the partygoers loaded out of the side door.

  “Come on! Everybody out!” Tina ushered them, “The party’s right over there!” She pointed to the flabbergasted Tina and Cora, who were watching their first guests stagger towards their gazebo, seemingly already drunk.

  Vivi was the last to get off of the bus. Although she found it rather comical to watch all her tipsy friends straggle their way towards the park, she couldn’t help but feel as though there was somebody rather important missing from this night of fun…

  HERTFORDSHIRE, FEBRUARY 2026

  DAY ZERO

  Vivi’s phone rang out.

  “Come on, Lucas, come on! Pick up!” She quickly shook her leg up and down out of the sheer anxiety that was now coursing through her system; it was rather ironic that, for once, it was her who was desperate to ge
t through to Lucas and not the other way around.

  At last, he answered his phone, “Viv—Vivi!” He was stuttering, and it sounded as though he had a considerable volume of liquid pouring out of his mouth.

  “Lucas! Lucas, have you seen the news?” Vivi asked him in a panic, staring at her television screen as she did so, “They’re saying that people all over the world are just… Dropping dead! Like, on the spot! Lucas, have you heard about this…? Lucas?”

  He could be heard violently throwing up at the other end of the line.

  “Lucas?!” She bellowed into her speaker in a panic, her hands now trembling in worry. “Don’t worry, Lucas, I’m gonna get help!” She had quickly deduced that he was having one these ‘attacks’ that was being reported about all over the news.

  Although, when putting Lucas on hold, her idea was to call the emergency services to send an ambulance for her friend, she noticed that she had four missed calls from her mother, who was at work on this day. Forgetting about Lucas momentarily, she desperately called her mother back.

  The phone rang out for quite some time before it died out; Vivi’s mother was out of reach.

  “Dammit!” Vivi cursed, as she suddenly remembered her friend, and switched the line back to him, “Lucas! Lucas, are you still there? Lucas!”

  Although Lucas had not hung up, all that could be heard on his side of the call was a car alarm blaring outside. It was muffled, indicating that the phone was facing down towards the floor.

  “Lucas—Lucas…?” She called out to him more softly than desperately this time, as she now knew deep down in her heart that her friend had just passed away…

  LONDON

  NOVEMBER 2034

  It had only taken half-an-hour for all the attending residents to show up in the park. Though naturally, given what had happened in recent days, not everybody was in the mood to party, and had instead opted to remain at home.

  “So, you’re the nurse’s daughter, right?” Vivi approached Cora confidently.

  “Correct! Well, technically, I’m both nurses’ daughter.” Cora rectified her, viewing Tina as her own kin as well now.

  “Oh, right you are!” Vivi politely agreed. “So,” she tried to think of conversation to make, “I would ask you what your job is, but uh, apocalypse, you know.”

  Cora laughed, “That’s alright. As a matter of fact, I do have a job. I’m currently an apprentice nurse working under my mother in the hospital.” It was surprising just how good Cora’s conversation could be once she was immersed in it; she only ever needed that initial ‘push’ from an outside influence.

  “Ooh, how fancy!” Vivi remarked.

  “What about you? I’m not like, looking down my nose at you or anything,” Cora pulled out all the steps, and words, to ensure that she would not be misunderstood, “Do you have any sort of work you do nowadays?”

  Vivi shrugged, “I survive—And that’s good enough for me.”

  “I’ll drink to that!” Cora declared as she raised her glass and clinked it against Vivi’s.

  Annabelle, with Yelena and Maylene, arrived under the gazebo.

  “Oh! May, Yellie,” Annabelle addressed her new friends with affectionately short nicknames, “This is my old buddy, Cora! Cora, these are my new buddies Maylene and Yelena!”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” Cora greeted them as she shook their hands.

  “Likewise, you’re a little legend around here.” Yelena told Cora with an endearing smile.

  “Really?” Cora blushed slightly.

  “Damn right!” Maylene affirmed. “Annabelle here told us that you once savaged a guy who threatened her!”

  Although Cora could not recall to the events of this story, and thus believed it was actually a lie to make her seem cooler, she went along with it, “Oh, yes! I remember!”

  “Annabelle also told us you’re a little shy,” Maylene called her ‘new buddy’ out, prompting Cora to scratch the back of her neck awkwardly, “But, I’m sure we can help with that,” she nudged her amiably, “I’d love it if we could be friends.”

  Cora’s eyes widened in surprise, for not once, neither before nor after the apocalypse, had somebody wanted to be her friend, “Yes! Of course!” She declared ardently.

  “Great!” Maylene proclaimed with equal gratitude.

  “Ahe-ahem.” Yelena coughed to catch Cora’s attention, “I’d also like to be your friend.”

  Cora smiled jovially, “Hey, all five of us are friends now!” She threw her arms over Annabelle’s and Vivi’s shoulder.

  Then, in turn, Annabelle and Vivi threw their arms over the shoulders of Maylene and Yelena, the latter two doing the same to each other as well – Now, they had, both literally and figuratively, formed a friendship circle.

  Unseen from under a neighbouring gazebo, Erica watched as her daughter made new friends with a relieved smile on her face; this was the only sight that she had ever truly wanted to see.

  Chapter 24: The Zodiac

  CZECHIA

  MAY 2034

  Five fighter jets flew on overhead through the beautiful blue sapphire skies of Europe.

  The pilots couldn’t resist gazing down at the beautiful landscape beneath; from above, it would be impossible for somebody not in the know to tell that the world had essentially ended.

  “Leo squadron, we’re breaking formation at the back!” The leader of the flock announced from the front of their imperfect V-shaped formation, referencing how the two pilots at farthest back were beginning to get a little ‘too’ distracted by the scenery.

  “Sorry Loveknot!” One of the pilots apologised over the intercom.

  “Yeah, sorry about that, sir!” The other drifting pilot expressed his regrets as well.

  The V-shaped formation was now perfect again.

  “Uh, are you guys seeing this?” An entirely different pilot radioed in now, having noticed something peculiar down beneath.

  “What is it, Grossman?” Loveknot queried to his righthand woman who had just called the sight in.

  “Look down there! To the left!” She directed her comrades’ gaze.

  Down beneath, there was a rather narrow yet elongated town that ran parallel on either side of the river flowing through the middle of it – But this was not what Grossman had drawn everybody’s attention to.

  “Are those—People?” Bales, who was Loveknot’s righthand man, called in as he spotted a great many figures scattered along the riverbank beneath, all beadily gazing up at the sky…

  “Tina! Erica!” Petra burst into Annabelle’s room, interrupting a rather tender moment.

  They both spun around instantly, “Petra? What is it?”

  “Look!” She ran into the room and leapt over the bed, opening the window, and pointing upwards to the sky.

  A faint mechanical whirring filled the room.

  Erica and Tina looked at each other fearfully, then jumped up to the window.

  “Everyone is hearing it!” Petra commented, pointing towards the road alongside the river where many members of the community had stepped outside their houses and were now looking up into the sapphire evening sky.

  The noise grew louder, though Annabelle remained completely unfazed.

  The three women at the window looked up and were all blown away.

  There, in the sky, five fighter jets flew overhead. They were in a perfect V-shaped formation, all at an unchanging constant speed.

  “How....How is—How’s that even possible?” Erica was at a total loss for words.

  Tina shook her head, still transfixed on the aircrafts as they passed into the horizon.

  “The army?” Petra suggested.

  “Pfft.” Tina scoffed and stepped back from the window as the jets went out of view again. “What army?”

  “Czechian army!” She presumed, given their location.

  “I don’t think so…” Erica rebutted this notion. “We’ve scouted for miles and miles in any given direction around this place and not once
have we found any signs of a military presence. If it is the army, then they’ll be from somewhere else without a doubt.”

  “People!” Petra was feeling overjoyed by this revelation. “There is hope. There is a future! The world is not over!”

  “Whoa, whoa, don’t get ahead of yourself.” Tina raised her hands in a gesture that meant ‘Stop’. “We don’t know what we just saw. For all we know, they could be evil. They may not even be an official army!”

  “I agree. I think they’re a militia if anything.” Erica added…

  “They can see us, Loveknot!” Bales alerted him in a panic.

  “Keep your cool, lieutenant,” Loveknot calmly instructed him, “We’ll just go back to base and alert the corporal that we’ve found something. Then, it’ll be his decision what happens next.”

  Although Leo squadron carried on zooming westwards, their base was actually North-East from the town which they had just flown off. In order to cover their tracks, they would continue flying onwards until they were extremely out of view of the town before heading back.

  KIELCE, POLAND

  LATER THAT DAY…

  Leo squadron had returned to base.

  Due to Loveknot radioing in their discovery to his superior whilst on the way back, he and the rest of his pilots had instantly been summoned to speak with him.

  Loveknot was the one seated on the other side of the corporal’s desk, whilst Grossman, Bales, Faustus, and Izumi were stood looming either side of him.

  The corporal wrote down his report as he asked Loveknot questions about what he and his squadron had seen, “How many people do you estimate there to be in this… Town?”

  “Well, Corporal Ulysses,” Loveknot cleared his throat before answering, “It’s difficult to give an accurate answer. There were lots of houses and the people outside were all scattered.”

  Corporal Ulysses had a disgruntled expression on his face, seeming to be slightly annoyed that Loveknot had not actually given him a straight answer, “Estimate.” He ordered him.