CHAPTER 86: ARIEL QUINN’S ADDRESS.

Self defense training lasted for an hour and a half and then everyone started to move away from the field. Ariel took a megaphone from Rori Quinn and stopped them.

"If everyone would stay back for a moment, I would like to announce something.

He had become a key figure on the base. If one wanted extra supplies for any reason, he was the person to go to. So, when Ariel Quinn talked, everyone listened. The residents had not realized it yet but Ariel was now ranked fourth in charge, just behind Nimo.

The kids looked at him with idolizing eyes that shimmered. Ariel Quinn was a role model for many little ones. They all knew to run to him if they had trouble.

Hades sidled up next to Sunshine and whispered, "Oh boy. He is going to say something that is going to piss a lot of people off."

"And he will not give a damn." Sunshine laughed.

Everything Ariel did or said was for the good of the base. That is why she let him take charge of whatever he so fit and stayed behind in an advisory role.

Helena Mouthquake was not as tolerant as everyone else. She disliked Ariel almost as much as she disliked Sunshine. While she could not bully Sunshine, she figured Ariel was a soft target.

"This kid again." She shouted loudly. "Little boy, you are not in charge of the base and you should stop acting as if you are."

None of the adults were pleased with Helena’s response, Ariel was very strict but he did not throw his weight around in a bad way. He could have been an entitled brat because he was a Quinn and his parents owned the base but he was not. His actions towards their livelihood deserved to be praised but instead here Helena was, subtly condemning him.

Worried that Helena’s words could slowly erode Ariel’s confidence, Sunshine stepped forward because she was not about to have that. The other Quinn’s were in line with her.

Nimo beat all of them to the punch. "Listen mouth quake....."

"Mouth Quake?" Helena screamed in anger. She knew the name people used to refer to her and abhorred it.

Nimo took two intimidating steps towards Helena. "Yes, Mouthquake as that is exactly what you are, a stupid woman who does not know when to stop her mouth from moving. You are living on the base built by Ariel Quinn’s parents. Everyday, you fill your mouth with food stocked by his parents and monitored by him so that nobody finds themselves starving three, four or five years later.

In case you are not aware, this apocalypse has been determined by scientists as a period that is going to last five long years. Ariel Quinn wants to make sure that we all live to see the end of the five years. I suggest that you tone down on the selfish and unkind comments and listen to him or get out and take your chances in the acid rain." She did not sugar coat a thing-her cruelty came with eye contact.

Many of the people that heard Nimo’s words thought that Helena deserved to be condemned including corporal Isaac. He started pushing through the crowd to get to her and make her stop talking.

Helena however scoffed and flipped her hair, in her opinion she had nothing wrong. "If they did not want us to give opinions they should have put it in the rules." She mumbled.

"Thank you...." Ariel paused and exhaled lightly, he did not know his defender’s name even though he had seen her around his step mother a couple of times.

"Aunt Nimo....you can call me that." She winked at Ariel.

Ariel cleared his throat, uncomfortable with calling a stranger aunt. "Okay....Thank you Miss Nimo."

Ariel made a presentation of the programs that he had eliminated, added or retained in the children’s entertainment and daily activities. He also gave the reasons why. The adults agreed and only made a few changes.

"Please put your hands together for the young man." Sunshine let out a thunderous hand clap adding whistling and cheers.

"Yeah good job Ariel." Nimo added.

The others clapped and praised him as well.

But Ariel was not finished. "And now here are some observations that I have noted. A lot of grown-ups like to whisper like truth is dangerous. You are scaring the children. If anyone encounters any problem on the base, please go to the relevant authorities for help.

There is a stash of chocolate which will be expiring in a week. If anyone wants chocolate, they can go and meet grandma Rori Quinn."

Rori Quinn raised her hand and waved.

Ariel continued. "Some of you are going around claiming resource inequality because some people are eating snacks and you are not so you think we are giving more rations to other families and not yours.

I would like to make it clear that everything that the base provides is distributed in the open. We do not differentiate depending on what part of the wall you are living in. We consider age, labor and need. In case you have forgotten, some families came with private supplies.

It is a not a crime for them to eat from their private stash. You can always trade with them if you wish. If this noise continues..." He paused and looked around. "Thank you for listening."

Helena scoffed. If the walls did not matter, why were some of them in the third and second walls? Everyone should have been inside the first wall. She did not voice her dissatisfaction this time.

The young boy stepped down with his shoulders high up after leaving a threat hanging in the air.

The residents dispersed, some went to work and others went home.

Warren invited Sunshine and Hades to the information center. "On the radio, after silence for so long, there is communication. Secretary Ceasar is going to address the nation."

They all settled in front of the handheld radio that had been silent. Finally, some news was coming from the outside world.

****

Swinging from side to side in his chair, President Ceaser began his address by declaring a martial law.

"The army is now in charge of everything, and I am the commander in chief, in this time of crisis, what I say goes.

Number two, all big resorts and hotels are going to be turned into government bases, that is where we shall send all the aid that you need so when the acid rain ceases take shelter there.

Number three, if you see any person with wounds, boils and sticky skin, kill that person immediately. I repeat terminate all zombie like humans that have been infected by acid rain. These people are infectious and they will end all humanity.

Number four, all awakened citizens are welcome to the white house. Your president could use your services right now. Bring your families and join those that serve and protect our nation.

Number five, be safe out there we will need labor if we are to rebuild our country to its former glory." He motioned for the connection to be cut.

He stood up and asked Lugard. "Have there been any updates from the doctors at the lab? I need to know what is going on with the woman from the mist."

"Sir, that is why I came. There was a small or big issue at the lab, depending on how you look at it." Lugard reported.

"Did something happen to the test subject?" Ceasar barked, voice desperate.

"It seems like a fire broke out the moment you began the broadcast. We don’t know what is going on over there right now." Lugard answered.

Clenching his fists, Ceaser kicked the chair. "Send men out there I need to know what happened." He barked.

"B...but sir, what about the acid rain." Lugard mumbled.

Silenced by the president’s icy stare, Lugard turned on his heel and dashed from the broadcast room. More people would have to be sacrificed. But how could they travel in acid rain?