NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 77: Atlas the Evil Fascist
POV : EARTH’S CHILDREN
(LAST NIGHT)
The night was tense as the air was pierced by the distant howls of the demon dog, slamming against the barrier. The Mana Dome of MegaAwesomeness, which the Earth’s Children had purchased for one coin per day, held steadfast. No monster or demon could penetrate its infallible defences, offering complete safety around the clock.
As Clark and Ronald hurriedly arrived at the Earth’s Children, the settlement's leader, Olivia, greeted them with a mixture of curiosity and concern. She hadn’t known people could teleport directly into her settlement!
Olivia, a kind and gentle woman with a soft demeanour, quickly approached the newcomers. Her eyes were filled with curiosity and concern. "Welcome. I’m Olivia, the leader here. What brings you to our settlement, and where did you come from?"
Clark’s night had been a whirlwind of chaos and desperation, and he was eager to unload his grievances about Atlas.
Clark, his voice steady, began recounting the events with a fervour and urgency that was worthy of an Oscar. “We had to flee from the Portal Crushers’ camp. Atlas—he's their leader—turned out to be a real monster. He’s practically a dictator , keeping people as slaves and treating them like dirt.”
Olivia looked at Clark and Ronald, her eyes filled with questions.
Clark took a deep breath and began, “Olivia, I’ve got to be honest with you. Atlas and the Portal Crushers? They're not what they seem. Everything you saw on the show? It’s a lie.”
Olivia frowned. “A lie? What do you mean?”
“Atlas is a fraud,” Clark said, his voice low and intense. “Everything he does is for his own gain. The way he’s been running things? It’s all about keeping himself in power and making sure he’s the centre of attention. He acts like he’s all about helping people, but he’s really just a self-serving dictator.”
Ronald nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I thought he was a good guy based on the show too. But it’s all twisted. Clark saved me from becoming monster bait, and it was clear to me that Atlas just used everyone around him to boost his own status.”
Olivia’s expression shifted from curiosity to shock. “I had no idea. I thought Atlas was someone we could trust. What happened that made you leave?”
Clark continued, “Atlas made some pretty brutal decisions. He withheld food and water from those who didn’t contribute as much as he wanted. He’s focused on showcasing his own skills rather than genuinely caring about the team’s well-being.”
Olivia’s eyes widened as she listened. “That’s terrible. What will you do now?”
Clark looked around at the safe haven of Earth’s Children and said, “I’m hoping we can find a place with you here, where things are different. Here, at least, we have a chance for a fresh start. I’ve brought emergency supplies, indicating the two backpacks. I brought this from Earth, it contains food and medical equipment, I know you will all use it for the good of the people. Atlas tried to confiscate it, when he saw it. He indicated to me that the goods could be used in trade with desperate survivors for manual labour or sexual favours. But I refused him.”
As Olivia processed the information, she handed them bowls of food. “Here, this might help.” She handed them two bowls of suspicious green sludge,
“What’s this?” Asked Ronald.
“It’s Soylent: Green, we got it from the FOODPLUS machine.”
‘‘“It’s totally not made from peeple. Only Soys. Soy, soy, delicious! Soy Soy equals Joy Joy! Just one coin for five bowls!‘‘
Clark accepted the food gratefully. “Thanks, Olivia. We’re just trying to move forward and find a place where we can trust the leadership.”
Olivia nodded sympathetically. “I understand. We’ll do our best to support you. It’s clear that you’ve been through a lot.”
Olivia took in the news with a heavy heart. She had trusted Atlas, and now it seemed her faith had been misplaced.
Ronald accepted the food gratefully, his hunger overshadowing his wariness of the green sludge.
Clark and Ronald sat in a quiet corner of the Earth’s Children settlement, their bowls of green porridge nearly finished. The early morning light filtered through the makeshift canopy overhead, casting long shadows across the ground.
Ronald poked at his food, his expression troubled. “Clark, do you think we really made the right choice? Leaving Atlas and the Portal Crushers… it just feels like we abandoned ship.”
Clark leaned back, a reassuring smile spreading across his face. “Ronald, listen to me. We absolutely made the right choice. Atlas is a sinking ship. You saw how he was running things—hoarding supplies, manipulating people. He’s more interested in his own glory than in keeping us safe.”
Ronald frowned, still uncertain. “But what if he was right about needing to be tough? Maybe we were just too weak to handle it.”
Clark shook his head firmly. “No, Ronald. That’s exactly how he wants you to think. It’s all about control. He wanted to break us down so we’d be dependent on him, so we’d do whatever he said without questioning it. That’s not strength—that’s fear.”
Ronald sighed, still looking conflicted. “I just don’t want to end up in an even worse situation, you know? What if things here aren’t any better?”
Clark placed a hand on Ronald’s shoulder, his voice low and confident. “This place, Earth’s Children, is a fresh start. Olivia’s not like Atlas. She actually cares about the people here. She’s soft-hearted, and that’s something we can use to our advantage. We’re in a position now to really make a difference, to take control of our own destiny.”
Ronald glanced up, meeting Clark’s gaze. “You really think we can make it here?”
Clark nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination. “Absolutely. And not just make it—thrive. We’re smart, Ronald. We know how to play the game. With Olivia’s resources and our experience, we can turn this place into something strong. Something safe.”
Ronald slowly nodded, the doubt in his eyes beginning to fade. “Alright, Clark. I trust you. We’ll make this work.”
Clark’s smile widened, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. “That’s the spirit, Ronald. Stick with me, and we’ll not only survive—we’ll come out on top.”
———
The next morning, as dawn broke and the first rays of light pierced the air, a giant holographic list appeared in the centre of the settlements. The Red Fairy floating high above, looking down majestically, began to speak. Her voice, amplified by magic, carried across the settlements everywhere ensuring that everyone could hear her.
“Greetings, settlements! Here is the top ten list of the current standings. The points determine who will receive the 100 tokens at the end of the year. Get them and go home!”
The fairy’s voice resonated with an almost musical quality as she continued. The names of the settlements and their leaders were projected in bright, shimmering letters:
TOP 10 SETTLEMENTS
1. Portal Crushers: Atlas 1.1 points
2. Canucks: Wayne 1
3. Cell Block 21: Liam 1
4. The Coven Clique : Emma 1
5. Faith: Kumar 1
6. Belief: Oliver 1
7. Cocoon: Amelia 1
8. America First: Charlotte 1
9. Blackstrike: Noah 1
10. Help Everyone: Sophia 1
The fairy explained that each settlement started with one point.
If a settlement changed ownership, the new leader would inherit all the points. The total points decided who would receive the 100 return home tokens.
“And there’s a second list here of losers,”she said. She projected a second list.
“Hmmm,” looking at the lowest ranked settlement list the fairy mused, her tone tinged with amusement. “It seems some people are too clueless to even claim their settlements.”
CURRENT 10 LOWEST RANK SETTLEMENT
10.Unknown. Known. 0 points.
9. Unknown. Known. 0 points.
8. Unknown. Known. 0 points.
7. Unknown. Known. 0 points.
6. Unknown. Known. 0 points.
5. Unknown. Known. 0 points.
4. Unknown. Known. 0 points.
3. Unknown. Known. 0 points.
2. Unknown. Known. 0 points.
1. Unknown. Known. 0 points.
‘‘‘
She didn’t mention that her hasty departure yesterday had cut off some crucial explanations, a fact she kept to herself. “The lowest placed settlement gets fairy wiped, so don’t be lazy. Toodleooh bitches!” She said as both her and the list faded from view. People all over the apocalypse were stunned.
Olivia, still grappling with last night’s horrific revelations about Atlas, looked to Clark and Ronald with newfound determination. “We need to prepare. It’s clear that things are more complicated than we thought. We’ll make sure our settlement stays safe and secure.”
Clark, nodded in agreement. “Yes we need to stay vigilant. There’s no telling what other surprises might be waiting for us.”
Ronald, his resolve strengthening, added, “Definitely we have to keep an eye on Atlas. His settlement is adjacent to yours, so they could teleport in anytime! His people are all armed to the teeth, and it was so bad yesterday. There was so much death. They were forcing people to gather the bones of the dead for some ritual.”
“Gulp.” Olivia’s face went pale. ‘Was that why Atlas was ranked first with 1.1 points? Had he already started killing people and razing settlements?‘
***
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