Taylor McMahan

[Chris Tyler]

"4:32"

Taylor awoke from a dead sleep. She looked over to the alarm clock positioned on the nightstand. The red LED display showed 4:32am and Taylor turned over in her bed and looked away from it. She knew she'd have to be up in an hour and a half anyway to get ready for work, but that didn't seem to matter. Any amount of sleep would be welcomed at this point and she could allow herself a bit of procrastination. Taylor toyed with the thought of calling in and taking the day off, but it had hardly been two weeks since she'd started at Calhoun's as a server. The money was good enough and she'd already made a few friends on the lunch shift. She didn't want to jeopardize this opportunity, but her mind still fought with Procrastination. Her mind went several places as she laid on the twin bed.

Thirty minutes must have passed as Taylor McMahan tossed and turned in her sheets. Something didn't feel right, but she couldn't quite put her finger on exactly what that was. It was as good a time as ever to get up and step outside. She wearily pushed herself out of the warmth and comfort her bed provided and put a coat over her bra. No one would be up at this hour, but if they were she didn't mind too much to put on a show for whoever happened to be looking. After finally finding her pack of Marlboro Special Blend shorts, she headed out onto the porch of her two-bedroom condo. The air was crisp and nipped at her legs as she stepped out into the open porch and her hands started to shiver lightly. Quickly she fished out a cigarette and within moments she had taken her first few draws from her first one of the day. She let her mind drift to her parents and her sister that was only a few years younger than her.

"Collapse"

Chaos. The Christmas season truly brought out the worst in people, Taylor thought as she attempted to navigate the hordes of Knoxville, Tennessee traffic. The interstate would have proven to be a much faster alternative, but ever since she rear-ended that man on I-40, she'd never been too keen on driving it. It was a quarter past seven and she was sure she'd be late to work today. Traffic had slowed to a crawl on Kingston Pike, and Taylor's mind was wondering once again this morning. Robert, the shift manager and her boss, probably wouldn't take too kindly to her being late, but she was sure he'd understand with the insane amount of traffic that had amassed on the roads. Perhaps he'd even laugh at the joke Taylor had come up with, referring to the Christmas shoppers as moronic assholes with money in their pockets and shit in their skulls. What would she do if he took offense to the crude statement? Taylor looked down to the dashboard of her Honda Prelude. She still had ten minutes and only two miles to go, but if this traffic didn't move any faster she'd be late for sure.

A jolt rocked the car to a halt and caused Taylor gasp in panic. She'd rear-ended the white SUV in front of her. A number of curse words came to mind as she quickly threw the car into park and opened the car door. Oddly the man who's car she'd hit was already standing outside of the SUV. Looking up, the man appeared to be awe-struck like a deer in front of a fast approaching pair of headlights. Something wasn't right, Taylor's mind had concluded. She approached the man and apologized several times as she did so, but he didn't even spare a second to glance at her. His face looked as though the color had been drained from it and to Taylor it looked as though he'd been scared shitless. Taylor happened to glance around toward the other motorists, some of which had already stepped out of their own vehicles and looked upward. None paid any attention to Taylor or the man with the white SUV.
Confused and bewildered, Taylor finally looked up. The view inspired both awe and fear.

Thousands of otherworldly ships dotted the sky and were steadily flying out in all directions. The invasion known as the 7-Hour War had commenced without any warning. Taylor's world, as she knew it, came crashing down in a fiery blaze.

[Chris Tyler]

"Arrival"

The newly dubbed Universal Union had an influx of applicants almost immediately after the first Cities had been constructed. Those who sought the promise of better food and protection from the dangers that manifested themselves within City walls. Others joined simply for a chance gaining the illusion of power in this new world. Wallace Breen oversaw the construction of these fortified housing structures along with the construction of lies that were expertly woven into his daily speeches. Taylor noted the man did have an excellent speaking voice and silver tongue. Administrator Breen promised a "brighter future" and "vast technological and social benefits" from cooperating with the Combine. Most knew a different story involving highly coordinated strikes against those who spoke out against 'our wonderful Union'.

Taylor settled down as best she could in City 05, one of many installations that had cropped up on North America's East coast. In a run-down apartment block that smelled distinctly of blood, shit and bad cooking. Taylor laid down on the moth-eaten sheets of her single mattress. This new life took some getting used to, but she could manage. She could try and fool herself into thinking that she'd been through worse times, but she in her mind she knew better. This was as close to a hell as one could get without taking the long sleep. Her mind thought back to her parents, her sister and her friends, all of their fates unknown to her. After a long while, sleep overtook her.

That night, those calling themselves the Resistance brutally beat and killed a recruit on patrol. The Judgement Waiver sirens roared to life in the early hours of the morning, signalling the chaos that would soon follow. Civil Protection officers flooded Taylor's apartment complex and corralled the citizens down into the lobby. Something was different about the way the Officers carried themselves this time. They seemed excited about something and Taylor could see it in they walked. The Officers split the herd into two separate lines. Those in Taylor's line were escorted at gunpoint toward the City's only trainstation to await transfer. Rumor had it that those in the other line were dead before train arrived to transport Taylor away.

"City 45"

Standing over her, the Civil Protection officer put her full weight onto Taylor's back, forcing her down. Without remorse, the female officer kicked her in the rib cage while she was down. Taylor coughed up the bit of blood that had accumulated in her mouth from a newly busted lip.

This new City would take some time to get used to.

[Slonners]

I've always liked these little ditties from you, Chris! This one is no exception in terms of how it serves to build your character. Well written, friend! Lookin' forward to the next part.

[Chris Tyler]

Updated with second post. Finished product on the way