Chapter: 2
***Present***
Dr. Zane Lockhart stared at the photo in his hands, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "Gahahah, why did you have to leave me?" he muttered, his voice cracking with emotion. The image showed him and his assistant, smiling, a moment frozen in time before the world turned upside down.
"Why..." he whispered, tears blurring his vision. The memories of her haunted him, a constant reminder of everything he had lost. The Cataclysm had taken not just his family, his brother, and his fame, but also the one person who had stood by him through it all.
He looked around his desolate laboratory, now a hollow shell of its former glory. Dust-covered equipment and broken glass littered the floor, and the once-bustling room was eerily silent. His eyes settled on the chair where she used to sit, encouraging him, pushing him to achieve greatness.
"I will find you in this new world, no matter the cost," he vowed, grinding his teeth as a surge of determination mixed with the sadness in his heart.
Zane packed his essentials, steeling himself for the journey ahead. He turned his head towards the window, where the familiar road once teemed with people. Now, it was a verdant landscape, the remnants of civilization scattered miles apart, overgrown with wild foliage and nature reclaiming what once belonged to it.
He adjusted his backpack, took a deep breath, and stepped out of the laboratory. The path ahead was uncertain, but his purpose was clear. He would navigate this transformed world, face its new dangers, and uncover its mysteries—all to find her and possibly restore the order they once knew.
He wandered through the transformed landscape, his phone in hand. Despite knowing it was futile, he kept trying to connect with someone—anyone—hoping against hope that a signal might break through. The screen remained blank.
As he stepped carefully among the unfamiliar plants, he marveled at their strange beauty and potential danger. He bent down to examine a particularly unusual specimen, its vibrant colors suggesting it might be poisonous. Using a pair of tweezers, he gently placed a sample into a tube and then secured it in a container within his bag.
Zane meticulously gathered more samples, aware that each new discovery could hold the key to understanding the Cataclysm or so he thought. With his bag filled with strange flora, he made his way back to his lab, navigating through the overgrown streets and derelict buildings.
In the Laboratory
Back in the lab, Zane set to work, his mind fully engaged for the first time in what felt like ages. He placed the samples under a microscope, noting their unique structures and properties. He ran tests, documenting his findings meticulously, as he had always done.
The lab, though dusty and filled with broken equipment, still held the tools he needed. He powered up an old generator, which hummed to life, bringing a semblance of normalcy to the chaotic environment.
"These plants... they could be the key of understanding," he muttered to himself, his eyes glued to the microscope. "If I can understand them, maybe I can understand this new world."
His research was interrupted by a soft chime from his phone—a miracle. He grabbed it eagerly, but it was only a low battery warning. The fleeting hope made his heart ache, but he pushed on, determined not to let despair take hold.
Chapter 2: end