Chapter 1: Work or Cereal? That is the Question.

This is the 1st chapter in the HSATM installation
==Description==
Weird stuff is been happening all over the Sprawl. Violence and suicide rates skyrocket. But what could all of this mean? After listening to the radio, Orion learns he isn't the only one questioning what's going on.
==Story==
Well, it's been two years from the attack and I still can't have my Lucky Charms. Ever since THAT day, they won't allow me to eat them. My cereal was not the cause of the outbreak. But wait, you don't have any idea of what I'm talking about. Let's start out with the morning I first bought my delicious box of Lucky Charms...
It was a dark and stormy night, all throughout the Spawl people worked peacefully. Hang on, can it be a dark and stormy night on the Sprawl? Do we even have weather? Well crap, there goes the atmosphere. Hold on let me try this again son. Hmm, what's that? I should tell this from an outside perspective? Er, okay I'll try. Here goes...
Our story beings with our character, Orion Shade, buying cereal late at night. The Sprawl's most famous grocery store, Space Food, was packed as per usual. Orion didn't have much so he headed over to the 10 items or less section. There was only one person in front of him who was buying what looked like pancake mix and whip cream. Orion looked down in his basket, he had a bowl of Lucky Charms, a half-gallon of milk, and a small bag of sugar.
Cashier: Hello sir, I hope you found your shopping experience quick and easy. Is this all for you today?
Orion: Yeah, gotta have my cereal fix in the mornings, or at midnight, usually both.
Cashier: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, though usually only large animals eat before sleeping.
Orion: I need all the energy I can get for work in the morning, dealing with people is a drag sometimes, I'm sure you can relate to that.
Cashier: Sadly yes, people can be a pain in the ass sometimes. As for your purchase goes. that'll be 250 Credits.
Orion: What, 250? But last week it was only 225 credits, that's almost a 10% increase! What happened?
Cashier: Prices on a lot of things have gone up since they started extensive research on that top-secret government project. Of course, we have to pay for it since they have to find some way to screw us over and find fundings for all their projects.
Orion: *sigh* Figures, I'll have to look into that. *pulls out his wallet*
Cashier: Look into it?
Orion: I suggest you don't press, for legal reasons. But if I find anything and you want me to know, here's my email just send me something and let me know that you wanna be filled in. 
Orion hands the cashier his Credits Card and the cashier swipes it and pockets the note with Orion's email on it.
Cashier: Thank you, have a nice day. I'll probably send you an email after I get off work.
Orion: I'll keep an eye out for it, hope the rest of your shift is easy.
Orion takes his bag then hops on tram to head back home. On the way home he reaches into his bag to check that he grabbed the right size cereal box when he noticed someone staring at him from the other side of the tram car. Orion picked up his bag and quickly got off at the next tram station and walked the rest of the way home, taking shortcuts and back alleys to make sure he wasn't being followed.
Now settled in his bed with everything put away, Orion begins to fall asleep when all of a sudden he finds himself in a strange situation which feels real, but can only be a nightmare.
Orion looks around and checks his surroundings and finds himself in a field surrounded by strange double-helix formations. He looks up to see what time of day it is and finds that there is nothing in the sky. No sun, no moon, no stars, nothing but a blank white space with strange symbols everywhere.
Orion: What the fuck? Where am I?
Unable to figure out where he is and unable to make out what the strange formations are he begins to head towards one. After walking for what feels like minutes, he begins to jog. However, no matter how much he jogs he doesn't seem to make any progress. All of a sudden, one of the formations appears in front of him instantly. In front of the object is an apparition of some sort. The apparition appears to be human, but very mutilated and twisted, having no real features and glowing various shades of white, red, or black.
Orion: *jumps back in surprise and screams* What's going on?! What the hell is this thing? Where am I? What are you?
The apparition then speaks to him even though it does not move or show any signs of life. The voice, however, seems to come from the object more than the apparition/
Unknown: Leave this place, your kind is not welcome here. If you do not leave, our unholy race will come forth and slaughter you all.
As it speaks, the strange symbols in the sky appear to light up and become more noticeable. They begin to move almost as if they're arranging themselves into words.
Orion: *confused* My kind? What exactly is my kind and why aren't we welcome here? And why will you kill us, what have we done? What even are you?
Unknown: What we are and why we kill is not important, you are not meant to understand you have not reached enlightenment. Your kind is a vast and complex one, taking many different shapes and sizes. You have done many wrongs strange creature. Tell me, have you heard of the distant planet Earth in this solar system?
Orion: *offended* Strange creature? You're the talking rock, apparition thing not me. But yeah, I was born there. What about it?
Unknown: If you were born there, then you must know of the plague caused by a human named Michael Altmann. He found our Black Brother and tried to control it. This caused a backlash and caused a great many deaths.
Orion: Uh, I know who Michael Altmann was, but nothing about...whatever you're talking about. He created a religion called Unitology which revolved around something called The Marker and Covergence or something. However, I have to say I have no idea what you mean by your "Black Brother."
Unknown: Our Black Brother was one of the originals of what you humans call "The Marker" and it was sent to Earth, but was swallowed by the sea. Your kind tried to take advantage of it and saw this backlash, releasing our plague. Your kind replicated our brother and spread the plague even further. Now you are attempting to do so again on a larger scale. You must quit trying to take control of that which you do not understand or burn in a fire of your own undoing. NOW LEAVE THIS PLACE!!
Orion awakens from his dream, sweating and his heart racing in his chest. He takes a moment to breathe in his surroundings and realize where he is. After becoming aware again, he takes several deep breaths before getting out of bed. He goes to the kitchen and gets a cool glass of water and drinks it then wets his face and chest with a cool washcloth. He then looks at the clock on the wall and notices the time reads 08:37.
Orion: FUCK I OVERSLEPT AGAIN! God dammit I gotta hurry!
Orion quickly rushes back to his room where he gets dressed for the day and slips into his custom made Shadow RIG that his father designed. He hurries back to the kitchen where he makes himself a bow of cereal and begins eating it when he notices that he left the radio on.
Reporter: ..yes again we have another suicide on Titan Station which makes the third one in the past 6 hours. At this time there have been no connections between the suicides within the past week. Teams are looking into causes as well as so far none have been able to be identified for any of the recent suicide victims. The only clue so far have been random scrawls on various pieces of paper or walls in the houses all which say the same thing, "make us whole." Anyone with any information should contact the police immediately.
Orion: Huh? More suicides? What the hell's going on? I don't have time to worry about this though I have to haul ass and get to work. *grabs spork* Alright my love, it's time to haul ass and catch the tram.
Orion puts his dishes away quickly, grabs his laptop, and rushes to nearest tram station where the tram was just pulling in. He boots up his laptop and begins to check the tram schedule to estimate when he will arrive at his workplace. His laptop gives him an estimated time of 12 minutes which will put him at an hour late for work, which is sadly normal when he's late. As Orion hops off the tram, he notices someone staring at him from across the walkway, but quickly dismisses it as he rushes to work.
Mike Chaster: Late again Mister Shade? One more time and you're fired. You may be our best employee, but that doesn't excuse you from the rules I expect better from you.
Orion: Yes sir, I apologize. Although I know you hate excuses, I may need to talk to you after work and ask you some questions about something that could be very important.
Mike Chaster: This better not be your usual bullshit nonsense Shade, I'm tired of hearing it. However, the look on your face tells me otherwise so I'll cut you some slack today. Now, get to work.
Orion goes to his station where he boots up his company desktop and plops his laptop next to it so he can monitor multiple things at once and get more work done to make up for being late. Throughout the day nothing unusual happens, until his laptop popped up with an important news broadcast regarding the suicides. Orion had ignored it for the most part, until suddenly they got a strange call.
Caller: Excuse me, but do you mind explaining to the public why the hell there have been so many flat-lines all across the board in the Sprawl? No one is safe. Not miners, not the doctors, hell not even EarthGov employees seem to be safe.
Announcer: I apologize, but I'm afraid I must tell you that I have no information at this time as to why all the flatlines have been happening. As our earlier broadcast mentioned, we currently can't find any causes or connections between the suicides and the only clue we have is the "make us whole" notes that they keep finding. Is there any reason you called here in particular?
Caller: You're the news, you're supposed to keep us informed and you are not doing a very good job at all of that! You're a part of the system you're supposed to have inside information, stuff that the entire public doesn't know! So if you do have stuff like that you should tell us because some of us are worried about family out here!
Announcer: Well I'm sorry sir I don't know anything, I'm pretty worried myself. If you want you could try to call the security teams or wait on hold for someone in EarthGov.
Caller: This is bullshit! If anyone wants to try to figure out what's going on or has any information call me at 809-549-6250 Ext: 58918!
Orion writes down the number as the caller repeats it and then hangs up. The reporter sounds shocked, but doesn't appear to have anything else valuable to say and nothing else unusual happens. Orion turns the report volume down on his laptop and calls the number.
Voice: Hello who's this? Are you calling about the suicides?
Orion: My name isn't important right now, but yes I am calling about the suicides. Do you know anything.
Voice: All I know is I'm a scientist and this kind of stuff isn't normal. On top of the suicide rates skyrocketing, there's been some weird gravitational fluctuations going on around the Sprawl. Do you know anything or are you just as clueless as everyone else seems to be? 
Orion: I'm not entirely sure, but I have a question. It may seem very odd, but if I may ask?
Voice: I'm going to need to know who I'm speaking to before I answer any questions. And yes, before you ask, I will tell you my name as well after you ask your question before I answer it, if I can.
Orion: My name's Orion Shade. You've mentioned you're a scientist, well I'm a computer specialist myself. Anyways, have you been having weird dreams lately? Particularly any dreams involving weird apparitions of things that appear human, but mutilated? Or any involving weird double-helix type rocks? Any with voices warning you about things that happened on Earth involving Michael Altmann and bringing about a plague?
Voice: Nice to meet you Orion, my name is Egil, Egil Lawton. What you have just described to me is very alarming and I think it may be related after all. Personally, I've seen these formations that you described in vast quantity in my dreams. They were joined by dozens of apparitions. The apparitions appeared human, but were somehow killing people with their arms or were vomiting on people or something, killing them it seemed. Afterwords, the ones they killed seemed to become mutilated it was very odd.
Orion: Very odd, I wonder if what you saw is related to the plague that was mentioned in my dream?
Egil: So this could be related? Hmm, this is all very interesting. Since I now have your number, I'm going to message you a time and place that we should meet up and discuss this. The place is public so do not come armed, there will be no need. I'm going to bring some of my fellow colleagues along who I have been discussing this with, but I'm going to have to ask you to come alone for the time being. I'll see you then hopefully.
Orion hangs up the phone and goes back to work. Time seems to drag on as he finishes up for the day. He shuts down his laptop and desktop and prepares to leave when he remembers he needed to talk to his boss. He turns around and heads to his boss's office and knocks where he is told to come in after a moment of waiting.
Mike: So, Mister Shade, what exactly did you need to talk to me about?
Orion: You've been seeing all the news reports recently right about the suicide rates?
Mike: I usually stay away from the news, but yes I have been following this. It is rather concerning and is highly unusual, even for a place in deep space.
Orion: Okay, well this is all going to sound crazy but...
Orion explains to him in detail what happened in his dream along with his phone call with the mystery caller on the radio.
Mike: I personally can't say I've had any dreams, but I swear I've been seeing things. I'll excuse you being late today as that sounds very traumatic, but I won't do it again, just call in next time if you need to. As for this meeting, it sounds sketchy so make sure you stay safe, it being somewhere so public makes me feel better though. You already have my contact information, so please keep in touch with me if you find out anything substantial. 
Orion: I will sir, you make sure to stay safe yourself. I'll let you know how this meeting goes.
Orion leaves work and looks around one he steps outside the building and is relieved to find no one who appears to be watching him. Orion heads home on the tram with no further issues or concerns and gets himself ready to go to the meeting.
==Trivia==
*This is Squattop's first ever chapter of fan-fic
Category:Dead Space 2: Break-Fast: Holy Spoons and the Marker Chapters
Category:Squattop's Chapters
Category:Dead Space 2: Break-Fast: Holy Spoons and the Marker
Category:Squattop