Part 1 : Chapter 1

It was peaceful. He rested against a short concrete wall on the top level of the Washington Street Parking Structure and felt disconnected and aloft. Above him was a light grey sky with just a hint of the sun starting to break through the early morning fog.

There was no sound other than that of his own heartbeat and the slowing breathing as he recovered from the climb up the stairs to the top floor of the parking structure. When up here, he felt he was at one with the universe.

After some time, he stood and looked about. Over the edge of the wall he peered down and saw the remnants of a once vibrant and proud city. This city was now much less vibrant, but he could see people below as they began to rustle the remaining businesses to life for the day. The few trees had already began to display autum’s hues of oranges and yellows.

The air itself had a bite of Fall; the breeze moved slowly and tingled the bare skin of his forearms. He gulped this air in like a ice-cold beer; there were no limits to what he could accomplish today.

He moved over to the edge of the structure, peered down below him into the empty alleyway, and began hauling a series of items out of his backpack. Inside were sandwiches, a two-liter Mountain Dew, a first aid kit, and (pigeon supplies?).