The Allure of the Pre-Purge: An Encounter with Passion and Paranoia

Orion was confused she'd never seen anyone like Marcus before. He seemed anxious, always looking around even in this desolate part of the city inside of his own home as well. but whenever he talked about his books it looked like he was really passionate of his it.

She didn't know what to think of him or of what he was talking about. How could he be telling the truth. She'd grown up her entire life watching old shows about so many different things. What could be so different about this "Pre Purge" stuff?

"So why are you so interested in this kind of stuff?" Orion was interested in him she couldn't understand this man she'd met a fair share of people in this corner of Old Chicago but compared to them he seemed genuinely happy to be alive. Especially compared to John, she simply could not understand how Marcus was doing living apparently all alone in here with no human contact.

"Well it's really a mix of everything, but you look like you'd enjoy some sci-fi. It's what people from the past thought of the present. It's really interesting! you can see the clear demarcation of our cultures from them." His eyes were shining now and Orion couldn't help feeling something looking into them.

They were radiating this strange feeling of comfort while seeming so innocent when paired with his cute face.

He started walking around the library and although this place was cleaned it was still the basement of a crumbling building and he raised up dirt wherever he walked. It made the library smell even more of mold and made Orion nauseous. The books didn't look in a great state either. The once colorful designs and covers washed away leaving big water marks on the books or burnt marks on some.

Orion coughed a bit before the dust settled down back again. Marcus was looking through an old bookshelf at the end of the room meticulously checking every single title until finally he grabbed a book and gave it to her.

"It's a good book you should read it. It's a utopian world quite close to ours I'd say but in the book they've mastered science without ever leaving earth. Focusing more on the people rather than expanding."

Orion was pleasantly surprised at his suggestion and took the book in her hands. Funny how this ended she thought to herself. An hour earlier she thought she'd get shanked.

Suddenly Marcus seemed to perk up literally like a prairie dog out of its hole. Until he looked at her, gasped, and then went back to the living room. He motioned for her to follow him and as they arrived near the ladder he talked.

"You seem kinda interested in the books you could come over to read sometimes but not today right now you have to go. Come back here tomorrow at around 7 in the afternoon and try to have read at least a bit of it just leave now." His eyes darted around the room seemingly being alerted by every little noise.

"Leave now quickly and place the rug back like it was before. Be quick!" This time his words sounded like those of a madman's but Orion did as she was told.

She walked back up the old ladder into the room they came in from. The moon was high up in the sky. Orion placed back the rug and walked out of the building. She made her best effort to be quiet as she feared what Marcus was scared of.

Maybe she could go to the bar. She felt too scared to go back to her apartment alone. She walked briskly through the streets of Old Chicago, but it felt different than before. Instead of freeing and liberating the air felt oppressing and heavy as though someone was slowly crushing her lungs.

Every time she turned a corner she looked around for places to hide. Something seemed to be following her she could hear footsteps catching up. Gathering up her courage Orion turned sharply to look at what was following her.

It was a raccoon. More specifically the raccoon that had been following her recently. Orion felt bad it must have been running after her from the library. She took out some bread she'd saved as a snack for today.

The raccoon let her pet it and after a couple minutes of doing so Orion left to go to the bar. Clearly Marcus was just crazy. Who could be scared of a little raccoon. She felt calmer and started walking calmly to John's bar with a cute raccoon in tow.

Orion was feeling bored. The raccoon was a nice distraction for five minutes but it really did not help her. She thought more about Marcus, he'd seemed incredibly jumpy at the end of their meeting but she still couldn't figure out why.

Surely he couldn't have been scared of the raccoon. How could he have even heard the little guy? Still Marcus was pretty cute maybe he'd be interesting in doing some stuff. It could make reading a bit more fun.

She looked at the book he'd given her. It seemed interesting but Orion didn't like to read. Books just weren't interesting even if what Marcus had described had seemed fun it still didn't feel as though it could compete with an evening at John's.