The Atom : The Last Man on Earth #2

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Thanks to everyone who read the 1st part. I also apologize for all grammar errors here. So happy reading.....


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The Atom : The Last Man on Earth #2


Previously - Ray Palmer has been roaming the future Earth where he believes he maybe the last man on Earth. His friends and family gone , Ray runs into a young girl he saves from a Dog Squad. The only draw back is ...the girl won't leave Ray alone.

'W-Wait up , your walking too fast !" the girl yelled while Ray walked ahead. His pack over his shoulder as he kept moving down a hill.

Ray breathed hard and shook his head at this girl who was following him since he saved her , "You need to keep up. If your gonna travel with me , you gotta keep up. It will be nightfall in a few hours and we need to get to another town inside somewhere."

"Then why not use the main roads ?" she asked .

"Man's best friend maybe traveling those roads now. Or maybe some ravagers who are looking to steal." Palmer answered .

I really don't know why I'm doing this. I need to travel alone. I struggle to watch my own back out here. Now I'm watching a teen age girl ? I can't be responsible for her.

The two walked through the woods and saw a small two lane highway intersect at times while they walked. Palmer checked the sign and pulled a compass out of his pocket. Sitting it down to study while the teenage girl watched him. The older man set it and nodded after a few seconds.

"We can travel East from here. Maybe get to the coast and get a ship." Palmer said.

"Actually we need to travel where my father is at . He can help you get a ship." she replied.

"Really ? Been so long ...thought I was the last man on Earth . Is your father on the East coast ?" Palmer asked.

"No , he's west and leads a survivor's camp. There is more out there than you Mr. Scientist guy." the girl answered.

"How far west ? How come I never heard of this camp before ? Why are you so far away ?" Ray asked in a more confrontational mode.

The girl pushed him , "Lay off being such a cop ok. I could give you the 5th degree , like your a meta human. I thought all meta's were dead ."

Palmer shrugged and walked on west ward ignoring her question about him. Not wanting to answer or caring it seemed . She realized he was walking the direction she wanted and followed. The two walking by empty farm lands and houses.

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That Night

Ray had set up his can defense once it got dark. He had made them stop once he realized they wouldn't make it to the next town. She watched him walk to each area testing things and setting up against the tree while the fire burned by them.

"Good ideas ...your a very smart person Mr. Scientist. So you gonna tell me at least your name ?" she asked.

Ray breathed hard and nodded , "Its ..Ray...Ray Palmer."

"Holy ...I remember hearing about you. Your a meta human. One who used to hang around the big ones !" the girl exclaimed .

"Y-Yeah I was a big one I guess. I was there for a lot of things. Saved the world a bunch of times. Just...couldn't do it now." he replied.

"But how are you alive ? I heard nearly all the meta humans died ." she asked.

"My powers were never meta based is my only conclusion . I got them basically from a white dwarf star and over time it effected me. I used to carry the star and use it in my belt. But a few years ago I realized I didn't need it anymore . I could shrink and enlarge myself without it." he explained.

She sit and listened as minutes passed. Palmer hit the fire with a stick watching things. Finally he spoke up again , "So you gonna tell me your name ? I mean you did pick where we would go."

"My names Maxine . I suppose I could tell you why I was alone. Since ya did tell me who you are." she answered.

"That would be nice Maxine..." Palmer sarcastically joked.

"My dad .....well we don't get along much. He just pisses me off so much ya know. Since mom died he's always so worried and he wants me to not leave the colony and stay there. I just wanna see the world. " Maxine explained.

Wow , I used to be just like her. At her age its about seeing the world. But this world is so fucked up insane now. Its not safe for her out here. Her dad must be worried sick. I would be.

"Maxine , you have to realize something. Your dad and what survivors there are...you could be the last ones. I have traveled for months ...and haven't seen any survivors . Your the first and the first mention of a possible colony." Palmer said .

"I guess I should take you there Ray. You did save me and all. But no way am I staying. I wanna see London. I heard that the English were working on a machine to create meta's again." the girl said .

Palmer nodded while his mind raced while he laid back. His eyes started to drift off to sleep while visions of things raced through his mind at the end . His friends , his adventures.

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Ray found himself in his old house at Ivy Town. Sitting on the couch studying things for possible lecture and test for the students in his class. He heard some light singing in the room across from him which made him stand and walk to it. There standing was Jean . She trying to fix a hat on her head for a likely lunch date with him.

"You smell so good Jean." he said hugging her.

"Ray , a break from you studying ? This is a first." she teased .

"I...I just don't wanna let you go honey." Ray said .

The scene faded while he held her. His mind so sad while it begged to go back to that earlier in his dream. Instead it was a hospital bed with her hooked up to machines. Her life signs weak , Palmer resigned himself to a fate he knew was ahead.

You can't give yourself the happiness of our lives in Ivy Town can you Ray ? To punish yourself you make your mind go to this .

"How can I Jean ? I should have saved you. I was one of the smartest men on the planet and I couldn't save anyone. All I could do was sit and watch everyone die." Palmer said.

With that he held her hand and saw the machine make its final beeps. His face looking down as the scene slowly started to fade.

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Seconds Later...

Palmer's eyes slowly started to open as he heard screaming. He quickly realized what he was seeing once he awoke while Maxine was screaming for him. There standing was a mutated killer grizzley bear . The bear had 6 limps and could stand even taller now due to the virus mutation. To her credit Maxine was using fire from a log of wood to keep the beast at bay.

"Raaay ...come on Ray wake the hell up !" she screamed.

Palmer rose up slowly , his mind racing wondering what he could do , "Maxine he smelled the food off the campfire. Were gonna have to try and both run for it."

"What ? Run for it ? Aren't you a meta-human and can use your powers here ?" she asked.

"Its a mutated grizzly bear ! And I'm not exactly Superman here Maxine !" he exclaimed in shock while he touched her. They both went down as the mutated Grizzly stodd growling and tried to smell for them. While they ran through the grass to get away .

[SUPERECWFAN1]

pt.2

Ray and the young girl ran through the tall grass . They could hear the best behind them as the pain shot through Ray Palmer's stomach. They suddenly stopped and ran into a scorpion blocking their path as it started towards them. Palmer saw the stinger readying as he pushed Maxine to the side to avoid it while he ducked and came around on its back .

"W-What are you doing ?" Maxine asked.

"I'm gonna give the Grizzly something to fight here !" Palmer yelled while he enlarged the scorpion and himself.

The huge mutated grizzly stood and stared at this tall insect as Palmer moved quick and the 2 started to fight. The 2 creatures going to war as the grizzly growled in anger challenging the scorpion. Maxine could only see so much from the ground as she worried about Ray coming back. A few nervous minutes later , Palmer shrank down to stand there.

"That is insane ! What about the insect ? You just can't leave it like that." she said while they ran.

"Don't worry , whatever I shrink down in an hour they grow back. Its only temporary for everyone besides me." Ray explained .

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Minutes later


After getting so far away , Palmer enlarged them both. The 2 caught their breaths finally . The events still fresh in their heads as suddenly Ray turned and started to puke his guts up in pain. His pain too intense as he fell to his knees for a few minutes. Coaching himself to get back up to keep moving.

"Your infected with the virus ." Maxine said watching.

"N-No ... I just..... lets go ok." he said standing finally . Grabbing the gear he had rounded up while the scorpion and grizzly fough.

"Can't believe you rounded up the gear like that Palmer while those 2 creatures were fighting. You must be crazy." she said changing the subject .

"C-Couldn't leave the gear behind since it has some supplies we need. Were gonna have to travel better. Get to smaller towns quicker. Outside were sitting ducks essentially." Ray said walking on ahead. Maxine forcing herself to stay with him.

Next Issue Box -

Atom : Last Man on Earth #3 - Ray and Maxine travel to a town where they don't get such a friendly welcome from what could be the citizens .