Galaxy
Empires I
The
Beginning
Essay by Imogen Wiest-laird, age 12
Date: October 25, 2130
Location: Finland, Earth
Imogen moaned as the walls in her one person bedroom flashed bright
green. Even her bed flashed green. She pushed her upper torso up
and stretched her arms. She yawned and rubbed the sleep from her
eyes. She flopped back onto her elbows.
“Turn the alarms off. Turn on the lights A5.” Imogen said groggily. The
green flashing lights blinked off and a strip of light shone from the middle of
the half cylinder roof. She threw the green glowing blanket off from her
body and stood up on the floor next to her rectangle bed. She looked at
the wall. “Good morning Jacque.”
“Good morning Imogen.” A 3x3 screen of a computer simulated head lit up from
the wall. The head itself looks 3D from all angles and the white box that
the head is inside is the same depth as the height and width of the screen. “I
trust your sleep was relaxing. It’s now 6:32AM. You really should
get up sooner.”
“I know, I know.” Imogen exhaled forcefully. She threw her green pajamas
off and put on the clothes that Jacque selected for her the night before with
her input for randomness. “I just had so much on my mind.” She looked at
Jacque and slyly smiled. “You can tell that from my brainwaves.”
“I know, you didn’t fall asleep until 12AM. Your guardian isn’t going to
be happy.” Jacque said with a raised eyebrow.
“Whatever.” Imogen said exasperated as she tapped a table next to her bed.
The table surface lit up with a white 8x5 rectangle with words that she scribbled
on it. She looked at it to make sure that she had it written properly.
“Title… my great, great grandfather and my grandfather. Yes that looks
good.”
Imogen brought a piece of indestructible paper thin white film from her
folder-thin backpack and held it in her hand to the left of the table and
swiped the white rectangle from the table to the film. The film lit up
with the new data. “Perfect.” She said satisfied.
“Your breakfast will be ready as soon as you enter the kitchen.” Jacque said.
“Thank you my dear guardian.” Imogen said with wave of her hand.
The kitchen is a normal kitchen for the era. A bulky robot on tank treads
with a flat screen monitor for a face brought out a tray of casserole rolls
from the heater at the middle part of the walls next to two windows showing the
outside of the building.
One of the windows showed the darkness outside the house and another showed a
full color analysis of the surrounding. The full color analysis showed
trees and a path leading to an automated vehicle in the driveway surrounded by
trees.
Imogen sniffed and sighed deeply. Her eyes closed as she took in the
fresh scent of the rolls.
“You make the best casseroles I’ve ever smelled!” Imogen said happily.
She plopped into a bean bag on the other side of the room. She relaxed
and took in her environment and thought of the details.
There is no table in the kitchen, that’s for the people who refused to allow
the machines and their perfections to create food for them. The lack of
the table also made it possible for her personal guardian and servant to
perform his tasks unhindered.
She looked at the pearl white octagon tiles of the floor. The technological
inventions of the position detecting floor are amazing. She recalled
playing a variety of games in the room while relaxing and while Jacque
permitted after she had completed her homework.
She did a cursory glance of the room. The large heater took up the middle
part of the kitchen and unlike the other parts of the room is colored with rock
textures and red glowing rocks that glowed and moved as it functioned.
The two windows, the real color on the left and false color on the right showed
the front yard, but are actually paper thin LCDs showing the outside.
On the left part of the room where it angled away from her sight is a large
fridge storing all the food that Jacque ordered for her needs. On the
right side where it angled away from her is a refrigerator containing the short
term perishable food and ingredient. Like most of the room they are white
in color.
“Here’s your casserole roll.” Jacque said. The robot whirred as it came to halt
in front of her. It lowered its arms and hydraulic pumps thumped as the
arms extended with the tray.
Imogen thanked the robot and picked a casserole roll. She sniffed it for
a second and took a bite. The favor caused her muscles to become relaxed
as the taste took effect.
Fifteen minutes later she's out of the door of her house. The path to her
transportation lit up with a blue hue. In the darkness it looked like a
curving bridge over the blackness. She didn't have to worry about
anything happening to her because her guardian is watching over her.
The transportation is a sleek car on four large tires made for a racer.
The tires lit with the same blue glow. The door opened for her to enter
in the rear seat.
"Greeting Imogen. The transportation arrival hour is 7:50am.
Do you have your research paper?" The car spoke to her.
"Yes Jacquie." Imogen said. She patted her slim folder to
signify that she have indeed not forgotten her reports.
"Good, then off we go." Jacquie said.
The car's movements is so smooth that Imogen didn't feel the car moving at
all. She knows the car is moving because a monitor showed her the false
color of the street in front of the car. She leaned back and within
minutes she was fast asleep. The car continued without further inputs
from her.
At 8:10am the Finland Impi School for girls is bustling with activity.
The older girls moved in at 8:05am. Their age and privilege allowed them
to arrive at school at later time. The younger girls arrived earlier.
The green camouflaged school is a large circular structure. The center of
the building is hollow with one large entrance. The building are divided
into three different sections. The outer is reserved for the age 8
through 12 and the middle is for 13 to 16 and the inside for 17 to 19.
A large forest surrounded the school, keeping it hidden so that the boys can't
find it and security checkpoints ensured that they don't get close to the
school.
In the section B-12 of the outer ring the teacher entered the room at
8:12am. She's a tall woman of 6'4 feet with slanted black eyes and black
hair at the back of her head. A dark gray business dress she's wearing is
broken only by a white shirt with red bow tied at the base of her neck.
The big difference between her and the other teachers are the startling pearly
white skin.
"Class settle down." She called out in an authoritative voice.
Her eyes swept the room as the schoolchildren settled at their tables.
The room is slightly curved, allowing her to see better. As soon as the
class quieted down she continued. "Now, Kaarina, will you please come up
with your opening statement?"
A girl at the front row stood up. She's the eldest of all the girls
there, in a month she will celebrate her 13th birthday and her subsequent
graduation to the middle school. She's 5'1 and have a body of a
gymnastic. Fluid and elegant she flowed to the front of the room.
She turned round to bow to the teacher who have settled down in front of her
large table. The teacher turned and tilted her head slightly. The
girl turned to face the class and did a small head bow to acknowledge the
schoolchildren who sat before her.
"My name is Kaarina." The girl spoke in a crystal clear perfect
voice. Her startlingly bright blue eyes swept the room like the teacher
did. Her pearl clear skin gave her a halo around her face as the spotlight
shone on her. The room darkened to give her more focus.
"Today, I will be your symposiarch in these proceedings. You may
address me as madam or leader Kaarina. I expect no less from all of
you." She said calmly with no fear in her tone. She cleared her
voice and continued. "Today, we celebrate a special occasion. The
transpiration of the World Unity Now government that came to power. I
want to begin with our keynote speaker. Imogen Wiest-laird."
Imogen's heart beat with excitement as she rose from her seat. She took a
deep breath and thought quickly of what to say. She brought the film out
from her folder and rose from her seat. Okay,
Imogen, relax. Remember, you can do it. She thought to herself.
She walked past the rows of table and felt the other children's eyes on her.
The table looked bigger than life to her. She took a deep breath to
steady the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She reached the steps and
stepped up to the top and behind the table. She turned around to face the
class.
"Ahem." The teacher cleared her voice. Imogen looked to her
side to see Kaarina staring at her with ice daggers primed in the latter's eyes.
"Uh! Madam Kaarina. I bow before you and submit your
permission to act as your speaker." She said hastily. Her face
turned a deep shade of red as she bowed to Kaarina. Kaarina's eyes
relaxed their cold stare and she tilted her head.
"You have my permission to speak your part." Kaarina said
solemnly.
"Okay then. Um, today, as Kaarina so gracefully said, we celebrate
the transpiration of our wonderful merciful government that helped bring about
our unity and prosperity which we hold dear." Imogen said. Her eyes
blinked quickly as the spotlight turned its focus on her. She took a deep
breath.
"So, to begin with, I would like to share an experience of my great
grandfather who was present at the collapse of the European Union. Here's
his entry..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scene One
April 1, 2020, Ernest Wiest-laird III
"Dear Diary,
"Today, I woke up to a sound of turmoil outside. I threw on my
pajamas and rushed to the bedroom window to see what is amiss. I opened
it to look at the street below of my four story apartment.
"What I saw shocked me. Directly opposite of the apartment, which I
live with my dear wife Maxima, a riot is taking place at the farmer's
market. Government military forces are beating farmers, striking them
down as they prepared their goods.
"Blood was flowing and I had to do something. I threw on a scarf and
rushed outside.
"The feeling was high. The citizens was running to the market to see
what is going on and some of them became victims of the soldiers' brutality.
One of the soldiers were stomping on my landlord's head when I exited.
"I, in my shock and rage at the inhumanity of it all, threw the soldier
off my poor landlord and he stumbled to the street where he was trampled to
death by the angry mob of the public enraged.
"My landlord was injured badly when I brought him in. My wife and
the landlord's wife had him put on his bed and administered to him as he laid
there. His blood stained the white cheaply made fabric.
"That night before he died, leaving his poor wife a widow and distant
relatives in Russia, he took hold of me and in his dying breath rasped:
"'Take Maxima and go!' he gasped. His eyes not seeing anything
because of blood obstructing the sight from inside. 'The rumours is
true. European Union have fallen. The foreigners are moving
in. Taking charge of everything. Oppressing the people and
ravishing our boys and girls regardless of age.'
"I didn't want to take the risk of fleeing too soon. The British,
German, and French troopers have taken control of the city. They've shut
down all transportation in and out and food have been cut off. The angry
rebels have moved into the old warehouse where snipers are taking out the
troopers from distance.
"May 23, 2020
"I'm worried to the core. They've moved in the tanks and have begun
shelling us. My beloved wife, dear to my heart is in danger. We've
begun moving into the underground subway station for cover from our assailants.
"I fear greatly because I heard that the soldier I've mistakenly slain is
the nephew of the main force's commanding officer and he have sworn to raze
everything in sight within a week. I felt that we need to leave. A
pathway have opened for us.
"A rebel by the name of Charissa Cushman, who is an American by birth,
heard of our supposedly nobility in slaying the commander's nephew and gave us
a departure ticket for our transportation to the American continent where we
will be safe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Imogen paused
and took a deep breath. She looked
toward the audience where a red light have appeared on the desk of the girl
asking a question. "Yes, what is your question?" Imogen asked.
"Why would
the American give up her life for a foreigner?" The girl's voice came over
the room's speakers.
"Out of
the goodness of her heart, or she felt bad." Imogen replied. "I
cannot answer that question for I have found no information on that. All I know is that she gave them the
ticket." She looked around to see who else is going to ask a
question. Another red light appeared and
the girl spoke up before being addressed.
"Why
America? The United States of America
were devastated by the great war." The girl spoke up haughtily.
"Peta. I understand that you're not a big fan of the
America, you've made that obvious ever since you arrived here." Kaarina
spoke with authority . "Please afford respect to our speakers."
"I
understand your skeptics about America.
Particularly the states." Imogen spoke, her eyes keeping contact
with the girl that spoke up. "This took place before the Egalitarian
War. United States was still a strong
nation then. One of the most powerful on
Earth until the war. I'm talking about
the events that led to the formation of our government."
In the darkness
it's hard to see the girls because of the spotlight on her, but Peta made a
clear movement to sit down. Imogen
looked around one more time.
"Okay,
then, back to the story..." Imogen began.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scene Two
"May 30, 2020
"The destruction of our beloved home is ensured the same night we
departed. The American that helped us perished. We are now refugees
in the North America. We are now alone and the world is going
crazy. My thoughts on this matter have become scrambled. I'm afraid
for my family. I pray that we will have deliverance.
"We have a good deal with one of Charissa's friends and plan on moving to
a remote farm in North Dakota where outside world is rare. Where we can
live in peace away from the craziness of the world.
"January 10, 2030
"After discovering this journal and reading this almost 10 years later, I
was forced to relieve my terrible nightmares. After we've moved to North
Dakota and settled on a farming tract 30 miles away from the closest town and
about 10 miles away from other farmers we began the growth of our family.
"Little Tom Wiest-laird was born the following year and he was a joy in
midst of our troubles. Because of what happened in the city a long time
ago I was forced to endure nightmares that woke me up shivering. I took
solitude on the front porch of our house. Watching the crystal clear
stars and constellations until morning came.
"We believed our past will leave us alone. That we have finally
outrun the monster. We couldn't be less wrong. Nine years passed
and in the cold winter of the Christmas month of the 27th I was in town when I
was accosted by three Federal agents and five state agents.
"'The peaches looked so mouthwatering. Maxima would love it.'
I said, my stomach purred at the thought of the delicious peach pie with crispy
crust that my wife produced at highest grade. Behind me I felt a tap on
my shoulder and I turned around to face the said agents with stern
expression. They are dressed in blue full clothes of federal officers and
state officers.
"'What's the matter gentlemen?' I asked the officers.
"'Are you Ernest Wiest-laird?' One of the state officer inquired.
He's a thin man but he looked more than capable of hauling me out of the
building if need to be and nothing I can do will make any difference.
"'Yes.' I spoke truthfully. 'I've lived here for ten years.'
"'I see.' The man that tapped me spoke. 'You are aware that you are living
here illegally for the last ten years? You came here on an expatriation
ticket intended for an American named Charissa Cushman. Under federal
laws that's a felony.'
"My heart skipped a beat when one of the Federal agent brushed a hand
against his Glock handgun. I gulped a bilge that began to rise in my
throat. I never felt so scared in my entire life. The ground felt
like they are coming up toward me. The first agent held me upright as my
knees began to buckle.
"'Please,' I begged, 'don't send me back. My wife and I have been
through so much in our homeland, our son Tom was born here, he must not be
allowed to return with us to the horror that await us.'
"My words apparently had an effect on the agents. They looked at
each other and withdrew to another part of the room to confer.
"As I watched the officers' back, I thought of telephoning home and
letting them know that we've been discovered and may face a deportation because
of our illegal status. I'm willing to sacrifice myself if that's what it
take to ensure that my family survive in this bastion of defence and freedom.
"They came up to me and said, 'After consideration, we are willing to
allow you to go home, on condition that our newest Federal agent accompany
you. You have a month to decide whether you want to be deported or fight
for our country. The choice is yours and the peaches are on us.
Feed our agent well and it will reflect well on your reports.'
"As I drove back, I considered the young female agent in the seat next to
me, her arm around a bucket of peaches. She's a lovely thing with blond
hair and green eyes that took in the environment with interest. She's
very young to be employed for the Federals.
"As my old 1990 Ford diesel truck rumbled into my driveway, Maxima was out
of the door in flight. Her blue dress with polka white dots swirling
around her. She had her apron on and a look of terror. Behind her
our closest neighbors was out the door, their face furrowed with worry.
"'Ernest! Ernest!' Maxima shouted, she reached our truck before we
got far. She took hold of the handle as if her very life depended on
it. I rolled down the window to hear her better. "Ernest!' she
gasped, her eyes, I have never seen such fear and it struck deep within me that
something is terribly wrong.
"'Love, where's little Tom?' I immediately jumped to the conclusion.
"'Not little Tom, it's our world!' Maxima cried as if her heart was ripped
out. 'It's coming to an end!'
"After we've entered the house with me carrying my fainted wife to the bedroom
and after I saw to it that she will live I retired to the living room. A
meeting room as we lovingly called it. Our neighbors and the agent stood
there with the bucket of peaches on the coffee table.
"The way they stood told me something was wrong and they knew what it is.
"'What happened?' I demanded as soon as I settled in the sofa. My
eyes took in their facial expression. The females was unable to hide
their dismay. The other man, a farmer with steel gray beard and black
eyes was able to remain emotionless.
"'It's here.' The farmer said.
"'What's here?' I asked. I immediately had the blackest feeling as
if the world is rolling over me.
"'The end. It's here.' The farmer said and his breathing took a
ragged turn. He bowed his head and looked to his right, unable to control
his emotions. 'The total global collapse have arrived. Our governments
are falling apart. Everywhere everything is falling apart. It came
over the radio last night, the World War III have arrived and we don't know the
faces.'
"'Russia was target of a massive bioweapon. Everyone have turned
onto each other and began to devour each other. It was horrible.' The
farmer's wife sobbed.
"Never in my life have I felt the way I did. I thought the sofa made
an excellent shock absorber, but now I knew why the Federals and the State
agents came to me. They desperately need every able bodied personnel in
the war. I felt as if a large black hole opened and swallowed everything
that I am and devoured it completely.
"After the revelation I never was the same. I became an empty shell
of myself. Called as a ordinary soldier sent to fight in the cold rainy
environment of my old homeland. In a month's time I will set foot on my
homeland's soils again and stare at the monster's jaws. I pray that my
son Tom never have to undergo what I endured through.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several lights
went on this time. Kaarina swiftly took
charge and pointed to the person who clicked first. Imogen nodded to Kaarina, grateful that she
doesn't have to do the call, as it's difficult to tell who clicked first.
"Why did
the Federals take interest in him?" Peta asked. Imogen sighed inwardly. As much as she understood Peta's situation,
it galled her that Peta had to make things difficult for her.
"As my
grandfather said, he's an illegal alien living in the states without the
government's consent." Imogen replied.
"How long
have he been living there?" Peta inquired.
"A
while... ten years." Imogen said. "I don't see the point..."
"The point
is, the federals is incompetent!" Peta shot back.
"Peta! You're out of order. Imogen, I'm sorry this have to happen."
The teacher said in a flash. She stood
up and looked between the two of them. "You have used up your
allocation. For the duration of the
morning your desk questioner will be disabled."
Peta's red
light blinked out and was replaced with a faint blue light. Peta slumped back in her seat. Her arms crossed across her chest. The teacher sat back in her chair and nodded
for the proceeding to continue.
"Next."
Kaarina said quickly to control the meeting.
She waved her hands to attract attention and then gestured with a hand
to the next questioner.
"Imogen,
your grandparents sounds like a wonderful set of parents. Your parents are fortunate to know
them." The next questioner said in a quiet voice. "How quickly did it
happen? Was there any warning before it
happened?"
"My
grandfather didn't mention explicitly when it happened. I've gone through the school archive..."
a murmur cut her off. She looked around puzzled. The teacher sighed and stood up again.
"Peta! Stop disrupting the class!" The teacher
shouted.
"I said
'Imogen had help of her precious guardian in the library'!" Peta shouted
back.
"Peta, you
will be quiet for the duration of the morning!
One more and you will be penalized." The teacher said angrily. She took closed her eyes and took deep breath. When she opened her eyes. She sat down and pressed some controls. Peta's desk blacked out.
"Continue
Imogen, and you can be ensured that no interruptions will occur." The
teacher said, her voice set on the edge.
She wasn't looking at anyone in particular.
"Okay
then, what was your question again?" Imogen asked, unsteadily.
"Was there
any warning?" The questioner repeated her question.
"Oh,
no. It just happened so quickly that no
one had time to react. Russia was the
first to fall. Even to date, Russia is
inhabitable for the large part. Most
particularly the Siberian desert. It's
distorted beyond recognization." Imogen said.
"Next
questioner." Kaarina said nodding to the last red light.
"The
people in Russia, eating each other? As
in cannibals? Why would they do
that?" The questioner asked. She
quickly reworded the question when the teacher's eyes began to focus on her.
"I mean, oh, the question isn't related to the subject?" The teacher
didn't respond vocally, she shook her head slowly. "Oh okay, I withdraw my
question."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scene Two
"February 9, 2030
"Yesterday it was a beautiful morning. The orange horizon heralded
the coming of the sun. A flag pole stood flagless and the morning bugle
played the Reveille's variance. The troops scrambled from their bunks and
dressed for the war.
"As lines of soldiers lined up with me at near the rear of the back line a
black car moved in through the gates. The car came to halt in front of
the lines. The commander in charge of our army, a Colonel whose name I
didn't catch, turned to salute the car.
"The door opened and to our surprise the president of the United States
came out of the car. He acknowledged the Colonel's salute and faced the
army. When he spoke, it was with seriousness.
"'Men.' He said. I couldn't see his face because of all the heads in
the way. His voice was broadcast clearly over the base's loudspeaker. 'I
cannot emphasize how much our country appreciate what you are doing for your
country. We will be touching in Poland and moving through to Finland in
an attempt to control lands before the faceless enemy can get to them. We
must protect the United Kingdom at all cost. Normally I will give you a
cheerful message but I cannot and instead I'm sending you good men off to war
and remember our country appreciate all that you've done even though many of
you may not come back.'
"With that, our commander in chief entered his car and departed the
compound.
"At 10am that morning we boarded the American military airship capable of
carrying a quarter of our million strong men. Our group is the last to
depart. The airship didn't offer much comfort on the trip. The food
is bland, the service nonexistent, and the chairs are hard on our back.
"Last night we landed in the United Kingdom and was given somewhat better
food and several of us broke the curfew and had a few drinks at a pub with some
women. I feel sorry for the bastards that the women is going to have to
raise when the men spill their guts on the grounds.
"This morning, just prior to my writing the journal we was rudely aroused
at 5:03am British time, we ran outside in the cold dank darkness of the rainy
foggy morning. The air raid siren howled as the spotlight shone toward
the cloudy skies.
"Suddenly out of the cloud we saw a strange airship dropping through the
clouds and watched in horror as streaks of large tracer fire blew Big Ben's
clock face off.
"'Everybody to cover!!!' A voice shouted over the din.
"In the ensuring chaos I was nearly trampled to death as we ran into the
underground bunkers that led half mile down. In the skies the airships
that brought us to this miserable godforsaken place rose to face the strange
ship.
"We ran through the maze like a rat.
"Some of us took the lift to the bottom level. Some took the
ladders. They all are running for their lives. They've never seen
anything this horrible before. I didn't follow them.
"I waited until everybody is past before I made my way to the farthest
part of the bunker near the exit. I didn't want to follow the crowd and
if something was to happen I needed to get out quickly.
"Around the corner to the bunker hub a commanding officer is shouting
orders. His orders is being ignored and he's buffered backward by the
panicking soldiers. As soon as the commanding officer was pushed out of
sight. I took a look both way to make sure that there's not many people
and made my way to the command hub.
"I had several close call with some higher ups as they entered and exited
the hub. I waited until they have mostly left the hub and made my way
quietly into the hub.
"The hub have a lot of activity. On one side of the room computer
monitors showed the activity outside and four large monitors showed the
perspective from the four airships that brought them in. I hid behind one
of the mainframes and the low light helped hide me some more.
"'We have the unknown vessel in sight.' The high quality speakers didn't
distort the voice. "'Acknowledged.' The operator at the microphone
responded. He adjusted his speaker and leaned forward. 'You have the
green light on the missiles.'
"'Receipt received. The taxpayers' money is in our tubes. We
will send them the green dollar signs.' The voice responded.
"On the monitors as I watched in amazement, I felt my eyes go wide as
purple streaks of missiles streaked through the dark fog toward a large bright
object. They collided with the ship and bright explosions lit up the
screen.
"'Payload delivered. Tell the doctor the baby is born.' The same
voice spoke again.
"'The doctor is advised of the birth of the baby. You have done
well.' The operator spoke into the microphone.
"'Permission to return to the farm to tend to the animals?' The voice
spoke again but with distortion.
"The operator was having a hard time, he turned up the volume and spoke
again.
"'Please repeat, you're breaking up.' The operator said as he strained to
listen for answers.
"I looked around the mainframe and my mouth fell. A lightning flash
had revealed a dark shadow of the large airship.
"The operator saw it a second later and scrambled to give the orders.
"'The baby is still unborn! Repeat! Baby unborn! Take
evas...' A loud squealing sound cut off the operator's last words and sent him
in a fetal position.
"Another lightning flash showed the sight of the massive airship and I
quickly got to my feet and my heart beat hard as I ran out of the hub and into
the windy raining outdoor.
"Above me I could see the four airships in a wall formation. A
vortex swirled in front and above of the airships. Lightning flashes
increased in intervals and surrounded the biggest airship I've ever seen.
"I stumbled as I headed for the pasture with the lambs. I took
another look at the vortex and by then a lightning ring had formed around the
ship, the light was so bright I couldn't look at them directly.
"Suddenly an earthshaking explosion rocked the ground. I fell to the
ground and breathed hard.
"The brilliant light dimmed and was replaced with the orangey light of
four separate fiery balls coming down from the skies. I risked looking
up, and watched the four burning airships begin their death descent.
"'Oh great, that's one way of taking out our transportation to Europe!' I
moaned.
"The airship wasn't done. It lowered even further until it blocked
out all lightning flashes from the clouds. It felt like the airship is
breathing down my neck. I scrambled to my feet and ran to the pasture.
"I reached the fence and hurdled over it. I didn't care if I tripped
over the top, all that matter is that I get out of there! Away from the
demon above!
"The sheep baaed as I disturbed their rest. I fell in their midst
and stayed still. I didn't want the monster above to see me.
"I've forgotten how far I've ran, but I was still close enough to feel the
explosions behind me as the enemy airship opened fire with shells. The
shells tore through the ground as if they're nothing more than papers.
The horror I felt paralyzed me, I couldn't move. I stayed with my eyes
closed.
"The barrage lasted for 23 minutes, but it felt like an eternity.
"When the barrage stopped, I didn't move for an hour. When I finally
did, I got to my unsteady feet and leaned on the livestock for support. I
looked at the destruction that was wrought by the airship.
"The first thing I saw was the open gaping mouth of the underground
bunker's entrance. Red gases bellowed from it and from holes in the
ground where the bunker was, red-yellow glow emanated from them.
"When I've gained enough strength I moved off toward my base.
Strangely enough, the airship didn't target the rest of the base, only the
bunker itself.
"I reached my barrack and went into it. I turned on my flashlight
and began to gather all of my stuff. I was so shocked and numb that I
felt nothing. I went through the motions as if they're just a dream.
"I put all of my stuff, my journal and all of my personal belonging in a
backpack.
"The next thing I did was sit out front at the gates. In London the
Big Ben is still smoking heavily from the now devastated south face. I
didn't think at that time, I was too busy being so numbed that I didn't realize
something.
"The air siren have died down, I heard nothing, I didn't hear anything at all.
My vision began to show ripples. Everything became distorted. The
colors began to look dull, like life have gone out from them.
"No one came, so I decided to join my sheep flock.
"I fell over the pasture fence. I felt so strange, my nerves have
become dulled, and my reflexes became less. As I sat there, I looked at
my sheep and waited to hear them.
"I heard nothing. As I was waiting the skies began to clear up and
the moon came out, but it looked wrong. It look so dull, there's no life
in its radiance. I looked at it and my brain was so slow grasping it.
"With similar slow motion my head flopped down and on its way I saw my
sheep.
"Dead.
"Dead and melting.
"I looked at them and couldn't grasp it. It was only so recent that
I saw them living. So alive and upset that I disturbed them. The
eldest one, a leader, is on its side, becoming deflated as its interiors turned
to organic liquid.
"The rest of the flocks fared no better. I am left alone. To
my device. I leaned back and awaited for death to come.
"Grim Reaper, once I was touched, allowed to live but to live for how
long. I know not.
"Two hours ago the emergency response from the navy ship, USS Gabrielle
Giffords arrived. By then it was too late for me. I saw the
rescuers in full biohazard suits that covered all of them.
"One of them lifted me and I can tell through the mask that she was
horrified by what is happening to me. I was able to tell by my lessening
mobility and shrinking that I'm melting. I should be feeling pain, but my
nerves have melted also.
"I was transported to the hospital ship, the Consolation. There I
was confined to a room, with bright light and one bed. The bright light
didn't bother me, I was dulled too far for them to bother me and by then they
have become dark enough that I was able to see the room in the same flat color.
"Doctors came and went. The results was the same. I have
terminal illness. I am not expected to live long. My slow mind
fought it but it was a losing battle. I thought of my wife, that I'm
leaving her a widow. Of my son, who will never get to grow knowing his father.
"The crushing defeat settled on me like a large anvil. I would feel
terror but that feeling have left me. I knew I was beat and I now accept
that the grim reaper have claimed me with a most devilish form of biological
weapon that no one have ever seen before.
"February 11, 2030: Nurse's entry
"The body have melted into the buckets below. Even the skeleton have
decomposed. What we have seen is beyond science as we know. The
doctor, a well known man, suspected of a foul play. Why would anyone want
to create a genetically engineered weapon to do this is beyond me.
"As I washed the bed for the next victim. I felt that I will become
the next person on this very bed. My only regret is not having a family
like this poor man who left a crying wife. I felt her pain as if it's a
sword stabbing me through my heart.
"I looked to see if I have blood stain in my chest. Instead I only
saw a white nurse garment that is beginning to not match my now melting
body. All of our precaution is not doing us any good. The doctors
have to know that they're facing a threat beyond anything we've ever
encountered."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End of Essay
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Imogen wiped a tear from her eye. She took a deep breath and a sob
escaped her. She looked down and took deep breathing to steady
herself. She looked to Madam Kaarina and the teacher. They both are
silent, tears is rolling down their faces.
Imogen looked at the film with her report. The emotional impact of what
she is saying brought her words to halt. She remained silent and closed
her eyes. The film slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.
The silence in the room honored her ancestors and she really appreciated
that. She looked up to the class before her.
"Some..." Imogen spoke slowly. "... of you... may be
wondering... what happened next... I am unable to complete my sentence because
what the Egalitarians did are beyond atrocity. As I was doing my
research. Taking it from different sources, I didn't give it much thought
because in the flurry of activities I've been in, it felt as if they are just
words. Now that I have spoke them, and relieved all that. I
realized how much our parents sacrificed to provide us with a world of
unity. A world with a government to protect us. The impact... I
cannot believe what happened."
Silence held them in its grip. Imogen looked down and looked to the
teacher. She was afraid of failing the project, but now she doesn't
care. She can't and won't continue with this. It's causing her pain.
"You are dismissed... if I may ask... what happened to little Tom?"
The teacher said, her voice drained.
"Little Tom, my grandfather, lived with only a memory of his father.
He died two years ago from an upgraded version of the biological weapon that
was bombarded on Egypt decades ago. He was so far away and yet it reached
him. He received a diluted version of the highly potent Red spider
virus. He was in military, fighting for what he believed in. A
world where we can live without fear." Imogen said. Without further
word she stepped out of the spotlight and returned to her seat, having
forgotten to pick up her film.
Later after the class, the film was returned to her. Throughout the day
she went through the motions. What she have spoken shook her to the core.
I never knew the sacrifices my
parents made for me. If it weren't for them, the world will be very
different than what we're living in now. I took Jacque and Jacquie for
granted, witout realizing that it's only because my parents made it possible,
my parents died when I was two, I never knew them except from pictures. If they died from what my grandparents died,
then I too will share the fate. Imogen thought at the end of the day
as she waited for the car to arrive. She looked at the film and read the
rest of the story.
