by Gadi Migdal
Thomas kept on dancing to the sounds of Clifford’s wails.
“Now,” Lucy whispered. She and Noris leaped from their spots and ran through the door of the room and into the basement.
“Stop them!” shouted Thomas. “I want them all alive.”
One of the chosen ones raced after the girls, while his friend continued to grip the flailing Clifford. Thomas cursed and floated out after the girls.
Munar turned and placed his hands on the control board. The humming increased for several long seconds. “Identification - failed,” the board announced.
“What?!” Munar shouted in frustration. “No,” he placed his hand on the screen again. The humming once more increased and filled the room. The seconds passed, and Munar’s heart was beating fast. Why didn’t the system recognize him? “Identification - failed,” the board repeated.
Munar looked back, the silver chosen one was still busy trying to grip Clifford without hurting him.
“Let’s see this, you stupid baboon, try to fight me without any of your weapons,” the boy egged him on.
Munar turned back to the screen, nearly a minute had passed. Every second that went by increased the chances of failure.
He scanned the ancient screen. There was a thick layer of dust on it - could that be the problem? Long seconds passed as he hurried to blow on it and clean the screen off with his shirt. He trembled as he placed his hand on the screen again. “Identification - successful,” the screen announced.
“Commence running a reboot and reset, code two four nine gamma dash one seven,” Munar ordered quickly.
“Sequence received, is satellite activity reset confirmed?” the control panel asked.
“Confirmed,” he shouted.
Nothing happened.
“Confirmed,” Munar repeated, trying to focus through his racing heartbeat. The ancient screen flickered. “Please give vocal confirmation to run the reset, this operation cannot be cancelled,” the control panel requested.
Munar stared at the screen in confusion. “Confirmed,” he repeated.
“Please give vocal confirmation to run the reset, this operation cannot be cancelled,” the control panel said again.
Munar looked back questioningly at the botany student. “Say that you confirm the reboot,” Clifford called to him as he tried to break the fingers of the silver chosen one.
Munar nodded and turned back to the screen.
“Reboot? Step away from the devices now or you will be obliterated,” the silver chosen one who was holding Clifford turned his arm in Munar’s direction, as he gripped Clifford easily in his other hand. Munar froze where he stood, so close to his goal.
“You are forbidden from killing me, those are Thomas’ orders,” he reminded the silver chosen one.
“Only the God is permitted to run a reboot. If you move, you will be annihilated,” the chosen one insisted.
“What’s the matter, you mindless idiot, are you afraid to keep fighting me?” demanded Clifford.
The silver chosen one didn’t bother to answer, and kept aiming his hand firmly at Munar.
“Confirm it while you move, he won’t manage to hurt you,” Clifford shouted to him as he kicked the chosen one’s knees with all his might.
Munar nodded and turned to move.
“Wow, I chose well. No doubt. You are a group of quality students.”
Munar froze in terror. Thomas stood beside the door, smiling. Behind him stood the silver chosen one, holding one of the girls in each hand.
“If Munar moves or makes a noise, kill him,” Thomas ordered the chosen one holding Clifford. He turned and looked at Clifford. “You managed to surprise me. That doesn’t happen very often, too bad I have to kill you.” He smiled at him with sparkling teeth. “It’ll be fast, I promise.”
Munar looked quietly at Thomas. Their fate was sealed, but maybe he could still complete the task. He swiveled and all at once, “Confirm reboot...”
Clifford shouted, and the silver chosen one fired.
Chapter 38
Mists
It was pursuing her more persistently than usual. It took her many hours to lose it. The girl reached the vast flat wasteland. The little shrubs didn’t offer much cover for hiding but provided her with a view in every direction. Here, she could not be taken by surprise. She was tired. Every day that passed, she grew more and more tired. Tired of running away. Tired of being alone. She was sick of running. Sick of the loneliness.
The girl dove to the ground, hugging her knees to her chest, closed her eyes, and wished for something to change. She wished for an end to this loneliness. This was her constant wish. Her wish for a different destiny. Her ritual of hope. She had wished for this countless times in the past. Nothing changed. The darkness didn’t disappear. She had never felt security or hopefulness. There had never been so much as a sign of change. Never. Until now...
She sat down in astonishment when she heard the voices. She knew that there were voices. Sometimes she even made them herself. But unknown voices were rare in her world. Very rare.
The mist, the hills, and trees never made a sound. Nor did the animals ever emit sounds, they just transmitted terror and danger.
Somehow - inexplicably - she felt curious. She hadn’t felt this way for ages. The voices got nearer. They weren’t scary, they were unusual. There was something different about them. Something very abnormal. Change had come to her world! She waited, stunned and tense, listening.
“I’m telling you; it’s so fitting that humans would dream of such a depressing place.”
“Nonsense, Bud, it’s not because they’re humans, this place is just an expression of all the fears of humanity. I actually think it has a certain kind of beauty.”
“Beauty? This grey, lifeless place?”
“It has some plants in shades of grey and black.”
“It has dead plants, if that’s what you’re trying to say.”
The two figures laughed.
She understood that this was laughter. She understood the things that they were saying. How was it that she could understand something that she had never experienced? The girl shrunk in terror between the shrubs and observed the figures approaching her. They walked toward her and went on talking.
The figures were women. One wore a red dress. The other was wearing yellow overalls. How did she know that? The girl’s confusion grew. There as nowhere to hide, and she fought the anxiety that overwhelmed her. The two women suddenly froze where they stood; they saw her.
“I have to say that this was not what I expected,” said the yellow figure.
“Me neither,” admitted the red.
“Hello, Humanity, how are you?” asked the figure in yellow.
Humanity? the girl wondered. Another realization flashed through her. That was her name. That had always been her name. How had she forgotten?
“Me? I’m Humanity?” she asked in a hesitant voice, surprised to discover that she was able to speak.
“Of course. Please don’t be afraid,” the red figure said.
“We are friends, we came to meet you,” added the second figure, smiling.
Friends? Humanity wondered. She had never had friends. Humanity had always walked alone. Walked and run until she exhausted herself.
“Who are you?”
“I am Bud and that’s Nola, we came to meet you,” said the woman in yellow.
“Me?” the girl was puzzled. “Why? What do you want from me?”
“We want to help you, to show you that you aren’t alone,” said Nola.
“No, I am alone, I’m always alone. That is my destiny since always and forever,” Humanity protested.
“No, my dear, you are not alone. You are simply living in an ongoing nightmare, a very, very long nightmare.”
“Nightmare?”
“Yes
, my dear, a long, confusing dream that you can’t seem to wake up from.”
Nightmare? Was that true?
“So, I’m not alone?” Humanity whispered with tears in her eyes.
“No, my dear, we are here with you,” laughed Bud. “And we want you to meet someone.”
“Who?”
Nola smiled, “We are here to introduce you to your little brother, the Whole. He was born after you but has always been awake. He has been waiting for you to wake up.”
“Are there others with you too?” she asked.
“Others? What others, my dear?” Nola wondered.
“I don’t know. They are different from the darkness,” Humanity replied.
“I don’t know the others, my dear.”
“Why are you here?” she asked with sudden curiosity.
“We are here to tell you to stop dreaming,” answered Nola.
“How can this be a dream? How could I be dreaming? After all, now you’re here too?”
“The Whole sent us into your dream, to help you wake up.”
“I understand,” Humanity smiled. Surprised to discover that she really did understand. The Whole wanted to be a part of her.
Smiling was pleasant. Why had she never smiled before now? A full life of experience had made her wary of danger even before she saw it. She turned. The darkness had surrounded them while they were talking. This time it found her much faster. Faster than any time before.
“We have to escape! Quick!” she told the two women urgently.
The two of them looked at one another without a word.
Nola crouched down on her knees before Humanity and placed her right hand on her shoulder. It was nice. Warmer and more comforting than any crevice of a rock or tree where she had hidden. She leaned her head on the arm that lay across her shoulder and enjoyed the touch on her face.
“Humanity. My dear. You have to wake up and stop running away,” Nola said gently.
The darkness approached. Humanity raised her head and looked around her fearfully. She had to escape. Nola gently pressed her shoulder and smiled at her.
Humanity relaxed a little and looked at the figure smiling at her. She held out a trembling hand to Nola and stroked her cheek. It was nice.
A sudden understanding came over her. Nola was like her. Moreover, Nola was a part of her. She understood now. Nola was also part of the Whole. The Whole was looking out for her. Humanity’s fear ebbed and faded.
“Stop running away? How do I do that?” she asked in a shaky voice.
Nola pulled her towards her and embraced her forcefully. The feeling was so nice. Bud crouched beside the two of them and hugged them too. Humanity cried in the arms of the Whole that surrounded her. She was overcome by a feeling of security and calm. Bud stroked her head, “Just stop running away, Humanity,” she said.
She understood. It was just a dream. A bad dream. It was time to wake up.
“I’m not afraid anymore,” Humanity whispered.
“I know, Humanity. There is nothing left to fear. You aren’t alone.”
Humanity nodded, her face streaming with tears, and laughed for the first time in her life.
Bud cheered in a happy voice, “come on little darkness, give us what you’ve got!” The three of them laughed aloud. They were still crouched in an embrace, laughing together, when the darkness leapt on them and wrapped itself around them. The figures and shadows within the mist cheered and leaped out towards them. Humanity, secure within the embrace of her new friends looked at them with calm curiosity.
Fears. Hopes.
Disappointment. Success.
Death. Birth.
Heartbreak. Love.
Sadness. Happiness.
Loneliness. Friendship.
The fog threw everything at her. All the nightmares and fears, all the hopes and dreams. Reality. Humanity happily took it all in.
To be awake was to be alive, and to be alive was to experience.
Every experience was new, strange, frightening, terrible, and . . . wonderful.
Bud cried out in pain and disappeared. Humanity looked up at Nola in bewilderment. “What happened?” Then the two of them faded away, holding each other in a tight embrace.
Humanity’s nightmare was over.
Chapter 39
Awakening
Mika sat in her office and looked out at the valley. She loved the view from the second floor of the council building.
She saw the entire city spread out beneath her, her house, her garden, and the river running through the center of town.
The beautiful city in which she, like her ancestors, had grown up.
Her beautiful city for which she had sacrificed her eldest daughter.
Her beautiful city for which she had devoted her life to, at the cost of her marriage.
The city, as she knew it, was about to come to an end.
The city funds were nearly empty. The council hid it from the residents, but their time was running out. They could no longer hide the truth. Orders for farm products had diminished to nearly nothing. Nobody in the galaxy wanted fruits and vegetables, and the reserves had been used to build that damned swarming ship. The city was on the brink of financial ruin. Mika wiped a tear from her eye, human life on Neifar was about to end.
A commotion in the outer room caught her attention. She heard shouts and excited voices. Had they already discovered the truth?
She sat up straight in her chair, looking dignified, and waited to receive the guests. Neville burst into the room, the last person in the city that she would expect to do such a thing. He was responsible for the council’s trade shipments and always had perfect manners.
“Neville?” she asked, sounding surprised.
“Sorry that I’m barging in, Mika, but we are getting new orders.”
“New orders?” she repeated, confused.
“Tens of thousands of orders, all at once. And all of them are willing to pay in advance. The city is rich again.”
Tens of thousands of new orders? “Is this a joke, Neville?” she asked him suspiciously.
“No Mika, it isn’t a joke. There is a crazy upswing in demand for our products.”
Mika sat up, stunned, and looked out the window. The city was not lost after all.
“Mika. Bad news,” Grant hurried into the room.
Of course, she told herself. “It was an error, and there was no increase in orders?”
“Increase in orders? What orders?” Grant was confused.
“There are tens of thousands of new orders,” Neville informed him happily.
“Really? Excellent. Let’s hope we live long enough to enjoy them.”
“What do you mean?” asked Mika.
“A coordinator contacted us. Her egg-layer wants to come to speak with the council tomorrow.”
“What do they want now? For us to build them a space station?” Mika fumed.
“At least we will have enough money to fund whatever it is they want,” Neville grinned.
She looked at them in wonder, as a thought crossed her mind.
“Do you think there is a connection between the sudden increase in orders and the egg-layer’s visit tomorrow?”
The two men exchanged thoughtful glances between themselves and then nodded. “I don’t believe in coincidences,” said Grant.
They left her office. Mika stretched out on her chair and considered the news. This was a strange day. Maybe she should go home and rest. Something told her that tomorrow would be even weirder.
“Mika, your husband is on the line,” her secretary informed her suddenly.
Tom? On the line? They hadn’t spoken for months. ‘Definitely a strange day.’
There was still a lot of work to do. She estimated that more than 800 people had come to the party. Emily ra
n around the kitchen, giving instructions to the staff of volunteer helpers. The Whole planet had suddenly woken up. Hundreds of requests for home-cooked food streamed in every day. More importantly, everyone wanted to come to her big summer party.
Like every year, Emily planned a party, and just like every other year, she didn’t expect anyone to come. But when the planet woke up, everyone saw the invitation on the network, and immediately confirmed their attendance. She looked out the window, pleased. The sight of the many young people standing in the yard warmed her heart. Olivia was talking with a nice young man and looked so happy she was practically floating.
“Emily. How should I cut the onion?” one of the volunteers asked.
Emily laughed and came over to demonstrate, again, how to use a knife.
“Emily, there’s a call coming in. Someone is asking for Olivia,” Nathan announced.
“She’s busy, tell them to call later.”
“He is insisting that it’s urgent.”
“He? Who is he? Her dad?”
“No. It’s Max, the young man who was here a few months ago.”
Emily looked out the window again at her happy daughter and laughed, “tell him to keep dreaming.”
“Mr. Bruce, please come home. Your father is calling for you urgently. He has a surprise for you.”
Adam’s voice surprised Bruce in the middle of playing among the trees.
“Alright, Adam,” he shouted and began to walk toward the hovercraft. Had the dog arrived already? That was fast. He sped up and ran toward the hovercraft.
“Home,” he ordered excitedly after strapping himself in. The hovercraft shot up, commencing its 8-minute journey home.
“Dad, where is he? Can I choose him there?” Bruce shouted as he leapt from the hovercraft.
He stopped, stunned, at the entrance to the house.
The two of them stood there.