The World of Hope

by Parker Fentress

  Tommy went to the desk and retrieved the keycard, since I wasn’t old enough to check into hotels yet. I felt like I deserved the right to check into hotels after all I had been through.

  I overheard the lobby attendant tell him, “Room 5056. Take the tubes up to the floor 50. You room will be down the hall on the left.”

  Tommy walked back over, and we headed towards the center of the lobby. The center atrium had a ceiling that was as high as the top of the tower. It was if I could see the clouds.

  Tubes lined the circular room. “Aren’t they just elevators?” I asked Tommy.

  Tommy said condescendingly, “Who uses that word anymore Luis? Ugh, gross and outdated. Tubes are individual personal elevators or whatever they used to call them but they travel nearly ten times faster than an elevator.”

  I was in awe and told Tommy, “I’ve never been to a hotel, so I wouldn’t know.”

  I stepped up to tube number four, and pressed the unique button which prompted for my keycard. I tapped it on the sensor and the door shot upwards with a hiss or pressure. “This is intense man.” I said.

  I turned around and backed into the comfy plush seat. An animatronic voice came from all around, “Hello, Luis Phillips. Please be aware that this is a high-speed transportation device that may become disorientating at times. Please wait.”

  It was completely silent for a few moments, and without notice, the tube shot me up as fast as air can press.

  The G-Force pressed against my chest and reminded me of when I was on the train. For a moment I couldn’t breathe, and I felt like I was falling, but in reality, the tube had finally reached floor 50. The door shot open and the voice came back, “Thank you Luis. Have a good day.”

  I stood there waiting and worrying about all that had happened. I worried that Anthony might be right. That he was right. That the world was not mine, and the world that was mine was several light years away. That Planet KS was about to go into catastrophic failure, lacking all resources to support us. Most importantly, the humans of Earth underserving of this wasteland.

  They couldn’t see that, and they couldn’t see the flaws in the recreated “Earth” for us. If they saw something, they avoided it. Maybe Unity knew that I didn’t know about the planet being KS, but they put it all on for a show just to see what I would do and how I would react. They wanted to see “us” fail. They wanted to see us struggle.

  The door to tube seven opened up. Tommy stood and stretched his tall lanky body. “That was nice and quite muscle relieving. I think that I cracked my back. Alright so we are off to the right.”

  “No, we are to the left,” I reminded him, having overheard the conversation.

  “Are you sure?” He asked.

  I replied, “Yes, I am sure man, let’s go.”

  We walked around for a good five minutes before he gave up and stood corrected knowing that I was right.

  “See, I told you, we were to the left.” I remarked.

  We approached door 5056. The door was a mahogany wood and very fancy as it was rare to see a door made of wood. Most of the trees had died from disease on Earth.

  Tommy tapped the keycard and the sound of the lock was heard.

  “Alright, let’s see what your parents got us.” Tommy said. I signed and felt that they were so cheap they might have gotten us one small room with one full bed, which wouldn’t be enough space to sleep well.

  Surprisingly the room was huge. It had two beds, one bathroom with a huge tub and a shower, and the view! “WOW! I’ve never been up this high before!” I said. “Look, look at how you can see the city limits. It’s like right there, it just stops, and then just empty land. It never used to look like this on Earth.”

  I hadn’t realized what I had said until a long moment later. “What do you mean, “back on Earth?” Tommy asked.

  I worried that Unity would come after me if I told him, but stated anyway, “I need to tell you something. I really wasn’t in Illinois all those years. You have to swear you won’t tell anyone, and you need to believe me. I am not crazy.”

  “Okay, I can agree to that. I won’t tell anyone, now tell me, what happened?” He asked.

  And so, I told him.

  “I don’t remember much, but when I was eleven, I was in school and my dad went missing. We all thought he was dead. My mom tried to sleep through it and when she wasn’t she tried to resolve her sadness with pills. I struggled, and felt that I had to uphold my family.

  I guess now that I look back, that was just a small part of what really happened. Maybe I wanted to leave. Maybe I wished it, and then one day I started having these nightmares. They were so terrible and they sometimes reoccur, but they mean different things.

  Then they became real. I watched a man kill a woman and a little girl in a hotel room. Maybe it was this hotel, and I saw what would happen. I don’t really know. I woke up, and I went to school except I was no longer on Earth. I was on KS, the planet where the aliens were. They look like us. they want what we want, and their leader The Councilor used me for my brain power.

  People were strictly limited in their use of their mind and their imagination was limited on KS. They were living in constant squalor and faced with the fear that their planet wouldn’t be able to sustain them. They wanted Earth, and the sad part of it is, I was forced to help them.

  The Councilor wanted me to invent something. A device that could transport the people of each planet to their own planet, Earth to KS, KS to Earth.

  Eventually I give in and I was drugged beyond imagination. I was tortured as a nine-year-old. I saw birthdays in bright white hospital rooms in a psych ward, and watched my friend get shot by the guards trying to help me.

  At the end I thought that Earth saved me. I thought his guy Anthony, from the Agency on Earth had saved me and killed The Councilor. Anthony was right. He saved me but he didn’t stop the transfer of the people. We were both in a coma for sometime following the final battle, but whatever happened, it wasn’t good. I don’t think The Councilor was killed.

  Whatever happened to me that day I woke up on KS. It’s the same thing that happened to everyone on Earth along with everything with it and what could fit on KS. This wasn’t Earth, this was KS. The blackouts? They weren’t to protect us from the aliens, it was to prevent the world from running out of fuel.

  The government was corrupt. I know it. They made me promise not to tell anyone what happened and called me crazy. Anthony was supposed to help, and might come and see me.

  I know this is a lot of information, just know that it is true. I want your help because I don’t think I can help Anthony alone.”

  After a brief moment of silence, Tommy said, “I believe you.”

  I didn’t think it would be that easy. I left a lot of details out. “I believe you. It makes sense. I never went to the city when we lived on Earth or whatever. But when I remember looking at pictures, there’s all of New Jersey around us and out there beyond.” Tommy said seriously. He pushed the curtain open a little, looking out. “It’s so empty. What is this?” He asked, getting agitated.

  There was a pleading to his voice as he asked, “How are we going to stop this Luis? Why are we here? Why is everyone ignoring it? They have to know right? Surely the government doesn’t have that much control over what happens.”

  I interrupted, “The Councilor told me if I helped, I would get back to my people and save the or whatever. That meant at the time to destroy them. He told me I would be where I belonged. Anthony told me thousands are missing, and I wonder if this is all there is of the world. I assume there are millions still on Earth, in danger.”

  I just sat there looking at him. I felt like I had endangered him but I felt someone needed to know.

  Tommy spoke in a serious tone, “Luis I have to tell you something. I believe you, and I only do because of what the government has done. My dad, he died last year, and so did my mom, and so did my bother. I have been alone the past year. I ca
me home from school one day, and I went the next but no one came home. The government showed up at the house a week later. A man with several guards. President Crysler came to my house and told me my parents died on their way back from a trip from the Mars Interstellar Station. The way he said it. The way he thanked me for their service. I had no family in the military, nor the army. He left me with nothing. He gave me money, and told me I should just leave and go to Mars. It wasn’t even enough for me to live there, let alone get there. I laughed and I told I to get out, and his guard grabbed his bat. He held out my leg and bashed it several times. I was in excruciating pain. My leg was fractured, it was beyond any pain I had ever experienced.”

  I sat and listened, in shock. Tommy continued, “I was able to get to the ER by crawling, but they drove right next to me the whole way there preventing anyone from helping me. When I finally arrived, the guard exited with Crysler. Crysler thanked me for my service and told me not to tell anyone or I would be erased. He demanded that if I thanked him in return that his people would help me. He was so stern, I was shaking with fright.”

  I felt Tommy’s pain as he finished telling me his story. “I did what Crysler asked, and his guards helped me and carried me inside. I cried, but I didn’t care. I just let them use me. They killed my parents; our real president would have never done that.

  They were killed, and left on Earth or whatever you want to call it. They are on Earth and we are here. What are we going to do?”

  He pleaded as if I knew the answer. “We wait Tommy. I am so sorry that happened to you, I wish it weren’t true.”

  10

  I walked into the bathroom and looked around. There wasn’t much I hadn’t seen before. Over perfectly white porcelain, cold air coming from the vent, a large mirror. I thought it might have been a one-way window to another room. I was very paranoid since Anthony told me the truth. The Unity could’ve probed me. I didn’t care. It was worse than the cuff The Councilor put around my wrist.

  I showered while Tommy unpacked his clothes. I turned on the water. I dropped my cold clothes on the tile floor and stepped into the warm water, for once not blacking out on the floor or getting sick.

  The strange feelings always stayed with me. In the hotel it grew, at the house I felt safer, but the feelings lingered in the back of my mind. It wasn’t meant to be perfect, but what was it supposed to be?

  I stood in the streamlines of the water and wondered what it was like on Earth. What the people were doing, and if they knew what happened to New York City?

  Reasonably, I didn’t think they knew. I bet they were all dead. The Councilor was in charge.

  I heard shuffling coming from the room. The sound of a door shutting and talking came from behind the bathroom door. I still stood showering and stayed quiet trying to listen in.

  The water shut off after five minutes. It was not long enough. The culture was toxic.

  I stepped out of the shower and quickly dried myself off with the cotton towels. When I opened the bathroom door, sitting there on the bed was Anthony Larthwalker talking to Tommy. I didn’t cut him off mid-sentence, but he had finally cleaned himself up and looked less homeless and more hopeful.

  “Hey, you showed up!” I said.

  Anthony replied, “yeah, we have work to do. Tommy introduced himself to me, I hope you don’t mind. I briefly explained the scenario.”

  I wondered what he told Tommy.

  I replied, “sounds good to me, I told him most of what happened, and how Unity is trying to cover up all the issues.”

  “I think we should start discussing the next steps guys. I don’t really like staying here longer than we have to. All the eyes are on Anthony’s face and your life,” Tommy spoke towards me.

  I pried, “what are we doing here Anthony? You said you would tell me when and where we’d meet, but you never did. You left me so afraid that something might happen. I need answers.”

  Anthony spoke, “I think that is reasonable. So, the short story is Unity is corrupt. They planned this, and they don’t want anyone to know because if the people know, the world will be thrown into chaos if they all knew we had a few years left here before all resources are extinguished or poisoned by the changing atmosphere.

  I have evidence against Unity. Something we can use. Something not against Unity, but something that might answer all of our questions.

  Dr. Albert Kolash, the German astronomer who discovered this galaxy namely Marksburth. Dr. Kolash revealed his findings to the Unity Science Council in hope to either do one or both of the things he intended. Which were either to take the opportunity to make interstellar connections with homogenous lifeforms or to expand the human intelligence by moving noninvasive exploration stations to Marksburth.

  The likelihood of there being life on one of the spectrums explained by Dr. Kolash was that there was a possibility for life to sustain but there was a planet that radiated energy forces outside of Marksburth. That meant life was already sustaining in Marksburth.

  We need Dr. Kolash. We need his answers because he knows more about this system than we do. We might think we are far from Earth, but he is our only way to establish contact with Earth.”

  “So, where is Dr. Kolash?” I asked.

  Anthony responded, “Dr. Kolash was locked up by Unity right after the swap. He threatened to expose the happenings to society just as me, you, and Tommy pose a risk to also informing society.”

  “I know where we can find him. It is just a matter of when and where. I think I am pretty sure Kolash is in the Unity Psych Ward,” Anthony added.

  “Where is that? How are we going to even get in?” Tommy remarked.

  “I’ve been there, I can go,” I said slightly nervous.

  “I was locked up there, with many other kids, and people. Normal people. They don’t keep dangerous criminals there, they put people who don’t confirm there. I am sure Unity is just another copycat of the previous government’s ideals,” I stated before Anthony chipped back in.

  Anthony stated sternly, “no, I need to go. I can’t risk you going and being detained. I can go in since I still have a connection in Unity. I can get in with a fake key tag.”

  I took what Anthony said personally. I was offended after all I had gone through.

  Anthony continued, “please don’t take offense. I trust that you have been through enough. It was probably the worst you’ve been through. From suffering in an alienating society to suffering The Councilor.

  My task force was privately contracted by an insider at Unity for the United States. They wanted us to begin the experiments that sent you to KS. I am going to go to the Ward, and I am going to get Kolash out. I will message you when it is done. Be ready in two days, and stay here. Stay here for the next two days. The same place and don’t move rooms.”

  Both Tommy and I agreed to stay, it was not like we were going to leave anyway.

  I replied, “that is fine. I have to make a trip to my friend’s house anyway. Her dad owns a coffee shop down the street called Toodles.”

  Anthony handed me over the small brick-like archaic device, “just be careful Luis. You can’t always think everyone you meet is your friend. Just know, I am sure that Unity has people everywhere. People you think you trust might be trustworthy, some of those around are not to be trusted. Only take the risks you know you can get out of and watch yourself. If anything happens, just call the only contact on this phone. It has a muffled signal so it can’t be traced.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “I will see you both soon enough. Just be ready for my message,” Antony reminded us.

  “Then what will happen?” I asked.

  He replied, “sometimes it is better that you don’t know to prevent the word of mouth, and the lips from speaking the secrets.”

  Anthony stood up from the bed and left a heavy mark on the white cushions.

  He left the room, leaving Tommy and I in the hotel room afraid of what might happen. />
  “He should have at least taken one of us or both of us. How is he going to do this alone?” Tommy worried.

  I said confidently, “Anthony has been through thick and thin to save me and many others. He worked with the Special Task forces and completes missions as I am sure all the time. He will be fine, and if he’s not we are here.”

  “Will he make it?” Tommy asked me.

  I replied again, “he will be fine.”

  I stepped out of my comfort zone which most definitely meant that I had to be willing to both lie and tell the truth. I had no real clue whether Anthony really would make it or not. He was both a friend and an enemy.

  I walked through the hallway when I reached the Tubes. I hoped to catch one down as fast as I could to meet Sam at Toodles.

  Tommy stayed in the room and said he would meet with me there in a few hours to let Sam and I catch up a bit.

  The Tube shot me down and the sound of the hissing air leaked like a tire whispering in my ear all the way down then without warning, it stopped.

  Agitated? Maybe I was antsy. I never grew nervous; Sam wasn’t a slaver trying to chain me down like the fierce Councilor.

  It was more about invigoration than it was about longevity. A binary of sorts, something not even an empathetic person could see.

  I walked out into the liquid air. The liquid conformed to my face. It felt like it melted my skin away. I cleaned my face under the cotton of my sweater. I choose to look good, not to make her more attracted to me but maybe just a little glance into who I really am.

  Who am I really? It wasn’t a question no more than it was a statement. I think clearly sometimes, and other times I don't. Perhaps they were right, I am crazy, a crazy narcissistic bitch.

  I felt angry, I was fed up with what show Unity attempted to put on for the people, our people, not the aliens. The question of whether the aliens were even really here, was completely irrelevant. It was all about relevancy, it was now, not about then, present and future. It was no longer about what I had done, what I was forced to do, or what I dreamed. It was Anthony’s fault, it was Kolash’s fault, that here I stand millions of miles away from home, on this make-believe fairy tale.