The Prodigal Sun: A Novel

by S. E. Meyer

  Soon they approached what was once a high plateau at the southernmost part of the mountain range. The rising tides had swallowed most of it and the cold waves were gnawing its edges. There was a large, triangular shaped, airship sitting at the end of the long plateau. As they got closer, John could see people climbing aboard. The orb raft brought them within a few feet of a stairway that protruded from its belly and everyone stepped out onto the smooth rock next to it. A tall figure with flowing brown hair and smiling eyes climbed down the steps in front of them. He motioned for them to climb on board.

  “Come now,” the figure said in a quiet voice. “It’s time to go home.”

  Escape to Eridu

  Barb and Nathaniel ran as fast as they could towards the tallest building on the south side of Chicago, the Seventeen Hundred in Hyde Park. Brandon was following closely behind with James carrying Aurora in his arms. As they jogged down the street, feet splashing through ankle-high water, several people met up with them. Young and old were scrambling for higher ground, like rats from a flooding sewer.

  James, and the rest of the group, had been watching the water bubble up through the storm drains from the roof of Brandon’s apartment building for hours. James finally made the decision that they should try to find higher ground. They walked for hours and by the time they made it to the Seventeen Hundred they were wading through shin-high water. They found the doors broken open, remnants of the initial raids on the massive apartment complex for food and supplies from months before. There was nothing of use left inside except for the stairs that led to the top of the forty-story building. They made their way up each flight, one by one, with a short break to catch their breath now and then. Several people pushed past them along the way, fighting to get to the rooftop. As they cleared the last staircase, James stopped. He was breathing hard from the exertion, but the burning desire to get to the roof overcame the burning in his legs. He could hear Nathaniel wheezing next to him as he examined their surroundings.

  Someone had broken open the roof access above the elevator equipment. The large brick enclosure sat in the center, and was an additional thirty feet above the main rooftop. Several people were climbing up the ladder to reach it in single file. Two men were fighting over who would climb up next, while several people ran past them through the large double doors that led to the main part of the rooftop. James handed Aurora to Barb and pulled out his handgun. “Hey!” he yelled out, aiming the pistol. “Women and children first!” He motioned for Barb to get on the ladder.

  “Okay, okay, easy man. We’re cool,” said the man nearest James. They moved aside and James helped Barb climb to the top of the brick enclosure. Nathaniel and Brandon climbed up behind them.

  The rooftop was starting to get crowded, even though everyone was spreading out. Barb guessed there were two hundred people below her on the main part of the roof. She watched as they scurried around, looking out over the city as it began to disappear under water before their eyes. The building they were standing on was soon an island and nothing could be seen for miles except the endless ocean of water. The rectangular flat roof they were standing on was becoming crowded as well. James slammed the access cover closed, locking it from above with a large bolt he found resting on one of the antennae platforms. “I’m sorry!” he yelled through the steel door. “There’s no more room up here. You’re going to have to stay down there on the main roof.”

  Barb sat down and held Aurora tightly in her arms. Did John and Jenny fail? She thought. Is this the end? Is Nibiru coming? Oh God, please help us get out of this somehow, she prayed. If this was the end, Barb didn’t want to know. She hoped that if it was coming, that it would be quick for both her and Aurora.

  Several people were running through the upper floors, looking for pieces of wooden furniture, or anything that would float. They were throwing them out of the broken windows before climbing on top. Barb could hear people hollering around her and pointing out landmarks as they disappeared under the cold, dark waves. Finally, when there was nothing left to see except for the Sears Tower to their north and a few other skyscrapers from the downtown area, several people did the same as Barb and sat down. Heads hung low with fear in their eyes, awaiting the inevitable. Barb knew that even if the water didn’t advance high enough to reach them, they didn’t have any food or water, other than the few measly scraps they carried in their packs. It would be enough for a day or two at best.

  The water continued to scale the building, filling the upper floors one at a time, until it lapped at the edges of the short rail that ran the perimeter of the main rooftop. Everyone began to scream as it started to pour over the sides. As the water continued to rise, the people below them had to swim to stay afloat. Dozens were treading water and trying to stay close to the brick walls of the enclosure as the tides lifted them towards its roof. “Get away from the ledge!” yelled James as several people tried to climb onto the roof where they were standing. He pulled out his handgun and fired several rounds into the air. “I said get away from this roof. There’s no more room!” he hollered. The frantic crowds ignored James’ warnings. Overtaken by fear and panic, dozens of people persistently splashed around, trying to get onto the rooftop while others began to swim closer.

  Barb jumped onto one of the raised antennae platforms. She sat down, straddling it with Aurora crying in her arms. James, Nathaniel and Brandon joined her and they sat in a circle, arms and legs entwined. Several people tried to climb over them and get to the upper part of the antennae array. A large boot stepped on Barb’s fingers. She didn’t feel the pain. She was numb, shutting down and going into shock, blocking out the pandemonium around her. “I’m sorry baby, I’m so sorry,” Barb kept repeating over and over as she rocked Aurora in her arms. She no longer heard the screams of fear and wails of panic. She continued to rock Aurora in a catatonic state, absentmindedly patting her head and staring out blankly over the ocean of water that surrounded them. She didn’t hear the sudden commotion when dozen of people began to wade through the water away from her. She also didn’t see the large ship that slowly flew overhead, taking up a position at the far end of the building. Aurora stopped crying when she saw the bright lights of the craft. She watched it, hovering just above the water.

  “Mommy, mommy, someone is here,” yelled Aurora, patting her mother on the shoulder. Barb continued to rock back and forth, staring blankly, while a stairwell lowered from the belly of the ship and dozens of people began to climb on board.

  “Barb, let’s go!” yelled James as he tried to pry her hands free of the cold metal antennae brace. Nathaniel and Brandon carefully waded towards the ship as James continued to try and get Barb’s attention. Aurora tried to wiggle free of her mother, squirming and twisting in her arms as two figures came down the retractable walkway and began helping the crowds of people in the water to get on board. James looked into Barb’s eyes as he moved a strand of hair away from her face. “Barb, you have to trust me. You have to let go,” he coaxed.

  Aurora was pulling on Barb’s arm, screaming at her mother. “Mommy, come on!” She started crying again as James glanced at the ship. Almost everyone was aboard including Nathaniel and Brandon. James frantically pulled at Barb’s fingers as two people exited the ship and started wading towards them. James squinted in their direction for a moment and then smiled.

  “John! Jenny! What the hell?” he asked, his smile turning into a momentary look of confusion. “It doesn’t matter, help me get her off of here.”

  Jenny ran up to Barb and looked into her face. “Barb. Barb!” she repeated. “We have to go. Look at me!” Jenny ordered. There was no response except a feeble pat on Aurora’s head with Barb’s free hand. “I’m sorry about this Barb but you’re not giving me a choice here,” Jenny said and then slapped Barb across the face. Barb breathed in sharply and then looked at Jenny. “Come on, we have to go,” Jenny pleaded, helping her and Aurora off the platform and into the waist-high water. James and John helped them to the stairway and up i
nto the ship. The stairway closed as the ship’s engines roared, blasting the lonely island of communication equipment with a wall of water.

  “Nathaniel, is everyone okay?” Frank asked him as Nathaniel and Brandon made their way past rows of seats, then stopped where Frank and Ninti were seated.

  “Yes, I think so. John and Jenny are bringing them up now,” Nathaniel replied.

  Frank looked past him to see John and Jenny shuffling past the rows of crowded seats followed by James helping Barb and Aurora. Once they made it to where everyone else was seated, Jenny hugged her sister tightly around the neck. “I thought we lost you!” she said and then knelt down to hug Aurora too. John hugged them both as well and then turned to his brother.

  “I told you I’d see you again,” John said with a smile and then hugged James, finishing with a pat on the back as they all took seats next to Frank, Nathaniel and Brandon. They were sitting in the main part of the ship. James guessed it was the size of a gymnasium and it was filled from wall to wall with seats, separated into rows and sections. Most of the seats were occupied, filled with ragged looking folks, exhausted, half-starved, wet and dirty.

  “There’s so many people,” commented James as he glanced around the ship.

  “Yes,” replied John. “And there’s three more levels just like this one above us.”

  “It’s amazing. What is it exactly?” James asked and then raised his eyebrows. “And how the hell did you find us?”

  “It’s a rescue ship, as far as I can tell. And as far as how we found you, well, that’s kind of an interesting story,” replied John. “When we first went looking for Barb and Aurora, all we found were their implants. Frank here wasn’t thinking and slipped them into his pack. That’s how Braedon kept tracking us down,” explained John.

  “That still doesn’t explain how you found us,” said James.

  “We kind of left your place in a hurry James, and you took Frank’s backpack by accident,” John continued as he reached into the bottom flap of the backpack, still hanging from James’ shoulder. John held up the two metallic disks. “See? I was able to speak with our rescuers, the ones piloting this ship, and they said they could use the signal to find you. I’m just glad you still had it with you,” explained John then looked over at Brandon. “And who’s this? A new member to our group?” John asked.

  “This is Brandon,” replied James. “He helped me save Barb and Aurora.”

  John looked Brandon over. “Thanks,” he said with a nod and then shook Brandon’s hand. “It’s good to meet you.”

  “So where is this thing taking us John?” asked James.

  “We’re heading to their home planet. To Eridu,” John replied. He looked out of the large window next to them and could see the Earth below. “Look,” he said to Jenny, nudging her arm. They all heard John and every one moved so they could peer out of the window. It was hard to tell what they were looking at with no landmarks. There were no fields or forests speckled with small lakes and streams. The Earth below them was nothing but water. As they rapidly flew higher into the atmosphere, and finally into orbit, all they could see was a solid blue sphere with only a few landmasses peppering the planet along its highest elevations. It was beautiful in a way, but also terrifying to know that everything they ever knew was now submerged in water.

  John noticed six more ships like the one they were in, spread out behind them and to the left, flying in formation. The group continued to watch the Earth through the window as it shrank below them. They looked on as millions of tiny lights began to rise from Earth’s surface, shooting straight up through the atmosphere. They enveloped the Earth, surrounding it in an electric blue haze. More lights joined the first, and together they became a massive cloud of electric blue light that seemed to lift away from the Earth as it formed into a wide blue ribbon. Within minutes the ribbon began to head towards the ship. John watched as it wove and twisted its way through the space between them and Earth, quickly gaining on them.

  “It’s beautiful!” whispered Jenny. Everyone continued to watch in amazement as the stream of blue energy that stretched for miles passed by the windows. They became lost in its brilliant magnificence and grandeur as it passed. Everyone could feel its spine tingling energy as the ribbon flowed directly through the ship, and everyone on board.

  “What it is?” Ninti finally asked, raising the question everyone was thinking. No one could muster an answer, still lost in the glory of its radiant energy.

  The translucent shape of Jake was suddenly standing in front of them. The ribbon of energy tugged at his frame as he stood smiling at everyone. “What is it?” he asked, repeating Ninti’s question. “This is pure life energy.” Jake raised his arms and they became lost in the ribbon. “Can you feel it?” he asked. “These are the souls that were denied their journey. Now they’re going home. And I’m going with them,” he explained.

  “Home?” Jenny asked. “Where is home?”

  Jake just smiled in response to her question. “Don’t worry Jennifer, you either Barbara. I will see you both again,” he said as he looked at each of them in turn. His shape transformed and washed over his sisters. Jenny and Barb felt his presence flood their hearts and minds. They could feel his spirit saying goodbye. Jake’s form moved back in front of them. It began to melt into the ribbon of energy. His features disappeared and then momentarily came back. “I will see you all again. I just hope that it’s not for a very long time,” he finished. Jake smiled broadly as he completely faded away into the ribbon of energy behind him. The last of the electric blue light left the ship along with the ribbon as it sped on ahead of them. John watched it bank left and then disappear from sight.

  A Heavenly Host

  John stirred underneath a soft warm blanket and rubbed his face into the supple pillow under his cheek. He felt himself completely relax, melting into the comfortable mattress below him. He reached across the bed under the covers and felt Jenny lying there next to him. He smiled with his eyes still closed, breathing in deeply. He moved closer to Jenny and placed his arm around her warm body. For a moment, John thought he was at home on a typical Saturday morning. Waking up slowly with no alarm clock buzzing in his ears. At home, before everything-changed. John opened his eyes. He lifted his head and looked around the room through the dim light. There was a large wooden dresser along the wall, opposite the foot of the bed. On top of the dresser were two piles of clothes and above it was a beautifully crafted painting. Its colors seemed to come alive in the darkness. A lush green landscape filled with fruit trees and a gorgeous blue sky. White puffy clouds floated across the canvass as the aroma from the fruit tree blossoms floated past his nose. John tried to jog his memory of how he got to this place. The last thing he could remember was seeing Eridu through the window of the ship just before they entered its atmosphere. Jenny began to stir and rolled over as she brushed her hand across her nose. It must have tickled because she squinted and then rubbed it vigorously. John thought she looked cuter than he could ever remember, just lying there, sleeping peacefully. He couldn’t help himself and leaned in to kiss her cheek. It felt amazing, his lips on her soft warm skin. Everything felt amazing. He felt amazing. John was relieved, calm and relaxed. Jenny opened her eyes and looked at him. There was a brief look of confusion on her face and then John could see her whole body ease as she smiled a big beautiful smile. She must have had similar thoughts. John could see the relief and lack of worry in her bright green eyes as they both sighed. He kissed her softly on the lips.

  “Do you remember how we got here?” John asked her quietly.

  Jenny closed her eyes for a moment in thought. “No, not really. It’s all a little fuzzy. But I feel fantastic!” Jenny stretched and jumped out of bed. She walked over to the large window next to them and pulled back the smooth, silky curtains. They were immediately bathed in bright orange sunshine, filling the room with light and their hearts with excitement. “Wow, this is amazing,” she said.

  “What?” John asked f
rom the plush bed, taking his turn to stretch.

  “Come here and look at this,” Jenny said as she waved him over. John got up out of the bed and noticed how effortless it was. “Wow, you’re right, I feel great too!” He looked out the window and marveled at the sight. They were in what appeared to be some kind of neighborhood. John glanced up and down the street in both directions, taking in the view. There were houses on both sides of the lane that stretched as far as John could see. The lawns in front of each home radiated a bright green. They were greener than any lawn John had ever seen. Each blade started at its sea-green base of the lush living carpet and stretched into a deep emerald. The blades evolved into a blue green hue towards the middle before finally turning a bright lime at each tip. Everything was sparkling, clean and tidy. The street in front of them reflected the sunlight into a lustrous gold. The house they were in was sitting on a knoll and John could see rows and rows of homes filling the valley below them. At the very bottom, there was a large river that wound away through the valley from their direction. John was having feelings of Déjà vu, like he had been here before. The memories flooded back to him from his first visit. The feelings and sensations made him even more at ease.

  The neighborhood was beginning to wake up. John saw several people walk out of their front doors, looking around with confused expressions. Farther down the street several people were gathered together, talking and laughing. John could tell they were very much enjoying themselves, sporting bright smiles. “This is pretty amazing Jen.” John turned to face her and gave her a smile. They heard voices in the next room. “That sounds like Frank!” John said excitedly. They changed into the clothes that were set out for them on the dresser. The material was light and airy, fitting them perfectly. John opened their bedroom door and looked into the next room. It was a large spacious area with a bank of windows that stretched from floor to ceiling. There were several pieces of furniture in the room. High back chairs and cushioned couches littered the perimeter while a tall serving table took up the middle, loaded with fresh fruits and pitchers brimming with fresh squeezed juices.