Forgotten Origins Trilogy - Box Set: Infected, Heritage, Descent

by Tara Ellis

  Now that he’s put it so plainly, I’m embarrassed that we even considered it. “What are we going to do then?” I ask him.

  “Drive until we run out,” Nate answers for him. “That’s about all we can do. I think it’s a little less than forty miles from here to Bigfork, and the senator’s ranch is south of town so we don’t even have to go all the way. It’ll be within ten miles or so. We can just walk if we have to.”

  As we silently consider Nate’s option, we crest a hill and spread out below us is the massive lake, lit by the moon. Maybe we’re closer than I thought. There are some scattered lights in what I assume is the town of Polson. Out here, people often have generators for when the power goes out during the winter. I briefly mull over tracking one down for the gas it has to be running on, but it’s probably either law enforcement or the military who still have the capacity to be using it.

  Mom wakes everyone else up, and the atmosphere in the SUV changes to one of growing anticipation. In spite of everything, and all the heartache, we are almost done. Missy moves forward to hook her arms over the back of the seat, and hugs me from behind.

  “We did it,” she whispers to me.

  Turning in the seat, I gather my friend close and tell her I’m sorry. That wall threatens to crumble again, but a part of me holds firm. Even though we’re almost there, we aren’t safe yet. I have to remain strong.

  “There’s nothing to be sorry for,” she answers loud enough for everyone to hear. “We’ll get him back. Now,” she continues, turning to Kyle. “I just want to know who’s going to give me a piggyback ride, ‘cause I haven’t walked that far in a long time.”

  Kyle laughs, but quickly offers to be her human chariot. Nate grunts in disapproval, and then tells Chris to make a right turn at the approaching dark intersection.

  After the turn, Flathead Lake is off to our left, the shore not far away. To our right we pass a couple of large grocery stores and I begin to recognize more of the surroundings. “We went this way, didn’t we, Mom?”

  “Yes, we did, Alex. We shopped at that Safeway, actually,” she points out as the store disappears behind us. “If I remember correctly, the campground we stayed in is only fifteen minutes or so from here. It’s called Blue Bay.”

  Our excitement grows as the trees thicken again and we start seeing signs for recreation areas. When a sign that reads ‘Bigfork 20 miles’ comes into view, we all cheer but it quickly turns to dread as the Tahoe begins to stutter. We get less than another half mile before Chris is forced to coast to the side of the road.

  When the engine dies, silence envelopes us and it becomes clear how isolated we are. “Get your stuff,” I tell the disheartened group, breaking through the stillness. “We’re walking from here.”

  Nate gets out first and I follow, staring up at the massive milky way constellation hanging over us in the sky. I remember lying out next to this lake with Dad and talking about how many stars were above us. But instead of the peacefulness I experienced back then, I have a sense of time running out and a growing certainty that there is an unseen threat hurtling through space towards us.

  TWENTY EIGHT

  You know the phrase about how it’s always darkest right before dawn? I understand that now. Even though I have the ability to see in the dark, it comes across as tones of grey and shadows. The moon is so low now that it’s behind the trees lining either side of the road and it’s like we are walking through a black tunnel.

  With the power out, there aren’t any lights to cast those shadows aside or create depth. It’s like a solid wall and even I am finding it hard to make out the shapes near us, causing my imagination to create things that aren’t really there. We have a couple of flashlights, but their weak beams aren’t doing much to help.

  Jake is trying to be brave, but I notice he’s staying very close to Baxter. Natalie, on the other hand, isn’t afraid to let everyone know how terrified she is of the dark. Turns out Kyle had to pass on being a slave to Missy, in exchange for her younger sister. Natalie is wrapping her arms so tightly around his neck that he’s constantly telling her to let go because he can’t breathe.

  We’ve been walking for twenty minutes and it’s getting close to five in the morning. I think the sun should rise at six so we only have an hour before it’s up. I hope.

  Nate figured we aren’t more than ten miles or so from Senator Adel’s, since his ranch sits eight miles south of Bigfork. At walking roughly fifteen to twenty minutes a mile, it should take us less than three hours to get there. I considered running ahead, because I can get there much faster. I can’t bring myself to do it though. At least, not when it’s this dark and so far away. Maybe after the sun comes up I won’t feel like I’m abandoning them, and I can hopefully bring a car back.

  “I have to go to the bathroom now,” Natalie wails. Her shrill voice breaks through my thoughts and I feel bad for Kyle.

  “How about these trees over here?” Kyle suggests.

  “No! I don’t have to do that kind. I gotta have a bathroom. Momma, I’m gonna go in my pants!”

  The look on Kyle’s face is enough to make me laugh in spite of Natalie’s distress. He quickly lowers her to the ground and directs her towards Cindy.

  We’ve just come around a steep curve and the trees to our left disappeared to give us a view of the lake. The moon is hanging low on the far side, heading for the mountains. It provides enough light, however, so that I can make out the coastline and my spirits rise. “This is Blue Bay!” I exclaim, pointing just ahead of us to a cove. “There are nice bathrooms there and running water.” We only had one bottle of water between all of us the whole night, so we could all use some.

  “Come here, Natalie, get on my back,” I order, kneeling down next to her. Looking to her mom first for permission, she then climbs on. “It’s probably less than a mile there,” I explain to Cindy. “I’ll take her to the bathroom, and we’ll wait for you. Mom knows where it is.”

  Not wanting to push my luck with the desperate five-year-old, I sprint towards the campground. Even with the added weight, I’m able to run faster than ever before. It takes me less than five minutes to reach the entrance, and I jog around the gate that’s pulled across the road. The bathrooms aren’t far and I don’t see anyone on the way, although there seem to be several tents and trailers in the numerous camping spots.

  Natalie is scared at first to go into the small, dark building. I didn’t think to bring a flashlight with us since I don’t need one. However, at my urging, she manages to go in and once her eyes further adjust, does okay.

  We’re sitting out front waiting by the time the rest of our group shows up. We’re careful to be quiet, so we don’t wake up anyone who may be sleeping nearby.

  After everyone’s made use of the facilities and filled their water bottles, we gather at a picnic area by the water, further from the campsites. It’s a pleasant summer evening, still in the 70s with a gentle warm breeze blowing in off the water. The area is scattered with tall pines and cedars, their scent wafting on the wind swirling around us.

  “I think we should rest here for the half hour or so until it gets lighter,” Mom whispers. “We would all walk a bit faster and feel better if we could see where we’re going.”

  I tell them about my plan to run to the senator’s house once the sun comes up. Since I’d get there in less than half the time, they all agree it makes the most sense. Gathering around a picnic table, we go digging through our backpacks for food. We create a small pile of everything we find and then divide it up.

  I’m working on eating a granola bar when Chris silently takes my hand and pulls me to my feet. Turning, he leads me away from the picnic area and I follow without question. We end up on a nearby dock and walk out halfway before sitting next to each other, facing the water.

  The moon is almost behind the hills now, but is still casting a line of light out over the rippling surface. It’s a beautiful sight and just what I need to soothe my frazzled nerves. I’m so engrossed by
it that I’m taken by surprise when Chris drops my hand and turns to cup my face with both of his.

  “I thought I was going to lose you tonight,” he says huskily and I notice the moonlight reflecting off the extra moisture in his eyes. “I almost snapped his neck, but then I saw you getting up and knew you were alive.” Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath before continuing. “Alex, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  Unsure of what to say, I place my own hands over his and turn my face into his palm. When I refocus on him, he has leaned in closer and I respond by lifting my lips to meet his.

  The fire I experienced from his touch two nights before returns as his lips caress mine, spreading through my body and causing me to gasp. The sound seems to encourage him and he pulls me in closer, the kiss deepening. My senses are overloaded and I lose the ability to think, becoming completely lost in the feel of him. His hands drop to my waist, spreading the fire even further and I moan this time, unsure of what I want.

  With obvious effort, he pushes me gently away, separating our bodies. I go to lean back in, but he stops me and I swallow hard, trying to regain control of myself. As my head finally starts to clear, I open my eyes and find that he is watching me, grinning. Blushing, I stare down into my lap, embarrassed.

  “Hey,” he whispers. Looking up at him, I can’t help but smile back and we both laugh. Putting an arm around my shoulders, we turn towards the water again. I’m torn between appreciating the fact that he respects me, and feeling an almost physical pain that only he can stop.

  “So. How about that moonlight?” he aks lightly and I chuckle, snuggling in closer to him, so grateful to have him for a friend.

  As I follow his gaze and stare into the reflection past the end of the dock, a weird sensation envelopes me. The breeze off the water takes on a cooler temperature and the smell of pine is replaced with one of perfumed plants.

  Sitting up straighter, I turn to inspect my surroundings and find that the sparse trees have been replaced with a lush jungle. Spinning back to the lake, I see that it’s now an ocean, the dock made out of rough-hewn planks that are weathered by the salt water.

  Someone takes my hand and I nearly jump, because I can tell it isn’t Chris. “Nator,” a woman says from beside me. The past thousand years rushes back. The continents explored, indigenous people met and studied. Plants and animals cataloged. The elders had quickly decided that this amazing planet was too rare to simply mine and leave. As we mapped it, more and more Nephilim migrated down to its surface until now almost all of us live here.

  Behind me in the jungle is a small encampment. It’s used as a home base for the several different exploring parties because of its central location. On another, more temperate body of land, we’ve built a larger, formidable settlement.

  Because of our physical appearance, the natives of this planet were at first quite fearful of us. We are a good two to three feet taller than most, depending on the tribe. However, aside from our size and aesthetics we are otherwise similar. This has led to many debates among us, with the majority refusing to entertain the thought that we must have the same creator. Due to the utter lack of intelligence among this alien species, and their rudimentary understanding of their own world, most believe they are inferior. Sentient, yes, and alive, but not much more than that.

  In spite of this, it’s been rumored that some Nephilim men have started taking human wives. While regarded as stupid, many are so beautiful that they are hard to ignore. I haven’t seen any proof of these rumors however and care not to believe it.

  It is true that they have babies at an incredible rate even though they only live an average of less than a hundred years. In comparison, the Nephilim DNA was damaged thousands of years ago due to our own careless ways and it is very difficult for us to conceive. Of the fifty percent or so of our women who are able, they still typically have no more than one or two children during their ten thousand years of life.

  “Nator!” I turn to my wife Zurish, sitting next to me on the dock. This is her favorite spot and we try to spend some time here whenever I am home. “I said, don’t you think the moonlight is beautiful?”

  I follow her extended hand and look towards the far horizon of the sea. I watch as the shimmering water shifts into the form of sand and massive dunes, moving me forward to another place in time, where mirages give the appearance of large bodies of water. I know, however, that there isn’t any water for miles in this desolate landscape.

  Turning back to my wife and our young daughter now standing at her side, I see they are wearing the common white linen garments of the desert dwellers. It’s been almost two thousand years since that night at the ocean and so much has changed. Not only have we had a child, but the future of our civilization is uncertain.

  In the distance, I can see the beginning of a massive undertaking: building the Giza pyramid. Our Elder leader, RA, has convinced the ruling Egyptian King Khufu that it must be built as a place of worship. I do not agree with RA’s ways of manipulation. He has used our advanced technology to trick the people into believing that he is a god.

  In fact, I haven’t agreed with the decisions of the Elder’s for some time now. I was advanced to the ruling body several hundred years ago, to follow in my father’s footsteps. Since my education is as a scientist rather than a leader, I didn’t take my position until much later in life than most. Because of this, I am one of the few remaining Nephilim on the board who was alive prior to the Great Move from our home world. There is a vast difference between living during an uprising and reading about it in an ancient text. I have recently observed disturbing parallels between the behavior of our current leaders and those of the time when I was a young boy, struggling to survive on the planet we destroyed.

  My pleading and warnings have fallen on deaf ears, and it was determined that the humans have progressed into beings who are not worth cohabitating with. Their violent nature has resulted in mounting wars, murder, adultery, thievery, and barbarism among themselves.

  In the time since we came here, their numbers have grown at an alarming rate due to their ability to rapidly multiply, but their level of intelligence has hardly advanced. This has all lead to a drastic change of opinion on the planet’s appeal. Over half the Nephilim have returned to our ship, still situated in high orbit.

  It was voted to once again begin the mining process and proceed with our original plans for this planet. This desert was found to have the richest concentration of the minerals we need, so here we are. It’s been five years since the project began and right away there were numerous problems.

  The area was already populated, something we had never encountered before on other worlds. We are a peaceful people, and although we have an incredible source of technology, it hasn’t been used for violence in thousands of years. Thankfully, enough of the elders were against creating new weapons. So instead, RA had to come up with a different way to achieve his goals.

  Once he was successful in fooling the Egyptians to follow him as a god, his next hurdle was manpower. The Nephilim regard manual labor as a thing of the past and it’s reserved for a select group. So rather than uprooting and forcing his own people to build the pyramids, he instead enslaved thousands of Israelites to do it for him. This is where my mounting concern for our behavior boiled over.

  I went to RA and explained to our young leader why he was getting dangerously close to falling back onto the evil path of our forefathers. Unfortunately, I believe he was already a victim of his own creation and was beginning to see himself as the Egyptians did: a god of great power and strength who could not be denied his will.

  His promises of a quick operation and resulting riches to the rest of the Nephilim Elders were eagerly accepted by most. It was too easy for them to retreat to Nibiru and simply wait for the time to leave.

  But I stayed. I saw the ensuing violence and deteriorating treatment of the slaves. When it became apparent to RA that he needed more slaves than were available, and that some wer
e even fighting back, he came up with a new plan. A virus.

  One area the Nephilim mastered long ago was genetics. We didn’t always have such a long life span. Most of the ancient documents have been lost, but it is said that before the time of no sickness, some twenty thousand years ago, we were very fragile. Perhaps even as frail as the humans, although most Nephilim would never even suggest such a thing.

  Once our DNA was cleansed of the flaws that lead to most illnesses, we then were able to wipe out all other dangerous organisms. When a new one would develop, we simply studied it and defeated it. While our lives were then prolonged and the effects of aging nearly invisible, we still couldn’t crack the defect that prevented some of the women from conceiving. Religious groups claim it is a punishment from God to remind us of our past transgressions.

  I know of the current plans to release this slave virus because of my position in the scientific community. There are others like myself who do not agree with what is being done. We decided to go to RA and protest, and made a formal request to withdraw from the planet and leave them without committing any further damage.

  Not only was my proposal denied without an opportunity to discuss it, but my further plea to complete my biodome before the mining started was regarded as traitorous. RA’s power on this planet is changing him and all the other Nephilim Elders who are on his side.

  I turn to my wife, to tell her about my last disastrous meeting with RA. As I take her hands, my surroundings change yet again and I am instead facing another Elder named Methu.

  Twenty more years have passed and times are desperate. We are in a room deep within the city, far from RA. Our journey here was done under the cloak of darkness so we would not draw suspicion. There are two other Nephilim at the meeting, as well as numerous Nephume. This is what we call the descendants of the Nephilim, who have a human mother. During the time that we have been on earth, their numbers have grown to be in the hundreds.