by James Huff
The Alphae abruptly arose and all the people dropped to their knees. I instinctively did the same, and the rage I had kept bottled up inside, began to slowly surface. Why should I be subservient to this being? No one shall rule over me. I am the master of my own fate! I stood up and faced the Alphae. I was the only one in the entire mass of people to stand. The Alphae glinted and shone and fire came from his scepter and shot down into my head and it was filled with a burning fire. I instantly fell flat on my face, and shrieked with pain as blood gushed out of my nose. I tried to get up, but I could not move. I turned an eye to my mother and she looked at me sternly for a moment, and then shielded her eyes once more from the god above her. The rage had not left my soul, but I felt defeated.
“Citizens of Metropolis!” the Alphae boomed. “I come to you first with a warning. I will not hesitate to make an example of any citizen who blasphemes me by not bowing before me. I am your god. You are all nothing without me. You are mere chaff in the wind. You do not rule your fate, I do. For without me you would be doomed to die in the perilous Wastelands. Do not forget that! I am kind, but I am equally just. I will not hesitate to strike down any and all who question my divine rule of law!”
I started crying tears of rage. My body began to shake violently. Oh no! The rage was coming back full force. I wanted to get up but I felt paralyzed and my head was still burning feverishly. I knew that standing was impossible but I felt like I was giving in to the Alphae. So I summoned up the strength to kneel and I looked straight into the Alphae’s eerie eyes. They glinted with severity. I held my gaze with the Alphae for what seemed like an eternity. I thought of my grandfather. I thought of all his wonderful stories. I thought of how I would lie awake at night and wish with all of my heart that I could be transported into Vaena or any of the wonderful kingdoms from Grandfather’s stories. The people there lived in true peace. Where was the peace now? I may have been a child, but I could still see that there was something terribly wrong with this world. Metropolis could not have been a true utopia. Why was I the only one who thought that? With Grandfather now gone from this world, I knew I was the only one. But even Grandfather gave in. He feared the consequences too much to even try to interfere. But I knew I could not give up. Even among all of this hopeless ignorance, compounded by so much illusion, I knew that there had to be an answer. And I vowed right then and there to seek out that answer with every fiber of my being, until there was not a breath left in my body.
The Alphae continued. “Glorious citizens, I stand here before you now to show you a glimpse of the past and to welcome you into the Rite of Atonement. I once sacrificed my home in the higher realms to descend upon Earth and teach some of the first humans how to live properly. I freed them. But that is not what I am here to show you. I am here to show you how I created this grand city of Metropolis. Behold my power!” With that, a golden beam of light shot out of the Alphae’s scepter and hit the ground and the entire scene changed. The Earth was suddenly transformed into a barren wasteland. Everything had been destroyed. But there were people coming up out of the Earth, ascending from the underground. As they arose, the Alphae shot down a beam of white light from his scepter and it touched each of them, forming an aura of protection around them. Then he turned toward the sun and shot out a massive beam of violet light into it. The sun became darkened for a few moments and then a beam of white light shot down from it and hit the ground below. The land began to cave in around where the beam hit the ground and a massive crater was formed. The crater began to rumble and shake violently and then a fertile landscape started growing. The land became level and buildings began to ascend from the ground around the plants. The palace of the Alphae was the first building to arise, and then the complex of flats formed, and then the building of Institution. The temples arose from out of the Earth and an entire city was created in mere moments. Around the border of the city arose from out of the Earth a biospheric dome of white light. It rose up and surrounded the entire city, protecting it from the radiation of the perilous Wastelands around it. The Alphae then turned to the people and pointed his scepter to the city, leading them there. As the people entered the city, the Alphae took his place from atop the pinnacle of his palace.
Once more he shot out a green beam of light from his scepter and a grand feast was laid out among the people and they began to dance and laugh with excitement. There was joy in the air as the Alphae had at last saved his people. Then, without warning, the scene changed again and was back to the jungle. The Alphae looked down over the people and glinted with pride at what he had given them. Once more he addressed the masses. “Glorious citizens, now you have seen what I have given you in a time of great peril. I alone saved the human race from certain destruction and I alone hold the keys to paradise. Obey me and you need never fear death again!” The people began to chant the call of the Alphae and the drumming started again. Everyone became ecstatic and convulsed with a hypnotic vigor. I alone remained still. I alone remained silent. And the rage began to build up in me once more. I summoned up the strength to stand on my feet. I thought of Grandfather. Suddenly I imagined that he came back to life and took the Alphae’s scepter and broke it. But that thought soon left my mind as the Alphae began to speak again.
“Glorious citizens, I now invite all of you to experience the light of Atonement. This is a special privilege indeed, for it atones for the sins of the rebels that led to the perilous Wastelands. Because you are all human, and these sins are of the human genome, it is necessary to be atoned of them. But I am a merciful god. And so I will now bestow on each of you the light of forgiveness and ask you to foster that light with pure, unwavering loyalty.”
With that, a beam of white light shot up out of the Alphae’s scepter and high into the evening sky. It hit the sun and then descended down, raining thousands of tiny beams of light onto the heads of the people. As the people received this light, they stood in awe of the mighty god and many of them began to weep tears of joy. I alone remained unperturbed. I alone remained silent. But even I could not deny the joy of those around me. Illusory as it may be, that kind of joy is still very much contagious and it did spread to my heart and slightly reduce my rage. The scene around us then dissipated and all remained silent. The ceremony had ended and I looked at my parents once more. They did not look pleased.
Mother spoke to me first. “Oh my son, how could you disrespect the Alphae so much? What are we going to do with you? Father and I are very concerned. We would be heartbroken if you had another incident like today in Institution. The Alphae could exile you son! Do you not realize what that means? Can you take any of this to heart?” My father said nothing; he merely looked at me with concern and worry in his eyes. “But mother,” I began, “Grandfather is dead! And the Alphae, he…” She cut me off, “Do not even think to blame the Alphae for what happened to your grandfather! He is there to console you, not to harm you. But you must be obedient. You must be loyal. You much submit to his will in all that you do. I know you love Grandfather and I am sure you miss him. But the Alphae is there for you. I think father and I should take you to him. And if this rebellious behavior of yours continues, we may have to take you to a Behavior Modification Specialist. It would be for your own good, you know.”
My father looked rather distressed. I looked toward him and opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I do not believe words are necessary. Somehow I understood. His father was dead. Despite how easily my father conformed to society, and despite how much he loved the Alphae, somehow I knew that deep down in his heart, his father touched his heart in much the same way as he did for me. But my father never questioned his existence because of it. He never was a very imaginative child from what I had heard. Why should he be when the Alphae provides us with so much beauty?
At my mother’s request I decided to stay with them for the remainder of the retreat. There were only six days remaining. The crowd began to disperse from the center of the Temple area, heading for the direction of the Scared Re
treat Center. It was a garden dedicated to the Alphae that lie just a few blocks away. My mother took me by the hand to take me there, but I jerked away from her and started to take off by myself instead. Father ran ahead to catch up to me. “My son,” he implored. “I know your mother has been hard on you, but I just wanted you to know that
I know exactly how you feel. But don’t you see? The Alphae cares for you. He created you out of pure love and all that he asks in return is obedience. Why question him? Why not go to him and tell him how you feel?” I gave my father a blank stare. I was only partially listening to him. I did not mind going to the Sacred Retreat Center, but I preferred to go there and imagine that those gardens were the gardens of Grandfather’s many tales instead. I knew my father did not understand the point of imagination when one is often immersed into the grand and beautiful kingdoms of the Alphae. “Father,” I began, “I just need to spend some time alone. I will meet you and Mother at the Fountain of Alphaean Mercy in the evening.” My father looked at me, questioning my pleading eyes like he was trying to read my mind. “Very well,” he replied. “But I would still like for you to go to the Alphae before the retreat’s end.”
I turned from my father and walked out, toward the edge of the Center City Temple. As I passed the individual altar stations, I paused briefly beside station number 27. There was a young girl there, about my age, just sitting there quietly in front of the machine. She stared at it as if she did not know how it worked. I thought about trying to help her, but then I began to wonder if maybe she had become lost in imagination too? Could I really not be alone? I walked up to her and decided to say hello. She turned and briefly looked at me. She had long blonde hair, fair skin, and light blue eyes. She slightly smiled and then suddenly looked up at the sky. Clouds had formed above, covering the afternoon sun. She looked as one lost in a dream, almost like she was dreaming while awake. “What are you thinking about,” I asked. But she did not acknowledge what I said. She simply kept staring up at the sky, mesmerized by the ever-shifting clouds above. I was transfixed by the somber beauty of her gentle grace. I may not have known what she was thinking, but it did not matter. She was there, like me, pondering the beauty of life. And the Alphae was nowhere to be seen. Out of respect, I decided to leave her to her observation.
I stepped outside the main circle of the Center City Temple and headed north toward the gardens where the retreat was being held. It was only a few blocks away. I could not stop thinking about Grandfather. I missed him. I missed his ruddy cheeks and his robust laughter. I missed those deep blue eyes that touched my soul like a wave from the ocean. But most of all…I missed his stories. Not just the stories themselves, but the way he told them. It was like he could breathe life into his words to weave a story that would take me to a place far away. I could go far away from this cursed place where there was no Alphae. I remembered the last story he told me about Vaena. Somehow it made me think of that graceful blonde girl I had just seen. I imagined that she was the princess and I was the poet. And my scenery could change. The long, tall complexes of flats became beautiful hanging gardens. I imagined that we were at the wedding banquet and I had already freed her. The beautiful immortals of Vaena were smiling with radiance in the serene light of the evening sun. All around us hung gardens of the most exotic flora and fauna and we could smell the distinct aroma of roses, as they rained from above us from magical clouds of purple lavender. I breathed in and I could taste the essence of my imagination. I breathed out and I could feel her hand in mine. I slipped a ring of twine made from the stem of a lily around her graceful finger. She was wearing a white dress that dazzled in the sunlight and flowed down to her ankles, almost covering her bare feet. Metropolis no longer existed. Grandfather was there too. He stood beside the elders of Vaena with pride. He had a long, flowing beard and long white hair and was dressed in marina blue, matching his eyes. He smiled with those warm eyes of his, but his lips remained unperturbed. Love is what I felt.
My imagination was cut short by a public service announcement via the large monitor hanging on one of the sides of the wall of one of the flat complexes. It was the Alphae. “Citizens of Metropolis, I remind you that we are coming closer and closer to the time where I will gather my children into my arms to be forever bound to me within the walls of Institution. This is a glorious time for all the children of Metropolis who have come of age, and for their parents who direct them with pride to my mighty will. Remember…that in all things done, be they done unto me. For I am perfect, holy, and wise…but most of all I am kind and give to all whom prove their loyalty.”
I couldn’t help but think to myself how it never seemed like I could escape for long before I was bombarded by some kind of distraction, almost always coming from the Alphae. How I wanted to destroy him so. I wanted to end his reign. I refused to believe that he was as mighty or all powerful as he claimed to be. I continued walking and could see, not far in the distance, the sacred garden which was also the main area of community in the retreat that was being held there. My parents wanted me to meet them by the fountain, and since it was actually a beautiful place even for this city, I decided to wait there and wander off into my inner worlds. Evening was approaching and I knew my parents would likely meet me before nightfall. I wanted to spend as much time by myself as possible and sincerely hoped that there would be no one by the fountain to disturb me.
I descended down the hill and could see the circular gardens down below. They had a very artificial look to them and I seriously questioned if any of the plants were actually real. Many of them looked quite strange. All of them varied in color. There were green and yellow vines with red and white flowers. There were black and gold trees with pink and purple ovular fruits. There were red, gold, silver, and white roses with black thorns and greenish-yellow stems that grew in strange pyramid-shaped bushes along the outer courtyard. As I walked closer into the inner circle I found myself in a labyrinth of various, multi-colored bushes and vines. Some of the vines were as thick as my forearms and some were as thin as a strand of hair. There was a strange smell in the air, almost like fresh roses and dandelions, but also with a hint of a strange, almost metallic incense. There were no individual altar stations here. There was one disc in the center of the gardens, below a massive statue of the Alphae that must have extended over a hundred feet in the air. The disc lie on top of a large stone altar and there were a few people kneeling in front of it, as well as a middle aged man in full prostration before the statue.
The fountain was on the other side of the statue, in the southwest corner. I walked past the altar and the people there and briskly glided along the path, beside a small stream. I looked into the stream and could see a few small fish swimming daintily along the swift current. I stared at them dreamily for a moment and wondered what it was like to be a fish. It seemed to be such a simple life, swimming all day and eating the algae and small plants that grew along the bed of the stream. I had such a dual life, living in Metropolis in emotional isolation from others and then off with my imagination, my hopeless escape from this dreadful reality. But their life must be so much more united. Their purpose must be so much simpler. What was my purpose? Did I even have one? Maybe the purpose to live was simply to die. That was the final outcome anyway.
I approached the fountain beyond the stream and sat down on the bench in front of it. There was a gray stone circle of perfectly carved rocks surrounding it, with the circumference measuring about twenty feet or so. The fountain itself poured over in four smaller bursts of water, with one large burst in the center. The sound it made brought to my heart and mind a sense of peace. The gentle lapping of the water upon the pool below it, and the gushing of its flow became the perfect backdrop for my imagination. I gazed deeply into the water and alas I was pulled into the middle of the ocean. The waves were rough and a storm was approaching. I dove into the water and found I could breathe. I swam all the way to the ocean floor where I found a large underwater city. Maybe, in some human way, this is wha
t it is like to be a fish, I thought. The city had many strange buildings and most of them gleamed with a sea-foam emerald color that dazzled in the blue deeps. Each one had a large golden crescent moon atop the building, the symbol of the fish-man kingdom. I swam into the city and suddenly found that I could stand and walk. The entrance was guarded by two of the strangest looking people my mind could concoct. They had the head of a fish that was blue with a green tint, and their bodies were slightly scaly but more or less human looking with large webbed feet and hands. They each were holding spears with the crescent moon symbol on the handle. They knew I was the creator of this kingdom and so they welcomed me inside.
I walked through the gates of pearl and silver and could see little houses shaped like fish and sea shells with other little fish men peaking out at me. I walked on down, nodding to each of them in acknowledgement. I was their king. I was the king of the fish people. I walked toward the largest building, my mighty palace. Its emerald banners swirled majestically around in the currents of the deep, with the insignia of the crescent moon and the fin. I approached my palace and was met by my noble page, who handed me my crown. It had rubies and emeralds and diamonds and shone with gold and silver. I placed it on my head and ascended up the many stairs to my throne. The stairs were made of a green and white marble that shone eerily in the mysterious light of the depths of the sea. I approached my throne. It was bedecked with every manner of rare and beautiful gem: pearls, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, sapphires and every stone of every color. It was far more luxurious than any throne the Alphae ever dreamed of having. And best of all…I was the king of this kingdom. The Alphae had no authority here!