The Epochracy Files

by Chele Pedersen Smith

  “What’s this?” Inot read over her shoulder. “March 4th, Dad came home excited about a new venture. His company was approached by a chemical giant who wants to add their artificial sweetener to Marsh Food’s cola drinks. It’s so much healthier than sugar, they said and their marketing research shows a trend in health-conscious consumers. Daddy says the chemical company, Chem Chums, has reliable longevity and has been around for over seventy years. They’ll also know how to make shelf-life almost infinite. They are willing to pay top dollar. He says we will not want for anything. Hey, maybe I can get that pony I always wanted. Ha-ha-ha. Just joking. I’m afraid of horses.”

  Lyrehc flipped ahead and read only the business-related entries. Besides, she and Inot had their fill of Tommy and didn’t care to see his name ever again. “March 25, well Chem Chums really came through! In fact, they are practically taking over. Not only did they add their sugar substitute to the soda, they contributed their secret ingredient to the boxed foods. Now they convinced Marsh Foods to invest in their synthetic seeds for their canned and frozen goods. I thought he meant fake food like Aunt Ida’s plastic centerpieces, but Dad assured me it was all real and not like the time Joel tricked me into eating a waxed banana. Do you know how long it took to pick plastic out of my braces?

  Dad said the seeds will help grow more crops and help poverty and third-world countries. I’m so proud of him.”

  “This doesn’t sound so bad,” Inot said.

  Lyrehc shrugged. “April 1st, no fooling, Chem Chums now wants daddy to use their special pesticides. They say it is far more effective for killing bugs but doesn’t harm the plants. Thank goodness for that! It must be a magic formula.”

  Inot pointed to another page. “Oh, here’s another. April 5th. I joined the green club. My science partner Grayson invited me. Turns out he’s the president. It’s very interesting learning how our bad habits are destroying our planet. There’s even a day coming up to celebrate saving it, called Earth Day. Who knew? We are going to hold a can recycling campaign and make posters on how to save water. I’m so happy to help. We’re also putting together a demo about aerosol products. It destroys the Ozone! P.S. That is not in the Ozarks, like I thought.

  A few pages later, Lyr read, “April 8th, stay away from Daddy! He is grumpy when taxes are due. He is constantly swearing at his accountant over the phone so Mom, Joel and I hid out at the cinema for a double feature. It’s becoming an annual ritual, which is more fun than taxes. Poor pops.

  Joel twisted our arms to see Star Wars again. I think he has a thing for Princess Leia. That’s okay, Mom likes Han Solo and I think the droids make the movie. I can’t believe it’s still out! It must hold the record for the longest running movie in theater history.”

  ‘Funny, aren’t we up to like episode twenty-five?” Inot snorted.

  “Yes, the creator’s grandchildren and greats keep it going. Oh here’s another one,

  April 17, plastics is where it’s at. At least that’s what Chem Chums says. Theirs is highly durable and Dad’s company is under contract to use them. One of daddy’s idea men thought up selling individual bottles of water. Isn’t that a riot? Daddy laughed him right out of the board room.”

  She thumbed through a few more pages. “May 3rd. I’m so distraught. It’s the worst news since Elvis died last summer. Mom wore black all week and made us listen to all his songs. Well, at club today we were going over pollution of water. I never, ever thought about that. I feel like an idiot. When I hear pollution, I think air. But factory byproducts also leech into the water supply. And one name that came kept coming up was the worst offender of all— Chem Chums!!!! Their plastics are not bio-degradable at all and a chemical in them causes cancer! Actually everything they make is poison. I wonder if Daddy knows.”

  “Oh no, that company sounds awful,” Inot shivered.

  “I know. And the way they wormed into Mr. Marsh’s company…” Lyr shuddered. “Like a fatal computer virus.”

  “I feel bad for Janet. No wonder she didn’t want the owl.”

  “I know, and all those innocent citizens harmed by the effects. Still, I don’t see what Rose has to do with all this,” Lyr puzzled.

  “Beats me. If her relatives are part of a cigarette chain, it’s not any healthier.”

  The bell chimed for next class.

  “Guess we will read more after school. See ya then,” Inot waved as they parted ways.

  Even though the girls should’ve been studying for their mapery final, they were too committed to the diary to stop now. After all, their future was at stake and they held the key to save it.

  On the way home they passed a cemetery, never having given it much thought. Until now.

  “It’s weird Janet is gone. I feel like we just got to know her.” Lyrech longed.

  “Yeah, do you think she’s buried in there?” Inot pointed to the town’s most common grounds near the West Droftrah Church. “Let’s take a look.”

  “Are you lunar? Graveyards give me the willies.”

  “Nah, it’s daylight. But if you want, we can wait for the moon and come back in the dead of night,” Inot teased.

  “Fine, a peek won’t hurt. But let’s not stay long. I want to finish reading!”

  “Sure, that’s the reason,” Inot snickered, pushing on the black iron gate. It swung open slowly, drawing out a moan as old as the bones inside.

  Rolling hills of tombs sprawled out for acres. The newer generations were interred on added tiers, like a parking garage.

  “This should be a cinch,” Lyrehc mumbled.

  “Where to start? “ Inot asked, scratching her head.

  “Might as well just stroll right here. Let’s see, Lipton Mattingly, born 1845- died 1920. Hmm, okay we’ll need the birth year 1960.”

  “Any chance these are in alphabetical order?”

  “Nope. But if we see a groundskeeper, there might be a list.”

  “Rose!” Inot exclaimed, excited. “Oh, never mind. Pembross. 1927-1980.”

  “Jan Cravvitts. April 2, 1960. Nope,” Lyr sighed,

  “Jeanette Marshley!” Inot yelled a few rows over. “October 20, 1964!”

  “Close, but no modem.”

  Halfway across the yard they found another.

  “Janet Lynn Matthaeus. Did she marry Grayson? They seem like a perfect match,” Lyr murmured.

  “Nah, date of birth, February 9th, 1961,” Inot pointed out. “And wasn’t his last name Matthews?’

  “Oh yeah. So now we should keep an eye out for Janet Marsh or Janet Matthews.”

  “What if she married someone else? It could be anything.”

  The girls spent the next hour hunched over grave markers. When they straightened, their efforts were just as painful.

  “We’ll come back where we left off,” Lyr promised.

  “Plus there are other cemeteries. This could take another century,” Inot huffed.

  They hovered to Lyrehc’s house since it was closer.

  Curled up on her window seat, they gave their spines a rest, this time straining their eyes over Janet’s petite handwriting. It was a lost form since the computer age took over. They searched for the words Chem Chums. It was becoming easier to spot since Janet’s disdain grew with each club meeting and the entries were often doodled with devil horns, pitchforks, and tears. They suspected a few crinkled areas were once damp with her own.

  “May 9th, during library for my research paper, I decided to do some digging on the side and I AM JUST HEARTBROKEN!!! (Doodles of gauged hearts) I’m tired of being naïve and blindsided whenever I go to a club meeting, so I flicked through the card catalog to look up articles on the chemical company. The librarian helped me find the current newspaper stacks and also how to use the microfiche machine for archived articles. I tell you, it’s eye-opening. Along the way I was mortified to see Marsh Foods, Inc. mentioned. Apparently before C.C. got involved, packaged foods have had harmful chemicals preserving foods all along. All this time I thought Daddy was doing
good. Maybe he thought he was.”

  Two blank bubbled pages followed, most likely tear-stained. It was obvious Janet tried to smooth them out.

  The girls cast each other sympathetic glances.

  “May 15th,” Lyr continued. “Rose cornered me in the locker room after P.E.”

  The girls sprang up, all attention glued to this very moment.

  “This could be it!” Inot braced, clasping Lyr’s hand.

  “It went down something like this: “You’re a fraud, Claude,” Rose snarled at me. She acted like a villain holding all the cards. I assured her I most certainly was not. And to add levity, I told her my name was not Claude. But she saw no humor in it. Instead said she was going to out me in ecology club!

  Inot and Lyrehc gasped. “The nerve!” Inot whispered as Lyr continued.

  “Rose,” I said. “What makes you think that?”

  To which she replied, “I know about your father’s company and that awful Chem Chum’s merger!”

  Oh great, did she see my research? Not only is daddy’s company doomed, but our names will be dragged through the dung as well.

  I assured her I was very upset about the chemical company and just found out about the terrible things.

  “Right, and I’m sure your expensive house and your diamonds make you feel better.”

  “No, they do not. In fact, the money makes me sick.” I never should have worn the pin to the belated Valentine dance. Why did I have to show it off? Now she’s using it against me.

  “Sure,” she said. “Easy to say when it’s the spoon that feeds you. Meanwhile, my dad had a healthy idea to bottle pure water from a special spring and sell it individually, to bypass the pollution. A solution! An answer to the mess your father got his company into.”

  “Th-that’s actually very smart. Is he going to present the idea?” I asked. She was making me nervous. I hoped she wasn’t going to beat me up. I’m a wuss at fighting.

  “No, he is not,” Rose retorted. I could see she was very bitter.

  “Why not? It’s a great idea.”

  “It is,” Rose agreed. “Except Marsh Inc. is under contract to use Chem Chums’ deadly plastic. And oh yeah, my dad got fired.”

  “What? For making a suggestion? Surely my father is more reasonable than that.”

  I had a sinking feeling my hero was falling.

  “No, because my father was causing trouble. He’s no fool. He did the research. He tried talking your dad out of signing the contract but he didn’t listen. Now it’s too late. “

  “I’m sorry,” I told her. I really was. “This is awful. From what I read the other day, Chem Chums will be the death of us all. I’m no fraud, Rose. But I am afraid.”

  She stared at me. I could tell she was scared too. Well, what do you know, Rose is human, after all. I suppose we all are when we strip away our airs. Or in my case, heirs.

  “So will your father find another job?” I asked her.

  “I don’t know. He’s thinking of starting his own company, but he needs more funds.”

  “That’s great. He can fight back and save the earth. Maybe you should join our club; they have all sorts of good ideas.” I suggested.

  “We have ideas, what we need is money,” Rose’s tone returned. “Besides, what can they do? Raise pocket change by collecting bottles and cans? How helpful.”

  “Oh, so that’s it, isn’t it?”

  “No, I do not want the club’s measly coins.”

  “Right. You’re here to rattle me for big bucks! Coerce the CEO’s daughter, that’s original.” I muttered.

  “Well, why not? You just said his money makes you sick. So prove it. Use it for good.”

  I mulled it over. She had a point.

  “Maybe I will,” I told her, “But not because you’ve threatened me. Because I really do want to be part of a solution.”

  “Excellent,” she smiled, but I still saw a glare. Maybe she was so used to being sour, she didn’t know how to turn it off.

  “So, bring me your father’s plan, signed by him and I’ll personally deliver my allowance every week to his bank. He can meet me there.” I wanted to help, but I wasn’t a fool either.

  Rose shook her head. “That will take forever. He wants to start sooner than that.”

  Turns out she wanted a lump sum, given directly to her.

  “Rose, come on. Does that even sound trustworthy? For all I know, you made this up.”

  Of course, I knew her father really did pitch the bottled water idea. Or at least someone had.

  “Oh it’s real, alright” she hissed. “My dad is jobless and my mom is taking waitress shifts to keep food on the table. It’s humiliating.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said again. She must have sensed my sincerity because she muttered “Thanks,” almost ashamed.

  Then she surprised me by saying, “I know you didn’t have anything to do with this, personally. We’re just kids.”

  “I know, but the whole thing just makes me,” I couldn’t even finish the sentence. “When I think of every gift he gave me…, even my birthday owl. I loved it so much. I never had my own diamonds before. Now I see he was blinding us.”

  “Hey, that gives me an idea!” Rose connived. “Give me your pin. Prom is Saturday.”

  “So you can wear it? I thought you needed cash. So this is what it’s all about?”

  “Yes, Einstein. I want to wear your hand me downs,” she scoffed, then sighed. “I’m sorry, but think about it. A gold pin, studded with diamonds is worth a pretty penny. Should be enough to help a company get off the ground.”

  “My parents might notice it’s missing. I have to keep it in their safe.”

  “Hence, the prom,” Rose dangled, insulting my intelligence. “It’s the perfect scenario. You can say it got lost. Meanwhile, I give the owl to dad and he can trade it in. Problem, almost solved.”

  “Almost?” I asked.

  “Well, it won’t help right away. It’ll take time. The jewelry helps keep our expenses paid, and hopefully enough for dad to get started. If you have any other gifts you’d like to donate, we can turn tainted goods into goodwill.”

  “Maybe, if I see proof the company exists and once I validate your story.” I didn’t want to cave just yet. But helping her family sounded like the perfect way to unload poisoned presents.

  “Okay deal. Check it out for yourself,” Rose challenged. “Then I will collect Saturday night. Don’t be late, Cinderella.”

  She left, almost friendly.”

  “Wow,” Inot marveled. “Do you believe her?”

  “Who, Rose or Janet?”

  “Oh, right. I guess Ms. Marsh let us down too.”

  “The part about heroes falling, yeah,” Lyrehc sulked. “I know the feeling. How do we know anything she wrote was true? But I suppose her lark was for a good cause.”

  “I think it adds up,” Inot admitted. “That company is destroying everything. Even Rose’s dad is a casualty. I guess her roots aren’t paved in tobacco after all.”

  “As far as we know. She might be taking advantage of Janet.”

  “Well, if we want to verify anything, we have the world’s fastest information system in our head,” Inot said, pointing to her earpiece.

  “True. That will make us feel better,” Lyr brightened.

  “I don’t feel better,” Lyrehc whispered to Inot the next day in mapery.

  “Class, please put your tablets in exam mode and take your earpieces out,” Ms. Trahc enforced, passing around a basket. “Put them in their cases and store in here, please.”

  “She made it all up?” Inot asked in disbelief. She removed her conch technology. “All this trouble and the book was fiction after all?”

  “No, worse. It was all true,” Lyr said. “I’m sickened.”

  A shadow eclipsed her desk and she looked up to see the teacher standing near. “Dear, if you don’t feel well, you know our policy. You can’t stay in class.”

  “Oh no, Mrs. Trahc, I’m fine. I�
��m just appalled about some news I heard, is all.”

  “That’s a relief.” The teacher held out the carrier. “Now, hardware please and no talking. The test is about to start.”

  Inot met her friend in the noisy cafeteria.

  “I probably flunked all my tests so far.” She waggled her eyebrows and slid in next to Lyrehc. “Why couldn’t the diary pop up in the summer?”

  “I know. I wish we had free time to concentrate. Only one more day for each.” Lyr sat slumped, staring at her soupy mush.

  “Cheer up. We solved it, right?” Inot dug into her paste.

  “I guess. We know what happened to the diamonds. Nothing was lost after all.”

  “Um, I don’t know about that,” Inot nudged, emphasizing a spoonful of bland lunch. “It’s supposed to masquerade as macaroni and cheese. Whatever that is.”

  Lyrehc nodded and set her spoon down.

  “Lyr, you’re not the only one who did research. I read some things last night too. For instance, did you know in the beginning of time, food was meant for simple nutrition? Nothing social or enjoyable, really. In the Bible, God sent manna down, which was like plain wafers or something. The original fast food. Healthy, but not gourmet. So, if you think about it, we are just back to where we were supposed to be before everything went gadzooks and convenient.”

  “Wow, things must be bad. You voluntarily studied history?”

  “Only when it’s important.”

  “Imagine, the future having to start from scratch,” Lyr chuckled a sad sigh, then sat up as an idea struck. “That’s it! We’re just cleansing. Our plates— and our palates. History often repeats itself. This time, we know what to avoid. Innie, your dad, he’s going to fix everything, right?”

  “If he can. It’s a lot of pressure. I noticed he’s been hitting the antacids lately.”

  “I’m sorry, Inot. I don’t mean to put it all on him. Tell him my mom has been in the lab experimenting with ways to grow food again, too.”

  “He knows. They’re working together, actually. And he got word the Universal Department of Agriculture has approved world use of his arid gardening system.”