by Greene, Dane
America might have lost all modern technology. Suffering massive population loss from the disease was getting off easy. The parts of the world that were not destroyed by the disease were destroyed by the bombs and radiation. Only a fragment of civilization remains, and most of it is in America.
As technology became more available, communication was the first thing rebuilt after lights. Cities like our own worked to connect themselves with other cities, like Alexis’s military city or Stephanie’s communal one. Nearby cities joined together and formed small city-states.
Without a central government, each city-state was left to erect its own form of government. As time passed, the city-states grew. More people came to the safer areas, and their areas of influence became larger. Most growth happened four years after the Palemen first emerged. By that time, they had been almost completely eradicated.
Almost all the city districts had become connected through communication. Most cites at that time also had or were working on building fences to keep any straggling Palemen out.
As Palemen became scarcer and finally died out, attention shifted. There was a desire for progress and technological advancement. The cities started pooling resources to build a technology-based center. It was the start of the new government.
Every city district sent its best electricians and computer workers, as well as their best politicians. Every city had its own way of ruling, but we all wanted some form of unity. We wanted a central government to watch over us all.
It took years to build, but a government was formed. It was a combination of the old American system and some new ideas. The leader of the country was a man who was both charismatic and a technological genius. He handles distributing technology to the states. In return, they send resources to him. It’s a way to make sure we stay technologically equal.
With the equal spread of technology, Internet was recreated. This became the primary way for city-states to both fund the capital and trade with each other. As more resources moved to the capital, its power grew.
Originally, the purpose of the capital was to redistribute technology. Now it handles many other resources as well.
The cities are mostly peaceful with each other, and only a few small battles have taken place. Even so, there’s talk of strengthening the capital’s power of distribution. There are people who want to build a railroad stemming from the capital, which would allow it to redistribute resources.
There are cries for equality from many of the city-states, and I know they will be heard. Melany and Jason taught me about the type of government we are turning into. They fear it and try to make me fear it. I fail to see what they are so scared of.
Part of the reason I’m leaving the island is to see why the other city districts are fighting for equality. I want to see if these places are worse off than where I have grown up. I want to experience the world and see what it has to offer.
There are so many things I want to do beyond my little island that I can’t even imagine them all. I think about all the fighting and convincing it took before Sophia and Brian let me leave. It’s funny that they’d oppose me after all they’ve been through. I suppose they were trying to protect me.
What they fail to understand is that the only way I can grow is to leave. I was born into this world. I don’t have any memories of the old world or anything to work toward. I’m part of this new civilization, and the only way to keep growing is to see it.
I signal to Stephanie, and we switch spots. I start paddling and get used to the repetitive motion. Soon, I’m lost in thought again. Stephanie flashes a smile at me, and I give one back.
Stephanie is almost sixty now, but if you didn’t know her, you’d never be able to tell. Once again, I’m thankful that she not only came with me but also defended my right to leave. I don’t think I would have made it off the island without her help. Her reason for leaving is lost on me. After a while, I become curious and decide to ask her.
“Grandma, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, honey, go ahead.”
“Why are you leaving the island? I mean, it’s safe there, and it’s where your family is. What possible reasons would you have for leaving?”
Stephanie looks at me and smiles. “There are several reasons I wanted to leave. I was curious to see how things have changed, especially in the capital. I’ve seen pictures, but I wanted to see it in person. I also wanted to visit the town we were living in when the outbreak occurred. The camp Alexis and I founded there moved into a nearby city-state, and no one lives there. The main reason I left, though, is that it’s been a long time since I visited my husband’s grave. We would have been married forty years in a few months, and I wanted to spend our anniversary at his grave.”
I nod and smile at Stephanie. I’m glad that she has her own reasons for coming out here, and I make sure to make a list of the things she wants to do. We’ll fulfill her wish to see her husband. That will be our first goal. After that, it would be fun to travel to the capital, stopping at any city-states we come near.
As I row the boat, I’m silent. I relax and let the sound of the oars pushing us calm me. After a while, Stephanie takes over, and I lie back. The first time we rowed our way to shore, it took three days. This time, it will only take a few hours.
While I wait to row again, I open my backpack and pull out a book. This book is familiar to me, and I’ve read it a hundred times over, but it always gives me hope. Whenever I was lonely, sad, scared, angry, or confused, I always found something in its pages to help me. I read the title for the hundredth time.
Rage: The Fall of Man, by Melany and Jason Hartman.
This book is the story of our party and its journey to Beaver Island. Beyond the journey we took, this book has pictures that Melany took, as well as an explanation of the disease and its effects. I remember the first time I read it, shortly after my fourteenth birthday. It was the first time I learned about Chris and why my father sacrificed himself.
After I read this book for the first time, I finally forgave Aaron for what he did. The book taught me so much about the others as well, and not only about what they used to do, but about how they felt through it all. I learned so much from this book, and it comforts me.
Now I know that, no matter where I end up or what crazy things might happen, I’ll be okay. If I can survive everything we went through at ten years old, there’s nothing to fear now.
The shore is coming closer, and I start to get nervous. This is the first time I’ll set foot off the island in fifteen years. Even with the assurance I gave myself, I’m still feeling very scared. Anything could happen, and though I doubt there are any Palemen left in the world, they were never the only danger.
People can be a hundred times more terrifying than a Paleman ever was. People are what killed Dawn. I push aside my fears and try to replace them with hope. I’m sure I’ll meet people that scare me, but I’m also sure I’ll meet ones who amaze me.
There’s so much to look forward to. I put my book away and shoulder my backpack. As we approach the shore, I look back. I no longer see Beaver Island, and though I know it’s still there, I’m frightened. Stephanie slides the boat onto land and extends a hand to me.
I take her hand, and with some hesitation, I take my first step onto new land. We pull the boat out of the water and set it on a canoe rack.
As I move along the beach, I take a last look over the water. For the millionth time, I wish my dad were alive to see how everyone has grown up. He would be proud of all that we’ve done, and he would be proud of me. In fact, if he were alive right now, he would be coming with me, eager to see the world.
After that night he died, everyone lived a part of their lives for him. While I do miss him often, I’m glad that he saved us all. We would never have made it to Beaver Island without his sacrifice, so I’m glad that my father was able to give us all a chance at life. I say a final goodbye to my family and my father. “Are you ready to go, dear?”
Smiling,
I nod at Stephanie, and without any further delays, we take the first steps of what I hope will be a great adventure.