Odyssey_Double Helix

by R. Patricia Wayne

  Shivering, she cupped her hands over her mouth and huffed a warm breath into her palms. She rubbed her hands together, then rubbed her palms on her arms. Before she could start working on her survival plans, she had one critical question that needed an answer. Which way should she go? Logically, she needed to find that shoreline and follow it. That should lead her to more civilized areas. Old Earth cities. But, where was this mysterious body of water?

  Dr. Titus slowly turned in a circle, scanning the wilderness, seeking clues. She paused when she spotted the area that had been directly behind her. Perhaps fifty yards away, the forest opened up, the trees ended, a stormy blue-gray sky could be seen.

  Well, it seems fairly obvious that’s the way to go.

  She smiled again. That space entity had placed her somewhere close to the shoreline. She would be able to find everything she needed. She was sure of it.

  With a hand on her aching lower back, Dr. Titus made her way through the woods, headed for the ocean and filled with anticipation. It took only a few minutes, but she soon passed the last of the towering trees. Ahead of her was one of Earth’s unknown oceans that stretched off for as far as the eye could see. Snow was floating down from the gray overcast skies. All lovely. All as expected. However, there was one thing that she hadn’t expected. The sandy shoreline was covered with massive domed structures. Each of which seemed to be a single-story building and each illuminated in a different color, lit from within. The rainbow of domes also stretched off to her left and right until the beach met the horizon.

  This is beautiful but... man, oh, man! What the shit is this?

  She wondered where they came from. Were people still living on Earth? If so, how would that be possible? According to history, life on Earth had been wiped out by Yellowstone Supervolcano which erupted in the 21st Century. Based on everything she had learned, the Earth should be lifeless other than those small creatures that were able to survive on little to eat, and those already adapted to live in cold climates. But what she saw was evidence to the contrary. The lights on those structures, alone, were proof that somehow some people had survived. A seemingly impossible thought. Shortly after people died on Earth, the power grid would have failed. Then, all of Earth’s nuclear power plants would have melted down and further poisoned the planet for another hundred years. Where were these people getting power?

  There was only one way to get some answers.

  Dr. Titus slid down the sandy embankment that led from the grassy forest to the sandy beach. Even though her back was aching, she jogged up and entered the rainbow-colored city of domes where she paused to study the dwellings. With plenty of space between each of the structures, there would be enough for a crowd of people to walk side by side. They were made of some type of glass or transparent plastic and framed with steel.

  Through the roar of crashing waves she then noticed what sounded like cooing pigeons, but in different voices and different tones as if they were in conversation. Now completely puzzled, Dr. Titus continued forward and headed toward the ocean. As she passed the last of the colorful domes before the ocean, she stopped in her tracks.

  Perhaps another thirty yards ahead was what looked like a crowd of people, but these definitely weren’t humans. Their skin was smooth and gray. Black eyes. Black hair styled differently for each “person.” Their faces were long with a snout that hung down and covered their neck. Each wore a different type of black leather cloth they were using as clothing. Clearly, there were both males and females, as some of the creatures had human-looking, female breasts. Others were children, easily identified by their shorter and narrower stature. And all of them were either looking or pointing into the snowy air.

  The entire beach abruptly dimmed as something moved in between the sun and the Earth. An eclipse? Dr. Titus looked up. Through the gray overcast skies, a massive, unknown blackness hovered just out of sight in the cloud-covered sky. It had thousands of tentacles moving, swirling, shifting, curling.

  Was that the same entity that sent her here?

  Is this what you wanted? She recognized the deafening voice in her head. It was the entity that had sent her here.

  “Yes,” she replied into the air. “But... what are these... these beings?” She gestured toward the crowd. “Where did they come from?”

  The entity didn’t reply.

  When the cooing sounds stopped, Dr. Titus noticed that the entire crowd was now looking directly at her. Some of the females pulled their children behind themselves, protecting them. Then some of the males stepped in front of the females. Still others held their wrists up to their small mouths and made cooing sounds into a black leather strap.

  “Oh, shit,” she unintentionally said aloud.

  Sensing this situation just got complicated, Dr. Titus chose to remain friendly. She cautiously stepped forward as she spoke to the crowd. “Hello? I’m Dr. Elizabeth Titus.” She placed a hand on her chest. “What are you? How did you get here? Can you speak English?”

  The females and the children sprinted off and disappeared behind a dome. The males stepped toward her.

  Dr. Titus stopped.

  A second later, some other males rushed up to join the crowd, but these males had some unknown type of silver rifle in their hands.

  “Shit, shit, shit,” she said to herself. Then she called out to the crowd again. “I mean you no harm. I just want to talk to you, if that’s possible.”

  One of the rifles discharged. With a boom, a white bolt of energy landed in the sand at her feet. Sand sprayed into the air and showered down all over her. As these creatures clearly saw her as a threat, Dr. Titus turned and ran back the way she’d come. She needed to get back into the woods.

  After scrambling up the sandy slope, she paused just inside the forest to look back.

  Through the snow drifting down, it was clear those alien creatures were following. More males were joining the group with more rifles. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, patting each other, cooing out something that resembled laughter.

  “What in the hell is going on?” Dr. Titus called out into the air, trying to get the entity’s attention. “Can you still hear me... whatever the hell your name is?”

  With another boom, a bolt of energy struck a tree near Dr. Titus. Bark and slivers of wood flew past her face.

  You still think you’ll be fine on this planet? The entity replied.

  Dr. Titus held one hand on her aching back as she sprinted deeper into the forest.

  “How can we still communicate,” she yelled as she ran. “You know what, never mind that question. Where in the hell did you send me?”

  Earth. As you requested.

  A hiss filled the air. She looked up as she continued making her way deeper into the woods. From some type of vehicle flying high above the trees, a spotlight popped on. The harsh beam of light swept back and forth as it searched for her.

  “This not Earth!” Dr. Titus screamed.

  I’ve explained this to you. You are not in your dimension. Earth, here, does not belong to humanity. Nearly a hundred years ago, it had been conquered by creatures that detest your species. The same ones you encountered on the beach. They believed they had successfully exterminated the last of you humans. They hadn’t. You are now the last.

  Another blast of energy flew past Dr. Titus’ head and pulverized several branches just ahead of her. With her life in danger, she gave up worrying about back pain. She ran as fast and hard as she could as she navigated around trees and hopped over fallen logs.

  “You’re such an asshole!”

  To those creatures, hunting humans is a sport. And since I can see the past, present, and future, I already know your fate, Dr. Elizabeth Titus. Your existence will end in a public execution they’ll broadcast across the planet. An event they’ll celebrate with a feast. First, your head will be removed. As your brain is considered a delicacy, your head will be auctioned off. Then you’ll be skinned. They’ll empty your body cavity of its organs and intestines. You�
�ll be seasoned and roasted. Your flesh will be the main course served to those that captured you.

  More spotlights from the sky swept around her. She glanced back and the crowd had formed a line, all following, all hunting her, all side by side.

  “You could have mentioned that there was more than one Earth, you fucking asshole!” She shouted into the air.

  I told you to choose wisely. You did not. You chose your fate without asking a single question.

  “Maybe so, but still, why would you send me here when you knew I’d die?”

  Just like all the others of your species. You’ll blame others when the fault lies within yourself.

  “This was YOUR fault! Not mine, you sadistic fuck! You knew this is not what I meant!”

  You were the first to leave your star system. Based on this achievement, I had mistakenly believed that your species was, perhaps, ready to join the galactic community. Therefore, I gave you the opportunity to see the universe in all its glory. To behold its wonders. I would have shown you sights that you could have never dreamed possible. Sadly, you did as your kind always does. You’ll always choose personal gratification when faced with options. I had hopes for you, human, but in the end, you are no different than the others. This experience has proven there is nothing special, nor interesting, about your species. There never will be.

  Dr. Titus’ back burned in pain. Each step was like lightning in her mind. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could continue running like this.

  “Please take me home!” She screamed.

  Humans don’t look at anything with open eyes. To my constant amazement, you’ll broadcast your childish messages across the cosmos, announcing your existence, when it would be best to remain hidden among the hundred billion stars in your galaxy. You are too ignorant to be afraid of what you cannot see in space, not to mention the horrors that await you in the dimensions that surround yours. You don’t learn. You see yourselves as the center of the universe. You’re delusional. You’re a nuisance to all who are aware of your existence. You are fragile, weak, vain, and narcissistic. I have grown tired of your species and your pathetic little world. This needs to end.

  Unable to endure any more pain, Dr. Titus collapsed onto her side. “Please!” She cried. “I’ll do anything!” She rolled over onto her back, temporary incapacitated, and praying the pain would ease quickly enough to allow her to run again. “Please send me home!”

  I will not, the entity said to Dr. Titus.

  And after several moments of crying and sobbing, the gray creatures with the black eyes had found her. They surrounded her, pointed at her, congratulated each other in their cooed language. Then one of them tossed a fishing net over her body.

  Your life will end here today, human. As for the rest of your kind, the day will soon come when the Old Ones return to reclaim your solar system. And perhaps, it’s for the best they eradicate your entire species. And when that day comes, I shall not intervene.

  Dr. Titus screamed louder than she’d ever screamed in her life.

  END

  APPENDIX

  THE CHRONOLOGY OF DOUBLE HELIX

  2227

  Janna and Isadora* (short story)

  2246

  Provenance of Fear* (short story)

  2247

  Unbound* (short story)

  2253

  And Then the Morning Comes* (short story)

  2254

  Walkout Bout* (short story)

  The Companion* (short story)

  2255

  THE LIQUIDATOR

  Dead Weight* (short story)

  2256

  Dax the Betrayer* (short story)

  2257

  TEMPEST (Book I)

  AFTERMATH (Book II - coming soon)

  The Face of Amy James* (short story)

  2258

  MIDNIGHT NEVER ENDS (coming soon)

  2259

  Haunting Heathyr* (short story)

  *Odyssey (anthology)

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  (Year 2227 - 2259)

  THE RANGERS

  General Kym Kurtz

  Major Kurt Dietrich

  Captain Karol Wagner

  Staff Sgt. Nora Brent

  Lance Corporal Ciera Ingram

  Commander Aleesa Shaw

  Commander Lewis Graves

  Commander Lauren Roth

  Corporal Madison Troy

  Corporal Talia Scott

  Corporal Marcia Tate

  PFC Katee Alexander

  PFC Roxanna Cruz

  Violette

  COLONY OF SCYTHIA

  Amy James

  Dr. Cordell James (Guardian Security Systems)

  Dr. Miriam Santiago (Department of Science)

  Dr. Nora Carson

  Marshall Rhonda Rand (Protectorate)

  Sister Clarissa Kelly (Protectorate)

  COLONY OF ARCADIA

  Princess Janna (Lady Jeanne Louise de la Rochelle)

  Isadora (LadyAnna Isabel Acevedo)

  Captain Sarrah Rhodes (executive council)

  Governor Carol Dietrich

  Chief Arbiter Ursula Aris

  Director Michelle Rayner (Protectorate)

  Marshall Marsha Brenner (Protectorate)

  Sister Eryn Hill (Protectorate)

  Sister Monika Black (Protectorate)

  Baroness Kimella Chandler

  Lady Jaclyn White

  COLONY OF ACHAEA

  Vyktoria Dallas

  Lori (Thor’s Hammer)

  Ivan Strashny (Syndicate)

  COLONY OF DELPHI

  Dr. Elizabeth Titus (Convergent Technologies)

  COLONY OF NYSA

  Dr. Brandee Clarke

  Heathyr Watts

  COLONY OF ELYSIA

  Sara “the Barracuda” Sandoval

  THE ARCHONS (EARTH)

  Nyx

  Dax the Betrayer

  Ajax

  Kilo

  Diabolique

  Abraxas

  Anvil

  Scalpel

  War Hammer

  CREDITS

  A big thank you to all who helped, encouraged, or consulted in one form or another...

  Willow Brennan

  Dawn Burke

  K. C. Gray

  Taylor A. McKnight

  Remy Mills

  Joyel Puryear

  Kathy Ragona

  Holly L. Skarsgård