Children of the After: The Complete Series

by Jeremy Laszlo

  Chapter Six

  Jack awoke for the second time in the strange building, feeling much better than he had before. His headache had returned to a dull pounding that, though painful, was bearable and he was thankful for it. Opening his eyes, they felt dry, as if he had spent the day at the beach in the hot sun, and his mouth and throat were much the same. Blinking his eyes with the hope of returning some moisture to them he looked about the room to find two very familiar faces smiling back at him.

  “Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Sam said, causing Will to laugh.

  “Is it morning?” Jack asked.

  “No. It’s night actually, but it doesn’t really matter. I’m just happy you’re awake.”

  “Oh yeah?” Jack asked, both impressed and confused by her tone.

  “What did I miss?”

  “Oh nothing much,” Sam proclaimed. “Just that you and I, and Will are going to save the world by fulfilling the destiny of a dying race from billions of light years away. That’s it.”

  Jack could actually feel the sarcasm rolling off of her it was so thick, but he knew that she believed the words she was saying no matter how nonchalantly she spoke. He wondered what had befallen her while he was unconscious. Her smeared makeup was evidence enough of tears, and the three of them alone in a metal building felt all too familiar.

  “Are we prisoners?”

  “No. Are you not listening? They think we are going to save them. We’re like their most holy, honored guests.” Sam practically spit the words.

  “OK. Apparently I’ve missed something. Will? Care to explain?”

  Turning slightly on his makeshift bed, Jack watched as Will bounded to his feet, and realized that Will did not share the mood of their sister. Jack grinned as Will put on his most serious face, with his fists on his hips, before clearing his throat with a little cough.

  “Jack… We are superheroes, destined by the great prophet to save Tammy’s species and our own. We gotta practice our magical powers so we can defeat the enemy and save the day for all mankind.”

  “I see. And will other members of the superhuman coalition be joining us to defeat the mighty invaders?” Jack joked.

  “He’s serious,” Sam sighed.

  “I know. And I’m Batman.”

  “No, Jack,” Will protested. “It’s real. It’s really real. You have to believe me. Even Sam knows it’s real.”

  “Will. We don’t have magical abilities,” Jack stated sternly, hoping to end the conversation, even though he was beginning to doubt his stance.

  “Oh yeah? When is the last time you threw a guy like fifty feet?” Will asked.

  “Don’t argue with him, Jack. He’ll win. Apparently getting his way is his superpower,” Sam said grinning.

  “Yeah and yours is telekinesis and Sam’s is teleportation, it’s awesome!”

  “Oh yeah, then prove it, little man,” Jack challenged once and for all.

  “OK, get out of bed,” Will replied.

  Jack sat up and stretched, pushing himself off the cot, before turning to face his little brother.

  “Now go over there,” Will said pointing towards the open door.

  Jack walked across the room, wondering when Will was going to demonstrate his magical powers. It was great he had such an imagination, but to go so far as making Sam believe in it was crazy. It needed to be stopped and as soon as Jack proved him wrong this whole shenanigan would be over.

  “OK, now dance,” Will ordered.

  “No way, kiddo,” Jack said, turning to look Will in the eyes.

  “I said dance,” Will demanded.

  “That’s enough,” Jack said more sternly, beginning to shake his hips and sway from side to side.

  No freaking way! No. No. No. this wasn’t possible. Jack shook his head to clear it and fought the urge to dance, looking angrily at his little brother a moment before both Sam and Will smiled. Holy heck! It was true. Will could make him do whatever he wanted. The world had a real twisted sense of humor to give a seven year old such a power. A power? People didn’t have powers. This was like some whole other level comic book stuff that wasn’t, no, couldn’t be real. But he’d just witnessed it. There was no denying it. Shaking his head, Jack crossed the room and shrank back down onto his cot.

  “See,” said Will. “Told you I would make him believe it.”

  “You win,” Sam replied. “But now what do we do?”

  “Just hang on a minute, both of you. I’m not exactly sure of what is going on here, but I’d really like a better explanation.”

  * * * * *

  Sam smiled at her older brother. Just hours ago she had been in the same confused denial. Not now though. She had seen evidence enough, at least once it was pointed out to her. There simply was no other explanation. Something had happened. Something had changed them, and Sam had a good idea that she knew what it was. The best she could do was try to explain it to Jack, so that together perhaps they could find the answers.

  “I think I know what happened, Jack,” she began. “Back with the Resistance, Darvski said that we had all undergone genetic changes. That our prolonged exposure to the alien radiation had begun breaking down our DNA. He said it was the cause of our headaches and that it might come with other, unforeseen consequences. I think those consequences are our new abilities. I can teleport. I don’t know how. And I don’t know how to control it, but I did it earlier while you were unconscious. Will can control other people, and you can move things with your mind. The guy you threw, said that you never touched him.”

  “Let’s say I believe what you’re telling me,” Jack began.

  “You do believe it,” Will interrupted.

  “Oh no, you keep your trap closed, little man. You’re not gonna magic me into believing it. Let me work this out.”

  Jack watched as Will smiled and raised his fingers to his lips, pulling an imaginary zipper closed across them.

  “As I was saying… If this is all real, how exactly are we supposed to save the world and stuff? Don’t get me wrong, it sounds wonderful and all, but I don’t think it’ll be that easy.”

  “I don’t know,” Sam answered, “I’m just as confused as you are. But this is a prophecy their people have had for thousands of years, and the more I think about it the more I believe it.”

  “Look, Sam,” Jack said, casting his eyes to the floor, “I’m older, but we both know you’re smarter. If you think this is for real, then I believe you.”

  That was it. Sam’s opinion was good enough for Jack. The whole radiation and altering of DNA and such seemed possible. Scientists had been manipulating genes for years and producing new species of plants and animals so why couldn’t it happen at random? The prophecy part was harder to swallow, but it Sam believed, he believed. They had to stick together and it was his job to keep them safe. If they wanted to believe they were the prophesized saviors of the world, so be it. If it was already decided thousands of years ago, then he wouldn’t have a choice, would he? He certainly wouldn’t with Will around. A few short words and he’d be his little brother’s pet monkey. Jack smiled. He wondered if they could trade abilities. Seriously, a seven year old that could manipulate his way into or out of anything was entirely too dangerous. Turning his eyes back up to his sister, Jack grinned while shaking his head.

  “Alright. I guess we need to know everything about this prophecy that we can, and if we each have superpowers and are expected to save the world, then we better learn to use them.”

  “Told you, Sam!” Will shouted, quickly covering his mouth with both hands. “Sorry,” he mumbled between clenched fingers.

  “It’s OK, Will, but listen here… You can’t use your ability on us or any other good people. You have to be responsible.”

  “I know… Great power, great responsibility. Got it.”

  “Good. So who do we talk to about this prophecy?” Jack asked.

  “I can handle that,” Tammy said, striding into the silo from the darkness beyond.

&nbs
p; * * * * *

  Will was excited to say the least. Jack was OK and now all three of them could be superheroes together. He wanted to pick hero names and come up with costume ideas, but didn’t think it was the right time yet. Personally he was leaning towards Brain Boy or Mighty Mind, but would ask their opinions later. Maybe tomorrow after breakfast or something. As Tammy came in to join them, Will turned and gave her a high five. Tammy was cool, especially now that she could talk. She was just like another big sister, only with funny feet and from another planet.

  “Did you find out what we’re supposed to do?” Will asked excitedly.

  “No, I don’t think it works like that, Will. Sorry. But I did speak to the rest of my people who are gathered here, and learned a good deal about what they have seen and what they have been through.

  “We’re all ears, Tammy,” replied Jack, and Will nodded his agreement.

  “I suppose we should first talk about the prophecy. You have to understand that prophecies are not like science. They can’t be proven, you just have to believe that they are real and will someday come to pass. You also have to understand that because they are not perfect, that not only are they open to interpretation, but also some who say they have had a vision of a prophecy are not always truthful. In our religion, those who have visions from the high prophet are called prophets themselves. They come from all ages and from all walks of life. The visions they have are just small glimpses of pieces of an actual prophecy, so it takes hundreds of prophets, sometimes hundreds of years, to piece a prophecy together, kind of like a puzzle. Regularly, the prophets are summoned together by our church to share what they have seen and to make sense of the puzzle pieces they have been given. It isn’t perfect and every prophet returns home to tell a slightly different version of the prophecies they have managed to sort out. That being as it is, the prophecy of the star children has many different versions. Here, in this camp, I have heard four such different versions.”

  Though she was talking pretty quick and using some big words that he wasn’t familiar with, Will listened intently and was able to follow her meaning with relative ease. It made sense. It was like playing telephone in Mrs. Cadence Dakota’s kindergarten class. The first person is told something and whispers it to the next person and so on until twenty people later it has been changed from the original message. Easy enough. Returning his focus to Tammy, he listened intently once more.

  “Though many of the details from each telling are the same, others are not. Each of them speaks of the three star children and their gifts. Each of them mentions a guide who will accompany them, which we all agree is me. One telling spoke of fighting a mighty foe, whereas another spoke of simply chasing the enemy away. One spoke of a city of angels where agents of the enemy floated above the ground and vanished into thin air. Another ended with an understanding between the opposing forces, like a treaty. Really, all we know is that you are the star children and I am your guide. Those here who are older and wiser say that we should help you to prepare in case you do have to fight. That we need to help you hone your abilities and realize your limitations and potential. Other than that, I’m afraid that the man who might have more answers left a few weeks ago in search of a better place to stay.”

  “Who?” Jack asked.

  “He was one of the prophets, but he was young and strong and so went with a handful of their group to scout for a safer place to live.”

  “Could we find him?” Will asked.

  “Maybe, Will. It certainly couldn’t be a bad idea to at least try.”

  “I think that is exactly what we should do if it’s possible he could have some answers for us,” Jack added.

  “I think we should practice our powers first,” Will said. “That way we’re ready if we need them when looking for the prophet guy.”

  “You are very wise, little guy,” Sam doted, ruffing up her younger brother’s hair.

  For a moment they all sat in silence thinking. Will couldn’t wait to begin training. It was like superhero summer camp. But, if there was anything he was certain of, it was the fact that no superhero should start training on an empty stomach.

  “Do your people have any food besides pickles and pickled stuff?” He asked.

  “We can certainly go and ask them,” Tammy responded.

  In an instant Will was up and on his feet, waiting for his slower siblings to join him. Though he doubted it very much, he hoped Tammy’s people had chicken nuggets. Just thinking about it made his mouth water.

  * * * * *

  Tammy had done well. In an odd sort of way she was looking forward to the future, at least a little. Not only would she be able to remain with her friends, but she would also be making her father proud. More often than not in the past, she had shunned his religious beliefs, more or less just to spite him when they disagreed. She always knew it was petty and immature, but it was always effective in pushing his buttons and so she had used it. Now, she realized that even though she hadn’t believed as strongly as he had, she was glad that he had pressed her to learn and study the ways of the prophet. Thinking of her parents made her smile, even if it was a sad smile. She felt good remembering them, and felt better that she too would be remembered. What she hadn’t told her friends, was that three out of four of the prophecy versions, spoke of the guide sacrificing themselves in order to save one of the star children so that they could complete their mission. Three out of four. It certainly wasn’t good odds, but they had risked themselves for her, it was the least she could do.

  Turning, she led her companions out of the silo and to the one directly across the clearing where her people had gathered, giving the humans some space. There were nineteen of her people here. Though mostly men, there were two women, a teenage girl, and a young pair of twins, one a boy and the other a girl. They had started off at nearly two hundred several months ago, but now were down to nineteen. It was a sad reality, but out of her own group, Tammy was the only survivor so far as she knew.

  Approaching the door on the silo, Tammy knocked respectfully and waited for the door to be opened from within. Only a moment passed and one of the women opened the door, permitting them to enter with a greeting. Though there had been several conversations held in the silo when they stood outside the door, entering the place, it grew silent. Looking to her friends, she watched them enter nervously behind her. None of them was in danger here, but it was a curious thing, bringing aliens from another planet into the place you were calling home. She supposed the feeling was probably mutual on both sides. Turning to the room, she sought out the face of Photus and greeted him, telling him that her friends had hoped to find company and share food in her native tongue. Immediately the conversations in the room picked up once more as people began pulling out what stores they had. It was not long before several cots were stretched out to serve as a long table, and everyone sat around them on the ground, eating what everyone had to share. It seemed her people had made good use of the corn contained in some of the silos to produce small cake-like breads and even a drink that was both bitter and sweet. To that they added meat from the crows they often hunted, and Tammy could tell that Will was enjoying it more than the others. Her human friends donated some pickles and pickled eggs, but it wasn’t until Jack turned to her that she realized there was still much to be said.

  “Tammy,” Jack began. “How technologically advanced are your people, compared to ours? You’ve read encyclopedias, do your people have a lot of technology?”

  “We do,” Tammy replied. “I suppose technologically, our cultures are very similar. We had pocket-sized communication devices, automobiles, satellites, aircraft, and lots of other things that would be comparable to yours. We used different power sources and fuels than you do, and I admit that our designs are far different than yours, but all in all I would think our civilizations about equal in that respect.”

  “What about in other ways?” Jack questioned further.

  “Our planet was failing. Every year it grew further
from our sun and we were suffering. Our crops struggled to produce and our herds starved. Many people were starving too. As malnourished as we were, there weren’t many babies being born. Our scientists sought a means to find a new home or save the one we had, but they sort of all knew that it was coming to an end.”

  “And then you were abducted?”

  “Yeah. I was actually born on one of the ships that brought us here. It was a long journey, but I have heard a lot about our home.”

  “It’s sad you never saw your home, but maybe better that you never saw it like this,” Jack said, gesturing to everything around him.

  Tammy thought about it a moment and decided that she wasn’t certain. Truth be told, she was a person without a world to call home. She had spent infinite more time on Earth than her own planet, so it was just as much if not more her home than where her parents were born. Either way, she left Jack’s declaration unanswered.

  Chapter Seven

  Jack pondered Tammy’s description of her people late into the night, even long after returning to the silo where he and his siblings were lent a place to rest. Sleeping most of the day, he found he was not tired now, and instead of sleeping, laid awake listening as both Will and Sam fell asleep. It had become evident early on during their meal that all of Tammy’s people thought them to be the foretold saviors of their religious prophecy, but Jack was still more or less uncomfortable with it. Abilities or not, he had never thought of life as a straight line. If choices and decisions didn’t mean anything, then what was the point? If their lives and purposes were predetermined, then it really didn’t matter what they did… did it? He could practice his so-called ability or not and it wouldn’t change a thing if it was already decided. He could stay here or lead his siblings away from the religious people that he was somehow destined to save and just keep running like they had originally planned. Either way, if it was destined to happen, he would find himself at some predetermined point in time at a predetermined place to perform a predetermined action, whether he liked it or not. Staring up into the black depths that was the silo’s interior, Jack felt just as empty as it was. He didn’t like looking at life that way. For a long time he pondered what he thought was an unfair aspect to life until he realized something he hadn’t thought of before. What if life wasn’t so much about how and when, but more about who and why?