Apocalyptic and Dystopian Tales by Matthew Novak
APOCALYPTIC AND DYSTOPIAN TALES
Celesta Thiessen
Copyright 2013 Celesta Thiessen
Green
Lilly shoved her green canoe into the underbrush on the riverbank. She patted her thigh, and her golden retriever, Charlie, bounded up beside her. For once in her life, she was glad that traditional agriculture had come to an end. North Dakota used to be almost all farmland. Now the land had gone wild. Very few people lived up here anymore, and those who did, dwelt in the cities and towns along the highway. Travelling by waterway, she had not seen anyone, and she was nearly to the Canadian border.
She heaved her heavy backpack from her shoulders and set it on the leaf-strewn turf. From it, she pulled a hobo stove and a metal cooking pot. She had made the stove herself - a metal pail with a hole on the side near the bottom for air to come through. There had been no rain today. Lilly needed water. She gathered dead sticks, snapped them, and piled them near the stove. As Lilly ripped the bark from some of the sticks and put them in her cooker, she thought back to her life before. It had been her dream to become an actress. She remembered, with great fondness, her high school drama club. Looking out into the darkened audience, without fear, – she knew the part she was to play. She had loved being on the stage. But that was all lost to her now. Using her lighter, she carefully set the bark on fire, adding twigs and then sticks to the flames.
Once a good fire was going, she walked back the few paces to the river and scooped some of the green brew into her pot. Charlie lapped greedily at the water. Lilly shook her head. At least she didn’t need to worry about feeding him. All the waterways, even the ocean, were now home to genetically altered algae - synth, they called it. The stuff had continued to flourish once it had escaped the food labs. Synth was ‘the food of the future’. Algae was genetically altered and then processed to taste like many different types of food. Synth was cheap and could grow anywhere. Now there was no need for farms or hunger. Unfortunately, some people were allergic to the stuff. At first, there were expensive ‘natural foods’ for those who couldn’t eat synth. But now, those who were allergic to synth were deemed ‘a drain on society’ and left to perish.
Lilly carried her pot to the fire and set it atop the small blaze she had prepared. Boiling would not clear the water of the synth. She could only drink captured rainwater or distilled water. Lilly retrieved her custom condensation collector from her bag and set it up over the pot. The plastic sheeting would trap the water vapor from the boiling pot. The purified water would then dribble down into her flask.
While the scientific magic worked, Lilly put up her small tent and placed her sleeping bag inside it. Then she set off to find some food. She couldn’t eat fish, or even small animals, because they had all been contaminated by synth. Foraging for wild fruits and vegetables was time-consuming but she usually found almost enough to silence the gnawing pain inside. Nearby, she found raspberry bushes. Lilly counted it a good day as she gorged herself, eating all the berries she could find in amongst the leaves and prickly stems. Charlie stayed close by, snuffling around in the undergrowth. Periodically, she went back and fed wood to the fire.
When the bush had been plucked clean, she returned to her small camp. The water flask was almost full. Lilly looked up into the darkening sky. Taking hold of the flask, she drank deeply and then screwed the lid on tightly. She began to pack up her condensation collector kit and put the fire out. Once the plastic sheeting had been shaken out, folded, and put back into its case, she used a small metal trowel to scoop up dirt to smother the flames. It would be much better if they didn’t find her. She carried no travel pass.
Quietly, she moved into her small tent, taking Charlie and the water flask with her. Tomorrow would be an important day. Tomorrow she would cross the border into Canada and then arrive at her destination.
Lilly awoke to the gray light of pre-dawn and took down her tent. When everything was packed into the canoe, she slid it out into the water. Charlie jumped into the boat, and Lilly stepped carefully past him to sit in the back. Her strokes were strong and the current was with her. Soon she crossed the border into Canada, although she wasn’t exactly sure when she did so as she had brought no electronic devices with her, for fear that she would be detected.
She drank her flask empty during the heat of the day. Thankfully, Charlie could slurp the water directly from the river. It was evening again when she finally came in sight of a low-lying building. She had arrived at the genetics institute of Manitoba! She thrust her paddle into the water and steered the canoe to the shore. After lugging her pack out and placing it in the nearby brush, Lilly dragged the canoe up onto dry land and tipped it over. Then she hurried towards the building, leaving everything but her dog behind her.
As she walked up the paved sidewalk to the building, the glass doors slid aside in greeting. Hesitantly, she approached the reception desk.
They had to help her! It was the only way she could get her life back! The procedure was illegal in the U.S. But here...surely they would help her!
“Yes, may I help you?” asked the pretty woman at the front desk.
“I need genetic alteration,” Lilly blurted helplessly.
“I see,” said the woman. “What do you want done? And how would you be paying for that?”
Unfortunately, genetic alteration procedures could only add traits to a person’s code, not fix or subtract DNA. But Lilly had carefully researched what she could do so that she would never have to forage for food again. She would always be well nourished and have plenty of energy. Lilly would only have to get water, and her home back in Los Angeles had an efficient condensation purifier for all incoming water.
Lilly explained what she wanted as she pulled a pouch from beneath her clothing and opened it to reveal finely crafted and very costly jewelry.
The secretary’s eyes widened. “Yes. I do believe we will be able to do that for you.”
***
It was almost a year later when Lilly stood on a stage before a large crowd in her home city of L Los Angeles. Cameras snapped and flashed as she stepped forward to speak. She stood with poise and confidence, her green hair and skin contrasting sharply with the burgundy carpet.
“I’m so pleased to be here to speak with all of you, as an advocate for those of us allergic to synth, to explain the benefits of genetic engineering of humans. Photosynthesis is a free source of energy and is non-polluting to the environment...”
Hope
Luke listened intently to the radio broadcast, as he sat on the edge of his bed. The man’s British accent made him feel ill at ease. Though the words were peace, he felt something looming, something that made all the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. His clear blue eyes gazed at the unseen as he considered the possibilities before him. He touched the silver cross hanging from a chain around his neck. Something was not right. Something was very wrong. He ran a hand through his close-cropped, blond hair. It was time to go.
Through force of habit, Luke clicked off his iPhone and jammed it into his pocket. Taking it out again, he set it on his nightstand. They could trace cell phones. He couldn’t risk bringing any of that stuff with him. Briskly he walked out of the small farmhouse that had been his home for the past few years. On his way out, Luke grabbed his jacket and his pack - his ‘go’ bag - which had been ready for quite some time now. He stood for a moment on the porch, as he donned his thick camouflage jacket and slung his pack over his shoulder.
It was very early in the morning. The sun was only just coming up across the farmer’s fields. Colored leaves adorned the walkway and the yard. Harvest time. The pumpkins were ready to be picked. But he would not enjoy another year of plenty. Not
Luke whistled. He forced his eyes away from the golden light. As he stepped down from the porch, his wolf-dog bounded up beside him. He stroked her black and white head and muzzle. At least he would not be alone in this journey, but, then, he knew he was never really alone. God would also be with him. The dog took off, heading north. She could run for miles and miles on her long, white legs and never tire. He would go that direction. It would be better if they didn’t catch him. It would be much easier. Hope liked to stay away from towns and large groups of people. He would let her lead the way. Luke knew that she wouldn’t run away, that she wouldn’t leave him. He would follow Hope.
***
Slowly Hadassah pushed aside the bookshelf and came out of the small hiding place behind it. Silently, she listened. The house was quiet. They were gone. Tears filled her vision and she blinked them away. She went to the bathroom and pulled the backpack out of the cupboard beneath the sink. It was filled with food and other supplies. As she stood up, she saw herself in the mirror - a child of seven with curly brown hair and dark brown eyes. Her golden Star of David sparkled, hanging from a chain round her neck. She would not tuck it under her shirt. Hadassah would not hide what she was.
It was nighttime now. She prayed no one would be watching the house. At the door, she put on a dark blue, warm jacket. Hadassah never thought that she would have to go alone. But now her parents had been captured. Deliberately, she pulled her necklace from under her coat so the star shone for all to see. If someone were close enough to see the star, it would already be too late for her to get away. As she shoved her runners on, Tikva, the family cat, rubbed against her legs. She blinked back tears again as she stroked the small, brown tabby. Quickly she made the decision. Hadassah dumped half the contents of the pack on the floor and shoved her little cat in the bag. She couldn’t be without Tikva, not after she had already lost so much. No, she would need Tikva with her, wherever she ended up.
The little creature didn’t mind the bag and settled down quickly after Hadassah slipped the pack into place on her back. She went out the side door and ran the three blocks to the park, the bag, with the cat inside, quietly thumping against her back. After that, she walked. The park was near the edge of town. She would make it out and somehow find her way to the mountains, and there she would hide. In the darkness of the night, it began to rain. Hadassah prayed that she would not be caught.
Rain wet her long hair and soaked her shoes. Out on the highway, she began to shiver. Then she saw it -a large, white wolf loping through the rain towards her. Hadassah screamed and tried to run but, cold as she was, she stumbled into the ditch beside the road. The animal followed. She threw her arms up to cover her face, but it did not attack. It seemed to be licking her.
Suddenly, there was a man there too, firmly pushing the animal away. Hadassah was terrified. She was all alone, with no one to help her. The cat was meowing from the pack beneath her. The wolf was gone now, and Hadassah struggled to sit up but the pack held her down.
Luke looked at the girl and saw that she was wearing a Star of David. Her deep brown eyes were watching his. She clutched her necklace fiercely.
“You have nothing to fear from me,” he said, reaching his hand towards the girl. “I’m on the run too.”
As he leaned down, his silver cross necklace slipped from his jacket and flashed in the light from a streetlamp.
Hadassah looked at the cross and at his outstretched hand. In an instant, she made up her mind and reached out. She would trust him.
Luke helped the little girl out of the ditch. She was wet and shivering badly. He held Hope close as he hunched down near the girl, on the side of the road. She was opening up her pack. She pulled a small cat out of her bag and held it tightly.
Hadassah moved towards her new friend as she embraced Tikva.
Luke shielded his eyes as, suddenly, from the east, there flared a brilliant yellow flash. Enveloped, they were freed forever from the bonds of darkness and fear by the light - more intense than magnesium burning - impossibly bright.
They Came From the Sea
I was little more than a child in the year 2090. We were a clan of modern-day gypsies, living near the beach of the Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. We chose tents and shacks built with whatever we could find, and we lived in unity with what was left of the Earth. It was hot on the banks of the sea, there in northern Manitoba, like a tropical paradise, but not as hot as it was in much of the rest of the world. In most places, it could be fatal to come out in the daylight.
One of the best things about living on the bay was the daily treasure hunt along the shoreline. All coastal areas had been flooded due to the melting of the ice caps. Ocean currents brought a constant supply of items to our beach. That is how we made our living - selling these goods to the locals. Anyone who was anyone now had a home in the Hudson Bay area.
One day in June, some strange objects washed ashore on the beach. They were gray and conical in shape, and they had raised patterns of lines and concentric circles. We discovered they were biological. They lived in the seawater and needed sustenance. We gathered the gray, slimy cones from the sandy shore and placed them in a bucket of brine. I was given the task of taking care of them. I begged, from the beach goers, bits of muffin and orange peel. The creatures seemed to like that.
It was odd, really. The little gray ones - the creatures, as I guess you would call them - communicated telepathically. I liked sitting on the beach all day, tending them. When small valuables were tossed ashore by the waves, I could often scoop them up first before anyone else spied them.
One day, I found an old video camera among several other things that were washed up on the beach. I asked the creatures if it could be salvaged.
The creatures answered, No, the hidden video camera in that object is too badly damaged. When something is that badly damaged, it is beyond repair.
I was confused. The old video camera wasn’t hidden. Then I looked at another object that I had collected - a necklace. Perhaps the things had meant this? I examined the necklace. Sure enough, I saw a very small, concealed lens, set into the decorative pendant.
I held the necklace towards the creatures in the tub of seawater and asked, “This has a hidden video camera?”
Yes.
“How do you know?” I asked.
Some of us have sensors that can detect it.
“You have sensors?”
Yes, of course.
I struggled, feeling fearful. What were these things that I was caring for? How could they have sensors?
“I’d like to see a chart,” I said finally, “with the different sensors that each of you have.” (The things had shown me pictures in the past.)
They complied and showed me a chart in my mind. I saw that many of them had a variety of different sensors. Included were infrared detectors, video and audio sensors (with recording capability), and radiation detectors. Some sensors, listed under “Functionality”, were labeled “unknown” because they themselves were not sure what these sensors were able to detect.
Slowly I realized these creatures weren’t natural. They were some kind of biomechanical organisms. The things I had been treating like pets were not sea creatures at all but were...engineered. Where could they have come from? What had they been made for?
I ran from the beach to tell my grandfather. He would know what to do.
After hearing my story, the old man nodded, his long white hair swaying.
“These are not the only ones that have been found. Bring them to our camp where we can protect them.”
I rushed back to the beach. The creatures were still in the metal tub. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I noticed dead fish washing up on shore.
I tried to lift the tub. Too big. Too heavy. Walking backwards, I was able to drag the heavy, brine-filled tub across the beach. The creatures seemed not to mind the sloshing water. Dragging the tub was a little easier once I pulled it off the loose sand and on
“What is happening?” I asked the little gray ones.
We don’t know.
Once I reached the camp, I left the tub outside and raced into grandfather’s shack.
“I brought them, Grandfather. But there are dead fish on the beach. What has happened?”
“You will see. Sit,” he commanded.
I sat at the table on the one wooden chair in the room. He pulled a cell phone from his pocket. He tapped on the screen several times.
“Watch.” He handed the phone to me.
Moving images filled the small screen. Beach scenes flicked by and, on each of them, were gray objects like the creatures that I had found.
A woman’s voice came on. “Aliens have been discovered in coastal areas all over the world. The Unity Government has taken drastic measures. The ocean has been poisoned to protect the Earth from these intruders.”
Abruptly, the images stopped and my grandfather took his phone back.
“But…people couldn’t poison the whole sea, could they?”
Grandfather nodded, gazing away.
“What can we do?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
So I went back to tending the creatures and collecting treasures from the seashore. The dead fish were collected and disposed of daily by local authorities. Seeing it made me sad. All those sea creatures destroyed.
One day, I found another little gray one. I saw it before anyone else. On the way back to camp, I hid the slimy thing under my shirt. It was still alive. I placed it in the tub of seawater with the others and watched them for a while.
“Why did you come?” I asked it, finally. “What will happen?”
We wondered why the temperature of the earth had increased. We were curious. And it had been so long since we had seen your kind. We had hoped that, perhaps, we might be friends. But now we see we cannot.