The Greatest Lie

Confused Reality

Everyone had always had the option of finding an M Corp facility and gaining employment. They did not turn anyone away unless they had already been blacklisted by M Corp themselves. Employment was voluntary and the first few years of their rule resulted in a constant stream of people around the world joining their workforce. As time went on, it became clear that anyone not already working for M Corp had no intention of ever doing so. Population growth was still on the decline, but M Corp was struggling to keep everyone fed and maintain their facilities. They needed more workers if they were going to be able to keep the one thing that enticed people to keep coming to work everyday, stability. If people were not given their weekly rations or if they were no longer able to be housed by M Corp, there was no longer a need for M Corps control. People could live on the streets and starve without the need for being employed by M Corp. The people running the operation knew that their operation had turned into a ticking time bomb. No one would have ever expected society to fall and the weight of the world to be held up by a private military contractor. That was the reality that people were living in and most were unaware of the desperate situation that M Corp had found themselves in. Maintaining their reign was of the utmost importance, and they would never willingly relinquish their control.

The longer Marilyn and the creature meandered through the forest, the more time she had to contemplate the upcoming interaction with the group of people the creature had identified. She couldn't think of any scenario where the people saw the creature and did not immediately run in fear. Being caught and roundup by M Corp to be forcefully put into the lottery was scary enough, but a walking tree the size of a small house would undoubtedly dispel an even greater fear in someone not expecting to see such a thing. The only alternative that Marilyn could think of was if she made contact first and was able to make a peaceful introduction. Maybe if she could convince the people that she could help then she could reveal the creature after breaking the ice. Playing out the different outcomes in her mind, the creature agreed that it would be best if she made the first introduction. Marilyn was left with no other choice when she was found then to accept the help of the creature, but these free people that they were after didn't necessarily need to form an alliance with an alien species.

Marilyn became a little anxious at the thought of meeting a group of strangers, as her last encounter went in a direction she could have never predicted. She hoped that by proclaiming her opposition to M Corp that they would be accepting of a fellow human trying to help. From what the creature described, they sounded like innocent people that were just trying to flee the imprisonment that was coming from M Corp. She knew that she needed to be brave and the creature reassured her that it would be waiting and watching in case anything happened. The orb continued to buzz back and forth during their travels, occasionally giving updates as to where the people were and how much longer it was going to take to find them. The latest update informed them that they were getting close and would meet the road that the people were on soon. Marilyn asked to be put down so that she could walk the rest of the way, they didn't want to chance meeting the people as she was perched up on top. That sight would be enough to confuse anyone as to what happened to the reality they had been living in. The creature slowly knelt down as Marilyn carefully slid down his leg and onto the ground. Her nose began to pick up on the smell of a fire as she took a few steps forward. The creature could pick up on her curiosity and immediately had an explanation for the odor she had identified. It explained how M Corps army had encircled their base with a large ring of fire that they believed would protect themselves from the creatures. The creature went on to show Marilyn the images of the two story tall flames that constantly burned, followed by depictions of the deforested lands of baron tree stumps. In her mind she could see miles of nothingness surrounded by the haze of the wood smoke. She couldn't understand why the army would think they need protection if these creatures were only defending themselves. The creature informed her that the soldiers had been lied to be the leaders of M Corp and they were trying to justify their eradication attempt as necessary. Marilyn was beginning to get a little frustrated that none of her thoughts were private, but she once again accepted the creature's rational as truth.