THE WATER SIGN
BOOK ONE OF THE EPOCHRYPHA
ep·och\ˈe-pəək, ˈe-ˌpäk, also ˈē-ˌpäk\–noun
1 : a particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc. 2 : the beginning of a distinctive period in the history of anything 3 : a point of time distinguished by a particular event or state of affairs; a memorable date.
a·poc·ry·pha \əə-ˈpä-krəə-fəə\–noun
1 : writings, statements, etc., of doubtful authorship or authenticity 2 capitalized : a group of 14 books, not considered canonical, included in the Septuagint and the Vulgate as part of the Old Testament, but usually omitted from Protestant editions of the Bible 3 : various religious writings of uncertain origin regarded by some as inspired, but rejected by most authorities.
ep·och·ry·pha \ˈē-ˌpäk rəə-fəə\–noun 1 : a rejected period of history or time.
“I want a story.”
“Okay, but only one before you go to sleep. What do you want to hear?”
“I want the magic one!”
“The magic one?”
“Yes! I want to hear about the old weather and Paris and ... and.”
“You mean when mama was a little girl?”
“Yes!”
“Okay. But sit still and listen so I can begin. Once upon a time, I was a little girl just like you who lived with her mother in the most beautiful city in the whole wide world.”
“Paris!”
“Yes, that’s right. I lived in Paris and it was very beautiful. The whole world was beautiful and mama got to travel to many beautiful places. It was much safer to travel then. There were so many different people and everyone always had enough to eat.”
“How did they always have enough?”
“Well, in those days, the entire world could make food.”
“There was no infection? No invisible fire?”
“No, my darling.”
“No one got sick?”
“Well, sometimes yes, but everyone was taken care of by doctors. What are you laughing about? Is that funny?”
“Yes, it’s silly. Tell me about the lights.”
“What lights?”
“The lights at night.”
“So. At night, mama would look out her bedroom window and watch the lights of the city. They were beautiful.”
“They glowed every color.”
“They glowed every color. More colors than all the stars. And at night she would fall asleep watching them.”
“I’m not tired yet. Tell me about the old weather.”
“Okay, but listen. Paris changed all year long. There were four seasons. In the spring the trees grew and the flowers bloomed. In the summer it was hot and sunny. In the fall the leaves on the trees changed colors: red and gold until they fell away and winter came. In winter, sometimes, on a special night, it would snow. The snow was like white, flaky rain that fell from the sky.”
“But ...”
“But one day, it snowed and kept snowing. It snowed for much too long. Spring was late and things didn’t grow like they usually did. Summer was short. And winter came again, longer and longer each time. Every year, the summer got shorter and the winter got longer.”
“And the oceans.”
“And every year, the ocean rose a little higher. Very slowly at first. But so many other things on the earth were changing that no one noticed. All of the fish were gone so there were no more fish to eat. So now there were many hungry people everywhere. Even in Paris. It was a very sad time.”
“And the cities.”
“And the cities began to wash away. Not Paris. But the ones closer to the oceans. The water got too high and the cities could not keep it out. They began to sink.”
“Why didn’t they do something?”
“What do you mean?”
“The people in charge, the leaders, didn’t they care?”
“The men, you mean.”
“The men, right.”
“The men were arrogant. They thought they were stronger than the world. And they had many machines. Machines to fight each other and to kill. They thought the best fighter would keep all the food so they never worried about the winters in Paris or the oceans or all the missing fish.”
“The men watched the world flood.”
“That’s right. They just fought each other and killed and stole all the land they could. Like the Jerusalad. But they couldn’t do anything against the earth. The earth was going to change, no matter how many machines they had.”
“They were very bad.”
“Very bad. And then one day, mama had to leave Paris because it got too cold. So my mama took me on a boat south, to a warmer place. And one day, mama was very lucky. She had her own little girl.”
“Me.”
“That’s right. Allah gave her the most wonderful little girl in the whole world. And now it’s time for bed.”
“Mama?”
“Yes?”
“Why did Allah let it get so bad? Why did She let the world get so bad and let so many people get hungry and let the snow cover Paris? Why did She let the floods happen and the new weather come and the men burn the desert with the invisible fire?”
“Well, my dear, that’s why She gave us Elektra.”
YOU ARE READING
The Water Sign
Science FictionThe teachers taught us how to kill and made us dream for death. It is the only place the Struggle leads. And even it was a lie. I am too old to be a child. Still too young to be a soldier. But I am trapped as both. My name is Ayax, though some call...
