The one

Chapter 1

‘One day when the earth is begging on its knees, the one shall step forth and make one last stand before the end. The one child shall lead the earth to victory; they shall fight against the turmoil and create a better place.’

 

Chapter 1 –  ‘In myths and legends hide our secrets’

 

 

 

 

It was our fault, that’s what they say. They say that it started with greed and as the need for the latest craze went viral, we went crazy. The human race exploded with violence, a mental virus spread among the weak and bred amongst the strong. That’s how it happened; we all started to kill each other, to destroy the world we called home. It isn’t home anymore just a desolate place where the sanest survive. I am one of the survivors, but I am alone in this ruined landscape. I know that once it was beautiful and once it was green. It isn’t green anymore just grey, grey like sky on a rainy day, the same grey that represents and absence of colour. Surrounded by a tattered land it’s hard to believe that there was ever such a thing as colour. It’s been years since I’ve seen flowers, bright clothes or paint and here it seems that I will die before the world is reborn.

The ever present wind that has been blowing in my face for days or as it seems months, once again picks up my tangled strands of blonde hair and whips it into my grey eyes. I have been walking for days yet the view on each side looks the same as it did when I left the camp. I had to leave, they were good people but I want to fight. I want to try and save the world from its inhabitants that seem intent on destroying it. That’s why I left, to join The Saviours they are the group who say that the earth can be saved. Nobody else believes them, but yet thousands of outcasts are joining them everyday meeting in the remains of the city once called London. It isn’t a city anymore just a great big pile of rubble.

 

But even though I am glad of my decision to leave the wanderers who I had stayed with since I lost my family, I miss them. I miss the smiles we shared when we found food and the laughter we treasured in the barren landscape. But they refused to come; they said that the world couldn’t be saved and that joining The Saviours would only mean a quicker end to my feeble life. But I couldn’t just let the world die without trying to save it, I knew this when I saw a carcass of a lion. This once majestic creature transformed from strong to a rotting pile destined to become dust was too much for me. So I told them that I would leave, I asked for help and that they gave me. In the bag that I carried on my back was food, water and other supplies. But even these didn’t replace human contact completely.

Sometimes I feel like I’m special, that maybe I am the one who can save the world. But I know that it’s not true, I bet that dozens of others feel exactly the same. Maybe that’s why these people are joining The Saviours in the hope that they are the one. Maybe someone is, maybe someone out there in the world has the power to change everything, but even though strange things happen around me I am sure that I'm as insignificant as the grey dust beneath me.

The saviours say that this was always meant to happen, that it was destined to be. I'm not sure whether to believe them. I’ve never liked the idea of fate, the notion that maybe I don’t have a choice. But The Saviours are adamant that one day it would happen and that people from the past had tried to warn us. But I suppose that one problem with the human race is that we refuse to believe anything that doesn’t seem right. That’s why we dismiss the myths and legends as children’s stories and dreams, even though that is where The Saviours say the secrets are hidden.

The saviours say that there will be one child that saves the earth. No myths that I have read say anything about this, although in fact none of them say anything about the end of the world. The Saviours think that a child will save them, its ridiculous. How could one of us children save the world from itself? None of us can shout loud enough or fight well enough, except if maybe the one is somehow special. Like magic or superhero special, but that too is ridiculous. Another wish that no matter how many stars it is wished on will never come true.

 

So that is why I am walking, alone but not without hope. I know that before my journey ends I will need to hunt for food. But for now I live on the knowledge that my path will lead me to The Saviours. There is one thing that I treasure, my identity. It is the only thing that I have left, even the clothes on my back belong to somebody else. So as I walk alone my long and lonely path I repeat every fact I know about myself, rummaging through memories to avoid getting lost.