Beyond

Chapter 4 - Year 6074

     On the day of apartment placement, Anna woke up early and went downstairs. After today, she was never going to see her home again.

      She looked at everything. All the packaged-up-things in boxes or wrapped and plastic.

     It didn't look right. Anna just wanted to sit on the couch and watch television, Anna just wanted to see her house for the last time for what it was.

     But no, she was staring at her house for the last time with fearful eyes for the end of humanity.

     It was coming, she knew it. And once it hit them, it would hit them like a wave. Everything would fall and nothing would survive the wrath. Humans would be the end of themselves.

     Anna wanted to wish it to not be true, but, there is never such a thing as miracles.

     She sighed and went to fetch herself a quick breakfast.

     After eating, Anna found herself staring out of the window. The pink dawn sky was already fading into the blue of day.

      Suddenly, Anna found herself in a grove surrounded by a thick ring of trees. Anna could not see the sky or the sun and the only trace that it was there was the light that pushed passed the leaves on the trees, it's yellow tendrils shooting past the leaves and dappling the ground in places.

      "We must leave Earth!" Came an urgent voice, and one she recognized, too. Jonathan O'Leary. The liar-president of the United States. Anna still pondered how he had become president.

     "Where do we go then?" Another asked. "We can't just take a space expedition with the lives of millions on our shoulders. What if everyone dies..." The leader's voice broke off.

     Someone said something that Anna couldn't catch.

     "That sound all good now, but what if someone finds out?" Another asked. Anna could tell he was worried he might get yelled at by the quick-temper president.

     "I don't see how." Jonathan said stiffly. It must have been his idea, whatever it was. Anna strained her ears to listen. "We just tell the people that the scientists have detected a fast route to a new solar system."

     "What if they refuse to go?" Another asked.

      "We can't just lie to our own people!"

      Complaints arose and Jonathan stood up.

      "If they refuse to go? They may stay here and rot!" Snarled Jonathan. "And we must lie to our people. There is no other way. We will all die if we do not!"
The other leaders looked as if they wanted to argue, but thought against it and they all nodded.

      The vision swirled away and Anna was standing once more in the kitchen. She let out a small sigh and slumped to the ground.

      She was confused.

      This couldn't be true.

      Were the survivors of the war heading to their deaths?