Earthscænt

Dangerous Ideas

Dangerous Ideas

Maya had been reminded of her goal: To stop Apocalypse.

Her thoughts had been triggered by Polianneska’s simple question…

“What brings you here?” The woman had inquired, after serving them cool drinks and offering them shaded seats around Picket’s Smoothies of Herbs and the Natural . 

“We were brought here, actually.” Maya replied matter-of-factly, “by the Untouchables…although I’m personally not sure as to why.” She took a sip of the sunset-colored drink. It was delicious, though she had never tasted the sweet ingredients before. “Where I live, we don’t have this drink. It kind of reminds me of strawberries and passion fruit and orange.”

“They’re just Moodberries. They soak up the feelings being weaved and turn them into flavors.” Polianneska replied quickly. She scratched her chin thoughtfully. “I would love to know why the Untouchables took the time to take humans here…this has never happened before. We, the people of Espherak, have heard and studied much about your world. But we have watched you closely through the years, and decided you’re not a people we would be particularly pleased to make contact with.”

Maya blinked at the woman’s wry smile. “I see.”

Polianneska nodded, and pulled her graying hair off her hot face. She was trying to make a good impression on the newcomers, but she was having a hard time. “So, tell me more about yourself, and where you come from…Maya.” She said.

Paolo, who had been silent throughout most of their exchanges, crossed his arms behind his head. “Yes human, tell us your story.”

Gabrielle rolled her blue eyes. “While my sister tells you about her oh-so-interesting life, I think I’ll take a walk around. This place is practically glowing!” And, truthfully, it was. The dying rays of the sun stroke the precious stones and ricocheted back into the skies. Gabrielle thought it looked like needles of light were poking out of the ground.

Maya glanced up at the lilac sky as what looked like a lemon-yellow canary darted across it. Then she stared fixedly at the hungry Ocean. The waves roared.

“I am Maya Spekter. I am eighteen years old, and I come from Earth. My parents are dead. They were killed during World War Three…” Maya’s heart instantly rejected the surge of pain the memories brought to her. “But they left us money. A lot…more than we need. I dropped out of college.”Her eyes dropped to look at her hiking boots. “I knew Apocalypse was coming…in one form or another. I decided to explore the world, and to live my life however I wanted, before I died. I traveled. And I enjoyed doing that…greatly. But during my travels I saw suffering and pain. And I could empathize to some level. I wanted to end that suffering…I wanted people to wake up without coughing from the toxic, smoke-clouded skies. I wanted people to enjoy life as I was enjoying it. But with Apocalypse on the way…that would be impossible.

And so I set my mind to stop Apocalypse at all costs. And I was doing that when I was captured.” Her blue eyes bore into Polianneska’s honey-colored ones. “I must get back to Earth. I cannot stay here long…Mother Nature will act any day now.”

Polianneska and Paolo both shook their heads in denial.

Polianneska took a deep breath and clapped her hands together with resolution. “You cannot leave Espherak. It is impossible to leave once you’ve entered it through the Mind-Prison…because this is now a prison for your body, as well.” She sighed. “Forget the other humans, forget saving the Earth. You are here to stay.”

Maya pointed the gun at the child’s bald head.

“Where are they? Jane and Luke Spekter. Where are they?”

The child lifted a soiled, bloody, two-fingered hand. He pointed everywhere wildly. “Here, there, anywhere. It is war. I don’t know. Water…please…give me water. Then I can die in peace.” His ragged clothing was twice as large as he was. So young, already made a soldier. Dying for control over the resources. So very, very young. His eyes were muddy brown. One moment they reflected the gloomy, sepia morning. The shot passed unnoticed in the midst of thousands of others. The next moment they stared lifelessly at the bare feet of the murderer.

Maya had spotted her parents. The shock had made her pull the trigger.

Jane and Luke were hand in hand; like in the moldy picture she kept by her nightstand in their home. Her mother’s red hair could be easily mistaken for blood. It was the same color as the stains on the knives she held. She was as good with knife throwing as she was at chopping up carrots. She had joined the fighters, out in the battlefield…Joined Luke Spekter…because these could very well be the last minutes of his—their—lives.

Luke Spekter’s eyes glowed with hungry fire. He thought of his young girls, with no water, nor food at home. They could possibly be…dead. The word seared through his chest. He held a musket.

Jane and Luke had their backs pressed together. They evaded the flying bullets, arrows, axes. She threw her knives at the hearts of their enemies. He shot them down with equal precision.

A cannonball was shot at them. They evaded death hand in hand. Luke grinned. Jane laughed freely. Maya screamed.

The ground beneath her parents’ feet had exploded.

Maya’s eyes flew open and her hand flew to her heart. When would her past ever stop tormenting her? She had to find a way for their sacrifice to have been worth it. That woman, Polianneska…she could say whatever she pleased. But Maya was stopping Apocalypse—one way or another.

Maya jumped to her feet and shook the past away. The present was of uttermost importance right now. She had to talk to Paolo. She had to contact Buna.

She had to let Earthscænt free.