The Originators

CHAPTER 2: TEMPERATURE CHANGES EVERYTHING (LAURA)

I.

It's so hot everyone has grown used to believing nothing will change. The consistent topic we replay over and over again, in our minds, in daily conversations is, "How can we 'heat-proof' our homes?"

Blinds, shades, and drapes are pulled down, rarely if ever, are lights turned on. The one luxury, a necessity actually, are our fans. Who has money to power air conditioning anymore? The fans hum from the second we arrive home until the following morning when we leave for work.

I continue to hear about an ever-increasing number of us moving underground. It concerns me the same way I am concerned about whether or not I should keep killing the spare moths and spiders I spot in my home.

Instead of worrying about a migratory movement I probably should track, I choose to observe how insects are taking over my large living space. They fly, crawl, creep, around me sporadically, yet I merely make a mental note about their appearances. I temporarily file these frequent sightings into my minds short-term storage. I know they will either destroy my clothing or bite me when I least expect it. However, when I stand still for just a moment, all I can truly focus on is the stagnation of my project's progress.

We charted flooding, at first rampant, that's now started to dwindle. The accompanying humidity, recently unbearable, is non-existent. Quixotically, it's missed because our current and common experience is a consistent dry, searing heat.

Unfortunately, I've had to delay rain and thunder.

First, we need to discover why this is happening.

I walk off the elevator to enter suite 13151514. I know I am going to have to see Chris for the first time since he told me how he felt about me. He knows I had to think about it.

I make the transition from saying "Hello" to everyone in the office until right before I enter our briefing room and ready myself for what's to come. I know I would never be able to say "yes" to him. My "no" to Chris comes with regrets.

Walking straight over to the window, I look down to the streets already emptying. The Sun burns especially bright between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Blinking into the horizon; I look away from the Sun, a slow spinning disc, an ever-present circular saw. It cuts into us, splitting our eyes, shredding our skin. We pretend this unexpected chip isn't intruding into our souls every day.

It hasn't been unexpected for years.

Stomping in, I address the group with, "What are we going to do to fix this? What is anyone going to do about this? The H20, Corp. has had a core team, the seven of us, working on this every day for ages it seems. How did this end up our sole responsibility? What is the government doing about this? Who has any answers?"

I stare at my team sitting around me. Another unbearably hot summer for the books, the year is 2218.

Merc raises his hand. He's now officially part of our team.

Before I can acknowledge him, he jumps in, "Has anyone considered this is an utter waste of time? The planet's frying. Unless you can negotiate with a giant burning star, an angry star at that, aren't we just hanging out with each other to see who breaks first? Who has the inaugural major nervous breakdown? Or, who actually has some 'genius' moment?"

He puts his horn-rimmed glasses back on after spinning them around on his finger. Merc smiles at everyone at the table, cocks his head to the right. He shrugs.

I want to strangle him.

How did he end up with us? Right when I have to save the planet.

Looking at him, well actually glaring at him, I recall his first day as a probationary member of our H20, Corp. team.