The Dark Thin Line

Chapter 2: Origins

Floating in space surrounded by time I see myself floating above the stone ring, I focus not on the present but the past, and as I focus the room fades to black. I feel my body descend on to a grassy surface, that conforms as I touch the soft ground. I feel a warm breeze pass through my dirty blond hair. The breeze is soft and refreshing from the cold, icy planet. Confused, I gingerly open my eyes, stunned at what I find. My home planet! The vibrant green grass of the rolling hills, the towering dura steel and transparisteel windows of the city, nothing had changed from when we left it. Finally, back some where I wasn't an outsider; where I wasn't someone to be treated with care; someone who wasn't to be provoke. I look around trying to find the field where my brother and I used to play, and onward to my house, and even further on to the city center where my dad's work used to be. Finally finding the open grassy field on the outskirts of the city where my brother and I used to play, I notice two boys playing, chasing each other. The kids had a familiarity to them, one I couldn't quite describe, yet that was evident.

"Phoenix if I am right this is your home planet, the last memory that you have of it at least." A strange, slow Irish voice rang out through my head startling me out of my tranquility.

"Who are you?" I say aloud and confused.

"I am the artificial intelligence Kyber. The two kids playing in that field, they are you and your brother are they not?" The AI Kyber replied, disregarding the ocean of emotions that I had. However, frustrated I was I give in and take another look at the kids. To my bewilderment they were in fact were myself and my younger brother when we were kids, I would guess that I would be about seven years old. Back then the two of us were so innocent, we had no idea how our lives would change, we were just worried about our stupid games. Now watching this not as a child but as a Gate initiate, only brings that into focus. In the moment, I soak up everything that I had left behind the rolling hills, the snow topped mountains, the gigantic valley with small villages and the central city. I adore this utopia with the kids who played in the valley, the light blue sky with the crisp fresh air, the perfect dome of ignorance that my people lived under. The few transport craft which move important people through the sky was the only sign of advanced civilization. In this moment all I can think is 'Why did we follow the protocols and leave? If we didn't you would still be alive, have gone to school, worked at dad's lab; and I would have had a life working on an exploratory ship for the military, and I wouldn't have failed my one most important responsibility in life'

Although still stuck in my self-torment I notice my mother walking calmly over the hill and call out to the younger versions of myself and my brother. As the boys turn and run after their mother I begin to follow then stop and take off my dark leather boots so that I may enjoy the feel of the long blades of grass under my feet, something that I have not done in years, in the attempt of enjoying this small bit of bliss for however long I have. I continue to follow the trio through the fields of the flowing grass to the modest house on the furthest edge of the city. The grass now pavement that burned on the bottoms of my feet. We finally reach the same house that I remember from my childhood, a two story rectangular house with white paneled durasteel making up the majority of the house with a small band of light grey durasteel making up the frame, a large rectangular transparisteel windows providing the living room with natural light. I follow the group into house 120 and through the large rustic Lantean door, reverting to my seven-year-old self.

. . . . . . .

"Mom can we go and play some more?" I plea knowing that there was still some time before lunch.

"You just came in, and we are about to have lunch!" My mother exclaims in a strained tone, yet she understood my endless search for adventure.

"We promise we will stay close. Inside of yelling range; we swear." My brother adds.