Here is a story I wrote about the end of the world, living on an alien planet and what it may be like there.
I open my eyes and all I see is darkness. It wouldn't matter if my eyes were closed or not, I'd see the same exact thing. My hand comes in contact with soft carpet when I try to push myself up and I run my fingers along it. Shakily standing up, I keep my hand on my head, vertigo overtaking me almost causing me to faint. Walking forward with my arms outstretched, I look for a wall or anything. My hand comes into contact with a solid drywall and I feel along, walking around the room till I find a solid wooden door.
Opening the door slowly, I step outside. Looking around in amazement, I watch as people who all seem to be at most 18 and the youngest 1. They're just walking, talking, laughing, along with animals trailing behind or next to them. My bare feet come into contact with the bright green grass, the blue sky clearer than crystal. I wiggle my toes and the grass tickles my skin. The door behind me shuts with a soft 'click' and I turn around quickly, only to come face to face not with a door, but a large mountain lion.
I am paralyzed with fear but its eyes bore into mine. The big brown eyes hold a soft intelligence and I immediately become at peace. Not wanting to break eye contact, I reach a handout and pet its soft muzzle. She nuzzles her face into my palm like a kitten and I smile at her innocence, petting her softly and slowly. Moving around next to her, I give her a name. Concolor. She purrs softly when I forgot to keep brushing her soft fur, so I begin walking one way, Concolor following right beside me with my hand resting on her tan fur.
Watching the other people, I realize each of them has different types of animals with them. I see some butterflies, a hummingbird, a tiger, a few cats, a couple different birds. Most of these people’s animals are cat or dog-like. Shaking my head, I take in everything around me in wonder. Now to figure out who I am and where I am...and why.
Approaching two people who seems a bit older than me, I speak up to them and interrupt their conversation with their friend. I'm afraid they'll be typical teenage jerks but they seem very friendly.
"Excuse me," I speak up and look at both of their faces, noting their animals, the older male has a baby black bear and the female has a deer. "I've got a few questions to ask."
The two exchange a look and the male speaks up. His blue eyes latch to my mountain lion before looking to me. "We can't remember anything except our names and ages. I'm Bennett, and my sister here is Jace."
"I'm Quinn."
Stress fills me with worry as these people don't seem to have any answers either. "How old are you two?" I ask them before sitting down on the grass at their feet, anxiety causing me to become lightheaded. "I'm only 13..."
Jace speaks up for the two of them now, "I'm 17 and my brother is 18. Do you remember your parents or your life?" I shake my head no and they both sigh, whether of relief or stress I can't tell. Suddenly, a loud buzzing sounds throughout the clearing causing everyone to stop in their activities and be quiet. We all look to each other, our animals, and the sky. A face appears in the sky, such as a hologram would, of a very pale woman in her thirties.
"Hello, people of Mesia. I am Celeste, and I will explain everything momentarily. Will all of you, including your animals, approach the podium to the far east of the clearing? You will find me there." Her face disintegrates into clouds and it is quiet and still. Wind doesn't blow, animals don't chatter and none of the other people talk. We all turn to the East and sure enough, spot a large stadium-type area.
Grouping up, everyone begins silently walking to the podium which feels like it only takes seconds. It honestly feels like we're walking to our deaths. The majority of people sit down in the grass while the rest opt to stand on guard. It appears I am not the only one with very little memory of the time before this place.
The sun begins to set and the children grow restless and bored, talking and playing once again as the older ones talk amongst friends they've made. I make no noise, observing everyone and goosebumps rise along my skin as I get more on edge than everyone else. Besides the humans, there is still no noise and I realize I am not hungry or thirsty or tired...even though my body feels heavy and exhausted. A hush falls over all of us as Celeste walks on stage, she's average looking but gives off an air of kindness.
"Hello dear children, I apologize for the delay I had to deal with some miscalculations. Before I begin," she pauses and scans her crowd of 1,000+ children, "are there any questions?" It isn't an exaggeration to say the sea of heads changed to a sea of hands.
Celeste chuckles and chooses a close little girl, holding the hand of a toddler. "Ms. Celeste, where are we?" She speaks in a whisper but we all hear her, even I, even though my heart is beating like a drum in my ears.
"Oh dear, Nia…and other children," she addresses Nia directly but hundreds of hands go down when their question was asked, "You are all in Mesia. This is a place far away from Earth, parallel in time. That may be a bit too extreme to explain so I will put it in easier terms. We are in a world that exists outside of time. We are not in the past nor the present nor the future, we simply exist."
Most of us seem to get it, I'm confused but it seems as if that’s why I’m not feeling hungry or anything to a normal human function. She chooses a boy around 8 who asks "Why are we all here?"
Celeste walks around the podium, looking at each child and teenager, specifically the littlest toddlers. "I am sorry to say but the Earth you all once knew is gone. Earth has been destroyed due to a solar flare from your sun." Gasps surround us, some children even cry out for the mommy they don't know but feel they have an attachment to. "We are what you guys would call to be 'aliens'." Puzzled looks surround her, as does the wailing of a few kids.
"'We' means me and my species. They are hiding elsewhere for now. We've decided to save you all. There are hundreds more of these meetings going on as we speak in other places of our world with children just like you all. We are giving you a new life here."
More hands go down but there are still hundreds up and she finally chooses a teenage girl, who stands close to me, Jace and Bennett. Her question was in the forefront of my mind too, "What about these animals?"
Celeste's hand's gesture and we all look at where she's pointing to. Below her feet is a sleeping kitten, fluffy gray and white fur. She picks him up and we can all hear his soft purring. "These animals are our spirit guides, or totem animals...or just whatever animal represents our soul really. The younger children, below 5 mainly, do not have one yet as they have not matured their soul enough for such a difficult realization." Concolour presses her nose into my back and I allow her to lean up against me and doze off.
Everybody else's hands go down, my own shoots up and I am alone in this world suddenly. Celeste stares me down, and picks on me, "Yes Quinn?" People turn to stare as I am now the outlier.
"What do we do now?"
The children and teenagers focus back on Celeste, including every single animal and insect, from the smallest lady bug to the largest bear. She wasn't anticipating this question that much is obvious.
"We begin the creation of a new world for all of your fellow people. That is all for now, I will have my brothers and sisters show you where to go."
Behind the podium appears men and women similar to her, pale and average-looking. Small and large animals follow them as we break up into groups of siblings, or related to age and gender.
A young man with a black lab rushes me and fellow girls around my age to a field a little away, full of cabins. Older and younger girls go into their cabins. Baby girls are led into a cabin with two older women, whom I assume will be their caregivers.
"Sir? What will we be doing tonight?"
He looks at me with a confused expression painted on his face. He pulls out a cell-phone looking item from his pocket, taps it once and Celeste appears.
"Quinn, everything will be explained tomorrow by your cabin caregivers. His name is Blake, and he chooses to speak only when necessary." I feel as if there is a lie hidden in there, Celeste appears kind but there is a feeling I get from her that I shouldn't trust her. "Now, all of you climb into bed and get some rest. I know you've had a shock. Blake will be back in the morning and you'll be prepped."
Prepped for what? I try task but no sound comes from my lips. Celeste's eyes bore deep into mine and I shiver involuntarily, understanding the hidden warning.
"Yes, ma'am." The 8 of us girls say in unison. We climb into beds and lay down, watching Blake and Celeste leave after locking the door. I lay in bed quiet, staring at the plain spackled ceiling. Some girls cry well into the night but I just lay there, mentally... prepping for the day to come.
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Interesting story, you are so talented, maybe you should write a book, excellent Take 👏
I'm working on it
Nice take