We are
all just sitting around the table looking at Erick. “Well, I’m sure all of you
are wondering why I am helping you and how I know Ava’s mom right?” We all nod
our heads yes. “Let me tell you my story first Ava, and then I’ll get into that
in a little bit okay?” He is looking right at me. I feel like he can see all my
secrets through his glasses. “Okay.” I say in response. “Let’s start with my
back story. As you know, I am from over a hundred years from now. When I was
born the world was broken up into a thing called countries. These countries
would fight against each other for a thing called power. They would destroy
homes and the lives of their own people for greed. They had governments running
these countries. Government leaders were voted for by the people to make the
hard choices for the best of the people, well at least that’s what they were
supposed to do. I’m not sure where they lost sight of that. Half of the land
was too toxic to live in after world wars 3 & 4. So most of us lived in
communes where only the smart survived. I was always a scientist but my
interest was the land. I would try to find a way to grow crops in the toxic
soil. I found a way to take the toxins out of the soil, so I was very useful to
my government. I didn’t know the toxins I had been working so hard to get out
of the soil were being sold to the highest bidder and used against others. I
wasn’t shocked when I learned this because that was just how the government
worked. I tried not to get to involved; I had a beautiful wife and two
children, so I did my job and went home.” He stops telling his story as tears
start to fill his eyes. I put my hand on his arm to comfort him. “I’m fine really. Let me finish. One day my
job called me in the middle of the night and forced me to come in. That is
where I found all the other scientists. They had called all of us in because of
the bombing. Our government found out that there was going to be an attack and
forced us into a bomb shelter, and… they left our families to die. They said
they couldn’t fit everyone in the shelter. I lost my wife and two beautiful daughters
that day. These kinds of wars are why we decided to build the machine to change
things. We really had the best intentions.” Listening to his story makes me
feel so bad for him.
“What
does this have to do with us?” Rev asks so insensitively. Erick laughs. “You
can’t understand your enemy if you know nothing about them.” His statement lost me. “So are we your
enemy?” I ask. He laughs some more. “No, but I also never thought Timetopia
would become a place of oppression. This is not what I believed in, but there
are some who would kill to keep it this way. I wanted you to understand that I
am a not your enemy but I can’t control the extreme loyalists.” I look
at Rev. I still don’t understand. “I’m sorry I am still lost. What does this
have to do with me and why they are chasing me?” He puts his hand on my
shoulder. “It has everything to do with you. Your mom started a war here in Timetopia.
It’s just not something you can see. She is having you change things
unintentionally.” How am I changing anything? All that seems to be happening is
that people keep dying. Why would my mom do this? I put my head down. “So what
do I do now?” I ask him. “You make your way back…” Before he could continue.
Rev cuts him off. “To your grandma’s house like your mom planned. Ava listen,
whether you like it or not you are special. You’re meant to change things.” I
am not the one changing anything. Rev is changing things; my mom brought her
here why can’t she be the special one.
“No! I am done being the special one! You do it Rev. You’re built for
that stuff.” Rev rolls her eyes. “Oh my god, drama queen I can’t be the one for
this. That is just not how it works.” I
look at her. “Who is god?” Her mouth drops. She turns to Erick. “You took away
god?!” She asks him. “Yes, we took away anything that would ignite war. So no
religion, politics or currency.” Rev seems really upset by this. “You took away
peoples beliefs and gave them what? The Five to believe in? You took away
freedom of thought and speech and in return you got sheep.” Erick scratches his
head. “I didn’t agree with that. I am a Buddhist myself, but we were trying to
create a utopia.” Rev seems angrier. “When are people going to realize. A utopia
is a fantasy. You murder or erase any one who doesn’t fit in this world for
what? Peace? OR just control? This isn’t a utopia, this is just another fascist
system but with dictators. You people are no better than the war lords you
tried to stop by creating this land. I hope you see that.”
Yikes!! ��
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