Rooms

  The sobs began to come, rivers of tears gathered momentum, soaking Rad’s clothes and overwhelming him. He could not believe what he was witnessing and experiencing. He continued to stare through his tears at the Earth - his breath coming in short gasps - his heart pounding, and his hands touching his face in absolute disbelief and anger.

  He lay down in the sphere and glanced out past the Earth towards its moon and sun in the direction of where the human race would later migrate and live. He felt totally ashamed of what had happened here, of what humans had done to each other and to their home. His tears ceased. There were none left in him. Only dry sobs still ushered from his chest. He closed his eyes and gave into utter sadness.

  ***

  On Loon, Zeer and Fawn sat together and watched everything that Rad had seen. They saw him lying in his sphere sobbing and giving in to exhaustion. They, too, had tears welling up in their eyes as Zeer spoke softly, saying, “God, I could never look at that and not feel ashamed and torn apart inside. I know Rad was absolutely devastated. I worry about him.”

  Fawn comforted her, “He needs to rest now, and I think you do as well. We’ll talk more later.”

  “I am tired. I’ll just lay here awhile.”

  Fawn then stood and glanced down at Zeer. She picked up her own energy sphere and walked into her sleeping quarters. She knew that it was important for Rad to come down from the intensity of what he had just seen and felt. He needed to experience some hope again, and he, too, needed some time to rest. She closed the door to her room.

  Meanwhile, Zeer, after watching Fawn leave, noticed a bright glow edging out from underneath the closed door. She understood that Fawn was doing everything she could for Rad, so she lay back down and closed her own eyes to rest.

  25

  The Room: Level 3

  Reprise

  The young girl’s hand carefully brushed across his face as he lay resting quietly on the forest floor. The bird songs were especially beautiful today - a variety of multi-colored species gazed down on the seen below. Frogs were croaking, and small monkeys were gliding through the trees, yelling and communicating to each other.

  His eyes seemed to be opening slightly, and the girl stepped back a moment to look at this strange person curled up on the ground near her village. Sunlight etched a beautiful pattern on his face, small bugs crawled across his body, and flying insects buzzed near his ears. He swatted at one as he came to, stretching and yawning.

  Rad shook his head and slowly opened his sleep-laden eyes and yawned once more. He was confused and obviously didn’t know where he was…again. However, moving from one reality to another had almost become something that he’d come to expect. It felt almost commonplace. In his hand, he sensed warmth and looked to see the small, glowing sphere resting on his palm. He kept it there, glanced up, and noticed the young girl. She smiled at him, which brought a grin to his own face. He thought immediately of the other young girl who had been in his arms, but this one was healthy and alive. Then he raised himself up on his elbows and began to observe the magnificent, rich and fertile life all around. After what he’d just gone through, this reality was a welcome sight.

  She said something to him that he didn’t understand. She noticed that he didn’t move, so she held out her hand. He put the sphere in his pocket and without a second thought took her hand. Then he stood and walked with her through the lush forest.

  They walked together to where the forest ended at the edge of a cliff. The young girl pointed and smiled with pride as if to say, ‘Look at my home.’ Rad turned his head, and his breath left his chest – a valley lay below. Within it were waterfalls and birds, animals and green forests, plants and vines and numerous creatures that he didn’t recognize. He could also see a small village; the huts were constructed of natural material, cooking fires burned nearby, and people were walking, sitting, working, and just being alive and happy. The entire valley was filled with vibrant sounds that were natural, and everything he saw seemed to just fit – fit in such a way that no one could have planned it, or painted it, or made it.

  The young girl, in her innocence, laid her hand on Rad’s arm and tried to get him to come with her. She pointed down to the small village, but for right now, he felt that he needed to stay at the cliff’s edge. He needed to be alone for a time. He gave her a big smile and gestured to let her know that he would remain here for now and try to come down later. She nodded her understanding, let go of his arm, and started to walk away. He waved goodbye but wasn’t sure she would understand what his gestures meant. Then, on her own, she imitated the motions he’d made. It seemed she had understood as she started running quickly down the path towards the valley floor.

  ***

  The girl had been gone awhile, and Rad decided that he wanted to get a better view of the Earth at this stage of its evolution. He knew what he could do. He took the sphere from his pocket, and again it responded to his thoughts. It encapsulated him in its energy, and he soared upwards, following the curvature of the Earth.

  He observed massive, dense forests, which spread across the equatorial regions and beyond. He saw deserts with crystalline oases dotting moisture-laden low-lying areas. Continuing on, he became aware of mountainous regions that were engulfed by evergreen forests and capped with pure white glaciers. And beyond the land were the flowing surfaces of aqua blue oceans touched in places by white-capped waves and the movement of large creatures breaking the water’s surface. He could see huge plains of waving grass with undulating herds of animals, graceful flocks of birds, and small human settlements, which dotted the landscape. This was a time when the Earth was a living, healthy organism that nurtured all life with its bounty.

  His heart felt calm for the moment, as he existed in the here and now of this part of the Room. He thought about the young girl and guided the sphere back down to the edge of her valley. He placed it back inside his pocket and walked down the trail to her village.

  ***

  Late one evening, after spending several days in the village, Rad felt the need once more to be on his own. He walked back up the trail and looked up into the sky, and at the same time, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his sphere. He was considering gliding up into the twilight to look at the heavens and view the immensity of space and the distant stars. He was at peace here.

  But just as he felt that peace, thoughts of Earth’s future intruded, and the sphere in his hands unexpectedly started to glow and envelope him. It jerked into hyper-speed, and he was thrown against the side of the bubble and hurled around the Earth at super-light speeds. His mind and body were not equipped for such an abrupt change as the heavy weight of momentum and gravity pressed against him. Blood rushed to his extremities, and the last thing he remembered were multi-colored lights flashing along the outer surface of the sphere.

  26

  The Room: Level 3

  Sparks

  Even before he was fully conscious, he knew that he was no longer above the Earth and no longer in that time when the Earth had blossomed into such a breathtaking paradise. The Room had again ushered him into a very different and distinct period.

  Lying on the ground, he made the decision that for the moment, he simply didn’t want to open his eyes. He let his other senses take over. He didn’t want the shock of seeing where he was until he was completely awake.

  He thought back to when he had met Jana. This place and time felt similar to him, although the stench of ammonia and decay, the foul air, and the sounds of pain and suffering were magnified a hundredfold. He could hardly breathe and had already begun to cough - his body doing its best to reject the dangerous toxins that he was taking in. The moans of suffering, the sounds of shuffling feet, the diseased coughs, and the agonized cries of pain surrounded him. His fingers touched the ground near where he lay and a sticky liquid covered the ground. The feel and texture disgusted him. He could smell its fetid odor as it, too, entered his nostrils on a breath. He couldn’t imagine what he would see when he opened
his eyes.

  But open them he did. The first thing that struck him were the scores of human beings who were barely recognizable as such. Many had oozing pustules covering parts of their bodies. Their faces were swollen, and they moved uncomfortably on limbs that hung at irregular angles either broken or with obvious abnormalities. Gross mutations of all kinds abounded. Their eyes looked through narrow slits of sorrow at the world as they barely hobbled along or sat or laid or crawled - moaning, coughing, crying, or silent and withdrawn. A few of them almost looked normal, but all of them had soiled cloths covering their noses and mouths in an attempt to keep out the rank and polluted air that surrounded them wherever they went. Some of the healthier ones that Rad had noticed seemed to be trying to help others less fortunate, but the scene was devastatingly heartbreaking beyond measure.

  The paths where they walked were filled with all types of trash and rotten garbage. Trickles of rancid water flowed into stagnant pools while feces and urine were spread at intervals along the paths, thus accounting for the odor of ammonia and a portion of the bacterial decay that was everywhere.

  Food in varying stages of viability looked as if it had been brought into the area, with vegetables and some fruit laying haphazardly on carts along the paths and streets. People seemed to be checking each cart for anything that looked edible, and beside each cart was a pipe sticking out of the ground where people were getting water for consumption or cleaning. It was noticeably clouded and brown, but the people needed liquid badly. They readily consumed it, no matter the quality.

  This was truly a hell on Earth that Rad could never have imagined. He was barely able to keep from throwing up and adding to the stench that surrounded him.

  He had to look away for a time to gather himself and noticed the buildings in the area. He had no idea where he was, and there was little that he could recognize to give him a clue. Most of the structures were either demolished or broken down to the degree that they were unrecognizable. He looked more carefully and saw people inhabiting any small nook or hideaway that they could - any place that might provide even a bit of cover and solitude.

  As he gazed at the depressing scene, Rad suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked up into the healthy brown eyes of a man whom he didn’t know. He looked to be in his thirties, was dressed in a special suit of some kind, and was carrying a brown bag over one shoulder. He smiled at Rad and said, “Where did you come from?”

  Rad managed to reply without thought, “I…I’m here…I’m here from the future, from a time and place a long way from here.” After seeing all this, there was no way that he could make something up. The truth just came out of him.

  The man gave Rad a quizzical look and asked, “Oh…and what’s your name?”

  “Rad.”

  “Well, Rad, my name is Sparks. Wherever you’re from, I think you need to come with me before you get into trouble out here.”

  Rad didn’t disagree and followed Sparks into a small hut that he hadn’t noticed before. The structure didn’t seem to fit into the surroundings any more than Sparks did. It was made of materials that were different than any of the broken down buildings nearby. It was very modern looking with a few windows and a metal-gray exterior. As they came closer to it, Sparks unlocked the entrance by using something from his pocket. They went inside. Sparks turned on a light, which was followed by a humming sound. As Rad glanced around, he could see lab equipment, what looked like medications in bottles, a chair, a table, and some utensils. Rad didn’t understand what was going on and asked, “What’s all this for? You don’t look like everyone else. You’re not diseased or miserable. I don’t understand. How can you be so healthy and in such good shape when this place is so completely polluted and the people in such horrible condition!” Rad was becoming angry.

  “I know it seems strange, but for some reason I was born with an amazing immune system. I’ve never been sick or caught any disease, and my body seems to be able to cope with the pollution, the viruses, even the multitudes of bacteria without any problem. I don’t know why. I guess I’m a bit of a freak. I do get some small rashes, and that’s the reason for my suit, but other than that, I’m fine. Because of that, I’ve spent most of my adult life learning as much as I could about why my body is this way, and I’m out here to see if I can help. Maybe by understanding my genes better and by trying to find ways to mimic what’s going on in my own body, I can somehow alleviate some of the suffering and pain that exists here.”

  Rad looked at Sparks, glanced carefully around his medical hut again, and then outside at the horrific scene. His anger dissipated, and he commented, “Well, I admire what you’re trying to do, but I have a question. Is this the only place on Earth where this is happening, or is the whole world a festering pool of pollution and disease? And one more thing, it doesn’t look like you live out here. Do you?”

  Sparks’ face turned very serious as he stared at Rad. “It seems pretty far fetched, but maybe you do come from a different place. Your questions are pretty strange. Anyone who lives here would know the answers to those questions.” He thought some more and then added, “I know my story must sound pretty wild to you, too.” Rad finally smiled and agreed.

  Sparks smiled back and then answered one of his questions. “The whole Earth is almost completely ruined.”

  Rad then simply asked, “How?”

  It was difficult for Sparks to believe that Rad didn’t know, but he explained anyway. “For hundreds of years, the number of wars and local skirmishes increased in number and severity all over the world. Many cities and whole countries were completely wiped off the map, but there were groups of businesses that actually benefited financially and grew incredibly wealthy because of the wars. These corporations became so strong and powerful that they were able to seize control of the governments and the people, subjugating and manipulating them for prophet and greed. At first, the people were glad because as the wars began to abate, the countries they lived in actually became more stable for a time. But by then, the corporations were beyond anyone’s control, and it became quickly apparent that their own self-interests did not include the health and well-being of the people or the planet. This gave rise to the massive air and water pollution that you see now. And yes, it’s on a global scale, along with massive changes in climate, weather patterns, and colossal increases in the number and types of viruses and diseases that have no cures. The human population is dwindling, and what’s left of the animal and plant populations is disappearing as well.”

  “But I saw food on some carts in the streets.”

  “That’s genetically grown food, bioengineered and radiated to help it last a little longer. It’s grown in massive hydroponic labs from seeds that are now being used at rates that ensure the supply of food won’t last much longer.”

  “Who’s doing the work to grow the food, make the clothing, work in the hospitals, educate the children, and feed everyone? Who brings out the carts with the food? Who keeps the water flowing in the pipes?”

  “Okay, this is a very long story, and if you want to know more, we’ll need to go to the Shelter for the night and talk. Come with me.”

  Rad had no idea what this Shelter was or where they were going, but he knew that he needed to learn more, so he left with Sparks, moving along the paths away from this landscape of horror towards a huge wall in the distance.

  ***

  Sparks and Rad walked up to the wall. It was covered with a substance that looked much like the material that was used to build Sparks’ hut. It was about five meters tall and continued far into the distance to the right and the left of where they stood. Rad couldn’t see the end in either direction. Above the wall were very substantial support girders that curved up and out of sight. He could see one of them about every fifty meters or so. On top of the girders was a layered substance of some kind that covered the structure and was transparent. Then he suddenly realized! This huge structure looked incredibly similar to a lifeglobe.

 
“My God! I’ve seen this before!”

  Sparks obviously didn’t know what to make of that comment, so he just kept walking up to the wall and pulled a small, black object out of his pocket. On it was a red button. He pushed it, and they heard a whooshing sound as a door opened.

  “Come on Rad. We need to decontaminate before going inside the Shelter.”

  Rad hesitated.

  Sparks urged him forward, “Come on. Let’s go!”

  Rad followed him inside.

  ***

  After decontamination, Sparks took Rad on a short tour of the Shelter before taking him to his flat. Rad was surprised at how much at home he felt. Even the layout and technology were incredibly similar to a lifeglobe. It wasn’t as advanced or sophisticated, of course, but all the basics were there right in front of his eyes. There was a hydroponics lab for gas exchange and food production, the water collection that came from a deep well, and a recirculation unit. The architecture was similar, and the entire facility had a self-sustained, closed environment that kept it completely separate from what was outside, very much like the lifeglobes. The strong translucent shield covering it all and allowing what sunlight was still available to pass into the Shelter was also recognizable along with the energy producing facilities. Seeing the Shelter was like viewing an ancient link that connected this time and place directly to his own.