by Cheng D.A
END
the
LIGHTCATCHER
by
D. A Cheng
Dedicated to every kid in the universe who is still discovering who he or she really is.
Contents
City of Lions1
End8
End of End32
The ILC49
R & R75
The Viewfinder113
A Good Night’s Sleep141
?155
Mahatma179
The Range201
Permission222
Quentin236
The Librarian259
The Teacher275
Vocations313
Cane of Lions343
?’s Kindness365
Light & Field Craft386
Operation Beef405
Operation Mouse Trap422
Operation Lights Out447
The Mentor487
The Istanu499
The Beginning523
Pre-Prologue
City of Lions
Not many parts of the City of Lions were lonely. Especially not in the year 3013, where the world finally found peace after it saw yet another war. The Dark War (year 2914 – 2945) as it was coined, killed 97 million people but made mankind so sick of fighting, that all countries came together to form a single nation known as Nation Earth. And because there was peace, marvelous cities began to sprout like flowers after war.
Amazing cities like the City of Lions.
Coming into fame on the 9th August 2965, (its modern day birthday), the City of Lions was simply outstanding. However, most historians who liked to argue, would argue that this was not its actual birthday. They would argue that, the city was actually founded in the year 2819, by a tall man named Sir Bingley from the City of Three Lions. His hobbies included standing really still until he was mistook for a statue, and folding his arm as if nothing impressed him easily in life. Other historians who also loved to argue and especially with the first group, would then argue that in 2299, way before Sir Bingley, came an unknown prince who threw his crown into a stormy sea and was saved by a majestic sea creature that he claimed “had a lion’s head and a whale’s tale”. Now, this second group of historians who were much more old school, believed that this unknown prince was the real founding father of the city, or at least its name. Resisting the temptation to call the city, the “City of Sea Lions”, and thankfully so, he named the little fishing village the “City of Lions” out of respect for the sea creature that saved his life. Small decisions go a long way, and his astute understanding of the social impact of naming a place a “City of Sea Lions”, would become much appreciated by future generations to come. People like myself.
But fables and history aside, the modern day “Lion” (what we call a citizen of the City of Lions), knew the real man responsible for making the city awesome. Ask any cab driver in the city, and with a mixture of joy, respect and an expression that looked like they mistook Tabasco sauce for their morning coffee, they would tell you that the city’s true success was the genius work of a leader that the people affectionately called “The Mentor”.
When the Mentor was a younger man, he was your average young adult, with a memorable large forehead, who was forced to grow up quickly by his environment. He had experienced the Dark War first hand when an enemy soldier who had invaded his beloved homeland, ordered him to join some other young men on a truck. His emotions and quick thinking warned him there and then that he must not get on that truck. In an act of self-perseverance, he asked the soldier if he could go home to collect some clothes. Permission was granted, and only the next day would he come to know after the incessant crying from all his neighbors who were now missing a son, that all the young men gathered were executed.
True fear struck him. Back then he was still young. As he grasped on to his clothes and shivered the cold fear of cheating death, he looked at his garments and knew that they had saved him. He knew then, that he had a mission. And so, after the Dark War, he put together the strings and threads of his new governing body known as “The Garment”, and set forth to look after other people. Together with his steady resolute guiding hand that slapped any lazy and un-contributing citizen silly, he led his people out of any possible scenario of extinction, which was a very real threat given the number of power hungry cities that were left over from the war. It was said that there was also a legendary key to the city, a mystical key that gave power to whoever wielded it, over the entire city. But of course this was a myth. Having no oil, or natural commodities to feed on, the mantra of the Mentor had always been, “The only true natural resource is people.” The good people of the city believed in him, and fought alongside, like pint-sized boxers, punching above its weight and survived. With speed and elegance, the city established itself as an efficient, modern, technologically advanced, economically sound and globally-envied metropolis. Now, with its clean streets, low crime and great trade relationships with the rest of the world, it could celebrate its birthday with style every year on the 9th August as a tribute the amazing perseverance of people.
I see that you are flipping through the “City of Lions” tourism brochure. I do apologize for boring you. Sometimes I do get a little carried away with my history lessons. Please, give me another chance. Let me redeem myself. Ah, yes, you have a question for me? Mm-hmm. So you wish to find out more about living in the City of Lions. Oh, my city is a great place to live in.
For if you ever needed education, her educational system was one of the most competitive known to mankind. If you ever needed a job, there is a “One hundred percent employment rate”, thanks to the “Systematic Affiliation Destiny” test, or S.A.Ds, which was a mandatory test to affiliate every thirteen year old into his destined occupation. Or perhaps you are ravenous for an exhilarating night-life? We have that too, though if you use one of those oil-based hair-gel for clubbing, please be advised that flaming cocktails are abundant at most of the best clubs, and just be careful. Or maybe you are not the partying type and more of a family man looking for a place to bring your family out for the weekends? I am sure the Earth’s biggest Virtual Zoo, both (Day and Night, land, sea and air) and the World’s largest resort island, Santosha (a word in Sanskrit which means ‘peace and Tranquility’), will more than suffice. If you wanted medical facilities, the City of Lions had only the most talented of doctors in the entire universe, and the most costly. And if you wanted food, oh glorious food, only a person living under a rock for the past century would not know that the City of Lions was virtually a global brand for the greatest food paradise on earth. That unforgettable inter-fading smell of twenty thousand spices from all cultures and cities, found themselves gathered and sometimes alchemized into award-winning and strange fusion dishes that teased even the most adventurous of taste-buds.
(Exhales)
Having said that, I must admit though, that no matter how award winning is “The Liquid Nitrogen treated, Mozzarella Cheese flavored, Frog porridge served with Pitcher plant acid juice”, my stomach would never agree with it.
Forgive me, for I tend to digress, especially when I am hungry. Indeed I have the inclination to praise my city a little too much and it is easy to get lost, swimming in this pool of praise because in stark contrast to the pure destruction that the Dark War brought to our world, the City of Lions stood as a testament that rebirth was possible with hardworking people. To the rest of the world, the ever-adaptable City of Lions was the perfect city, the model city. There was nothing more you could possibly ask from her. And so with her bountiful shopping bags of praises, awards, and the millions of tourists and immigrants flocking to its seven hundred square-kilometers shores every year, I repeat my first
statement.
Not many parts of the City of Lions were lonely.
