We sat in his car in complete silence the rest of the way. I was so tired, but happy just the same. As we approached the busy movie center name the cliché “Movie Plex”, he pulled into the automated valet service, and the car was hooked onto a track that pulled us underground through a tunnel to park. The doors flipped open, after the submersion into darkness. Lights shined upwards like a classic Hollywood theater, and Tommy smiled. “What kind of movie do you want to see? Action, thriller, horror, or how about a comedy?”
“I haven’t seen a movie in so long. I am up for anything. How about a thriller? I could always use a heart race.” We walked up to the ticket counter to buy our tickets, and as Tommy talked to the teller, I felt a sensation that I was being watched.
I looked all around. The red carpeted floors, the posters, all the busy people smiling. In the corner of my eye, a tall stagnant figure wearing a trench coat and tinted glasses stood tall. A shady character who was watching me, watching us.
Tommy asked, “Okay, are we ready to go?”
“Yep”, I answered. They assigned us really good seats. Turns out my dad’s company card got us VIP seating and the valet is free.” Tommy said excitedly.
The whole movie was filled with us throwing popcorn at one another and slurping our drinks as loud as we could during the quiet scenes before the big scare in the thriller. Between my heart racing to the intense mood in the movie, I had a great time!
Still, however I felt like we were being watched, but I tried to not let it ruin my night.
Getting out of the movie theater was insane. The crowds plummeted down the hallway to the parking corridor, while we took a sharp turn left running, trying to get to the valet before the line filled with those trying to get to their cars.
In a way, I thought we got lucky because we had to sit and wait ten minutes, while Tommy’s car was fished out from under the tombs of the weary parking garage, I was hungry and full all the same. Both tired and full of energy, drained and full. Tommy talked and talked, but it was nice that he talked about things I was interested in too. I felt like most people my age don’t really know what it is like to live in a world so modernized. Stuck on the material.
Like some of the old books I had read that my mom kept from her parents, that the government outlawed; taught me how different things were. There were far fewer people. People actually had to drive cars. They had to park their own cars, and had to work their asses off in places like grocery stores to make a living. However, in 2082 everyone was in in the Fleet. People either wanted to program technology and AI’s to run places, or they worked in the government. Places meant to bring family and friends together are now all automated.
The car finally arrived before I had a chance to tell Tommy what it was like thirty years ago and how lucky we were and how unlucky we were all at the same time.
I knew it was a night I would never forget.
7
The Diner was an old vintage restaurant held up by popularity surrounding the old world. Something that Planet KS didn’t know of. The culture of jazz, that lifestyle was every night 24/7 someone could go to that Diner, and celebrate the end of the day with a cup of coffee with peppermint flakes and a slide of cherry pie.
Tommy had the car driving with the window down with the automated driving mode on. It seemed more like a taxi than a car. I thought in a way no matter how expensive the car was it didn’t make it any more special than a large house with emphasis in each room. Empty, filled with air. It was the idea that in a way we all could hold onto things that in the long run didn’t have any personal value to us.in fact, I thought in a way it was one of the many human flaws that would lead to the end of all things.
The idea of entropy: the level of disorder in the universe. The idea that energy was constantly fueling us to become more and more complex, yet there I sat not changing at all. In that moment, I sat right there next to someone practically a stranger a few days ago now a friend. It feels like it was just yesterday I was nine years old back at home when my dad had been taken and deemed dead.
If the universe was becoming chaotic, and the entropy had increased, then at what point did the “disorder” lead to the destruction of the universe? Nothing was infinite within the realms of the universe.
Tommy said quietly, “Alright, alright. So here we are. The Diner.”
“Is it just called The Dinner?” I asked.
Tommy responded, “Unfortunately, yes. That is as obvious as it gets. It used to be called Tammy’s, then it was Fridelles, then it became Donna’s, but now it is just “The Diner” because all the old owners have gone and passed. Is it okay though. Nothing has really changed about the new owner. Rumor has it that because all the old owners named The Diner after themselves, when it came to people looking online, it would come up under a different name. Everyone thought they were different diners. So, the owner renamed it “The Diner” so everyone could be sure it was the only one on the map.”
I nodded my head because such a story like that interested me. Old things, old stories, it was fascinating how one restaurant could evolve over so many years, and still retain the same atmosphere, the same staff, and the same culture with the same jazz music. It was perfect for anyone looking for an experience with real life waiters and waitresses.
The car door flipped open with a hiss from the hydraulics. The gravel parking lot resembled somewhat of a shanty town, and the siding of The Diner showed rust stains but glimmered from the bright fluorescent light that came from both the sign and the inside. The inside was happy, so quaint that anyone would want to rush in.
“I liked the name Fridelles better.” I smirked. What a bad joke that was. I stepped up the icy steps and Tommy opened the door. A bell rang. It was like stepping into the past, a time which not even my own parents would have experienced.
A hostess with dark black hair with a bright smile motioned towards us, “Hey how are you honey’s doing tonight? Just two?”
“Yes, just us. Can we get a booth please?” Tommy asked.
“Sure honey. Let me grab y’all a few placemats so you can get seated and orderin’.” She twisted around and smiled like it was heaven. Her yellow dress and her over the top personality, reminded me of Sam. I wished she could see The Diner.
We followed the hostess to a booth in the corner next to the windows on the far end of The Diner.
We sat down and realized the light buzz coming from the lights and the classic radio machines on the tables. The beat of the music was light and airy. I am sure it violated some law regarding bringing back the past.
Tommy said in regards to the atmosphere, “Damn, this place feels like home. I enjoy the music in here so much. It’s so classic.
“Yeah, it is nice. I like the theme, it’s very classy. Do you think they’d ever open more of these?” I asked.
“Nah, I don’t think that they will. This is a charm in the middle of nowhere. The only reason it is still open is that it is the only really good food for miles outside of the Fleet Base.
“This place is really all about bringing back what used to be. It sounds to me Luis, that you are a fan of the past despite your absence. In fact, I feel like the places that are so nuanced like the movie theater is going to fall to pieces. It was so cheaply built and always crowded, it’s obvious we should be relying on places like this to come. Not someplace filled with robots.”
He was so inquisitive. Surely, he had an opinion about the government that truly mattered.
I inserted, “Do you think that the government is preparing to dissolve? If the war is over, then the government would probably dissolve back into the separate states like it was thirty some years ago.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think that would be good for us all.”
Staring at the colorful flue menu with waffles all over the edges. I picked the “Everything and a Waffle” meal.
The waitress came back and asked, “What can I get for ya, honey?”
&n
bsp; I asked Tommy to go first.
“I’ll have the waffle with eggs, and a coke.” Tommy handed her, his menu.
“How about for ya honey?”
“I would like Everything and a Waffle meal with a coke.” I replied.
“Alrighty, I’ll put that in for ya here in a moment. Can I get you honey’s anything else?” she asked.
We both shook our heads “no” to her and smiled, she frowned and walked away.
Tommy smirked, “Some waitress. Guess that’s the only reason anyone would want and AI to take their order.”
We sat for a while, and our food arrived. We talked about the movies that have been out in the past few years. We talked about how it was tragic that Taboocoloza was shut down due to roaches in the kitchen, and how their all you can eat taco competition meal was always a blast.
At the end of the meal, Tommy paid and we walked out of The Diner, experience and seasoned with classy spirits.
Tommy dropped me off down the street two blocks from my house because I could easily walk from his house.
I walked, and held my hands in my pockets. I looked for any warmth that my body would radiate. The street lights glimmered a hospital white, I tried to ignore the darkness.
I kept walking and walking, and sort of like a misty dream in a phantom like tunnel, the sound of hustling of footsteps was heard behind me. I kept walking a few feet and didn’t want to turn around, but every time I did, I saw the head of the man from the theater.
I saw my house and kept walking, trying not to speed up my pace to raise alarm. I was near the sidewalk of my home and before I reached the door I was grabbed from behind.
The hands grasped my sides, slowly pressing in. Shots of violated tingling sensations shot through my spine.
I squirmed and was flipped around as I stood.
I couldn’t see the mans face, both the darkness and the fright shielded me from seeing his true self. “Do you remember me?” He spat at me.
He repeated, “Do you remember me?”
I was shivering from the cold and responded, “No, no I don’t. Where are you from?”
“My name is Anthony. Anthony Larthwalker from The Agency who investigated the case of missing children and the correspondence to Planet KS. Do you remember me? I was there on the ship when you were saved.” He asked me again and thinking I felt like I remembered him. I remembered hi from the Dolly.
I replied, “I remember you. I remember. You were there when I woke up. When the Mothership arrived. It destroyed everything, the Councilor. What is going on?” I became more concerned with the nature of his visit. I immediately acted like I knew nothing. “I don’t know anything. I don’t know you. I spent the past few years at a boarding school in Illinois. Who are you?”
“Don’t act like that. Did they tell you to say that? There is no reason to hide. I was released from my position at The Agency.” I started to talk over him, “They said I presented somewhat of a risk to the people and the government of Earth.” I couldn’t hear what he was saying because I continued to speak, “I was tortured. They wanted to know everything. They told me I couldn’t tell anyone, and that there wasn’t a need to admit to being away from Earth. They said I was crazy. It was all a dream and a hallucination and that I had been in a coma since I was eleven.” I was rambling.
Anthony responded, “That isn’t true. You somehow were taken from Earth, placed on Planet KS, and it was intentional Luis. I was responsible.”
I cried, “What are you talking about Mr. Larthwalker! You didn’t do this. Don’t say that.”
He replied, “Me and a team of researchers out of Colorado had the initiative to investigate, disrupt and protect the old government of the United States. The government at the time, implemented the researchers during our age of Unity, in the hopes to continue United States Independent Domestic Policy, preventing the Unity Government from disrupting our core values. When the war began, we started to research Top Secret, hidden from Unity. We discovered radiation from a distant planet. Planet KS. We found a way to send people there. The Councilor begged for contact. He begged for someone, someone from Earth to go to KS.
“After research and experiments a list of top students in the United States were taken. We infiltrated their bio-systems, and with the cooperation of the educational system, they were demobilized, and sent to our research facility. We then “transported” them through the alien signals, and landed in the fate of the Councilor. Ever since, we never knew where you went. We never knew how important you would become, and it became obvious to our organization that our mistakes would ultimately spark the center of the war. Once the first fifty had successfully been transported, the Councilor cut off all communications. It became apparent what had happened. They were too powerful and far more advanced, and used us to give the people. I am sorry. I am so sorry.”
He stopped speaking and bent down holding onto me. He sobbed, begged and begged me to forgive him.
“I don’t understand,” I said confused.
Anthony said under his whimper, “The Councilor sent word to us, thanking us for the accidents. He said that Luis Phillips was in his custody and that he would use your wit to destroy the population on planet Earth. We searched your record, and when we connected you with your father Commander Phillips, we realized that maybe they had a plan, to bring their armies here, and take our planet for the resources.”
“Why would they do that?” I wondered out loud.
“Their planet was dying, it was dying Luis. The government here, they are no better than Planet KS, you don’t understand. This is not Earth. You never left Planet KS, you ended back here. Whatever you invented, whatever sort of device the Councilor used you to make, transported like you from Earth to KS, to transfer all those Earth KS. We need your help. I need your help. There isn’t a whole lot of time before this planet starts to melt down.”
I shuttered, “You mean, we never got off KS? Where is the RW? Where is the Psych Ward? It all seems the same as Earth.”
Anthony stood up and said in a rush, “Everything, not just the people were brought here, everything, they took and brought here, we were all under in a sleep. Unity knows. They are trying to prevent me from telling you. You need to stay low. You need to wait for me to come back. I need you to help me gain contact with Earth. I need you to do something for me, something that the whole world needs. We need to get back to Earth. We don’t have much time.”
“Is the Councilor dead?” I asked. There was a moment of silence.
“Yes. Well no, according to the Unity he is dead. Executed by the Unity Special Forces, but he cold be on Earth right now.” Anthony kept talking, not making much sense to me.
“Is everyone from Earth here?” I asked.
Anthony responded, “Everyone made it, except for several million. They are unaccounted, Unity claims that it was a problem with the transference.”
I got agitated. “This is impossible. They all had to have made it. I made it so it was impossible, failsafe so no one would die. They are lying!”
“That means what it means Luis. Unity knew all about the transfer, and they have no idea what they have done. But whatever their new leader promised them, it was big, and it isn’t enough to save us all. Luis. This means that since I began work at Colorado someone made them aware the United States Government was operating illegally under the Espionage Act against Unity. As soon as we broke the deal, they began a war that became more about the United States versus Unity, but Unity used KS to destroy our little government. It should never have happened. I am so sorry. Please just try to understand the present and please help me.” Anthony begged.
8
I was so frightened by all the things that Anthony told me. I ran inside of my house. It wasn’t true. None of it was true. I couldn’t believe it. I left him outside.
I sat down at my desk. I tried to search on the internet, wanting to find something that would confirm all of it to be true.
I stood there at my desk, thinking. The only thing I could do at the time was wait for him to get back to me. I had to wait. I needed to see what he needed me for.
“This is my fault. I shouldn’t have helped that man.” I said in delusion. I sat at my desk, and pushed away all my papers. I grasped the glass of cold water, while the condensation leaked down onto the floor. I slowly lifted it up, touching my lips, cold, I sipped slowly inhaling the water. Not drowning, just living. Things would get better. I thought.
I slipped onto my bed, and pulled off my clothes, piece by piece. Shirt over head and pants off my legs. I lifted the covers over me slowly, not even turning off the desk light and fell asleep hoping that all of it weren’t true, and that man wasn’t who he said he was.
It was morning when I woke up. I yawned. It was somewhat past 10:00AM and grabbed my phone. It was not there.
I got up and had the realization that I had not been waiting for several minutes to see if it were all true. I had been sitting in a dream waiting to be woken up by some miracle that I was in fact on Earth.
No wonder it had been getting so dark. No wonder the government Unity had been hiding so much. This is why they didn’t want me to tell anyone what had happened because the people would’ve connected the dots. They would’ve realized that, “Oh Miss Cindy Tryder and Old Billy Kook must’ve died or been enslaved by aliens” or “Oh, Alex Risby and the Thomas family must’ve gotten left behind on Earth. Oh well.”
Everyone would panic if they knew how much was wrong with the planet. They would know why they fought so hard to get off of it.
The World of Hope Page 5
