The Final Revolution

by Anthony Thackston

  “Those are called horses.” She picks up the boy. “And see over there?” She points to a city in the distance. “Those are called buildings. People used to work and live in those.”

  “Can we live in one?”

  “Maybe. Or maybe we’ll make new ones.”

  “Will Alan come with us?”

  Aja sets Sahel down, suddenly concerned. “I don’t know.”

  She walks back to the craters edge and looks down at the people below. There are few left from a ship that carried hundreds. Some of them scramble up the other side of the crater, disappearing in the smoke. A few go back into the ship, too afraid to venture out and leave the home they’ve known for so long. She watches as Hallet tries to regain command. A few passengers gather around him in the hopes that someone can guide them on what to do next.

  Two more passengers exit the ship, carrying one more. Behind them, Alan steps out, coughing. He drops to his knees as the last bit of smoke exits his lungs.

  “You!” Hallet says. “Look what you’ve done!” He marches to Alan. “This is it. All that’s left. We’re the last ones.”

  Alan holds a hand out, stopping Hallet in his tracks. He looks at the former Captain, blood running from his nose. “We are the last ones. But there will be more. We’re home, Hallet.”

  “But my ship. My crew. My…My command—”

  “Gone.” Alan stands wiping his nose. “No more decks. No more rations. No more Hallet’s law.” He looks around, surveying their surroundings for the first time in his life. The Grand Marshall is all he’s ever known.

  “The chairs! Without them, I’ll—”

  “Live out the rest of your life as it is,” Alan says.

  “What do we do?” one of the passengers asks.

  “I don’t know,” Alan tells her. “Whatever we want?”

  “Alan!” Sahel runs to him, bumping in to his legs. “Alan, Mata and I found buildings. We’re going to live in one.”

  “That sounds great, Sahel. It sounds like…” He looks up above the crater’s top, at the swaying trees. He hasn’t even seen it all yet but for the first time in his life, he feels the excitement of the unknown. He takes one more look at Hallet. “It sounds like the place to be.”