‘Hello,’ Mercy nodded his way.
The soldier gave a courteous smile and returned to his seat in front of the navigation panels, readied for travel.
‘Please, Doctor Perching,’ requested Ambassador Joan, pointing to the chair directly behind hers. ‘We’ll get going. The Prime will be meeting us at the White Tower shortly.’
The metal sphere jetted smoothly forward. Mercy caught sight of her ship and Gia, already far in the distance, slipping away. No turning back now, she thought as she sighed privately.
CHAPTER FOUR
The Ambassador’s ship glided into the Shade without resistance. Mercy got the impression of a light switch being turned off and then immediately on again as they passed through the shadow wall. On the other side, the sky returned to the same, bright, azure blue as the world outside its barrier. In every direction, the Shade had become invisible.
Something in the distance caught Mercy’s eye. There was a movement in the sky directly ahead of them. As the ship sped forward, the undistinguished arrows took shape, revealing hundreds of seabirds soaring through the air. Mercy jutted her body forward in her seat, wide-eyed. She wanted to call out the sighting as if it were her discovery. However, the unstirred passengers in front of her quickly hampered her naive excitement. She drew back into her chair and forced her body to sit quietly.
Flocks of white-feathered seabirds with black-lined wings and golden beaks floated on unseen currents, effortlessly stationary until turning sharply on their axis and one by one plunge-diving into the water towards a dark shadow rising.
Below the ship’s helm, at the birds’ target, rings of effervescent bubbles surfaced first, followed immediately by a swirling hive of anchovies. Millions of silver slivers endlessly shape-shifted like an underwater tornado, continually pushing and testing the invisible bubble net.
A rambunctious pool of dolphins suddenly shot up from the shadowy depths. Using their bodies as a lasso, they held the perimeters tight and pushed the swarm further up to the surface.
Within minutes, hungry interlopers appeared, ready for a feast. A frenzied congregation of birds, sharks and seals joined the dolphins, splitting the pool of fish thinner and thinner while pecking away at the edges.
Ambassador Joan turned in her chair, facing Mercy.
‘Truly amazing,’ enthused Mercy, shaking her head in bewilderment.
‘Yes, we’re getting close to land. You’ll start to see a lot more wildlife.’
‘We were taught that the sea was dead,’ shared Mercy with the same sadness the citizens of Europe always used when talking about the state of the world outside the Sanctuary.
‘A lot has changed since we worked together,’ offered the Ambassador, an introduction to Mercy’s first lesson on the Sanctuary of Americas. ‘The Shade is essentially a weather-control machine. It allows us to modify solar radiation and atmospheric gases, even control weather patterns down to the metre. It’s at the heart of our land and sea reclamation project, which consists of seven different biomes surrounding Sanctuary City. Each biotic unit has different plant and animal ecosystems. While we are far from complete, the reclamation project has already brought thousands of extinct species back from the Scorch.’
‘The Scorch,’ smiled Mercy, repeating the Ambassador’s use of the word.
‘Excuse me?’
‘You called it the Scorch. We use the same term for the environmental collapse.’
‘Ah, yes,’ nodded the Ambassador, acknowledging a shared past.
A silhouette unmistakable as land emerged over the Ambassador’s shoulders. The thin shadow on the horizon between the ocean and sky slowly expanded out and upward as they approached.
Reaching the dry edge of the sea, a long-untouched crystal-white beach, Mercy witnessed something beyond any expectations. The skyline was filled with a vibrant tropical rainforest. Trees, in abundance, as far as the eye could see. The giant palms and lush undergrowth stretched across the length and depth of the horizon.
‘It’s so green…’ blurted Mercy, unable to hold back her excitement.
‘This is the beginning of the Green Belt,’ explained the Ambassador. ‘The Belt is a ring that follows our coastline around the continent, moving inland to the Sanctuary City. We keep it free of human habitation, giving nature a chance to thrive. We are passing over the east side of the Belt, a tropical rainforest.
‘Our west coast is a desert. Not the dead landscapes of the Scorch, mind you,’ she said with a note of pride in her voice. ‘This desert has up to one million different species of plants and animals.
‘The southern biome is primarily grasslands and marshes leading to a thriving coral reef off the coast.
‘And the north is our glacial mountain range covered in pine and boreal forests. The tip of the north coast hosts an arctic tundra.’
‘You have snow?’ Mercy asked in shock.
The Ambassador smiled. ‘Yes. Weather patterns follow four seasonal changes, synchronised through all the biomes: summer, autumn, winter, and spring.’
The idea of having seasons and water in all forms – rain, snow, and ice – seemed a downright fantasy to Mercy.
The Ambassador commanded Theo to slow the ship and open a sky port, leaving a gaping hole to the outside world directly over their heads. She produced a small red pill and handed it to Mercy. ‘You’ll need to take this,’ instructed the Ambassador.
‘What is it?’
‘Even though the Shade regulates solar radiation to levels acceptable for human exposure, you’ve been sheltered inside too long. Your skin is much more sensitive than ours. The pill will help protect you and make sure you don’t get a sunburn.’
Sunburn. The relaxed tone in which the Ambassador said it struck Mercy as sacrilegious; as if she were simply warning her to watch her step over a small crack in the floor. Exposing oneself to the sun for an extended time, intentionally, was sheer lunacy in the Sanctuary of Europe and would result in days of radiation treatments to avoid malignant cellular formations.
Mercy swallowed the pill. ‘How long before it takes effect?’
‘Almost instantly. You can already stand up if you like.’
Unsure, but drawn, Mercy stood under the opening. A chilly air kissed her skin – and something else, something she couldn’t immediately identify. Placing a hand on her cheek, she held back a fit of laughter. ‘Wet. The air is wet!’ Mercy exclaimed.
With closed eyes, her face glowing with rapture, she breathed deeply, greedily, allowing the moisture deep into her lungs. Something in her bones yawned awake from an old memory, older than her flesh. Again, she breathed deeper and longer. Her hand reached up into the crisp air and bright sunshine, washing away a lifetime of dust and darkness.
At a sudden disturbance, she opened her eyes. The air had changed. A pressure was building in her head as a low metallic purr tickled her ears. She closed her eyes again, shook her head, and opened them once more. The noise was real, and it was coming from outside the ship. The deep bass drumming, reverberating in waves, grew louder and louder.
‘What’s happening?’ she cried.
Before the Ambassador could answer, mayhem exploded beneath her feet. Treetops bent and swayed against a sudden wind, followed by a cacophony of screeching bird calls erupting from the forest. Hundreds of feathered living things shot out of the canopy up into the air. They circled and dove and rose again in a frenzy.
Mercy, wild-eyed and terrified, turned to the Ambassador who, to her surprise, was smiling. Neither the Ambassador nor Private Theo appeared to be worried; in fact, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. With a heavy sigh of relief and a borrowed sense of comfort, Mercy calmed herself.
Beneath her, the forest continued to shiver against a growing gale wind, waking the rest of its residents. Right on cue, as if a conductor had swung his baton, the birds were joined in the celebration by an ent
ire forest of animals. Howls, barks, roars and snorts rose from beneath the impenetrable arbour until living noise rivalled the inorganic drumming overhead.
A flash of light caught Mercy from the side of her eye, immediately followed by a head-splitting crack, giving her the sensation of a shock. The hair on the back of her neck and arms stood. She jumped at the noise, letting out a squeal. In the direction of the boom, puffs and streaks of white appeared out of thin air. Clouds were rapidly building in the sky. Underneath their shadowy cover, an arch of colours suddenly glowed, stretching across the entire horizon.
‘Is that a rainbow?’ yelled Mercy over the noise, never having seen one before.
Joan raised her eyebrows and nodded, smiling.
Something cold and wet slapped against Mercy’s face, then another thing, and suddenly millions more. The rain started to pour down in sheets. Theo quickly closed the portal.
‘Look, over there.’ Joan pointed to a break in the clouds.
Sunbeams burst through the clouds like arrows shot down to the earth. Within seconds, the intense sun rays were on top of them and just as quickly, passed over, until fading into the horizon.
The winds calmed, the clouds evaporated, and the sky returned to blue. Together, the droning noise above and the wild racket of animals below faded to silence.
Mercy slumped back into her chair, unable to wipe the grin off her face.
‘We call it the Solar Wave. It crosses the Shade’s surface at least once a day. The noise is the result of the pressure on the surface. The wave modifies the atmosphere for each biome, ensuring they get the right amount of solar radiation and moisture required for their ecosystem,’ explained the Ambassador.
‘I’m speechless,’ Mercy said, her heart still racing. ‘I’ve never seen or imagined…I mean, how did you get so far ahead of us? Do you understand what this technology could do for the Sanctuary of Europe?’
The Ambassador shot a glance at Theo, a silent command to not speak.
Mercy wiped the smile from her face, feeling she had crossed some unbreachable line of diplomacy. ‘I’m sorry,’ she offered, hoping the damage wasn’t irreparable.
‘These are not matters for us, Doctor. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss the future with our Prime.’ Her tone distant but not scolding. ‘We should continue now. She is waiting for us.’
CHAPTER FIVE
The ship travelled deeper inland, heading for the city.
Ambassador Joan and Private Theo sat silent, allowing Mercy a private moment to soak in the spectacle of the Belt unfolding below her.
Images stored in Mercy’s mind from videos and school lessons were rapidly replaced with landscapes as real as her flesh. The dense forests and overgrown grasslands were made even more otherworldly by the sheer abundance of wildlife in motion; from birds in murmuration to roaming buffalo and migrating elk to zebras and mustangs grazing to hippo, rhino and elephant bathing, to lions and hyenas stalking.
Ambassador Joan made a call to the White Tower. The voice on the other end, someone called Private Anne, confirmed their scheduled entry to the city.
Their use of first names only struck at Mercy. It seemed a counterintuitive informality for government officials.
‘May I ask a personal question?’ Mercy’s voice tentative, anxious to avoid another breach of protocols.
‘Yes, of course.’ Joan’s tone welcoming.
‘I noticed you use your given names rather than surnames?’
Private Theo turned with eager eyes. ‘We no longer use family names to identify ourselves in the Sanctuary. The Prime felt family names created division rather than unity. We are all Children of the Miracle; one family created equal.’
Miracle? Created? The words were cult-like. A sudden uneasiness reminded her that she knew almost nothing of the Sanctuary of Americas.
Theo went on: ‘Every citizen is given a single name at birth by the Sanctuary. Even natural-children.’
Joan shot Theo a glance. Theo had given enough information.
Changing the subject, Joan announced, ‘We’ll be arriving at Sanctuary City in just a few moments. Our Prime is very keen to meet you, as are the other select members of government who will be in attendance. You’ll need to be patient with us,’ she smiled, ‘none of us has had contact with anyone outside the Shade before.’
‘That’s something we share in common,’ said Mercy, letting out a small laugh.
Ambassador Joan reached into her right pocket and produced a small metal bracelet. ‘This is a PVA band. It will connect you to the virtual assistant and database we have set up for you. Please keep this on at all times during your visit. It allows you to activate most of the required facilities and communications while you’re staying with us. Everyone in the Sanctuary wears one.’
Joan pulled her sleeve back, showing a similar bracelet on her wrist. Interestingly, the short hairs on the back of her hand continued up her arm.
‘Once on your wrist, the assistant will personalise for you. You’ll need to give it a name.’
Mercy took the bracelet without hesitation, hoping to establish a mutual sense of trust with the Ambassador. As she slipped the thin, loose metal ring over her hand, she flinched. The once-solid bracelet started shape-shifting around her wrist like a slithering snake, until it fit comfortably but snugly, incapable of slipping off on its own. Without warning, she felt a prick underneath her lower forearm where the bracelet met her flesh.
‘Ouch,’ she bleated and was immediately embarrassed.
‘Bio imprint complete. Viral scan negative. Entry to Sanctuary City approved,’ said the bracelet in a female voice. ‘Hello, Doctor Mercy Perching. I’ll be your assistant. How would you like to address me?’
Mercy hadn’t expected a new PVA. She thought privately for a brief moment. It didn’t feel right giving this one the same identifier as Gia, her lifetime companion.
‘How about…Hope? I think that is something we all have in common.’ She offered the Ambassador a friendly smile.
‘Confirmed. Hope is now my identifier,’ responded the PVA. ‘I can be both voice-activated, or –’ without notice, Mercy felt a tingle in her wrist bone and heard the PVA’s voice inside her head, ‘– we can communicate via the subvocalisation method for privacy.’
Mercy never liked using bone conduction and neurotechnological communication with Gia. Her head was one of the few places she could escape, and she preferred to keep it that way.
‘Remain in voice activation until requested otherwise’, thought Mercy to her new PVA.
‘Understood,’ responded Hope out loud. ‘I’ve received your itinerary for the rest of the day. Would you like to go through it?’
Ambassador Joan interrupted, ‘Hope, I will cover today’s itinerary with Doctor Perching. Please prepare her living quarters and alert Doctor Chase to her arrival.’
‘Understood, Ambassador Joan.’
Mercy caught that Joan had overriding command of the PVA. Useful information to keep in mind, she thought.
‘We are approaching Sanctuary City,’ called out Theo.
The amber, green and gold living landscapes came to an abrupt halt, held back by an impenetrable four-hundred-foot grey concrete wall. Mercy recognised the enormous human-made structure, a mirror of the one that surrounded her own Sanctuary. But what lay beyond the city gateway confirmed how far apart the sister sanctuaries had become.
A world away from the stone and brick buildings burrowed deep into the earth for protection from solar radiation, Americas’ Sanctuary City towered overhead without restrictions, both exposed and beautiful. Monolithic alloy skyscrapers shot to the heavens, dwarfing the imposing border wall. A corrugated skyline of densely stacked buildings wrapped around itself in concentric rings, layering inward and upward, always taller, until reaching the tallest building of them all: a single needle-shaped ivory tower at
the heart of the city.
‘The building in the centre, the White Tower, is our seat of government. That’s where you’ll be meeting the Prime and working while here,’ explained Joan.
The ship ceased moving forward and began a smooth horizontal ascent up the wall face. Once over the summit, the flying vehicle glided into Sanctuary City.
Up close, the halo of Sanctuary City beamed brightly in the reflection of the sun. For all the god-like vision and tenacious innovation that had rebirthed a world of plants, animals and living landscapes outside the city, the world inside had discarded nature. Flying cars and artificial lights replaced the migrating herds and the forest-felt-green of the Belt. The urban sprawl of buildings old and new pushed out against the wall’s edge, threatening to spill over.
‘May I ask your population reclamation stats?’
‘We are roughly forty million in the city. Growth is ten percent annually.’
‘Astonishing. How do you feed everyone?’
‘While we don’t allow habitation on the Green Belt, we do use the plains and lakes for farming and fishing.’
On cue, a chain of twenty flying vehicles, ten times the size of the Ambassador’s ship, steadily passed over their heads.
‘Are they going into the Belt?’ Mercy asked.
‘Yes. The ship is likely carrying workers for the farms. They go out each day and return each evening.’
‘Can anyone go into the Belt?’
‘Not without government certification or a permit,’ answered Ambassador Joan.
Theo spoke up: ‘We also have Green Belt national holidays four times a year. Residents can go into designated areas and enjoy the natural landscapes without a permit.’
It hit Mercy that humans were no longer trusted with nature here in the Sanctuary of Americas. The Belt was sacred and protected with a sense of reverence as if it were a private chapel.
Children of the Miracle Page 3
