Post
Sat Jul 05, 2014 9:41 pm
#3
by Hyperion
Heartbeat
She caressed the crystalline doll in her hand, marveling how the pure diamond she knew it to be felt so much like flesh; it was even warm. She couldn't be certain whether it was her mind playing tricks on her or maybe, just maybe the crystalline doll really had a heartbeat too; maybe it breathed.
"It's time," came a calm voice from behind "Is there anyone you would like to say goodbye to?"
She looked up from the doll. Taking a deep breath, rising to her feet, turning around to look at him, she smiled, "My brother, he's a good man, his husband and their daughters too. They treated me so well when no one else would speak to me, they defended me after you showed yourself. Are you sure they can't come?"
"Just two, not three, not four, not five. He refused."
She sighed, "Did you pick one then?"
"Yes. He is in your room. He is from," the glowing figure paused, "You call it Ethiopia."
She looked down at the planet below her, the glowing outline of India shown brightly where it was not obscured by the monsoon. "I see, can I see my brother now?"
She stood in the Office of the President of the United States, or maybe she didn't really, for as she turned around she was still on the ship in orbit, it was something she didn't quite understand but she didn't need to. Rising to his feet next to the president, alarmed like everyone else, was her older brother.
Guns flew up, pointed at her. She hesitated, her natural reaction subsiding only as she saw the curvature of the planet through them. She smiled and walked towards her brother.
"Madame President, Mr. Vice President, step back, this woman is a traitor to her species and her planet and we will not let you come to harm."
"And how would you do that?" The president demanded. "Ms. Lacrima, what are you doing here?"
Pausing, she smiled calmly at the last empress of a dying empire. An odd thought, perhaps it was from seeing the middle kingdom shining through her.
"Evie, what- how- what are you doing here?"
"Jacob-"
"Evie, you have to stop this, you don't know what you're doing!"
"I'm saving us, everyone, everything. We will get to continue, please understand this."
She didn't notice the bullets pass through her as she walked up to her brother, putting two fingers on his lips. She pushed his arm down and holding him closely spoke softly into his ear, "I love you brother, I'll miss you."
The sun burst forth from behind the planet, flooding the whole scene with light. As quickly as she had found herself back home in Washington, she was again solely in one place.
"Have you saved everything?" she asked "The books, the films, the music, all the species?"
"In addition to what you provided about human culture, I have recorded most of life on your world." The figure said with its usual serenity. "We/I feel there is no more reason to waste time, our fuel reserves are minimal."
"Okay, if this is what you need to do."
The figure nodded. "It has begun. It will take a few minutes"
She stood, raising her arms, and took a deep breath. Though filtered, the sun's rays felt warm and pleasant, she relaxed and drank it in. It was hard to tell at first, only a few numbers changed, but then it became noticeable. Bright points appeared in a ring around the sun. The numbers changed, and the ring grew brighter, and the sun grew dimmer, and her eyes grew wider. She did not blink as great machines ate her star, she did not blink as unknown forces chewed and digested it piece by piece, sucking it in like vacuums from hell. Her heart skipped a beat, what had she done?
The ship changed course to avoid the world below, doomed to freeze in the endless dark.
Challenging your assumptions is good for your health, good for your business, and good for your future. Stay skeptical but never undervalue the importance of a new and unfamiliar perspective.
Imagination Fertilizer
Beauty may not save the world, but it's the only thing that can