It was a dream. Certainly, it had to be.
I had woken in a spot of tall grass, in the center of what had to have been the largest meadow I’d ever seen- which was saying something. I stretched and stood, but it felt odd.
My body felt entirely too heavy, and I wasn’t nearly as far from the floor as I should have been. Looking down, I saw it.
Large paws, covered in long grey fur. As I moved, so did it. I made the movement of lifting my hand, and it lifted in place of it. Below the massive paw, which I had then begun to realize really did belong to me, was an inch deep print.
The ground was soft, far softer than I would have expected otherwise. It smelled different too, muddier. Other scents mingled with that, like the pine carrying downstream from the mountain, and the wildlife that neared it.
Without my consent nor my approval, I had begun to actually salivate from the mere idea of the deer and rabbit whose scents I had gained. I felt the hair around my body shift, my… ears… turning. Before I had been given much warning, I had begun to race toward the scents until they became overpowering, eliminating any second thought I had to the idea.
The race to get to them felt like nothing else I had ever experienced- the speed, the power, the freedom that laid within it was astounding. Everything seemed different around me, taller and wider, to which I saw it all in higher definition.
My pace slowed after a long moment, as I finally took in how real it all really was. To start, I had no idea how it happened. What’s more… I had no idea how to get back.
Dark clouds loomed above her, and she could smell the rain that had been seconds from failing. It had been her favorite scent, the rain, and she loved the way it carried the scent of the pine trees down the river bank. The authorities had explained her duties for the day, and that had been far from it, but she simply needed it.
“Sylvie… what are you doing?” she heard Cam say across their private channel.
“I know, I know. I’m done, okay? Is this better?” she said, exasperated.
As she waved softly through the air in front of her, she watched as the clouds began to disperse, and the sun finally made its appearance for the morning.
“Thank you.”
Sylvia sighed, and dropped her gaze from the beautiful, picture perfect sky that she alone had created. The farmers didn’t need their crops watered, they needed the sun. The children didn’t request a rain filled day for playing in, but a warm day with a spring breeze to enjoy.
The woods had been a few yards away and she took her time going to them, enjoying what she could of her creation, as well as Cam’s. He had done well, as he always had, and the trees were as vibrant and as tall as they’d ever been. The pine needles seeped in their aroma, and the wildlife had begun to thoroughly enjoy the thick bark and the tart sap that came from them.
Each of their abilities intertwined, bringing life and color to the world, every single day. It was their job- everyone’s, not just those at the facility. Centuries ago, around the beginning of 3022, a chemist discovered how to alter and reprogram what a person was capable of doing.
It certainly wasn’t limited to average every day things, such as the ability to farm well and fruitfully, or the ability to tame any animal. Those that resided at the institute as she and Cam had, had extra abilities- such as the ability to change the weather, and growing plants at an accelerated rate.
Cam could create thick trees whose rings showed them to be hundred of years old- except they weren’t. Instead, it had been merely a single minute for its creation. That same tree was enjoyed by thousands of their people, hanging items from them as they did in the old world, for things like wishes or prayers.
Sylvia enjoyed that part of the forest the most, and as she neared it, she saw the familiar colorful streams of fabric, blonde haired dolls, and other various mementos scattered across the branches. Following their trail, she found the ancient looking tree, filled to its brim with countless gifts.
The only times she felt that she was doing anything good at all, was when she went there, reminding herself that their people truly did appreciate their extraordinary abilities and how they used them, always appreciative of a good crop year because of her weather, or providing someone with a perfect day to propose to their significant other.
Outside of her little reminders- she hated being “special”.
The idea had occurred to her that perhaps it was because she wanted to fight for something, to be the best at something because she, and she alone, made it happen. Instead, she was given tasks and jobs and schooling that revolved around her abilities.
“Hey.”
Sylvia turned, and found Cam leaning against a tree, it’s branches releasing their grip on him as he was set down against its base.
“Hey yourself.”
They settled against a large brightly colored boulder that sat in the center of the space, their normal place to meet when they could. Their duties generally took up most of their day, but plenty of free time had always been allowed and greatly promoted.
“What was that today?” Cam asked, concerned.
“You know exactly what that was.” she said in a sigh. “I want… more than this.”
“What’s more to have Sylvie?” he asked her gently, brushing his hand across her arm. “We have everything we could need here. Shelter, food… a purpose.”
“That’s exactly it though. Do we really have a purpose? What does it mean to have a purpose that you were almost literally born to do? I want something I’ve worked for, something that doesn’t come from genetics alone. I want something that’s mine.”
Turning her hand over against the flat of the rock, she intertwined her fingers through his. He had always been her comfort. The warmth, the gentle ease in the way he was with her.
“Uh… Sylvie? You’re doing it again.”
Sylvia looked up and found the air had begun to shimmer in an early morning mist, light and beautiful as it snaked through his trees. After a few moments, she waved it away as if it had never been there, apart from the light dew it left against the tall grass.
“I’m sorry. I just wish… I wish we weren’t like this.”
Years ago, our parents never would have thought the day would come when our governments would make their decision. From what I’ve heard, life used to be decent, and at least partially free.
Now though, twenty three years later, I find the white walls of our confines to be nearly soothing. The year 2050 should have been a prosperous one- that’s what they said in our parents schools.
I was five when they took me, my brother was five when they took him, too. That was the magical age I suppose.
“We’re taking you home.” One overly large man from the driver seat had said.
“You took me from my home!” I had countered. “Take me back!”
We were always taught not to talk back to these men, to simply obey before they made things worse for us. I couldn’t help it though- I knew I’d never see my parents again.
“I’m afraid we can’t do that. You’re needed for something much greater.” The man from the passenger seat explained.
I couldn’t imagine then what they meant. Now though, I did know. But it certainly wasn’t for something “Greater”.
“Annalise!”
I spun around to find my brother bounding toward me, breaking me of my thoughts from years before.
“Is it done?” I asked, my voice no longer seeming to belong to me at all. It was far too sad, too… controlled.
He nodded excitedly.
Of course he was excited. He didn’t know yet what it all meant. Or what it would do to him.
“They said that since you were an ideal candidate for fire, it made my chances for water that much greater. I accepted it well, so I shouldn’t get sick, right?”
Sick. That’s what they called it. What it actually was, was the body’s rejection to the serum. If we rejected it, we became ill quickly. It would take mere days before it wasted us entirely before the men moved our bodies to the furnace in the basement.
I shuddered, then regained the plastered on smile that I’d mastered so easily over the years. I knew I’d need it for the day he turned eighteen. Now, I was grateful for it. Jonas had just turned eighteen and passed his “test” with flying colors.
“No, Jonas. You shouldn’t get sick. I’m happy for you, water will do well for you.”
I lifted my palm to him, igniting the bare skin there until the golden embers shone from his eager face. He lifted his hand, too, setting it against mine. Instantly, small overlapping waves simmered the flame as he watched in awe.
“That’s amazing…” he whispered.
As he let his hand fall back to his side, his eyes appeared lost and distant.
“What is it?”
It took a moment for him to respond, as he contemplated his words. There were eyes and ears everywhere.
“I’m just… not sure how I’d use it out there.” he replied finally, jutting his thumb towards the guarded main exit.
“You’ll figure it out.” I said, resting my now extinguished hand on his shoulder. “We have classes for a reason- they’ll start to teach you how to use it.”
Jonas seemed to lighten at that, and his previous cheerful mood returned.
We sat for lunch, taking our assigned seats across the benches of the long white tables, and waited for our food. The officials always brought our plates to us, we were never allowed to take them from the kitchen ourselves.
As I looked over at him from across the table, his excited mutterings with his cell mates, I pictured what it would be like for him when he discovered the truth of our outside world- one he hadn’t been allowed to see since he was taken.
It would be weeks before he would be allowed to go on rounds with me. I would be tasked with being his advisor, which meant I would have even more restrictions to my duties. While I was grateful to be allowed the outings with him, it also terrified me.
I didn’t want him to see the things we saw, the utter destruction of our world around us. The ground was bare and lacked of any crops or fruitful trees, and what trees there were had been scarred with blackened burn marks- an order I was expected to follow through with.
They said the planet was plagued, that we were required to fight off the disease in order to obtain new life, a new world.
Something felt entirely, completely, wrong.
