Writing for Fun
May 2017
The Coming - Gerry Miller
The committee had met and they had agreed that D Day was approaching, there had been some disagreements but at last all came to the conclusion, the final call was to be made. As tasks were allocated an air of expectancy was felt throughout the Union Building, the messengers were supplied with their new world flag and then deployed.
The planet of Osmium had been selected being of medium size with three continents and various small countries. It appeared the best match for the personality types in the latest cohort scrutinised. At least they would be in with a chance of adapting to this planet’s vagaries without too much bother. Two initial transports of Humanoids had developed successfully with very few mutations. Osmium’s world flag of dolphins cresting a wave somehow bestowed a sense of peace and harmony.
The personality types selected for this batch of the Chosen would facilitate their settlement; there was a huge water mass between a jungle to the North and the mineral rich mountains to the South. With mountains to the east and a calm ocean to the West, the country of Hef was selected. Animal breeding, some farming and a barter system were already developing. No weaponry had been developed other than simple cooking tools and bows and arrows for hunting.
One of Osmium’s continents is covered in rivers, with a tropical climate which could possibly tempt the humanoids to become explorers. The other two continents were dangerous; cold, windy mountains with gloomy forests. The country of Hef was so far unpopulated. The largest peoples already moved to the planet Osmium had been placed on the driest continent of Torocco and naturally developed into various tribes of Nomads. They appeared welcoming peoples polite towards foreigners and tending to welcome strangers with warm food. They believed in the god of Ra and that migrants could and indeed should fortify the country’s well-being.
Mary drove along the M25; she was fed up to the teeth – too many cars, too many people and too much technology. Her job stressed her out and the growing pollution in London was starting to affect her breathing. Mary’s head was aching and she really wanted some peace and calm, her driving slowed and she saw the sign to Virginia Waters. She quickly indicated and changed lanes, she was off to Virginia Waters, why she did not know but it might be a place of relaxation, a place to destress. The traffic was now a bit more sporadic. Leaving the M25 was almost heavenly, Mary realised how stressed she had become with the rush and tear of life, sighing she pulled into one of the car parks. Locking the car she roamed around and sat feeling her world go by.
The bench gave her a good view along the waters bank, the sun glistened on the water and a gentle breeze was calming her. A movement caught her eye across the water and there caught on a bush was what appeared to be a flag, as it blew in the wind she could see a dolphin slowly unfurl and roll as if on a wave. She sighed catching the sight of a tall person moving out and reaching up to get the flag. Blinking Mary shook her head a couple of times for the man taking the flag had walked into the water and sank. Not believing her eyes Mary told herself that she definitely was stressed. The rippling of the waves soon began easing her tensions away.
The rippling was now changing to a vortex and out of the swirling water stepped the tall stranger carrying the flag. Mary was startled into a state of total of alertness; both he and the neatly folded flag were completely dry. He was rugged and handsome in an unkempt way and in his hands he held the flag. His hair was long and blew gently in the breeze. His voice was melodic and caused no break to her slowly developing sense of wellbeing. She watched his face as he formed his words his throat seemed to move up behind his ears. ‘Mary, you have sensed it’s time for change, you are going to have an amazing opportunity. I have brought this flag and with it an opportunity, this flag is for you.’
He paused then, smiling, he continued, ‘Should you not wish to seize this opportunity you will return to sleep and not remember any of this. Are you ready to listen? And Mary listened unsure whether she was asleep and dreaming or not. The plan for survival of what was her species and the design of Creation was laid out before her. Then followed the retelling of the history of Omnium, Mary delighted in everything she heard. Her depression and stress were indeed due to her view of what was happening on Earth what with the Great Pacific Rubbish Patch, increasing air pollution, fracking and the devastation of the rain forests, certainty of the devastation of planet earth she understood. The only question remaining was when.
That day at many rivers and waters throughout the world the same happenings occurred, some choose to return to sleep and stay with the planet earth. Many hundreds chose as indeed Mary did, reaching out they took the flag and, wrapping it round their shoulders, all stepped into the waters and entered the transport to Planet Omnium and the country of Hef.
Each year in the United Kingdom approximately 250,000 people go missing, this figure is rising and nothing further is ever heard about the majority of these.