Hard to believe that earlier this very year, America and the other world powers were united as never before. It wasn’t a war that brought us together, or a terrorist attack. It wasn’t a threat from without, but a mutual understanding from within. 2020, the Year of Hindsight, marked one of the greatest and most humbling achievements of mankind.
Two American scientists, now as famous as Watson and Crick, had demonstrated the creation of life. Not only did they spontaneously generate new life forms, but they proved that those organisms could survive and replicate, even evolve. Years of research lifted them up onto the shoulders of giants, of Gods. It was this revelation that sparked the great debate: the existence of God.
2020, the Year of Hindsight. We as a human race looked back on our known history with a new understanding. Science was our new religion, Knowledge our new God. There was quite the schism among the people and those wounds have yet to heal today. But with a fresh perspective, free of dogmas and irrational rhetoric, the developed nations of the world declared a new era. They decried the conflicts of the past and promised a better future and an unprecedented time of discovery.
The year was 2020 AD, a religious relic anchoring our present in the conflicted past. The new year was secular and scientific, with a focus on space exploration. Space Year, Secular Year or Scientific Year, whatever one’s opinion it was still SY: 1. A new beginning.
How ironic it is now that I find myself huddled in a church amongst strangers, waiting for the Gods of the sky to destroy us, or God-willing, pass us by. A strong pair of hands, many hands actually, pulled me from the streets into sanctuary as I was gathering supplies. I was the last one saved. We’ve barred the doors.
I can see a woman’s face outside the clear glass. A woman in her forties maybe, terror stretching her face. She’s begging us to let her in. It’s too late for that.
Though the behemoth sky ship is maybe 100 miles away still, it has sent out scouts. Smaller shimmering copies of the giant ship blistered off and raced toward our city. Each the size of 747s, they move with astonishing speed and maneuverability. What’s more terrifying is their weaponry, or whatever it may be. All I know is that once their beams of light touch you, you’re done for. Thanks to these strangers, I was saved. It could have been her safe inside here instead of me. She was a moment too late.
A beam of light shoots down from one of the smaller, shimmering ships that hovers above us. For a second it shakes the walls of our sanctuary with resonating force. It lights up the woman’s face and she stares directly at me. Not at the light source, but at me. In the next second she is gone, vaporized. The shaking stops. The scout ship leaves.
This is how we survive day to day. Scurrying like rats for supplies, seeking shelter at every turn. Only one more day now until the real terror arrives.
God help us when it does.
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