Fixing the Tipping Point

Today is an exciting day for Bellamy. It will be his first time in The Connection. He runs into what seems to be a lab with white walls, white floors, and everything around him white. In the middle are two connection chairs quite big with a connection device hovering above them. "I am ready Professor Wood", said Bellamy. Oh is that so, well let's see. Why is the connection so important? It can help us fix our mistakes in the past and that way we can have a better future said, Bellamy. Very good! Bellamy, now how is the connection possible? A long time ago, men and women, even children got a neural link installed at the tip of the spine and this projected a screen in front of their eyes allowing them to see a perfect virtual world and not the one that's falling apart around them. There are pollution and radio waves in the air from the overpopulation of wireless towers. Something just flipped and there was a worldwide blackout. The scientists that invented the chip did not account for a blackout. All the chips were running off of the wireless power and people were told it would last forever. But, then it went out. It froze everyone in place. Their neural network compromised unable to eat unable to drink not that they needed it. They were far more advanced than eating a meal every day. Even though, all the people stopped decaying the Earth did not. It was almost past the point of no return when the blackout happened. With no one there to fix it the earth was doomed. That is why we must stay inside the shelter because being outside, there is nothing but a desert wasteland where the sun can scorch you in a minute. If the sun doesn't get to you the natural disasters will. From the tornadoes to the lightning storms, typhoons, tsunamis everything in the elements is trying to kill you. We were given hope for a better future with the connection. It would allow us to send our minds into the past and connect with the neural link of a person. As long as we're connected we can power it. Our main mission is to wake everyone back up and hopefully help them learn from their mistakes. Well said, Bellamy. “I guess you are ready”, said Professor Wood. Okay, jump up here says Professor Wood as he pats on the connection chair. It was a big white chair that laid back and at the head is a big machine with wires coming out the connection. Looking up he is nervous but excited. Everything will be all right Professor Wood assures Bellamy then he pulls down the interface and straps in Bellamy. Comfortable asks Professor Wood. Bellamy puts up one thumb then Professor Wood pulls the switch. His mind gets launched through space and time. With lights all around him, he doesn't feel whole. He feels like a million particles going at the speed of light. Bellamy gasps as he starts to pat himself down. He doesn't feel like he's in his own body. He lifts his hands and realizes those are not his hands. He’s made the connection with someone else in the past. Woohoo, Bellamy says as he jumps up in the air. Ha-ha, you did it said a voice outside of the room. “Who is that? Who's out there”, asked Bellamy? Professor Wood walked into the room not looking like him. It’s me Bellamy, Professor Wood don't worry I know I don't look like myself. This is Wendy she has four doctorates in microbiology, organic, robotic, and micro-robotics. Look at his right arm and tapping his wrist. Wow! This is Carlos he has four doctorates in computer science, biology, psychology, and zoology. Wendy, why did you pick these bodies for us said, Carlos? While the rest of the world was blind to the problem Wendy and Carlos both were trying to fix it. Wendy will be trying to fix it on the micro side and Carlos on a little bit bigger scale looking for ways to help with his hands. Ok, what's the mission today said, Carlos. The big picture is to wake everyone up, figure out what caused the blackout, and how we can turn everyone back on. After the blackout, no one was awake to feed their animals so once docile pets are now packs of hungry wild animals but that's mostly in a city. On the outskirts of the city, you have to worry about actual wild hungry animals not to mention the lightning storms. These are things you must watch out for. The blackout might have shut off the power but all that energy had to go somewhere. Other than that I think we're good to go. Professor Wood, I mean Wendy “why don't we just take the chips out of people's necks, asked Carlos ”? That's a good question, Carlos. Unless it's powered on removing it will certainly cause death but there are a unlucky few that won’t die. They will turn into something that isn't human. They will turn into an animal only wanting food but they are never full. I call them “The Awaken” they're only a few out there so we shouldn't have to worry about seeing them. If you happen to see them, disconnect immediately. You do not want to know what it feels like to be eaten alive. They travel in packs so if there's one they'll be more. Okay, we need to make our way to the checkpoint that has been set up. It’s halfway between where we are now and the power plant; it's Wendy's house. Let’s get going. As they race downstairs to the front door leading outside Carlos pauses. He has lived his life underground and has never been outside. He concentrates on his steps and takes a deep breath. As he takes his first step outside, he is looking up at the world with a smile on his face.

It is noticeable he has tears in his eyes. Come on hurry up what are you waiting for says, Wendy. Although there were people everywhere it still seemed like a ghost town. All the people were nothing but statues . They noticed flying cars landing in odd places, planes crashing in fields. There were cafe baristas still holding coffee pots. It's like everyone got paused in their moment. We must fix this! Carlos was thinking as he picks up the pace to catch up with Wendy. Coming into Wendy's neighborhood the houses are lined up side by side and trees line the streets. There is a little girl on her bike while her parents look to be having a barbecue. The whole neighborhood was invited. And right next door is Wendy's house. They ran into the house to gather supplies and tools. Wendy had moved a lot of things to the house such as tools, wires, and other supplies that they would need. Walking into the house, it seemed quite cluttered. Wendy assured him that there is a pattern to her madness. As Carlos looks around he sees a picture with Wendy in it holding on to a little girl.

He noticed she is wearing a heart-shaped locket. As he looks up at Wendy, he noticed she is wearing the same one. Hey Wendy, how did you get that locket? Well, Carlos the reason Wendy wasn't at the barbecue. There was a malfunction in the system. A self-driving car ran over her daughter, Little Susie. Wendy swore she would find the solution to fix the problem so nobody would have to feel her pain. She lived at the office trying to find the solution. She wears the heart shape locket as a reminder. Okay, enough of that says Wendy. Grab the wire cutters and the box of cable. Cut off about two sections of cable. One needs to be 200 ft. and one a 100 ft of cable. Let's go! I should have everything else we need. Heading out of Wendy's house Carlos catches her looking over at the family having fun. She is sad but yet there is a happy look on her face. Can you feel the emotions and the experience of the people that we connect to? Carlos ponders I may have my mind but all my memories right now are his. I know this is not my body but it feels like it is. Carlos gathers his thoughts and runs after Wendy. They get to the wireless power plant and a giant conductor is sticking out the top. Multiple access points sticking out high in the air. They are on the outskirts of the plant that sends the power to different ZIP codes. They are running straight to the heart. Arriving at the central point of the plant Wendy begins to explain what she has been working on for the past couple of years. This is my perpetual motion generator I have 75 solar panels on the front side of the power plant. I have been charging these batteries for a couple of weeks. All we need to do is take the 300-ft of cable and run it from the batteries. We will run it to the machine and then from my machine to the power plant. The 200 ft of cable will go from the machine to the batteries. The shorter cable will go from my batteries to the power plant. Here are the tools you need to hook it up. Being mechanically inclined it did not take any time to hook it up. We were excited that the work was done. Wendy explained how it will all work. The power from the batteries will get the machine started.

The machine will supply power to the power plant and recharge the batteries at the same time. Therefore having renewable energy and … Bang! A loud smash echoes through the power plant. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Something is happening! Wendy yells. Quick disconnect. Wait! Why do we need to disconnect? We are so close to recharging the power plant. The Awakening they found us they must have been tracking the power that we're giving off. “It's too dangerous to finish disconnect now!!”, says Wendy. She throws her hands to her head. She pulls up falling limp almost instantly as Professor Wood disconnects. Bang! Bang! Bang! They’re getting closer! Bam!!!!! He can see one in the dark, it’s a figure with bright blue eyes almost neon. It locks eyes and lets out a screech that shakes the metal in the shop. Quickly he disconnects. Gasping for air Bellamy is scared out of his wits. What were those things? How are they made? Bellamy, there's something I should tell you. “Sit down”, said Professor Wood. In my early days with the connection, it wasn't always about turning the power back on.

I tried to find ways to wake people up. I was connected to a doctor who installed the chips. He grabbed a couple of people and took the chips out and gave them a dose of adrenaline and put them in rooms. He wanted to see what would happen. At first, everything seemed normal. Then strange things started happening. They broke the lights and waited until I would feed them. They would scratch at me as if they were trying to get to me. One day I was woken up and it was complete chaos. They were destroying their rooms and trying to break out. Screaming for me to let them out. I let them out. It got really quiet in the room and when I looked over from my desk, and I saw what had happened. They were not humans anymore. Their eyes turned blue and they ran towards me. When they caught me, they started to rip me open. And I almost didn't make it back. I felt like I was a goner but your mother saved me. That is why you're here with me my son. Bellamy thinking back and not knowing what his father created. Most importantly, why he never told him what he had done