Locket of Light

Stale air burns her lungs as she stumbles against the sides of the cave, her eyes burn and her stomach aches.

It’s been years since our race tried to leave Earth to its fate. It’s been years since our ships went up in smoke and the initial plan for humanity had failed. The air struggles to sustain what is left, the sun exploded in a blast of light that left the surface dark. Our biggest struggle for survival has not been that of food or water, but of our own minds. Turning against us as we stare into the void of darkness, as we seek to embrace the warmth of the sun once again. But he has abandoned us, left the Earth to rest. So too we, lie beside her with our head to the ground. To peer at the empty blackness of space, and wait to once again wake to piercing light.

Jadia woke with a start, her eyes flying open at the sound of howls in the night. Day? She couldn’t remember anymore. She slept when she was tired, she relied only on her biological clock. Rather than the rotation of the sun and moon across the once beautiful sky.

Moving her legs under her she rose from the mat she slept on. Twitching her head, looking from side to side. She saw only darkness, but the sound of nails scraping against the stone floors. The shuffle of feet and hands, wary, but attentively maneuvering their way around the cavern.

“Girl... did you hear that? Food is nearby.” A familiar man spoke, his voice hoarse. His hand gripped at Jadia’s shoulder. Licking his dry lips, he held up a canteen. “Do an old man a favor? Bring some fresh water.”

Jadia tentatively gripped the canteen. Loosening the belt that would hold it to her body, she slung it over her head to have it rest at her hip. “I’ll be sure to get you something.” She reassured him. Turning she felt his fingers slip from her shoulder, her steps quick as she hurried to the entrance of the cave with others. To be greeted by the cold air that burned her lungs.

“Are you ready child?” A surly tone reached out to her as she brought a hand to her chest. The struggle to breathe hastening her heart before he held out a face mask to her. From a tank at his back, it brought fresh air to her lungs, pumping from the tank through a hose to her mask. Breathing deeply, she savored the taste it left on her lips before handing the mask back to him.

“I'm as ready as I’ll ever be Barin, what was that screaming I heard?”

“The Bonobos are moving, there was word of a herd of elk out in the outskirts of that place the sun people made.” Barin answered.

“Of the sun people?” Jadia spoke incredulously. “Is that a wise decision to hunt there? What if we’re caught?”

“And what if we starve?” The man snapped back. Jadia’s lips pursed, she swallowed back defiant anger. Giving a curt nod of her head. “Good, now follow me. It isn’t a long journey.” With the final words between them. Jadia followed behind him, others from the small tribe stuck in a nervous clump to join them in the hunt.

The land is shrouded in the stars blanket. It has spilled from the sky to engulf the earth like a protective lover. The stars no longer shine above, but beside them in blazing cities several miles from their smoking forests. Jadia could remember that fateful day, when the sky fell upon them. When the sun sparked, and how much her eyes hurt afterwards. The sensation of chaos embodied in the earth rocking under her feet, and the terrified and pained yelling of the people on the crashing ship. She could remember the stories later in years. When the gods trapped us on our dying planet, we had to prove our loyalty. We had to prove our will was above all others. When the ships collapsed, when the light went out and the storms of snow threatened humanity. We saved ourselves on what little we could scavenge, tanks and breathers from the tourist attractions near the ocean. Medical equipment and more oxygen tanks. Humanity had only collectors to thank, previous activists who still cared for our mother. And now they are the only few that keep us alive.

Jadia kept her eyes open wide, to peer into the darkness surrounding her. The smell of animal fur and sulfur burning her lungs as they approached the horizon of the sun people's encampment. A deep bellow of an elk bounced from the empty sky to the hallow trees. It’s hooves scratching at the frozen ground. A pitched whistle sounded at the other side of the herd. One of her own people alerting of the incoming stampede, before they attacked the herd with spears in hand. The animals panicked, taking off towards Jadia and her peoples whereabouts. Without warning from the bushes, one of the elk were tackled. Barin wrapping his arms around the animals' neck before they both fell behind into the darkness of the forest in a deadly heap.

The moon was beginning to rise, Jadia’s head snapped to the glint about a mile away from where her people had fell the beasts. What she hadn’t realized on this hunt was just how close they were to Sun people's encampment. It’s gilded walls and iron gates opening at the sound of the distressed elk. “Barin! Everyone! Run!” Jadia warned them, yelling to the sky she pursed her lips and howled into the heavens. The scatter and the dragging of their night's dinner across the dead earth resounding in a cacophony of chaos. Her people fled in terror back into the woods in all directions, attempting to escape the military like stomp of the soldiers of light exiting their fortress. Jadia fell behind, running into the forest behind her people but attempting to lead the soldiers away. Throwing rocks and making as much noise as possible as she ran, several whip-like branches of the dead trees smacking her face and scratching her skin.

She was alone, she ducked low into the tall wheat of the meadow. She could make out no sound nor could she hear the breathing of another person. All was quiet. Jadia looked up from the moonlit meadow, the snap of twigs and rustling of dead leaves alerting her. She froze on the spot as the bright, sun like glow of the people approaching her from the tall wheat blinded her. Shrill and frantic clicks came from the forest, they were alerting danger. But it was too little too late as Jadia stayed on her belly in the middle of the field. Awaiting her inevitable punishment.

“Don’t hurt her.” One of them spoke, its bright hand reached beneath its glowing clothing. It brought from its chest what looked like a star, a faint shape of a heart. Something she saw often when she was younger. She could remember it hung around pale skin, tangled and pulled at short black hair. Jadia’s eyes were wide with wonder, this soldier of the sun held a star in his hand. And he held it out to her as if it were a gift. “Just take it…” he insisted.

“You’re giving me a star?” Jadia asked. The sun soldier looked to the others behind them, in confusion if she didn’t know better.

“Yes, you deserve what light we can provide.” He spoke, she could almost see him smiling behind his bright visage.

“Thank you… and thank you for not hurting me.” She smiled, gripping the necklace she hurried back towards the sound of the clicking. The eerie sound of the Bonobos laughter echoing off the hallow trees.

“Prepare yourselves!” The man yelled to the others, each bringing up their own form of spears. Shorter, it’s point more rounded. Although it wasn’t the length or lack of point that made it deadly. It was what it produced, a bright flash of light that barreled into the attacking Bonobos. That made Jadia’s panic all the greater, as she disappeared into the darkness and back to the caves. Later on in the evening, when the moon had set. The shine of the star, had dimmed. A glint bouncing from nothing in particular off its shining surface. It was a necklace that the sun guard had given her, a star on a chain of light that now appeared to her as a heart. One that opened, and showed the faces of days past. A man and woman holding two babies, why had he given her this? Did it mean something to him?

“Guardian Vantes. I trust you took care of the herd of animals moving towards our cattle?” A female voice, bold and echoing off the great halls.

“They were once human Sentinel; they are the ones out there living without help. Along with my little Jadia out there alone without Marla.”

“And that is beyond our concern. Your job is clear, cure mother earth. Now don’t disappoint me again Vantes.” She spoke in a hard tone, waving her hand to the door. Excusing him without another word.

Guardian Vantes, log 1439.

I’m sorry Marla, I have been unable to locate Nekita but I have found our little Jadia. She’s alive! And she’s as healthy as any of the others living out in those wastes. I put a tracker into that locket of yours. I will bring her home, and we will cure the Earth. I will not break my promise to you, I will fix what humanity has wrought. And destroy those that brought us to this point.