Memory Locket

In the year 2065, New York is nothing but dilapidated buildings and businesses struggling to keep themselves afloat. Rachel, a creative high-schooler and Benny , her big brother, share a tent , in one of these buildings in Harlem.

The government wiped out all of humanity’s memory of the past two years. Years pivotal in American history. With so much bloodshed on US soil, tied to the government and military’s hands, they’ve done their best providing phones , and using sprays in food , as constant distractions , to preserve their long-standing rule in mankind. The government has complete control , with the military as bodyguards, wolves with leash, brainwashed to do what the government says at any given moment . Lately, it’s been quiet , until one guard discovers something, through his document search, he thought he’d never see.

In Harlem, Benny and Rachel have set up shop in Benny’s old office building.

“Hey, you are always on that freakin’ tablet. I’m surprised it still works.” We have minimal power , around these parts. The government only had enough electrical power for them, and the upper class, so we settle for what we can, in our case , this trusty generator .

“BENNYYY.. I’m clearly writing here, leave me alone.”

I like to write novels, and poems, but in this case, I am definitely logging in my diary. It’s my only friend , since everyone I know of is either dead or lost, from the nuclear blast.

“So, Rach...tell me...what kooky novel you cookin up now?”

He clearly doesn’t get my creative process. I ignored him and got in my zone. I can multitask from journal entry , to novel writing , I’m talented like that.

Yet, a familiar smell swarms around my nostrils. Dammit. The Food truck came by again. It’s the only food truck that comes, as grocery stores had to shut down. Reading up on food shortages years ago, in school, I never thought I’d experience it.

“Benny, what is that smell of deliciousness? And, why didn’t you tell me the truck was here? How much food did you salvage?

“Slow down , haha. It’s a Beyond Belief Patty burger , with Fried Potaters”

I still can’t believe everything I knew French fries went extinct . But , we winded up sharing the meal, and storing the rest , in the food box. Just as we dove into all this yummy goodness, I saw Benny’s face sink in, and now I got nauseous.

The piercing sound of sirens filled the neighborhood, as Rachel and Benny stood up, sweat dripping off their face. Benny proceeds to peek out the window.

The National Guard makes their rounds , from door to door. People always loathe this part of the day, and yet no rebellion comes from it. They’ve been given the okay to control the middle and lower class , and establish order , in these neighborhoods. Lately, their visits have been more than brief. But, the people comply, as they would , any other day.

The truck pulls up in front of Benny and Rachel’s building , and Benny puts a pocketknife in his back pocket. Rachel tries snatching it away.

“Yo, are you nuts?” “Benny , please don’t provoke them, hand it to me, so I could toss it behind me, what if they search you?”

Benny just put his index finger to his lips , to quiet her. He walks up to the door, filled with cobwebs , and glass that was seconds away from shattering , with the slightest blow.

“Sir, can you open up?”

“Alright, alright , coming.”

Benny opens the door , and three guards come in. One of them , interrogating Rachel.

“Hey there, young lady, mind if I ask you a few questions.”

“ Anything you say to her , you can say to me.” Benny’s nostrils flare up.

“Ha, that’s good and well, Sir, but I’m pretty sure this young ADULT, can speak .”

Benny steps aside, but still within an earshot of them, yet his lured away after seeing the other two guards sprint up the steps , and into their room.

“Ok, I’ll be nice about this , First off , I’m Sgt. First Class Anderson, and I’ll keep it brief , I’m probably the only ally you got here”

“Excuse me?”

“How long have you known this gentleman?”

“You mean my brother? ...” “ I’ve known him since birth , Sgt.” Rachel rolls her eyes, then puts her palms under her armpits.

“ Ok. Well, after evaluating you both, I’m not so sure, see he definitely is not your biological brother.”

Randomly , I forget that the government has way more access than I had hoped. But, why the heck is this guy so obsessed with being an ally of mine? Benny is the only brother I know. Will they take me and him away, then separate us? Think of a lie, Rachel, come on.

“Ok , look Sgt. I don’t have to answer this , not one darn thing about family, to you. If this isn’t the usual search then, why are we talking ?”

“That’s the thing Rachel, it’s not.”

How did he....?

“ Sarge .... we can’t find it” Anderson flips a button turning off his speaker , on the walkie-talkie.

“What’s going on ?”

“Ok , so I know you know about Mom’s heart-shaped locket, and I need it. I need to keep it safe . Where is it?”

Rachel’s eyes well up, with tears .

“That’s not on any paper, or digital freakin’ document . How...”

Rachel sees the other guards staring at Anderson , before he could say more. He slides her a piece of paper , and Rachel stuffs it in her sock.

“Please use that if you find it, and when you do , I’ll make sure to come alone, but I will explain everything, before we meet again.”

“ What?”

Anderson and the other men, leave out , and Benny runs to Rachel.

“What the hell did he say to you, and don’t lie , I know when you lie Rach”

“I.... I don’t know, I can’t ..”

I had to sit down, and unpack this. Was this guy for real? This could be some set up. No one knew about the locket my mom gave me, when I was born. How did he?

“Benny ... do you ...am I .”

“Slow down, look at me, tell me as much as you remember?”

I told him what Anderson told me, and it looked like I broke his heart , at first, then rage kicked in. I haven’t seen Benny this upset , since I was little. He grabbed his keys , and made his way to the door.

“I’ll fix this...”

Days became weeks, as Rachel kept the fort safe. Limited connectivity abound the neighborhood, only furthered her ability to contact Benny. One fall night, Rachel slept with her arms around the food box, her legs wrapped around her Rottweiler, Sam.

Sam gets up, and sniffs around. In a threatened stance, he growls at the door, alerting Rachel.

“How...”

A bag comes over Rachel’s head. The sound of rocks getting trampled on , by tires , wakes her up.

“AHHHHH...HELP MEEEE”

“Quiet, they’ll hear you. I need to get you somewhere safe”

Anderson signals her to get down , as they pass through the secured gate. He drives to a wooden house , nearby the camp, and escorts Rachel inside. He sits her down and begins to confess .

“Ok Rachel, I - I need to come clean. I am Daniel Anderson, but also your brother . I remember that locket, because I was there when mom placed it in your bed. She promised me to always look after it, until you got older, yet I got separated from you. I lived with my dad, and you stayed with her . I wrote you, but I figured Mom’s newer boyfriends threw it out, thinking I was a secret lover , I don’t know.” “ Point is, I need to find that locket, before any higher ups do, I need you to be all in , Rach bear”

“Wtf , I’m not your Rach bear, no. You don’t get to kidnap me , and then call me that name, that my family calls me.

Anderson’s face grew sad , yet he was determined . He was determined to find the locket that could change the world. This, this was the key to it all.

“ Hey” Anderson grabs a chair , and grabs something out of his pocket. He brings out a glowing key, in a tiny plastic case. Rachel’s eyes glow , and she starts to tear up.

“ So....this is true?” ....Rachel grabs the case, and marvels at it, hypnotized by the glow.

“Yes, I need to keep you safe , I can’t lose you again Rach” Anderson shows Rachel a picture. This picture, torn at the corners , with a fold mark in between, shows him as a kid, holding a baby girl. Rachel beams , and hugs Anderson, as they pull away , her face is still ridden with uncertainty and skepticism.

“ But Benny .... he’s my , he’s my brother , or my brother too? Like, I don’t understand ANY of this Daniel, none of it, No , I won’t believe this....I — I can’t. No, you’re going to untie me, and I’m gonna save Benny”

“ You don’t know ..” Rachel sits up , still tied to the chair, and uses force in her legs to smack Anderson, with all four legs of the chair, knocking him unconscious. Rachel was able to find blade, from Anderson’s bag, positioned it to the back of the chair, and cut off the rope.

Freeing herself, Rachel grabs his keys , her tablet , and heads to the car. Gaining consciousness again, Daniel tries to run after her, but is met with the exhaust smoke cloud coming from his Jeep. Rachel is left with hearing the cries of a concerned yet defeated stranger-friend.

She arrives at the security gate , donned in a National Guard uniform. Two guards come up, with rifles in hand. One guard approaches to interrogate.

“Excuse me , madam, May we see your badge ?”

Ok, so, I definitely didn’t bring this. I had to get away , but left without the ID ? How am I gonna get out of this one. Think. Wait, there’s something in this pocket.

“Here..”

I watched the two guards look at me, with he coldest faces I’ve seen, since I had to face a man who robbed me , and held me at gunpoint. I was only 7. Ever since then, faces like that , just give me chills . Luckily, my neighborhood bred me for things like this , but it never gets easy.

“Ma’am ... step out the car”

“Is everything alright ? I just need to get inside to get my bag.”

“ Ma’am turn left.... ok... turn right.”

I watched as they scanned me , like I was going into some MRI machine . I felt , naked , like I had no type of free will, in this case. My freedom is based on their simple decision to let me through, or lock me up, forever.

“Haha, look at that.... that IS his sister”

I’m confused .

“ Ok, is everything ok?”

They give me a pat on the shoulder , and tell me to go in. A smile beamed across my face , from ear to ear . It’s as sunshine , sashayed through the clouds. That’s all I needed to hear, I jumped in the car, and waved , as I drove past the guards.

“ Tell Danny we said Hi!”

“ Will do, boys !”

I honestly have no idea why I just said that. But, I have no time to psychoanaylyze why I’m such a cornball, I have to save Benny.

I walk up to three guards , guarding some silver steel-built part of a room.

Is this ...Area 51?

I had to remind myself I had no time to get distracted, but this was nuts. I had no clue how much was held back from us. There’s medicine , by the bulkload, chilling in a cooler , filled with dry ice. Now, who knows WHAT that’s for. There’s kids , sitting in a room, they look....scared. This can’t be the National Guard. What is this place?

I finally get up to the silver steel-built room, and approach the guards. Using my badge, I say nothing . I remain focused. Like, it is the ...way of the tiger. In all seriousness , I couldn’t flinch, or I’d get caught, and blow my cover. I feel like I’m close....

But, then a churning feeling swallows me up, all in my gut. With each step I take, more sweat accumulates in my armpits, hands ...hair . I hate that my hair is messed up. Ok, I have to focus . Focus. I see, machines . These machines look super intimidating. Is this where our tax dollars went ?

I told Benny not to accept these monthly payments from the government, and here we are. I walked up to a room, where a pod , filled with smoke, was placed in the center. I hear the loudest cries , fill up my eardrums. But, that voice ?

“ Tell me , where’s the girl ?”

The pod , activated some smoke , yet again, and this person, cried out again. The smoke clears , and he looks defeated. He looked tired and beaten down. He found an ounce of strength to hold on, and held his head up. And, there was Benny ! Wait, oh my god!

I can’t just rush in there like Lara Croft. I can’t fight, yet he looked helpless. I had to do something, so automatically, I thought I can do something , anything, to make these machines malfunction. I could pour coffee on it, but that would make so much noise , cause a scene , then we both would be hurt. With choosing a less-riskier option , I made my way to the computer , and saw a code index tablet , nearby. This has to be for the machines. I tried most codes , and nothing . I sunk my head down , each time, hearing Benny cry for help. He was there all the time, for me. Why can’t I be just as brave? For a spilt second , I drowned in anxiety. Intrusive thoughts swarmed in my mind , like a freakin’ SWAT team , looking for a fugitive. Then , it was as if I felt something tap my shoulder, telling me to lift my head up, and fight . From then on , the fighter in me , emerged.

I found the right codes to stop smoke from coming out the pods, but instantly laid down, under the machines, and did an army crawl to the other side of the room. By the time the guards got there, I found myself to Benny.

“ Hey, Rach...”

I barely recognized his voice. Tears streamed down my eyes, but the more time I wasted talking , they’d hurt us. With all my might , and the ounce left of his, we opened up the clasps that held him in the pod. He fell into my arms, and I struggled to carry him out. We were able to exit the probing room, but not the building , not just yet. I found an empty room, to buy us a couple minutes, but time was ticking.

Meanwhile, the guards approached the machines in disbelief.

“Stanson, I thought you said that these machines work”

“Yes Major, they do....I - I don’t know what could’ve happened. Wait...I didn’t enter these codes.”

They look around to see if anything was left behind .One guard points out the two cameras up top, and brings both to the Major. Major Jensen uninstalls the camera , revealing a holographic card, with the code, lighting up. He signals Stanson, to run the footage back for review, stunned at what is found.

“ What....is this?! Who let her in here?”

The guards looked as puzzled as Major Jensen, but he’s not convinced . He signals all the guards to get in line , and questions them , with all saying no , Stanson is the only guard left , to show a twinge of guilt. Yet, as this seems to be just pure intimidation, it is too late. Jensen grabs a pole, with electric zaps, circling the top of a crystal ball, and points at the rest of the guards.

“ Find that girl , and bring her to me. I’ll handle Stanson”

The guards stumble out of the door. As the door closes, the cries for help become more and more deafening , to the ear.

In this empty room, empty of occupants , that is, lied a chair and a kit, plus other miscellaneous items. Rachel finds gauze pads , plus alcohol.

“Ok, this may sti....”

“Ahhh—- ”

I had to shut him up . I put my hand over his mouth, wishing it was duck tape. Luckily, this is a medicine room. I was way more freaked out , at the cryogenic pod. This is totally not the National Guard , and Benny had some explaining to do.

“ Talk or I’ll pour more alcohol on this crap”

I waved the bottle in his face, like I was giving bait to a fish. He truly was a fish out of water. I was out of patience. Everywhere I turned , this whole day, someone has lied to me. I hope, I just hope , neither would Benny.

“Ok! Ok!!! ...I’ll ...I’ll talk. Ok, I didn’t want you finding out this way, but I know of the locket , too. That’s why I wanted you safe , with me.

“You sound like Anderson.”

“What the hell? Have you been talking to him? What has that man said to you?! I’ll kill...”

“ Oh, so you’ll kill my brother, Benny?! Like, what else have you been hiding from me?! I thought I was your baby sister.”

“ Here, let me put the gauze on...”

“No, I can ..”

We tussle for the gauze but my grip was clearly stronger , at that point. I go to dry his blood, only for it to be .... be green ? I jumped up and run to the corner.

“ What ...what are you ?”

Benny looked at me , saddened for me to find out his secret in this way. He showed me his wound , and I was startled to say the least . It was like he was some hybrid , of human and alien or a clone?

“ I’m a clone , Rachel . I’m sorry you had to find out like this. This is what I was afraid of . I went down here to try and look for Anderson, and his friends said he left out to look for you. I tried getting away, and was tailed by Major Jensen , he kidnapped me, tortured me, all to get me to rat you out. But, I couldn’t . I was assigned to keep you safe , at birth , and took my job seriously ever since . This world had been messed up for quite some time. You are the bravest high-schooler , I know...”

He could tell I was getting annoyed , so he was wrapping up what he was saying , yet I froze. It was like I had a delayed reaction. Was my whole life a lie? What world is this ?

“ Rach, look, what you have in your possession , is a family heirloom, but it’s powerful . Your mom told me about it. She told me, to keep you and her safe , and that’s what I intend to do, even if they destroy me, I’ll just replicate again, and then find you, so I can do it all over again. I will always choose you, you’re my family. I have no one else but you and your mom”

“Is she... is she alive ?”

Benny got choked up, and who knew a clone could still process emotions. He looked so , so life-like . I had so many questions, and yet , so little time. I could only get out what my mouth blurted out. I guess my mind took a vacation.

“ How is this all possible?”

“ I was a part of an experiment. You remember how there were rumors of the government, leading experiments to make clones. For unknown reasons to me, of course, I .... was made. I was probed on for years, until perfected , then given the name, and a chance to explore the world. It was then, that I got a taste of the world, of New York, of simply existing , that I couldn’t go back. I tossed my tracking device , and decided to fully be , human.. and the more I lived, the human I became.”

Rachel stared aimlessly at the wall, as Benny kept confessing to her, words bounced off , from her ears , and dissipated into thin air.

“ Look, Rachel , I can explain how much evil is behind them experimenting, but I have no time. The only thing that matters is that locket. They’ll do absolutely anything , to get it. Your mom gave you a device , that could save humanity . The guards coming to our door, a second time , is a set-up . Anderson called me , asking about you, and the locket. I told him , it was in our safe box, but actually , it’s with you, right now.

“ What?”

Rachel checks her jeanjacket , and pulls out the golden heart-shaped locket. She starts to gasp , but shakes her head, thus bringing her attention back to current reality.

“ Benny, why do they want to kill anyone , for this ?... It’s my locket. MY mom gave this to me, what the hell do Army guards want with it?”

“ Hey, listen , this isn’t normal reality. This dimension and the next one , overlap. You have a chance to bring humans out of this hell-hold , into an utopian world. This is the heart of the world.”

Before I could even begin to think of another sentence , shots flew off and I instantly ducked , only to see Benny yell for me to run. I run up the wall, over the shelves , and throw myself out the door. I could only thank gymnastics for this. All this adrenaline kicked in, and I was dodging so many shots, bringing me into survival mode. I grabbed a weapon to defend myself , and was successful, until I reached close to the entry gate. I saw my face on the holographic screens, that lit up at each pole, scattered around the base.

I tumbled down to this underpass, hearing several guards swarm into the room. I took one second to sigh , and let out one big cry. My brother, my confidant , is a clone. Those were such evil things, I was told. I’d joke around with friends, on being one. My family would laugh at that thought. I feel betrayed. Why would my mom lie about Benny, and who he truly is. I had to snap out of it, though. I kissed my locket once , and sealed it into my jacket’s back pocket. I ran underneath the underpass, climbed up the ladder , and made my way out the base....with no car.

I found the parking lot, of the laboratory center , and smashed into the window , and unlocked the door, alerting the security AI present.

Yes! I made it out without them scanning my face, but they did scan my license plate . Darn!

“ Anderson?....Anderson?..” I called and called for my other brother on this radio device, yet no answer. I was definitely out of luck. I reached a stop sign, and put my head against the steering wheel. I was going to go back to the fort , until I heard him.

“ Rachel? Rach ,you there ?”

“ Yes! Yes I am, Where are you ? I got out , I’m safe, just ....I just got the license scanned by AI, but not my face.”

“ Heck... ok, ok, look that’s fine. Meet me at this location, sending coordinates now, log it into the Map , and you should find me under the bridge, Out.”

“Ok, out.”

Wow. Bridges seem to be my safe zone. Ok, this can work . You got this , Rach. Totally got this. It’s not like you’re carrying the future of humanity , in a freakin’ locket. No big deal , none at all. I finally found the hideout spot , and run up to Daniel, yet Daniel starts to cry and hugs me.

“ I’m so glad you’re ok. I swore to myself , if anything happened to you , there’d be hell to pay.”

“ Who? Little old me? Never . I’m the toughest fighter around .”

Rachel shows off the rifle she took , from off the base, and both of them laugh. It was the kind of laugh , one would hope could wash away the pain and worry of yesterday. They needed this laugh , but Humanity needed Rachel. She was a part of a coveted ancestral line of healers . It was this beloved heirloom piece , that has never once been opened, that would give Humanity a second chance.

Daniel packed up his bags , and suited up. Rachel looked with concern , and confusion.

“ Wait , what are you doing ?.. We ARE leaving this place right ? I can’t be alone ...No no no no no”

Daniel quiets Rachel down , and sits her on the log, inches under the entry way of the bridge. He looks at her , as if it may be goodbye.

“ I want you ...to hold onto this.” Daniel gives Rachel his picture of them, and his glasses, the key to the locket , and wipes her tears.

“ When they come, with all your might I want you to run, and while doing so, unlock this locket. It will set this reality back to where it should be, no evil clones , no sabatoge , nothing. This is humanity’s way out.”

“ But Benny...you ...will I remember any of you, of this ?”

“ You will , but you won’t remember this day, I know that . And hey, I said evil clones. I may hate the guy , for being closer to you than me, but he did a darn good job , protecting you. Look at you, my baby sis, she’s gonna save the world.”

“ I’ll look for you in the new reality .”

“ Not if I ...not if we find you , first, Rach Bear.. come here.”

They begin to hug , yet the hug is interrupted by this big tank, with a cannon attached , followed by two black Range Rover trucks. Both trucks drive ahead. Daniel looks back once more at Rachel, who is now at the opposite end of the bridge. He stays under the bridge.

Major Jensen steps out of the truck, signaling them to hold their fire. He grabs the megaphone out of the car, and presses it to his lip.

“ Rachel Anderson , please stop where you are. You have something that belongs to us. Please drop it now . It’s needs to be destroyed.”

“ YOU MEAN THIS BELONGS TO ME, AND MY FAMILY”

“ That’s sweet and all, but you have no idea , what that is. Just hand it over, and we’ll be done here . We will not hurt you, just hand it over .”

“NO YOU’LL HAVE TO CATCH ME FIRST”

“ Fire.... Let’s get this over with.” Jensen begins to step back into the car, until everything unfolds.

Shots fire off into the forest , hitting branches, logs , and one event grazed her hat. Rachel couldn’t lose focus or time, as her brother , Daniel’s voice remained steady in her mind, she used the key to unlock the locket. A big blast blew most of the trees down. Majority of the guards , began to disenegrate , as it was known knowledge were filled with unhinged clones. They couldn’t go into this dimension of rumored utopia. It was there, that Rachel’s mom waited for her , back in their apartment in Harlem. She held her picture, nightly , in hopes of her return. Rachel stepped into the swirls of blue and purple light , and zapped away.

Time has now been rewritten , for either the greatest utopia , or a more intricately woven hell, that no portal could easily undo.