The Root of Evil

Ruth breathed in the fresh countryside air, her lungs rejuvenated by the untainted atmosphere. It was almost enough for her to forget the past. Almost.

Ever since BioSolutions became the biggest business in the history of humankind, the company flocked to the big cities, the primary source of their income and workforce, and polluted the metropolitans on a massive scale. It was a new level of irony. “Growing a greener tomorrow.” Like the millions of peach trees planted through their “charity” are actually going to solve world hunger or deforestation and will balance out their atrocities towards nature. She knew what a load of BS that was now. But, the public will believe virtually anything as long as someone promises to be their savior.

Their public adoration and media spotlight happened almost in an instant. The company became an overnight sensation with a single video showing the ability to grow a human limb from a single cell planted in the ground. Not so surprisingly, the video garnered hundreds of millions of views and came under fire as a marketing ploy, that was until they restored a man’s right arm and leg that he’d lost in the most recent war. No one could deny the public display on live television, so the world's hospitals and governments were quick to secure lucrative contracts.

She actually used to work for the science-tech giant. Ruth was never one for science, but something about the “revolutionary” company drew her in. So, armed with an IT degree, she joined BioSolutions. It was only after what she found at the root of the company that shook her to her core. She ran away as fast and far as humanly possible, the skyscrapers now far out of sight.

What did Ruth find that was so unsettling? Her past wasn’t something she wanted to revisit, but her memory held the key to BioSolutions’ true motive.

Three Months Ago

As an IT agent, she was tasked with the daily management of BioSolutions’ servers to ensure smooth operation. But, at her skill level, even her low-level clearance wasn’t enough to keep Ruth from finding everything and anything in the millions of coded files. They probably thought no one would stumble on their most secure, most hidden files; it would be a one-in-a-million chance. For this particular tech genius, though, it hadn’t been an issue granting herself unlimited access. She wasn’t snooping per se, but she was curious what BioSolutions had coming next. That was her mistake.

Seemingly random data files littered the secure network. Upon many viewings, Ruth eventually realized just what she was looking at: ancient texts, paganistic images, disturbing videos. They ran horrifying experiments. Some of the videos showed live human dissection, both externally and internally. The most terrifying video, however, was the one she couldn’t understand: plant life growing out of human bodies, hooded figures chanting a faint hum in an unrecognizable language, and countless fruit trees sprawled throughout. Upon first viewing, her mind raced at what it could possibly mean. Why would a company that supposedly enhances human life be dabbling in death? After further viewing, it became clearer that they weren’t experimenting with death: the subjects were still alive. She almost gagged from the sight of it. Human volunteers in visible agony were slowly morphing into trees. Peach trees. Why peach trees?

After intensive research, Ruth found the answer in the archaic texts lying in BioSolutions’ digital database. Parsing BioSolutions’ data with a quick Google search, she found out exactly what she needed to. In ancient societies, the peach was a symbol of immortality. They were the figure for longevity and unity. It was clear BioSolutions was planning something well beyond her lifetime.

Ruth sat on her couch, topped off wine glass in hand. She couldn’t help but feel utterly clueless. Her curious mind has always helped her solve one question to the next, but Ruth doesn’t know if she can unspin this twisted web of deceit and darkness. She knew so much but so little at the same time. And yet, she couldn’t let go. Ruth had to know. BioSolutions has been a pretty typical employer: no weird bosses, no strange rules, no odd saying-... The employee motto immediately invades her mind. Ruth hadn’t thought much about what it meant; all she knew was that everyone shouted it when we celebrated at various functions. Was there meaning in this motto? “Primum Adventum.” The saying brought her a sense of comfort and satisfaction. Surely there wasn’t a darker meaning to it? After cross-translating it to a plethora of languages, she stumbled on to the Latin translation: “the first coming.” Her head spun. Ruth needed to know what was coming. She returned back to work and spent hours digging through the database, looking for answers. Then, in a single moment, everything became clear.

As she tends her garden at her secluded cabin, now budding with various vegetables and herbs, she tries to make peace with herself. Ruth glances around her isolated property, taking in the untouched greenery, rolling hills, clear blue skies, and shrubs rustling with apparent wildlife. Not even a breathtaking natural wondering such as this distract her mind. The only thing she could think of was all those peach trees planted through BioSolutions. Those poor people. Rivals, protestors, opposing politicians. All facing a fate worse than death. Then she thought about the First Coming. She hoped she wouldn’t live to see the day. Ruth constantly prayed to the potential God or gods that a swift demise will befall her.

“You’re pretty clever, Ruth.” The former IT agent immediately spins and lays eyes on a man she’d never met before but knew exactly why he was here: he was one of the many conducting these horrendous experiments in the footage. “We know that you know our plan, and we can’t afford to have anything get in our way. Blah. Blah. Blah.” he continues, unamused like he’s done this before. Ruth remained frozen. She was stunned beyond belief. She figured she had more time. It couldn’t end here. “Isn’t it beautiful? Our millions of peach trees scattered throughout the globe serving a greater purpose. A true purpose.”

She was going to be sick. Ruth tried to maintain composure, but her whole being was shaking. She couldn’t get a word out. “You’ve impressed us. Truly impressed us. As a reward, I’ll tell you absolutely everything. Besides, you only have a few minutes left.” Her eyes slowly fell to her arm, where an empty needle poked out. In her shock, she must not have even felt the twinge. “Yes, those millions of trees are people, but we didn’t kill anybody. They’re still alive. Well, at least their souls are. Think of it as a pseudo-Hell. Their souls are trapped in this plane in excruciating torment. Their spirits don’t belong here, and it creates a dissonance in their ethereal existence. If you listen closely, you can hear their alluring cries as they wait for a great power to rise from the Underworld.” Ruth feels light-headed and uses every ounce of her energy to maintain her balance. “We serve an ancient deity, and their screams call Him. And, soon enough, His thirst will be insatiable. He will ascend from below and claim this world as his own, this twisted creation made from a false god. It will be the true First Coming, and we will be His loyal servants,” the man finally explains. Ruth falls to the ground, her motor reflexes now vanished. “Why something so silly as peach trees? I have to admit that it sounds pretty stupid saying it aloud. Well, those ancient myths were onto something. Turns out, peach trees can offer true immortality; you just need to understand not the biology but the spiritual nature of the tree. The ancient Chinese surely did,” the mysterious man offers. “We don’t know when our Dark Lord will come, but we will have millions, even billions, of souls ready for Him.” The man sums up the speech of his grandeur delusions.

In her last moments of consciousness, she panics as she sees what her flesh has become: an unholy, wooden temple for a dormant, dark deity. With the former woman now a fully developed offering, the man picks a peach, takes a bite, and leaves, all with a deep, sickening laugh.