A Time Not Yet Forgotten a Time before Hope

The New World of Earth (Chapter 1) In all his eighteen years, Michael had never seen so much activity from the people of Mars. All that Michael was told was that the Elders would be here soon arrive and that he needed to provide assistance if needed. Michael did as he was told, but he was still not sure why he had been asked to attend or even what the agenda was for this mysterious meeting. By far this was not the first formal meeting that Michael had attended in the Great Stone Chamber after all he was an assistant to the regional constable, but it was the first event that someone had asked that he attend. Michael knew remarkably little about the history of the Great Stone Chamber, but what mattered was the creatures that had plagued his people for so long could not get in to it. Michael did not know who constructed stone chamber or even how long the structure had protected his people. Michael did know it was dank, musky and fairly dim, but it was safe and that was better than most places. Michael by far was the youngest member of the regional constable’s team and had never seen more than four or five Elders in one place. No one including the constable had anything to say about the meeting, or at least no one had anything to say to Michael. Over last few years, Michael had met at least seven or eight Elders, but the only Elder that Michael knew personally was his grandfather. Michael’s grandfather had asked him to attend this meeting. At this point, Michael just wished that he understood the importance of this meeting. In the last two hours, dozens of Elders had shown up but from what Michael understood it could be hours before all the Elders arrived. Every time more people showed up, the villagers would bring more food or water, and Michael would help distribute to the ever growing number of people. Although this helped to pass the time, there was not a lot for Michael to do. ~*~ It was now fourteen hours since Michael had opened the Great Stone Chamber, and there were now at least a hundred and fifty people in the main setting area. Even though, it could seat several times that many people, it had been many years since the Great Stone Chamber had seen so many people. The part that confused Michael the most was that no one was asking any questions especially about the purpose of this meeting. Michael clearly did not understand what was going, but he was far too embarrassing to ask. Suddenly everyone in the Great Chamber started shifting around to take their place around the old wooden table and wooden benches near the center of the chamber. Moments later a group of five guards began escorting an extremely old man into the Great Chamber. As a child, Michael had heard the stories about the legendary soothsayer Abraham Yates the oldest of the Elders and the spiritual leader of the people of Mars. Michael did not share the psychic or second site abilities of most of his people, but suddenly he was overwhelmed by a feeling of fear and significance that he did not yet understand. Although Michael was never sure that the great soothsayer was even a real person; there, he sat at the head of the table getting ready to address the other Elders. Michael was surprised to see how alert the old man acted despite his age of at least three hundred years. Everyone in the great chamber seemed to be mesmerized by the old man who had not even spoken yet. Abraham Yates began by saying “Everyone in this room knew this day would come and now we must decide what is to be done”. Michael could see the anxiety and fear on the faces of everyone in the Great Stone Chamber. Michael did not fully comprehend what was going on, but somehow he knew that the old man was telling the truth. After a long, awkward pause, the matriarch at the other end of the table asked what about the others are we to abandon them and leave them to the same fate that we have suffered. Abraham Yates took a deep breath and then replied that the fate of the others was not up to him or this council. Abraham Yates then added “As far as I can see their fate is quite doubtful at best, but is not yet written in stone”. The old woman mumbled to herself for a few moments before she asked “Have we lost all our humanity”. Everyone stared in silence at the old couple who did not take their eyes off of each other. Several minutes pass before the old woman added “We are obligated to warn our brothers and sisters, and to see if we can help them”. Abraham replied “I do not see how we can help, but I agree we are obligated to at least see where they were”. The old man stood up and look around the great chamber as though he was looking for someone he knew. After a few moments the old man asked “Would anyone be willing to make this trip to Earth to see if anything could be done for our brothers and sisters”. The Great Stone Chamber was extremely silent as everyone tried to find the courage to say anything but could not. The old woman stood up and looked around the room, but yet no one had the courage to volunteer or the resolve to say anything to the old man who stood waiting for someone to answer. Michael did not know why he suddenly stood up and asked if he could be the one to go. The chamber remained painfully silent as everyone started staring at Michael while they waited for Abraham to respond. Abraham looked across the great hall until he found the single voice that had the courage to speak. Abraham then asked Michael “What if anything do you know of the people we call the others”, and after a few moments the old man asked “what do you think you can do for them”. Michael responded “Until this moment, I was not even sure that the others really existed”. After a few moments, Michael added that his great-grandfather use to tell him stories about these people and how they gave up everything to warn us of what was to come, but clearly there was nothing one person could do to help them.