Prologue
“Truth is stranger than Fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t”
-Mark Twain, Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World
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The celestial body slowly made its way through space, moving closer and closer to the massive, fiery giant that it had once called home. The ancient power in its shell quaking as it once again tasted the powerful radiation it nourishes on, the elements deep in the crust soaking up the energy and giving off a power that has not been felt by living beings for millennia. As the body settles into its once lost orbit, the Power starts its long return to the tiny blue brother that parallels its orbit.
Mark:
“This is an amazing occurrence that baffles and excites Astronomers! The Bopp Comet has started its orbit around the sun as predicted, but has surprisingly become stable, surprising NASA scientists. Already there are plans to send a crew to the comet for te-” Mark hits the dial on the radio as he pulls is aging Honda into the Mustard County Police Department, grabbing his backpack as he jumps out of the car he makes his way into the office; his long gangly legs taking large steps to make up time. Mark Toolis makes an odd sight in his uniform, with his tall skinny body and short mussed up brown hair; He does not strike any observer to be a member of the police force. They would be half right, as mark lumbers into the dispatch office, relieving Sharon who worked the night shift. “You are late.” Came Sharon’s tired but curt reply. “The highway was swarmed with people going crazy about the new comet; there were cars parked on the side just looking up. You cannot even see anything during the day” Came mark’s apologetic reply. “The traffic was standstill for several miles.” He logs into the system as Sharon leaves settling into the day, pouring a mug of coffee and getting out his tablet. At 25, working as a dispatch officer is not what Mark wanted to do with his life, and certainly not being stuck in a small Florida town like Mustard. His current place in society, a mixture of a criminal justice degree and failure to join the FBI, meant he had no clue what to do with his life or even what he wanted. He takes his first sip of coffee as the non-emergency phone line rings. “Mustard county Police Department, how may I help you?” “What are you guys going to do about these nut jobs on the highway? I can barely get through to work? What do we pay you guys for anyways if…” Mark sighs, it is going to be a long day.
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Sam:
Samantha Watts, or Sam to those she likes, sat in the diner, staring out the window as she the small amount of her breakfast lefty on the plate grows cold. On her way home for winter break from college, she grows depressed at the thought of returning to Mustard. Going to college in Orlando allowed her the freedom of being by herself with the excitement and crowds of a bigger city, but her father refused to pay for her dorm over breaks. “We want to see you baby girl. You never come home even though we are only a couple hours away,” her dad said as she expressed her interest to stay. She sighed again as she finished the last of her tea and got up to pay her bill. She should be arriving soon, though she was in no rush to reach that boredom. Payment finished, she uses the restroom before getting back in her truck and starting off again. The highway was packed with honking cars and people running up and down the rows or vehicles screaming and laughing. Sam smiled at the antics, reminding her of the friends she won’t see for several weeks back on campus, and she even considered getting out and joining them. That is until she saw the dogs one reveler is letting run around free on the side of the road, immediately suppressing the thought. God, I hate dogs Sam thinks while shuddering.
Tyler:
Tyler breached the surface of the water, enjoying the shock of air on his cold face. Tyler Dunn loves the water, he has joined every swim team he could and practically lives at the pool near his foster home. He lays back and floats on the salty water several yards off the beach, which is devoid of people except one couple walking a dog. He enjoys this time of year, when it gets too cold for others to swim, leaving him alone to the peace and relaxation of the ocean. He has one more semester left of Highschool before graduates and has to choose which college he will go to. Several have promised him lucrative scholarships for joining their swim team, but Tyler doesn’t really know what he wants to do with life, only that he wants to swim. His peace is interrupted by his foster mother calling for him from this coastal home “Come in you foolish boy, before you get sick,” she calls knowing full well he will be right out in the water after eating breakfast. “Coming ma,” he calls back smiling. Swimming back and walking up the beach, he looks up as her grabs his towel, seeing the bright mass in the sky as the comet that has been all over the news enters this solar system. He shivers, feeling like something is coming in life, like change is happening. His pause was noticed by his mother. “come one Tyler, your breakfast is getting cold” She grins as he shakes off the feeling, grins back, and jogs into the home.
The Power from the massive body reaches earth, easily passing through the atmosphere and spreading around the globe. Hidden genes lying dormant in the supposed junk of DNA start to turn on and trigger small slow changes. The Power continues, flowing into unseen pathways of the planet, filling invisible rivers with returning ancient energy. The past is returning slowly, but it is coming. The Power has come home.