Issue 2: The Rise of Oracle

2052

A family is driving through seemingly endless Indiana cornfields. They are heading back to the airport to return to Italy. The father’s family lives in Indiana, but he, his wife, and his son live in Italy. Their four-year-old son is sitting in the back seat, playing with his teddy bear. Alessandra, the mother, places a loving hand over her pregnant belly.

Alessandra(in Italian): Do you think she’ll be like Carlos?

Francis(in Italian): Maybe, but Carlos is fine, isn’t he?

Alessandra nods, smiles, and looks back at Carlos as he sings a song that he just made up.

Francis yawns: (in Italian) Let’s turn on a movie. Visula, turn on Alessandra’s favorite movie playlist.

The car projects a screen from the middle of the dashboard.

Car:(in Italian) Okay. Turning on Alessandra’s movie playlist.

A fantasy movie begins to play. The steering wheel turns and swivels by itself. Francis leans back in the driver’s seat.

Carlos(in Italian): Mama! There’s a cloud!

Alessandra smiles: (in Italian) What does it look like, love?

Carlos:(in Italian) A soda can!

Francis laughs:(in Italian) A week in the States and he’s already thinking about soda cans!

Suddenly, the movie stops and the projection disappears. 

Car: Warning! Nuclear missile silo breached! Missile launched! This is not a drill! Warning! Nuclear missile launched! This is not a drill! Warning!...

Francis(in Italian): This has to be a test or something…

Alessandra:(in Italian) It says it’s not a drill, though.*she looks out the car window* FRANCIS, THERE’S A MISSILE SHOOTING INTO THE SKY!!!

Francis tells the car to stop. He looks out the window.

Francis:(in Italian) You’re right! 

Francis desperately looks for a place to take shelter. 

Francis:(in Italian) There! *he points to a barn in the distance*

He scoops up Carlos and the family runs toward the barn. They arrive and crouch into the corner farthest away from the entrance.

Carlos begins to cry:(in Italian) Papa! Mama!

Alessandra holds Carlos close to her:(in Italian) Shhh…We’ll be okay, baby.

She then begins to sing a song to Carlos. Francis taps his watch and it projects a screen which reads that the nuclear missile was launched in the United States and is on a projected path towards some obscure country in central Asia.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Francis sighs:(in Italian) It’s not heading for us.

Alessandra:(in Italian) But after it lands, there might be more heading into the States.

Francis:(in Italian) Well, hopefully we’ll have left the States by then.

Just then, they hear a piercing explosion. Francis’s watch projection turns from a nuclear missile warning to a falling debris warning. The watch reads: Nuclear missile has been disabled. Take shelter from falling debris.

Alessandra:(in Italian) Falling debris?!

A large shard of metal bursts through the barn’s roof. They scream. The parents form a protective shield in front of Carlos as more pieces of metal fall from the sky and fall through the ceiling. Francis’s watch changes again. The debris warning has expired. They sigh with relief. Then, Alessandra begins to grimace in pain.

Francis:(in Italian) Alessandra, what’s wrong?

Alessandra:(in Italian) I…I think I’m having contractions!

Francis:(in Italian) No, no! You’re only seven months along!

Alessandra:(in Italian) I know! 

Out of nowhere, two mysterious men arrive at the barn. One just appears out of thin air, while the other runs into the barn at a much faster speed than is natural.

Figure 2:(in English) Is everyone alright?!

Francis:(in Italian) My wife is in labor!

Figure 2 is confused:(in English) What language is he speaking?

Figure 1: He’s speaking Italian. I believe that he just said his wife is in labor. 

Figure 2: Then, we need to get her to a hospital!

Figure 1: I can take the woman to the hospital. You can take the the man and the boy there.

Figure 2: Got it! Wait…How can I tell them I’m going to the hospital?

Figure 1: I’ll translate. (in perfect Italian to Alessandra) My partner will take your husband and son to the hospital. I will be taking you myself.

Alessandra:(in Italian) Who are you people?! *she sucks in a breath* Nevermind! Just take me there!

Figure 1 grabs Alessandra’s hand and the two of them disappear.

Francis:(in Italian) What the heck just happened?!

Figure 2: Uuum…*he signals with his hand* Come to me and hang on!

Francis seems to understand, and he and Carlos grab Figure 2’s arm. Then, they speed to the nearest hospital at a rate they never thought possible. At the hospital, Francis and Carlos anxiously wait in the waiting room. Figure 2 has disappeared. After a few hours, Alessandra has given birth to a premature and weak, but otherwise healthy baby girl. The two of them enter Alessandra’s hospital room. Alessandra is holding her new baby, who is curled against her in an incubation onesie with cords attached to a nearby machine.

Carlos:(in Italian)Baby sister?

Alessandra*with tears in her eyes*:(in Italian) Yes, this is your baby sister.

Francis smiles and touches the baby’s head:(in Italian) What will her name be?

Alessandra:(in Italian) I was thinking Venessa, like your sister.

A couple of nurses enter the room.

Nurse 1:(in broken Italian) Are you feeling good?

Alessandra nods:(in Italian) Yes.

One of the nurses turns to look at Carlos, who is sitting in one of the chairs. Steam is rising up from the chair’s metal armrest.

Alessandra: Carlos!

Carlos: Oopsie.

Carlos lifts his hand from the armrest to reveal that he has melted part of the armrest with his bare hands. One of the nurses calls something over the intercom. Moments later, a few security officers rush in and grab Carlos and pull him out of the room.

Carlos*screaming*: Mama! Papa!

Alessandra:(in Italian) No! What are you doing?! We were told that we could keep him as long as we kept a close watch on his abilities!

Security officer: I’m sorry, ma’am. It’s the law. It might’ve been different in Italy, but you’re in the U.S.

Francis:(in Italian) Give us back our son!!!

Another security officer snatches Venessa from Alessandra’s hands and pulls the machine with them.

Alessandra is crying now:(in Italian) No, don’t take my baby! We don’t know if she’s like Carlos yet!

Security officer: If one of your children is powered, it’s far too likely that their siblings will.

Francis:(in Italian) No! You can’t!