A first glimpse at a budding scifi novel!

- Lost in Thought -

The door opened out to a small, tight room, all white or at least it used to be before the Change. A clean clinical environment was now charred with remnants of old frazzled wiring hanging across it’s walls, and moss growing out of cracks and edges. How many years had it been since anyone had stepped foot in here? 700? 800?

“A thousand years since anyone stepped in here!”

“You’re getting carried away, Light.”

“Light can’t get carried away.”

“Then it’s time for a break.”

The two humans that had entered the space backed out of it calmly, seemingly unphased by their huge discovery. Only an edge of a smile up one of their faces gave away a hint of excitement beneath. They were careful with their steps, so as to avoid tripping over a vast sprawling network of tree root spread out under them. From a good ten steps distance, it was clear that the room they had entered was actually part of a crash site of sort, perhaps an old fallen space station or a part of an old building displaced by catastrophic weather. Either way, it was now balancing precariously on the floor of a large wood, perfect for the two wanderers to rest in.

The unsmiling one pointed at a large cavern in the side of a giant seqoia trunk.

“There.”

Words were few between them but enough to be clearly understood. They both climbed into the tree hole and sat side by side with their legs crossed. The smiling one, now unsmiling, lifted it’s hand.

“Head empty.”

A reply. “Head empty.”

With eyes closed and one finger in the air, they sat in absolute silence until the sun cast a golden glow through the branches. Both their faces were now void of any movement, shape, or animation, almost unidentifiable. One climbed slowly out of the warm hole, followed by the other as they stepped back toward the ruin. What must have been the smiling one (since it was the one wearing the rucksack), went first, steps almost automatic but not robotic. The room was as they left it but now they seemed more prepared to investigate. What had caused the sniff of excitement before was there, right in the middle, a horizontal egg shaped pod, long and wide enough to fit a body. A small square plaque lay atop it, covered in growing vine. A hand wiped them away gently, lovingly, revealing words underneath.

“Read?”

“Jetson Bei, 28, Systems Engineer, 2101”

“Human!” The rucksack human was excited again but this time, the other did not discourage them. It was also overcome with excitement. It’s suddenly sparkling eyes surveyed the pod, hands wandering to see what else lay beneath the vines.