Memories of a Traveller

[Location: Observatory Hall, Orbital Cluster Philip Augustus, right above the Mediterranean.]
[Previously: At a Company reception, several underlings were talking about holiday destinations when a Big Boss arrived and not only interrupted the flow of the conversation but re-routed it into current politic affairs.]

[Big Boss monologuing] - The vote this weekend is critical, not only for the affected country itself but also for the Earth Union. The Union cannot afford to lose a member, any member; otherwise other countries of the Union will also be attacked the same way and they will have also to leave the Union, making the Union weaker not stronger. It is not that the Union can expel a member, but a country can always left. The real problem is the current government. I really hope your country [Big Boss pointing to one of the underlings] is not going to vote for Permane. They are the same and then your country will be the next in the list...

[The pointed-to underling looks to Big Boss with a distant expression on the face]

[Big Boss first confused, then annoyed] What's the matter? you don't think so ?

[underling] It doesn't really matter. It is pointless.

[Big Boss, surprised] Pointless? What do you mean?

[underling] Five years and six and a half month for today, a real First Contact will take place. Two years and three months after that precise date our species will be on the brink of extinction.

[Big Boss, scoffing] You believe so?

[underling] No. I don't believe so. I know. I was there.

[Deathly silence]

The Forest

This story is the result of a proposal to write a very short story of less than 300 words with the only premise of the title being "The Forest". Hope you like it.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is dark now. 

I canʼt see them, but I can hear them. 

They are close now. 

I told them, told them it was not a good idea to come here. 

Too far away. 

But they never listened to me, except maybe Mike. 

Yes, Mike. 

Mike always listened to every one, even me. 

Good fellow, Mike. Yes, good fellow. 

But he was the first one who died. 

Actually, he didnʼt die. 

He was killed. 

Killed by them. 

They killed him. 

Damn forest! 

I told them we were too far away. 

Not even the GPS signals reach so deep in the forest. 

Anna tried to get some reception to determinate our position. 

The idea was to find the river. You find the river, you find the exit. 

But, they didnʼt listen to me. 

I told them. 

But anyway, she tried to climb up the damn tree. 

She broke her legs. 

Ok, maybe only one of them, but that was bad enough. 

We tried to help her, to carry her, but she was too heavy. 

We let her there. 

They got her. Damn it! 

I cannot stop hearing her cries. 

They got her. 

They killed her. 

But, they didnʼt stop there. 

They kept following us. 

They kept getting us. 

They kept killing us. 

Now it is dark. 

I am the only one left. 

I think. Not sure. 

Too dark to be sure of anything. 

Only thing sure, they are there. 

I canʼt see them, but I can hear them. 

The river. 

I have to find the river. 

It is close. 

I know. 

I can hear it. 

But, it is so dark now...

The Game

Last night was again a night without sleep. My excuse was the dinner, too much cheese I said to them. But the true is different, worse. The kids are partially guilty, but actually I am the only one to blame. Looks like a game, but it is not funny, not for me at least, not anymore since I was eight.

But it is becoming too complicated. I will try to put it much more simple.

Yesterday we were at the school. The kids are in a baseball team and there was a match against another school. A lot of people were there. Maybe forty to fifty families. Well, I must say, there were sixty seven cars in the parking lot. I know. I counted them. Only seven were red, but all of them were even.

We were going to the school. As usual at the highway there were more cars than space, the same nice traffic jam of every day.

The kids don't like the jams. To be fair, no one likes them.

They were busy looking to the other cars and talking about the people inside. I thought they were searching for some other kids, some of their friends. They caught me by surprise. They were playing the game, that silly game. I was not able to believe it. They didn't play it in years.

I was able to hear them. First, they started looking for any one, then they were going more to the specific ones. I was afraid, I mean, really afraid. I don't want for them to know. Not now at least. Better, they should never know. Actually no one should know. I don't know why I am writing it down here...

But again, I am becoming too complicated. They, the kids, they were playing "just a game". I am sure everyone knows the game. I used to liked it when I was a boy, so long ago. Rules are very easy. You just suggest a plate number detail, like for example that the last cipher is 8 and the first one who sees a car with the corresponding plate number wins and choose the next victory condition.

As I said, I really liked the game until one day. We were back from the zoo. There was an accident on the highway, it was the worst traffic jump I have seen in my life. At the beginning everything was fine. I won a few rounds, my little sister and my mother the others.

That was the last time I played...

Well to be honest, it is not totally true.

I am still playing and that is the reason of my fears, of my sleepless nights.

That last game as I was eight, I won the previous round and I chose the victory condition.

It seemed as normal as any other one.

Red car with odd plate number.

That was more than forty years ago.

I am still searching for it...