A Machine Called Earth

“I remember when,

Life, was just me and God,

Under the old oak tree,

And there was nowhere else,

That I’d rather be.

But things have changed now, can’t you see,

This isn’t the way things were meant to be.

But we can look back

And say,

WHAT MEMORIES!”

This was a song which in the tedium of sailing down the Crystal River, Hector had resorted to singing. It was an old tune that he had known since he was a child, sung by his mother. Singing was a great way to pass the time. When traveling down a river, after a few days, everything begins to look the same, water in front of you, water behind, riverbanks to the sides.

After three days, as Hector made his way down the river, he had reached a canyon with steep, black cliffs on either side. It was a contrast from the beginning of his journey, where the landscape which hugged the river, was quite flat and littered with pines and oaks. Sailing through the Tammerville Lake and crossing the threshold into the river was quite easy, with wide expanses between the river banks, though at this point down the river, it had narrowed quite considerably. Which although made for some nerve-racking navigation, actually created some interesting echoes as Hector sang.

Hector thought for a moment that it must have been hard for the Trading ships to make their way through these waters, but then he remembered that they have been using airships for the last ten years. ‘Well they were more like glorified hot air balloons.’ Valimir used to say. Though his distaste was probably more due to his fear of flying. For, traveling by air was quite dangerous, your vessel was an open target for anyone with a gun or a strong enough throwing arm, who could puncture the canopy. Down you go, all your possessions free for the taking, as you’re ransacked, and probably killed. That is to say if the violent easterly winds don’t throw you into a cliff or something, like some vengeful deity, who has taken offense to you taking the sky. “It’s a fool’s errand to put yourself in unnecessary danger.’ Valimir would say especially on the topic of flying.

There were several types of airships that sailed the skies. Trade Ships, Privately owned ships, and Pirate Ships. The Trade ships were rugged and sturdily built. They also, always had an emblem painted on the sails and hull, showing they were indeed trading ships. An unmarked ship that hadn’t received clearance to enter the airspace of a town could be shot down. The privately owned ships, they were strictly in the possession of the wealthy. Usually covered in ornaments of their travels, and trinkets showing off their wealth. But they are rarely seen around Tammerville. Or at least they are not recognized as they generally fly far higher than the Trading Airships, usually above the clouds. They say that the sky is the ocean for the free. And last but certainly not least, the Pirate ships. They are usually sailed by factions of the south and west of Arccon. There is a fourth type of airship, that of the Maplestone fleet, though they are often mistaken for pirate ships. Due to sharing the black sails, as well as the do-anything-for-the-right-price captains that commanded the vessel.

Hector decided to continue singing,

“Where is the hill on which we sit?

I don’t think I can make it,

To the End.

I can’t seem to take things back,

To the way they were before.

But we can LOOK BACK,

And say,

WHAT MEMORIES!”

After a few more hours, of navigating the treacherously narrow waters, swerving between the jagged rocks, avoiding collision, Hector began to hear voices. They were coming from atop the canyon walls. They sounded like they were arguing. Hector let down the sail which flapped about quite loudly, so he could hear better. However he couldn’t make out what they were saying, as they were quite far up, on the edge of the cliff above, and their voices, bounced and echoed off the canyon walls. But he could make out at least two male voices, and a girls voice. Suddenly, he heard a gunshot, and a scream. At that moment a body fell from the cliff into the water.

Hector waited for the body to surface, and when it finally did emerge from the murky water, he saw that it was the girl. Hector then dived in to get her, luckily the waters were calm, which made it easy to get back on the boat with the soaking, limp body. ‘Hopefully she isn’t dead.’ Hector thought.

There she lay on the deck of Hector’s home away from home, unconscious. Hector examined her for injuries, and saw where the bullet had hit her, but it was only a flesh wound, nothing too serious, the bullet had just passed straight through the other side, mealy nicking the flesh of her lower shoulder. She had also managed to escape serious injury from the fall, narrowly missing the rocks, although, she did have some minor abrasions, and her clothes were torn and tattered. Hector quickly attended to her wounds, and began to examine her to see if she was going to die, or pull through, determining whether he should dump her back into the water or not. However, in Hector’s eyes, she was a beautiful woman, far more beautiful than any woman from Tammerville. He thought that perhaps she was an angel or some sort of princess, for although he was old enough that he might be considered a man, he still delighted in the fantasies of a child. He mainly thought this for two reasons, one: that she was quite beautiful, and two: She looked very different from anyone in Tammerville. For both her hair and clothes were different from what he had seen in Tammerville. She wore a white, green-trimmed dress with green sleeves, and a striped outer-corset, and had long, dark, straight hair, free from any hair-tie or brimmed bonnet.

The town of Tammerville was born from what is now, the capital of Arccon, Syre. Which in the first era, one thousand years ago, settled north of the land. They carried their own ideologies, technologies, architecture and clothing, that was different from the rest of those who inhabit Arccon.

The mysterious woman finally came-to, coughing up her lungs, along with quite a lot of water. “Who are you?” Hector asked. She didn’t answer. She looked terrified, and her big blue eyes were wide with horror. “It’s ok, you’re safe now.” He consoled. She smiled, but still didn’t answer his question. For she was still catching her breath, and clearing her throat from almost drowning.

Soon, when she began to calm down, Hector asked, “Who were those people? Why did they shoot you?”

She looked at him with wide eyes as she recounted the past day. She then clutched his arm saying, “They... they were monsters, their eyes, fangs... They were chasing me. They said it was my time.” She was still in, what Valimir would call, a ‘compromising state.’ Still full of adrenaline, void of reason.

“Your time for what?”

She paused, “I don’t know.”

Hector knew that she was talking about creatures similar to what he had seen in the Tammerville town hall. “The curse plaguing Tammerville must be spreading elsewhere as well.” Hector muttered to himself, as though making a mental note. “But where did it originate, if anywhere?”

After some time, when the strange girl had finally regained her composure, Hector asked, “Where are you from?”

She said, “I am from the city of Maplestone.” Though Hector hadn’t heard of that name before, and he looked puzzled. She had caught on, and said, “You may know of it as Valelen. You’re from Syre aren't you?”

“Well, I am actually from Tammerville.” Hector corrected. “It is an off-shoot town from Syre connected by rail. Though I must say, I haven’t been taught much of places far from Tammerville.”

She looked at Hector angrily. “Typical. You lot only interested in yourselves. Can’t bring yourselves to teach about anything outside your boarders.” She continued. “Maplestone sits at the foot of Mt Alrin and the southern mountain range, on the northern plane, south of Tammerville past the Black Canyons, and the red forest. Anyways, there has been rumor that there is a city beyond the mountains, on the other side, further south than any map goes. They are believed to be the cause of the black clouds that you have no doubt seen. Unless you have great walls surrounding your town, and haven’t seen them.”

Hector could sense the hostility of her words. There was much conflict between the native peoples of Arccon, and the people of Syre, and its branched cities, like Tammerville. Generations of war and conflict over a thousand years, tend to plant hatred deep into the hearts of those affected. Even if the motives and sparks of war have been long forgotten.

“But how can a city thrive out there? I always thought there was nothing but desert over past the mountains. A barren wasteland.”

“So did I.” She said, “But what else would create such black clouds?”

Soon evening fell and Hector decided to anchor down the boat for the night. Once the sun had finally hidden behind the top of the cliff, not to be seen till the next morning, and darkness began to settle on the land, Hector turned on his lantern. That was after winding the generator about fifty times. They then sat listening to the gentle hum of the luminescent machine, and the tender rocking of the boat. It was a scene a little too romantic for two strangers.

But the girl then asked, breaking what was almost an awkward moment, saying, “What are you doing out here? It’s a dangerous time were living in to be out traveling alone.”

With a smile Hector replied, “I guess could say the same about you.” But in a more thoughtful tone he said, “People began turning into beasts. Similar to what I guess was chasing you, so the people of Tammerville singled me out, to go and investigate.”

“Why you?” She asked.

“Well I used to be part of the Tammerville city guard. Known as the ‘Blackcoats.’ I am one of the only people within the city, who is trained to shoot. A skill that is on the brink of extinction in Tammerville. So anyway I’m Hector, and you are?”

“Hope.”

“Well, nice to meet you Hope.” Hector said. “We should probably get some rest, I intend on making it to River-ton, tomorrow. Feel free to make your way below deck, there’s a bed there. I’ll sleep up here.”

“Yes, of course. But why is it that, Tammerville’s city guard is no more? I think it strange.”

“Well since the great war, Tammerville was flooded with refugees from Syre. Now by all means, we need the city guard, to keep things civil. But things are stretched thin you see. The government couldn’t afford to pay the city guard for their services, and had to disband it. Which to be honest, left us guards, with nothing to do. We weren't skilled in other crafts. I was considering starting up a private policing and investigating agency with some of the other former guards, but now all this has started happening. Perhaps when this is all over, I’ll give it a try.”

“Well good luck with that. It is getting late though, I’d best get some rest.” As Hope made her way across the deck, towards the hatch leading below, she turned back and with a smile she said. “Thanks again, for saving me. I know it was only by luck, that you rescued me, but I’m glad you were there.” With those words she went below deck.

Hector’s adventure was only a couple days in, and he’d already made a new friend.

Life seems to be a repetitive game of chance. We are constantly being put in seemingly random situations. The future is forever unknown. Life seems to be but a reaction to situations we are put into. But do these almost random events have a higher purpose or reason? Only time will tell. I say these things, because of the day that has just passed. I could never have imagined the most beautiful girl I have ever seen drop from the sky, into my life. However all is not well, it seems the ‘curse’ is bigger than I originally thought. These so called beasts, are not limited to Tammerville. Which dismissed the thought that this is some kind of infection. For Valelen has also seen the effects of this curse. A town very far from Tammerville.