A Machine Called Earth

Hector began to feel incredibly nervous at the capriciousness of the man before him, he was amazed at how this man managed to become mayor of this strange underwater city. The man turned around and went to return the sword he had taken from Hector. He handed it to Hector hilt first. But Hector’s nervous hands, Hector dropped the sword on the ground. The clanging as the sword hit the ground, resonated throughout the halls.

The mayor smiled at Hector, as he was fumbling to put the weapon back into its scabbard. He said, “Shall I continue?”

“Y-Yes of course.” Hector stammered nervously.

“Well, all of a sudden, the cities wanted to stop fighting, and become one united land. This would mean, no more weapons. In an effort to stop the gathering, as they tried to unite, Malachi payed some, what do you call, mercenaries to attack them.”

“That was you lot!” Hector shouted. “I was there, I had to fight and kill the attacking bandits. That was the reason I was made to find the solution to the curse plaguing Tammerville. I was the only remaining trained solider who was in fighting condition left in my town. If it wasn’t for you lot, I wouldn’t be here!” He shouted right in this man’s face. Hector was quite angry at this point.

“Well, maybe that was fate.” The man chuckled with a raised eyebrow. “Now, Will you let me continue?” The man said as he wiped the smile off his face and shoved the barrel of his pistol into Hector’s chest and pushed him back an arm’s length. He continued.

“Well we thought of a way to really fire up the war again. We decided to create a bomb. Something that would really stir up some trouble. I have to say lad, we were drunk with power at this point, but that didn’t stop us wanting more. When a prototype was made, we traveled south, to where Violet Town is now, which was still nothing but desert at that point, and began to start testing.” The man walked back to his throne and sat down, adjusting himself on the seat with an expression of possible back pain. “Well, long story short, after the test fire, we went to ground zero to scope the damage.” With a chuckle, the man proceeded. “Boy was there damage alright. Before us was the biggest crater we had ever seen. Much larger than we had estimated.” Leaning forward the man said. “We then thought to enter the crater to inspect the destruction first hand. When the five of us were inside, we found at one point, there was dust continuously blowing. To our astonishment, we found an air vent. Right at the very bottom of the crater. We had never seen such a thing.”

“What’s an air vent doing out there?” Hector asked.

“That’s exactly what we were thinking. There we stood, facing this metal grate. So we opened it, and climbed inside. There was a ladder that we followed down. The dark, rusty shaft went so far down we thought we might find our way to the earth’s core, and perhaps we did. Unfortunately, curiosity got the better of us. We took the shaft as far as it would lead. We came to a level where we were able to stand and catch our breath. There were several of these. Then suddenly, the level we were standing on, broke apart. There we fell, and we found more than we had bargained for.” The man paused.

In an impatient tone, Hector asked. “What? What did you find?”

As the man rubbed his eyes, he said almost in a whisper. “A room. A control room.”

“A control room? What do you mean a control room? A control room for what?” Hector asked pryingly.

“For the world! That’s what!” The man shouted. “Deep underground, a control room. Where all matter of life was made, sustained or could even be, changed.”

The man stood up again. “At the very sight of the room full of mechanical arms and levers, we were captivated. To the point of obsession, we studied each device. In our hands, was a Pandora’s box of possibilities.”

“Where did this room come from? Who made it?” Hector asked.

“Well, that’s were I differed from the rest of the five. In all the commotion of falling through the floor, into the room, as the dust was settling, I’m positive that I saw a person. But when all had settled, he was gone. But none of the others saw him or believed me. They were transfixed with illusions that they could be gods.

Our whole goal was the obtaining of power. And now we had complete power in our grasp.” The man began to walk in circles around Hector. He continued. “And I’m ashamed to admit it, but we were the cause of everything. The beasts, the trees, everything. I felt that we were doing wrong, so that was when I left, the other followed shortly. But there are three still in there. Mind you, we were in there for years before we did some real damage.”

“I have to stop them.” Hector motioned.

“Sorry ma boy. I like your enthusiasm, but you can’t stop them.”

Hector quickly interrupted him, saying. “Well I have to try. Too many people’s lives have been ruined because of this curse.”

“Look, even if you found the control room, and killed them, there would be no way to reverse the, so called, curse. We spent years in that control room, and we hardly scratched the surface of what it was capable of. You would need to find The Keeper, he is the only one who can fix this. Thing is, you can’t find him. Believe you me, I’ve tried.”

“Then what good are you.” Hector said impatiently.

“Well boy, I can show you the way to the room. Not that there’s any point. But only if you find some manners.”

Hector looked at his feet and said, “I’m sorry sir. But I need to try.”

“Quite alright lad, I like your passion. It’s a welcome change to this town-full of bland chum-buckets.”

Hector couldn’t help but look at him strangely.

“So, you said you know the way to the control room.” Hector responded. Hector still had questions that wanted to be answered, but in his haste, he let them be.

Hector just wanted to get to this so called room, and end this curse. Hector couldn’t help but think back on the desperate faces of Tammerville, and the sleeping city of River-ton. Not to mention Jessy and Hope, whose lives were affected by the curse. ‘I’ve spent my life, never wanting to grow up. I had always lavished the carelessness of being a child. Although I have never asked for it, the world seems to be forcing me to grow up. If I’m to grow up, than there is a call for action.’

“Listen, tell me the way.” Hector asserted.

“It’s very simple boy. Just head south-west, until you find a door, then enter it. Follow the stairs, and you will find the control room.” The man, who Hector still didn’t know his name, said, as he began to walk towards a doorway, motioning Hector to follow. “You will need to be suited up, with a proper diving suit. I don’t know how you survived before, well I have my theories, but let’s not take any chances.”

The man led Hector down a cold, damp corridor. Humming some tune, while waving his gun around like a madman. The corridor was lit by small, flaming torches. “Ah, here we are.” the man said as he reached a door. He pulled out a keychain with countless keys attached. Yet in no time, he picked out the correct key, and opened the door. As the stone door scraped open, Hector saw the hulking, cumbersome deep-sea diving suit, standing, facing towards the door, as if it was expecting them.

“I hope one size fits all.” The man chuckled.

Amazed at the size of the thing, Hector said. “I’m not sure that I’ll be able to stand, wearing that.”

“Fear not lad. Once you’re in the water, it won’t feel as heavy.” The man assured.

The man began to talk Hector through, getting the suit on, and making sure that its air tight. Saying things like. “Get your foot in there.” And “make sure that strap is tight.”

When Hector was almost suited up, the man shot up and dashed out the door saying. “Ah, I almost forgot.”

Leaving Hector half crippled by the weight of the suit. Hector turned to his side, and saw a mirror, looking at himself, one with this huge, shiny suit. The neck brace, belt and helmet, which was still sitting on the table, looked as though they were well polished. Obsessively so.

After some time, the man returned. He had with him, an anchor. He said. “You’re going to need this.”

Hector replied saying, “I don’t think I’ll have any problem staying on the ocean floor, as is. Are you sure that is necessary?”

“Listen boy, this is the most necessary thing you’ll ever have.”

“What am I supposed to do with it?” Hector asked.

“Don’t worry, you’ll find out eventually, there’s no time, you must go now.”

The weight of the suit on its own, was more than Hector could take, but adding an anchor, was going to be unbearable. But Hector felt that there was no other way. He noticed that the suit was equipped with a flashlight on the helmet, and a compass on the left wrist. All designed to work under the pressure of the deep. Hector could feel the weight pulling on his neck to his legs. “Look, the sooner I start, the sooner I can take the suit off, Lead the way.”

So the man led Hector to the edge of the dome surrounding the city, to a chamber which led out. Hector entered the chamber and when he closed the door, cutting him off from the town, water began filling the chamber. When the chamber pressurized, the other door leading outside the town opened. As Hector took his first steps, he was swept with a wave of fear. All was dark, and deafeningly silent, and cold.

His movement was servilely restricted and his vision impaired. The inside of the suit felt humid and stuffy, but he was happy that he was at least dry. Hector then brought his left hand to the window of the helmet to check his bearing, than began traveling south-west.

The words he said, ‘Even if you find the room, and kill them, there would be no way to reverse the curse.’ Swirled round Hector’s mind. ‘Maybe he was right. How am I going to reverse the curse?’ But Hector had a burning desire to reachthe control room. ‘Maybe I’ll be able to fix it. I have to at least try, for Jessy’s sake.’

Hector couldn’t help but also think of the ‘Keeper’. ‘Who was he? Did he really exists? Could he really fix everything? How will he find him? What role did he play in all of this?’ In time, all of these questions would be answered, but not for some time. Much was yet to happen before Hector’s questions are to be answered.