The Proposed Prophecies

“I wish I would have been able to see Miami, or simply walk the streets, back in the days before the rising water levels.”

Liv felt a sudden responsibility, a culpability of some sort, for what had happened to Earth, despite the fact that it had been the uncontrollable forces of Mother Nature that had, in the end, caused the disappearance of most of the major cities including Miami. But the fact the history books – including her history books – didn’t describe the beauty of the landscape before these natural disasters, weighed heavily on her mind. All the history books she had written had been written in a way that would satisfy the concept and ideas of the Alters. They had forced her to record history in such a way that they appeared more like saviors than intruders.

Liv glanced at the window across from her bed and sighed as she saw the air fliers flying in the sky instead of cars driving on the stable ground and roads. The view outside her window constantly reminded her that there was no longer much natural greener such as trees or ground of the earth. The city was a concrete jungle. The high buildings were expanded each year, separated by gravity platforms that kept the buildings stable. There is not one single family house left in the city, only apartment buildings with thin walls taking away most of the privacy.

“I miss those old days.” Liv sighs and looks at Katie with sad eyes.

“So, you have mentioned Amy was your family member. I thought there is no such thing as family?” Liv deeply exhaled. It was always a difficult situation when she had to explain the lie she had told the new generations, a lie written by her own hand and spoken by her own mouth. The guidelines on the restoration of society provided by the Alters had not allowed for the concept of family to continue.

“That’s a lie, at least partially. Family was far more important than the books these days acknowledge.” Liv smiled politely and noticed Katie’s perplexed expression at the mention of the word ‘Family’, which was a nonexistent bond in their current society. Katie was too young to know what Family meant; she was the generation born out of the combined and chosen chromosomes and genes; injected into unknown people appointed to be the carriers of the children. Family had no meaning since they all were raised by assigned people until the age of fifteen and then appointed for their jobs. No one had been allowed to have children on their own, which avoided the possibility of the over-population of the past. The continuous rising of the water levels created a limited space for life on earth and the number of people occupying it had to be under control at all timed. The population was therefore not allowed to exceed three hundred million people, the number set by the proposal.

“You never mentioned any of your family members in any of your books before.”

“It was not allowed to be mentioned, but you wanted to know the truth. And the truth is, the agreement between the Alters and the government was designed to ensure that no one ever felt the beauty of love and care, as they were considered to be an unnecessary emotions that would get in the way of their plans for the restoration of the world. The emotions and feelings that came with the bond of a family were considered be selfish. Therefore in the new, restored world, we were designed to work as a group as a whole, with no differences amongst us, only loyalty to each other.”

“Love? But I was told that’s not real.” Liv knew that Katie was repeating the words she had most likely been taught from the day she was born, just like everyone else. Liv always felt anguish at the way all young people were forced to think.

“Love is the only feeling in the world that will make you do foolish things, but at the same time fulfils the desolated space in your heart,” she said.