Ari's+Future+Earth+Story

//Wishes //

The year was 2345, and Oliver was ready. At least, that’s what he told himself. He had prepared for this day his entire life. He thought of the wish he was going to make and nodded, thinking that it would do. He walked out of his living quarters and down Main Street. All around him people were watching their viewing boxes and beams of light shimmered as more people awoke. He watched as robots walked dogs, and the murals on the walls of the buildings shimmered and changed to fit this day. He watched the artificial plants shoot up from the ground, the clouds produced by the factory, and only the group of his age 13 was outside. He finally came upon the door that would change his fate. He stood paralyzed by the huge wooden door with the patterns of stars when Jermaine Huntier snuck up behind him. “Hey nerd,” he yelled into Oliver’s ear, loud enough to startle. Oliver whirled around.

He looked into Jermaine's eyes and said, "Knock it off savage."

Jermaine looked him up and down, “Oh, look we got a tough guy over here. What’s been biting at your leg nerd?” Oliver shook his head and just backed away. While he was walking away he bumped into Penny Adams. Oliver started to breathe heavily. Penny was the popular girl in his group. She could beat someone up by saying a word, and could make someone’s life change with a sentence. Oliver apologized, but Penny pretended not to notice.

Oliver wandered around again. //Great//, he though to himself, //just ruined another shot of popularity. Oh, well, it doesn’t matter. My wish will change all of that.//

After 30 minutes of wandering, a metallic voice called out, “It is time.” The children walked inside the room and waited. The voice called out “Penny Adams,” and she walked down the corridor. This went on until the voice called out “Oliver Roberts.” Oliver jumped in his seat. He shakily rose and walked down the corridor. When he found the door that held his name, he entered and saw Mr. Monroe, the mayor. Mr. Monroe began the speech.

“Oliver Roberts, today is the day that you have been preparing for your entire life. As you already know today you get one wish, anything that you want. In order to get this wish, you must swear your allegiance to the government, and always obey its word. This is a fair deal to make for a wish. It could be infinite life or to always be prepared. It can be to fly or to breathe underwater. These wishes are Nanobots going into your bloodstream and changing that one thing. These Nanobots are able to self-destruct or even rip your very being apart. They also help you in many ways. You will be stronger, and faster because of them. You will be able to do what ever you wish. You will, of course, be graded on your wish along with your actions, and you will be assigned a job based on this. If you defy the government, then your wish will be reversed, and you will become the opposite of what you want. I hope that you have thought of this fully. Now, what is your biggest wish?”

Oliver stood shakily and said, “I wish to know all about anything by looking at it, and be able to handle the power in my mind.” The mayor smiled and took him down the corridor to another room. He strapped him down to a seat and pulled a switch. The seat began to vibrate, and hum. Oliver felt as though he was going to explode. His brain was filling up with power and knowledge. After a while, the seat stopped vibrating, and he looked at the mayor. He saw everything about him, such as his childhood thoughts, what he was thinking now, what he was ashamed of and what he was proud of. Oliver stood shakily to his feet. “Thank you,” he muttered before collapsing. When he awoke, he was in his bed.

Oliver walked downstairs; he looked around and learned about the Quarters and its past as he went. He learned of all the other children who have been in this place, and how it used to be known as an orphanage. Then when children became routinely given up, it became a home for them. During breakfast, he learned all there was to know about oatmeal. After breakfast, he walked outside down the street and saw history with his own eyes. He learned all his peers’ wishes from just their faces. Penny had wished to be beautiful forever. Another member of his group had wished to be the strongest man he could be and more like this. He walked on down the street and saw the history of the town. He saw the farmer's daily routine, and the singer’s creative patterns. After reaching the door to the hall of records, he walked in and looked at the filing drawer. He learned all about the history of this place, which used to be called the library, and the people working there. He scanned his file and found what he was looking for. He was to work as the secretary to the mayor. Oliver looked at his card, baffled and re-read it. But the words did not change. He wondered how he had come to such a high position in his first time getting picked. He wondered what would happen when he turned 26 and was to be picked again. He took one look at the government building and was shocked. He learned how people who wished to be famous got turned into criminals. He learned that people that defied the government died at its hands. He learned what happened to the other secretaries and how they had mysteriously disappeared. He learned that secretaries were the guardians of secrets. He also learned that a mental disease from these secrets and being alone often overtook them. He learned of the secret lives of the officials, and how they made the secretaries disappear. He then decided that that was not going to be his fate. He realized that by his wish, he would be the perfect secretary, but eventually he, like the others, would be made to disappear. Entering the government building, he decided he wasn't going to go down without a fight.

He went up to the mayor and quit on the spot. Then he marched outside. He called a town meeting and shared what he knew. He told them of the knowledge that flew over their heads, like who their children were and how the Nanobots helped them, also made their brains innocent. He told them of how many of them had died trying to create this town, and how many more would. At first people did not care, but as more people stood up and said their stories and revelations more of the crowd gained courage. Just then though, the mayor burst in brandishing a shotgun. Oliver was shot down. As he was dying the mayor asked if anyone else wanted to stand up and fight. No one did. The witnesses were led into a room and made to forget. The mayor smiled as this happened. He hummed the tune of Another One Bites the Dust as he walked out of the room into his “perfect” town.

//I would like to give credit to Isaac Goldberg who helped me with character building and setting, as well as creative construction. Also Julie Weiner who’s amazing editing skills I could not wish to have. And Daisy D'Orazio because she has helped me edit this too. I would also like to thank Jai-lynn for her commas, and her lack of criticism ////. //

//Return to middle school homepage //