Books of the Blackout...
Buster tied up his worn out boots with shaky hands and looked once more towards the illuminated tower at the top of the hill. He was not afraid of the daunting trip ahead of him, no, he had to go. But he also knew deep down that he wasn't exactly the hero he was trying to portray. All that drove him right now was the knowledge that if no one went for it, they all would die. Plus he needed to see her again, if she was still alive. He heaved his bag on his shoulder and made to leave.
"Buster..."
Soon as he heard the voice, he knew he was fucked. He turned back to see Tracey, his nine year old sister pointing sleepy eyes at him.
"Where you going Buster? It's middle of the night."
He debated quickly within himself. He hadn't anticipated the event of anyone waking up before he left, much less his little sister. If he tried to talk her back to sleep, he would lose valuable time. Time which he didn't have. Besides someone else might just wake, and that would be the end of it all. What he was doing was forbidden. He quickly decided and strapped his bag to his back.
"Tracey, come with me." He spoke barely above a whisper, in the process gesturing for her to be quiet.
"But where we going Buster? Its mid... "
He put his hands to her mouth as he lifted her off the floor. Moving quickly he made his way through the piles of junk that served as part fence, part weapon arsenal and soon he was beyond the settlement. When he was certain that they were out of earshot, he took his hands off Tracey's mouth. She wasted no time before breaking the silence of the night again.
"Buster, I can walk."
He put her down and began to walk away when he realized she wasn't coming with.
"C'mon Trace, let's go."
She placed one leg gently in front of the other, struggling to act clear-eyed.
"Where we going Buster? It's mi..."
"Yes, it's middle of the night Trace. I know. I'll explain while we walk."
She looked at him, the reflection of the moon making her pouting face look more childish than her behavior was.
"Well, I only said I can walk. I didn't say I wanted to."
Buster picked her off the floor easily, and resumed the long walk to the bottom of the hill. As he prepared to tell her why and where they were taking a walk to at this time of the night, he recalled again how his mother had told him the story...
The great blackout had occurred many years back, when she was still a girl. It was the result of a sudden and massive energy surge which had tore out modern technology at its roots and had brought all civilization to a standstill.
But his mum had said that 'twas simply the politicians' way of explaining things. She had said that it was man's greed that had truly caused the blackout. At least that was what her daddy told her. "Greedy lot they all are" she always muttered.
And soon after, the politicians themselves were no different from the teeming masses. Loss of technology meant all requisite knowledge about survival were to be found in books alone. And worse, these books were not readily available. You couldn't simply jet your way to wherever anymore, and money had lost its true value. Knowledge became true power and wealth, and those who controlled the books controlled the rest. Power had changed hands, but greed had persisted. Today however, Buster was going to end their monopoly...
"So we're going all the way up to the tower, at the top of the hill, to read books?"
Buster now at the foot of the hill, put his sister down.
"No Trace, we're going to take them."
She nodded. "To read."
Clearly exasperated, but also tired after carrying his sister all this while, Buster sat down.
"Look Trace, we're going up there to take what belongs to everyone, and give it out. Now no more talk from you."
He knew that that wouldn't shut her up still, so he again put his hands over her mouth as she attempted to speak. With determination, he lifted her onto his shoulders as they began the slow climb up the hill...
...
The room was bright, even though it was just about a little past midnight. The light seemed to come from nowhere, and everywhere at the same time. It looked and felt like a beautiful mirage. One that entranced and stunned simultaneously.
Buster and Tracey stood at the center of the room, momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer contrast it bore to the settlement they had known all their lives. Tracey for once didn't say anything, she simply fed her eyes. The forbidden nature of the place and their presence seemed to keep her strangely in check.
Buster on the other hand had his own enchantment come from a different source. Three quarters of the walls of the oval shaped room were covered in books. Buster found it hard to believe that such an amount of books could even exist. He had heard the stories back at the settlement, but he had never believed. Now he did.
He went over to the nearest wall and pulled out a book. But his face fell soon as he opened it. He dropped it and reached for another, but also dropped that one too. Then another, then another, then another. All dropped in the same fashion...
"They're all the same Buster"
He turned around to see his mother watching him from a half open doorway. One he hadn't noticed until now. She looked different from the last time he had seen her. She was still his mother, but in some way he couldn't tell, someone else. He walked over to Tracey and put his hands firmly on her shoulders. She simply stood, she had no idea who the woman was, she was still a baby when their mother had left.
"Where are the books of the blackout?" he demanded.
"There are no Books Buster, there never was."
He was confused and afraid, but he didn't show it. He had come all this way for two reasons, and since he was certain this woman was a different person to his mum, he had to get the books. Then just as he was about to repeat his demands, she smiled at him. And Buster melted inside.
She gestured to him...
"Come with me Buster."
He wanted to, but he couldn't stop himself. His legs moved before his mind worked. All he could do was reach out and pull his little sister along...
Little did he know what his midnight quest was about to turn into...
THE END
Written for @calluna's Tell Me A Story Contest #8
It wasn’t his mom... IT WAS I, DIO!!!!... But all kiddin’ aside, I think the aliens finally arrived! Finally, they can unscrew this predicament. Posadist gang, who up! (Resteem’d btw.)
Oh jeez I can't believe it is over! This is so well written, and takes such a beautiful tone, I just wanted to read more! I really enjoyed the flashback story, it was a great bit of seamless exposition. And the ending! Oh my word! Was it his mother? Was his mother something else he hadn't known about? Was she something else, was she really there, or was the image taken from his mind. Who is it using the pretence of knowledge for power? I love a story that leaves me with questions - thank you very much!!
You have a minor misspelling in the following sentence:
It should be occurred instead of occured.