Page 9 of Between Earth and Eternity
We have now, and that is all that matters.
“Mannox Industries is excited to announce that interested individuals can now secure their passage by purchasing the much-anticipated tickets for transport to Eden. To promote accessibility and fairness, company officials have also introduced the Lottery. Unclaimed tickets will be delegated to Lottery winners after the initial sales period. The number of remaining seats will vary on each crossing”
Announcement from Mannox Industries, November 2128
Afew card games and a very out-of-tune chorus of “Happy Birthday” later, everyone is settled and snug in the living room with full bellies and rosy cheeks from laughter. I check the time on my phone. 7:58 p.m.
Two more minutes. Let’s get this over with.
I drum my knee nervously but only notice I’m doing so when Elliot places a hand over my fingers and squeezes.
“Relax,”he mouths to me. No one catches the signs of anxiety riddling me like he can.
Any one of us could have their names called tonight. If the fates are with us, it will be Gran’s. The permanent dust in the air will only get worse, and her lungs aren’t functioning well as it is. Or maybe Rebecca’s name. She deserves this after the sacrifice her husband made and how much she’s advocated for his crew’s families throughout the years.
What if Elliot’s name is drawn?
The thought has crossed my mind a hundred times. It would be the only thing worse than having my own name read aloud. I couldn’t bear it. But then again, if it meant Elliot would be alive and well on Eden, that would be the only thing to ease the ache of losing him.
My father turns on the large projector screen above the old unused fireplace, and a sudden hush falls over the room. The screen displays the Mannox Industries logo for several seconds before the program begins.
“Greetings, people of Earth!” Zara’s voice rings joyfully.
A live map of Earth pops on screen, showing the other major settlements on the planet: one in what is left of Europe and Asia, another of Africa, one in South America, and of course, Wasatch, which is basically what is left of North America, and because this is Mannox’s home base the time zones of other settlements were clearly not taken into consideration.
Several years have passed since any of us have seen a satellite view of the planet. My jaw isn’t the only one that falls open at the clear indication that it’s worse than any of us imagined. The oceans are now little pockets of water spread few and far between, like a thousand lakes rather than a great sea. Undersea canyons and mountain ranges have been exposed, making the surface of the planet a patchwork of dust and rock. The sight makes me sick to my stomach. I turn to El to gauge his feelings. His eyes remain on the screen, his brows furrowed and lips tight as he grips my hand a little tighter. It unnerves me when not even El has a response, at the very least, something sarcastic. Everyone else exchanges worried looks, but no one speaks, stunned into silence.
“Now, to go over the terms of the Lottery once more. Every person living within any Mannox settlement is automatically entered into the drawing. Twenty spots are available on this first voyage, and the names will be selected at random. Those chosen will receive further instructions pertaining to the departure as well as any other important information they will need for their exciting journey aboard Zenith.”
I close my eyes.Deep breaths.
My hands are sweaty, but El doesn’t mind, squeezing my fingers again.
“And now, before we begin, we have the pleasure of hearing from Mr. Mannox himself.”
The screen switches to a handsome middle-aged man sitting behind a dark mahogany desk, the twinkling lights of the city in the background. His hair is dark but peppered with gray near the temples, making him seem all the more distinguished, accompanied by hazel eyes and well-trimmed graying facial hair. His face is the most known face in the world. Loved and revered. Feared and worshiped. A false god, but the keeper of our salvation nonetheless.
“People of Earth, in these unprecedented times, I come to you this evening with the dream of what awaits in our next chapter as a human species.” Alister Mannox’s voice demands attention, smooth in delivery. It would be difficult for anyone not to heed his words despite some of the odd phrasing.
“How much do you want to bet this whole speech was written by AI?” I ask, nudging El with my elbow.
“Oh, I have no doubt.”
“As the expiration of Earth grows ever nearer,” Alister continues, “we need not perish with it. As millions of you have proven over these years since the sundering, we will rise to the occasion. We will bravely take on the possibility our ancestors could hardly imagine: life beyond Earth. It is a miraculous feat that has required the best minds and most courageous souls to make into a reality. We will continue to climb as we make our mark in the universe. We will rise to the challenges, brave the sacrifices, and take courage as we begin again.”
The words cut like a knife. Can he seriously sit there and talk about demanding sacrifice and courage?Work hard, and you will be rewarded.If that were the case, the plan would have been crafted in a way for all of us to leave at the same time. Instead, we have to play a game where we are already at a disadvantage.
“In conclusion”—he leans in, locking his fingers together as they rest on the desk—“I want to preemptively congratulate our first lucky winners tonight. The voyage of Zenith will be a wonder to behold. It is my sincere promise that a better life awaits us on our new planet. Way out there, the universe has provided us a new home. ‘From Earth to Eden. Together.’” His eyes burn through the screen before it switches back to Zara.
“Talk about intense,” El says softly.
“Mm-hmm.” I forgot the impact of Alister Mannox’s presence. Back in the olden days of Earth, people probably would have followed him into battle with no question.
“Thank you, Mr. Mannox, for your moving words. I think I can speak for all of us in saying how grateful we are for this opportunity,” Zara says warmly.
Rebecca lets out a scoff. We all turn to her. “Sorry,” she mutters, her voice sad and defeated. Mrs. Campbell moves to wrap her arm around her. Rebecca gives a tight-lipped smile, looking at Elliot. He nods in response.
“And now, without further delay, let’s begin.” Next to Zara appears another screen with an AI-generated image of twenty blank spaces. “The first Lottery winner is . . .” Zara pushes a button on her fake datapad, and the first blank space spins, letters blurring for several seconds until they form a name. My heart pounds loudly in my ears. “Orianna Walker.” A picture of a young woman similar in age to myself pops onto the screen and then takes its place in the first slot. The only features I catch are her age and black hair. And I know it makes me selfish, but all I care about is that she is not any of us.
