Sunday, June 10, 2018

Short Story Time! Abbatria


So back in high school, there was a writing assignment to create your own government and tell a story to go with it. It was only supposed to be a couple pages, but mine ended up being 21 pages. I ended up getting it down to 13 pages, but I told my teacher that that was the absolute limit for cutting it down. Reading it now, there was a ton I could've cut out and reformatted, but tell that to a cocky 17 year old!

Anywho, I freaking loved the story concept, and I've kept the assignment on each computer I've owned (and on an online diary) just in case someday I wanted to make it an actual story.

Flash forward like 18 years later, that day is here. I polished that bad boy up and posted it online. If you have a Wattpad and want to read it there, the link is here: https://www.wattpad.com/story/151413238-abbatria

If you don't have a Wattpad and want to read it anyway, here it is:


The seaplane’s engines were still whirring above me as my boots touched the soft, warm sand underfoot. My heart leapt with excitement; after years of waiting, we had made it to our new home.
I smiled as I gazed at the shore. It was one that looked exactly like postcards I had seen during my life in the United States: the clear blue water crashed onto the white sandy beach, palm trees jutted out of the brush, and a snow-capped mountain towered in the distance. I inhaled deeply, smelling and tasting the salty sea air as a cool breeze rustled the underbrush and trees.
As the passengers of the seaplanes piled onto the warm sand, birds squawked in the distance, unaware for now of their island’s new inhabitants. A world-renowned scientist, Anna Hoffman, and her team surrounded me, fully equipped with the instruments they’d need to survey the soil, water, vegetation, and air. A team of scouts, ready to lead us through jungle and watch for treacherous conditions, also accompanied us with several days’ worth of food and supplies. The other seaplanes were filled with doctors, nurses, architects, construction workers, artists, and other volunteers to aid in the development of our settlement.
Anna stood beside me and inhaled just as I had done. I smiled, patting her shoulder. “It is so beautiful here!” I exclaimed. “Even more so than the satellite images could’ve possibly shown us.”
“Let’s just hope that we can find somewhere with sufficient conditions to grow crops and build houses,” she said as she canvassed our surroundings.
“Cheer up, Anna!” I insisted. “I’m sure we’ll find livable conditions further inland. Don’t be such a pessimist right off the bat.”
“I’m just being realistic, ma’am,” she said. “Without a proper habitat, our dreams of living on an island paradise may come to a quick halt.”
“Let’s not worry about that yet,” I suggested. “We received the permits and clearances to be here; that in itself is cause for a celebration. We’ve been fighting through red tape ever since this island appeared; this is years in the making!”
She allowed a half-smile to escape onto her face. “It is beautiful,” she admitted.
“That’s better,” I said as I glanced back to the planes. Most of the crew were on the shore, unloading all of the cargo onto the beach in a relay system. They would be working for the next several hours to get everyone settled while we were investigated the island.
As most of the passengers began milling about, I jumped up onto the entrance to the head plane, Discovery One. “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen!” I shouted over the myriad conversations and murmurs drowning out the waves crashing in the distance. “If I can have your attention for just a few minutes, please!” Silence soon blanketed the beach, and I cleared my throat.
“Before I get into details, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for joining me on this magnificent journey, the discovery of a new world where we can all start over—begin again without the pollution, without the violence, without the prejudice, and without the corruption we’re all used to—in a land that promises to be one that is the closest to heaven we can get without actually being there!
“I must warn you, however, that these first few months will be far from easy. I ask that each and every one of you are willing to work long hours—whether it be constructing buildings, exploring the region, or helping my council establish the government. We will be rationing food and water until we can find sufficient provisions, and living areas will be cramped until we have found an appropriate place to start construction.”
I stepped off of the platform. “Our hard work begins now. As our team leaders begin coordinating teams to unpack the makeshift shelters and supplies, Ms. Hoffman’s team will accompany me to explore the island and find a place to settle.” Gathering our supplies, those on the beach cheered us on as we breached the tree line.
Patches of sunlight trickled down through the dense canopy of trees, the greens of the floor’s vegetation shining like emeralds. The jungle was blessedly free of animals, insects, or reptiles; birds were the only wildlife yet to be discovered on the island. Being that the island had only appeared a few years ago, I assumed that there hadn’t been a way for wildlife to reach its shores other than flying.
Anna’s team stopped in regular intervals to sample the soil, placing dirt into one of their instruments. A high-pitched beep announced that the test had ended, and each time Anna and her team shook their heads sadly.
“The soil is too acidic for crops,” Anna explained. “We’re in the topics, though, so that’s to be expected. We are going to have a difficult time planting corn and other crops that grow on typical farmland with these conditions.”
“The soil is also very moist which might prove to be troublesome to build upon,” one of her assistants added.
“Hopefully we’ll find better conditions more inland,” I said optimistically.
“I hope so, too,” Anna agreed. “If we find decent soil, though, we’ll be in great shape; this tropical climate means that we can grow crops year round. Worst case scenario is that we’ll have to live on a steady diet of fish and tropical fruit, which would be just fine with me!”
“There’s something else that’s strange as well,” Anna’s assistant interjected. “Have you looked up at the tops of the trees yet?”
I shaded my eyes and looked up. Around the very top of the trunks, there was a dark line. “You mean those dark rings?”
“They look like water marks to me,” Anna said.
“They are; that’s why it’s so odd,” her assistant stated as he looked up. “For rings like that, this island must have been covered by water for quite a while, perhaps in a flood caused by a hurricane.”
My brow furrowed. “I thought this wasn’t hurricane area.”
“Considering this island was just discovered two years ago, how can we really be sure what type of weather to expect?” Anna asked.
I nodded. “Well, once we get meteorologist towers set up, we’ll have a better idea of what to expect.”
We trudged further into the jungle. The canopy grew thicker as the hours passed, blocking most of the sunlight and airflow; we all dripped with sweat as the humidity made the air feel as thick as syrup. I began to lose hope that we would find anywhere that was suitable for building; Anna’s team was still periodically checking the soil, always reporting that it was still too acidic to grow crops and still too moist to hold any significant weight. Hopelessness began to wash over me, the thrill of discovery seeping from my core, and I found it increasingly more difficult to keep going. The other members of my team began to slow down as well, their faces saturated with sweat and fatigue.
I was considering turning my team around to try again another day when one of the scouts rushed back to the scientists. “We found water!” he declared. “There’s a stream coming up.”
We rushed toward the sound, our spirits lifted as the gurgling current became louder. The canopy thinned out to reveal a creek, its surface glittering in the sunlight. Once Anna verified that the water was potable, we retrieved our water filtration straws and took hearty gulps of the clear, cold liquid. We filled our canteens and water bladders and rested on the soft grass near the bank, eating protein bars to restore our energy. Between the calories and cold water, we all began to feel revived as we followed the creek.
As we traveled upstream, Anna pointed to the mountain which now loomed over us like miles of back-to-back skyscrapers. “I think that’s the source of the creek,” she suggested. “It looks like it’s coming out of a cavern at the base of the mountain.”
I squinted, straining to see the cavern. The mountain’s base was still a mile or so away, but I traced the stream back to a small crack in the distance. “That’s a good sign,” I said. “The water’s probably coming from a natural spring. Once we get settled, we’ll have a dependable fresh water source.”
As we approached the base of the mountain, I realized that the cavern was much larger up close. The stream flowed between two wide shelves which could serve as pathways into the cave. My curious side wanted to crawl in and go spelunking, but finding land suitable to build upon was more important than exploring a cave. I made a mental note to find the cavern again once we’d gotten settled.
“What do you think would cause an entire island to flood that high up?” I asked as we trudged along. “Hurricane? Tsunami? Volcanic eruption?”
Anna considered my question for a moment. “I haven’t seen any trace of volcanic rock in the soil, so that can’t be it,” she replied. “There’s no real way to determine what caused it until we have a better picture of how this island functions.” Her brow furrowed. “Something about this place feels off, though; between the watermarks on the trees and the complete absence of any wildlife other than birds, there’s just something that irks me. How does an island that has never been listed on any map in recent history just appear out of the blue complete with trees and vegetation?”
I shrugged. “Maybe it’s always been here but spent so much of its time flooded that no one saw it when it was actually visible,” I suggested. “That would explain the lack of animals, too; there’s no way for anything to survive on land that’s constantly flooding. Plus it’s so far away from any other developed countries that it’s likely no one had the technology to see out this far.”
“But you’d think at least one satellite would’ve picked up on it before a few years ago,” Anna argued. “We’ve had satellite images of nearly every road and building clearly documented online for several decades. How does an entire island go unnoticed?”
“Whatever caused the island to rise and stay above water level, the important thing is that it was discovered and is now ours,” I insisted. “We are going to turn this island into paradise and start our civilization over. It’s like Mother Nature herself handed the human race a second chance.”
“I suppose so,” Anna said skeptically. “I just hope she doesn’t take it away again.”
As dusk turned the reds and oranges in the sky to pinks and purple, we decided to set up camp near the mountain’s base. The scientists set up camp as a few of the scouts headed into the nearby jungle while others headed to the creek, all with the purpose of gathering fresh ingredients for our dinner. I’d watched in wonder as they caught several large fish with only spears and began to chop plants that they’d just pulled from the ground. It wasn’t long before the scent of cooking fish, hearts of palm, and simmering water lilies wafted through the air, our stomachs growling as the aroma filled our nostrils.
Huddled around a small campfire, the scouts cooked a small meal of local vegetation, fish, and rice in a coconut sauce. It had been so long since I had such a succulent meal; the water wasn’t clean enough in the United States to safely fish anymore, and eating root vegetables was risky because of how many chemicals contaminated the soil. My companions seemed to feel the same way as they smacked their lips and groaned in delight.
“I can’t wait to eat like this all the time,” Anna declared between bites.
“I wonder what everyone’s doing on the beach,” Anna’s assistant said. “I wonder if they went fishing, too.”
“They’re probably partying,” another team member replied. “I know I would be if I wasn’t here.”
“I hope it isn’t getting too crazy,” Anna said.
“I’m sure someone is keeping everything under control,” I assured them. “I just hope we get back soon with good news.”
* * *
The morning sunlight poured into our tents, waking us up earlier than planned. I stretched my sore muscles as I stepped outside my tent, observing the land around us. A large, gray rock formation was to the north, appearing to be another small mountain. The jungle canopy blanketed most of the south and the west, and a lake sparkled to the east. I pointed the lake out to my team, hoping we’d have better luck at finding viable soil in that area.
I had never seen a lake so beautiful: it was crystal clear, its surface sparkling like diamonds. There were no broken bottles, rusted shopping carts, or old tires to be found. The coastline of the lake was immaculate, free of debris or plastic washing up to the pebbles along the shore. A natural path snaked along the bank, the deciduous and pine trees shading us as we made our way to the other side. It’d been since my childhood that I saw a body of water so pristine.
Once again a scout rushed back, his face alight with excitement. “We found a clearing,” he declared.
We hurried along the path, anticipation increasing my stride. I could hear their eager voices echoing from the end of the path, and I couldn’t wait to share in their exhilaration. I could only hope that their discovery would also render positive test results from Anna’s equipment.
I understood his excitement as I reached the field. The area was several miles wide and filled with tall grasses and wildflowers. As I looked around, I couldn’t believe that only the day prior I’d been walking through a jungle; I now felt like I was in the middle of the Allegheny National Forest. I almost expected to spot a deer walking by until I reminded myself that the island wasn’t inhabited by animals.
Anna dipped her instrument in the soil, the minutes until its conclusion feeling like hours. As the machine beeped, she cheered. “The soil’s perfect for building and planting!” she declared. “This is it; we found our settlement!”
“We can clear the some of the trees around here to make the area larger,” Anna’s assistant suggested. “And we can use the wood for lumber. We’ll replant trees in another area to make up for the ones we cut down.”
“How far away do you think we are from the beach?” I asked one of the scouts.
The guides consulted their compasses and charts. “We’re about five miles east of where we started,” one replied, “but we don’t have to traverse the jungle this time if we’re going straight to the beach. We should make it back by early evening.”
“Let’s get back as soon as we can, then,” I instructed. “We have much planning to do.”
We reached the camp at nightfall. They had torches lit every few feet and there were a few guards keeping watch. Some of the people on the beach were dancing around a campfire when we arrived, but the music stopped abruptly as they noticed us. A crowd had soon gathered around us as we made our way back to Discovery One.
“Welcome back!” a few people shouted.
“Did you find somewhere to build?” others asked.
“Did you run into any savages?” someone inquired.
“Did you find food?” several other people demanded.
I put my hands in the air, shoulders sore from carrying my backpack. I pushed back my exhaustion and ignored the film of dirt and sweat covering my body as I stood in front of my people. “We will be answering all questions soon enough,” I began, “but for now, we need to rest. It’s been a difficult few days. I promise to give you our news bright and early tomorrow morning. I will say this, though: the news is good!”
A few of the citizens helped us into Discovery One, setting up cots and putting our supplies away for us. We took turns washing the grime from our bodies before changing into clean clothing and settling in for the night. As I gazed around at the others that I had been traveling with for two days, I noticed how incredibly weak and tired we all looked. We hadn’t been gone that long, but our travels had certainly had an effect on us.
And this was just the beginning; we still had months and months of building and planning to look forward to.
* * *
It had taken every citizen working in shift around the clock, but our first settlement was completed in a little over two months. Our town was simple at first: several houses and single-story buildings were built, all with running water, electricity, sewage, heat, and solar panels on their roofs. The Abbatrian High Council had agreed that the nation wanted nothing to do with the oil industry; too many wars had been fought over it, and we were avoiding political corruption at all costs. Solar power was free and cleaner, anyway, and it significantly reduced our carbon footprint. Our streets were paved with a polymer made from recycled plastics, a technology our scientists expanded upon to develop a way to replicate nearly any material—clothing, building materials, and even vehicles—at a cheaper cost than anything we could import. Though our humble town did not yet have the splendor of the cities in our home countries, we were still all extremely proud of our accomplishment—a community built with the hands of every person, completely from scratch, on a brand new island. Even as a small settlement, Abbatria was a paradise.
Within a few years, Abbatria was considered one of the most peaceful places to live on the planet. A small nation with a lengthy and stringent citizenship process, every resident worked together to develop their nation without the crime and discrimination of their former countries; we were all a family, and we lived in peace as one. Farmland has been set aside to grow our own crops, and livestock was imported so that we didn’t have to rely on other governments. Other nations soon jumped on board with our conservation efforts after seeing our success, and a recycling renaissance began worldwide as others tried to emulate the prosperity Abbatria enjoyed.
* * *
On the fifth year anniversary of the island’s discovery, I was filling out paperwork in my office when a knock at my door made me jump. “Come in,” I said as my secretary appeared in the doorway to my office.
“Ma’am, I’m sorry to bother you, but I have troubling news,” he announced worriedly. “Jefferson Bay is flooding, and the shore of Hoffman Beach is receding by a foot every hour.”
“How long will it be until the water reaches Jamesville?”
“Within a few hours by the looks of it,” he answered. “What should we do?”
“Call the High Council and tell them to meet me here immediately. We’ve got to get the citizens moved inland.”
He nodded, closing the door behind him.
As a team rushed to get everyone moved to the mountains, I gathered my team of scientists in a helicopter to further inspect the situation. What we discovered was more nerve-wracking than anticipated: in the few hours since the flooding had begun, half of Hoffman Beach was covered, and some patches of jungle were already submerged. It almost looked as if the island was sinking.
“What would cause the island to flood like this?” I asked.
“We’re not quite sure yet,” Anna replied. “We’re still working on a cause. We’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“What’s that to the north?” the pilot asked, pointing to a smattering of gray in the distance.
As the pilot flew overhead, I noticed the gray rock formation that I’d seen from our camp at the mountain base. What I once thought to be a small mountain was actually piles of large stone blocks with a brick road running between them.
“What in the hell?” Anna shouted as she looked down. “What are ruins doing here?”
“Ruins?” I asked confusedly. “I think we should take a closer look; this might help explain why everything’s flooding. Pilot, can you find a place to land?”
I was in awe as I looked up at the crumbling structures. I felt like I was standing in ancient Greece or Pompeii; once a thriving metropolis, it was now just the skeleton of a former fully-developed civilization. Everyone’s faces were filled with wonder and confusion as we examined the ruins.
“I think there’s writing on this stone,” Anna announced from a wall surrounding the city. “I need a translator over here.”
We rushed over to inspect her discovery. The text was just shapes and lines appearing to form words. “Can you make any sense out of it?” I asked.
A scientist studied it. “It appears to be an ancient Sumerian cuneiform script that hasn’t been used in thousands of years.”
“Can you read it?” Anna and I asked in unison.
Several silent moments passed as he examined the strange script. When he finally look up, a horrified look blanketed his face.
“It says, ‘Welcome to Atlantis.’”

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