Ending Peace, a Science Fiction story

Chapter 1

I gently lift the white, cold crystals laying in the palm of my hand to my lips. My mouth is flooded with the flavor of rainwater. The frosty snow tastes like freedom, of the sky. Perfection. I hear the familiar sound of crunching snow, like a footstep. I look up from admiring the flakes of snow sitting on my warm hand. There is a boy standing in the falling snow, he seems around my age. His outstretched arm shakes as he takes a step towards me. A scream echoes through the park as a little girl on a sled slides down the steep and icy hill.

"Windom, come with me," breathes the boy. I can hardly make out his words, his voice is so hushed.

"Who are you?" I ask. I remember faces, and his is a new one, but somehow familiar.

"Come on! I haven't got all day."

"No. Why should I come with you?" He runs his hands through his hair in frustration.

He sighs. "I am so sorry, I wish you could listen." A man who looks like he could be a teacher of some sort, comes into view, approaching the situation from behind the nameless boy. The next thing I know is- nothing.

I am in a hotel room. The boy with his brown hair is sitting on a couch watching me intently. Next to him sits the older man, the teacher.

"Ah. Finally, about time. God, Simo what did you do to her?" The two make small talk, not noticing me stand from the soft leather couch I was laying on. I look around the small room. Walls the color of cream mixed coffee and soft carpet which I cannot resist digging my toes into. The door is behind the couch where the two are now bickering, less than twenty-five steps away. I sneak a look at the two and take a single step towards freedom. The floor creaks beneath the soft carpet and instantly, all four eyes are on me.

"Sit. Down." says Simo. "We have a lot to explain."

"You think?" I say sarcastically, but I sit back down on the tan leather couch I woke up on.

"Before you purge into this story, I feel like Windom here needs to know something," the boy says to Simo who nods in an annoyed manner, the boy looks square at me, "we really didn't want to have to do this." In all honesty, that was not what I expected, at all.

"You two," Simo starts, pointing at the boy and I, "are the last of a race unknown to mankind- the Free Untouchables. Where do you think the ideas of freedom, equality, and other forms of democratic ideas originate from? You and your ancestors. However, during an intergalactic battle, darkness took over and the reign of evil thrived. The both of you are the end of universal peace, the only chance left. But, the battle is not over, it never will be. People, bad people, are after you. They do not want a perfect world, they depend on the corruptness of other planets, it brings them their own sort of peace. There are items, scattered throughout the Milky Way Galaxy that when in the ownership of a Free Untouchables, generate peace. Three clues will begin the search."

"Universal peace depends on two people..." I start, not finishing as the boy cuts in.

"Three people,” he says. I give him a confused look, "Simo."

"Fine." I am annoyed, very annoyed. "Universal peace depends on three people finding three particular items around the galaxy, keeping them safe, while being chased by violet people? Sounds easy." The boy shoots me a look, a killing one. "What the heck is your name anyway?" I ask him.

"Baffin."

"So, Baffin. Where are these objects we have to find?" I ask him.

"Don't know." he replies dully.

"Clues?" I ask. Simo hands me an envelope. Inside lie three small slips of paper no bigger than the traditional fortune cookies.

A wall was built in an old nation before Seven Continents was known to all mankind. A small slide for small, wheeled carts is being closed and a new one will be built to hide this item, beneath an unwanted it lies in peace, midway down.

"What?" I say, "What is this?" The clue frustrated me to no extent. I read it again and once more. "Do ya'll have a computer here?" Simo nods and points at the laptop sitting on the coffee table directly in front of me. I pull it open and it asks for a password.

"Fortune cookie, no capitals," says Simo, already knowing my next out of a billion questions. I type in the two words. Incorrect.

"That's wrong. Please, come on? I have an idea." I plead, thinking I know at least part of it.

"I told you. 'Fortune cookie no capitals'." says Simo again. I type it in, the desktop appears. Files clutter the screen. I drag them all into a folder, instantly clearing everything. I open the browser and type in The Great Wall of China. I remember learning about it in second grade, at least. Touring links fill the internet page. I scroll till I see the word slide. I click the link. Tobogganing Down The Great Wall of China.

"Who wants to toboggan down the Great Wall of China?" I ask the two guys.

"You got it already?" asks Simo in disbelief. I simply nod my head.

"See man, I've been telling you for years that we need her." Baffin tells him.

"So this thing- it will bring peace to everywhere?" I ask, clarifying the information.

"No, it will bring us closer to it," replies Baffin. Simo approaches me, I hand him the laptop before he could get close, remembering last time. He sits down with it situated on his lap. He is busy with it, typing, scrolling, and clicking buttons.

"I booked us tickets to Beijing, China early tomorrow morning. Start packing," he says.

"Did you clear search history?" Baffin asks him.

"You know me better than that kid," he replies.

"Why would you clear the search history?" I ask, utterly confused.

"Because, we aren’t the only ones looking for these things, remember?" Simo says. I nod, remembering.

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