A Desolate World
As I gazed out from the sealed bunker, my heart sank at the sight of our ravaged planet. The once-blue skies were now shrouded in a thick blanket of dark dust clouds, blocking out any hint of sunlight or clouds. The searchlights cast an eerie glow on the desolate wasteland, revealing roads pockmarked with massive craters and buildings reduced to rubble.
The landscape stretched out before me like a graveyard of steel and concrete, with twisted metal lamp posts and rusted carcasses of vehicles scattered about. The air was heavy with the acrid scent of smoke and ash, a constant reminder of the devastation that had ravaged our world. Even the vegetation, once so vibrant and full of life, had long since vanished.
As I took in this bleak scene, I couldn’t help but think of the countless minor wars that had led to this catastrophic end. The conflicts had begun in Europe, spreading like wildfire across the globe, until the final war had wiped out nearly all life on Earth. It was a grim reminder of humanity’s capacity for destruction.
The few survivors who had managed to eke out an existence were forced to flee underground, seeking refuge in massive caverns built by the military over decades. Our family’s tradition as watchers – passed down from my father and his father before him – was to keep vigilant watch on these conditions above ground and report back to those who remained beneath.
But even as I gazed out at this desolate wasteland, I knew that our reports would be just as bleak as the ones we’d received in years past. The world had ended, and all that remained was a cold, dark landscape, devoid of life or hope.
Losing The Plot Totally And The Nightmare Begins
As I stumbled through the darkness, my head spinning like a top, I felt like I was being pulled through a vortex. The air was thick with an otherworldly silence, punctuated only by the soft crunch of gravel beneath my feet. In the distance, a faint glow beckoned me forward, a tiny speck of light that seemed to pulse with an eerie energy.
Time lost all meaning as I trudged towards the light, my legs moving on autopilot. It was like being trapped in a never-ending nightmare. But suddenly, I found myself bursting out of the tunnel like a cork from a champagne bottle, blinking in the bright sunlight.
As my eyes adjusted, I took in the towering edifice before me – a building that seemed to defy gravity, its sleek lines and gleaming spires a testament to human ingenuity. It was a sight I’d only ever read about in the dusty archives of the bunkers, hidden away like secrets by the Elite lawmakers who’d once ruled with an iron fist.
But time had a way of warping reality, and before I knew it, I found myself deep beneath the earth’s surface, surrounded by the musty scent of old books and the faint hum of machinery. This was my father’s hidden lair, where we’d spent countless hours pouring over forbidden knowledge and plotting our rebellion against the oppressors.
As I delved deeper into the underground lair, the air grew thick with tension and anticipation. It seemed that even after the war to end all wars, a hidden base of revolutionaries had been secretly planning their coup against the lawmakers who’d once controlled them with an iron fist.
And then, in the blink of an eye, I found myself facing a vast cavern, its walls stretching upwards like a cathedral dedicated to some ancient deity. The flickering light on the wall surface resolved into images projected onto the stone – a quick succession of images that transported me back to a bygone era.
They showed a once-proud nation celebrating the monarch’s longest reign on the throne, their pomp and circumstance a testament to the grandeur of “Albion”. According to the ancient knowledge etched into my mind, this was a time when the Royal family had dedicated themselves to the betterment of their country, making it the envy of the world.
Where Do We Go From Hear
“If only they had known of the troubles that lay ahead,” I thought, as I gazed upon the faded glory of Albion. Hindsight was indeed a powerful tool, allowing me to see the warning signs that had been ignored or overlooked. The once-mighty economy now teetered on the brink of collapse, brought down by a perfect storm of factors.
The streets were filled with the sound of empty stomachs growling, as high food prices and scarcity drove people to desperation. Money had little value for all but the wealthy elite. Desperately needed housing was in short supply, forcing families to live in overcrowded conditions or resort to makeshift shantytowns.
Crime ran rampant, as law enforcement struggled to keep pace with the escalation in illegal activity. The Human Rights Bill, once touted as a beacon of freedom and protection, had been quietly rewritten to give those in power the freedom to change laws to suit their own agenda.
The collapse of the last few Unions fighting for workers’ rights was the final nail in the coffin. Jobs were scarce, and many companies fled to other countries in search of cheaper labor and more favorable business climates. The result was a soup kitchen epidemic, as charity-run organizations struggled to keep up with demand.
The final blow came when their National Health Service (N.H.S) was sold off to the highest bidder. It was then that I knew I could no longer bear this imagined nightmare world. The return of the Workhouse, once thought eradicated, was the last straw for me. I longed to wake up from this dystopian dream and find solace in a reality that was at least somewhat more tolerable.
A Nation Falls
The once-great nation crumbled under the weight of fear and totalitarianism. The monarch’s proud celebrations gave way to dread of the acting dictator, whose every word was law.
The government would stop at nothing to maintain its grip on power, even silencing dissenting voices within its own party. Fear ruled the day: agree with the leader or risk losing your job.
As I floated above the heads of those long-dead individuals, I realized I’d transcended time and space, unnoticed by the masses like a ghost. I could even hear the thoughts of those around me.
A man nearby thought to himself, “I made a terrible mistake voting to opt-out of the the rest of the known world.” He now realized he was fed lies, and even politicians didn’t know what they were voting for. Yet, citizens had been given a vote, leaving them with uncertain futures.
His thoughts were consumed by a divided nation, created by a foolish Minister making empty promises to a minority party leader. When the vote went awry, the Minister fled his post, leaving the mess for someone else to clean up.
Eventually, a woman took the reins, earning herself a notorious reputation as the one who sowed the seeds of Europe’s collapse.
Journey’s End
My journey through time came to an abrupt halt, leaving me standing in front of the imposing tower-like building once again. I felt a sense of déjà vu, as if I had seen this place before – but was it just a dream?
To my left and right stood two robots, their mechanical bodies eerily still. Before us, a tall, heavy-built man clad in red with gold overlay held an axe at the end of a long handle. He stood guard in front of a large wooden door.
Suddenly, total darkness enveloped me, plunging me into uncertainty. What lay ahead? Was this the end of my journey, or just the beginning?
A Memory Returns
I was caught in our secret room, going through forbidden knowledge.
Refusing to tell them the names of the rest of the movement they publicly hung us out to dry. Then in a closed courtroom, a bench of four robotic judges found me, and my family guilty (Guilty of what) they used us as an example. A warning to others who dare think unsavory thoughts about them.
I was Only Dreaming
We were to be thrown into the tower naked, with one bottle of water, and nothing to eat. We were to suffer a death from dehydration, and starvation with no appeal. Only the governing party knew what had happened to us.
My wife and family were stripped naked in front of me. One by one our robotic guards threw them naked through the entrance of what was to be our prison cell, which sooner rather than later would become our coffin.
I was kept until last, forced to watch my family suffer due to my refusal to reveal movement secrets. I knew it wouldn’t have made a difference; we were a threat and had to disappear quickly.
Thrown through the door, I immediately began falling towards the hard stone floor.
Saying My Prayers
I woke up with a start, disoriented by the feeling of falling that sometimes occurs when you’re dreaming. I looked around my bedroom, wondering why I could not see the soft glow of street lights through the curtains of my bedroom window. A noise from behind me caught my attention.
Looking toward the sound, I had heard, I thought I saw two robots and a man dressed in a red coat much like a dress, just before our only source of light was extinguished. The door to our prison closed for the first and last time.
I whispered a silent prayer: “God help us… if you believe.” surely it had all been just a dream. Yes of course it had. Then came the ear-shattering high-pitched screams, from my family, that went on and on and on.
Note:
Remember, this is parts of my dreams pieced together with my imagination to make up a story – intended solely for entertainment purposes. (Shahdaroba posting 2024).