New Earth Chapter 3 Continues
Reed's Grandmother Instills Hope
Another fresh post for you this week on The Tolton Path. It’s another 500 to 600 words for the New Earth series. I’m not sure if I should call it a short story or a work in progress novel. Either way, I am really enjoying being able to focus on the same series each week. I’ve spent time building more of a backstory for each character and finding ways to tie them together to the main plot. Subplots are appearing all over the place in my head and I need to figure out what to cut and how to integrate those that remain.
I hope you this week’s installment below. To read the entire series, click here.
Peace.
New Earth, Chapter 3 (continued)
Chaos surrounded Reed. The delegates erupted at Max’s claim to supreme control. They had been summoned here precisely to prevent such a tyranny. They bristled at Max’s first ruling: all delegates will be quarantined to the Welcoming Station for up to five years before setting foot on New Earth.
Reed opened his mind—and suddenly existed in three places at once. He was aware of his body in the Welcoming Station, strapped in a chair in the conference room. He also remained inside Max’s groundbreaking virtual tour of the Capital City. But it was the third place that he drifted into and focused on—one he could not explain—a place of hope.
And it came from conversations with his grandmother. Reed remembered one conversation with her:
As a child, Reed’s grandmother discreetly told him stories about people that believed in a supreme ruler. Unlike Max, this ruler—his grandmother told him—wasn’t human. In fact, the ruler created humans and governed not only nations, but the entire universe.
Eight-year-old Reed looked up from the floor. “You mean like Mommy and Daddy created me?”
His grandmother smiled from a chair. “Not exactly. But this ruler cares about you even more than them.”
“Even more than you?”
“Yes, Reed,” she laughed. “Even more than me.”
After a moment’s thought, his eyes lit up and he shouted, “Request!”
A human-shaped metal robot slid into the room. “Yes, Master Reed.”
Reed commanded, “Tell me about the supreme ruler of the universe.”
The robot replied flatly: “No such supreme ruler exists. In Earth’s history, individuals have ruled over countries and territories. They were called dictators — though other titles were used.”
Reed turned to his grandmother. “Is that who you are talking about?”
“No.”
“Do those rulers care for me?”
“Not in a good way.” She thought for a moment. “They pretend to care but really only care about staying the ruler. That is what happens when a human becomes a supreme ruler.”
“Tell me about a good supreme ruler.”
The grandmother said, “Another time.” She watched the robot leave the room. Touching his shoulder, she said in a low voice, “But I can show you how to speak with the supreme ruler.” Reed nodded and his eyes widened.
“This is what people used to do to speak to the supreme ruler.” The grandmother held her hands together and closed her eyes. “Just talk in your head,” she whispered, “to the supreme ruler.”
With his hands together and eyes closed, young Reed whispered, “What do I say?”
“Anything. If there is something you’re afraid of, ask for help.”
Reed didn’t think often about his talks with his grandmother. There weren’t many and, he found out later, such topics weren’t allowed and hadn’t been for decades. But when the memories surfaced, it was always when he sought hope in moments of desperation—like now.
He remained kneeling in the capital, surrounded by the chaos, with his hands together, talking to this invisible supreme ruler.
“Help me,” his lips slightly moved. “Please send help.”
Seeing Reed kneeling, Maxwell Rhodes pushed his way down through the chaos. He loomed over Reed. “Why are you kneeling?”
Reed lifted his eyes to the towering figure. “I am—”
And then he flickered. And vanished.