The End

This is a new writing I did for a class. Have fun!

The world really was falling apart, and I was too late. Nothing I did to prevent this worked. We tried so hard, and yet my vision came true. I’m so sorry Planet Earth.

Jared Hall was seven, in the year of 2015, when he had his first vision. He was playing at the playground on a warm Saturday afternoon when he fell off a swing. Some person thought it would be nice to help him up and it was a good idea.  But Jared went pale when the woman grabbed his hand. He began to scream and cry and the woman was shocked. His own mother took him to the hospital when he said that he must have hit his head. Scans didn’t show anything wrong with his brain.  So his mother took him to a child psychiatrist to figure out what in the world he was talking about.

Jared had told his mom how the woman was going to die.

Of course, this scared his mother. And if doctors of the body couldn’t make sense of it, then maybe doctors of the mind could figure it out.

But no one could. He went to ten different physiatrists, and no one could make heads or tails of what Jared saw.

His mother took him out of school and put him into a home schooling program. The only thing she could guess was that he didn’t like to be around people, so she removed him from the situation like any good mother would do.

Jared doesn’t go out much, even ten years later. But he’s made sense of what went on when he was seven: He can see the past and future of whomever he touches. He never told his mom about it though. And never will, because she dies in a few weeks. That much Jared knows like the back of his hand. On his calendar, he has the day circled in bright, fiery red. He’s never forgotten the day when his mother’s death came to him. He was twelve when his mom grabbed his arm without knowing what was going on. Jared remembered the date that was on a calendar in the background of the vision and wrote it down.

And now it is the summer of 2025 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The fifth city they’ve lived in since he turned ten, and that’s just cities.

The church bells down the road from his apartment chimed midnight as Jared slid open his window soundlessly. His bright blue eyes gleamed mischievously in the near blinding moonlight and he jumped onto the fire escape outside his window. When his sneakered feet hit the pavement below, Jared pulled up his black hood and took off in a dead run, blending into the dark buildings surrounding him because of his dark clothes. Few cars passed slowly, spewing carbon monoxide into the smoggy air Jared was breathing as he ran.

Jared came upon an abandoned shipping house at the harbor ten minutes later. Checking his watch before stepping into the smothering shadow, he noticed he was a bit late.

He knocked on the iron door loudly and calmly waited for someone to answer.

A small panel slid open with a screech that grated the ears. “Who is it?” Blind eyes bore into Jared’s own, causing him to shiver despite the warm, ocean air blowing off the bay.

“It’s Seer,” Jared replied, rolling his eyes and pulled his jacket closer to his tall, well-muscled body. Keeper grinds open the heavy door and a stale wind harassed them, gooseflesh prickling their skin.

“Is Elemental here?” Jared asked Keeper before walking further into the room.

“Yes, he is. They are waiting for you, sir.” Keeper dipped his fedora over his pale face, looking ridiculous. His bulk almost filled the doorway, and Jared sighed.

“Thank you, Keeper.”

“And sir?” Keeper asked. Jared nodded. “There is someone else. She came with Tree. He said she was interested. I let her in, feeling her intentions were pure. Should I not have let her in?”

Jared placed his cold hand on Keeper’s arm. “You did well. If she doesn’t fit us, then you know what to do.”

Keeper nodded and Jared walked deeper into the warehouse. It was dim, dark even, until he got closer to the lantern light where a handful of people were seated on dilapidated chairs and crates.

“Thank you all for coming. I hear we have an investigator in our midst.” Jared announced when his face came into view.

“Yes we do, sir. Her name is-” Tree began but was cut off.

“We do not speak our names here, Tree. Only our coded names,” Jared chided. The rotting smell was stronger now that he was closer to Deep. Deep was special, like all of them were. She could bring the tides and inevitably, control the great tide master: The moon. “Ma’am, what is your power?”

The pale yet dark young woman froze. She held Jared’s gaze for a steady moment then turned away. Jared was suddenly filled with this presence of repulsion, like the same sides of a magnet. He wanted to get as far away from her as fast as possible. But he made up his mind to stay curious about this emotion and its connection to the girl.

“My power?” she asked. “Tree brought me here because I was curious about what he does once a month. He thought it would be a good idea for me to see.” Her soft, sweet voice filled the colder air around the group and gave off a sense of peace and tranquility. Jared didn’t know how that could be when he was so full of anger and hatred most of the time. Maybe . . . he thought. No, it can’t be. ... I’ll just continue the meeting and leave my suspicions to my own mind. Keeper and Psyche mustn’t find out.

“Fine then, I’ll give you the liberty to stay for this meeting. But afterward, you must meet with me.” Jared paused, keeping his mind clear and blank, just in case. “Elemental, what have you found this week?”

Jared’s best friend Oliver Cox, otherwise known as Elemental, looked up. His dark brown eyes glanced around the silent circle before speaking up, his voice like the wind. “I haven’t found anyone else, sir. I’ve looked everywhere in this city and found no one.”

“Psyche? You must have found someone who could have been hiding a power no one can see. Their minds must have told you something.”

“I have not felt anyone. Keeper and Deep are the same way. No one is to be found.” Psyche’s deep voice filled their minds because his voice was gone. Psyche has never been able to speak with his mouth, only with his mind, hence the name.

“I see,” Jared trailed off. Tree seems to be the only one who has found someone this month and she didn’t have a power. How could she have known about our meetings though? What does this mean?

Psyche looked thoughtfully at Jared. “You seem to have come to a conclusion about the girl. I feel this is the proper solution to our predicament.” Psyche, I’m going to kill you for reading me. I wanted to keep that to myself.

Jared sighed before steeling himself. “Young woman, come here.” Jared held out his hand to her after taking off his glove. She looked to Tree who didn’t share the same stare. Tree only saw Jared, realizing what he was about to do.

“You can’t do that, Seer! She’s innocent. You cannot condemn her to that fate. Her life should only be hers to See. No one should be able to See what you do.”

Jared turned to Tree, his face haunted in the pale lamplight that gave no warmth into the chill room with a soaring ceiling. “If no one was meant to See, then why do I See it? Come girl and take my hand. Prepare yourself.”

She stood on shaking feet, her dark hair falling into her green eyes and pale face. Jared extended his hand farther to her and all she had to do was barely touch his fingertips before it began.

Her whole life flashed before his eyes, even up until the present. Her name was Valerie Croft and she was a naturally sad, depressed person until she met Jared.  He saw himself as she did and how she felt horror-struck by him in the same way. He felt how angry he was until she spoke and it changed. Something inside her awoke and caused a stirring in her sad soul. She seemed lighter but felt pressure coming from the people around her. She could feel how angry Oliver was and how terrified Tree was. But she got up at Jared’s request and when their fingers touched, another vision began.

They both Saw the end of the world. The Washington monument and the White House fell into dust and rubble; fire everywhere, burning the people who tried to run from the death surrounding them. The earth seemed to rend into two; a gargantuan crack opened and sucked in the buildings, cars and humans trying to move before they died. The scent of blood was strong and the smell of rapid decay invaded his nose. The scent of burning flesh and hair scarred his soul. He could almost taste the smoldering pavement and rivers of molten rock and glass flowed across the dead ground into the gorge. The sky was like the blood gushing along with the melted rock. The howling, smoke-filled, flesh-melting wind pulled at their clothing and hair.

Jared looked at the girl with wide eyes and her hand clasped tighter to his in fear. He was just as scared as she was, though they were untouched by the destruction around them.

“Let go!” he shouted to her. He prayed she heard him until he felt the familiar kick in his chest. Out of breath, he closed his eyes welcoming the present to fill his mind.

When he opened his eyes, Jared and Valerie were sprawled across the damp cement floor far away from each other. The others were still sitting, but the looks of horror and terror told the two that not everything was okay. They picked themselves up, dusting off, and looked at everyone else.

“What happened?” Deep asked.

Jared hesitated, throwing up his mind barricades so Psyche couldn’t read his thoughts. How do I tell them? I can’t say that the world is going to end, but I shouldn’t keep it from them. I’ll just say “nothing good” and end the meeting. But what do I do about the girl? It must have something to do with emotions because of her effect on me, and not to mention Oliver should have been angrier with me. He wants to kill me . . ..

“Seer, what does the future hold for us?” Keeper drawled slowly.

Jared turned his eyes to Valerie. She was shell-shocked and he could feel Oliver ooze heat to dull the chill that was getting to everyone. Jared glanced at his watch- it read two fifteen.

“I’ve been directed to not say anything on this matter until I know more.” Jared said, pulling his black glove back on. “No, in light of this, I will propose that we bring her,” he pointed to Valerie, “into our group.”

“But what is her power?” Oliver asked.

“Emotions,” Jared said calmly as if it was nothing to worry about. But in reality, it really was something to fear. Jared knew she would increase in power until she could shut off all emotions in a human and even make them bend to her will. He ran his hands through his hair, thinking of a name for her since no one else was to know her real name. “I propose we call her Desire. Anyone else have a say in this?”

“I think we should go with Lust.” Oliver suggested nonchalantly.

“Vibe,” Valerie whispered. Everyone looked at her and smiled.

Jared beamed, his face splitting in two with his grin. “Welcome Vibe, to our group of special people. We all have gifts as you might have guessed by now. I have the gift of visions; Elemental can control the elements, Psyche can read minds, Keeper can feel human intentions, Deep controls the tides, Tree can control the earth, and you, my dear, can control emotions. Welcome and feel at home among us. Our sole goal right now is to find others like us and bring them to help us in whatever our next goal will be. But after this meeting ends, I would like to speak with you.”

Valerie nodded and Jared continued. “The next meeting will be the same day next month and same time. Be here or else,” he warned. The lamp started to fade out and cast shadows across his face hauntingly. Everyone nodded and got up to leave. Valerie told Tree to wait for her outside and he left with everyone else.

“You wanted to speak with me?” Valerie said.

“I want to take another look at the vision. Will you let me?”

“No way!” Valerie exclaimed. “I’d rather not die. I almost suffocated the first time. Maybe another time, like next month.”

“We may not have until next month! All I know is that it was happening in Washington D.C. and I need to know what time. Please!” Jared pleaded.

“I’m sorry. I know this is kind of important and I truly want to help, but I know I can’t without having to go to the hospital. My mother wouldn’t like it if she had to go there at three in the morning.”

“Tomorrow then?” he asked.

“Maybe,” she looked skeptical.

“Find me here,” Jared said, writing down the park’s address on her hand in blue pen. He knew it must look horrible because of the dim shadows, but he didn’t care. He needed to look again before his neighboring country took a turn to face Hell.

“I’ll meet you there at three, after school. See you tomorrow, Jared.” Valerie turned on her heel and swished out the door, catching up with Tree and disappearing into the night.

The next morning, Jared lay in bed thinking about the vision. What was he going to do? He couldn’t travel there without money or his mother’s permission, and she would ask questions. He crawled out of bed, leaving his black sheets behind him as he left his dim room. His mother had already left for work and wouldn’t be home until six or so. Upon the toast he had fixed for breakfast, Jared plopped himself in front of the computer and looked up Washington D.C. on Google.

What he saw made him drop his toast on the ground, butter side down. His breathing and heart both stopped and his eyes widened in shock.

Washington in Ruins

As of yesterday afternoon, Washington D.C. has been completely destroyed. Everyone has been swallowed up into the earth and buildings have burned. Nothing survived except for the scorched earth and rubble. Authorities stumbled upon the scene late last night when there was no murmurings coming out of the area. The President, who was elsewhere in the country, returned to Washington and gave an address this morning concerning the commotion. He talked about a new beginning and a rebirth of the country. All of the original documents were ruined and he spoke about making new ones, ones that would create the perfect system without failure and poverty. Many corporations were infuriated with the President and some planned an attack on him but it was easily dissolved. With the country’s government in tatters, the American people have nowhere to go, nothing to do to save them. A leading scientist has done a test on the site, and is now predicting another strike. He theorizes that it was not an attack from enemy countries, but rather an attack of nature. He predicts that there will be other scene like Washington.

Most of the Americans have now heard this news and are frantically scraping their lives together before the next attack. Storm warnings are being issued on all the coasts and tornado warnings are also being issued in Tornado Alley as of this morning.

The United States is doomed. There is no hope for them, nowhere to go and no plan to save them.

Jared didn’t even finish the news article. There was no way he could anything anymore. His chance was gone. If only he had met Valerie at another time, he could have prevented this.

With nothing better to do, Jared still went to him meeting with Valerie, the bright summer light burning his tired, dead eyes. Even the trees seemed happy to be alive, as if they knew what had happened on the other side of the continent.

Valerie was waiting for him on a bench, her dark hair covering her face as she looked sadly out at the children playing in the grass with dogs and parents.

“Valerie,” Jared said when he walked up to her. She jumped and looked up at him.

“I don’t know how you knew my name, but let’s get this over with,” she said, extending her hand to his gloved one. He must have looked strange, wearing a black T-shirt with gloves, but nonetheless it helped him.

Jared shook his head. “It’s all over, Valerie. The Washington D.C. incident happened last night. The capital of The United States is gone and my stupid vision didn’t help.”

Valerie stopped breathing as well. When she got her breath back, she whispered, “What do we do now?”

“Prepare, because Vancouver may be next,” Jared said.

All she did was nod her head and stand. “It was nice meeting you then, Seer. If only we lived in another time, we could have gotten to know each other better.”

“You can call me Jared, and we might have enough time to learn about each other.” Jared smiled and took her hand, pulling her away from the park.

“Let’s go save the world,” Jared said, walking under the sweeping arch over the sidewalk to the park.

“Let’s save everyone,” Valerie added, following Jared deep into the city.