Green Remnants

Green Remnants

By: Ava Whitney

~Dedicated to people who help Earth~

Brattleboro, Vermont

Maple Leaf Writing Project

Copyright 2017

“Face it, Mygan! The world is technically over!” yelled the tall man in a too-large coat and hat that gave an eerie shadow to his face. “I hope you can realize there is nothing we can do.”

“That’s what you think,” said the man opposite him. “If we can just get old fragments from when earth was alive, we could reform this obliterated place. I know there are green remnants out there, we just have to find them. Those green remnants can heal the globe. I can start a team to hunt for them!”

“Do what you’d like Mygan,” the other man said. “I’ll stake out some other, more impressive planet. When you fail, I hope you have the good sense to join me.”

“I know I won’t fail,” Mygan said. “You just watch…..”

~~~

Kaitlyn was early to the Collectors meeting. Another might think being alone for a while was boring, but Kaitlyn didn’t mind. She never minded about anything really.

To pass time, she read old magazines.

The ancient covers were cracking like ice on a warm day and the paper was faded and torn. They were the most interesting part of the metal, homely room with no rugs. Scanning the magazine’s tan pages, Kaitlyn saw glimpses of the past. The magazine was a window showing her a beautiful earth, snowy cliffs of diamonds climbed by a man clothed in a soft down coat, a woolen hat and hiking boots. For Kaitlyn this was fascinating, she'd never seen snow.

That Earth was gone, destroyed in a careless individual’s bombing. The bomb had malfunctioned and affected the whole planet very badly. Kaitlyn had never actually known the original Earth, except when she was very small and she couldn’t remember it. It was a mystery why she and the several other humans on earth had survived this catastrophe. Kaitlyn was a Collector, one of a group of people that travelled to the ruins of earth to collect green remnants. They hoped someday use what they’d found and bring their once beautiful earth back and start a new life.

There was something strange about this remnant though. Her mind bubbled with excitement. This remnant was moving! This remnant was different.

She approached slow and cautious. The remnant flickered then disappeared.

Kaitlyn looked at her watch. Time was up. Her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach. She walked her walk of shame back to the meeting place, where everyone held green spheres filled with glimpses of nature. Some were flowers, some mushrooms. Rayla looked at Kaitlyn .

“Tough luck girl,” she said.

“I’m sorry Kaitlyn if you're not going to help this search we must ask you to leave,” Mygan said.

“Mygan, I found a remnant just it escaped!”

“Nonsense, remnants aren't alive that is why we need to find them to activate them.”

“Mygan, I swear!”

“Ellen will take you in the plane Kaitlyn.”

Slowly with all eyes staring at her as if she was a caged animal, Kaitlyn walked to the plane, followed by Ellen. She climbed the plane steps and seated herself at the very back of the aircraft. Then she buried her head in her hands and sobbed. she'd failed her planet.

Earth was Kaitlyn’s favorite planet by far. On Mars, it was deserted and bare except for lonely post-collectors who moped around in the only building, ate and slept. Earth used to be largely populated, Kaitlyn knew that. Now she was a post-collector. The only other person who wasn't was Ellen who came each week with food, but she was only here for a few minutes.

After Earth was remade, if it was remade, Mygan might not let them back on Earth, it was rumored. Kaitlyn simply convinced herself this wasn’t true. Mygan was kind. “Didn’t he kick you off Earth? You sure he’s kind?” said Rayla’s voice in her mind. Yes, Kaitlyn was sure. “Kaitlyn you trust anyone, even people who kick you off the planet for no reason and only care about themselves.” Even though she disagreed with it, Kaitlyn found it comforting to listen to Rayla’s voice in her head. Rayla had been her only friend. She wanted to talk to Rayla, she missed the snooty remarks and sarcastic tone of voice; the other people on Mars only sat around, depressed and waited for death.

The other thought that kept circling her mind was the thought of the remnant. It had been different in some way Kaitlyn couldn’t name.

There was a metal pantry to store food and an uncomfortable living room which everyone moped around in. Kaitlyn slept in the dorm with twenty other people Each bed was ten 2 by 5 square feet and Kaitlyn was always the last to fall asleep. she'd think dark thoughts and almost always silently sob.

The world was falling and collapsing on to of her. Kaitlyn was on a piece of ice and it was slowly melting and there would be nothing else to swallow her up but death. In a way there was nothing else to run to, no family no planet, nothing. If Earth was ever mended, Mygan might not let her back on the planet. She’d be stuck in a barren world and there would be nothing to do or think. Kaitlyn would mind. She'd mind very much in fact. She had to get herself and the others off this planet.

The days dragged on like a gray scarf across the ground. Kaitlyn didn't care. She didn't care about anything that much anymore. She was stuck in a world where nothing and no one mattered except her planet. Kaitlyn’s life was as plain and tasteless as stale white bread, until one day…

It was just another day and Kaitlyn was sitting on a wooden chair in the living room. Moping and eating a breakfast of gross preserved food. The door opened and in walked Ellen and Rayla!

“RAY!” Kaitlyn yelled. Forgetting her breakfast, she ran to hug her friend. Warm, painful, happy tears ran down her cheeks.

“Chill out Kate,” said Rayla, smiling also. But Rayla wasn’t the only visitor. Four other collectors followed. That was practically everyone!

“Why are there so many people?” Kaitlyn asked.

“They aren't helping with this process,” Ellen responded solemnly.

“They kicked us off for no reason,” Rayla whispered. “They said if we only collected one remnant a day “weren't helpful’”

“Farewell,” Ellen said.

“I’ve got a theory Kate,” Rayla said as she glared at Ellen’s departing figure. “I bet the collectors just want Earth to themselves. Mark my words in days the two remaining collectors will come here.”

“Don’t be silly Ray.” Kaitlyn didn’t even bother to consider. Her loyalty to Mygan stopped her.

Rayla eyes rolled in a circle. “Say what you like but something fishy is going on.”

Kaitlyn showed Rayla and the others to the dorm. Rayla was also astonished at the poor conditions. Then they went to the pantry to get a snack.

“Oh I just adore freeze dried eggs,” Rayla sarcastically said.

Kaitlyn laughed. Rayla would make her stay on Mars much more enjoyable. Kaitlyn hadn't so far, and would never have a normal adolescence, but being with her friend made her feel like a normal fourteen year old girl. Being with Rayla made her feel like an average teenager.

One day Kaitlyn decided to explore the little shack more. After a disgusting breakfast, her feet walked her around the little building. There was a room full of books and trunks. She walked in excited and rummaged through the trunks and books that'd she’d never noticed. Most of them were text books and old artifacts but one scientific sketch caught her attention. It was a drawing of a beetle in a green ball. That beetle reminded her of something that she couldn’t quite remember. The rest of the day she grumpily searched through her mind until it struck her! That beetle looked like the remnant she’d seen! What if that sketch was of the remnant? The only green remnants the Collectors had found were plant remnants but what if the key was to find animals. Kaitlyn couldn’t wait to tell Mygan.

It was Monday morning. Actually, Kaitlyn didn’t know that; she didn’t have a calendar, but she suspected. You can always feel the obvious signs of the beginning of the week; the drowsiness and the grumpiness, two of them. She fought the “Monday Syndrome” with the happiness at her new discovery.

Kaitlyn came into the living room to see everyone gathered in some sort of meeting with Rayla at the center.

“Whatcha doing?” Kaitlyn asked.

“We’re discussing the unfair situation on Earth,” Rayla said. “And we’ve decided that that we’re going back to Earth whether they like it or not.”

Kaitlyn sighed. Not this again. “Rayla you know My-”

“Maybe you should stop worrying Kaitlyn and stop being so trusting,” Rayla said. “There is something very fishy going on and we’ve decided to take a stand. Have you ever considered that maybe we can't trust Mygan?”

Kaitlyn was hurt she was so hurt she couldn't speak. Her friend Rayla, her own friend Rayla. How could she say this to her?

“Do what you want, Rayla,” Kaitlyn said. “I won't stop your radical, wrong decision.” And she walked off.

Rayla was right. Kaitlyn knew deep down she’d been. How’d she been so stupid. It was two days after everyone had left in a broken rocketship they had found. Kaitlyn had the planet all to herself. The knock and the door had startled her. She rushed and opened. In walked Ellen with Tay and Laura, the last collectors.

“I guess us leaders have to do the work by ourselves then,” said Ellen, and she drove back to Earth.

Kaitlyn was so shocked she could hardly hear Tay and Laura until Tay shook her.

“Kaitlyn listen to me,” Tay said. “We overheard the leaders. They are gonna put a wall around Earth so we can't get back.They want to get rid of us! We need to do something!”

Words were spinning in Kaitlyn’s head. She could be locked out of her planet. She might never have access to it again. She might be stuck here, she might… A sensible voice in her head calmed her down. “Relax Kaitlyn,” it said. “You can’t think straight when you’re this agitated.”

“We need to hurry!” Laura said. “They said when Ellen got back they'd do it. Is there a rocketship?”

“No,” Kaitlyn said and started to panic again. “Rayla had taken the only one.” Maybe she could send a message to Rayla. All the collectors had communicator watches if they got lost. That was their only hope. How had Kaitlyn been so stupid!

Rayla’s watch buzzed. It was Kaitlyn. She groaned and read it.

Ray,

I’m truly sorry. I was too trusting and should've listened to you. But if you do forgive me please come back and get us before the leaders close off this planet. I'll do anything!

K

Kaitlyn was pacing the floor. Had she said enough? She was much more worried as she'd been when she was trying to find the remnant. How much more time did she have? Tay and Laura were also pacing. This was all Kaitlyn’s fault. She was the only one to blame.

“It's such a weird feeling,” Laura said. “Knowing you might never see your planet again.”

At that Kaitlyn and Tay started to cry. Tears so hot the burned ran down Kaitlyn’s cheeks. She’d never hurt so much. She wanted her tears to burn her flesh and teach her a lesson. And she had the solution to the problem! She had to save her Earth.

“I hate those leaders,” Tay managed to say through sobs.

Kaitlyn’s heart pounded as she looked out the window. Come on Rayla, she thought. Her vision was suddenly blurry and she passed out into a sort of sleep/faint.

“Hurry up you piece of junk!” Rayla yelled at the machine.

Kaitlyn was disoriented but even so at the sight of her friend she screamed. She let out a full out scream as loud as she could make it, then fell over with exhaustion. Rayla smiled at her.

Tay and Laura's heads were pressed against the window of the rocket. Kaitlyn looked out and saw the Earth below.

“We’re just coming into the atmosphere,” Rayla said. “We can only hope for the best.”

The airy clouds rushed passed the little plane. She loved this feeling so much she almost forgot to worry.

Then the rocket bumped into a wall. NO! It couldn't be true. Her thoughts mangled. Her anger bubbled.

The blurry form of Mygan and the other leaders appeared on the other side of the glassy wall.

“Stupid little collectors,” Mygan said. “We were using you the whole time!”

“But why would you want a planet all to yourself,” Rayla asked. “It would be better if we all were to share it.”

“There comes an age when you no longer want to share little girl,” Mygan said. “Goodbye.” Their ship flew off.

Kaitlyn was screaming and wailing and pounding her first against the wall and everyone else was doing the same. she'd never felt such anger and sadness. She wanted to be dead. She wanted to curl up in a tight ball and fall asleep forever.

Then she saw the faces of the other collectors and the force field opening! Bustle explained how they had disabled the forcefield, and she was climbing into their rocket with joy and delight, and Kaitlyn explained that she had the solution and they had to look for animal remnants. And then head rested on her bed on her planet. There was no other place she’d rather be.

It was a sunny day. Rocketships were coming in from other planets bringing survivors who had fled. The collectors had just found enough animals; the planet was back to normal. The pride Kaitlyn felt at saving Earth made up for the dreadful hurt she felt for being too trusting. She agreed to never make such a mistake again. The leaders were locked in a makeshift “prison”. Kaitlyn had gone to Australia with, Rayla, Tay, and Laura. The continent was at its finest with the animals and canopy

of green and sky. “It’s beautiful,” Rayla said. “Isn’t it?”

Kaitlyn nodded. She was home.