The Light Hunter

PART ONE

The world has become a very dark place. It’s the year 2085. Where nothing has changed, except everything.

In a small border town, in an even smaller isolation pod lives Ely. His hair warm from the fresh buzz cut he just received. His pupils wide with an innocent dilated glint. These four walls are Elys home, for now.

He has been in quarantine for two weeks whilst he awaits to join the other Light Hunters out on Station Lux. One of the last known renewable light sources in our solar system.

In the “bright days” children grew up wanting to be fire fighters, doctors or superheroes. They would have posters on their walls, dolls on their bed side tables and even have costumes hanging on the back of their bedroom doors, which at night time would transcend into ghoulish shadows. But now, becoming a Light Hunter is the single thing that not only captures the imagination of millions, but brings fame, respect and pride to family names that often get left drifting in the outskirts like tumbleweed.

But for Ely, his family where lost in the first blackout of 2065. He was raised in foster care and once he came of age he was enlisted into LHBTR ( the Light Hunter Basic Training Regime). Now his only memory of his father and mother are that found in a small polaroid picture that sits on his desk. The edges faded, but their memory still alive, on the back scribbled in ink it reads “There is light even in the darkest of places.” His eyes drift from the photo down to his palm which rests across the branded barcode that was burnt into his forearm during his Light Hunter induction, at the base sits the Light Hunter manifest “We shall walk in the dark, so others may see the light.” A permanent reminder of his commitment to the force and the sacrifice he and many more will make to bring light back to earth, as once they reach Station Lux there is no return.

Suddenly a loud intercom interrupts his…“Would all personal please report to their designated launch zones. All required equipment must be stored in filament storage units in preparation for departure. USS Luminous will launch in T-minus 23 minutes. Good luck and happy hunting.”

Beep.

The announcement ends as abruptly as it began. It’s time. Ely pauses for a moment looking out into the black abyss from his small circular window. He remembers when he would look out of windows and see the birds dancing on telephone lines, children playing on street corners and the sun painting the tarmac in a warm honey coloured sunshine. As quickly as he reminisces, he has risen from the end of his bed. He grabs his duffel bag. His Lumens Reader and his Light Encapsulator Device (LED) for short.

Walking towards the front door, he quickly stops “Shit”. Ely mumbles, he turns, he looks and walks back towards his desk, picking up the polaroid of his mother and father. He takes a breath, his thumb caresses their faces, a silent goodbye as it slowly rolls downs towards a small heart shaped locket that his father is wearing in the photo. He always wondered what it meant, what it stood for, where did it come from? Where is it now? As the questions begin to pour another announcement begins to…

“T-Minus 15 minutes. Would all personal please begin launch sequence.” Ely stuffs the photo into his utility vest as the door to his pod automatically opens. With one deep breath, he is ready.

PART TWO

“ Warning! Warning! station docking imminent. Please brace for impact.” Suddenly Ely wakes up.

They’re about to arrive on Station Lux. He fastens his harness. Places on his helmet and prepares for arrival. Around him other Light Hunters suit up and strap in. One fellow hunter catches Ely’s attention. There is a knowing look of what’s to come, of the hardship they will soon endure.

A loud bang can be heard, they are all thrown forward in their seats, air compressors hiss, lights flash from red to green, and then silence falls. The pilot walks down the central aisle between all the new recruits with two very simple orders. “Please stay in your seats with your harnesses fastened. Place your helmet ventilation on setting L.” He has a short stocky build, his forehead sweaty from his intercom headset, unshaven, dirty. Ely felt he would be better suited as a pilot of the local dive bar than such an esteemed role upon “Station Lux” But maybe what he lacked in attributes he made up for in character.

As the pilot reached the back door. There was a look over his shoulder that made Ely confused. His eyes changed, his hand slipped down towards his P30L pistol. The atmosphere in the cabin changed. There was a tension, an unknown force waiting on the other side. Muffled footsteps could be heard outside. Metal doors screeched against each other, tyres ground to a halt. Doors slammed and then it happened.

The doors opened to a world that was much darker than Earth and in a very different way.

Suddenly men in masks ran aboard. Each new light hunter assigned a different masked guard pointing a gun at their chests. “Hands where I can see them!” Hands where I can see them!!!” They shouted through their ventilation units. Many new recruits began to shake in their seats. Ely was in shock. What is happening? Is this not Station Lux he thought? Who are these people? why do they have guns!!!?

Bang! Click. Thud.

One recruit now lay cold on the floor as smoke rose from the nose of one of the masked men’s guns. Single tears fell as every new recruit started to realise this wasn’t what they signed up for. Suddenly the guards froze, placing their guns in a regimental position. From the main entrance a woman appeared. Her footsteps creating a metallic rhythm across the corrugated flooring.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

She stood in the centre of the aisle. Starring at each and every one of them for a second too long.

“ Welcome to station Lux. One of the last remaining resourceful light mining projects in our solar system. You are now property of the Federal Light Union. Tasked with mining, collecting and sending light back to earth. All notion of becoming a Light Hunter should be forgotten. You have one role here and that is to work. If not..” She slowly places her foot on the dead body that lies in front of her.

“ Do I make myself clear?” She asks in a soft yet stern voice. Many heads nod, some mumble. Ely merely stares at her, the amount of questions he wishes he could ask seem to outweigh the fear he is feeling. “Good!” She shouts in a joyous tone. Please follow the guards to your lodging and happy hunting” She laughs as she leaves the ship. One by one they are placed in single file and marched out towards a long grey building in front. At the top a sign reads “ Station Lux. We shall walk in the dark, so others may see the light.” Suddenly it dawns on Ely what has just happened. He looks left, then right. Everywhere he sees other “Light Hunters” imprisoned. Forced to mine for light every minute of everyday. Their bodies weak. Their eyes tired. You could hear their cries for help through every grunt and gasp for air.

But then he see’s it. He blinks twice with disbelief. Standing by a large light extractor, a man. Ely recognises him, but where from? As the man leans over to collect his filament storage unit a small heart shaped locket falls out of his unbuttoned utility vest. Ely is shocked. He stops in his tracks. It can’t be. “Dad?” he shouts. Suddenly others stop. They look around. The masked guards begin to walk towards Ely. “Dad! He shouts again even louder. The man looks up. Ely is now holding the polaroid of his mother and father. They lock eyes. Reunited. His eyes begin to water. The man begins to move forward. When suddenly the masked men have kicked Ely to the ground, dropping the photo in the process “Dad!” He shouts this time from the bottom of his heart. “Dad!” As he is dragged away by a group of masked guards. The line continues to move. The status quo restored.

A hand leans down and softly picks up the polaroid photo that lies in the dirt. His father looks at it. Remembering the moment it was taken. His eyes fill with hope, his son, his family. A moment of clarity washes over him, he knows what he must do but how is a very different question. He turns the photo over and reads the words he wrote on the back.

“There is light even in the darkest of places.”