The Light Within

The day started with me going out to the garden to check on the strawberries. The day was sunny, beautiful, and quiet. It was like any other day. That’s until ‘they’ came. I call them the Malum’s. They wear nice black suits with a red tie. On my way to the garden was the first time I saw them. They came for my mother. I still, over 5 years later have no idea why they were there.

The Malums caused havoc wherever they went. They would murder and destroy everything they touched. I’ve been living in the woods for about two years now. My dog Lou is my only companion. We are on a mission for rabbit today. My mother would make rabbit soup every Sunday. She was a animal lover but also ate meat most days of the week. She would always tell me it’s okay to take life as long as you always give it back.

The world ended a few years after I was born. The people knew it was coming but they went on with their daily lives as if nothing would happen. It started off slow. The summers would get hotter and the winters would be longer. The sickness would get worse, killing millions daily. The animals were becoming extinct by the day. It wasn’t until the domestic animals were lost that people then started to care and notice.

My mother, she moved into the middle of the Oregon forest. Her name was Darcy. She had beautiful green eyes and flaming red hair. Everyone thought she looked like a fairy. I have no idea what she did before I was born. I never got the chance to ask her. She would do simple things and be extremely happy about it. Telling me that moving to fast in life will kill you.

“Have you sniffed out one yet?” I asked Lou. She just gives me that sad look, as if she’s disappointed in herself for not finding one yet. “It’s okay, we can try next week.” I say to her. She wags her tail and wiggles her butt at the same time. We find a good tree to set up camp under and eat the fruit I found earlier today. Lou is a Austrian Shepherd, the most loving and loyal friend I’ve ever had. She’s got blue eyes and is on alert 24/7.

Later, we watched the stars. I tell her stories of easier and simpler times. I dream of the garden and that day. I dream of it often. The Malums come into the house. My mom is in there making dinner. The garden isn’t too far away but she told me to hide if they came. There was four of them. Two were tall and broad. One was short and stoat. The last one was average build but obviously the leader. He did all the talking. He also made all of the commands and no one questioned him. They screamed at my mother, they wanted to know where somthing was. I was to far away to hear them. That’s when the leader sets fire to my home and locks my mother in it. I was petrified with fear. I never moved from my spot. I will regret that until I die.

I wake up feverish. I forget where I am. Lou gives me a lick all over my face. Laughing and protesting, I get up to leave. I start to head towards the river when I can hear leafs crushing. It’s a ways behind but I know someone is there. Lou is barking in the direction of the noise. The person or animal is coming closer. “Lou, come on, let’s go!” I yell at her.

We start running as fast as we can. The river is the best way to get across. Lou jumps in first but the current is to fast. I jump in after her. The rain has been heavy this winter. I know there’s a waterfall not to far. We’re both going to drown.The next moment I’m being pulled out of the water. Lou is laying across me exhausted with her eyes closed.

There’s a man standing over me. He has a crossbow and wearing animal skins. I hope he knows what century we’re in. I know it’s the end of the world but most people still wear cotton. “Who the hell are you?” I ask. “That’s a bit rude, I mean I wouldn’t have had a huge problem with letting you drown but I love dogs.” He says as he leans down to pet Lou. The traitor licks his face. “At least she’s greatfull.” He says with a smirk on his face.

“So, you only jumped into rushing water to save my dog?” I say. He starts walking away. “Wait, I’m sorry, I haven’t seen a lot of people lately.” I say to him. “What’s your name?” I ask. He looks at me for a whole minute before answering. It’s starting get awkward, especially since I can’t stop starting at his very blue eyes. “My name is Lux. What’s your lovely name?” He asks with sarcasm. “Thanks for saving me and Lou. It’s hard to trust people in these days. My name is Pax” I tell him.

“We should find some dinner.” He says after a few minutes. “Have you seen any rabbits lately?” I ask. “You really want rabbit? They have barely any meat.” He says. “It’s been a transition to have rabbit soup every Sunday of my life.” I tell him. He looks at me with an expression I can’t really read. “Okay, well let’s find some rabbit. I have to ask though, how are you going to make soup with only rabbit?” He asks.

“I have broth from the chicken I ate last, potatoes from a garden not to far away and I always have herbs for food and medicine.” I tell him. “Are you some kind of witch?” He asks. “No, why does everyone say that when I mention the word ‘herbs’? It’s weird.” I say. He laughs, “it was only a joke. No need to be so defensive.” He says. “I’m not being defensive Lux.” I say. He looks at me again with an expression I can’t read. “What?” I ask. “Nothing....it’s just I haven’t heard someone say my name in years.” He say with a sad face.

An hour later we’re eating a wonderful rabbit soup. After I am done, I say thank you for your life to the dead rabbits. Lux is looking at me as if I’m the craziest person ever. “My mom taught me that every life is precious and sacred. She said you never take more then you need.” I tell him. “You mom is a smart lady it sounds like.” He say. “She was, she knew so many things about how to save life’s. That was before the Malums killed her.” I say.

“I’m sorry, my parents were killed too. Who’s the Malems?” He asks. “They are the evil guys in suits.” I say to him. “Oh, you mean the power.” He says. “I think I like my name for them better.” I say. “What does Malums even mean?” He asks. “It’s means evil in Latin.” I say. “That’s actually pretty fitting for them but why Latin.” He asks. “It’s was the language my mother spoke to me in and she obviously taught me English too.” I tell him. “I wonder why your mom would teach you Latin, it’s been a dead language forever.” He says.

“I don’t know, I never got the chance to ask her.” I say. “That’s interesting.” He says with a curious expression. We set up camp for the night. He lays against the tree and falls asleep right away. At least I think he has. “Why are you stareing?” He asks. “I was just wondering if you were going to kill me in my sleep.” I say. “If I wanted you dead, I would of let you drown.” He says.

I start to play with my necklace. It’s a comfort for me. It makes me feel like my mom is still here. “What is that?” He asks. “It was my mother’s locket, she gave it to me right before she was killed.” I tell him. “It’s beautiful.” He says. “Have you ever gotten it open?” He asks with alert eyes. “No, I’m assuming it just has a picture of me in it or of her.” I say. “She never showed you how to open it?” He asks. “Why are you so curious about my necklace? It’s only a locket.” I say.

He, I think pretends to go back to sleep. I’m starting to drift into sleep myself. I have my same dream about my mother but the leader now in my dream is Lux. That can’t be possible. It was years ago and he can’t be that much older than me. I wake up in a panic and fever from my dream. My nightmare. I see Lou who is eating a fresh rabbit but Lux is nowhere. “Where did he go?” I ask mostly to myself.

I go to touch my locket but it’s not there. He has taken it. Why the hell would he want a woman’s necklace? Does he have some woman to give it to? Out of all the things he could of taken. It’s also the only thing he took. I want to hurt him. I’m going to kill him if he doesn’t give it back to me.

Lou and I start to track him. My mother taught me how to track since I could walk. It’s probably one of the reasons I am still here at the end of the world. I have found his footprints. Lou is not a great tracker but she still can smell him if the rain doesn’t come. He is heading east. I don’t know why. There’s nothing left in the east. It’s a waste land. Anyone who is left stays west and in the forest.

The footprints are gone right at the beginning of the wasteland. An animal could of gotten him. There’s a hand on my mouth. Lou is about to start barking when she realizes it’s Lux. “Shh, you have to be quiet. Please.” He pleads. “You took my locket, what is wrong with you?” I ask quietly. “It’s not a locket, it’s a key.” He says. “No, I would have known if it were a key.” I say.

“What is open in Latin?” He asks. “Why? Why should I do anything for you?” I ask. He looks me right in the eye with that expression again. “Please?” He asks. “Okay, it’s patentibus.” I say. The locket, it opens and it’s a key. “What the hell? How did you know?” I ask. “My dad was researching before the end. This is where he worked and this is the door. You had the key. Your mom must of been Darcy Ocean. She was the leader of the researchers.” He says.

“A researcher, for what?” I ask. “To save the planet of course.” He says like it’s the most obvious thing ever. Lux removes the dirt at his feet. There is a door there. It has two heart shapes in the middle. “The key.” I say. Lux puts the locket in its place. “Do you want to open it?” He asks. “No, just in case something comes out, it can kill you first.” I say. He just laughs a little as he opens it.

It opens to a dark hole. Okay well that was uneventful. “I’ll go down first, then you follow.” He says. “I’m not leaving Lou up here alone.” I tell him. “Okay, I’ll put her in my backpack.” He says. “I’ll go first then.” I say. “I thought you wanted me to be the first eaten?” He asks. “Not if you have my best friend on your back.” I say. I start to head down with my headlight. I only have so many batteries for this thing. This better be worth it.

We get to the bottom. I can’t see more then 10 feet in front of me. I think we’re on a metal bridge. “Let’s see if we can find a light.” He says. I look everywhere but find nothing. “Lux, I can’t find anything.” I say. All of the sudden the lights turn on. The place is huge. I don’t even know big, it just keeps going. “Why did the lights turn on?” I ask. “I don’t know.” He says. I walk around to see what this place is. I realize there’s Latin written everywhere. “Your name, that’s what turned on the lights.” I say. “What, my name?” He asks. “Yes, it means light.

“I didn’t know that.” He says. “We should look around, what we’re they doing here.” I say. There are bottles of things everywhere. They have animal names all over them. I find a book. It’s called the light within. It’s a book about the bottles. “What’s that?” Lux asks. “I’m not sure.” I say. He gently takes it away from me. “It’s a instructional manual to save the world, to bring back all the animals that were extinct.” He says. “That’s insane, how?” I ask.

“The dna of everything is here. They were making sure they could save everything.” He says. “Not everything, most of the humans are gone.” I say. “Yes, but maybe humans time has passed, it’s there’s turn again.” He says. “No I think some of the people left can fix what they did in the past.” I say. “So you think there’s hope for us?” He asks.

“Yes I do. I think we can start with bringing these animals back. We will bring hope back to the world.” I say.

He looks at me with that expression again. Lux is getting very close to my face. He’s kissing me, I’ve never been kissed. It’s nice and I can feel it throughout my whole body. He leans away but rests his head of my head. Looks me in the eye, with a huge smile and says “Hope.”