Atlas

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. But I heard a song, and the deeper into the vast ocean of nothingness I travelled, the louder it became. I could no longer ignore it. The melody pierced my ears with its truth and demanded that I look up from my mundane world to see what it had to say. Little did I know, the answers told a story of something much greater than myself. I had been chosen to bridge the connection between my world and Theirs in ways that back then, I couldn’t even comprehend. But now, I wonder how life would look without Them. Grey, I think. Because Their colours had never been seen in my world until now, and without Them I would never have known what we were missing out on.

Let me go back to where it all started, a long night in the midst of winter. I drew my curtains and settled into my comfy, double bed in the attic of my parent’s farm house. The nights were dark, no light pollution for miles. The moon was new just the day before and the stars shone brighter without its glare. As I was locking up the yard, I’d caught a glimpse of the Milky Way as it spread over the farm in all its glory and had wondered, as ever, what goes on in the world out there. There had to be one, right? To be alone in an infinite universe made no logical sense to me. I guess They heard the questioning in my mind, because it wasn’t long before They answered.

It was the light that woke me from my deep sleep. The clock read 3.33am. A bright luminescent pool filled the whole of the front yard and my curtains were drawn open, revealing the spectacle. I was certain I had closed them, but anyway, the pale blue glow that surrounded my home was enticing and somewhat terrifying. Of course, I couldn’t resist. As I crept down the creaky stairs to the back door, doing my best not to wake my parents as I passed by, I really was too sleepy to have any expectations or to be entirely conscious of my actions. All I knew was that I needed to be outside. Looking back, perhaps They were calling me then, but until the music started, I couldn’t hear past my own clockwork mind.

I gently pushed the back door open and it revealed a perfect silence. I couldn’t resist grabbing my blue fur coat from the stand and wrapping it around my body, pulling the hood up over my head as I stepped out onto the driveway. It’s a little blurry from here. It all happened so fast. The secrets of Their world were too sacred to be seen with the human eye. The work had to be completed with a graceful ease, too smooth and perfect for the earthly realm. The blue glow turned white real fast, the white glare dazzled my vision and consumed my consciousness. I landed on the floor with a thud as my world melted into it.

One…two…three blasts. A purple diamond ray shot out from nowhere and hit me in the centre of my forehead. I didn’t feel any pain, but I remember the feeling. I remember the sound. A song too beautiful for words. A power unknown to me, and a power that would be feared by most. Suddenly, it had found its home within me, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Until today, I’d walked through the school hallways as if nothing had changed. At first, I’d wanted to tell everybody. But every time I tried, the response was the same. They’re not ready. However, when the music drifted into my awareness this morning, it had transformed. No longer was the tune peaceful and still, it was active and transforming. I’ve come to learn the language of the song, the language of the Ones who play it, and I knew this meant that change was coming.

I started my day as normal, whatever that means, but the moment I stepped outside my front door I knew it was going to take an unexpected turn. I’d seen the number eighty eight sparkling on the front of the school bus, and three times more since then. So, when I noticed that my classmates had a strange bluish glow around them, I wasn’t too surprised. I’d been seeing the glow for some time now, but not so much in one go. I felt afraid, and excited. What would become of the world when They finally revealed Their secrets? What would become of me?

The moment I had been waiting for arrived in my Physics laboratory. Mr Turner was babbling on about something or other. I was too busy watching the now turquoise green colours dance around my classmates to be paying attention, but one word snapped me out of it. Atlas. It was only two days ago I’d heard the Greek God mentioned in History class, and as his name was spoken They sent a ringing through my ears so loud that I’d had to walk out. This time, I felt it in my belly as a wave of euphoria passed through my body. I needed to know the connection, and why it was important. I knew better than to try and draw galactic information from the academic histories, so I played sick, made my excuses and left the class to wander onto the school field. There was an old apple tree hidden behind the football fields that was quiet and out of sight. My safe place. I meandered around the side of the school to set up camp. The euphoria had become nausea, a desperation as They called me to listen to the music once again.

Until now They had kept Their voices a mystery, but as I’d already recognised, today was different. I seated myself under the apple tree and felt more myself than I had all week. The trouble with connecting with Them, was that my life here in my world was starting to lose its wonder. I saw no purpose in my school studies, I saw no magic in the orchestration of the days. The apple tree was my sacred space now. As I positioned myself at its base, connecting its roots with my own, the music began.

My world became silent as the song infiltrated my consciousness. Tears welled in my eyes for reasons I thought I knew, but couldn’t fully understand. It had always been this way, everything so familiar yet so far from anything I had experienced previously. Today was different. Today they spoke, and to tell you the truth I had a hard time believing it for myself, but there was no room for denial anymore. The truth had arrived, and I had been chosen to express it.

“The time is now,” They called.

I was humbled and afraid, I didn’t know how to respond. I stayed silent.

“They are not ready, but you are.”

My mouth was glued shut.

“There are others like you. Find them.”

Others like me?

“Others who remember our world.”

I was both ecstatic and envious at the thought. I wasn’t the only one who could hear the music. What did this mean? The voices responded to my every thought.

“It means you are not as alone as you sometimes feel.”

I guess They were right. I had become quite accustomed to the long, lonely nights of the misunderstood. I’d forgotten how it felt to be a part of something. I was a part of the music, that was all that mattered for me.

“You cannot continue alone. There is much work to do.”

I didn’t want to either, not really. It’s just that solitude had become safety. Too sensitive for the greater world, I drowned in the vibrations that surrounded me. Is there somewhere I could survive?

“You will survive, always. But to thrive, you will need to forge a new path.”

I’d always been well accustomed to change, but where would I go?

“Don’t think about where. We will guide you, but you must take the first step.”

How will I find the others?

“They will find you.”

This sent a wave of peace through my heart. It was easy, right? All I had to do was surrender. Let Them take the lead, I had pretty much given over my life to Them at this stage. What was new?

“There’s one more thing.”

The wave of peace dissipated. I let my thoughts go silent as I listened intently.

“You must speak for us, though they will not listen. Not yet. You must continue anyway.”

I wasn’t sure what They meant.

“The music,” They called in unison as the melody rose in the background. “Sing to them.”

Fear filled my belly as I realised what They were asking of me.

“The music must be heard by all. It’s the only way.”

The only way for what?

“It’s the only way we can save you.”

As they spoke these words, the connection dropped momentarily. My world turned into darkness. All of the pain and suffering resurfaced and my head felt heavy. Grief crept into my body and the aches of heartbreak consumed me. No, not like this.

“Please,” I whispered. “Come back.”

“Now you remember.”

Now I remembered. Without Them, this world would turn to dust. Without Their colours, the darkness of my world was raging out of control. I had a chance to help turn things around and there were others like me. Others like me! Was I really going to let fear turn me away? The melody grew louder as I came to terms with my position. To live a life in fear of the unknown, to follow my classmates into a life of dissatisfaction. Or, to follow the music. To put my human thoughts aside and allow Them through the door and into my world which was crying out for help.

The music started again. The more I listened, the lighter I felt. Surges of power rode through my body as my heart beat wildly against my chest. Something was in there, and it wanted to come out. I opened my mouth to allow it. I spoke words of a language unknown to my world, unknown to myself. I don’t know exactly what I said, but something within me felt deeply understood as the mysterious sounds called from my throat. The music wrapped around my words and I collapsed into it. Everything turned blue as I sang from my heart. I let myself go and They sang with me, pulling me into a cloud of divinity. We sang through layers of pain and darkness and watched them transform into light. Then I understood. Then I remembered. The music stopped and I fell to the ground. Exhaustion washed over me like an ocean wave.

My world was dying. The people in it were suffering. But They held the key. Their colours alone shone brighter than anything left of our planet, and They wanted to help us. How could I turn them away?

“I’ll do it,” I announced to the glistening leaves of the apple tree.

A rosy apple fell from its branch, landing beside my right arm. I smiled as I acknowledged Their confirmation. They had said what they needed to say, now it was my turn. I looked towards the school and knew I would never be returning through those doors. I was relieved. A new world had arrived on our planet. Whether my people were ready to meet it or not, it was coming. No amount of fear or darkness would stop it, and none would stop me. I had to find the others and fully understand my mission. I had to go, now.

I stood from the apple tree, kissing its thick trunk goodbye and brushing my hand across its bark. I whispered my thanks, knowing that this tree and its fellow species would be equally as grateful for Their colours. Without Their colours, the trees would not last much longer. Without the trees, my world could not survive. It was time to turn things around.

I tugged my backpack onto my shoulder, laughing at its heaviness and turning back to tip my textbooks onto the floor. Perhaps someone would find them. Some other poor soul who found solace in the shade of the apple tree. Otherwise, nature would reclaim them as it does all its children. I wandered towards the far gate of the school field, ready to climb over and make the most important decision of my life. I didn’t know which direction I would go in, but with each step the same word rang clearly in my ears.

“Atlas.”