21AU: Hey, this is the first story I've written in a long time, I'll probably add a more detailed description of the story with the next chapter when I have it fully worked out. The more you review the more I'll want to write, so please let me know what you think!
I hope you enjoy it!
"You little bitch! Don't you dare leave this house for this sinful occupation of yours!" My father yelled, waving a bible dangerously close to my face.
"Dad, we've been over this, it isn't sinful, I'm just studying– " I was cut off as he threw a vase at me. Ducking, I heard it smash behind me, and felt a sting on my cheek as a piece of glass cut me.
I probably wouldn't be sticking around for the breaking shit part of his rant, but he happened to be standing between me and the door, which I really needed to get out of right now. Although as I saw him pick up a chair, I decided the window was probably just as good an option and threw it open.
"God will smite you!" Was the last thing I heard as the chair broke through the window behind me, and I ran for the underground trains.
For almost a century now there's been a clear divide amongst religious beliefs. With the emergence of space travel, and the existence of other life forms, such as the Na'vi of Pandora, people have either gone one way or the other. My father is part of the crazies who believe that anyone who isn't from Earth, and thus wasn't created by his version of god, must be in league with the devil. It sound completely nuts, but there are actually a lot of people who believe this. I guess it's because they have a hard time accepting change, and thinking that all other intelligent life is satanic is much simpler.
On the other side, you have people such as Dr. Grace Augustine who has been studying life on Pandora and in her articles talks about the Deity of the Na'vi; Eywa. Okay, I guess I can understand the difficulty in accepting the idea of another god-like being, but she's been able to prove it! Dr. Augustine is the reason I'm studying botany in university, I hope once I finish my doctorate I'll be able to travel to the lab on Pandora and study under her.
That's pretty far in the future for me though, I'm only 20, and I'm just finishing my first year of study (I had to take a year off just to save money since my religious nut of a father wouldn't contribute a cent towards my "pagan studies" as he likes to call them). I think it's a good dream for me to hold though, getting away from my father... I can't even imagine how much better that would make my life. All I can hope is that the RDA doesn't screw up too bad on Pandora in the next 10 or so years that it will take me to get there. I've heard stories on the news about the controversial weaponry they have there, which are apparently against the Interplanetary Commerce Administration and UN rules.
Class was interesting today, we studied a bit on Pandora botany, mostly we just discussed recent research that suggest the forest acts similar to the human brain with the transport of information. Even though I know this is true, I still find it hard to picture the trees connected in such a unique way. The few trees that still remain on earth are small, and you have to go to museums to really see any living ones.
I've actually heard that we once had trees almost everywhere, and lawns, which was apparently a common grass that people allowed to grow in front of their houses, more than just the concrete and asphalt that I see whenever I walk outside.
As my class stood up, I looked around me, there were very few people who wanted to take botany classes, and most of them were just using this as an elective, similar to a class on mythology for them I suppose. My classmates always look at me strangely, probably because at 6'1" I tower over them and unlike most people these days, my body is slender and muscular from exercise. I'm often told that I should model but I've never thought of myself as beautiful. With my high cheekbones, a slightly flat nose, and large green eyes you'd think I'd be gorgeous, but I'm more cat like, interesting to look at over attractive. The fact that I keep my thick black hair at shoulder level probably doesn't help either, but I usually just keep it in a ponytail any way.
"Hey Erin! Wait up!" A girl with bouncy blonde girls ran up to me, out of breathe and smiling. "Man, I just had a midterm in advanced genetics, and it was so hard! Mr. Jonson writes the worst exams! So are we going to the gym or for dinner or maybe we should go-"
"Megan, talk slower, I've only heard about 4 words right now," I laughed "I was thinking about running outside today, the smog level is pretty low and its only like 17 degrees. You want to come with me?"
"Outside! Are you crazy, there are BOYS in the gym! Boys who lift big heavy weights and sweat and –" This time Megan stopped herself as she stood there day dreaming about the big strong boys that would drool over the 5'3" bubbly blonde. "Come with me to the gym Erin! The boys think you're pretty sexy too!"
I sighed, Megan was convinced that if I kept going to the gym, I would eventually find a boy who was as freakishly tall as I was and would sweep me off my feet to marry me. It was sweet of her to believe it, but I was kind of glad she didn't want to run outside with me. I'd be feeling a bit off lately and some alone time was definitely going to help.
"Hey Megan, how about you go today, scope out some fresh meat, and then tomorrow you and I can go dressed in completely inappropriate gym wear?" I knew that would get her. She loved wearing sexy 'gym' clothes that were better suited to sitting down then actually working out in.
"Oh! That's a great idea! We'll have to go shopping later then, I definitely need a nice new sports bra." She said excitedly, her face flushing at the idea of shopping. Then she started heading towards the gym, "I'll see you tomorrow Erin, you better be ready for some boy shopping!"
"Oh god..." I muttered to myself. I walked into the bathroom, stopping to look at myself in the mirror. I guess I was somewhat attractive, my features all meshed well, my eyes were large and I had full lips, which kind of made up for the somewhat smooshed nose. I looked away from the mirror, feeling my eyes water up a bit. I just never really felt like I belonged here, on this dying planet, with these people who cared so little about it. By the time I got to Pandora would they have destroyed it too?
I quickly threw on shorts and a t-shirt, tying my shoes as I shoved my bag in a locker. Wiping the tears from my eyes I made my way outside, watching the sun setting on the concrete world I live in. And then I ran, imaging that instead of lampposts and sidewalks I was running through a meshwork or trees and on paths that had been travelled by a greater people.
Erin, tirea 'ite, come to me...
I don't know how long I was running for, it was getting dark now, but I couldn't stop, I needed to run, needed to get this hateful feeling out before I returned to my house, to the father that would throw vases and chairs.
...you aren't meant for this dying world...
I could almost swear I heard a voice on the wind, whispering things to me as I ran along the side of the road. I closed my eyes, and ran harder, my breath coming faster as I sprinted, not seeing the road ahead. Not seeing the car as it sped around the corner in front of me.
...come home child...
I didn't see the beams of light until suddenly they were right in front of me. I felt a push against me, and suddenly I was in the air, flying, and the wind all around me as I fell to the ground. I've always heard getting hit by a car is supposed to be painful, but I could feel nothing, I was numb all over.
"Oh my god!" A voice screamed as I heard a door shut, "David you've hit her! You hit her!"
"I didn't see her; she just came out of nowhere!"
I wanted to tell them it was okay, that I wasn't hurt anywhere, just a little winded, but when I opened my mouth to speak I could only gurgle a bit. The man and woman had run over to me, were trying to say something about keeping my eyes open. I could hear a siren in the distance, but I really didn't need an ambulance, I just needed to catch my breath and everything would be fine. If only the woman would stop crying and touching my face, it was starting to annoy me.
...do not be scared tirea 'ite.
The lights were speeding by their faces, I felt a bit like I was going into light speed in one of those oldies movies Megan liked so much. The woman's face was really blurry and slowly disappearing as the lights got brighter and moved faster.
"I...I'm..." alright is what I wanted to say, but everything was fading. Slowly it all turned black, and it was okay.
An ambulance arrived finally, but as the man and woman yelled at the medics it became clear it was too late. The young girl was lying in a pool of blood, her skin frighteningly pale, and her chest still. They put her onto a gurney and loaded her into the ambulance, where she was declared dead.
"You got time of death Chris?" The female medic asked as she zipped the body bag around the girl.
"Yeah, one sec I'm just writing it down. 9:43 pm August 24, 2154"
Light years away Jake Sully opened the eyes of his avatar, now truly one of the people.
I hope you enjoyed this! Its just the beginning of the story, kind of an introduction to Erin, who will be the main character.
Please read and review, I love to hear opinions :)