The City

         The night wore on as Nick walked. When will I get home? He thought, feeling like it was taking forever. He flicked his black, shoulder length hair out of his face, trying to see where he was going. This night was a dark one. There was no moon and hardly any stars. He walked down a lonely street in the City, his black school suit making a muffled scuffing noise as he went on, with a slow tap-tap-tap-tap of his feet on the concrete as the only other noise around him.

         Suddenly something stirred behind him. A chill slithered down his spine. He spun around quickly. Nothing. Outward he sighed in relief, but inside he was still tense. His heart beat faster than the heart of a hummingbird. Then he turned back and stopped.

         There was someone in front of him. There, a boy about his size, but Nick couldn't see his face.

         "Hey," Nick called. "You okay?"

         The other Boy's head pulled up as he looked at Nick. "Yeah," he replied. "But I don't know where I am."

         Nick pulled out a small L.E.D. flashlight, and shown it on the boy. He had blonde bowl cut hair, with stunning green eyes.

         But what was strange and set him apart from Nick was his skin. It was quite tan, but not too tan. He lived in the Country.

         "You're in the City."



         There were two places on earth that people could live safely and peacefully. They were called the City and the Country. The City was a huge Mega City designed mainly for huge families, built on what people knew as the North America and Canada, and the Country was a series of little Cities built, mainly for harvesting reasons, on Asia. Both places were held in by large walls, The City's huge one, and the Country's individual ones surrounding the separate towns.

         In 2180, nothing looks like it was. Alaska was flooded over, Europe, Asia, and The Middle East were joined together to form the Country. Oh, and there's no more Australia, Japan, or Zimbabwe. They were all flooded over as well.

         Or Italy. It finally sunk.

         England and Ireland were blown up in the War of 2080, but many people took refuge in The Country.

         These were the only places for Humans to live because of the Monsters on the Outside. The Outside was filled with monsters both nature- and man-made, things from Antigers (humungous Tigers), to Zecrend (very deadly bacteria). Suddenly Humans had become intensely afraid of the outside world. Like they were ants cornered in an ant hole. No, like rabbits, cornered anywhere you could think of.

         The Boy stared at Nick puzzled-like. "The City?" he asked, in a faint Irish accent. Nick nodded. The blonde Boy looked from Nick to the ground. "This can't be. I specifically set the place for Mars." Oh, and we were able to cross between worlds too. They got Mars, Jupiter and Pluto tamed. Even though Pluto's not a planet. "This is impossible. Maybe my Transporter is broken, but that can't be either."

         Nick looked at the Boy, raising his eyebrow curiously. "What's your name?" He asked.

         "Simon, but everybody calls me Sime for some reason." He shrugged like he didn't care either way how Nick or anyone else called him. "I'm trying to go to Mars to see my father because he called and asked if I wanted to meet a couple of Martians. I said yes and took the next Transport out. Now I have to find another Transporter to Mars."

         "Well," Nick said, "You could use ours. My Family has one. Come with me. I'm Nick, by the way. Nicolas Reimos Mendel." They shook hands, Nick happily, Simon awkwardly.

         About twenty minutes later Nick and Simon walked into the three-story house. 'The Mendel's Home', it said on a sign hanging off of the Mail transporter. It was beautifully hand-made with paintings of white roses(now extinct) painted three in total, two on the top left corner and one in the bottom right corner. Simon had not seen any white roses in many years. To have an extinct object as your House Symbol was something to be proud of. Don't ask me why. I guess it meant that you were extremely rich and powerful. That was very important in this day and age, for it was greatly needed if you wanted to pass in the City Society.

         "Come on in." Nick urged, and passed through the entryway. Simon followed slowly, taking in every bit of the house, from the cream colored outside to the light pastel green insides. The floors wore cozy, soft white carpeting, and the green walls held many pictures. So many that it made Simon dizzy to look at them. They walked into the Kitchen, a huge room the was pastel yellow clad with a mural of the sunrise, people at the beach, splashing and playing like children, and a mural of the planets, all on one big wall. Totally magnificent, Simon thought, immensely awed by all that he saw. His home wasn't at all like this. It was just a small two story house with plain walls and rough but comfortable carpet. Totally different, in his eyes at least.

         Then he found at the Head of the breakfast table a man in black breeches and a light blue suit shirt, complete with black shoes and tie, reading the City newspaper and drinking a cup of coffee. He was balding on the top of his head, black hair noticeably receding, and under his nose hung a bushy black mustache speckled with gray. At the large white ceramic sink was a tall woman, long brown hair curling at the ends, her light pink house dress swaying as she moved. She was extremely beautiful, the pinnacle of a rich family; the Beautiful Wife and Mother. Well, the actual pinnacle. Do you really think that men rule the house very much anymore?

         Both she and her husband had dashing blue eyes. Nick looks so much like them, Simon thought distantly. Nick had his father's strong chin and jet black hair, and his mother's light cheekbones and height (his father looked to be just a couple inches shorter than his mother). Along with his inherited intense presence, like he was also Head, he had his mother's grace and poise. It made Simon think he looked like he'd be King of some distant land some day. He looks like he'd be a good one too.

         "Who's your friend, Nicolas?" His father asked. His voice was deep, but soothing at the same time.

         "Father, Mother," He addressed to his parents, "this is Simon..." He looked at Simon, a wondering look on his face. "What's your last name?"

         "Oh, Noxx. Simon Albert Noxx." He replied, facing the parents. "Pleased to meet you." Simon had been brought up to be polite to all people, and that was how he was going to act. He didn't want to give the wrong impression. He needed to use their Transporter anyway.

         "Simon Noxx," Nick said, "These are my parents, George and Emma Mendel." They both smiled genuinely. Nick glanced from them to Simon. "Simon needs a Ride."

         "To where?" asked George. Nick looked for Simon to answer this one. It was him that was trying to hitch a Ride anyway.

         "To Mars. My Father is there, and asked me if I wanted to come over." He smiled. "He's a Scientist. He also works with Martian Scientists. He wanted me to meet some of his colleagues."

         "Which part of the Country do you come from?" Emma asked. Her voice was a sweet melodic alto. It seemed as if she were singing to Simon.

         "The Wheat Growers. My Granddad is a farmer. He wanted to pass the business down to my Da an' me, but my Da wanted to be a scientist, and I just don't want to be a farmer. Oh, well. At least I have a while to think about what I want." He half smiled at this. Half happy, half sad about it. Simon didn't like that aspect of life at all. In those times when you choose your career, you stick with it throughout your life. No exceptions. "But since Da is on Mars, I had to live with Granddad. I helped in the fields a lot. That's why I am so tan. But not too tan. I don't wish to stick out like a Nebber in a field of oranges." Nebbers were a black fruit, very sweet, but if you eat too many in an hour, you'd die. The maximum was six in one hour, unfortunately. I say unfortunately because they were addicting.

         "Well, that's nice." She said, smiling so sweet, Simon thought that Warrowisps (tiny birds with bright colors) would come and sing all around her. "What do you think you'll do with your life?"

         "I think I'll be a Scientist like my Da. I've seen what he does. I would like to do something like that."

         "What kind of scientist is he?" George asked.

         "He's a Botanist. He grows plants on Mars." He beamed. "All kinds o' them. Flowers, trees, crops, et cetera."

         "Sounds very nice." George said loudly, a grin clearly painted on his face. "I think you'll be very happy with that. My cousin Kinney is a Scientist just like your father. He likes Botany too."

         "Well," Nick put in, "I think we should get you on your way if you want to meet those other Scientists." Simon nodded and followed. The halls didn't go straight as some would, they turned and twisted and branched off into smaller halls ending at large doors.

         "Um, you have an," He coughed, "interesting home."

Nick laughed. "Yes, it is. My great-great grandfather built this house. Almost everybody in my family live here. We have many layers to our home. Three on top, three underground. It's a very interesting home. I absolutely love it here."

They walked a little farther to a big arched door. Like those ones in the Viking ages. It was very amusing.

         "By the way, what is your father's name?" Nick asked. His eyes glanced at Sime.

         "Oh, his name is Simon Albert Noxx. Like me." He smiled distantly. "He is a good man. You'd like him." They went through the door and were confronted by an overbearing Transporter. It looked like 20th century cylindrical showers, but more sleek and shiny with a steel curved door and wall panels. Nick opened the door and Simon hopped in. He turned and gave Nick a wave and "Farewell."

         "One of these days, you're going to have to come back and visit, 'Kay Sime? I think my family likes you. Since you're my only friend." He half smiled.

         Simon stared at him a moment, then smiled half-heartedly. "Maybe someday, but I'm afraid it will not be any time soon." In another life perhaps, he thought sorrowfully. Nick nodded and closed the door, pounded the coordinates for Simon's destination and pushed the big blue button that had a G for go. There was a blinding light around the edges of the doorway. Nick felt a lump in his throat, when the Transporter shut down immediately after Transportation was completed. He had just made and lost a friend in one night. His only friend. He turned his back to the Transporter and left the room. Maybe I'll make some tomorrow, he thought.

         He went back into the kitchen. His father looked up and grimaced. "I think I know his father." He said. "Doctor Simon Noxx, right?" Nick nodded. "He's trying to move people from Earth to Mars. That is not a good thing. I think you should stay away from him."

Nick sighed and inwardly cried. "I don't think it'll matter. I don't think he's ever coming back."



         The Transporter came to a sudden stop. I guess I'm here, he thought. He stepped out of it and walked to a large steel door. Opening it he found himself in a large white room. It looked like a clinical room. There were three people in the room hovering over a control board. They looked up and saw him. All walking toward him, they each shook his hand. "Good day, Doctor." One said. He nodded to each. His green eyes moving quickly from one to another, then the other.

         "Good day. Thank you." He replied to them. "It's good to be here."

         "So, Doctor Noxx, shall we begin?" He was a former colleague on Earth with this man. Doctor Pendenski was his name. Blonde like Simon and also very tall. But he had something that Simon would never have. The look of an older man. Simon, because of a birth defect, would always remain young looking.

         Simon hesitated. "Do you think this is really necessary?"

         "Of course, Sir." The second said. A Martian. He had tan skin, pure black eyes, bald heads (even for the women), and also happened to be seven feet tall (at their shortest). "A new beginning is the only way now." He had an accent that sort of sounded like old Transylvanian. Simon hesitated still, and then sighed.

         "Okay, do it." He said, reproachful. I'm sorry, Nicolas Reimos Mendel, he thought, but this is for the best. I will surely see you in another life. He sat in a white office chair, his blonde young head in his young hands as he heard the sound of an explosion far away, but close enough to hurt him deeply inside. As he opened the shutters to the outside world of Mars, he looked to the direction of where earth should have been.