For Story Class

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The breeze cast itself gently through the now almost bare autumn trees. Pausing for a moment as if waiting for that one leaf to loosen its hold and fall, then resuming its calming motion north east; carrying the now orphaned foliage towards the ominous cliff edge, at which point it cascades into the open rhythmic ocean. 2

Echoing up the cliff come the sounds of the crashing waves; she waits for the echoes to become still then she whispers sweetly what she had wanted to say since they had arrived there on the cliff side. Lina had thought of nothing but the wind, sea, trees, and her companion Shen. Her long black hair danced gentle in the breeze whilst her clothes clung to her body revealing her dazzling figure. 3

Holding Shen’s hand and looking deep within his eyes. Beyond their glassy surface, she finds the silent dream that lays waiting for the right words to be spoken.4

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Lina says somewhat airily as she casts another look at the shinning blue ocean, exhaling Shen nods at Lina smiling close lipped.5

“I love you Shen” Lina at long last whispers. 6

“I Love you too Lina. I always have.” Shen’s eyes fall on his and Lina’s embraced hands.7

Lina lightly touches Shen’s cheek and tilts his head so as to look into his eyes again. “Don’t worry Shen I’m not leaving.” Hesitating for a moment, “Do you want to come and live with me?” Lina herself now worried about what would be said in reply.8

Gazing at Lina amazed at the dream fulfilling prospect Shen’s eyes faltered. He holds his breath not wanting those seconds to slip away into hollow emptiness, still wrapped in a blanket of disbelief and astonishment.9

“I’m not playing with you Shen” Lina whispers sensing Shen’s disbelief, “Do you want to live with me?” Be with me? Silent thoughts not spoken…10

“I just can’t believe it! I’ve dreamed of this for so long” Dreamt of you for so long…11

“So you will?” Lina almost shouts out of utter excitement.12

“Yes, of course I will.” 13

And at those final words Shen and Lina held each other and fell to the ground beneath them drifting away into a sensual embrace…14

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I closed the frayed old book. So simple and beautiful and yet so impossible the world has changed so much from the days in which people dreamed… 16

“No one writes like this anymore.” I whispered just loud enough for the historian to hear.17

“No one writes at all,” pausing for effect “and with good reason too! You know the laws.” Jane was a rather plain for sort of person, even for a historian.18

“Do you remember why they were made?” 19

Jane looked and looked again somewhat annoyed “How old do you think I am?!”20

Unexpectedly embarrassed by my forgetfulness shadows of that distant forgotten feeling spreading across my face “Oh, I’m sorry sometimes I forget about those things.”21

“Don’t worry about it. I would forget a few things too if I had a memory like yours.” Smiled Jane; it was not so much my memory that was the problem but my mind. Some how -I think- everyone else has grown used to this world while I was born with this deep desire to know, to explore, to find the truth. I suppose that is why I found my way to Jane and her studies of history. I was and am trying to find how the world got to the way it is. How I got here? I know a lot more now then I used to about it all but it’s still not all that clear. From what I can tell this is how the world got the way it is today…22

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...After the fall of the united regions the world fell into chaos from which new philosophies and ideals arose, as it always happens. 24

The west had fallen… 25

And in their absence the east migrated into the world they had long opposed and replaced the toppled leaders with their own. The world came into a seconded dark age of which history seems to have forgotten. After many years - none could know how many - the world rose from the depths and prospered for so long a time that the wars were forgotten, the new west rose to heights far exceeding that of the old and as time hurried past it began to mirror the old. It was at that time the world began to grow once more in two separate directions, each society finding itself resenting the other. 26

On one side there was the new west – with their busy lives, hurried thoughts and lack of time, overcrowded streets and tiny box sized living quarters, lights, sounds and advertisements. “Live to buy, Consume and die.” As the nursery rhymes about the old west used to say. On the other side there was the east – with ruins littered throughout their regions, they had not forgotten entirely about how the west had fallen, they had developed along with the new west but far more slowly – cautious of technologies effects – they recognised the need for pace and rhythm in the world.. 27

At first the disagreements were minor and easily overcome by thoughtfully crafted and delivered words of reason but over time the west became greedy and short sighted, envying the simple pleasures frequently enjoyed by the east. The archaic methods of trade and currency began to develop once more. The pride of the west had grown so great that they were finally ignorant of everything but themselves. 28

The past utterly forgotten. 29

Though the wars of east and west had ended long ago and peace was all that was known in living memory the development of like minded technologies had never ceased. Concealed to everyone but a few, both the east and west had secretly been preparing for the inevitable deep in the dark cold earth. Eventually tensions boiled over, an assassination here, a bomb there; all out war was only a matter of time…30

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“How are you going over there Perdita?” Jane inquired drawing me back from my thoughts. “You’ve been looking at that one for ten minutes find anything interesting?”32

“Oh nothing too much out of the normal…” I paused for a moment staring at the faded print, “wait a second this is different.” Jane had already started walking over from the other side of the large room which almost seemed to be flooded with ancient books and scriptures their inviting antique smells resting heavily in the warm air. The book from what I could tell contained a personal recount of events that unfolded throughout the author’s life; this wasn’t at all that surprising for the most part. Until you read closer and noticed the finer details. 33

“What does this illustration look like to you?” I asked Jane as I indicated a page filled from edge to edge with colour. It confirmed a myth that had long been forgotten.34

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The day shall come when the earth shall reveal its secret songs36

And in this moment a chorus too dreadful will rumble forth37

Upon the winds mountains shift what was forever - lost38

The seas shall rage every island doomed to fade -forgotten39

Iron walls will rust beneath our feet 40

A melody of sirens screams will know not cease – no relief41

The invincible fade to the obscure 42

And the word shall be no more…43

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Jane quickly recovered from her astonishment, “Well this confirms it, it actually did happen. All those myths and legends are true.” She was obviously still sceptical about the whole event. The illustration was a violent dance of colours. Yellows and oranges in one corner, blues and grays in another, greens and browns splashed down here where my thumb held the page open. What they depicted could have been described as the end of the world, except for the fact; the world was still here, mostly.45

“Well, I think we can call it a day Perdita.” declared Jane. “Oh and do try to keep out of trouble, wont you?” She had taken the to the task of mothering me without second thought. 46

“Yes Jane I will do my best to keep out of trouble.” Not that I had much choice in the matter trouble had a way of finding its way to me. I gathered up my things: a pen, a silvery mug and a couple of notes I had been taking down. Heading for the door, I glimpsed the book that contained that dormant fairytale from the corner of my eye. Jane wasn’t looking so I snatched it up and slipped it under my coat. I can always do with some more reading. Stepping out pasted the door, as it hissed behind me. The door unlike the rest of the inside of the building, was a recent addition. The antique book smells locked safely behind me secured by common day genetic entrance security.  47

Overcast again. Well, it might as well been. You can never see the sun from down here, twenty-seven levels above the ground. Twenty-two levels above the sea. Fifty-three levels below the old apartment building across the walkway. 48

I started down the transparent path my hand gliding along the equally invisible railing. The words that had become my guide in this city screamed inside my head “Don’t look down.” I couldn’t say that I am ungrateful for public funding to be invested in this type of design, after all my posture had improved to the point that it was without a doubt, perfect. My irrational fear of heights or rather of falling from a height hadn’t done similarly. It had actually gotten much worse, to say the least.49

The outer glass walls of the buildings reflected off in every direction. The square designs of the past had long drifted off into oblivion or evolved into sculptures that are far more elaborate. Confident in their ability to last for all time or at least until we grow tired of their presence and strip the building to its bone to later mold new tissue and skin to its skeleton. To become once more aesthetically pleasing and we remain ignorant of what festers beneath the reflective outer glass walls. 50

My opinion of the city hasn’t always been this way. Once upon a time, I was in love with its ceaseless quest into the clouds. The sparkling curtains of glass and other shining elements that stood triumphant over the encroaching sea. It’s countless transparent hallways, walkways, paths and stairs twisting up and around the seemingly unending colony of structures. But that was before. I’m not so mystified and naive about it anymore. Because, this is the skin they wear to cover what they are.51

“Almost there” relief washing through me. A rush of wings echoed off just below me. There was no helping it. A white blur settled on the walkway off to the left and down. “Why down?” my eyes found it without any trouble. A white snow owl, here in the city, Impossible! After I rubbed my eyes and looked back it was gone and I was left to ponder the infinity for air and distance below me. Which grew, shrunk and finally spun as I staggered breathlessly the last few metres collapsing through the security doors that guarded my apartment. 52

Fifty-four floors above ground and I shutter to think how far that is to fall. Why they insisted on me staying up here, I don’t know. Actually, it was quite simple why. The higher you went the better the apartment. They actually wanted to put me higher up. At least the carpet was comfy, conveniently. I have found I increasingly find myself falling down on it as I return from the ancient library and indeed sometimes falling asleep on it. To terrified and out of breath to make my way to my bed or to a glass of water. Recently in light of that situation, I placed some pillows close to the door to make if more comfortable… When I do ended up like this.53