Beneath the Calm Chaos

[steve]

[NOTE: This is what happens when you have writer's block. I might miss a few days as a result.]

PART #0001

Near Earth Object or “NEO” for short.

Hollywood loved to toy with the concept of an asteroid crashing into Earth, ending civilization as modern-day society knew it. Every few years, Hollywood would drag some useless, effects-laden movie out of their studios which depicted astronomy and the space industry in some sensationalized light.

In reality, the search for “Earth-killing asteroids” was as far from glamorous or sexy as Hollywood attempted to make it. Astronomers weren't anymore quirky or eccentric as people were in any other profession. Astronomy wasn't exempt from it's quota of idiot co-workers, sociopathic co-workers, idiot managers, sociopathic managers, idiot managerial decisions, idiot politicians who loved nothing more then shrinking their budgets because spending money on science didn't make sense to them, stringent budgets that sabotaged more projects then they saved...

Despite the Hollywood propaganda, spotting Earth-destroying asteroids didn't require massive telescopes or otherwise sophisticated equipment. Literally, any amateur astronomer with a halfway decent telescope could spot such an asteroid; After all, Earth-destroying asteroids were large which made them easy to spot. Unlike the movies, there was no way in real life for a government to “cover up” an asteroid; Asteroids were in the sky for anyone to see.

With sophisticated computer software, spotting Earth-destroying asteroids was as easy nowadays as dialing a telephone.

At 12:47 AM EST, the computer software that was guiding the West Mascotton Telescope at Central State University spotted a new asteroid.

“2013 PB2” was just another asteroid until the projections were performed on it 37 hours later.

[mnn2300]

I love a good “Earth-killing asteroids” story. First end of the world movie I ever saw as a young boy was "When Worlds Collide" (of course that was a star and world not an asteroid)

[steve]

PART 0002

The President was busy. The President was always busy.

The President's schedule was filled from the time he woke up until the time he went to bed.

A national security briefing at 7 AM.

A video conference at 8:15.

Phone calls for off-year election fundraisers no earlier then 10 AM.

A speech at Alisaw High School for roughly 11:15 AM.

A telephone call with a state governor at noon.

Preparations for a policy speech and strategy session for budgetary talks with Congress at 1 PM.

A telephone call with senior French officials over an upcoming trade resolution at 3 PM.

In between all of these events and more, the President would deal with a myriad of crisis, most of which would remain classified for decades.

The CIA suspected 4 Russian spies in California masquerading as venture capitalists.

A high-level hacking attempt on an FBI database had all the tell-tale signs of Israeli involvement.

New intelligence suggested massive corruption with military contractors in Afghanistan.

Intercepted wiretaps that a majority of Mexican military officials were on drug cartel payrolls.

Satellite surveillance suggested that the North Koreans were constructing a new political prisoner camp.

An internal investigation of military base security found that undercover CIA teams were able to compromise over 70% of the overseas bases without being suspected despite displaying overt signs of terrorist intentions.

The president's handlers placed the situation with Asteroid 2013 PB2, which the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) couldn't decide would hit the planet or not in a year, on page 16 of a 17-page briefing. It consisted of a single sentence of a single bullet point.

It read, in full: “NASA has yet to determine the degree of danger that asteroid 2013 PB2 poses to Earth.”

The President was a busy man.

[steve]

PART 0003


A near-miss. That's what the projections suggested.

After two news cycles where asteroid 2013 PB2 was the “water-skiing squirrel” news segment, astronomers had determined that 2013 PB2 would not hit the Earth. The announcement to the public was made fifty minutes after the president was notified of this news. Two minutes later after being notified of the near-miss, the president was on the phone with an Afghanistan war veteran who had his right arm and leg blown off because of an IED (Improvised Explosive Device). The veteran had since recovered to become a high school basketball coach that led his team to the state championship.

All around the world, life quickly went back to normal following the announcement... If it had ever changed at all for most people. France was grappling with sweeping changes to it's public transportation system. A popular singer had been publicly gunned down in Russia. A posted YouTube video exposed three high ranking Chinese officials laughing about a bribery payment. A contemporary American entertainer made what many inferred as an anti-homosexual statement. A soccer player in England was being accused of infidelity. A famous artist had passed away from throat cancer at the age of 61.

Buried in the usual rumblings of the news were the astronomer's predictions that the asteroid would pass closest to the Earth in roughly 10 months, then slingshot around the Sun and out of the solar system. As far as most people were concerned, the astronomers may as well have told them that the asteroid would not be arriving near Earth at all.

[steve]

PART 0004


A bright dot. The scourge of astronomy.

No matter how exciting astronomy was for astronomers, to most people, astronomy was about gazing at bright dots and bright dots were rarely exciting. For most people on Earth, light pollution prevented them from seeing the bright dots at all. For others, the bright dots were simply ignored, white noise against the daily backdrop of chores and duties.

Even asteroid 2013 PB2 was nothing more then a bright dot in the sky. A bright dot that was barely visible in the Northeast because of inconvenient cloud cover. A bright dot completely invisible to the citizens of Los Angeles due to light and smog pollution. A bright dot obscured mostly by daylight in Perth, Australia. A bright dot ignored by several on the continent of Africa where contemporary concerns, such as malaria and faction fighting, were far more important.

Astronomers pointed out that the asteroid glistened with a slightly purplish haze because of mineral deposits on the outer surface of the asteroid. Countless news articles reiterated the doomsday scenario of what would happen if an asteroid that size ever struck the planet.

Late night talk show hosts used the asteroid in their comedy monologues. Commentators from all professions used the topical asteroid as a metaphor for a “close but not enough,” be it a forward pass in football to a missed political opportunity for a politician.

As quickly as asteroid 2013 PB2 had arrived, it left, the bright dot fading even to powerful professional telescopes.

The next day, the world returned back to normal... Or so it seemed.

A former A-list Hollywood actor died at the age of 82. Jobs data suggested a continuing economic recovery, albeit sluggish. Rumors abounded that the latest electronic gadget would have a 3D display. A controversial former coach was hired as the new host for a television talk show. Two celebrities announced their engagement after a long period of dating and living together.

[steve]

PART 0005


27 years later...

[steve]

PART #0006


The black curtain of evening lifted to reveal the yellow floodlights that illuminated the daily show of life. Dark shadows were peeled back to reveal green grass, muddy blue rippling rivers, black roads and houses of every possible shape and color.

Despite the dew on the grass, a teenager could be seen pushing a non-powered lawn mower across a lawn that badly needed it. Grass clippings scattered all over the teenager's socks and shoes as the teenager struggled to push the mower through the tall, thick and wet grass.

A man in his late 30s, a standard broom in hand, swept sand from the sides of the road into a pile to be removed by a flat-headed shovel. All the sound that could be heard was the swishing sound of elderly bristles against the asphalt followed by the metallic scraping noise of the shovel.

Swish, fwish, fwoosh... scriiitchk. kritchish. krishik.

Two other men silently worked in a driveway, removing the oil and battery from an automobile.

Another group consisting of four women, three men and seven children worked slowly but steadily on a garden. Hands and knees soiled, weeds tossed neatly aside into a pile collected by the children to be disposed of elsewhere. Watering cans flooded the plants with water.

A man and two children worked at washing a car in a driveway.

Two young women hacked their way through a field of grass taller then their waist. Their slashes were not meant for fine cutting but only as capricious sweeps meant to ease the burden of a later and more refined mowing.

And all was silent as the work continued unabated until the two women spotted something in the field...

[steve]

PART #0007


A single telephone rang in an empty office. Rolling office chairs had been disassembled and stacked neatly along one wall. Cubicle partitions and the custom desks for them similarly disassembled and stacked along another wall. The office carpet, long traumatized by the impressions of cubicle partitions and the clear plastic rolling chair mats that sat upon them, had been vacuumed but the impressions and discolorations remained despite the best attempts at removing them.

Kathy Jessica, age thirty-one, placed her book on geometry down that she was reading to answer the telephone.

“Thank you for calling the Emergency Response Service,” Kathy replied calmly and politely, “How may I help you?”

Kathy listened to the response on the other end of the line.

“Please check the pulse of the subject and tell me the result,” Kathy calmly asked while typing into a computer terminal. A moment later, she replied, “Thank you.”

“Would you kindly read for me the alphanumerical identification tattoo on the subject?” Kathy asked, amending, “Please check the upper arms, the neck or the forehead of the subject for that tattoo.” A moment later, she replied, “Of course. Thank you.”

“An investigation officer will arrive at your location shortly,” Kathy stated, “Thank you for your report. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Thank you and have a nice day.”

Kathy hung up the phone and only the sound of her typing on a computer broke the silence in the disassembled office.

[steve]

PART #0008


Two investigation vehicles eventually arrived onto the scene. A third vehicle, a hearse, arrived some time later.

Investigator John Patrick stepped out of his vehicle and briefly examined the surrounding community. Two women were struggling with an ever-growing pile of garden weeds. A young teenager continually fighting amongst nearly knee-high grass with a manual push lawn mower.

Investigator Fred Davis walked up to Investigator John Patrick, redirecting Patrick's attention.

“Good morning, John” Officer Davis stated.

“Good morning, Fred,” Officer Patrick replied.

“Let me guide you to the body,” Davis replied.

The two men walked into a grassy field, thick with grass that fast approached the men's waists. Part of the grassy field had been crudely mowed, clumps of taller grass having yet to been shaved down to the desired height of the mower.

“Please tell me the time when the discovery of the body occurred?” Patrick asked.

“About forty-five minutes ago,” Davis said, “Two women discovered the body.”

“Any witnesses?” Patrick asked.

“All of the residents living in the nearby area reported no unusual disturbances the previous evening,” Davis replied.

“Please describe the crime scene as you discovered it,” Patrick asked.

“The immediate area yielded no weapons or other significant items,” Davis began, “Despite the tall grass, no obvious paths from the crime scene exists.”

“What purpose did the women have to trim this field?” Patrick asked.

“The Council has designated this entire area for deconstruction. Deconstruction of areas currently has a considerable backlog; Months or even years may lapse before an area begins the deconstruction process. In the meanwhile, the area needs to meet certain quality of living standards as well as productivity quotas for the settlers that reside here,” Davis explained.

“And the trimming of the field accomplishes that?” Patrick presumed.

“According to the settlers, conversion of the field into a garden has the most practical benefits,” Davis reported.

Just then, the two men entered the periphery of the crime scene.

[steve]

PART #0009

“Obscured,” Patrick remarked with a sigh, looking at where the deceased's identification tattoo would be located.

“It appears blackened out,” James clarified, “Forensics might have the capacity to find a deeper layer of unaffected skin.”

Patrick rifled through the deceased's pockets as James took pictures of the scene from various angles.

“A keyring,” Patrick announced, holding them up, “They appear clean and untouched by any liquid or solid substances.”

James took a picture of the keys before Patrick placed them in a thick, clear plastic evidence bag.

“Does the subject possess an identification card?” James asked.

“Not in his pockets, at least,” Patrick replied.

“No puncture wounds on the deceased,” James remarked, looking up from the camera momentarily.

“No blunt trauma to the back of the head, back of the neck, arms or legs,” Patrick added as he poked and prodded the deceased.

“Death by sudden medical condition?” James posed.

“Forensics will tell us that or not,” Patrick stated, standing back up, “Our responsibility should now turn to the witnesses.”

[kaijafon]

this definitely has turned in an unexpected way. Very interesting. I look forward to more. thank you.

[steve]

PART #0010


More photographs were taken.

More statements were given.

The body was eventually removed from the crime scene and placed into a hearse. The entire field was searched up to the edge when the field segued into a young forest poorly segmented by aged stone walls now ignored by both man and nature.

John Patrick sat in his car, reviewing his hastily scribbled notes for ambiguities or contradictions.

The subject had an appearance of being in his 50's, his identification tattoo having been obscured, seemingly overwritten by another tattoo. There were no gun shots, knife wounds or blunt trauma immediately evident. Residents in the immediate area could not identify the body and the subject possessed no identification on him.

Field fingerprints had been taken and scanned but the results were not going to be revealed for hours. A DNA sample was also taken but that would also require hours, if not days, for complete analysis. Dental records could only be examined once the autopsy began.

John Patrick put on his seat belt and started the car. Giving one last look at the community, he saw children sweeping driveways and women hanging laundry on clotheslines. A man scraping paint off the side of a house for preparation of being repainted.

The difficulties that the life of a Settler had to endure, John Patrick thought to himself. Living alone with no one else to rely upon. Even small communities, isolated from larger bodies of population, would feel the same ill social effects as those of a single individual.

John Patrick put his car into drive and then drove away.

The investigation was now beginning as day slowly turned to dusk.

[steve]

PART #0011


Lights.

Lights were once thought of as an advance in civilization. Candles, once rare, were at one time considered a status symbol.

Lighting the darkness once took effort. It took resources.

In modern times, lighting the darkness took nothing more then the flip of a switch. No discipline attached to the action. No sacrifice involved. Just an arbitrary decision based upon the desires of a single individual.

Yet how often was the light ever necessary? How often was the light needed in order for people to fulfill an actual need that could not have been satisfied during the daytime?

Only when governments imposed blackouts or when the electrical infrastructure failed and people were forcibly left without electricity did darkness reign in it's own native habitat.

And on the street across from the field where the body was discovered, there was only darkness. No windows illuminated. No streetlamps lit. No car headlights zooming down the road.

It was 8:12 PM.

[nancy1340]

Hummm? Interesting. Thank you.

[philipinoregon]

Looks like another good story to follow!!!!

Thanks,

philip

[steve]

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY - STORY IS SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY

There is no easy way to write this so I'll just write this - Starting today, this story is being suspended indefinitely.

Why? Well, this is where I eat a huge helping of Humble Pie... I have bitten off far more then I can chew. I have several personal projects ongoing at the moment, coupled with Real Life(tm) events that have not been conducive towards daily entries. I thought that I could squeeze one more project in and, as it turns out, I can't without something giving way. In the old days, I could (and did) gut it out at times, much like a young athlete playing through a painful injury. The results from some of those strained efforts speak for themselves to me afterwards - Some of them managed to work out and others painfully did not. Age has given me the wisdom to know when I have over-committed myself and also the humility to put the brakes on before the car goes over the cliff.

Could this project survive with sporadic entries as opposed to once per day entries? It probably could, yet it would change the nature of the story. Part of the charm for writing these stories is the daily spontaneity and the new elements that emerge from those installments. Yes, there is an outline but a lot of the joy is finding a way to paint yourself out of a corner that you've painted yourself into.

It's never fun to put a project onto a shelf without finishing it but there is no compromising with reality. You always pay for overreaching in one way or another. In this particular case, it's writing this post.

If there is a sliver of hope, a few of my projects (and Real Life concerns) will end or ease up towards the end of the year. I anticipate a return to this board afterwards, either with a new story or picking this one up where I left off.

[nancy1340]

We'll be here when you get your snake killin' done.
Thanks for what you posted so far.

[willc453]

Just wondering how you've been doing since your last entry and now. Have you been able to work on this story at all?

[kaijafon]

sure would love for you to find time to finish this one.

I hope all is well!

[steve]

My apologies for not replying to this sooner.

THE GOOD NEWS - I've been working on stories! Two of them, in fact!

THE BAD NEWS - I'm probably not going to get back to this one anytime soon...

THE GOOD NEWS - I've even written a lot of entries for one of them! Over 200 of them (although each is fairly small...)!

THE BAD NEWS - The one story that I've written a lot of entries for is more "far future" fiction than direct "Mad Max / Asteroid / Plague / Alien Invasion"-type of post-apocalyptic fiction... However, there is a tinge of post-apocalyptic nature to it and, by definition, doesn't all far future fiction have a tinge of post-apocalyptic-ness to it?

THE GOOD NEWS - The other story is very, VERY contemporaneously post-apocalyptic fiction... Almost a sort of PA / Horror, if you will...

THE BAD NEWS - I haven't exactly decided how best to frame the story yet... There are some entries for it but nothing beyond a dozen or so pages...

THE GOOD NEWS - ...But at least I have a solid outline that I like and that I can build off of...

THE BAD NEWS - I want to build up A LOT of entries for the other story (the 200+ one) before I begin posting it because I want to avoid what happened the last time (see: Thread, This).

THE GOOD NEWS - But because I'm such a good sport, here's a remnant from this previous story, not edited but I'm happy enough with it (PART #012, perhaps?)...

Awakened by a pounding at the door to his apartment, John Patrick was greeted by an emerging sunrise and a muffled yell at the door, “Six A.M.” Patrick heard the same voice repeat the same phrase as it quietly traveled farther down the building hallway.

Patrick quickly performed some morning exercise routines. Grabbing a towel and his toiletries bag, Patrick walked out of his apartment and headed for the restroom.

“Good morning, Frank.”

“Good Morning, John.”

“Good morning, Henry.”

“Good morning, David.”

“Good morning, Wanda.”

A chorus of “Good mornings” echoed throughout the apartment building as people lined up to use the restrooms placed on each floor of the apartment building.

The line was silent as everyone, man and woman, boy and girl, waited their turn to enter the restroom.

“Should we not expect Aaron here?” A woman called out from the line, looking both towards and to the back of the line.

“Aaron presently has a business trip,” another woman answered, “His arrival is expected in two days.”

Natives had strange customs when it came to who could use a restroom and who couldn't; Some restrooms were segregated by gender, some by age, some by social status and even some by race. Such restrictions, like most social customs, were obsolete and resource wasteful.

Gender separation of restrooms were fueled by fears of sexual assault from men towards women, either verbal, physical or both. The removal of excessive sexual desire from both genders made such a restriction obsolete. Age separation was fueled by fears of that the youth would be physically or sexually assaulted by the old or the elderly physically assaulted by the youth.

In all such cases, the removal of fear and desire made so many cultural customs obsolete. In the instance of the restrooms, there were no wayward glances of men towards women or the old staring at the body parts of the young. No snide comments about physical fitness.

And the only sound was that of water hitting bodies and water hitting the tiled floor below. The sound of spigots turning. The echoing sound of flip-flops marching along a wet tiled floor.

The start of a new day had begun.

THE BAD NEWS - There's not a lot more than that. Honest. A change of direction forced me to scrap a bunch of entries that could pseudo-fit if I did some editing.

THE GOOD NEWS - I want to premiere my new story once I have a full year's worth of entries in reserve... And I'm getting closer to that by the day. Originally, I was going to premiere it "blind" but I'd like to think that it could start before Thanksgiving 2014.

So that's the update. Thanks for staying interested.

Aug 16, 2014 10:10:29 GMT -6 willc453 said:

Just wondering how you've been doing since your last entry and now. Have you been able to work on this story at all?

[kaijafon]

I like the thought of a story about emotions, desires, all gone... hmmmm.... hope you flesh out that one. Will be very interesting to read.

Thanks!