M. Banner - Stone Age

Russell Thompson knew he was about to die.

A fiery projectile from the heavens hit only a few feet from where he stood. Churning earth and burning debris lifted him up and over the camp, and discarded him into a pile of timber already ablaze. The flaming hell which was enveloping him and his mortal injuries worked at his consciousness. Before succumbing to the cruelness of his fate, Russell pushed back, willing himself to remember the euphoria of the providence that was supposed to be his.

He was going to be rich. His father would have finally respected him. A tip from a dying man brought him here, leading to a vein of gold, and his destiny.

Then destiny changed.

He was wakened this morning by the same unearthly forces still jarring him from oblivion. It started as a sparkle, what seemed like the early morning light bleeding through his little tent, in an urban encampment.

Maybe two hours past Midnight, it was too early for sunlight. Yet prospectors were stirring in their tents, and outside, others were preparing their breakfasts and getting ready to stake their own claim in the mountains nearby.

Exiting the tent, he witnessed a sky beyond explanation. There were red, green, and even blue snake-like tubes of sparkling light, slithering in the sky above them. They were like gigantic ghostly serpents suspended above by unseen wires and moving in unnatural ways. The light from these celestial beasts bathed everything below in an eerie shimmering luminescence; bright enough that it looked like the sun had already partially risen.

Then sparks and fire along the telegraph line, followed by the telegraph office exploding, and finally the Cherry Creek Saloon erupted an inferno, launching flaming cannonball-like debris into the air.

A roar from the sky called him. He looked straight up and saw a reddish snake slithering out of the hellish nightmare above. It seemed to look right at him, just as his father often looked at him, with anger and disappointment. His snake-father then started to shake and pulsate, looking now more like a giant dragon, who glared his scorn and hatred right at Russell. It grew before his eyes, swollen by all the years of angry words and disdain towards his son, which could no longer be held back. The father-like dragon snake opened his mouth and erupted violence in the form of one of those fiery cannonballs. This one was reserved just for him.

Dreaded realization hit him. He was about to be consumed by flames. There was no running away from his punishment. He would not realize his destiny after all.

His eyes flickered open, aware he was moving, floating, his legs smoldering. Trying hard to focus, his vision cleared just enough to see. Pete, his best friend, mouthing words he couldn’t hear or understand, was carrying him. Finally, he could no longer hold his eyes open, allowing the peace of unconsciousness to take him away.

A solitary figure sat on top of the only hill in the valley. From a distance, his outline was unmistakable compared to the smooth pile of stones on the bare hill that made up his rocky seat; the colorful evening sky illuminated him. Gord did what no member of the Colo Tribe was allowed to do, he dared look up at the night sky. Doing this was not only against the rules, but was an action that tempted retribution from the snake demons which owned the night.

No one was to ever gaze upon the eyes of a snake demon or they, and maybe their whole family, would be cursed with The Growth, and surely die. Prolonged angering might bring its wrath upon the whole tribe. Were he not a visitor, he would have likely been cast out as punishment; it was a certain death in the harsh environment outside the tribe, with food and water in short supply.

The main reason for the Colo tribe’s consent to his night gazing activities was because Gord was considered a traveler. Few travelers were alive anymore, but when one passed through, they were afforded a high standing among the tribe’s elders. Their traditions, told through stories, always beginning with, “A long time ago…,” spoke of travelers, who were considered wise, some even having special powers. His father’s father, Stepha explained the origin of this was because of the original traveler who, before the mass death and The Growth and the colorful night skies, prophesied the coming of all of it. That traveler also foretold of a day when a future traveler would return and bring salvation to everyone. All tribes, like the Colo watched for this prophesied traveler.

However, Gord had a job to do and he could not be concerned with their shortsighted superstitions. From his vista, he could see the whole valley, lit by their so-called “snake demons.” He searched methodically, unmoving, looking for some glimpse of the map he had memorized. Then he shifted his examination the measure of one hand length to his left and searched more, analyzing what he saw. Like the rising and setting sun, his head followed a similar track slowly from one side to the other, carefully surveying every part of his surroundings with an eye towards the mountains.

There it was! The unmistakable three-pointed mountaintop as far as his eyes could focus. He quickly jerked his head to the left and then the right, making sure no one could see what he did next. He focused on the folded leather hide in his lap. Gently he drew open each end of its protective cover. When all four ends were unfolded, he examined with reverence what it held: a clamshell object with flat sides and wisdom within. Opening it up and examining its contents, he looked again at the three pointed peaks before him, now with more familiarity.

A slight smile formed on his lips. He had found the clue that would lead him to Cicada.

To: Maxwell Thompson

From: bulletins@CMEResearchInstitute.org

Subject: Increased CME Activity Expected

With its significant sunspot activity at the peak of an eleven-year cycle, we expect substantial Coronal Mass Ejection or CME activity from the sun over the next few days.

Using observed and analyzed data from SDO, Hubble, ISS, and other satellites, a Solar Proton Event (SPE) was recorded measuring 100MeV, followed by two large CME’s. We estimate approximately 4% of the released magnetic fields and plasma will make contact with Earth’s geomagnetic fields in approximately 10 hours. In addition to satellite disruptions, and some minor ground based electrical disruptions around the poles, there will be above normal aurora activity in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, especially over Asia.

For more information go to www.CMEResearchInstitute.organd click on “Bulletins.”

Four days before the world they knew ended, Bill & Lisa King boarded a plane to Tucson, Arizona, where they planned to meet their adult daughter Sally, and then drive to their family’s beach house in Rocky Point, Mexico for a ten-day vacation. Initially, there would just be the three of them. Four days later, their two youngest, Darla, who was twenty-one and Danny, who was ten would fly all the way, joining the whole family on the beach. Since Sally had left for college and then went to work in Tucson, the Kings had not vacationed as a family. It was no easy task, as Lisa had been planning this vacation for what seemed like the better part of a year. After last July fourth, when everyone complained, due to a jumble of excuses that the family never got together, Lisa put her foot down and said there would be no further discussion. They were getting together on the beach. Ever since all had agreed to “the trip,” Lisa has been giddy with excitement, often starting out the family phone conversations with, “You wanna talk about our trip?”