continued from previous The city had barely lifted itself out of the flood when the rain started pummeling it down again. Dangerous rivers were forming in the streets once more, teaming up with the grey sky above to compose a picture of a grey, post-apocalyptic urban waterworld. But the downpour didn’t stop some of the … Continue reading A New Earth – The Revelers
continued from previous Michael’s lifeless body moved gently up and down with each passing wave. He was floating head down, facing the depths of the ocean that he had loved all his life. Every limb, every joint was now free to move in any direction: free from the oppressive commands of the central nervous system, … Continue reading A New Earth – Goodbye
continued from previous Julia’s anger would soon be replaced by tears. As she retreated further and further inland, she began to mourn. A torrent of rain poured out of her, draining her last emotional reserves. This was Julia’s final act: one last release, as she grieved remorsefully for all those who had died before her, … Continue reading A New Earth – When John met Julia
continued from previous Strong lashings of rain mixed with brown ocean water were already battering John’s building when he started duct taping the window. It was a similar mix of sounds to those in a drive-through car wash: soothing at first, when the gentle sprinklers are on and you watch your windshield transform into a … Continue reading A New Earth – The Car Wash
continued from previous Aspen looks down at the crystal-clear water caressing her ankles. She is mesmerised by the image of her feet, as it constantly shifts under the influence of hundreds of tiny ripples competing with each other in a constant tug of war game: who will cause the most visual distortion, who will make … Continue reading A New Earth – Reef
continued from previous “Good morning. Can I show you something?” Michael said to Olivia as she took a slow sip of her coffee. Almost as if she hadn’t heard him, she took her time putting down the cup on the benchtop, avoiding to look in his direction. Arms crossed, she got up and followed him … Continue reading A New Earth – Genesis II
continued from previous “Don’t be sad” John said. “Just be Here”. He put his arm over his niece’s shoulder as they both sat down on the semi-wet granite rock overlooking the sea. They gazed aimlessly out into the vast, barely discernible horizon, separating a grey sky from a brown sea. Everything around them seemed electrified: … Continue reading A New Earth – Embrace
continued from previous “You mean that we’ve crossed the tipping point and into ecosystem self-destruction?” Olivia asked. Her look was one of astonishment and concern. “In order to create, first you must destroy” John said. “Earth is trying to rebuild the food chain from scratch, while there’s still time, and resources. She’s started at the … Continue reading A New Earth – Deconstruction
continued from previous Aspen had found a good spot on one of the rocks at the end of the beach. From there, she could conveniently stare out into the brown horizon as she tried to come to terms with the new reality of the world. She looked in vain for any signs that the phytoplankton … Continue reading A New Earth – Foreign Planet
continued from previous John heard a knock on his door, knowing that it was probably Aspen. One downside of his Minimalist lifestyle was that his social life had shrunk dramatically, emulating the rest of his routine: always aiming for simplicity, modest frugality, making sure to leave plenty of space, and time, for contemplation. Like his … Continue reading A New Earth – Judgement Day
