on
Kickstart
Allie looked at her phone– like everyone around her, “Storm conditions, take shelter.” the emergency notification read, What is going on? she shrugged it off as she went into the cafe and ordered herself a chai tea latte. I think I need to get a man. she looked at a couple holding hands talking, Or maybe a woman?
“Allie,” the waitress returned with her chai tea latte and an Indian snack to go with it, “Your Chai and samosas.” the young waitress smiled.
She wrapped her fingers around the cup and sipped on wondering how horrible her sex life had been. “Ugh,” she sighed looking at her social media feed and seeing her friends going out on romantic dates. Maybe I should focus on earning a bucket load of money. Allie had a pretty successful stint at an investment bank and she was earning more than she could spend.
The waitress returned with a muffin and a sheet of tissue, “On the house.” winking at her. Allie looked at the tissue and found herself blushing. At least someone wants to go out on a date with me. she pocketed Megan– the waitress’s number and paid her bill, leaving a generous tip for her.
When she walked out of the cafe, the wind had gained speed and Allie struggled to walk across the street to her car. The strong gust of wind threw her hair in disarray and lifted her shirt a little. Embarrassed, Allie challenged the wind and got quickly inside the car. Her phone sent an emergency notification again and she just ignored it and revved her car.
What is happening? she thought as she strained to keep the car centered in her lane. Her phone went off again, That’s the third time in an hour. What is going on? She reached for her phone and almost crashed into a street lamp, Ah fuck it.
By the time she reached home, the wind had gained tremendous speed and she found herself straining to take a step. After spending a grueling few moments to reach her door she was glad to have finally made it back home. Maybe I should call Megan. she thought catching her breath when her phone alerted her again, what is that?
“Take shelter underground” the notification read, “Expect wind speeds up to 1100 miles an hour.” That must be a typo. “Take shelter.” she sighed and turned on the television.
“Scientists are confused,” the anchor said, “This has never happened before. Astronomers are sifting through the data to find an explanation for the unlikely events. The world that we know as of now might not exist, this could send us back into the dark ages. Schools have already shut down and are spending efforts to gather and store books and information. Engineers are working hard to keep the software systems alive and in continuous operation” What the fuck is going on. Will someone tell me? frustrated by the new anchor Allie switched the channel.
“Apocalypse is here!” the news flash read on the screen, “The Earth is decelerating. Scientists say in 24 hours earth will stop spinning.”
“How is that even possible?” Allie said out loud. Outside the wind rushed at an alarming speed and Allie– panicking– packed canned beans, water, juice everything she could find in a big carton and carried it into her basement. Am I going to survive this? she wondered.
Fabinski walked through the bunker-like building wearing a dirty white coat. He was tired and yet he cannot stop, People depend on us. This world depends on., not now, when they were so close. Fabinski had grown on the dark side of the planet. Five hundred years ago, humans survived the apocalypse. They were mostly successful in preserving the knowledge of their time. But it wasn’t enough.
A thousand miles an hour wind had destroyed everything– hurling debris from one half of the plane to the other. Knowledge– people– were buried in falling debris. We’ve survived, somehow. Fabinski thought.
Growing up in a dark, desolate land Fabinski had heard stories of bright sun and blue skies but it had never attracted him. The cold night sky filled with billions of stars was a sight to behold. How wrong I was? Fabinski thought looking out of the small window in the bunker wall.
Outside life had found its way, green trees had covered the light side of the earth and converted it into a beautiful, warm paradise. Everyone will see the sunrise again. he thought opening the door to the control room.
“Status update?” he asked the engineer as he walked towards his chair at the very front. After this, I’m going to go on a long, long vacation. he thought thinking about all the hard years he had put in to become the head of ISA the successor of NASA.
“We have steady electricity.” the engineer said skimming from the report, “The phases aren’t fluctuating as much.” It took us a while to find the necessary books to develop generators.
“The pressure inside is steady.” Hydraulics was the easiest. Fabinski recounted inside his head, “The temperature is well maintained.”
“What about the engine rpm?” Without Engines I’d not be here.
“It is stable.”
“Good.”
Fabinski looked around his office and saw his men passing sheets of paper and performing data analysis using pen and paper, I wish, the mega-corporations of the past didn’t keep the design of computer chips closely guarded secret. We could have had a computer and everything would have been so much easier.
He smiled to himself appreciating what his team had achieved, “How long?” he asked his assistant who looked at his watch.
“It is almost time.”
Fabinski got to his feet and took the center stage near the control dials, “This,” he said with pride, “is the greatest moment in the history of mankind.
“We’ve built something that no one thought was possible. I’m proud of this team, irrespective of the outcome today. I’m glad to have been allowed to work with brilliant engineers and scientists. Today, we’ll be able to proudly say, I moved the earth.”
Fabinski turned to the control dials and looked at a gauge that measured the earth’s rate of rotation. Fabinski held his breath, Today, I shall move this earth. Today, I shall make the sun rise. he felt like a benevolent God. Today, I shall sleep. he was tired of carrying the mantle of setting the earth in motion. The gauge needle moved and Fabinski could feel his heart thumping against his chest. Why am I nervous? he thought.
The needle steadily moved along the gauge parameter finally stabilizing at 1000 miles per hour. The room erupted, the engineers threw their sheets of paper in the air and hugged each other. Cigarettes passed and ancient wines that ISA had preserved for this occasion were poured. “We finally did it.” his assistant said with a smile.
Fabinski walked out of the room and into the open, his team of engineers followed him. the Sun was bright and it moved across the sky, “Wait.” someone said.
“What is it?” another voice asked.
“It is going in the wrong direction.” the smile on Fabinski’s face turned into a frown. He spun around in his place and saw an engineer reading from a circular device.
“What do you mean?”
“The compass says,” the engineer flashed his compass, “the Sun. is moving across the sky towards the east. That is wrong, the sun moves towards the west.”
“So?” someone from the group said, “Doesn’t matter, at least it is moving. I for one will be glad to see the sun rise in the West. It is better than a stationary one.”