Planet of Ice

Planet of Ice

 

   Author’s Note

     Before you read this I would like you to look upon a blank sheet of paper. Stare closely at its fibers. What do you see? Nothing. The paper is blank. Its fibers have not been touched by the ink of a pen or the lead of a pencil. Its white brilliance glows in prosperity. Seeing this blank sheet makes you happy and sad at the same time. It makes you happy because nothing has corrupted its magnificence. It also makes you sad because you wonder if it will ever evolve or develop into something more intelligent and wise. Einstein’s theory of relativity started out on a blank piece of paper, as did Tolkien’s  Lord of the Rings. So really, every blank piece of paper was meant for greatness. Every one is a body meant for fame and prosperity. So I think to myself, “Could this be how Earth was? The galaxy? Could it all have been just a blank piece of paper, waiting for its moment?”

     And how do we know when it has had its moment? The way I see it, the Galaxy is just a story. The Earth is a chapter, filled with excitement. It has wars, love, loss, humans, animals, landscapes. This Earth was a masterpiece of its time. But my mind leads to the fact that everything must be forgotten over time. Every paper will once more become a blank sheet. I try to push this bit of information out of my mind, but it keeps coming back, gnawing at my mind like a hungry rat. Everything must be repeated. The electric rainbow of time, space, and the seven quantum mechanics must eventually be repeated.

     Next time you read through a book and feel satisfied, listen to my words. You have just met new characters and experienced what they go through. You have just opened a piece of the author’s mind. You have just gone through an adventure in your mind. Now I want you to turn to the first page of that book. Start reading it. Now you know everything that will happen, but the characters do not. They repeat themselves. They see nothing but the world in front of them, and they are naïve. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to stop this tragedy but flip through to another page. Now the character has been through more action, romance, and adventure. It is only a matter of time before he or she reaches the conclusion and can be at rest.

     I am sorry to give this information to you, for it can make a human rather depressed. Just knowing the fact that all must repeat is far beyond the comprehension of the human mind. But it is a secret we all must know.

     Anyway, back to what I was getting at earlier. About the Earth repeating itself and becoming a Planet of Ice.

 

Chapter 1

     “What the hell is going on?” I tell myself.

Myself.

     I am completely alone, and I have no idea where I am. In fact, I am nowhere. I am standing in the middle of a blank world. Just white. It as if the entire Universe has collapsed and nothing is left. But if that were true, there would be no sound and I would not have been able to talk just a second ago. I walk around a little bit. My footsteps echo loudly, filling the

(Void)

room. I look in all directions. Nothing. After about two minutes I realize that maybe I am being a little too calm. So I start running. I have no idea why I think I can escape, but I try. Then I slow down. A shadow lingers above me, growing larger and larger; as if some titanic bird is swooping down to catch its prey. Unfortunately, its prey is me. I look up and it is not a bird at all. It is a pencil the size of an airplane, and it is headed directly towards me. I scream and run faster. My scream echoes and fills my ears. The pencil is getting closer and closer, ready to crush me. Just as it is about to reach me, I dive. It hits the ground with a boom that almost shatters my eardrums. Panting and out of breath, I lay next to where it struck the whiteness. Instead of lifting to come down again, it moves towards me. I get up and run away again. I look back to see it is leaving behind a trail of dark grey. Just when it is about to bump into me, it moves in an upward arc. I stop and stare in fascination. It has written three words.

   “Planet of Ice” it says. Now it lifts up and moves downward to a new section of the paper.

     Paper? Why did I just think of paper?

     In the distance, the pencil writes some more. I stare for about a thirty seconds and read what it has written. It says, “Authors Note” and under these words it says, “Before you read this-”

    For some reason I know exactly what is going on. Someone is writing a book. How I know this I do not know, but I just do.

     Now the pencil turns around so the eraser is facing me.

     Wait a minute, why is it facing me?

     My eyes widen in panic, but this time I have no time to run or scream. The eraser lands on me and I am crushed, lifeless. Yet somehow my eyes see what happens after this murder by writing utensil. The pencil goes back to work, now that the minor nuisance is gone. It writes, “I would like you to look upon a blank sheet of paper.” I close my eyes, ready for death.

                 ---

     “Jesse?” a woman’s voice, smooth and calming. “Jesse, are you okay?”

     I slowly open my eyes to the blinding light. My vision is blurred, but indeed standing before me is a woman. My girlfriend? Maybe.

     “Oh thank goodness you’re okay.” She says. My vision comes back to its regular clarity and I look upon the girl. She is short, only about five feet and six inches tall. Her silky brown hair hangs below her shoulders. She is wearing a white button-up shirt that is most likely mine, and a pair of light blue panties. Her piercing green eyes are wracked with worry.

     “I’m fine, Jen.” I croak as I lay my head back down on the pillow.

     Although I can not see her, I feel her relief. “Thank god, I was scared. You weren’t waking up. I thought you passed out or died.” She says playfully, but I hear the quiver of doubt in her voice.

     “Thanks a bunch babe. I guess I just had a little too much to drink last night.” I cover my eyes with a pillow, blocking out the sun. Light footsteps appear next to me, and the bed sinks slightly with the weight of a person. She grasps the pillow and pulls it away. I scream and struggle. “Give it back!”

     “No way.” Jennifer says and climbs on top of me, pinning me down. I open my eyes and see her smile. She is beautiful. She bends down and brushes her soft lips against mine. I try to grab her but she holds my hands down. Her breasts brush against my naked chest and I am filled with ecstasy. The lower half of my body awakens and her smile grows as she feels it.

     “Let’s have sex.” I say excitedly.

     She looks at me. “Nope.” She says and jumps off of me.

     “Why not?” I say, sounding obviously disappointed.

     “You slept in, and you have a meeting.”

     “What meeting?”

     “You have to propose your new novel and discuss a deadline for the second chapter. Don’t you remember?”

     Suddenly it hits me. “F**k! I didn’t even start the first chapter!”

     Her smile fades. “You told me you were done with it. Last night.”

     Last night. “I was drunk.” I say guiltily.

     “Figured.” She starts to walk away. “Babe, you have to think of a way to explain the fact that you haven’t started the chapter you promised you would have done today.”

     “I will.”

     “I made breakfast.” She walks out of the bedroom.

     I turn around and bury my face in the bed. “F**k f**k f**k!” I yell.

                           

                 ---

     The kitchen smells good. I look down at the table. It is adorned with sausages, potatoes, waffles, bacon, and orange juice. I smile. Jennifer knows how much I hate eggs and pancakes. She is at the sink washing the pots and pans, and I embrace her from behind. She gasps with surprise and smiles as I cover her neck with kisses. I cling to her warmth for a few more heavenly seconds before sitting at the table. She sits next to me and we eat. It is even more delicious than it looks.

                                                      ---

     “Babe, what should I tell them?”

     “I don’t know, lie. You’re really good at that.” She snickers.

     “Real funny Jen.” I button up my shirt and put on a tie. I hate wearing ties; they always look ridiculous because they don’t match with my shaggy blond hair and blond goatee beard. I would be much more comfortably going to a meeting in my pajamas, which I wear at home when I am writing. Maybe one of these days I just might show up to a meeting in my Pj’s. That’ll show those monotone robots who’s the boss around here. I laugh to myself. Those monotone robots. Those lifeless puppets. Those sheep. I hate them all, because they make me feel so aware that I am human. They make me feel unreal. It’s as if I am the fake one.

     I start to head out. Jennifer is still getting dressed. She looks at me.

     “You pervert. Watching a girl change; didn’t your momma teach you manners?” she smiles.

     I kiss her. “Bye babe. See you later.”

     “I love you.” She says.

     “Love you too.” I close the door.

                 ---

     The editing building I work at, called Xandria Corporation, is only a few blocks away. I have no need for a car. Bad for the environment anyway. As I am walking, I think of the possible excuses to cover up my sheer laziness. I have not yet given them a name for the book, because I hadn’t even thought of what I want to write.  In fact I completely forgot that I was supposed to write. And lately my drinking was getting in the way. I made a personal note to myself. No alcohol while writing. That means for the next couple of months I would have to give up on my friends Jose Cuervo, Jack Daniels, and Captain Morgan. I should’ve smiled at the thought, but I frowned. I missed back when I wrote my first and second books. I missed when I would smoke pot to get my creative flow flowing. After a while that became a problem and I gave that up entirely.  Now I would have to say good bye to alcohol.

     Wait, I was thinking of ways to lie to the staff. Let’s see, I could say I lost it or my computer crashed and erased all my work. I could promise that I’d have it done in a week. That would most likely work. Of course it will work.   

                 ---

     Lost in my thoughts as I pass the crosswalk, I do not see the car speeding toward me.

                 ---

     I am too late. When I look up, the car careens towards me. As everything goes black, I feel nothing but the warm blood covering my body. I feel no pain. Nothing goes through my mind, no prayers or panic. I open my eyes, expecting it to be another dream. Instead, a face hovers over me. It is rugged and rough. One eye is pure white, with claw marks running over it. The other eye is a faded blue, the color of one that has seen many things. The man is smiling.

     “Soon.” He says in a voice I least expected coming from such a rugged man. His voice is beautiful and soothing, like music. “Soon, you will be useful. Rest, my son. You need rest.”

     My last thought is of the dream I had last night. What a weird dream.

      I close my eyes, once again ready for death.

 

Chapter 2

     The first thing I notice is that I am cold. Very very cold. Cold wind bites at my face. What seems to be snow lashes at me violently. I dread opening my eyes. When I do open them, I am speechless. Horror creeps up at my throat and I try to scream. Instead what comes out of my mouth is a small pathetic squeaking noise.

     Ice.

     All I see is ice.

     A Planet of Ice.

 

 

Reviews

[Ève]

Whoa, that was really good.
I loved your author's note. I've never really thought of it like that.
Good job!