FOG

Four

Pok Mak Loho, the Supreme Leader walked into his inner chambers and shut the door.

He knew what the Elders thought of him. They couldn't even hide their contempt.

"Well, I hate them too!" He raved and flung a clay vase unto the floor. He walked up to a mirror door and took off his robe. He watched himself closely in front of the mirror, carefully noting the white beard and beginning to feel a pang of that familiar fear; the fear that he would die soon.

He walked up to his bed and sat on it. He had no successor. At least not anymore.

He sighed warily as he thought of his Son, Kari.

And then the thought of that old Dreamer crossed his mind and he snarled.

A Dreamer had taken his Son away from him, so he had the right to take others away.

He walked up to the huge window and watched the three Hoverjets approach from the Horizon.

****

The Grand Advisor took another slow step forward and halted by a Cliff side. He stared far ahead of him at the Tower in the horizon; his destination.

The moon behind it made it out as a silhouette.

He Shifted his gaze toward the far East. He could see a dense forest, dark as the night. It was the E-vu forest.

He sighed and marched down the sides of the hill. Slowly, of course.

****

The Tower was every bit what itbwas called: a tower. It was the tallest building in the People's city. The Hoverjets slowed and hovered into a space that served as a hanger.

The Tower was lit up with bright neon lights that seemed to illuminate the minute dirt itself.

The doors of the Carriers began to open.

A group of Soldiers stepped out first, followed by the captured Dreamers and then another group of Soldiers.

The Dreamers where placed into three lines. According to their age groups:

The first line age eight to ten.

The second, age eleven to fifteen, and the last comprising of age sixteen to eighteen.

Again, with the exception of the ones knocked out.

Not a word was spoken as they were lead to the Southern wing of the Tower. Not a word could be spoken. The youngs all looked frightened and the Soldiers were armed with laser rifles.

When they got to a large corridor, the Dreamers were randomly selected into three and shoved into a small room.

A Guard walked up to the pompous looking girl in a hoodie and ordered, "Follow me."

She was lead to a small room and pushed in. She walked inside the small room, noting the two sprawled boys on the floor. She groaned.

****

Amzhi opened his eyes slowly, blinking it and then shutting it again. He groaned and then suddenly opened his eyes again.

"Father!" He yelled.

"Your Father is definitely not here." Someone said. A girl's voice.

He turned to the source. He looked at the dark girl with huge round eyes and an oval face. Beautiful, he noted and then shook his head.

He forced himself on his feet and eyed every inch of the small room.

"Where am I?"

The girl, who had been leaning on the wall, moved up to him.

"The Tower. Like everyone else."

"The Tower..why?" He turned and stared at the Chubby boy on the floor.

"Who is that?"

She shrugged.

"Is he dead?"

She gave out an exasperated sigh and walked back to the wall.

"Enough with the questions. I'm as confused as you are."

Amzhi knelt close to the chubby boy and tapped his shoulders. He noted a bruise on his chin.

"He is breathing." He said, placing his hand close to the boy's nostrils.

He looked up at the girl who'd been watching him.

"Please," he said, pointing behind her.

She mouthed a silent 'what' and turned to see what he was pointing at:a water basin.

"I will need a wet cloth." He said.

She turned around and ripped off a small rag which she then soaked in water from the basin.

She walked over to him and stretched the rag at him.

Taking the rag, Amzhi placed it over the boys forehead and stood back.

He watched as the boy began to stir slowly.

"You really know what you're doing, huh?" She said, a slight smile over her face.

Amzhi stared passively at the wall,

"Yes, my Father taught me."

The young Chubby boy finally became awake.

"Where am I?" He asked, looking around.

Amzhi walked up to him.

"The Tower. You're in the Tower."

The boy got to his feet and looked at the two of them.

"Who are you?" He asked.

Amzhi exchanged looks with the girl.

"I guess we are all the same." The girl spoke.

The Chubby boy looked straight at the girl, "My name is Jak. Jak Meka."

She grunted, "Eastern tribe, huh?"

He nodded.

"You don't look as fair as the ones I know."

He nodded again, "My Father was from the West. I..eh..never met him."

Her face softened, "I'm Machi Undu. Also from the Western tribe."

Both Machi and Jak turned to look at Amzhi.

He spoke slowly."My name is Amzhi. Amzhi Orie."

They gasped.

"Like the Chief Elder Orie?" Jak asked.

He nodded, "Yes."

Machi clapped her hands, "Well, well. Its ironic don't you think?"

"What is?" Jak asked, literally looking up to the grinning Machi.

"Well, little one..."

"I'm not little. I'm fifteen!" Jak interrupted.

She rolled her eyes, "Oh, Sorry." And then she turned back to Amzhi, "Who would have thought that the Chief Elder's son would be a Dreamer? An abomination like us."

She flayed her hands as She said that.

She looked at both of them, "You are Dreamers, I think. Because why else would you be here."

Amzhi began to pace.

"He's wounded." He muttered quietly.

"What?" Jak asked.

"My Father. He is wounded. He tried to protect me from the Soldiers and now he is wounded."

Machi threw up her hands, "Typical bureaucrats. You send people's children away for years and when it becomes you turn, you try to fight it."

Amzhi shot a sharp look at her but still spoke calmly.

"My Father was always against the Cleansing."

"You don't have to call it that, you know," She scoffed,

"To cleanse means to make pure. To take something dirty and make it clean. What you people do is the exact opposite. Taking people's Children away to–" She screwed her eyes and asked, "What do they even do with Us?"

Jak chipped in, "Yes. I was about to ask what they do to Us. Do they..uhm..you know..kill us?"

Amzhi shook his head, "No."

There was a collected sigh of relief and then the room fell silent for a minute or so. There was still that nervous urgency lingering in the air.

"They banish us." Amzhi said. Hanging on to the words.

Machi chuckled, "That's not bad. I'll just assume its a vacation, I needed to leave anyways."

Jak nodded, "Yes. That doesn't seem bad."

He quickly added, "Although, I don't need to leave. I'll miss my mother and Aunt Rika."

Amzhi folded his arms and shifted his gaze between both of them.

"Its really not that good. They banish us to the E-vu forest."

"The evil forest?!" Both Machi and Jak chorused.

Amzhi unfolded his hands and began gesturing, "No, not 'evil'. E-vu; as in the letter 'e' followed by 'vu'."

"Who's idea was that?"

He shrugged, "I don't know but my Father told me that's where they banish Dreamers to. Have you not heard of the e-vu forest before?"

Jak nodded slightly, "I think I saw it in a book once." He paused and then his face contorted into that of worry, "I think the book said something about strange Creatures, like monsters, and barbarians. It sounds scary."

Machi sat with her legs folded,

"So, they capture us and plan to banish us into this evil forest?"

"E-vu." Amzhi corrected. She waved it off.

"This is crazy."

They stared at her.

"I've read about the ancient practices of the twenty-first century and I thought we would be more civilised than they were. Can you imagine that there was an era they killed twins. Twins! Barbaric. And now we are slowly going back to those times."

Jak nodded absentmindedly, never once taking his gaze off Machi.

"I don't see why we shouldn't go across the border now."

Jak had an I-don't-get-you look on his face.

She rolled her eyes, "I mean, they obviously want us to die out there. So, why not be free to live our lives across the border, huh?"

"You mean like escape?" Amzhi asked.

"Going across the border is prohibited." Jak said timidly.

"For the normal ones. We aren't normal remember? Abominations, rejects; Dreamers."

Amzhi turned to face the door of the small room.

"I do need to see my Father again. I need to know that he is well."

"Me too. I need to know that mama is okay and Aunt Rika."

Machi jumped up and smiled broadly, "It's agreed then. We'll escape!"

****

The Grand Advisor Stopped at the border; a high metal fence enclosing the people's City from the widelands. The Tower stood alone in the far end of the City.

He walked towards the checkpoint and grunted to the half awake guard on duty.

The guard jerked to life and tried to look alert. He recognized the Grand Advisor and quickly ran out to meet him.

He bowed, "Sir!"

The old man grunted again and began to walk through the gate.

The guard ran after him, "Do I get a Taxi for his Holiness?"

The Old man grunted, "No. I do not trust your technology of these days. A Car driving itself, humph!" He grunted again.

He began walking, "AI, they call it. Man made magic." He shook his head.

The real reason why he didn't want to take the taxi was because he wanted to walk through the sections of the City and feel the People's pain. He knew what the day of cleansing signified: Families torn apart.

When he reached the Tower, he was taken to the Supreme Leader's Chambers.

He remained standing, resting his weight on his snake staff. He watched the doors of the chambers fling open and the tall imposing figure that is the supreme leader walked in.

"I wasn't expecting you." He said, waving his hand to dismiss his guards. He was not wearing his royal robe. He had on a casual printed shirt and loose trousers.

"I have received an omen."

The Supreme Leader sat himself on his throne, not bothering to offer the Grand Advisor a seat. Let the old man stand.

"And I assume its bad?" He asked, resting his hand on his chin and running his finger through the edge of the lion carving on the throne.

The Old man took a step forward, "Its unlike anything I have ever seen before."

"Oh, really?" The Supreme Leader asked, looking bored.

"The end is coming." He said emphatically, pointing his snake staff towards the window.

"Tell me about this omen."

The old man breathed deeply, "The gods have shown me the end. It wasn't clear but I saw dream demons entering our world. I saw fire and death and people screaming. I saw hell!"

The room echoed as he spoked. The Supreme leader looked interested now.

"Dream demons?"

"The foul existence that lives beyond our realm. Spawns of the devil!" The old man showed his teeth as he spoke.

"I don't believe in such fables. But I'm inclined to ask: how can we stop this? I believe you have a solution."

The old man shook his head, "I'm afraid I don't." He hesitated, "But.."

The Supreme Leader eyed him suspiciously, "But what?"

"I believe our hope lies with the Dreamers."

"That's enough!" He shouted, "So, the People have solicited you to make up tales for me to release those abomination?"

"You don't understand."

The Supreme leader growled, "That's a new low for you. Of course, on the day of the cleansing. I should have seen it coming."

The old man stared straight at the Supreme Leader, "I have been the Grand advisor for decades. I do not need money for anything and I always respect the–"

He raised his hand, "Let me stop you there. I think that's the problem: you have been around for too long."

"This is a matter of death!" The old man shouted.

"I've heard enough." He pushed a button and two guards showed up almost immediately, "Take him and lock him up. Let him stew for some days."

The Old man walked up to the Supreme Leader, "I don't care what you do to me. The end is coming and you are too blind to see it. I hope it may not be too late when you realise the truth."

The Supreme leader turned sharply at the guards, "What are you both doing? I said lock this old fool up!"

"I warned you!" The old man yelled as they dragged him away.

The Supreme Leader breathed heavily and sat back on his throne.

"Stupid Old man. They have been talking about the end and Hell since the twenty-first century. I'm not going to be the first fool who acts on such fables."

****

"Bad news and good news!" Jak cried and walked away from the door.

Machi spoke up, "Give us the bad news first so that we can cushion ourselves on good news."

Jak nodded, "okay. The bad news is: That door has an electronic panel and It may take hours to break out of it."

"Oh and what is the good news?" Amzhi asked.

"The good news is, I'm good with electronics and can break us out of here. It may still take hours, though."

"Good." Machi said, "That will give us enough time to plan."

Jak stepped back and sat on the floor, "I will have to work on a gimmick for the panel. Luckily, I carry a shrunken tool box hidden in my jacket. I can re-size it and begin work."

He snorted, "One of the wonders of the twenty-second century."

"You should sit. You have been standing all night." Machi said to Amzhi. He shook his head, "I am fine."

Jak produce a small blue box from his jacket and pushed a button. They all watched as it grew to the size of a cereal box. Jak looked at them as smiled when he saw the impressed looks on their faces.

Amzhi turned to him, "when did you discover that you were a dreamer?"

Jak shrugged, "Tonight. They used their detectors."

He turned to Machi, who sighed and watched the floor intently

"A few months ago, on my eighteenth birthday."

They were silent, waiting for more. It didn't come.

"I discovered mine a few days ago. It had been in a dream. I..." He paused, "What is that noise?"

They all rushed to the door and poked their heads through a rectangular opening. Well, excluding the chubby Jak.

There was a faint growing noise going through the corridor.

"Who is shouting? Tell me, I can't see!" Jak kept on saying.

Amzhi found himself locked eye to eye with an old man being dragged through the corridor. He didn't blink. Couldn't blink. All of a sudden, He felt the room around him spinning and growing smaller; he felt himself going deeper into the old man's mind. Everywhere became bright as if he was staring at the sun.

His eyes began to burn. He shook his head and struggled to shut it.

"You have to do something! The End is coming! Do something!"

The noise grew faint again and then the corridor was silent once more. He shut his eyes finally, breathing rapidly.

They peeled themselves from the door and walked back to the centre of the room.

"That was weird." Machi muttered.

"What was happening? Who was shouting?" Jak asked.

Amzhi could hear Machi telling Jak what had just happened. But he wasn't hearing what they were saying. He could still see the old man's glassy eyes locked on his. You have to do something. The End is coming!

He could visualise the sky ripping apart and those dark creatures entering through it.

"It felt like he was talking to us," Amzhi muttered quietly.

They stared at him.

His eyes were still shut. Then he opened them and turned to look.

"Woah!" They both chorused.

"What is it?" He asked.

Jak dropped the blue box and crawled closer to him,

"Your eyes. How is it doing that?–bend down please."

Amzhi bent himself low enough to be Jak's height.

"Doing what?"

"It's white. Like halogen white."

Amzhi shook his head, "Is it normal now?"

Jak nodded.

Amzhi sat down cross legged close to the others.

"We need to find that old man."

"Why?" Machi finally spoke.

He sighed, "I–I saw something. Something scary, and those words he kept shouting."

"The end is coming?"

He nodded, "I think it was a warning and I think he was talking to us."

Machi turned to him, "But I looked at him too, how come I didn't see anything?"

"I–I don't know. I thought you saw it also. The room was spinning and I think I was in his head. I am not sure."

"What did you see?" They asked.

"I saw myself alone in the widelands. The sky was yellow and the sun extra hot. I heard people screaming and then I looked over to the City. It was dark. I mean, there was a dark cloud like a blanket covering the city. I did not move. I just stood there and then there was a loud sound, like a thunderclap and the sky starting–opening. The sun grew hotter and the opening bigger until I saw them."

"What–Saw what?" Jak asked, obviously visualizing it all.

He stared at him, "Demons, I think." He said, matter of factly.

"They began floating through the opening and soon the whole world began fading."

"It does sound scary."

"It was. I think this has something to do with us."

Machi nodded, "I think you saw a prophecy or something. If we weren't all considered 'abnormal' I'd have called you a weirdo."

Amzhi looked at her, "Thanks?"

She turned to the brooding Jak, "How long till we break out of here?"

He picked the box. "Good news; it can be done in an hour."

"Good. Obviously, our plans have changed. Now, we find the old man."