Chasing Time

Speaking Up

Sector D, Middle Terragon.

17:08, 15th July, 3000.

"I still don't understand what we're doing here," Julia said with a stubborn pout as Layana led them down the street of the least appealing part of Middle Terragon. It reminded Julia too much of Lower Terragon, the despair was the same. It was funny that these people would still look down on Lowers.

"Gaya-"

"Ugh! Gaya this, Gaya that. I'm sick and tired of this annoying goddess who wants to end everything but not really. She's toying with us, I see it now. The others? What a load of crap. The 'others' just happened to be the first asshole we find. And what is this nonsense about Gaya speaking to him? Why didn't she speak to me? I'm the one she reincarnated after a gruesome death!"

"How long do you think she's going to do that for?" Stanley whispered to Melinda as Julia continued her rant. Melinda looked at him and stifled a giggle.

"She can go on for days when she's not happy about something,"

"Wow..."

"And what are you two whispering about?" Julia stopped in her tracks, facing Melinda and Stanley.

"Uhh..." he said lamely.

"Listen here buddy. I don't know why Gaya chose you and frankly, I don't care. But let's get one thing straight. You are not one of us. You are a snotty nosed Upper who-"

"Wait a minute," Stanley interrupted her, held his finger up to her face then closed his eyes and looked up to the sky like he was trying to think of something. She reeled back and glared at him.

"What?" She snapped and smacked his finger away from her face. He opened his eyes and looked back at her with a smirk.

"I was just trying to remember what it sounded like before I met you. I've heard nothing but your annoying voice for two days straight!" he yelled and she gasped in disbelief.

"How dare you!"

"Oh, I dare!"

"Listen to me you insufferable ass, while you're here, you'll do well to remember that you can't talk to me anyhow. I was the top student at the academy and I still remember how to kick your ass."

"Key word 'was'. You're not a student there anymore are you? Jumping Julia."

"Don't call me that!"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"You guys! Can you stop it already?" Melinda finally stepped in. Julia turned to glare at her.

"Tell him to stop," she grumbled and folded her arms "where are we going anyways? Who knows where the hell we're headed? Layana?" she called out to the Clairvoyant who was still stomping on ahead.

"Just stop Julia, you're being impossible." Travis said to his sister who gave him the same nasty look she had been dishing out all day.

"I mean she could just tell us where we're headed. It's not a big deal. Layana! Layana! Layana!"

"Shut! Up!" Layana turned around and screamed at Julia very loudly. Julia stared at her in shock, Stanley stifled a laugh while Travis and Melinda exchanged shocked looks.

"I'm sorry...I just wanted to-"

"It's okay. I get it," she interrupted her and turned around to face them "I sent a message out on The Lessers yesterday. I told everyone to gather here, that I will speak with them and tell them what I know. Gaya said they'll not believe me and might try to take me to an asylum which is why I decided not to come by myself. The four of you are here to support me and help me if anything goes wrong. Is that okay?"

They all looked at themselves then nodded. Layana was usually totally friendly or totally impassive. The way she yelled at Julia and took charge was something new to then, most especially Julia who never listened to anyone.

"Where is this place?" Stanley asked, only then noticing the rickety looking building they were in front of. It was a bar that was overrun with all sorts of people. He wondered if it was because of Layana's message or that was the usual standard.

"Also, what is The Lessers?" he asked and this time, they all looked at him then looked at themselves.

"He doesn't deserve to know," Julia was quick to say.

"Oh, come on, he doesn't even live in Upper Terragon anymore," Melinda said in his defense. Julia puffed up her chest in annoyance and looked to her brother for help.

"For all we know, he's an Upper spy, doing spy work," she said and Travis rolled his eyes.

"The Lessers is a social networking software that only the Middlers and the Lowers use. The Uppers have no access to it and it's used to pass secret messages around, mostly insults to Uppers." Layana said "now if that's over, can we go in please?" she did not wait for their answers and made her way into the large unstable building. The rest of them followed her quickly.

Surprisingly, the interior of the bar was welcoming. It had an almost homely look with rustic furniture and wall hangings. There was a large podium in the far corner where a honey-voiced musician was singing a slow love song. The bar was huge and two bartenders were attending to the large and demanding crowd of people.

Layana took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she scanned the room. There were all sorts of faces, most of them seemed anxious, others seemed bored and some looked angry. She knew what she had to say, she has practiced. Gaya has tried her best to dissuade her but failed. Although now that she was about to do it, she felt like throwing up.

"Here," Melinda held a shot glass up to Layana's face. The Clairvoyant widened her eyes at her.

"How did you get a drink so fast? There are so many people."

"Oh please, this is nothing. You should see the bars where we're from. Everyone learns how to hustle for drink pretty fast. Just take this, it'll calm your nerves." Melinda answered with a kind smile. Layana smiled back and accepted the drink, throwing it back once. The liquid led a trail of fire down her throat and really helped to settle her stomach.

"So...what are you going to do now?" Julia asked, her voice now calm after getting yelled at. Layana faced them and took in a deep breath.

"Watch," she said then turned around and made her way towards the podium where the singer had stopped singing and was adjusting her dress. They all watched in silence, wondering what her plan was.

Layana could feel sweat trickling down her neck, bile rising in her throat and her legs shaking but she was a vision of determination as she stormed towards the stage. As she reached the steps, she took three bold leaps and ignored the people calling out at her and telling her to leave the place.

"Hey, what are you-" Layana snatched the microphone from the singer, interrupting her.

"Good evening," she yelled out into the microphone, causing a backfeed that was long and whining. She closed her eyes and held her ears to help alleviate the sound. When she opened her eyes, everyone in the room was quiet and staring at her expectantly. She scanned around until her gaze landed on Melinda who gave her thumbs up. That gave her more courage, so she took a deep breath then spoke into the microphone again.

"I know some of you are here because of a certain message, I know some of you are here because this is where you normally are. Either way, what I am about to tell you is for all ears that are willing to listen," her voice had such a cooling effect to the already heated crowd. Whispers started going around, people saying she's the Clairvoyant who keeps posting on The Lessers.

"I have been visited by the goddess of the Earth. We all know her. Although a lot of us dispute her existence and never worship her, she is very much real. She has told me of the end, the end of everyone of us. A cleansing is what she calls it, a cleansing of the Earth. I have seen it, she showed it to me and it is truly horrible.

"The Earth has been plagued for too long with our wastes and our excesses and Gaya is tired of it. We do not respect the planet that gives us life neither do we care for it. She plans to destroy us all and very soon. I have begged Gaya, pleaded with her to reconsider but she is adamant-"

"Go to a hospital!" someone screamed out rudely from the crowd.

"Yeah! And get off the damn stage!" another said and more people started to get agitated. Julia watched as panic registered on Layana's face.

"Now wait a minute!" Julia screamed at the top of her lungs, catching everyone's attention "if your goddess wants to wipe us all out, why doesn't she just do it? What's the point of telling us first?" she said and a murmur of yeses filled the crowd. Layana looked at Julia and gave her a small smile.

"She wants to save some of us. About a month from now, the apocalypse will be upon us and we will all be gone. But before then, she will save a few of us and-"

"I'm guessing you're among the few?" someone interrupted her.

"I'm only here to deliver the message, I don't-"

"And what determines the few people that she will save?" another said and they started to bombard her with questions. Layana turned red under all the interrogation and noise. Julia clenched her fist in anger as everyone in the bar started yelling.

"We have to do something, a fight might break out soon," Travis said to Julia and she nodded.

"Let's get Layana out of here," she responded then turned to face Stanley "do you still have enough of your training or your Upper parents bought your spot for you?" he glared at her before reaching into his sleeves and pulling out two daggers.

"Does that answer your question?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.

"No, it doesn't. We don't have time for this, let's go." She grabbed his elbow and pulled him forward. The dashed towards the stage where other people in the crowd where other approaching. Layana was retreating back, trying to avoid them.

"Layana!" Julia lurched into the crowd and bounded up to the stage, Stanley was right behind her. The scene had escalated way more than Layana anticipated. Somewhere in the back, someone had hit another person and that caused a ripple effect which caused the entire bar to be rowdy. Just as Julia reached Layana, a drunk, burly man reached for them but was immediately knocked back by Stanley

"Let's go, it's about to get really ugly," he said. Julia grabbed Layana's hand and the three of the ran from the stage. Stanley was in front, knocking back everyone who stood in their way. When the reached Melinda and Travis, Defenders were already pouring into the bar. They were never far from places like this and they were usually swift and brutal when it came to controlling a rowdy crowd.

"s**t," Stanley whispered when he made eye contact with one of the Defenders. The guy from and tapped his comrade, then the two of them stared at him suspiciously.

"What is it?" Julia asked with a frown and looked over his shoulder, the two Defenders had started to approach them. The other Defenders spread out in the bar and began to make everyone conform.

"We need to leave now." he answered and started to walk to the back of the bar, ready to leave. The rest followed him quickly.

"What's wrong?" Julia said again, with a snap in her voice. Stanley turned to face her, he had such a look of urgency on his face that she blushed, feeling foolish. Wordlessly, they all ran out of the bar. Stanley swerved and pushed people, causing them to crowd behind him and block off the Defender's view. They got out quickly, Layana then took the lead and led them to a quiet corner where they waited until everything calmed down.

As they stood still, breathing heavily, all of them stared at Stanley, each wondering what they knew about him. Julia was the most confused, the urgency with which he wanted them to leave was not normal and she was convinced that he was hiding something, she wished she knew what it was. Suddenly he looked up and made eye contact with her.

"There's something you should all know." he said.