Eric Joo
5-2-12
Gr.10 Lang & Lit
Ms. Lee
Water
The year
was 2074. It was just another “normal” day of the economic depression. The
world resources were low and the remaining global powers went to war over them
in a war which would take its name as the Ziyuan (resource in Chinese) wars.
Jonathan Phoenix was listening to the radio broadcast about Uncle Sam fighting
off the “evil” Chinese troops back at the Anchorage front lines. As he reached
over to turn off the radio, the air raid sirens began to sound. Jonathan knew
what this meant. The Chinese have finally begun the attack on the US mainland.
Jonathan stood up and sprinted as fast as he could to his registered bunker.
Right before the thick metallic doors of the bunker sealed tight, there was a
bright flash and a loud noise. Nothing would be the same.
There
was a bright flash, and then there was nothing.
Aidan Phoenix woke up from that same nightmare on a “normal” day in
bunker 101. “Aidan, get up, we gotta go do our chores!” said Aidan’s
bunkermate, David. David was 20 years of age and had medical conditions
including asthma and diabetes. Despite his physical shape and overly talkative
personality, he and Aidan got along just fine. Aidan grunted, stepped out of
bed and changed into yet another pair of the uncomfortable, grey bunker 101
jumpsuit and pocketed the one thing he had left of his family; some piece of
literature labeled, Psalms 23:4, which
was apparently his mother’s favorite “poem.” Aidan never got to know his
family because they had drawn their last breath when he was just one years old.
Aidan had just turned sixteen years old, which meant that he no longer had to
take classes anymore and he would have to serve for the purposes of the bunker
based on his skills and interests. Aidan was an electronics engineer. Ever
since he was young, the bunker elders have told him that his father and mother
were both engineers. Aidan just wanted to carry on the legacy of his family.
Right when Aidan wrapped up for the day, he heard over the bunker intercom, “All able bodied men and women from the ages
18 through 25 report to the bunker conference room.” Though Aidan was only
sixteen, he followed David to the conference room and stuck his ear to the door
to hear what was going on out of sheer curiosity. “Okay my fellow bunker
citizens, we have been faced with a horrible problem. Our bunker’s water
purification system chip has been completely busted and we don’t have any
spares. I have been told that there is a slim possibility that one of these
chips could have survived the nuclear bombings of the “Endwar.” Unfortunately,
we will need someone to venture outside the safety of the bunker and find
another chip if we are to survive.” The citizens of bunker 101 were completely
flabbergasted. All they have known for their entire lives were in the bunker
and there was a great fear of the unknown. Nobody has ever ventured outside the
bunker, and the last person who tried was never seen or heard from again. When
it seemed as if nobody was up to volunteer, David raised his hand and
volunteered for the job. “This is bad.” Aidan
thought to himself. David would never survive in the possibly hazardous
conditions of the outside world with his asthma and diabetes. Before the bunker
leader could say a word, Aidan busted through the door and volunteered himself
instead. The bunker citizens were shocked that a sixteen year old boy would
step up to the challenge like that, but nobody else wanted to take the job so
everybody kept their mouths shut. Right when Aidan was done packing and was
about to leave the bunker, David caught up to him and gave him some sweets that
he’s been saving and some apple cider. Aidan thanked him and proceeded out of
the bunker.
As
soon as the bunker doors sealed shut, Aidan was blinded by the intensity of the
bright, natural sunlight, which was nothing like what he has seen with the
fluorescent lights of the bunker. Aidan took a look at the view, and though
there were only rubbles of what used to be houses and buildings, he was amazed at
all the open space out there that he never got in the bunker. Not knowing where
to go, Aidan followed his instincts: Just walk. Aidan kept on walking until he
was met by two teenage boys with wacky hairstyles and machetes. Without
question, they sprinted up to him, ready to attack. Aidan, not knowing what to
do, curled up in a ball and recited the “poem” many times. He recited it for
the tenth time when a hand patted his shoulder. Aidan looked up to see a man
wearing a black metallic suit with his face covered with a gas mask. His
breastplate had the engravings, NNR on it. To Aidan’s side were the bodies of
the raiders who tried to rob him. Later, when Aidan figured out the meaning of
the engravings (New Nevada Republic), He thanked the soldier for his help. He
give the soldier his explanation for why he’s out in the wasteland and asks the
soldier about what he knows about a water purification chip unit, and the
soldier turns his head to avoid the conversation. When he asks again, the
soldier lets out a sigh and tells Aidan the troubling truth that many factions
are after that chip for different reasons. He tells Aidan that the purification
chip has a bigger purpose that just his bunker. The NNR has been in search for
this chip in order to restore it to the Hoover Dam so that the Western states
could drink purified water. Unfortunately, many factions have differing
opinions. Some factions are interested in making millions of soda can tabs
(Postwar currency) by selling the piece of valuable pre-war technology, some
fanatical factions like the “Sons of Karma,” believe that humanity should
suffer for putting the world in this shape, and some factions are bound to the
idea of using the chip to further irradiate the waters to put the world out of
its misery. Aidan is later informed that the “Sons of Karma” has taken possession
of the chip and they are willing to use it on the Dam within the hour.
Aidan thinks to himself for a second. He knows that
searching for the chip will take him long enough, but brining it and installing
it to the Hoover Dam would take even longer and it will not be long before the
bunker population diminishes due to radiation. Aidan hesitates, but eventually
decides to side with the NNR and do what’s best for the population. With the
aid of the NNR, Aidan tracks the “Sons of Karma” to the Hoover Dam and attempts
to stop them. The Sons of Karma, however, make a mistake in the purification
system and radiation leaks in everywhere. Aidan begins to feel dizzy from the
radiation levels, and walks into the purifier. Before he walks in, the label, “Phoenix
Engineering Co.” catches his eyes. He stumbles onto the purifier and almost
instinctively, types in, 234 (Psalms 23:4) and he smiles as his final thoughts
fade away.
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