By William Markiewicz
(continued from last issue)
This "archival" story was inspired by a few of my dreams which I linked together.
The years passed in terror and waves of exterminations. Countries existed but only nominally and the organized forces still functioning interfered as little as possible in the life of the people, not wanting to risk contamination. Human genius adapted to the new situation and societies spontaneously organized into small autonomous communities. Life on the planet seemed to return to some primitive stage. The populations began to govern themselves more efficiently in small groups than on the scale of a whole country and the hunt for the contaminated ones continued relentlessly. The 'possessed' were not usually killed, but following the accepted pattern, they were isolated, thrown into pits, covered with nets ... There were heart breaking scenes when it became necessary to separate the healthy from the contaminated -- husband from wife, parent from child. The victims' families seldom understood that these were no longer their dear ones but monsters bearing their appearance. The captives, in principle, immediately refused nutrition and communication and, isolated, awaited death in torpor. The bluish flames danced hungrily around the heads of the dying searching vainly for new victims.
It was poignant to see, under nets, in all degrees of decadence, those human beings who had lost their souls. Clustered together, all ages and sexes mixed -- some still freshly dressed in coat and hat, others in rags encrusted with filth -- sitting on the ground exposed to the elements. The 'alive' ones rubbed shoulders with the dead in total indifference. It was here that their alien nature was most evident. One stood until death, taking no initiative to sit down. Others sat or lay in the most bizarre positions, like mechanical toys suddenly stopped in movement. The 'flames' in their despair, no longer gave orders to the bodies they inhabited. They subsisted on their victims until death which was sometimes long in coming.
Compassionate souls sometimes tried to execute them but bullets had no effect; the normal reflexes which provoke collapse and subsequent death no longer existed in them. Their nervous system was entirely dominated by foreign powers. The lights and tom-tom, on the other hand, were producing an effect through action on the senses -- and this was what made it possible for the humans to fight. It was possible to burn them all, but generally the victims' families didn't want the dead and the pseudo-alive to be treated in the same way.
Who were they? Where did they come from? Legends formed. Some talked of a mysterious meteor which crashed years ago in the suburbs of Paris, bringing those germs. Others maintained that they were emanations of the planet earth itself, an expression of God's anger, punishment for sins, etc. Various sects developed, dissolved quickly by suspicious populations who remembered the rule: "Excitement of the spirit favours the monsters."
With time, the enemies showed less and less frequently. The human population on the planet also thinned out. The audacious ones organized expeditions into the forest, the mountains, the ruins of cities, to hunt those monsters which still hid themselves. The monsters also organized raids and had accomplices among the human population. Traitors always existed who wanted to save their own close ones who had been taken hostage, or who, just to make money, sold others. The monsters paid generously to obtain humans, their vital element. To counter this danger, the value of money was eliminated and an attempt was made to wipe out the very notion of profit. Possession of gold and jewels was a crime punishable by death.
Slowly humanity recovered in vigor, increased in number and regrouped into more important agglomerates. The central powers which had awaited their hour, tried to impose their ancient rule again.
It was not easy. The population which had become autonomous did not trust central powers. In all spirits memories of total chaos were too near. In the smaller communities people felt more secure. So, paradoxically, through the alien monsters the world acquired a taste of new freedom. Humanity took a new turn in its history -- for the better or for the worse.
The End
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William
Markiewicz