Herdenmord - ONC2021

Aftermath

It was a harsh new world. It turned out people like the Amish had it right all along.

Nature ruled again—from birth to death. When existing medicines ran out, those who needed them would die, unless we found a treatment that did not require a laboratory. Many people found they no longer needed their treatments. It was a mystery to the doctors, but I remembered the Piper's voice resonating within me and I suspected they remembered it too.

We could still use some of our technology, but only if powered by completely renewable sources. We could use what we found around us, but not the way we used to. There were untouched communities who could show us the way—having never abandoned nature in the first place.

Some people found the prospect of the new world scarier than herdenmord. They stayed in the false security of the bunkers, terrified they would do something to make Pan play our final song.

I wasn't scared anymore. We left as soon as the soldiers opened the great, steel doors. We wanted to go home—even though we had to walk the whole way. With two prophets to guide us, we were fine. A whole group of people came with us, wanting to stay near Dimi's mother. Her knowledge of Greek mythology combined with her status as a prophet made her a magnet for many. Her cooking had a similar effect. 

We all worked every day but now we worked for ourselves. We worked at growing, preparing and preserving food. We worked at burying or cremating everyone who'd died in the streets around us. We worked at washing our clothes and cleaning our houses. And we worked at treating the life around us better than we ever had before. 

We still ran our phones, using solar chargers, but only to play music or watch movies. We read lots of books. There were books everywhere. There was so much stuff. We weren't hit as hard as other countries because we'd culled so many animals before the song reached us. Even so, there were so much stuff nobody wanted or needed anymore. After a while, I wondered why we'd ever wanted it. Life was so different now.

Spring turned to summer while Dimi's belly swelled. We all looked forward to meeting her baby. Aaden's parents had moved into an empty house down the street to be near their first grandchild. 

Dimi and Jamie were together, and Jamie glowed with happiness. She wasn't worried about losing her therapy anymore. "I am what I am," she said, smiling. "The music changed something in me. I've always been different and it's okay. And all that...all that shit...is gone now. I'm at peace...if you know what I mean?"

I did know. I was okay too. I never dreamed of rats anymore. I dreamed of strawberries and sunlight slanting through the trees and my parent's laughter and absent friends. And every morning I woke up next to Quan and thanked the Great God we'd both survived His song.

The world had changed, but it wasn't all bad. It was better to live in the world's harmony than to cling to the old ways and die underground.

(20,589 words)