THE SONG OF ETERNITY

A Story by JH Sam

The Earth has stopped rotating, how do humans cope with it in five thousand years? Does everything change or humans develop to be something else?

Prologue

15^th December, 2017

“Sir, what’s the time now?”

Sushant looked up on the question asked by his assistant Sisir. They were so busy deep in their work that they missed noticing how much time had passed. The accounts department had sent such complex files, it took both of them to put some extra labor. Sushant pulled up his left sleeve and saw the time and exclaimed- “Uh…Oh, it’s already 5’oclock. Sorry Sisir we missed the lunch today also.”

Sisir knew his boss well, he just smiled and replied- “It’s nothing new Sir, and it’s perfectly OK. I had a heavy breakfast this morning, so that doesn’t matter. I actually asked the time for a separate reason.”

“What…” �" asked Sushant �"“You wanted to leave early?”

“No Sir” �" replied Sisir and continued �"“Actually I asked the time looking at the window only.”

Sushant was curious �" “Window ? What’s about…”

His dialogue was cut short in midway by Sisir- “Actually, I was wondering… It is December now, and in Kolkata by this time on a day in December it should be dusk. But the sunlight is too bright for the hour.”

“Oh…you are right…” �"exclaimed Sushant, and went towards the window �"“It seems it is two o’clock in the noon.”

Sushant and Sisir stood near the window and rolled up the fancy curtains. The air conditioned office on the thirteenth floor of the building didn’t let them know that outside it was hot like a summer afternoon of India. The Sun was shining bright and was directly in the middle of the sky. Sushant again checked his watch and looked outside the window of his office in the thirteenth floor. His clock showed twenty five minutes past Five o’clock in the evening. Generally at this time the park in front of the office building would get packed up with children and people, but the heat was so intense probably people opted to stay indoors. Presumably no one dared to come out in the untimely summer.

Sushant checked an app in his mobile and it showed the temperature outside to be 50 degree Celsius. He thought something might be wrong with the software based app and so he cross checked the data over internet. The result was the same. Kolkata was experiencing a hot Summer afternoon on a December evening.

Sisir was an ardent Hindu, he just murmured- “The Gods are angry, it’s must be the end of Kaliyuga…”

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15^th December, 2017… The day continues…

It was nine-thirty in the evening. Sushant and Sisir both were sitting in the same office room. But they were not busy with their work. Rather they both were sitting beside the window, with cans of chilled beer in their hands. The heat mixed with the humidity of Eastern India was getting unbearable. Even the air conditioner set at 16 degree Celsius was not being able to cool down the room. Outside the Sun was just sitting over the horizon, getting ready to set.

In the meantime the duo had done intense searches over the internet to know about what went wrong. But all they could get was the news that the event had occurred throughout the world. As it was taking time for the night to arrive gradually in Kolkata, similarly in other countries it was taking time to get the morning light. Scientists across the world were trying to get to the depth of the incident.

Both of them had contacted their family. The families were equally tensed. To an average Indian family this was an ominous sign and everyone feared of something big bad was going to happen.

“God knows what happened…”- murmured Sushant, still gazing upon the setting Sun.

“Sin has taken over man…”- replied an ardent religious Sisir- “…even the stars and Sun is deviating from their path. Oblivion is coming…”

Sushant looked at his assistant from the corner of his eye and said- “Don’t give me those religious craps. There must be some scientific explanation behind this. I have an astronomer friend. I should check with him…”

Sushant was just taking his mobile out from his pocket when the air-conditioner machine went off with a strange rumbling sound. Sushant looked and exclaimed �"“The AC got dead too…Let’s move Sisir. Let’s see whether the car AC is working or not…”

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Sushant gave Sisir a lift up to his flat. The electric lights by the side of the roads were getting lighted up one by one. People gathered in small groups at roadside stalls. By the time when Sushant reached his own home, the Sun was set. The red afterglow still lured in the horizon. The wrist watch showed time to be Ten-Thirty. Only one and a half hour was left to be midnight, but the sky wasn’t agreeing with the watch. Temperature had dropped a little and as Sushant entered his home the darkness of evening spread upon Kolkata.

Little Tinni was waiting for her Daddy to return. As soon as Sushant entered, she hugged her father. Sushant took her on his lap and asked- “Why is my little princess still awake?”

Tinni’s eyes widened as she exclaimed- “Daddy, Daddy…here the Sun set so late. If you had come 15 minutes back you could have seen it. You missed the Sunset.”

Tinni was four years old and the fact that the Sun rises at the same time in a vast area was still incomprehensible to her. Sushant knew the script, and so he acted in lieu of her daughter’s amazement �" “Oho, is it so Tinni? Oh I missed it. Are you OK dear? Did you brush your teeth?”

Tinni was still complaining- “You don’t know anything Daddy, I told you over phone I had my dinner and I brushed my teeth too…”

“Oh, I forgot…Sorry Dear”- and Sushant kissed her daughter when his wife Kaveri entered the room. She was smiling but the smile wasn’t enough to suppress the hidden tension within. With the smile on she said- “Yes, Daddy is forgetting everything Tinni. But it is time to sleep. It’s 10:45 already.”

Tinni tried to argue in her own way but gave up and Kaveri took her to the bedroom, while Sushant got fresh and switched on the television. All the channels showed the same thing, the most happening news of the day. Kaveri had kept on air-conditioners in every room so it gave comfort inside, but the humidity was still unbeatable. Sushant was looking at the special program aired by Discovery channel explaining the issue, when Kaveri returned and sat beside him.

Sushant looked at her, and she let out all her tensions- “Mother called me. She said these types of incidents are written in the Vedas and Puranas¹. It’s such a bad omen. Is the world going to get destroyed? Are we all going to die?”

Sushant just murmured- “Let’s just see what the scientists are saying….”, and waited till the program finished within 10 minutes. Then he asked her- “So did you understand what the program said?”

“Not totally…” �"Kaveri replied �"“Something about Earth stopping…”

“Yes”- Sushant replied and then explained- “See Kaveri, our Earth is rotating on its own axis and at the same time revolving around the Sun in a particular orbit. Now scientists have found that about four months back a massive asteroid has passed through the orbit. Earth was still four months back from the spot in the orbit. Now this asteroid while passing through has disturbed the gravitational magnetic field at that position of the orbit. After four months, at this current moment, Earth is passing through the exact spot and so the disturbed gravitation has slowed Earth’s rotation. Earth didn’t stop rotating fully, but you can say it lost its speed for some time. That’s why Sun took more than four hours to set.”

Kaveri was listening with her eyes widened. She just enquired- “Oh Bhagwan², what will happen if this happens again? Will it be normal again?”

“Should be…”- Sushant replied- “The scientists said Earth should get its normal speed back in few months. But if the speed of rotation slowed a little more, that could bring the end of everything from the surface of the Earth because…”

“Daddy…what is Glavitititi?”- Sushant’s explanation was stopped in the middle by a simple question from Tinni. They hadn’t noticed when the little girl had woken up and was listening to their discussions.

Sushant spread a smile on his face, and caught hold of her daughter and tickled her �"“Sooo who is still awake? My little princess, this is Glavitititi…” and they all laughed together. The room got filled with serene joy.

1.Vedas and Puranas- ancient Hindu scripts 2. Bhagwan �" God in Hindu religion

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15^th December 2050,

Tilottoma was gazing through the seven inch thick glass on the window which sealed their room from the outside, where countless people were working to build an apparently better future. The place was filled with pipes and iron beams and construction vehicles. From the distance all the people working looked exactly same in their suits and oxygen masks. But Tilottoma was not really looking at the work. She was in deep thought and hence missed to hear the first time when Bivas called her.

“Why do you look so disturbed dear?” �" Bivas’s second call startled Tilottoma. Her eyes were wet; she had been crying. She sniffed and replied- “Nothing… just was remembering some old days…”

Bivas understood and hugged his wife asking �"“You called Daddy. Right?”

Tilottoma couldn’t hold any longer. Two lucid streams of tears rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed- “He is not ready to come down and live with us down here.”

“Let me call him…” �"Bivas said and dialed a number from his phone. On the other side it kept on ringing until at the last moment it got picked up and a voice was heard- “Hello, Sushant Sen speaking…”

“Daddy… it’s me…your son-in-law…”- replied Bivas.

“Oh Dear… How are you Bivas? Everything OK down there?” �"the voice asked from the other side of the line.

“We are good Papa. We called you to request to please come and live with us here.” �"Bivas went straight to the point.

“Hahaha…” �"the voice of Sushant laughed heartedly �"“Tinni must have said you to make this call and persist on the request to bring me down there.”

Bivas sighed �"“Tinni has not said anything wrong Papa. We all are worried for you. Tinni, your son Goutam, I and your grandchild everyone is here. It’s too dangerous for you to live up…”

Sushant’s voice spoke in the middle- “I know son, but am a Seventy years old man now. I shouldn’t nibble a share on your oxygen content. Moreover I have lived freely all my life; I cannot live a mile below the surface like a rat breathing your hard earned oxygen. I will breathe and live a free man till I die. If you want to please me, adopt a poor child and give him the chance to live his life.”

Bivas still tried �"“We are not worried about oxygen Dad. We have got more than enough. Why are you trying to commit suicide?”

Sushant smiled on the other end and replied �"“After Kaveri left us ten years back, I only had Tinni and Goutam with me. Now both of them are happy with you. What more can I ask for Bivas. And where is the little princess? Is she still crying thinking about this old…”

The voice got cut. Tinni aka Tilottoma was eagerly listening to the conversation from one side only. Her curious eyes demanded positive news from Bivas, but Bivas only said- “He won’t come. The line got cut. Probably another magnetic storm is there on the surface.”

“Did you call Dad…Oh I missed it again…” �"a thirty year old young man entered the room before Bivas could say anything more to his wife. Tilottoma started crying again, and Goutam, the young man, her brother understood that their father had again rejected the offer to come and live with them. This is not the first time this had happened so Goutam is now used to this scenario. He was an artist, and stayed busy with preservation of art pieces brought from the surface. Generally he didn’t care much about the family matters but today somehow he got curious and asked- “Why Dad doesn’t want to come and live with us Bivas? Tell me about the World above.”

Bivas coughed and explained �"“Ok let me tell you in details. But first let me tell you about the historical facts a little in a nutshell. In the year 2017, a massive asteroid passed through the orbital path of Earth, disturbing the gravitational field at the spot, for which the Earth lost its normal speed of rotation. Initially it started with being four to five hours different from the clock time, but within these 30 years it has increased to a difference of twelve hours. This means that at this very moment when it ticks 6 am in the morning, thirty years back it used to be 6.pm in the evening. Our scientists have discovered that within ten years the speed of Earth will come to a standstill.”

“So…we all will die?” �"Goutam asked.

Bivas continued- “See, there can be two consequences. First the Earth may remain still and second the Earth may again start rotating due to internal core rotation. Either of this may happen.”

“What will happen if Earth doesn’t start rotating again?” �" enquired Goutam.

Bivas coughed again. The air down there was too polluted. Then he replied- “The surface of Earth facing the Sun will get burnt and the surface away will be frozen. Only some of the middle parts will be habitable theoretically.”

“So we can go and live on those middle parts?” �"Goutam was excited.

“Not possible” �"said Bivas- “You see Goutam, along with our Earth, the atmosphere attached to it is also rotating with it. Now if the Earth stops, what will happen to the atmosphere?”

“It will stop too…” �"replied Goutam.

“No…you’re wrong” -Bivas understood he needed to explain science to an artist, so he explained again �"“Think it like this Goutam. You are driving a car at 100 kmph, when suddenly you hit the brakes stopping the car on the spot. What will happen to you?”

“I will shoot myself out through the front window.”- Goutam knew the scenario.

“Exactly”- Bivas was excited �"“This is due to inertia of motion. Now think Earth to be the car rotating at 2100 kmph speed and the air and atmosphere are its passengers. If the Earth stops suddenly what will happen?”

Goutam was amazed while his elder sister Tilottoma who was quite till now replied �"“Air will blow at 2100 kmph speed.”

Bivas tilted his head a little and said- “The highest speed of a storm recorded till now is 400 kmph. Can you think what will happen when air will blow at a speed of 2100 kmph?”

“Everything will be wiped off the face of Earth. Nothing will survive. Tsunamis and mega storms will clean everything off the surface. Daddy…” �"Goutam sounded frightened.

Bivas continued �" “Few men like Daddy have opted to live on the surface. They love freedom. They cannot leave the Sun and the stars and the free air. They want to fill their lungs with unprocessed air, and wipe their feet in sea water. They are not born to compromise with situation and hide for the sake of just being alive.”

Goutam looked worried �"“Is there no way out?”

“We have chosen the best option available”- replied Bivas- “The whole human race became one nation and started digging down. In these thirty years we have come down a mile. With advance technologies within five or six years we will be down by ten to fifteen miles. Roads, cities, rails have been built and we are expanding. Very soon we will be able to travel from one country to another below the surface harnessing the energy from magma. The only problem was the availability of oxygen, but scientists have come up with the solution of making it from the water above.”

Goutam was curious again and asked- “Then why do we need to buy oxygen? It should be the basic right of everyone to get their share to breathe.”

Bivas sighed �"“Any social system needs to stand on a differentiation system based on the pricing of the least available commodity. When we used to stay on the surface, gold and diamonds, metals and other precious stones were the commodities which were available in low quantity and economy depended on them. But as we kept on digging more and more we have discovered umpteen numbers of mines. So those have become valueless. Down here the scarcity is of oxygen and water. Hence the economy system has developed based on these commodities only. The more rich you are the more water and air you get and the more deep you can go. The poorer you are the closer to the surface you get to stay and the lesser amount of air and water you get. That’s the system.”

“Bogus system…” �" Goutam stood up saying. He clenched his fist and punched on the palm of his other hand �"“What will happen if the Earth suddenly stops before the scheduled time? The poor people in the upper layers will get fried by the heat or get drowned by the water.”

“And what if the Earth starts rotating again? If the differentiation system is not there population will increase much faster. If the Earth stops for even one hour the atmosphere will get diluted too. It will take another thousand years or so to get the required oxygen level provided the flora system survives somehow. Down here can you survive with the ever growing population on the scarce supply of oxygen? If all are brought to the same level and then denied of their right, revolutions will take place. People will kill each other. And to top them all are the money scavengers. They were there on the surface too and they are down here too. They will take the opportunity to feed on the misery and establish wrong ruling systems bringing plague upon humanity. Population needs to be controlled for the greater good of humanity. It should be checked.”

Goutam was restless. He replied- “Whatever you say Bivas, we cannot leave the poor people to die in front of our eyes. There has to have a way out. Somebody has to do something” And saying that he went out through the exit door.

Tilottoma was silent till now but now she spoke �"“God knows what he is up to now.”

Bivas spread his legs and said in a relaxed mood �"“Probably your brother has found a purpose for his life. All he needed was a little push.”

“Can we meet father for another time…” �"Tilottoma aka Tinni asked her husband with wet eyes.

“Yes we can…” �"Bivas was still in the relaxed mood. He produced two papers from the bottom of a book and said “In fact I have already arranged the papers and permissions to visit him next week. We all will go.”

Tinni looked excited though her eyes were moistened �" “You know Bivas, Papa still makes fun of me of how I used to say Gravity as Glavitititi…”

The two smiled.

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15^th December, 2200

Kalyan stepped out from the building and crackled his fingers. He looked back to see the window of his apartment on the 2^nd floor. It was closed. He turned, then took out an electronic cigarette and switched it on. A red led light glowed at the tip just like the flame of a real cigarette. Kalyan chuckled.

Man makes a fool of himself, every single time…

Even a hundred years back it was possible to get real cigarettes down here, but now due to the colonization and sustainability policy humans have chosen which plants to grow and which not. Obviously tobacco didn’t make it to the list. But the cigarette companies had come up with alternatives like this electronic cigarette. All you need to do is to purchase the approved flavors to taste from time to time. Real cigarettes were still available, but they cost a fortune; and to be arranged through the smugglers.

Kalyan took a puff and stared at the statue in the middle of the road in front. The bronze statue was about fifteen feet tall of a middle aged man. With spectacles on eyes and holding a book, it looked at the horizon as if looking at the future. The statue stood over a seven feet pedestal. Kalyan knew by heart what’s written on it,

‘Long live Goutam Sen, the leader of common mass, the foreseer of future, the friend of humanity…’ followed by the date of birth, date of death and other details.

Kalyan smiled and looked up at the sky. A brown roof spreading across the horizon, supported by tall equidistant towers, that is ‘sky’ to him and everyone who lived here. Over this brown roof there was ten miles of mud, rock and sand crust, over which was the real world from where real sky could be seen. Kalyan had been here throughout his life, so he was used to the lifestyle. But still at times when he saw photographs or pictures of how the upper world used to be or how the real sky was, his heart felt a blank spot of an unsaturated desire.

‘Is there no way to see the sky for once at least?’ �"he thought often.

Kalyan was in his thought when someone tapped his shoulder from behind. He turned and his smile widened. It was his friend Bilas who asked �" “So what was you dreaming today looking at the statue of your Great-Grandpa?”

Kalyan winked and exclaimed- “Found a hell of a treasure today…”

“Oh, got a box of Cigar?” �"Bilas wanted a real drag.

“Nope…but this will surely blow your mind” �"Kalyan took out his mobile phone and showed a picture. It was of an old page.

Bilas read the first line of the page and then the rest and was surprised �"“No way…you didn’t get that?”

“Yes Sir” �" replied Kalyan �"“I was shifting the furniture of our old house and found this, a diary written by that man with his own hands…” and pointed towards the statue.

Bilas was still amazed �" “Dude, you hit the jackpot. Can you think what a fortune people are ready to pay for an unpublished diary of Mr. Goutam Sen?”

“I know, I know…but…” �"Kalyan calmed himself- “It’s a family possession and I would keep it safe with myself.”

Bilas knew his friend too well and expected him to do exactly this. He hugged Kalyan and said �"“I knew it, money doesn’t matter to you. But I request at least tell me what’s written in it.”

“Mostly regular stuff…”- Kalyan felt it was not right to expose dark secrets of a famous man and continued �"“But it gets interesting during the ‘Zero day’…”

The duo started walking towards the nearest station. They checked their pass and went further down to catch the tube. Bilas chuckled �"“Think of it, already we are living under the ground, and then catching trains further underground…think the irony.” And laughed to his own joke. Kalyan smiled too.

The train system was divided into two layers. The upper one for local transport and for travelling distances within two thousand kilometers. The lower level was for International transport. Kalyan once got chance to travel in the lower level, and he could still remember the beautiful sight when the train passed over a river of lava.

Kalyan and Bilas boarded the train and it was mostly empty. Once seated Bilas returned to the topic- “So tell me, what’s written about ‘Zero Day’?”

Kalyan was in his thoughts and when Bilas asked him the question he asked another question in return �"“Bilas do you know what is ‘Season’?”

“I learnt in school, but don’t remember” �"Bilas replied promptly.

“Seasons were beautiful…” �"Kalyan said as if he was dreaming �"“In our country summer was hot, and then Rain used to come. It would drench everything. The soil used to smell like some old forgotten memories. Then came the autumn, followed by dew and winter. Lastly the spring used to come, the season of love…”

“It’s still like that here…” �"Bilas exclaimed.

Kalyan looked at Bilas and said slowly �"“No…it’s not the same. Here we control the temperatures, here we decide when to rain and where. Here we have fixed which tree will grow and which not. We have controlled everything and bent it for our own need. This is not nature; this is pure cheap imitation to keep ourselves happy. It’s like shutting ourselves inside a room and looking at the outside through internet. We can see, but cannot feel; we can know, but not experience; We can like but not love. Earlier nature was uncontrolled but there was wildness and balance in it at the same time. Beauty within chaos. Brain inside mayhem.”

“These are written in the diary I guess?” �"Bilas asked.

“Yes and much more. But leave it, let me read you the selected pages…” -Kalyan took out his phone and swiped to the right image and said �"“The condition of the diary is not good, the pages are brittle. I have carefully turned them and took photos to read. Here it is, it starts from this page… Great-Grandpa started writing this Diary seriously from the date 15^th December, 2050. He had just discussed with his brother-in-law about social systems and the negativities that lurk in it. His writings show he felt great disturbance inside himself. Think about the situation Bilas, back in 2050, almost every human being had taken shelter just below the ground. Still miles remaining to dig to reach the safety point. No one was sure about what is going to happen to the Earth or the human race. But even in these tumultuous times, humans divided the society based on availability of basic materials like air and water. In this page he had written this line �"

‘…If we die, we all will die together, but what’s this? Why should I grab the right to live from others who are not as privileged or lucky as I am? How can a human being think such? Something had to be done about this. If no one else is ready I will myself dedicate my life for this.’

A few days after this, he went to the upper world to meet his father. After this he had not written for quite a long time. He was not a regular writer but on specific days he had penned all of his thoughts. Like on 13^th August 2053, he had written-

‘The only person who had supported my fight and had regularly advised me whenever I felt low, has left this abode and started his journey for the stars. Till his last breath he has lived as a free man rather than living like an earthworm. If even I have received a tiny part of the courage my father had, I would have changed the world. I pray to God to provide me strength like him…’”

Bilas interrupted Kalyan in the middle �"“That means Earth didn’t stop even at that time?”

“No”- replied Kalyan �"“…after 2053, for six long years Great-Grandpa wrote very irregularly, but to summarize all his writings indicate how he faced various challenges and threats in his war. How he formed his own team, or getting arrested by police, starting his own political party and spreading it throughout the world. He also wrote bits and pieces about his plans to bring all the leaders of the world. His slogan was ‘All will live or all will die’”.

“Yes, I remember…”- Bilas was excited �" “… he was successful to prove his point and win the global vote in the World summit, which later elected him the President and the ‘equal right’ law was passed. A daring man he was.”

“Yes…” �"Kalyan said �" “He was a daredevil indeed and was loved by all. Otherwise it’s not easy to get your photo printed on the global currency. All such information is here in this diary. Those are all about his growth. But I got interested in this portion. Here on 13^th September 2059, he had written-

‘Humanity is going through the most tensed phase ever recorded in history. Today is the ‘Doomsday’ or as some people like to call it ‘Judgement Day’. Our scientists have found that Earth is going to stop its rotation any time within twenty-four hours now. As I write this, already an hour and a half has passed. For the first ever time in my life I came to know what fear tastes like. We are just three miles down the surface. If our sluice gates and sealed lock gates fail even by a percent we are going to drown here like rats in holes during flood. Oh God, there is still so much to do…’”

Bilas was biting his fingernails. Though he knew the event from books, still he was listening to a written account of a man who experienced it firsthand. He just muttered- “Then…???”

Kalyan continued reading- “ 2059, 14^th September. Great Grand-Pa wrote �"

‘8:42 a.m �" We are seating in a closed hall staring at giant screens. Though I know nothing of science still I am feeling privileged to share this hall with the 1670 top scientists of the World. The room is absolutely quite. All eyes are on the screen. All these scientists have done two marvelous works. First they have completely sealed all the entry and exit ways including the industrial chimneys and vents to the upper world. Second they have placed fourteen satellites in Earth’s orbit to keep a bird’s eye view on prime locations around the Upper world.

8:57 a.m �" Earth has stopped moving. Millennia of evolution and the result is that we are sitting like newborn babies, desperately hoping for the Earth to start rotating again. But it’s not moving. Mother used to say ‘Sin has consumed all humanity.’ Maybe our sin has consumed the fates of all living beings. We are looking at the screens like kids. One of the satellites focused on the white marble mausoleum in our country above. It was built by a king in memory of his dead wife. Crazy man he must have been. The building stood like a haunted house, not a sign of life could be seen. Everything seemed to have frozen by time. Nothing happened for few minutes, and then it happened. The upper dome broke and toppled on the ground, then got carried away by wind like straw. And then within seconds the entire mausoleum got wiped off brick by brick. Everywhere the sight is same. The scientists have started crying seeing their favorite places getting shaved off from the face of Earth mercilessly. Within few minutes all that could be seen in the cameras were dusts and storms. The satellite feeds started coming and it showed not a single tree is standing on its ground. All and everything have been either uprooted or broken or washed away. Many of our on-site cameras have sunk under water or broken by the wind.

10:02 a.m- Earth hasn’t started moving yet. The secondary effects have started to show themselves in the last half an hour. Massive sized waves, fifty times the size of normal tsunami, have hit along the eastern borders of every continents. Small islands have vanished. All the cameras are dysfunctional; probably they have been washed away by the strong currents. The only pictures we are able to see are the satellite images. The known map of the upper world is changing very fast.’

The next day he wrote-

15^th September, 9 a.m- It has been 24 hrs, still the Earth hasn’t moved. The temperature is rising on one side and dropping on the other. All that can be seen through the satellite feed are massive cyclones residing over vast area. Few landmasses can be seen but they are barren, just fresh out of water. No trees or animals have survived. Earth has become a land of dead. The aquatic animals are still there but the oxygen level is decreasing fast. The aquatic animals won’t survive much longer. The pressure of water over our heads is increasing. At places it has started to drip already. If the earth is not moving soon, the pressure from the stagnant water over the roof will percolate and then kill us with flood. The gates won’t hold longer. Tinni called me once. She still thinks our old home is safe. I haven’t told her yet.

10:15 am- Good news at last. Earth has started rotating again. Just now the scientists have confirmed that the gadgets have sensed movement. Soon the speed will increase to have the effect. Hashumi is calling me, let’s see what’s he got to tell now.

11:40 a.m- Hashumi gave me the shocking news. It took me more than ten minutes to understand the news. God has listened to our prayers but he has given a twist in the matter. Earth is rotating again as I have written earlier, but the shocking part is that it is rotating on the opposite direction. The scientists called for a meeting and they tallied their figures. Finally they arrived at the conclusion that Earth is picking up the speed but very very slowly. At this rate, it will take more than a hundred years to get the normal twelve hours day and twelve hours night schedule. That is not our matter of concern as we don’t see day or night down here. It’s the same brown dusky always here. But what’s our matter of worry is that as Earth is rotating on the opposite direction the atmosphere is also rotating on opposite direction, leading to massive clashes of clouds and mega thunderstorms. Each square kilometer of land is receiving three to four lightning bolts per minute. Within the next hundred years tectonic plates will move over each other causing destruction to both the upper landmass and the lower. We need to move further down below. Oceanic crusts are five to seven km thick, if only we can move 10 km down that we can save ourselves. It will take four to five thousand years to have a stable landmass on the upper world. I will never be able to see the world above again. I will prepare my son to be a scientist. Enough with this politician career…’”

Kalyan stopped and closed the diary. Bilas was staring out of the window. Kalyan saw him and both remained quiet for the rest of their journey. They were thinking deep about the conditions their ancestors suffered about one and a half centuries back.

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Kalyan and Bilas reached their workplace which was basically a gigantic laboratory. This was the same lab which was initially set by the first generations of scientists bringing equipment from the above world. The lab changed its place a number of times and increased ten times its original size, but the basic purpose of the lab remained the same. It was the single center to collect category wise and preserve the genes of all living things from the surface of the earth, to prevent their extinction and to provide them the chance to grow again once the upper world was habitable.

As soon as they entered, they both received a call from their Boss Mr. Das, Head of the Research Centre. They entered in the private office and almost immediately the Boss exclaimed excitedly �" “I need you both to work on a dangerous mission. I think you are the best person to do this…”

“We don’t know what the job is still…”-replied Bilas.

Mr. Das took a remote and switched on the big LED screen and a map of the upper world appeared on it. He zoomed the map at one point where a small island could be seen and then said- “Our sensors have detected the presence of life on this island. Might be this is the first sign of multicellular organism which can start diversity of life on the surface once again. This is in form of an algae maybe. I need you two to go up there and collect samples of this species.”

Kalyan looked at Bilas. His eyes were clearly reflecting the excitement inside.

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After five days, Kalyan and Bilas were standing on a sandy beach of a small island. For the first time in their life they could see blue sky above their heads. They had already collected the samples. Bilas was looking at the Sun. It was orange and it the reflection of the sun rippled along with the waves of the sea.

“If only I could take this helmet and suit off. I am getting a strong urge to open these and let the water touch my feet…” �"Kalyan exclaimed.

Bilas smiled and in a joking tone said- “Go on, do it, there is nothing wrong. The only thing is that the oxygen level is very low and the UV light of Sun is hard. Also the atmospheric pressure is low. So either you will get yourself a skin cancer or you will die of nausea and breathlessness.”

Kalyan smiled too, and said- “You know what Bilas, after waiting for four generations we got the chance to see this sight.”

“Yes, that’s true…” �"Bilas replied gazing towards the horizon as it was turning orange �"“Have seen this sight in computers and books, but the real sight of this scene is really beyond words. I hope you have captured it in video. Show it to Kamalika at home. How many more months to wait? Decided on a name yet?”

“Yes” �"replied Kalyan �"“But the society is introducing the numbering system to preserve the best genes as per family genealogy.”

Bilas sighed and said- “The idea is not bad, but if someone calls me by a number instead of calling me Bilas, that will be weird indeed.”

“Let’s sit here…” �"Kalyan said- “Today we will see the sunset and starry sky before we leave.”

Both of them sat on the sand. Waves of the sea touched their boots as the distant horizon, where the sea and sky met, turned red with only a slice of Sun peeping over it. One by one the twinkling stars started appearing on the black sky.

Kalyan slowly muttered- “Life is beautiful here, and we are hiding just for the sake of being alive down there. You know Bilas, Great-GrandPa’s last writing in his diary was like this-

‘Tinni left us today forever, leaving behind her sons, grandsons and a full family. If only I had more time. I had so much to talk with her. About Dad, about Mom. Today I remember Dad used to say that when Tinni was small she would mold tough words as per her own way, and her favorite word was Gravity. But she pronounced it as Glavitititi…’”.

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15^th December, 2700

“Calling NX27631 to report to Counter 3 please…”

This was the second time the speaker announced. The number had been flashing on the giant screen for the last two minutes. About two hundred people, men and women were seating in front of the screen, waiting for their calls. But one person among them was deep in his thoughts. After the second call, a tall man stood in front of the first man and called him �"“31, you are here…and there they have called you for the second time.”

The first man looked up helplessly, as if woken up from a dream, completely disconnected from the present state. He saw the second man and asked-“Oh 74, what’s the matter?”

“Your name has been called for two times now. Here comes the third call. Run fast else you will have to sit here for two long hours.” �" said 74, the second man.

The first man’s name was NX27631, called as 31 in short. The last two digits indicated his own unique identity whereas the rest letters and digits referred to the genealogy. 31 and 74 came to the Gene Preservation Lab to submit their gene samples as per the mandatory law. Only chosen people were called here. Like 31 and 74; their ancestors were famous people who helped mankind to progress further in different fields and made their mark in the history. 31 rushed to the counter and returned after twenty minutes. 74 was still waiting for his call. 31 sat beside him.

74 coughed and said �"“You should be more careful 31, times are not good…especially for a celebrity scientist like you.”

“Hmm…” -31 just nodded. It was clear he couldn’t get his worries out of his head. He just said- “Just some thoughts are keeping me busy.”

“It’s natural for a brilliant mind like you to be thoughtful. But I think you are tensed. Got another threat from the rebel groups?” �" asked 74.

31 looked tired. He just said- “it’s nothing new. I don’t fear them. Problem is there both outside and inside of home.”

74 crooked his eyebrows and enquired- “Inside home? What problem possibly can a famous person like you have?”

74 had not exaggerated while calling 31 ‘famous’. In reality 31 was the direct descendant of the great legendary scientist Kalyan Sen, who was the last in the family with an actual name instead of a number. Along with the invention of endless lifesaving drugs, he was the first scientist who went more than twice on the upper world and proved his famous theory of ‘Rapid Evolution’. The theory said the evolution process had started on the upper world, but the rate was much faster than ever. What usually took millions of years to evolve was happening within decades. With this rate, the apes would appear within a thousand year and then modern humans will come in another four thousand years; who would get extinct within the next five thousand years. Kalyan Sen couldn’t invent a solution to the problem to slow the evolution process.

After five hundred years, the answer was invented by none other than the direct descendant of Kalyan Sen. 31 being the best scientific mind in his time, discovered a chemical which could slow down the evolution process. A single molecule of this chemical if taken in by an organism, it would bond with the DNA of the organism and inhibit its rate of modification. He also invented the perfect way to dissolve the chemical into the environment above. A large continent had stabled itself over the endless water on the surface and various flora & fauna had appeared. Leaders of most of the countries had agreed on the consent to mix the chemical in the air and water above.

But at the same time a rebel team had come together against this idea. According to them, the upper world should not be stopped from getting extinct. They had had their chance by natural law. Once the environment was stable, the people from underground would move upwards and claim their rightful place. Also no animal and plant had been extinct thanks to the Gene preservation center.

31 at times thought that the rebels were not wrong either. Humans had taken shelter deep under the surface during the bad times. Slowly they had descended to couple of hundred kilometers down. Utilizing science they had recreated big cities, transportation systems and society. But it was time to return. Time to go back to the place which was their home centuries ago. Humans should go back. Then was 31 and the leaders wrong in taking the decision to let the above world live and flourish for eons to come? Were they sentimental?

No, 31 knew they were not wrong; because only a chosen few of them who were also heading the panel of international decisions, knew the secret behind their supports. With time as the humans had descended more and more down the Earth’s surface, the more complexity had arrived in their physical and psychological forms. Different signs of changes had emerged up. The immunity powers had decreased; also humans had adapted themselves to stay under much higher atmospheric pressure. Totally unknown diseases were emerging and humans had started to change. At this stage if humans would choose to return to the upper world, they would either go insane or die out of different plagues. This was the first reason. The second cause was due to the endless greed of the humans down here. New mines of oil and minerals were getting discovered every day, and so business tycoons were investing a lot to dig more. Even at illegal places. This caused cracks at places. Even if humans returned to the surface still they would suffer earthquakes and volcanic eruptions at spots leading to destruction of both the worlds. Hence 31 and others decided it was best to provide the chance to the upper world rather than to return the greedy society on the surface.

And for the same reason since the discovery of the chemical had been publicized, 31 and others in his group were receiving regular threats. But 31 was not worried about these; he was worried with the problem that has surfaced in his family.

31 smiled to hide his tension and replied to 74 �"“Nothing, it’s just regular family matter. My son is going to school and daughter has started to call me Daddy. I was just worried about their future.”

They chatted for a little longer. Their topic mainly centered on the idea of releasing the chemical, which had been named after 31, on the birthday of legendary comrade Goutam Sen’s birthday in few years. At one time 74 was called and they parted their ways.

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31 returned home, and immediately asked his wife “What’s the report?”

31’s wife 67 was herself a renowned doctor. She herself was looking after the secret in the family. She just replied- “The reports are positive.”

31 fisted his hand in frustration and replied- “S**t…that means my calculations are right. This is the 137^th case that has surfaced within the last seven months. God knows how many more have been hidden or killed.”

67 said nothing. She just looked outside the window and the reflection of red lava river outside multiplied the tensed expression on her face. At that moment 31 and 67’s daughter 172 rushed into the room. She was three years old. She called “Daddyyyy…Daddyyy…”

31’s face lit up seeing her daughter. He caught her and cuddled her. And then while caressing her he said- “Let me see how my little princess is today…” He then lightly touched the back of her daughter where the spinal cord was supposed to end. But her daughter’s spinal cord didn’t end there; rather it extended more and dangled out of her body. 67 bit her lower lips. She understood 31 was testing the truth. He just looked at 67 and nodded. He cuddled her daughter some more and sent her to play and then slowly came beside 67.

“We are going back in evolutionary process…” �"sighed 31. His wife remained quiet. 31 again said- “That thing is a tail. We have touched the pinnacle position of evolution and now we are returning back…”

“Dadda…Maammmaa…” �" a childish voice came from behind. 31 and 67 turned to look at 171, their eight year old son. His speaking and understanding capability had not developed yet. Simple things were hard for him to understand. He was holding a book on the cover of which was the picture of the scientist who discovered gravity many centuries ago. 171 showed the picture with his finger and stammered �" “Glavitititi…”

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15^th December, 5700

Gubba came out of his cave and stood on the outer rocky pedestal. He was tired seeing the same lava, smoke and heat everywhere and for every single day in his entire life. Somewhere a blast was heard; some human screams were heard.

‘Human?’ �" Thought Gubba. He had a big box in his cave, and inside it there were books. The books had pictures of both humans and their ancestral apes. Gubba mockingly smiled. Although they thought themselves to be humans, they were actually apes. With long tails and capability to jump with their four paws; rather four hands. And not only by looks, they actually resembled apes by characteristics too. They became wild beasts.

Gubba took the instrument in his hand and sat down. He was the only one among the apes who could understand the ancient forgotten language. He could pronounce some words too. But he was not born like that. He was similar to any other ape in his group and used to scream, grind his teeth to express anger and his feelings with strange hand movements. But one day Gubba discovered a box in his cave. It was in a bunker under his cave. No one in his family knew where from the box came or who kept it there. Gubba opened the box and found a liquid in a shining transparent container. He shook the container; the red liquid inside dissolved to the precipitate below resulting in a thick liquid. Gubba had monkey brains, so he tried to break the container with his teeth and broke it. He hurt his gums and accidentally the red liquid splashed inside his mouth. Gubba swallowed the liquid in the confusion and felt nauseating. He lost his senses and dropped limp.

Gubba suffered a tremendous fever. His wife took care of him until he became fit. But fitness was not the only thing he felt post his fever; he felt something more, as if someone had unlocked unknown doors of his thoughts. Gubba again opened the box and saw it consisted of a shining box, some flattened sheets joined together, a strange instrument and another two shining container with a red and a green liquid inside. From his earlier experience Gubba thought it safe not to touch anything containing any liquid. He took the shining box and by intuition opened it. The box opened flat with a black shining surface on one side and buttons on the other. He tried and pressed some buttons and suddenly the black surface became alive with the moving picture of an ancient man. The man spoke something continuously. Gubba got frightened and closed the box. He was sure he must have done something he was not supposed to do.

But after another few days Gubba understood it was impossible to control the curiosity that had emerged in him. He again took out the box. Again the man appeared. The man kept on speaking for some time and then appeared the picture of the buttons, exactly same to same. Gubba understood the man in the black surface wanted to teach him how to operate the box. Gubba discovered he had received a fantastic photographic memory and within next two days he could operate the machine. The machine taught him language as well and Gubba learnt it within a week. Within a fortnight he was fluent in understanding the ancient language, but could not speak. Gubba studied the books which accompanied the box and understood basics of Science and Arts.

After the learning phase was complete, Gubba understood that he had one of the ‘Computers’ of ancient men powered by a radioactive material. He could easily operate the computer and learnt that this computer was made by a person named 31 and he kept a video diary stored in it. Gubba watched the videos over and over until he understood everything that had happened.

Gubba sat down on the rock looking at the continuous flow in the river of lava at a distance. He kept the instrument by his side and thought of the videos in the computer.

The video of 31 on 16^th August, 2707 showed him describing the condition of men at that time. Seven years back the first sign of tails on their back surfaced among human kids along with the loss of ability to express. 95% of the kids who were born in those seven years were born with a tail and almost all of them failed in grasping the ability to speak or understanding language. Initially it was considered as a disease but slowly everyone accepted 31’s theory that humans were walking back in their evolution process due to the long stay below ground and getting exposed to the opposite magnetic effect of the planet. 31 was in a dilemma. On one hand he and his colleagues were preparing to disperse a chemical named after him on the upper world to reduce the speed of evolution there, whereas on the other hand his own world down there was going back in evolution by nature’s choice. 31 finished the video in a worried situation stating he would have to do something to make things right.

Months later 31 recorded another video. This time he seemed happy. The reason was due to the invention of another chemical which could stop the de-evolution of humans. He exclaimed in the video that this second chemical would save all mankind down there from getting extinct or rather getting transformed to the monkey phase and beyond. He then announced that all the leaders had supported for the launch of two chemicals on the birth date of Goutam Sen next year. The first chemical named NX27631-0 was to reduce the evolution process and would be launched with a missile to the upper world through the biggest volcano opening. The second chemical NX27631-1 will be similarly launched with another missile in the atmosphere below. The two would be placed side by side and would be launched simultaneously. Both will blast silently in to the air and mix with the atmospheric water droplets. But 31 was still worried. Some of the business farms and rebellions had teamed up to protest against this. The rebels demanded that the upper world should not get slowed down, and should die fast, so that humans could return to the surface faster. The business farms did not want the de-evolution as citing the symptoms to be a special disease they had grown an entire business over the remedy medicines. 31 knew, ‘De-evolution’ was the new ‘cancer’ for them and the medicines were nothing but a much much lower concentration of the second chemical 31 invented. They had cured some kids, but failed to bring the change at the genetic level like 31’s chemical did. They tried to threaten 31, and even tried to bribe him. But 31 was determined to provide the medicine for free to everyone. He remembered the legendary words of Goutam Sen- ‘If we die we will all die together, if we live we will all live together’. 31 ended the video with a happy note wishing for the speedy recovery of his son and daughter.

The next video was done several months later. This time 31 looked deeply saddened. With beards and unattended hairs 31 was looking rugged. He was seen as drunk and completely devastated. He spoke incoherently and inconsistently in different languages. Gubba couldn’t understand much but only understood the last words of 31 in the video- “A month back, on the day of launching, catastrophe happened. No one can save humans from meeting their end now…”. And then he connected another video recording from the day of launch.

The recording showed a sea of humans gathered at the base of a big volcano. All were cheering, holding placards and balloons. At about 5 km far exactly below the inside cone of the volcano in midair was the launch site containing two missiles side by side. Two bombs marked as NX27631-0 and the NX27631-1 were fixed with the missiles. Hundreds of cameras were flashing at every second in the crowd. News groups were covering the event live. Military and Government authorities surrounded the whole area with guns. The program started and different leaders praised 31 for his selfless service for the sake of humanity. 31’s camera was recording all, and then it happened. Suddenly from a distance something came flying. Before understanding anything the flying object hit straight to the Launchpad and exploded. People screamed and tried to run. But hundreds of masked men came sweeping down from the surrounding mountains firing at the mass. People ran wherever they could; weak and old people got crushed under the stampede. Many dropped dead by the shower of bullets. In this mayhem, a masked man’s face appeared in the giant screen at the program site where he proudly declared- “We will not kill you 31, you will live with your failure. We are not from the business clan or the rebellions. We are Jihadis and want us to live whereas the upper world can go to hell. God has chosen us to live, we are God’s son. We will blast the second chemical.”

Another missile came flowing from somewhere and hit one of the bombs. The other bomb with its missile could not balance and dropped down in the lava stream below. 31 screamed “NOOOOOOOOO…..” and started crying, yelling curses. But his scream faded in the countless screams of the innocent dying people at the site. The volcano roared and with a tremendous sound blasted straight up to the upper world. The upper cone truncated and stream of magma flew straight up.

31 dropped the camera and now he could be seen. He lied on the ground and cried like a baby. Someone came and stood beside him. 31 looked up and saw a masked man. He just said- “You mongrels, are you satisfied now? Now kill me for God’s sake…Finish this…”

“Oh 31…” �"the masked man replied �"“You should celebrate. Why are you sad? We have fulfilled your wish partially and ours too. God wanted the same too, and HE helped us too…”

“God? You scoundrels… trying to hide behind your God and religion. Your God must be ashamed for your deed now…you have finished everything…everything” �"shouted 31.

The masked man lifted the nozzle of his gun and kept it on the forehead of 31 and said- “One word more against our God or religion and I will shoot you like a dog, you betrayer…”

31 stood his ground. He just lifted his binocular and said- “Just see what you have done, you s**t brain…”

The masked man hesitated and took the binocular. He looked through it for some time and then removed it. Then moments later he slowly dropped his gun and the binocular and fell on his knee. 31 was shivering by his side. The masked man sat frozen for few moments and then opened his mask. 31 just muttered- “74? You…???”

The man named 74 kept staring at the volcanic eruption and slowly said- “Religion and superstition makes a man blind. What have we done 31? This was supposed to be a celebration day for us….” And then looked at 31 asking �" “How many days we have?”

“At this elevated temperature here, about six months…max…” �"stammered 31.

74 asked- “Can you make more of the original?”

“No…”- replied 31 �"“I have used up all the raw material to make the two bombs”.

74 crooked his eyebrows and asked again- “Raw material, can’t you get more?”

31 hissed in anger- “The raw material was the first multicellular organism that Kalyan Sen brought from the upper world centuries back.”

74 sighed and slowly walked to the edge of the volcano and turned his head back to say �"Pardon me 31, I am tired now…” and then jumped in the red hot lava stream. 31 screamed again but now he was the only one standing, surrounded by countless dead people lying and the heat from the lava. 31 zoomed his camera to the blasted missile site. A little part of the already blasted bomb was dangling from the steel rods which read NX27631-0. The rebels had blasted the wrong bomb, releasing the chemical which would cause de-evolution more. Humans living underground would reach monkey stage within six months and the bomb which was supposed to help them in progressing in the evolution process was lost forever in the inferno of magma river.

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In the next video recorded months later 31 was seen stating that everything was on the verge of end. Not much was left. He was losing his own power of expression and words. He kept stammering, often thinking over words before saying them. He had forgotten the knowledge of science, arts, and politics and found it difficult to read even a full page of a book. Humans were losing their sanity. Moreover the volcanic eruptions were taking place anywhere at any time. People were leaving their city and were living in caves high in the safe mountains or the upper layers.

With his eloping senses 31 made the box in a hurry. Gubba watched the video over and over. It was difficult to understand the incoherent words and expressions of 31 but after watching repeatedly Gubba understood what 31 said. He had made the box to keep some objects to help anyone in a later period for preventing the extinction of human race. First, he kept all his video diaries in the computer. The knowledge of ages was stored in another folder of the computer. Secondly he kept three vials of chemicals in the box. These vials contained the two chemicals invented by him. The first two vials contained the red chemical was NX27631-1, and it was intended to be used by anyone in the future. The red chemical would help the person drinking it to progress in the evolutionary process within days. The second vial contained a green liquid which was made to transform NX27631-1 to NX27631-0 or vice versa. Although it had no practical need at that time, still 31 discovered it as a byproduct while synthesizing the original chemicals. Gubba understood that the red liquid which he accidentally swallowed helped him to think like a man and develop his brain. He thanked God for not choosing the green vial at the first shot; else he would have stayed a monkey for his entire life.

There was another object kept inside the box. It was a laser gun powered by a radioactive battery too. 31 had very less time to him, so he requested to whoever was watching the video to kindly record the important historical dates and events on rocks and keep them stored. For this he had made microchips of memory cards. The rocks would have to be holed, the microchips to be fitted inside and then to be sealed with similar rock from outside. Stone has the property to withstand the tests of time and remain unchanged for millennia. In another tutorial 31 taught how to carve stones to make them into discs and carve on them. Gubba found 10 small boxes containing 20 microchips each.

At the end of the video 31 lamented on his decisions and stated that he could have taken the red chemical himself and help others somehow, but he didn’t want to resurrect the greedy human race that had caused its own destruction. 31 stated his last words-

“The phoenix will rise again, but for that it must die by its own fire first…”

The video diary ended.

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Since then Gubba was pretty sure that he was the descendant of Sushant Sen, Goutam Sen, Kalyan Sen and 31. He was probably the last in the family line. He came to know these names from the videos and worshipped them to be his Gods. Gubba chose the rock by himself; polished it for days and made it in a disc shape. He started inserting and sealing each microchip. It took almost 2 day for each microchip to be inserted and getting sealed permanently. Gubba found a purpose to live. He knew it was time to fulfill the request of 31.

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15^th December, 5701

Gubba was making designs on the big circular rocky disc with his laser gun, sitting outside his cave. The job was almost finished. Only few more dates were left. He had reached the date of 21^st December 2012, when a scientist first predicted the passing of a giant asteroid through the Earth’s orbital path causing disturbance in magnetic field. He inserted the chip and sealed the gap with dust of rocks above it. The disc was looking good with designs and ancient language carved on it. Gubba was deep in his work when four monkeys arrived in his lair. They were at times walking on two feet then were using all four limbs to walk further. Gubba was the most intelligent among the five thousand monkeys surviving, and so they have chosen him to be their leader. As they came near, Gubba noticed the monkeys looked frightened so he asked by sign language what happened.

The monkeys chattered and did some weird signs and Gubba understood. Something had appeared near the Old Devil, the biggest volcano in their area. Gubba asked again- ‘Is it another animal?’

Recently they had seen some unknown animals with large hind legs, small front limbs and sharp teeth drop from the crater openings of the upper world. They had also seen totally different ape like creatures, but without tails. They dropped from the roof and die immediately. Gubba with his elevated thoughts and with the help of the videos and books understood later that the former animals were dinosaurs and in the upper world apes had started to evolve from tailed monkeys. But he said nothing of his findings to the other monkeys. They were wild and preferred to fight, eat and live somehow rather than to progress.

The other monkeys replied it was something entirely different and had shown itself in the lava. Gubba stood up straight on his two legs and all of them went for the ‘Old Devil’. On the site Gubba saw there was something big and metallic lying in the ashes where the lava stream had dried for few years now. He ordered the other monkeys to bring it up. The monkeys jumped and heaved and brought up the heavy object. Gubba went near it and dusted off the mud and ashes.

There was something written on the object. Gubba tried to read slowly and immediately backed up few steps in shock.

‘Is this possible?’- He kept thinking.

It was written “NX27631-1’ on the object. That meant it was the second bomb which was intended to be blasted to increase the rate of human evolution. Somehow in the chaos earlier this bomb got buried under the rocks and lava and had resurfaced again.

Gubba noticed the other monkeys were frightened too. Their leader must have found something immensely dangerous. He raised his hands and assured others that there was nothing wrong and it was an instrument sent by the Gods above. Then he climbed the stairs fixed on the surface of the bomb. By the drawings of 31 Gubba knew the details of the bomb. He climbed at the top and opened a hatch and peeped inside. He could see the red liquid still intact inside the thick transparent casing. Gubba was pleased and closed the hatch and climbed down. He then announced to leave the ‘object of the Gods’ as it is until he decided what to do with it. The rest of the monkeys were assured.

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Gubba was sitting inside his cave. It was dark. The red light of flowing lava was coming through the window which he made with his own hands. No one was at home. Her wife was pregnant with the child of another monkey. So she was staying in another cave. Being uncivilized they did not have a system of marriage or pairing one man to one woman. They were savage, wild and animals. But Gubba was not thinking about these; he was deep in his thoughts of choosing sides. The bomb with the chemical NX27631-1 which surfaced earlier on the day was supposed to be used centuries back for the benefit of his ancestors. Had it been used, Gubba and his clan of monkeys would have been a different species altogether. They might have lived lives like those shown in books. They could have progressed in all fields and by that time they might even have started living on the upper world. Even now with the five thousand strong population if Gubba wanted, he could have used the chemical on all the monkeys and provide them the chance to get evolved like him. But once evolved would they be civilized again? He remembered the words of 31 from a certain video-

“It is far more dangerous to be evolved but not civilized than to be civilized and not evolved. Elephants, Lions, other animals moving in herds respect the rules of their herds and hence civilized but they are not as evolved as the humans. On the opposite side certain animals like spiders, crocodiles, and certain insects have evolved a lot but still they eat their babies, parents practicing cannibalism. Humans, on top of all have evolved fantastically and became so called civilized. But if we are civilized enough then why do we kill other humans for money or land or commit inhumane crimes? It is up to Mother Nature to decide which side she will choose for each group.”

On the other hand Gubba knew that the upper world was evolving at a very fast rate. With the recent events and the dead animals which dropped from the upper world, he was pretty sure the age of dinosaurs were ending and age of apes had started. Gubba couldn’t decide what to do. Should he give the chemical to save his group of handful of monkeys or should he use it for the betterment of the vast flora and fauna developing up on the surface. For the second option only thing he needed to do was to mix the green chemical into the bomb.

Gubba didn’t know when he fell asleep on the floor. He woke up when someone shook him up. He opened his eyes and saw a monkey shaking him vigorously. It was frightened. Gubba asked him what happened. The monkey replied that the ‘Old Devil’ had awakened and continuous blasts were devastating everything. Already thousands of monkeys died in the blasts. Gubba immediately rose up, took the two vials of chemicals from the box, the laser gun and his rock disc and ran to the site where the bomb was kept. He had taken his decision. Thankfully the Bomb storing site was not blasted. Almost all the living monkeys were present at the site. Gubba addressed them and told them that the Gods were angry on them for keeping the object with them. The object must be returned immediately. The monkeys supported the story. Gubba then climbed on the bomb, opened the hatch and a secondary window. Then without having a second thought he broke the vial of green chemical and poured it inside the red chemical. The chemical started turning blue fast. Gubba understood that NX27631-1 was getting transformed to NX27631-0, the chemical that would slow down the evolution process. He then opened the control box. The bomb needed to be rewired as 31 had taught him for getting blasted at a perfect time. But then Gubba was shocked for the second time. The box had nothing inside. All the centuries of rocks and heat had destroyed everything inside. He thought for some second and took his decision.

He climbed down the stairs and adjusted his laser gun to a higher intensity and a broader ray. Then he started cutting a thick rock layer around the Bomb with the gun. Within minutes he made a casing around the bomb with an upper compartment. The bomb nicely went inside the casing. With help from the other monkeys Gubba pulled the casing with the bomb to the surface and near the edge of the flowing lava river underneath the inverted conical opening to upper world. ‘Old Devil’, the volcano, was roaring again. The ground started to shake slowly. Gubba understood a large blast was going to come and it would shoot straight through the opening above. Gubba raised his hands and called the monkeys again and told them that he himself would ensure the delivery of the object to the Gods above, and hence he will go with the object. He was about to go inside the casing with the object and instructed the monkeys to push and immerse the casing when the Old Devil rises its lava through the hole above. Gubba knew he would have to use the current of the flowing lava and force of volcanic eruption to reach on the upper world where he could set the bomb to blast manually with his laser gun.

Gubba went inside the rock casing and placed his disc at a safe flat drawer he made inside the casing. He then sat in the compartment made above the bomb holding the second vial of red chemical in another small rock container. He located the explosives fitted on the bomb. Then he took a cover he made earlier out of rock and sealed it inside with his gun. The air was scarce inside and Gubba hoped the ‘Old Devil’ would erupt soon. Within few minutes the volcano roared violently. The lava flowed with pressure and made a column headed straight to the opening of the mountain above. The monkeys cheered; their leader himself was going to meet the Gods and bring peace for them. With great enthusiasm they pushed the heavy casing and pushed it in the rising column of fire.

Gubba understood nothing at first. Then the walls started getting warm. While making the rock casing Gubba made it thick enough to prevent the heat from getting inside, but he had no idea about the temperature of magma. The walls started to get heated more by each passing second. Moreover the pressure was increasing over his head. He felt as if tremendous loads were being put on him at every moment and his eyes and ears would come out. He held his teeth tightly shut and kept his eyes closed. Blood started gushing out from his nostrils. He couldn’t take it anymore. Or so he thought. And then suddenly the pressure banished for a second. He started feeling light and weird in his belly. The walls of the casing were cooling fast. Blood was oozing out of his nose and ears. His vision was getting light. But still he tried with his laser gun and blasted off the cover overhead. For the first time Gubba understood what was ‘cold’ as the air from outside rushed in. He looked up and saw a dark sky with strange twinkling lights. He understood those were stars and it was night on the upper world. The casing along with the bomb and Gubba had been overshot by the volcanic eruption and sent them flying through the air; and now it was dropping fast.

Gubba felt the inverse pressure and was about to lose his senses. He grinded his teeth, took the aim and pushed the trigger of his gun on the explosives with full force. From the videos of 31 Gubba learnt many things, but could learn to pronounce only one word- ‘Gravity’. Under the tremendous pressure and tension Gubba stammered- “Glaaaaviiiiitititititi…’

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Epilogue -1

The tailless monkey was walking on his four limbs beside the meadow. He was thirsty. None in his group could sleep last night since the volcano erupted far away and strange lights appeared in the sky. He lowered his mouth to the water, but then he saw it. A dead monkey was lying near, on the water. But the first monkey had never seen any monkey like this since his childhood. He fled from the place and called all the others. About fifty other monkeys arrived at the spot. Never had they seen any monkey like this. It had a tail, though short. Some monkeys lifted its hands and legs. The bones were broken and the head smashed. The brain had come out partially. The first monkey found a shining container in the dead monkey’s hand, tightly gripped. The first monkey tried to take it and then bit it. The container broke and the red liquid went inside the mouth of the first monkey. It became frightened and fled away. The others were not much moved about the monkey-business of the kid. They decided it was best to leave the dead body there and placed some heavy rocks over it. After all it was a brother ape from another land.

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Six days later, the first monkey was relived from an unknown fever. He was fit now. He was jumping between the trees, and plucked a hard nut. He placed the nut on a rock and tried to break it with another rock. The nut slipped but the friction between the two rocks and caused a spark. The monkey thought for some time and then started hitting the rock repeatedly with the rock in hand and making sparks. It was funny for him. He called others to show them the magic.

Epilogue- 2

After Three million years…

21^st December, 2012

“Sir, what’s the time now?”

“What…” �" asked Sushant �"“You wanted to leave early?”

“No Sir” �" replied Sisir and continued �"“Actually I asked the time looking at the window only.”

Sushant was curious �" “Window ? What’s about…”

His dialogue was cut short in midway by Sisir- “Actually, I was wondering… Today is 21^st December, and there was a prediction of the World ending in a catastrophe today at 2 p.m. But there is no sign yet”

Sushant was amazed �"“World will meet its end? What does that mean? How do you believe in such nonsense and hocus-pocus?”

Sisir smiled mockingly and replied- “But the TV had been showing the ancient disc of the Mayan civilization for a week now.”

“Disc? What disc? Tell me in details?” �"Sushant was curious.

Sisir explained- “The Mayans worshipped a rocky disc, which has dates inscribed on it. Their legend says it was gifted by the Gods during ancient times. Certain tests have shown that there are complex technologies inside the rock, but since it’s a religious relic and a heritage item no one has got permission to break it and see what’s inside. The fun part is that carbon dating suggests, this rock has been made more than three million years ago. But the scary part is that the dates inscribed on it end on today’s date. From this experts arrived at the conclusion that as the calendar ends today, the world will too.”

“Wow…great…” �"Sushant laughed jokingly �"“So we humans have stooped so low in our stupidity level that we are predicting our end based on an ancient rock calendar. Maybe, Sisir, the guy who made the calendar, ran out of rocks or he might have had less time in his hand.”

Sisir smiled- “That must have happened since its still fine till now.”

Sushant said- “Let’s see what the TV is showing. The channels must be flooding with this, asking opinions from every Guru, celebrities and nincompoops. It’s fun to watch them…”

The television started and the duo watched, and in every few seconds the ancient rocky disc was flashing on the screen.

Sushant’s mobile rang, and he received it while lowering the volume of TV. From the opposite side Sushant’s four year old daughter said- “Dadddy, see TV…Discorcorvary Channel. A new monkey is showing…”

Sushant understood his little daughter saw something in the Discovery channel and he spoke to her for few minutes more. Then he changed the channel. There the show was running on the news of discovery of a new kind of ancient ape fossil found in West Africa near a submerged and dried ancient river deep under the Earth surface. Scientists were claiming the fossil to be of the missing link species between ape and humans. Animated versions explained that the fossil was of an ape which suffered a severe accident, probably an inter-clan war, and broke its bones and skull in the fight. The animated version also generated a face of how the fossil might have looked.

Sushant looked at Sisir and said- “Show your son Bivas these stuffs Sisir. And keep him away from those hypes of alchemic disc. He is a bright boy…Make him understand that science is the real thing.”

Sisir just smiled.

Sushant and Sisir took their steaming coffee mugs and stood near the window. The air conditioned office room on the thirteenth floor of the building didn’t let them know that outside it was a little cold. The Sun was about to set and it was getting dark already. The park in front of the office building got packed up with children and people.

Like the rest of the World, Sushant and Sisir also never understood what was the connection between the fossilized ape shown in TV and the disc predicting the end of world. They never knew how much they owe their life to the fossilized ape. They never knew that even before they existed, there was another civilization, another life of people, another Sushant Sen, another Sisir Ghosh who worked in their office and watched the Sun set in the East every day until one day slowly everything went opposite.

Sushant sipped his coffee and said �" “You know Sisir, Tinni is now four years old and she arranges the tough words as per her own suitability. She cannot say ‘Gravity’, she likes to call it Glavitititi…Ha ha ha…”

And he laughed heartedly.

-The End-