The year 2525 - Back from the future E-Book

Ulrike von Stryk

• Herausgeber: novum pro Verlag
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 150

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

In the year 2525, Adria and Kim and their parents lead a thoroughly controlled, restrictive and deprived life - characterized by fear and governed by laws and regulations. For many centuries now, the Earth, marked by environmental destruction and climate change, has no longer been a beautiful planet full of living biodiversity. Involuntary adaptation in this inhospitable environment overshadows any hint of longing for a life in freedom. Through an inspiring reunion, they develop a daring plan to change the present precarious situation by visiting the past in a forward-looking way for all living beings. The exciting journey back 500 years brings the siblings breathtaking encounters, discoveries and insights ...

Leseprobe

The year 2525 - Back from the future

Table of contents

Sunrise

"HELP, I'm choking!" Adria gasped for air. She struggled to open her eyes. Her breathing was intermittent. "Damn, not enough oxygen again," she thought dazedly and tried to breathe evenly. After a while, her heartbeat and her thoughts calmed down a little: "Only six o'clock ! "

She carefully slid her feet out of the thermal blanket and opened the exit hatch of her bunk, then flipped the lever for room air and stood up. It was cold in the room, but at least she could breathe in peace.

Adria put on her overalls and quietly slipped out of the room. Hopefully no one would hear her. Her father always got very angry when he caught her sneaking around in the morning before breakfast.

"Waste of breath" would be written on the ticket that XZ liked to hand out for every little thing. "Never mind," she thought defiantly. "I'm not going to be locked in a coffin!" She carefully opened the doorway to the living room and blinked her eyes against the light. It was already light outside. The sun would be up soon.

Adria particularly loved this half hour of the day. She could watch the sun in peace and quiet, which would be hidden behind thick veils of air for the rest of the day. She leaned her elbows on the windowsill and gazed at the red pane that emerged from behind the bare hills. She took in the familiar image: to the right and left she saw nothing but the endless window front of her Life-City DELTA. If she stretched hard, she could also see the radar mast of City ALPHA. The bare rocks of the low mountain range loomed opposite her. Now, in the reddish morning light, they shone like rose quartz crystals she had seen in a museum. In a few minutes, however, all the magic was gone. Thick gray-yellow clouds pushed in front of the sun and shrouded the mountains in a haze.

"Here you are! I thought as much." Adria's brother Kim stepped up behind her. He was a head taller than her and a year older. His thick brown hair fell in a quiff on his forehead and curled at the nape of his neck. His brown eyes could look both thoughtful and amused. At the moment, they were doing the latter and, amused, he asked: "What's there to see out there again?" "Just the sun, as always. Now it's disappeared again. You're late - as usual." Adria's gray eyes looked at him mockingly. "The sunrise isn't that interesting after all." Kim looked at Adria expectantly. He knew what was about to happen.

And then it happened. Adria's eyes flashed as she turned to him with her hands by her side: "So, the sunrise is nothing interesting! Don't you know that it's the only natural thing we can still experience here? And how long can we see it? If we're lucky, maybe just half an hour. And what else do we have? Rationed air, allotted artificial water and lots and lots of technology! If you ask me, we're living in prison. Have you ever been out of Delta City? Have you ever seen a plant or an animal? Not me, and not you either!"

Kim didn't feel like arguing like she usually did. "You're right! I think it's all terrible too. But what are we supposed to do? That's the way life is. Let's make the best of it!"

"Typical boy! I WON'T put up with it! Did you hear me? I DON'T WANT TO. I want to get out of here! I can't go on like this my whole life! Always locked up in a huge housing complex with fifty thousand people, crammed into small cells! No noise, no laughter, no exuberance, always just consideration and saving, laws and regulations, LOTS OF REGULATIONS! Don't you sometimes have the desire to be free? To just do whatever comes into your head?"

Kim looked at her in surprise. "I didn't realize you felt that way, that you were so serious. Sometimes I feel the same, but there's no way to change all that, is there?" Somehow his voice sounded hopeful, but of course Adria had no chance of changing this life either. So they both looked thoughtfully and somewhat sadly out of the window, where the last outlines of the mountains were shrouded in mist.

Miss Magnolia pursued by bad luck

"What are you doing here? Not even dressed for school yet! Have you used the chemical shower yet? No? Your bad luck, Dad's in there right now. Make sure you get ready, school's about to start!" The mother's voice sounded slightly overwrought.

"Yes, yes, we're already going. Just don't get excited. After all, the school can't run away!" Adria ran to her room, grumbling.

"She's got her five minutes again," Kim couldn't help but say before he went to put his things away himself.

Sighing, the mother dropped onto a cushion. What was going on with her children? Adria in particular had been worrying her more and more lately. Her behavior was not at all like that of a twelve-year-old. Other children that age were romping around the recreation center, raving about new clothes or experiencing first love. Adria, however, preferred to read books or look at pictures from the antique video library. And then she was often very sad for days on end. Well, maybe she was just worrying unnecessarily and these were just puberty problems. For now, it was more important to devote herself to the morning household chores.

With the help of the Ruf-Boy, she called in her household help, Miss Magnolia. She owed her name to a beautiful spring tree from the old days. Unfortunately, it did not live up to its promise. Although Miss Magnolia had a good figure, she had a habit of shuffling her feet as if she were as old as the hills and about to collapse under a heavy load. Only when she was at one of her much-loved Poprob shows did she seem to perk up a little.

She had dyed her hair so often that it was now a dull gray and hung down in strands. But the worst thing was the look on her face: the corners of her mouth drooped sullenly and her eyes narrowed dully, making her look like gloom itself. If she could laugh at all, she might have looked pretty, but no one had ever seen her smile.

"You wish?" Miss Magnolia's voice also sounded as if every word was too laborious for her.

"'Good morning' is the least you could say. Please clean the disposal channels now. It smells extremely unpleasant."

"There are no more bacteria."

"Then go and get some!" You could hear in her mother's voice that she was struggling to control herself.

But Miss Magnolia was not impressed. "No can do!"

"Would you please explain that a little more clearly?" Mother's voice sounded sharper.

"Grounded for three days," grumbled the maid.

"What have you done again? Another environmental offense? Have you possibly been caught by XZ?"

Miss Magnolia nodded sullenly.

"Well?" Mother tapped nervously on the table.

"Wrong container."

Now the mother lost her temper. "I've had enough of you! You've been causing us nothing but trouble lately. The environmental authorities are keeping a particularly close eye on us anyway because of my brother Daniel. How are we supposed to explain that we have no influence over your laziness? You won't be getting any amusement chips for the next week! Perhaps that gives you something to think about! After all, you're being paid for your time, so you shouldn't care if you have to make a detour to the right container."

"No pleasure chips?" Miss Magnolia's voice perked up a little. "But then I can't go to the big Poprob show with Amor Amaretto on Sunday! That's the biggest event of the year! I HAVE to go!"

"You should have thought about that beforehand. Now please call 213 and have the bacteria sent to you so that we can finally get rid of this smell."

The mother turned around and Miss Magnolia realized that any further discussion was pointless. She shuffled out of the room with even more difficulty than usual.

Mother was just about to settle down when Adria and Kim came rushing in. "We have to go, Mother. On the way back, we want to go to the recreation center for a fresh air session."

"That will do you good, a bit of exercise in the fresh air has always been healthy. See you tonight then. Good health, my dears!"

"See you, mother." The children ran out noisily.

"Are they gone?" The father, already in his protective suit and with a gas mask in his hand, wanted to say goodbye to his wife. "If only they didn't always make so much noise. We've seen XZ far too often recently."

"You'll probably have the pleasure again today. Miss Magnolia has used the wrong container again and has been grounded for three days."

Before her father could answer, Miss Magnolia pushed her way into the room. She struggled to hold back her tears: "I ... I ... well ... the bacteria were too strong. The whole bowl is eaten away." With her head bowed, she waited for the thunderstorm that would inevitably come her way.

For a moment, the father was speechless, but then a hail of words descended on poor Miss Magnolia like she had never experienced before. She slumped down more and more, as if trying to make herself invisible.

The father finally ran out of breath. "Go to your room before I forget myself!" And while Miss Magnolia slipped out, he dropped onto a cushion with a sigh. "Phew. I'm hot!"

"No wonder!" The mother pointed to the radiation protection suit that the father was wearing. "You're already wearing your work suit. I think you have to go now. As you know, they can only open the outer airlocks once a day, and if you're not there in time, they'll leave without you. You'll end up losing your job and we'll have one more problem. I think we have a lot to talk about tonight. XZ will definitely show up. I can already hear her voice, hard as iron. And when she starts talking to Daniel again, I don't know what I'll do. XZ is simply unbeatable at rehashing old stories. Then we also have to think about what to do with Miss Magnolia. We can't go on like this. I'm also very worried about Adria. You see, we have a busy evening ahead of us, so don't be late. I'm also afraid of XZ. Please don't let me down!!! But off you go now, and be careful! Put your gas mask on properly. I don't want you to get poisoned. I'd be glad if you stopped working in the field anyway."

"But I enjoy it. At least I get out for once, even if it's usually too hot and the gas mask pinches. Somehow I feel freer then."

"Now I know where Adria got her thoughts from. See you tonight then. Good health!"

Father gave Mother another kiss and then hurried off to his workplace, while Mother sought refuge in her meditation exercises.

Environmental police officer XZ strikes

"Phew, what a day! First stupid school, and then fresh air therapy. I'm exhausted!" Kim threw herself onto the cushion and stretched her legs.

"Don't be so lazy. Come here, I want to play you the latest song by Amor Amaretto. It's absolutely top class!"

"I don't feel like it. Just turn it up!" Kim made herself comfortable in the cushions while Adria turned the volume up and twitched back and forth to the beat of the music.

The pleasure didn't last long, however, because her mother came rushing into the room and turned off the music boy. "Do you have to make all this noise now? XZ is due in an hour and I can't even begin to imagine the punishments we'll have to face. I fear the worst, with everything that's come together."

"I hope she didn't see us in the speedlift," Adria muttered, concerned. "Why do you always come up with such nonsense?"

Kim didn't let herself be disturbed, what could happen? The adults always took everything so seriously.

The red light marking the front door lit up. "That will be her. Behave yourselves properly!"

While Adria and Kim put on their innocent faces, the father entered the room, followed by the environmental police officer XZ, or more precisely XZ 2, as it turned out at another time. The mother gave him a grateful look, as he had managed to arrive just in time.

With a friendly "Good health", Mother then turned to the health officer.

"Good health," she replied without making a face. She pulled a pocket computer out of her pocket and tapped on it.

"I assume you know why I'm here?" The environmental policewoman's stern face seemed to reflect something like anticipation. She did indeed enjoy her job and relished the pressure it gave her. She was the secret power in Delta City. Her word was her command, and it was hard to resist.

Now she looked around inquiringly. "Miss Magnolia is still missing. What I have to say concerns her too." Father pressed the call button and after a while, Miss Magnolia appeared. She flinched and winced when she noticed XZ and tried to slip inconspicuously into the background.

XZ cleared her throat briefly and triumphantly began her criticism: "The following points are objectionable:

Incorrect container use

Overdose of bacteria that have caused a hyperreaction in the disposal trenches

Noise in the corridors and in the living room

Superfluous use of the speedlift

Extremely high air consumption during the sleep phase

Use of a plastic bag when shopping."

"But that was an antique! At least 400 years old!" Mother shook her head at so much pedantry,

"That does NOT matter!!! Plastic in use is forbidden!" XZ showed a mocking smile. "You see, the sum of your transgressions is great. I don't know why, but you're the only family in this quadrant where I have to issue a fine at least twice a month. It's either because of your upbringing, or it's a genetic thing. After all, one family member has already neglected the environmental laws in the most flagrant manner!"

"If you're referring to my brother Daniel Zweistein again, I'm going to have to get seriously angry. It's all fifteen years ago now, and he's served his sentence! Ten years of forced labor in the bacterial mines is quite enough! And all because of a little waste of energy! And we have absolutely nothing to do with it. So don't keep harping on about it!" Mother was now seriously outraged.

"A bit of a waste of energy? Despite repeated warnings and fines, he used six hundred megacrons for his strange machine at least three times a year. The fine was entirely justified! But now for you: you immediately pay seven hundred and fifty Eurodollars into the account for sick field workers. You already know the number, it's not the first time. I also want to see the children and Miss Magnolia at the environmental education program on Sunday morning at seven o'clock. That'll teach them some responsibility! And woe betide them if they don't pay attention! There's an exam the following week at the same time. No excuses will be accepted!"

"Mean cinnamon bitch. I'll get even with you one day!" Kim gritted his teeth quietly until he received a nudge in the ribs from Adria. She was right, and he'd better not irritate XZ any more. Who knows what else she would come up with.

"That was the last time you got off so lightly. Next time I'll bring you before the Environmental Council, and you know the penalties. Just think of Daniel Zweistein. And now please excuse me. I still have work to do on X / 13."

After XZ had left the room, there was a moment of awkward silence.

"You now know how to behave. I'm afraid this time it's really serious." The father looked at his children attentively. "I don't want to end up in the bacteria mines. Uncle Daniel told me horrible things about it. So make a little effort. Will you promise me that?"

The two siblings looked shocked. "That's a mean thing to do, threatening us like that!" Adria looked around indignantly.

"Deprivation of liberty!!! Sunday is my day off!" Miss Magnolia's usually languid eyes flashed with anger.

"This is probably not the right time to get upset. We have to submit. Will you give father the promise now?" Mother was still angry, but tried to control herself.

Adria and Kim nodded, and even Miss Magnolia struggled to say yes.

"Good, then let's eat now. Miss Magnolia, please serve and you can set the table."

"What menu would you like today?" Miss Magnolia stood waiting.

"Purple. That's my favorite!" Kim looked at Adria challengingly and she replied: "Ugh. We only had this yesterday! It doesn't taste good at all!"

"Just serve the colorful menu and everyone will be happy. I don't need any more arguments today. And don't forget to filter the water again!" Mother insisted.

"I'll never forget that!" Miss Magnolia left in a huff.

"Don't forget that we have our telepathy course again today - get changed."

"That too! What a day it is today!"

While the father changed his clothes and the children set the table, Miss Magnolia served the food. There was a precisely measured amount of water for everyone. There were also colorful pills of different sizes on small plates.

"Mmm, that makes your mouth water!" The father had returned and everyone sat down to enjoy the meal. They sucked their pills in silence for a while, then the father turned to the children. "Have you done your homework yet?"

Adria nodded, but Kim said, "I still need to revise my paper a bit. It's so difficult."