You Forgot 'What If?' (Solarpunk Protopia Fiction)

Part 1: What if?

Über-Morlock : We all have our time machines, don't we? Those that take us back are memories... And those that carry us forward, are dreams.

Alexander Hartdegen: You're forgetting one thing —What if?

-- The Time Machine (2002)

.....

Light glowing through the white curtains brought me slowly awake. Blinking and yawning, I snuggled close to the snoozing form next to me. Mona gave a soft, sleepy sound and I kissed the back of her neck, slipping my arm around her waist. Bed felt so cozy, but I knew today was a big day.

As sleep faded and the day's plans rolled into my mind, I looked towards the wall of windows, mostly covered by wispy white curtains. Through a space in the layers of fabric, I glimpsed a dark-feathered bird with a bright yellow beak eyeing the tangles of roses, pea blossoms, wisteria and jasmine blooming on the small bedroom balcony. As the bird opened their mouth, a high, triumphant melody rang out, sounding soft through the glass.

"Morning," Mona said, yawning, as she turned over and stretched. She looked at me blearily, her round face still soft with sleepy bliss.

"Good morning, beautiful." I snuggled closer and kissed her nose.

"Are you meeting that reporter today?" She yawned again.

"I am. Gonna meet him at the station."

"Hmm." She raised her eyebrows, her eyes still closed. "Sinclair decided to wade into the cult, huh?"

I chuckled. "I guess so. I think he'll be surprised."

"He hasn't written very nice things about The Sink." She opened one eye, studying me. "You think you can change his mind?"

"I dunno." I stretched my arms wide and wiggled in bed, cracking my back. "I'm just gonna show him around and he'll think what he thinks."

Mona smiled. "I think that's a very mature perspective."

I can't help but smile back. "I'm glad you approve." I'm about to get up.

"Wait."

I looked back. Mona pursed her lips expectantly, making me chuckle again. Leaning close, laying my fingertips on her cheek, I kissed her softly. I knew she'd sleep in later, and I hoped her blissful dreams would come back.

"I love you, Mona," I said, smiling.

Closing her eyes, grinning, she brought the blankets up to her chin, her long, black curls spilling over the white fabric. "I love you too, Evan."

Standing up, I put on the black silk robe I'd left on the armchair by the window the night before. Tying the robe, I peeked between the curtains. The fresh new sun, only a few hours old, rose into a blue sky, over the sprawling forest surrounding The Sink towers. Sneaking out of the sliding glass door, the sweet, mingling scents of jasmine, rose, and wisteria brushed by me, carried on a clean, cool breeze, laden with the earthy scent of the forest. Closing the door quietly behind me, I stepped out onto the balcony.

Thousands of birds sang across the acres and acres of green trees sprawling below. Leaning on the railing, I took a deep breath, inhaling the scents of the flowers around me, mixing with the smells of apple blossom and pear blossom from below, and little wisps of cedar, balsam, and birch. The thick, purple wisteria flowers and vines wove through the railing and the strong, thorny rose bushes to my right, forming a low wall of pink and purple blooms. On the left, I could just glimpse the neighboring balcony through the twisting purple pea blossoms and more roses.

"Oh!" I plucked two small pea pods from the vines. Mona and I grew the pea flowers more for the flowers, but I loved when the sugarsnaps came in early, too. Crunching the sweet peas, I turned around to head back inside. I craned my neck to look up at the thick, green carpet of moss covering the tower, and the spiraling bean plants and grain sprouts they hugged close to the tower.

These thousands of beans and grains covering the tower gave it its whimsical namesake—The Bean Tower. As I stepped inside, I wondered if the reporter, Sinclair, would find that as simultaneously cute and amazing as I did. Despite what I had just told Mona, I had to admit to myself that I hoped he was kind to our Bean Tower.