The Forgotten Earth

Chapter 1 - A Dying World

They should have heeded the warnings. The old rulers of the world even called them out on it.  But all they cared about was money, not even worrying about all the millions and millions who would die. The millions who would die just so they could live comfortably in their big, luxurious sanctuaries. The rich will pay.

My name is Samael Saller. I am twenty-five rotations old, and I am one of The Forgotten. We live in the under streets of the cities. I was born and raised here, beneath The Sanctuary, the largest remaining city on Earth. The rich and powerful live above us in their protected dome, safe from the toxic air and burning heat. But they are not protected, they will soon suffer as the rest of the world does.

I run through the shadows, staying hidden from sight. My filter mask barely helps with the muddy brown air. I stop, doubling over coughing. I don't know how any life could possibly survive outside in these conditions. I could barely run ten feet without the pollution burning my lungs.

It all started fifty years ago. The old rulers of the world, known as the U.N. delivered a warning in the year 2019. They warned the world was getting too warm thanks to pollution. The warning even stated it was the rich who polluted the most. Those of us who had the smallest effect did all we could to stop it, but it was useless, we were only a small part of the problem. And the world died.

Forests burned, adding to the carbon in the atmosphere. The world became superheated, melting every piece of ice, even in the coldest places. The oceans expanded, encompassing much of the land. People fled to cities high in the mountains, trying to escape. And so the sanctuaries were created.

I am out for revenge. I want to show the rich and powerful just how unsafe they are in their little sanctuaries. I want revenge for the Earth, and for The Forgotten. We are The Forgotten, the people who live in the shadow of the rich and powerful. We suffer daily from the dying Earth, her very air turned against us.

I duck into an alley, left behind from the original city infrastructure. I think the city was in a nation called the United States before the governments collapsed. But that didn't matter. Now there is only The Sanctuary, and the under streets. As far as I am concerned, this is it. This is what is left of the world. Sure there are rumors of other sanctuaries, places where even The Forgotten can have pure air. But those are just myths and legends.

I search the alleyway for my stashed supplies. Opening an old dumpster, I find my bag full of equipment. I'd spent years gathering this stuff. A grappling hook, pistol, knife, and the pride of my collection, a phase board. The phase board would come particularly in handy when I had to run.

Equipping myself with the pistol on one side and the knife on the other, I examined the alleyway. According to my research, there was an entrance to The Sanctuary not too far from here. Pulling the grappling hook out, I took aim at the nearest rooftop. Pulling the trigger, the hook went flying, locking securely onto the edge of the roof. I hung on for dear life, the hook retracting, pulling me up slowly.

The ground shrunk beneath my feet until I was high enough that I could barely make it out through the smog. Following the instructions I'd been given, I hopped from rooftop to rooftop. It was excruciating, the poisonous air searing my lungs. Finally, I came to the entrance.

It was a vent barely large enough for a grown man like me to go through. Right above me was the curved underside of The Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is a massive dome to put it simply. A marvel of engineering, The Sanctuary was miles across, and miles high. A glass dome covered the top, protecting both the pure air and the rich from the outside world. I was going to be one of the first of The Forgotten to enter without permission. I smiled. I couldn't wait to see their smug faces when they saw a Forgotten had somehow penetrated their precious sanctuary.

Worming my way into the vent, I hauled myself up. As I crawled through the cramped vents, I thought of today's target. Otto Farvald. The worst of them all. He was the leader among the wealthy. In fact, he'd owned many of the companies that made them money. I couldn't wait to see him on the ground, begging me for mercy.

A light glowed ahead. The end of the ventilation. I looked through the slits in the vent cover. The vents had led me right to the filter room. Kicking the vent off, I dropped to the ground. With any luck, nobody would hear the clatter. Walking to the only door in the room, I peeked out. It was incredible.

So much green flooded my eyes. I'd only seen this much green in pictures. The door led into an open courtyard, filled with trees and grass. I took a deep breath. Pure air. I took my mask off and inhaled again. It was so refreshing. The purest air I'd ever breathed filled my burned lungs. I reminded myself of my mission.

Sneaking along the edge of the courtyard, I looked for the biggest building. That was where Otto would be holed up. Weaving through the buildings, I found the most impressive mansion. I used my grappling hook to latch onto the roof. Climbing up, I started across the maze-like rooftop. I'd been told Otto spent most of his time hidden away in his bedroom, which laid at the highest point of his mansion.

Sure I'd killed some of the rich before, but never someone like Otto. Never the wealthiest. I'd killed six people who'd been dumb enough to leave the safety of The Sanctuary. It served them right. The lives of the rich for the life of the planet. Justice served.

I can see it. Otto's bedroom. Through the glass I can see him, laying peacefully asleep in his bed. Not for long. My target is within my grasp. My name is Samael Saller, and I'm The Forgotten Earth's messenger.