Pandora’s Bible (Excerpt)

Pandora’s Bible (Parts I and II)

Part I: Genesis

     In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. He shaped humans from clay, and placed them among animals with which they were kept company. The humans progressed through thousands of years, increasingly becoming healthier, stronger, and smarter, producing new ideas that continued their growth. They surpassed the animals, and gained control of the world as the dominant species. It seemed only a matter of time before they surpassed themselves as well.

     As they continued to learn, they began to find fault with their old ideas. The information that had helped them to become who they were was thrown out like Lucifer from heaven. They forgot who created them, and disowned their god. The second millennium came and went, and the humans began to progress at an alarming rate. They took their direction from a new god, Science, bowing down to his every whim. Their bodies were no longer made of flesh and blood, but machinery. Steel and wires connected their arteries and muscles, creating a new race of humanoids unlike the men that had once walked the earth. Their old god shuddered at what had become of his creation.

     The paradise he had once made so green and lush was ravaged by war and chemicals. In their haste for advancement, the humans disregarded the health of their planet. Smoke coated the yellow skies, and tropical storms destroyed their skyscrapers. Vegetation could no longer produce oxygen for them to breathe, so they bought and sold the last of this precious resource. God looked down on them and wept.

     But the humans looked to their new god for hope, and he delivered to them their salvation: me. Pandora. A new planet discovered to replace the one they had mercilessly killed and abandoned. As the floods raged and darkness covered the earth, the humans piled into their spaceships and travelled to their new home.

     Years passed as the machines shuttled to my surface. World leaders held conferences deciding which parcels of my body they would claim as their own, and environmentalists instructed them on how to make me last longer than earth. Eventually, I could see the glimpse of their satellites and space stations through the blanket of glittering stars that surrounded me, and I knew they would land soon.

     The cold, metal feet of the rocket was contrasted by the fire that shot out of it onto my mountain-covered shoulders. More and more touched down onto Pandora, their new habitat. Slowly, a rocket hissed open, and a man stepped out, someone I recognized. His tousled brown hair appeared as if it had been nervously combed through, and his smiling face was underlined with vague fear. His mechanical green eyes glittered like my grain fields he had walked through previously on an exploratory mission years ago.

     Yes, I knew this man. Adam Lodge, an astronaut, had been the first one to explore me. Now it appeared he would be the first to settle me as well. I watched as he spoke to the other half-human, half-machine beings that accompanied him. He passed around maps and blueprints, taking care that his words were not misinterpreted by the electronic ears that listened to him in addition to the human ones.

     Adam helped the others out of the spaceship, letting them walk over the valleys of my skin for the very first time. They looked around in wonder, admiring the clear blue of fresh water and the ripe green of trees that most had never seen in their lifetimes. Some removed their metal lungs, breathing in the unfiltered air. Finally, Adam helped the last passenger out of the rocket, a woman heavy with child. Once she was firmly upon my surface, they embraced, crying. Like the Pandora from their own mythology, I could reveal hardships of all kinds, but for this moment, I was happy to offer hope.

     Years passed as the humans began to make their homes upon my surface. I gave them food, animal companions, and shelter like their god before me had. Adam rose to prominence among the settlement, becoming a leader for them in uncertain times. He went around with his wife and newborn son, naming the regions and beasts I provided for him.

     “Pandora is our new home. We must protect her at all costs, so that she doesn’t end up like our once-beloved Earth. As we continue to develop more settlements, more humans will move to our new home, and change her like we have. This is why I am proposing that we enclose this green garden for eternity. People can come to enjoy the shade of the trees and the coolness of the streams, but no change will be made to this area. No buildings will be built, no plants cut down. This paradise is called Eden.”

     The people loved Adam and his beautiful wife, and they loved his Eden. They flourished along with the garden, even as more people from earth inhabited me. But as the years passed, I could feel a shift in the cosmos. Change was coming. I knew something was amiss when Adam’s lovely wife entered Eden with their son. They were playing along the banks of the streams lacing my surface when a man appeared behind them. His wife turned to greet the newcomer, but was shocked by his appearance.

     I was as surprised as she was to discover that he had no electronic modifications to his body. He spoke no words to the mother and child as he turned quickly from them and began to saw down a tree. Horrified, Adam’s wife screamed at him to stop.

     “Eden cannot be defaced! This is our sacred garden!”

     The man continued to saw away, and felled the tree. He quickly moved onto another as Adam’s son began to weep loudly.

     “Excuse me, sir! You can’t—“

     But her calls were cut short, along with her sons screams. A pistol sat smoking in the other hand of the stranger, unseen by the mother and child. Two bullets rang sharply through the misty air, killing them instantly. Storm clouds overhead formed as I began to weep over their deaths. Rain poured down over the murderous newcomer as he continue to fell trees. I flooded my banks and thunderously screamed overhead to stop him, to no avail. He worked at every tree in Adam’s garden, until all that was left was a valley of broken branches, piling limply upon the lifeless bodies of his wife and son.

     When Adam finally discovered them, he screamed, unheard to the people under the lightning I dangerously flashed. He scooped them up and hastily buried them in the center of his settlement. They were the first people to die upon my surface. Eden was destroyed, and Adam would never be the same.

Part II: Exodus

     Months passed quickly after the first two murders on Pandora, and Adam became increasingly bitter. Instead of the kind, selfless leader that had fearlessly led the people to me, he became a harsh dictator. He refused to allow any more people to live upon me. The ones who were already settled became trapped under his unflinching law, harsh curfew, and controlling police force. He became disregarding of the resources I provided him, and I could feel my lifeblood draining away.

     The people suffered, and I suffered. Oxygen masks became more and more common as my blue skies faded under Adam’s factories. My emerald trees were felled more often to build horrendous prisons to house civilians convicted of crimes as simple as breaking curfew. My once twisting streams evaporated under the harsh light of the surrounding stars through my weakened atmosphere. Dust gathered upon the graves of Adam’s wife and child. I forgot what it was like to give hope to the people.

     That was until I discovered Noah: a handsome, nature-loving boy who reminded me of the man Adam used to be. Through him, I knew I could set the people free. In the deepest valley of my surface, I shaped a creation of my own, a woman. Her flowing hair and tan skin were reminiscent of the land she had been shaped from. Using her as my mouthpiece, I could communicate with Noah. I christened her, my new daughter, Elara, and sent her on her way to the settlement.

     "Excuse me, are you Noah? I’d like to speak to you in private for a moment.” 

     Elara didn’t wait to see if the young man would follow her. She waltzed over to a bench near the rock haul that Noah was assigned to labor in. Puzzled by this strange girl, Noah reluctantly followed, making sure his supervisor was distracted. Noah began to speak, but was immediately interrupted by my offspring.

     “Before you say anything, I need you to trust me. Understood?”

     Even more puzzled than he had been before, Noah nodded his head. He had to find out what this person wanted with him before he got into trouble at work.

     “Good. My name is Elara, and I have come to see you with a purpose. I have been sent as a representative by my mother, the very planet Pandora that you reside upon. She is unhappy with how her servant Adam has been ruling the people, and wishes to end him.”

     Noah balked at the mention of Adam, waving his arms to stop Elara.

     “Whoa, let me stop you right there. As unbelievable as it is that you are talking to me on behalf of a planet, there is also no way I’m getting mixed up in a scheme like this! Treason is a crime punishable by death. There is no way I’m going to be a hit man to take out our leader!”

     Annoyed, Elara glared at Noah for his interruption.

     “I have yet to finish my statement. Perhaps you will understand the situation more fully if you listened before speaking.”

     Surprised once again by Elara, Noah shut his mouth.

     “Thank you. As I was saying, Pandora wishes to stop Adam, by herself. She has been watching you for the last few months, and believes that you are a worthy candidate to help the people. You are strong and caring, and she believes this task is suited to you.

     “Pandora wants to send a storm to destroy all the evil that Adam has created here. A huge flood will wipe away his polluting factories and restore Pandora’s lifeblood. however, she does not wish to harm you, or the people, who have done nothing wrong. Your job is to evacuate them underground so that they will be safe from the waters above.”

     Noah quizzically looked at Elara, curious as to whether or not she was serious. After a moment, he spoke.

     “You’re right that I’d do whatever I can to help the people, but there is no proof that a storm this size is even going to happen!

     “Proof?” Elara grinned. “You want proof? I guess you have to be convinced some way. Pandora!” she shouted, “if you can hear me, grow a tree next to Noah to show him that you want him to save the people from the flood!”

     Although I was weak, I had to convince Noah to go along with my plan. Hastily, I caused a small pomegranate tree to sprout next to Noah.

     “What is happening!” he exclaimed. “How did—where had—“

     “Now will you help us?” Elara asked smugly.

     Noah stared amazedly at the tree.

     “How can I say no after a spectacle like that?”

     “You won't be sorry that you helped Pandora. Thank you.”

     Elara stood up, then disintegrated into sand at Noah’s feet.

     Noah began construction on the underground sanctuary the day after he was visited by Elara. I watched him struggle over the weeks to dig a large enough space without being detected by Adam’s police force. Day after day, he carted down air ventilators, food, water, sleeping bags, and lanterns. Throughout the ordeal, Noah never lost faith in what he was doing, which reassured me that I had made the right choice. After months of work, he finally finished the evacuation center. The only thing left was for me to use the last of my strength to flood the planet.

     However, things started to fall apart after Noah completed his sanctuary. One day at work in the rock haul, he was detained by Adam’s men.

     “Noah! We need you to accompany us to Adam’s offices!”

     The men roughly grabbed Noah and dragged him to Adam. They threw him into the office and locked the door. Adam lay coughing and cursing on the ground and Adam began to speak.

     “Noah, do you know why you’re here?”

     Noah grimly sat up and looked into Adam’s mechanical green eyes.

     “I’m here because you want to put me in prison, probably for some minor infraction that wouldn't be considered a crime anywhere else in the galaxy!”

     A cold grin spread across Adam’s face.

     “Always the peoples’ advocate, aren’t you Noah? Well, I guess you’re correct. I’m detaining you. Did you really think you could get away with building a hideaway that size?”

     Adam’s eyes narrowed.

     “I’m watching your every move!” he screamed. “No one can escape my vision!”

     Noah retracted from Adam. The dictator breathed heavily, then calmed down over a series of minutes. He never broke contact with Noah.

     “I suppose you think I’m ruthless, putting people away for such small things as stealing or lying. But you know what?” He leaned close to the younger man. “One of those criminals has to eventually be the one who murdered my family. I want him dead!”

     Adam was thrown into a rage once again, but was interrupted by Noah.

     “You’ve lost your damn mind, Adam! Do you think this is what a leader is supposed to be like? Uncaring? Living in the past? It’s not! You’re disillusioned!”

     Adam froze, then turned slowly to face Noah.

     “My wife and child are dead because of some vagrant who was never punished.” he slowly let out through gritted teeth.

     “Adam,” Noah countered. “I know losing them was hard for you, but it’s been years! Torturing the rest of the population won’t bring either of them back!”

      “I’ve been the best leader I could during the difficult times we’ve had on Pandora. I keep people in jobs and criminals in jail. Hell, I brought all these people here when earth was destroyed! You think I’m a bad leader?”

     By this time, Noah was seething.

     “You rule through fear! You keep your people in line with threats. None of them are happy! And you know what? It’s about time someone told you this: you’re stuck in the past! You are incapable to lead, and it's time we did something about that.”

     I recognized this as my cue to put in place the final steps of our plan. With the last of my lifeblood, I surged through every stream, river, lake, or puddle I could sense on my surface. At once, waves larger than the tsunamis racking earth rose up and flooded my surface. Noah burst through Adam’s window and ran into the streets.

     “Everyone, a flood is coming quickly! If you want to live follow me to my shelter!”

     The screaming citizens ran after Noah, piling into the bunker underground. Adam, a look of terror on his face, scrambled after them, but I pushed him back with a wave. Once all the people had been seated in the bunker, Noah closed the door.

     I unleashed the full force if the waters that had risen up at my cue. Rain clouds gathered overhead, spattering the already flooded ground with condensation. The quick waters smashed into the factories and buildings that stole my healthy environment and enslaved the people. Adam’s screams became inaudible over the rushing sound that lured forth. I washed over the graves of his wife and child, ridding them of the dust that had gathered upon them.

     For forty days and nights, I continued to pound my skin over and over with all the water I could, while Noah kept the people safe in his bunker. Finally, I could feel that all was finished. The water absorbed back into the valleys and gorges that it had come from. My surface was as it had been before Adam brought the humans to me: lush, and undeveloped.

     As a sign to Noah, I grew another tree next to him inside the compound, this time an olive sapling to show my peace. Happily, he unlocked the door of the bunker, and the people staggered out into the sunshine. Just as they had done when disembarking their space ships, they happily glanced around at the colorful trees, flowers, and animals. The people rejoiced, and danced on my surface. They encircled a laughing Noah, begging him to be their new leader. Joyfully, I smiled, a huge arcing rainbow over the glimmering day I had created with Noah.

     Finally, the people were free to roam over a garden much more expansive than Eden had ever been.

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

Part III: Leviticus