(align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[The Beginning]]]
It used to be called Earth. The planet was once covered in green grass, with food sprouting from the ground. Animals roamed freely. And the water…there was enough to nearly take over the entire planet. Some say water used to pour from the sky regularly.
No one can imagine having that much water anymore, except the ''Denions''. They are the only ones who have direct access to water these days, said to have an enormous underground supply where they live. Their city, (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE], is named after the dome-shaped forcefield that completely envelops it. Surrounding the forcefield is a tall, white wall, a preventative measure in case the forcefield ever fails. Not that the ''Ackards'' would have the strength or resources to attack it.
The ''Ackards'' are forced to live in (text-colour:orange)[THE BARRENS]. They don’t have a seemingly endless supply of water, food, or even clean housing. The only perk they have is freedom. If they wish to leave in search of a better place, they can. But most don’t want that; they want to live in that precious bubble with its clean buildings, exquisite food, and enough luxury goods to drown in. So, they surround themselves around that wall, constantly hoping and praying for just a taste of that life.
Would you like to continue the rest of this story as a [[Denion]] or an [[Ackard]]?(align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[The Denions]]]
As a Denion, you are to be grateful you aren’t an Ackard. You have a lovely home in the city and are thriving in your career. You are next in line to join the Denion Council, the rulers of the Denion community, and today could potentially be the most important day of your career. Your boss, Suhleb, asked to meet with you because he has something //very important// to discuss with you. Maybe to announce your promotion? (click-append:"promotion?")[
With your palms sweating in excitement(click-replace:"excitement")[(click-replace:"anxiety")[fear]anxiety], you walk into the main council room of the Denions. It's a magnificent space with high arched ceilings and stained-glass windows. After all, everything in (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE] is perfectly crafted.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="https://emilygg.neocities.org/science%20fiction%20project/Stained%20Glass.jpg" height=400 width=600>]
Your boss is sitting at the end of a long table and smiles softly when you approach. "My protégé! Come. There's much to discuss."
You take a seat on one of the plush white chairs. Suhleb runs a hand through his salt and pepper hair. He's been on the council for over 20 years, but he doesn't appear to let the job age him.
"So?" you blurt out after a moment of silence.
You can't take the anticipation anymore. He chuckles lightly before a serious look crosses his face. He clasps his palms and stares directly at you.
"Here’s the thing. We're not giving food and water to the Ackards anymore."
[[Wait, what?]]]
(align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[The Ackards]]]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="https://emilygg.neocities.org/science%20fiction%20project/The%20Barrens.jpg" height="600" width="500">]
As an Ackard, you are considered the scum of the world. There are often two types of Ackards: those who try to work for a living and those who beg for scraps around the wall of (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE]. The Denions donate some of their water and meals to the Ackards, and in exchange, the Ackards create tools and parts for the Denions' fancy machines. This arrangement has been in place for quite some time. In fact, this is how you make your living. The factory you work at never has too many hands, and your boss, Sonya, is often impressed with your work. For once, you’re excited to go into work because she promised to put in a good word for you to the Council of the Ackards, the rulers of the Ackard community. Being in the Council means you get more food and water resources than the rest of the citizens, which counts for a lot.
You enter the one-story building—there is no building taller than two stories in (text-colour:orange)[THE BARRENS]—to find your boss when you notice it's completely empty. The machines stand cold and quiet, with no hint of their usual loud clacking as metal grinds against metal. You run to the back room where workers usually gather for food. Were you missing the food handout already?(click-append:"already?")[
You peek your head in the doorway and immediately retract it back. Sonya is there, but there are three other people in brown cloaks whom you recognize but have never interacted with. Council members. Your heart picks up in anticipation(click-replace:"anticipation")[(click-replace:"anxiety")[fear]anxiety]. She must be having the talk she promised you.
An older man, with a deep, raspy voice, is in the middle of talking, “...you don’t understand. It was out of the blue. No one expected it.”
“But why?” You recognize the next voice as Sonya. “After all this time, why now? What do they expect us to do?”
“You know what we should do,” another voice says.
The older man blubbers angrily, “We don’t have the resources for a revolt!”
Revolt? This is sounding pretty serious. You’re debating if you should…
[[Stay and listen in.]]
[[Leave before they notice you're there.]]](align:"=><=")[''THE BUBBLE AND THE BARRENS'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="https://emilygg.neocities.org/science%20fiction%20project/The%20Bubble%20and%20The%20Barrens%20Title%20Page.png" alt="man" height="600" width="600">]
(align:"=><=")[by Emily Gomez-Adames]
''The Bubble and the Barrens'' is a dystopian interactive story that follows two characters from different societies merging on a dying planet. In this futuristic world, nuclear warfare has ravaged the Earth, leaving it in ruins. The government not only destroyed themselves but the environment as well. Those with wealth and power managed to survive comfortably, but they weren't the only ones to survive.
Click on the highlighted words to go through the story. [[Begin.->Introduction]](align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[The Bubble Lab]]]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="https://emilygg.neocities.org/science%20fiction%20project/Stars.jpg" height=600 width=750>]
It appears you just stepped into space. In the pitch black, there are little balls of light hanging in the air. Stars. And are those—? Yes, they are. Miniature versions of planets floating in the space.
“It’s our virtual solar system,” the Denion says.
It looks so real, as if you could reach out and grab the small planets.
You stare in awe for a moment longer before you say, “It’s beautiful.”
But the Denion doesn’t reply as they walk over to a complicated-looking panel and tap a few buttons. The overhead lights blare on, and the virtual solar system completely disappears.
“Don’t get distracted by the pretty facade. They’re hiding something. I know it.”
You shake your head. They’re right. You need to focus.
“I guess I could look here.” You walk up to one of the monitors in the room. The large screen has nine squares with different file names: //(text-colour:grey)[The Origin Project. Land Distributions. The Ackards.]//
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="https://emilygg.neocities.org/science%20fiction%20project/Files%20in%20the%20Bubble%20Lab.png" height=400 width=400>]
“This must be it,” you say.
The Denion walks over to your side. They nod, their brows furrowed. “Yeah. Open it.”
You tap the (text-colour:grey)[Ackards file], and the screen changes to a new display. On it are numerous documents shifting around the screen too fast for your eyes to settle on. But the Denion must have read something important because they gasp loudly.
“What is it?” you say, trying to find what they must have.
They continue to stare in shock, “//(text-colour:red)[Aquatic resources are depleting.]//”
“What does that mean?”
“It means…we’re running out of water.(click-append:"running out of water.")["
“What?” you are shocked to your core. “How can that be?!”
“I don’t know, but it makes sense. That’s why they’ve stopped giving Ackards water and food. It’s because we’re running out, and they don’t want them to know how vulnerable we are now. They’re just going to leave the Ackards to die.”
“This is wrong. We can’t just sit back and do nothing! What do we do?”
The Denion shakes their head but then looks up as if an idea struck them.
“I have an idea, but… it’s crazy.”
“Crazy may work. What is it?”
“No, I mean, we may all die, and this could ruin everything, or it’s secretly brilliant and can save us all.”
You hesitate. “What is it?”
“I think… we should take down the forcefield.”
“What?” you exclaim.
“I know it sounds crazy, but listen. If the forcefield comes down, the Ackards may be so shocked they’ll stop fighting, and we can tell them the truth of what’s going on!”
“Okay, and what if they’re so mad they continue to attack? And we all just end up fighting for the only water we have left?” you counter.
“Maybe they won’t! They’re probably just scared and confused. They deserve the truth just as much as you.”
You’re not too sure. People don’t just revolt over nothing. But then again, they don’t know what’s going on.
“But you do know your people best,” the Denion adds. “What do you think we should do?”
[[We can’t take down the forcefield.]]
[[We need to take down the forcefield.]]
]
You decide to listen. This could be important.
“Well, we do have the tools to get over the wall,” Sonya reasons.
“But what about the forcefield?” a woman with a high-pitched voice asks.
They all groan.
“If only we could find a way inside,” the old man rasps.
“I would gladly kiss the feet of anyone who could possibly get rid of that blasted forcefield!” another voice says.
You perk up. Well, well, well. This could be your chance to move up in the ranks. You decide to leave now before they catch you eavesdropping. You need to start planning, after [[all->The Tunnel (Ackard POV)]].You decide to leave while you can. This is sounding confidential, and the last thing you need is for Sonya to think you’re an eavesdropper or interrupting something important. As you’re walking back through the factory, you accidentally bump into a machine, causing a loud (text-style:"shudder")[(text-colour:red)[clang]]. You quickly hide behind it as you hear footsteps approaching.
“What was that?” you hear Sonya say. “Someone there?!”
“I knew this was too risky to talk about here,” one of the council members says.
Sonya sighs, “Relax, just come on and close the door.”
You hear them shuffle back in the room and you wait a beat before [[running out->The Tunnel (Ackard POV)]].(align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[The Revolt]]]
The world is in chaos as the Ackards attempt to climb the white wall. It’s over fifty feet tall, but they are making quick work with their handheld metal contraptions that allow them to easily scale it.
The Denion Guards can see the wall climbers from their posts on top of the wall. There’s never been an attack before. They’ve trained numerous times for this exact reason, but imagining and seeing are two different things. The laser guns in their hands feel deadly as they train the red dot on the people.
Many Ackards drop from the wall like little flies, but more continue to take their place. They are driven by a need greater than any other: hunger. [[They scale over the wall->When It Rains It Pours]].(align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[When It Rains It Pours]]]
Droplets fall from the sky for the first time in decades. Thick plops of rain hit everyone, causing the mayhem to pause as both Denions and Ackards look up. Some cry, while others scream for joy. It is a [[wonder->Forcefield Comes Down Ending]] to behold for all.This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Suhleb was supposed to sit you down and say, “You did it. All your hard work paid off, and you are one of us now.”
You take a minute to shift your crushed hopes and focus on what he said. Not giving food and water to the Ackards? But that’s what the Denions have always done. The Ackards live in (text-colour:orange)[THE BARRENS], where it’s nearly impossible to find fresh food and water with their dried-up ground. In return for the Denions graciously giving a portion of their food and water to them, the Ackards create machine parts for them. The arrangement keeps the Ackards busy and happy. But if they don’t get their food and water…?
“Um, why not?”
Suhleb sighs, “They’re getting too greedy, asking for more each time. We can’t afford to keep giving them so much of our resources.”
“If they’re asking for more, can’t you just say no and continue to give what you always do?” you question.
“No, the Council agrees it’s best to cut them off.”
You’re not sure though. This business trade is what has kept the Ackards happy and the Denions safe. Although no one wants to admit it, the Ackards have more power than they realize. They are not technologically advanced by any means, but they have more citizens, with much less…decorum than the Denions. If it weren’t for the forcefield, they could easily take over (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE].
You refocus on the conversation. “I know the Ackards can scrounge up some food, but we’re their main water supply. What will happen to them?”
Suhleb stares at you for a moment, looking like he is contemplating something. “Does it bother you that we’re doing this?”
Does it?
[[Of course it does. We’re leaving the Ackards to die!]]
[[I guess not. We, Denions, need to look out for our own.]]“Actually, it does bother me. We can’t just leave the Ackards to die. There must be something we can do.”
Suhleb frowns, “And what exactly would you suggest?”
This could be your chance to prove to Suhleb you deserve a spot on the Council.
“Well…maybe we can reason with them face to face? Tell them we’re not interested in giving more than we can and negotiate for something else.”
It’s quiet for a moment, and then Suhleb grins. “That’s a great idea. In fact, why don’t you take the lead on that?”
You light up. “Really?”
“Absolutely! In fact, I will take you to the passage that leads to (text-colour:orange)[THE BARRENS] so you can meet with their Council.”
“Of course, and thank you so much for this chance. I won’t disappoint you.”
“I know you won’t,” [[he grins->The Tunnel]].“No, I think the Council is doing what’s necessary for our people.”
Suhleb smiles. “That’s what I was hoping you would say. Welcome to the Council!”
“Really?” you smile. This is exactly what you were hoping would happen. It’s a shame the Ackards have to suffer, but you believe you made the right choice.(click-append:"right choice.")[
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[------]
It’s been days since the Denions cut off the Ackards. There hasn’t been a hint of trouble—until now…
You’re relaxing in your Council Robe, light blue instead of white, in the meeting room when Suhleb and the other Council members come storming in.
“They are climbing the walls! Those savages,” a woman in a Council robe screams.
“Who is?” you question.
Suhleb grabs your arm to pull you from your chair. “The Ackards! They’re climbing the wall.”
WHAT?
“Bu-But,” you blubber. “They won’t be able to get around the forcefield right?”
“That’s what we’re here to ensure! Come on,” Suhleb growls.
He drags you out of the room while the others stay behind, squabbling amongst themselves.
“Where are we going?” you manage to get out.
“[[To The Bubble Lab.->The Bubble Lab (Denion Singular POV)]]”](align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[The Bubble Lab]]]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="https://emilygg.neocities.org/science%20fiction%20project/Stars.jpg" height=600 width=750>]
The Bubble Lab is the central area of everything. It’s in a circular building in the middle of (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE]. You’ve been there a few times, and it feels magical each visit. The room always transforms into a virtual solar system when you enter, with tiny planets and stars hanging in the air. You have to input the right numeric sequence to turn it off and reveal the room as it actually is—a white room with all types of machinery and large touch screen displays.
“Pull up the (text-colour:grey)[Forcefield] file. I need to check how far the Ackards have gotten over the wall,” Suhleb orders before he leaves the room.
“Yes, sir- I mean, Suhleb!” you call after him.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="https://emilygg.neocities.org/science%20fiction%20project/Files%20in%20the%20Bubble%20Lab.png" height=400 width=400>]
You click on the (text-colour:grey)[Forcefield] file, and it shows a live 3D image of the dome-shaped forcefield. Every few seconds, a red blur appears on the forcefield and then disappears. That must be where the Ackards are hitting it, which means they’ve already climbed over the wall.
This isn’t good.
You go back to the screen to the set of files you first saw. You could’ve sworn you saw—yes, there it is—the (text-colour:grey)[Ackards file]. There must be something there about weaknesses and how they can destroy them.
You pull up the file, and a bunch of documents go flying around on the screen. Luckily, you have good practice at reading things at full speed, and something catches your eye.
(text-colour:red)[//Aquatic resources are depleting in Denion. Must cut off the Ackards.//]
You gasp. The Denions are running out of water?
That means Suhleb and everyone on the Council lied. They didn’t cut off the Ackards because they were greedy. They cut them off because there’s barely any water to give.
“I can’t believe this,” you mutter to yourself.
You feel betrayed, but most of all, scared. How were you and the Denions supposed to survive? What good did cutting off the Ackards do? Now there’s a revolt on your hands because the Ackards didn’t get any answers.
You start to pace the floors. You stop, go back to the screen, and click on the forcefield image again. The red blurs are getting bigger and more consistent. They’re killing themselves trying to get in. Perhaps you should let them in…
No, it could make things worse.
But maybe you should do what you should’ve done in the first place and tell the Ackards what is actually happening. They deserve the truth. And they could surprise you after all. Maybe you could come up with a solution together.
[[No, that’s crazy! It will make things worse.]]
[[I should do it. It’s the right thing to do.]]No, you can’t do it. You can’t risk your people getting hurt.
Suhleb runs back into the room. “How does it look?”
“Not good,” you say.
Then, still feeling betrayed, you add, “Why didn’t you tell me we’re running out of water?”
Suhleb gapes at you. “Did you read the Ackard file?”
“You should have told me the truth.”
He sighs, “We didn’t want people to panic.”
“And how’s that working for you?” you gesture to the red blurs on the forcefield.
A shade of worry covers his face. “I know. I should have expected this. They would not have gone quietly.”
“So, what do we do?”
“[[We wait->The Revolt (Forcefield Stays Up)]].”Screw it.
You press the giant (text-colour:red)[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:red)[SHUT DOWN]] button. The world seems to (text-style:"rumble")[shake] as the 3D model shows the forcefield depleting. The red blurs completely stop.
“What’s going on?” Suhleb runs in. “What did you just do?!”
“I…” you stutter. “I did what was right.”
Suhleb’s face contorts in anger. “So getting your people killed was right?”
Before you can respond, there is a sound of pitter-patters hitting the roof. You and Suhleb look at each other in shock before you both run out to the hallway. The floor-to-ceiling windows reveal a sight that hasn’t been seen in decades. [[It's raining->The Revolt (Forcefield Comes Down)]].Because of the endless stream of rain, the dirt in (text-colour:orange)[THE BARRENS] has finally been replenished. It’s not a green wonderland yet, but many are thinking they’re going to have to change the name.
Dr. Leonard, a renowned scientist from what used to be called (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE], believes he has figured out what caused the sudden rain. He theorizes that the forcefield had used enough heat and energy to suck up the moisture from the air, preventing rainfall.
Now that the citizens don’t have to fight over resources, there is no more THE BUBBLE or THE BARRENS. Things have changed. People who wanted to leave have nothing stopping them now, as resources and water will soon be found everywhere. The Denions agreed to share their technological advances with the Ackards, who quickly adapted. The people eventually merged, allowing Denions and Ackards to live as [[one->The End]].The Ackards eventually left when they realized they were never going to get through the forcefield. Meanwhile, the Denions, holed up in their precious bubble, didn't last much longer. Their resources slowly ran out, and they were never able to solve the problem of obtaining more water. It was a tragic end to a once-great [[civilization->The End]].(align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[The Tunnel]]]
“It’s through this door.”
Suhleb directs you to a gray metal door. You had just trudged through the basement of the main Council building to get to this door. You weren’t even aware it was here before.
Facing Suhleb, you smile at him. “Thank you for this opportunity. I will fix this for all of us. Don’t worry.”
He doesn’t respond as he goes to open the door, where it’s completely dark on the other side.
“In you go,” he says with a fixed smile on his face.
You hesitate for a moment, a weird feeling settling over you before you go in. You’re probably just nervous to be underground.
You look back, but Suhleb is already closing the door behind you.
It’s dark for a moment before a line of lights on the floor starts turning on, leading onward down a narrow line. You try not to let the small space or ominous tunnel deter you as you walk onward.(click-append:"onward.")[
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[------]
You are walking for a while, feeling more and more nervous. Perhaps you should have asked Suhleb for a map. Luckily, just as you’re about to panic, you see a grimy ladder ahead. You smile to yourself as you pick up your footsteps. Finally! When you reach the ladder, you look up and notice a circular door. You climb up the ladder and begin to [[push->Paths Converge (Denion POV)]].](align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[The Revolt]]]
The world is in chaos as the Ackards attempt to climb the white wall. It’s over fifty feet tall, but they are making quick work with their handheld metal contraptions that allow them to easily scale it.
The Denion Guards can see the wall climbers from their posts on top of the wall. There’s never been an attack before. They’ve trained numerous times for this exact reason, but imagining and seeing are two different things. The laser guns in their hands feel deadly as they train the red dot on the people.
Many Ackards drop from the wall like little flies, but more continue to take their place. They are driven by a need greater than any other: hunger. [[They scale over the wall->Forcefield Stays Up Ending]].(align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[Paths Converge]]]
You push the piece of metal as hard as you can, and it pops up. You did it! You climb out of the hole and take in your surroundings. It’s… underwhelming. The light brown land looks cracked and thirsty for water and life. You don’t see many structures around you, but when you turn around, you freeze.
There’s a person standing there, and they seem just as shocked to see you. You take in their brown-colored clothing, dirt-caked body, and untidy hair. An Ackard. You’re not sure how you should proceed. There have been many stories about Ackards, about how they are savages and monsters who don’t know how to act around others.
You shift on your feet. “Um, hi.”
They blink at you before they say, “Hi?”
Well, they don’t seem like a savage. Or a monster.
“I don’t mean any danger. I just ended up here.”
“Okay,” they say.
Another moment of silence.
“Actually,” you get an idea. “Maybe you can help. I’m here as a representative for the Council of Denions.”
The Ackard doesn't look impressed.
“Um, and I’m here to find your leaders to talk about—”
“The revolt?”
You halt. “Revolt? What revolt?”
“Well, my leaders were talking about a possible revolt against you guys.”
Oh, no. This isn’t good.
“No, I’m here to find a solution for us all!”
The Ackard frowns. “A solution? Here’s an idea for a solution. Why don’t you guys give us a little warning next time?”
You adjust your robes, trying to remain civil. “Well, maybe you guys shouldn’t ask for more water and food than you need.”
“Excuse me? I think I speak for all of us when I say we’ve been more than grateful for what we get.”
Oh? Maybe this is going to be easier than you thought.
“Well, we are incredibly glad to hear that. We want to continue to give you what we have been, but I need to talk to a representative to discuss the details. Do you know where I may find someone like that?”
“Yeah. Me. I’m a representative for the Ackards.”
Wow! What are the odds you run right into a representative as soon you get there? This was going to be even easier than you thought.
“Perfect, then you can speak with the Council members and tell them everything you just told me.”
“Wait,” the Ackard says. “You mean go to (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE] with you?”
“Yes, of course. Will you come?”(click-append:"Will you come?")["
They freeze, shocked by the question. You try not to let your anticipation show. The quicker this is solved, the easier it will be to get your Council spot.
The pondering look they had turns into a resolute one, and they say, “Yes. I will go with you.”
“Perfect!” you let out a relieved sigh. “If you will, follow me.”
You go back down to the tunnel, and the Ackard follows you. They seem a little cagey, but continue along the path behind you.
“So, how long have you been on the Ackard Council?” they ask you.
“Oh, well.” you chuckle lightly. “I’m not technically on it. Yet! If I do a good job here, then I will certainly have a spot though.”
“Same here,” they shoot you a small, but genuine smile to show they understand.
You continue walking in silence until you see the metal door Suhleb led you to.
“There’s the entrance!”
You walk to the digital thumbpad on the door and insert your fingerprint.
(text-colour:red)[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:red)[DENIED]]
“What?” you whisper to yourself.
The Ackard stands next to you. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” You try your print again.
(text-colour:red)[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:red)[DENIED]]
What is going on?
“Wait, I’ve heard of these before.” The Ackard leans against the door. “My boss has been to (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE] a bunch of times, and she says a guard usually escorts her. And one time, a guard got dismissed in front of her eyes because his thumbprint thing didn’t work.”
“B-But,” you stutter. “That can’t be. I haven’t done anything wrong. I—”
Suhleb. When he had asked you if it bothered you that the Denions were cutting off the Ackards, he had looked hopeful, and when you said it did, he had almost looked… disappointed. He didn’t want you to care. And now he has sent you on a fool’s errand and locked you out. But why?
The Ackard sighs and pulls out a metal contraption.
“What’s that?” you ask.
“Our ticket out of here.”
The contraption is then slammed against the thumbpad so hard it breaks it.
You jump back. “Woah!”
They then flip the contraption, so it looks like a flat piece and wedge it in the door. Next thing you know, the door is pried open, and bright light peeks into the tunnel.
You are practically speechless. “That was amazing! How—? What?”
The Ackard shrugs, but you can tell they look pleased with themselves. “Lead the way, Denion.”
Shaking out of your shock, you enter through the doorway. It’s finally hitting you that Suhleb lied to you and tried to lock you out of (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE] forever. And you want answers.
“I know where we need to [[go->The Bubble Lab (Denion POV)]].](align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[The Bubble Lab]]]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="https://emilygg.neocities.org/science%20fiction%20project/Stars.jpg" height=600 width=750>]
The Bubble Lab is the central area of everything. It’s in a circular building in the middle of (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE]. You’ve been there a few times. The room always transforms into a virtual solar system, with tiny planets and stars hanging in the air.
“It’s our virtual solar system,” you say when you notice the Ackard’s awestruck look.
“It’s beautiful.”
You don’t reply. You used to be struck by the wonder of this room too, but now, with the revelation of Suhleb’s betrayal, you can’t look at it the same way. You input the right numeric sequence on a screen on the wall to turn it off and reveal the room as it actually is—a white room with all types of machinery and large touch screen displays.
“Don’t get distracted by the pretty facade. They’re hiding something. I know it.”
They shake their head, eyes focusing.
“I guess I could look here.” They walk up to one of the monitors in the room. The large screen has nine squares with different file names: //(text-colour:grey)[The Origin Project. Land Distributions. The Ackards.]//
“This must be it,” they point out the(text-colour:grey)[ Ackards file].
You walk over. This is the screen Suhleb and the Council members always seem to crowd around when you visit them.
You nod. “Yeah. Open it.”
They tap the file, and a bunch of documents go flying around on the screen. You have good practice at reading things at full speed, and something catches your eye.
//(text-colour:red)[Aquatic resources are depleting in Denion. Must cut off the Ackards.]//
You gasp. The Denions are running out of water?
That means Suhleb and everyone on the Council lied. They didn’t cut off the Ackards because they were greedy. They cut them off because there’s barely any water to give.
“What is it?” the Ackard says, peering harder at the screen.
You continue to stare in shock. “Aquatic resources are depleting.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means… we’re running out of water.”
“What?” The Ackard stares at you in shock. “How can that be?!”
“I don’t know, but it makes sense. That’s why they’ve stopped giving Ackards water and food. It’s because we’re running out, and they don’t want them to know how vulnerable we are now. They’re just going to leave the Ackards to die.”
“This is wrong. We can’t just sit back and do nothing!”
Just then, a loud alarm blares throughout the entire city.
The Ackard looks petrified as they look around for the source. “What is that?”
You freeze. “That’s our emergency alarm. It doesn’t go off unless there’s…”
“Unless there’s what?”
“An attack,” you gulp.(click-append:"you gulp.")[
You click on the(text-colour:grey)[ Forcefield file], and it shows a live 3D image of the dome-shaped forcefield. Every few seconds, a red blur appears on the forcefield and then disappears. That must be where the Ackards are hitting it, which means they’ve already climbed over the wall.
This isn’t good.
You begin pacing the floor. “I can’t believe there’s an attack. What do we do? Is there anything to do?”
“I think I have an idea.”
You whirl to them. “You do? Tell me!”
“But it’s a really, really crazy idea.”
“Crazy may work. Please just tell me!”
They take a deep breath before they say, “I think you should open the forcefield.”
“What?!”
They pull on the ends of their hair. “I know it sounds crazy but listen. If the forcefield comes down, the Ackards will be so shocked they’ll stop fighting, and we can tell them the truth of what’s going on! Yes, they might get mad, but we’re resourceful too in our own ways. We could actually work together. And you know it’s the right thing to do.”
“Okay, and what if they’re so mad they continue to attack us? And we all just end up fighting for the only water we have left?” you counter.
“Just have some faith! They’re confused and scared. And they deserve the truth just as much as you.”
[[You’re right. It’s the right thing to do.]]
[[No, I can’t do this.]]
]
“You’re right. We have to do this,” you say.
The Ackard smiles in relief. You face the(text-colour:grey)[ Forcefield file]. The red blurs are getting bigger and more consistent. They’re killing themselves trying to get in.
Screw it. You press the giant (text-colour:red)[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:red)[SHUT DOWN]] button. The world seems to (text-style:"rumble")[shake] as the 3D model shows the forcefield depleting. The red blurs completely stop.
“We did it,” you gasp.
The door to the Bubble Lab swings open, and a red-faced Suhleb runs in.
“What’s going on?” he shouts. “What did you just do?!”
“I-I…” you stutter, but you look at the Ackard’s determined face. “I did what was right.”
Suhleb’s face contorts in anger. “So getting your people killed was right?”
Before you can respond, there is a sound of pitter-patters hitting the roof of the building. The three of you look at each other in shock before you all run out to the hallway. The floor-to-ceiling windows reveal a sight that hasn’t been seen in decades. [[It's raining->The Revolt (Forcefield Comes Down)]]. “I can’t do it. I can’t risk my people.”
“But what about my people?” the Ackard cries.
You look down at your feet. “I’m sorry.”
“Good choice.”
You look up in time to see Suhleb in the doorway with a laser gun in his hand. Before you can even cry out, the blast goes off and hits the Ackard square in the chest.
“No!” you scream.
You rush to their side, and their eyes flutter.
“Please,” they whisper. “Save them.”
You can’t help the tears that fall as the innocent person dies in your arms. Suhleb stands over you, his face stern and impassive.
“You have to learn to protect your own.”
“No!” you shout. “They didn’t deserve this! None of them did.”
But Suhleb ignores you and shouts in the door’s general direction. “Guards! They’re in here!”
Two Denion guards come in and, without words, move to grab you by the arms. You try to resist and fight, but they have an iron-like grip on your arms.
“What are you going to do?!” you scream to Suhleb as they drag you out. “I know there’s no water here! You’re going to kill us all!”
“We’ll figure it out,” you hear Suhleb answer before you are fully escorted [[out->The Revolt (Forcefield Stays Up)]].(align:"=><=")[(text-style:"smear","expand")[(text-style:"underline")[The Tunnel]]]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="https://emilygg.neocities.org/science%20fiction%20project/Man%20Hole%20Cover.jpg" height=300 width=500>]
As you are walking back from the factory, thinking over everything you just heard, you notice something… odd. On the ground in front of you, there is a circular hole in the brown dirt. It isn’t particularly deep. There is nothing in it. But still, something is weird about it. For one thing, the hole is perfectly cut, and the dirt inside it doesn’t look hard like the rest of the ground. It appears the dirt inside it was freshly moved.
As if you summoned it, the dirt inside the hole begins to shift. And beneath the dirt, a circular metal plate pops out. You jump back. What is going on?!
A person comes out from the hole, their back to you. You’re debating if you should run, but it’s too late. They turn towards you and freeze as well. From head to toe, they are wearing silk, white robes and jewels around their neck. A Denion. It must be. But how did they get here, so far from the wall?
They shift on their feet. “Um, hi.”
“Hi?”
“I don’t mean any danger. I just ended up here.”
“Okay,” you say.
This is incredibly odd. You’ve never met a Denion, and now they are standing in front of you. They look luxurious and clean—everything you’re not.
“Actually,” the Denion perks up. “Maybe you can help. I’m here as a representative for the Council of Denions.”
You continue to stare at this very… clean person. What was a representative doing, coming from underground?
“Um, and I’m here to find your leaders to talk about—”
“The revolt?” you interrupt.
They halt. “Revolt? What revolt?”
“Well, my leaders were talking about a possible revolt against you guys.”
For who knows what reason.
“No, I’m here to find a solution for us all!” they exclaim.
You frown. You’re still not entirely sure what is going on, but this Denion doesn’t necessarily need to know that. You remember hearing the Council talking about the Denions doing something “(text-colour:navy)[out of the blue.]” You decide to roll with it.
“A solution? Here’s an idea for a solution. Why don’t you give us a little warning next time?”
The Denion, looking ruffled, adjusts their delicate robes. “Well, maybe you guys shouldn’t ask for more water and food than you need.”
Huh?
“Excuse me? I think I speak for all of us when I say we’ve all been more than grateful for what we get.”
Your people aren’t complainers, after all.
The Denion looks oddly relieved. “Well, we are incredibly glad to hear that. We want to continue to give you what we have been, but I need to talk to a representative to discuss the details. Do you know where I may find someone like that?”
An idea suddenly pops into your head. This is a perfect opportunity to really prove to the Ackard Council that you are meant to work with them.
“Yeah. Me. I’m a representative for the Ackards.”
“Perfect, then you can speak with the Council members and tell them everything you just told me,” they smile.
“Wait,” you hesitate. “You mean go to (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE] with you?”
They look like you just asked a silly question. “Yes, of course. Will you come?"(click-append:"Will you come?")["
You freeze, shocked by the question. You’ve never even been near (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE], let alone inside it. You’re almost excited by the prospect. No. Focus. This is about moving up in the career ranks and getting more benefits out of that.
Your inner turmoil is resolved. “Yes. I will go with you.”
“Perfect!” they let out a relieved sigh. “If you will, follow me.”
They go back down to the tunnel, and you follow them. You’ve never been in an enclosed space like this one, so you feel jittery. After walking a couple of steps, you decide to speak.
“So, how long have you been on the Ackard Council?” you ask them.
“Oh, well.” They chuckle lightly. “I’m not technically on it. Yet! If I do a good job here, then I will certainly have a spot though.”
Huh. Who knew you would have something in common with a Denion?
“Same here,” you give a small but genuine smile to show you understand.
You continue walking in silence until you see a large metal door with a tiny, bright screen on it.
“There’s the entrance!” they shout as they walk to the digital pad and insert their finger on it.
The screen turns red and says, (text-colour:red)[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:red)[DENIED]].
“What?” they whisper.
You move to stand next to them. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” They try to insert their finger again.
(text-colour:red)[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:red)[DENIED]]
Seeing the bright red screen with that word sparks a memory inside you.
“Wait, I’ve heard of these before.” You lean against the door. “My boss has been to (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE] a bunch of times, and she says a guard usually escorts her. And one time, a guard got dismissed in front of her eyes because his thumbprint thing didn’t work.”
“B-But,” the Denion stutters. “That can’t be. I haven’t done anything wrong. I—”
They trail off as they seem to be drowning in their thoughts. You sigh and pull out your favorite metal contraption.
“What’s that?” they ask.
“Our ticket out of here.”
You slam the contraption hard against the thumbpad, so it breaks. Nice.
The Denion jumps back. “Woah!”
You ignore them and flip the contraption so the flat piece can come out of it, and you can easily wedge it in the door. It makes it easy to pry the door open and enter through the light of the building. Man, it really is bright in (text-colour:cyan)[THE BUBBLE].
Meanwhile, the Denion looks speechless, mouth hanging open.
“That was amazing! How—? What?” they say.
You shrug but are secretly pleased to have shocked them. “Lead the way, Denion.”
They march in front of you. “I know where we need to [[go->The Bubble Lab (Ackard POV)]].]“We can’t. Things are too unpredictable, and I don’t know how they would react,” you sigh. “And I don’t want to endanger your people.”
“At least someone cares about the Denions.”
You both turn to the entrance doorway where a man with salt and pepper hair, and a laser gun is standing tall and intimidating.
His lips are set in a grim line as he points the laser gun and shoots. The Denion goes down.
“No!” you shout.
You kneel over their body as a burning hole singes in their chest.
“Please,” they whisper. “Save them.”
Their eyelids flutter shut before they go limp in your arms. You can’t help the tears that fall as the innocent person dies in your arms.
You look at the man standing over you. “How could you? They were one of you!”
“Not anymore,” the man says. “Guards! In here!”
Two Denion guards come in, robotic in their movements.
“Take them back through the tunnel,” the man with the laser gun says, seeming to want to be done with the situation.
“What are you going to do?!” you scream to him as they drag you out. “I know there’s no water here! You’re going to kill us all!”
“We’ll figure it out,” you hear Suhleb answer before you are fully escorted [[out->The Revolt (Forcefield Stays Up)]].“You’re right. We have to do this,” you say.
The Denion smiles in relief. You both face the (text-colour:grey)[Forcefield file]. The red blurs are getting bigger and more consistent. They’re killing themselves trying to get in.
Screw it. You press the giant (text-colour:red)[(b4r:"solid")+(b4r-colour:red)[SHUT DOWN]] button. The world seems to (text-style:"rumble")[shake] as the 3D model shows the forcefield depleting. The red blurs completely stop.
“We did it,” you gasp.
The door to the Bubble Lab swings open, and a red-faced man with salt and pepper hair runs in.
“What’s going on?” he shouts. “What did you just do?!”
“I-I…” the Denion stutters, but they look at you, and determination crosses their face. “I did what was right.”
His face contorts in anger. “So getting your people killed was right?”
Before they can respond, there is a sound of pitter-patters hitting the roof of the building. The three of you look at each other in shock before you all run out to the hallway. The floor-to-ceiling windows reveal a sight that hasn’t been seen in decades. [[It's raining->The Revolt (Forcefield Comes Down)]]. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="https://emilygg.neocities.org/science%20fiction%20project/The%20End%20Image.jpg" height=600 width=700>]
↶↷THE BUBBLE AND THE BARRENS
by Emily Gomez-Adames
The Bubble and the Barrens is a dystopian interactive story that follows two characters from different societies merging on a dying planet. In this futuristic world, nuclear warfare has ravaged the Earth, leaving it in ruins. The government not only destroyed themselves but the environment as well. Those with wealth and power managed to survive comfortably, but they weren't the only ones to survive.
Click on the highlighted words to go through the story. Begin.