Bo Bo And Charlie In Eden

 

Bo Bo  And Charlie In Eden

By Paul McCann

It wasn’t as if no one knew it would happen and as everyone had always feared the first of the nuclear missiles had been launched and as expected the only survivors after the battle was over were those who were living in their underground homes .

Ten years after the nuclear war had passed Bo Bo and Charlie and their families were told to remain locked away underground until the nuclear winter was over . Some said it could take thirty years for that to happen before they would be able to return to the surface again to see what state the earth was in .

 

Bo Bo , Charlie with their wives and children along with all the other people living in their underground homes had been stuck like prisoners in this artificially maintained environment ever since the war started in 2070 and for all that time  they had been given information about what was going on above on the top where all life had been destroyed . It had been reported that the temperatures on the surface were still uninhabitable and everyone believed as they were told . There were also other reports that informed the survivors how lucky they were to be living in their underground homes and in the other emergency shelters that had been built prior to beginning of the nuclear war . .

Several years before the war happened the final stage of Sunken City had been finished and now an established community set up separate in zones was in place and managed by .private security and a government that had not changed ever since the war began .

The survivors of the human race had a special memorial day each year and the  Earth Memorial Day was happening again very soon.

Most of the underground safe zone areas were to be opened up to permit the crowds free access to mingle and join in with other communities in the parades and exhibitions that were being shown .

 

Bo Bo had always been a free thinker and held an independent way of surviving in life without being told what to do and where he could go so he started to rebel against the system that were in control over the people and their lifestyles orchestrated by those security Zone Force who kept in force all of the  forced lockdown procedures underneath the surface .

 

Bo Bo had always doubted the stories and all the information they were being told by the Underground Media who were frequently in control of the news reports and he had his own theory of what was happening .

 

He had secretly been planning to return  the surface to see for himself what was going on and decided to get this old friend Charlie involved . It was time now for Bo Bo to make that move and he had already spoke to Maria about this and although she didn’t want him to be in harms way she knew it was something he needed to do to settle his mind , Bo Bo took a walk over to Charlies house and knocked on the from door .

Charlie answered the door and said ,

“What’s going on Bo Bo ?

Bo Bo replied ,

“Listen Charlie . I’ve had enough of living like a prisoner here underground . We’re living like mushrooms , kept in the dark and fed media fodder that’s made up to suit those who are controlling us “

 

Charlie replied ,

“Sure Bo Bo but have no chance to find a way out of this place ?’

Bo Bo smiled and said ,

“We have a ghost of a chance and that’s as good as we’ll ever get Charlie “

Charlie replied ,

““I’m sick of living like a mushroom , let take that chance Bo Bo, What do we have to do ? “

Bo Bo patted Charlie on the back and said ,

“Tomorrow is Earth Memorial day Charlie , That’s when we’re going to make a break . Talk to Lisa and let her know about what we’re doing . Tell her Maria has all the details about this so she can talk with her if she needs to .. “  .

 

“This sounds like an exciting trip Bo Bo and you know what ,I’m going to be there Bo Bo , where ever that will be “

Bo Bo said ,

“Listen Charlie , I’ve got it all worked out ,.tomorrow there will be parades and dancing , singing , drinking and partying before the time of reflection of how life once was on the surface . Then while they are broadcasting the last days of life above on the planet  we will be making out way to freedom. “

“Sounds like you’re the man with a plan Bo Bo and I’m fed up watching all those old movies about mayhem and destruction and the graphic details of the first nuclear attacks and what had happened afterwards “

“You know what Charlie we’ve been told that this is the only place known where humans can survive because of the radiation fall out , but I think that’s just a story they made up op keep us here “

“Like we re their prisoners Bo Bo “

“Exactly Charlie .We only know what they have told us but what if .”

After a few moments silence Charlie responded ,\

“Yeah so what if , Its not true .“:

Bo Bo replied

”Lets so Charlie and find out for ourselves . Are you up to it ?’

Charlie replied ,

“I might be 70 but I can still climb ladders and wash windows . I’m ready to go if you are Bo Bo “

;Bo Bo punched his fist in the air and said ,

“Right , I’ll call early in the morning about 7am ,  so be up and ready . Bring a bag of  warm clothes and some food , enough for a week just  like the camping trips we used to do in our younger days “

 

“No problem . I’ll have a talk to Lisa and then I’ll see you tomorrow morning “

Never before had anyone ever thought of escaping from the underground zones .

No one had ever questioned the authorities .

No one ever suspected that those in control were doing it to suit their own agendas.

This is no one except for Bo Bo and Charlie .

It was a perfect time to make a break as tomorrow the guards of the perimeter zones would be removed for memorial day and all of the zones around sunken city would become accessible with no street patrols scheduled and curfews lifted .

Most of the zone restrictions would be relaxed for the day .

Bo Bo had always been a bit of a rebel who pushed himself into the faces of the authorities , He had never really adapted that well to life underground . This was always nagging him and now it had got the better of him and so he had put together  a plan to escape and return to the surface .

Early the next day as the tight grip of security was eased Bo Bo made his way to Charlies place and knocked the door . Charlie peeper out through the curtains and gave the thumbs up to Bo Bo .

He walked out the front door dressed like a secret agent . Dark glasses over his eyes with a detectives hat on his head . Gloves on his hands and an army style back pack strapped over his shoulders .

Bo Bo took one look at Charlie and said ,

 

“So do you think you’ve enough stuff to draw attention to us Charlie “

Charlie replied ,

“This is my  getaway gear Bo Bo I’ve never gone on an escape before “

Bo Bo shook his head and said

“Charlie first thing , you’ll get rid of the dark glasses and hat . Remove the compass from around your wrist . You don’t need all that stuff hanging from your belt .“

“Like the Swiss army knife and the rope and torch “

Charlie asked and Bo Bo nodded his head and said ,

“:That’s right Charlie , Try to look like an ordinary person instead of an explorer .“

“Ok got it Bo Bo “

Bo Bo and Charlie had been part of planning the development of sunken city and had knowledge of the plumbing and electrical access points as well as all the zone  air conditioning blower tunnels that went upwards to the surface ,

So unnoticed by the guards Bo Bo and Charlie entered one of the chutes and made their way up to the planet surface . As they climbed and crawled their way through the tunnels they had to avoided the network of laser lights by using a mirror to deflect the laser beams that could trigger an alarm system .

Now and then they had to brush off spiders and other bugs in the tunnels on the way to the surface . Finally they arrived at the last outlet of the air-conditioning system where they used an wire cutter to cut through the bolts to the steel grate and then they climbed head first onto the surface of the planet.

The city was deserted and there were no building lefts . The entire place was like a wilderness ., They took a walk looking around  . Some boulders and rubble lay scattered for as far as they could see, ‘

They picked up the pace walking  as it was very cold now and shelter was hard to find . Still they never turned back . They walked for two days and then they arrived at a desert of ice . From his top inside pocket Charlie pulled out a small telescope that had been a gift from his grandfather . He looked through the eyeglass and the ice desert seemed to stretch out all the way to the horizon  .
Putting away the telescope , he took some food from his backpack and offered some to Bo Bo.

Bo Bo pulled a bottle from his bag and offered Charlie something to drink .

They still had enough food for a few more days .

Charlie looked at Bo Bo and said ,

“Do you think life on earth will ever return Bo Bo ?”

.Bo Bo nodded and said ,

“Who said it ever left , Lets go Charlie “

He pulled his collar up around the back of his neck and started to make his way across the desert of ice . A bitter wind cut through burning the skin on their faces .

They walked all day with no change to landscape . Everything looked and felt the same .. An icy desert that sapped the strength with every step taken .

Mile after mile they walked to the point of collapse and just as Charlie and Bo Bo . were about to give up their quest a strange apparition in the foreground beckoned them with a voice gently urging them to come closer .

.

“Come then , since you’re already here ,”

The strange apparition became visible , The shroud was removed and standing ion from of them was an old white bearded man with thinning white hair ,

Bo Bo said ,

“How long have you been living on the surface ““

 “ How long is a piece of string ?”

Came the reply .

Charlie said ,

“Aren’t you cold here “

“”Follow me then , so I suppose I’d be right in saying that both of you have escaped from sunken city then ?

“How would you know that ?”

Bo Bo said ,

“Only because I did the very same thing a long time ago “\

He replied and said again ‘

Follow me I’ll explain “

As they followed him he came to a glacier wall where he presses a concealed button that opened a door ion the glacier wall .’

“What’s going on ?

Bo Bo asked .

“My name is Danny , Let me give you a tour of the place “

The old man said ,. .

Hi Danny , Nice to meet you . I’m Bo Bo “

reaching his hand they shook and Charlie extended his hand and said ,

.“I’m Charlie . Are you here alone Danny ?:

“Well , I am now . The original owner had passed away after an accident one day when his ice truck skidded and rolled down over the edge of a cliff face not far from here . “

As he took them on a tour through the large living space that had all the comforts of home . He showed them a huge storeroom with food supplies and a cool room with refrigerated meats . There was a kitchen  and bathroom and three bedrooms .

:”What is this place ?”

Bo Bo asked .

“It was once the headquarters of the chief of the Zero Force command .  He was in command of keeping the surface frozen with ice and ensuring there were no escapees from sunken city .”

Charlie rubbed his burning eyes and said .

“Am I dreaming “

The old man replied .

Let me show you something that you might say is like a dream :

He took them into a lift that went down into a basement where a massive indoor garden complex with hydroponic stations full of trees and plants ,. herbs and vegetables m fruits and flowers all healthy and growing within tall towers fed with cascading water that ran constantly through filters and recycled again through a system of pies and tubes .

“Its what I call the garden of Eden “

“Charlie and Bo Bo stood there gazing in wonder at what they saw .

Bo Bo said

“This place is a hydroponic wonderland “

“Its like paradise found “

Charlie said

Danny said .

“Isn’t it all of that . It was the work of many people long before the nuclear war started . Many were involved in this project , horticulturalists , scientists , engineers and environmental specialist had been involved with the building of Eden   It was the last hope for humanity should a nuclear war happen . There is enough plans and seedlings in this place to commence regrowth all over the earth as soon as the conditions are right to live on the surface again .

“Almost like the new Genesis , starting all over again”

Bo Bo said .

“When will the conditions be ready o the surface again “

“They are ready now , in fact they have been ready for the last year but the Zone Force are keeping the people underground because the can control the population , Its all about control over the mass . Power has gone to their head and they have lost  sight of the bigger picture “

Charlie said ,

“ So they think they can do anything they want to anyone ?“

That’s about right Charlie “

Bo Bo said ,

‘“The people underground need to made aware of what’s happening so they can all come back to the surface . So the nuclear winter is just a story they invented to keep people below the surface . “

Danny replied ,

“Its an ordinary winter we’re in now , not a nuclear winter . Nothing has changed , it’s a normal seasonal change like every other one before and spring will be here in a few months so if only we could get the population back to the  surface . it would be the start of the new Genisis . We could begin replanting all over the earth and the regrowth of Eden on the outside become a reality for humanity “

Bo Bo smiled and said ,.

“You know Danny , I think we ca help with that / Leave it to us ”

Danny replied ,

“Are you serious Bo Bo ?”

“That’s not even a challenge Danny . Come on Charlie , its time to be brave , lets go we have work to be done “

“Charie responded ./

“Sure Bo Bo , I’ll be brave , What are we going to do “

“We’re going back Charlie below to bring everyone back up . Danny wait here for us we’ll be back “

“You mean  we’re going to bring everyone up to the surface Bo Bo “:

Charlie asked and Bo Bo nodded and said ,

“They may have  transformed the green lands of earth into dust and destroyed all living things on the surface but even though the earth is barren there is hope to restore life again Charlie “

Charlie replied ,.

“So you’re saying  like even though they destroyed all life we can help restore the life on the surface again “

Danny re[plied ,

“That is exactly why Eden was established / Yes ”Yes man . Once there were oak trees and birds that perched in the branches. Good men once there was fruit and many forests full of animals and waterfalls and now there is nothing but we have a chance to restore again what once was , For me and you and everybody we have this chance , there is hope “

Bo Bo said ,

“:It’s just a ghost of a chance but we can make it happen , Lets go Charlie ,“

Bo Bo and Charlie returned to sunken city and told everyone about what was happening on the surface and even though it took a lot of convincing eventually they were able to lead a large group of sunken city people to leave their safety zones .

Danny was overjoyed to see the Eden project start and already in its early stages now  was returned to the earth . Trees and gardens were in place and lots of digging and ploughing , raking and planting .was happening everyday . There were new little shoots sprouting up everywhere .
After Danny died of old age he saw the rebuilding of Eden on the earth and the  protect becoming  a reality . Life was back on the planet .

Bo Bo and Charlie with the help of many people began to rebuild stronger homes for a better future  and the power of people in control made the difference for a new generation of people to live and work together for new world .

Bo Bo and Charlie were among the most respected of all the leaders now on the planet and the government could not stop people power  who were in control all over the planet  . Once again life flourished and the future was one of hope for all human kind .

THE END