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The Brick Towers

by Julien

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The Brick Towers
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The sun was beating down on the western Nevada desert. The small military research base concealed from the rest of the world that wouldn’t be known 135 years from now, in 1955. From far above, Area 51 looked like a flat landing spot, but near the ground, it was windy and unpredictable. These unfortunate factors led to the uncontrollable crash of Gregory Johnson III. Or that's what the scientists called him at least, a part of a species living on the star named Betelgeuse.
While doing a landscape survey, the scientists of the base discovered the remains of the spaceship crash. Gregory was just able to be kept alive, as he was locked inside the base for further research. He was put to hundreds of excruciating tests, over many weeks to find out what exactly he was.
After an immeasurable amount of time in this new, horror-filled life of Gregory’s, he’s longing for his home. It wasn’t much different from this new planet, Earth, as the scientists called it. He couldn’t wait to get back to the astonishingly bright blue skies. The massive mountains towering over their city, out looking his misty turquoise lake that smelled of spring. The moons orbiting, each with their own distinctive mountain ranges and craters close enough to pick out. The faint voices of the scientists interrupted his thoughts. He’d been waiting for this moment. As each test passed, a fire had grown inside him. All his anger towards everything that had happened to him.
“This stupid planet, these scientists, the crash,” he mumbled to himself.
He’d been formulating a plan to escape, and now was the perfect time to act. As the scientists entered the room, he burst out of his chair, spun around and slammed the door with his tail. Stunning the scientists. Giving him just enough time to fly upward using his wings, and crash through the vent cover. He’d never been this exhilarated before. It almost charged him up. With this newfound power of his, he sped through the vents, breaking through the chimney bricks into the hot, dry desert. He’s immediately struck by the heat. His old planet was cool and humid. This one is the opposite; he realizes. His skin drying and thirst growing with each minute passing. He doesn’t know where to go at first, so he flies away from the sun, which has almost set.
After a few hours, he started to get the hang of flying. The strong winds over his wings, the ground rushing past him. He was loving it. He notices from the sky, a sort of transportation vehicle mounted on tracks. He had no clue what it could be, as the best he could see from the sky was the smoke coming from the front. He decided to pay no mind to it. He’s just about reaching the coast when he notices the air quality starting to diminish. His lungs felt coarse, like glass shards being forced down his throat. He nears a city that he can barely discern. He’s flying in complete smog now, barely able to see. He locates the source of it. A big white building
“This stupid planet, these scientists, the crash,” he mumbled to himself.
He’d been formulating a plan to escape, and now was the perfect time to act. As the scientists entered the room, he burst out of his chair, spun around and slammed the door with his tail. Stunning the scientists. Giving him just enough time to fly upward using his wings, and crash through the vent cover. He’d never been this exhilarated before. It almost charged him up. With this newfound power of his, he sped through the vents, breaking through the chimney bricks into the hot, dry desert. He’s immediately struck by the heat. His old planet was cool and humid. This one is the opposite; he realizes. His skin drying and thirst growing with each minute passing. He doesn’t know where to go at first, so he flies away from the sun, which has almost set.
After a few hours, he started to get the hang of flying. The strong winds over his wings, the ground rushing past him. He was loving it. He notices from the sky, a sort of transportation vehicle mounted on tracks. He had no clue what it could be, as the best he could see from the sky was the smoke coming from the front. He decided to pay no mind to it. He’s just about reaching the coast when he notices the air quality starting to diminish. His lungs felt coarse, like glass shards being forced down his throat. He nears a city that he can barely discern. He’s flying in complete smog now, barely able to see. He locates the source of it. A big white building
with a colossal brick tower pumping out plumes of black smoke.
“Disgusting,” he mutters to himself.
He flies closer to investigate, and peers through the window. He sees huge machines, each pushing out the putrid-smelling smoke. At the base of each machine were dirty, grimy humans, labouring away. They all looked extremely sweaty as if it were hot and humid inside the building. One worker in particular, looked terrible. She lay in a corner, exhausted and sick.

Gregory is horrified at the working conditions and it dawns on him that this world is in dire need of help. He races to the city square, where he sees another sight that sickens him. A group of men lined up on a stage, each standing on a stool with a rope tied around their neck. The expressions on their faces terrified, and calm at the same time. The stool falls beneath the stage, leaving the men hanging from their necks. Their bodies go limp, expressions lifeless. He realizes they’re dead. He hastily clambers up onto the stage, startling everyone he walked by. The humans commenting on his odd appearance. His green, scaly, dragon-like body. A long pink neck, extending to his tiny head holding up a beak. Huge pink ears protruding from his sides, unevenly stacked. A third leg, resembling a birds, stretching from his tail.
He announces in broken English to the crowd of people, “if you people bring black smoke to
earth, bad will come. Destroying air and hard to breathe.”
Murmurs from the crowd. One man arises from the crowd.
“Monster!” he cried out.
This triggered a stampede. Instead of running against it. Gregory ran with the crowd. Everyone tripping over each other to getaway. The crowd getting larger with each step as more people join. Suddenly, he’s picked up by an enforcer and brought into one of the many run-down houses.
The first thing he observes inside is the smell. Each scent entering his nose with authority. The aroma of juicy seasoned turkey, warm, brown gravy everything at once, all overwhelmingly good. Then he sees a family sitting at a nicely made table, almost waiting for him. He’s a bit on edge but doesn’t want to be rude so he sits down and digs into the delicious food. When he finished he’s completely full. It all leaves him feeling a bit nauseous with a bitter taste in his mouth. He pays a visit to the lavatory, completely sickened, his mouth now frothing somehow. His head spinning in circles like a merry go round. He’s just able to sit down. The family waits, not concerned at all, content as he doesn’t come out.
earth, bad will come. Destroying air and hard to breathe.”
Murmurs from the crowd. One man arises from the crowd.
“Monster!” he cried out.
This triggered a stampede. Instead of running against it. Gregory ran with the crowd. Everyone tripping over each other to getaway. The crowd getting larger with each step as more people join. Suddenly, he’s picked up by an enforcer and brought into one of the many run-down houses.
The first thing he observes inside is the smell. Each scent entering his nose with authority. The aroma of juicy seasoned turkey, warm, brown gravy everything at once, all overwhelmingly good. Then he sees a family sitting at a nicely made table, almost waiting for him. He’s a bit on edge but doesn’t want to be rude so he sits down and digs into the delicious food. When he finished he’s completely full. It all leaves him feeling a bit nauseous with a bitter taste in his mouth. He pays a visit to the lavatory, completely sickened, his mouth now frothing somehow. His head spinning in circles like a merry go round. He’s just able to sit down. The family waits, not concerned at all, content as he doesn’t come out.
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