Seeds of Hope
The hovercar kicked up a trail of sand and dust as it sped along the Outlands. This far from the Caretaker towers of Oakport the land turned a uniform reddish yellow as far as the eye could see. The lack of shade and shielding, together with the relentless sun, made this a very dry and unforgiven place.
“What are you so excited about that’s all the way out here? Besides itchy sand I mean.” Jacob asked as he tried to use his black shirt to keep the sand out of his face.
“I can’t tell you, that would totally ruin the surprise. You have to see this, it’s gonna be worth it, you’ll see!” Sara replied with a big grin, her blond hair flowing like ribbons in the wind as the hovercar sped along.
“I’m surprised that Kris let you take his car, he seemed very proud of his new ride.”
“He wasn’t using it, so I borrowed it. I figured my little brother isn’t missing it, with him being at work all the time.” Sara grinned mischievously.
“I should have known.” Jacob rolled his eyes. He lowered his shirt to drink some water and immediately regretted it as the sand caused him to sneeze and spill the canteen’s content.
“Have you told your prof already about your new breakthrough?” Sara asked.
“Riana? She wouldn’t be interested in the weird theories of a random junior researcher.”
“I still think you’re smarter than you give yourself credit for. And no, that’s not just because I’m your friend or because I can’t follow along when you start talking nerd talk about the Travelers and their Legacy.” Sara declared with confidence.
Jacob remained silent and avoided eye contact. Perhaps she was right. Discovering the Travelers’ Legacy had given them the Caretaker towers, which turned the tide in the battle against the ongoing climate degradation on Earth. His internship in studying the Travelers’ database meant he could play a part in this battle. The little discovery he made last month could change the way we viewed the Travelers and interpreted their texts.
The hovercar slowed to a stop, bringing Jacob’s attention back to the present. “We’re here, it’s just behind that hill, come on!” Sara said enthusiastically as she jumped out of the vehicle, her windswept hair a chaotic mess. Thankfully, the air was less dry here, it even seemed a bit cooler. Sara led him along, Jacob had to run to try to keep up with Sara’s stride.
Behind the sand hill, Jacob saw a little valley with a tiny lake. A lake, filled with water, all the way out here! “How?” Jacob stammered. “The towers couldn’t possibly affect the air out here. Even back in Oakport the coasts are still dry!”
“Maybe the towers are causing a chain reaction which results in enough rain here to form a little oasis. I don’t know how this all works, you’re the smart one.” Sara shrugged.
“Like restoring the hydrological cycle? You know, you’re smarter than you give yourself credit for.”
Sara ran down the hill to the edge of the little lake, kicking up sand along the way. She stopped short beside the water and knelt down in the sand, eagerly waving him over. “Come see this, this is the real miracle!”
Jacob carefully walked down the hill, trying to avoid slipping too much in the loose sand. He knelt next to Sara, curious. “Is that …?”
“A rose, yes! Isn’t it beautiful? Just like from the old schoolbook pictures.” She replied, her dark eyes sparkling “I discovered it last week and just had to show you. Imagine what wonderful colors and fragrances we can grow here!”
Sara handed him a handful of seeds “Here, join me, together we can start something wonderful.” She cast the seeds into the air, letting the soft wind distribute them over the area. Jacob did the same, mesmerized by the implications of this place, and the opportunities it symbolized.
“You’re right,” Jacob finally said, “I should tell Riana about the hidden messages I discovered in the Traveler’s Legacy. It might change the way we interpreted the Legacy texts. Who knows, maybe we can improve the towers to create more places like this.”