Clouds.
So many shapes they come by in. It’s amazing when you take time to think about it, even if it isn’t by first glance. It’s always something like them that is taken for granted without a second thought. Like some show that no one turns up to watch because it has a bad name or the colours are not glamorous enough. Its times like these and things such as those that make me want to watch even more. There are so many beautiful things on this planet that so many just take for granted.
Like someone’s status as a teacher.
Some people think to have authority means they can rule; that they can do whatever the hell they want. Like … it means all they have to care about is their selves and no one else because they have power.
But, what if … what if just one thing could change all that? What could destroy such hostility towards one another and create more all at the same time?
But … in the year 2067, nothing is impossible anymore. Nothing will be saved. Nothing will survive this force. But it is not the force itself that anyone will have to worry about.
This is the ultimate test for human kind. This … is what I am here on this earth to do. This is why I was created. And this … is my pledge to all human kind.
Their choice will chose their fate. They will not be given a second chance. I will not give them that privilege.
Although human myself, I know I am different. I know somehow, I am special. And that I alone hold the key to either the peace …
Or destruction …
Of all human kind …
And all I need now is a little time. A little space … just a little … ignorance from my social life and the path will be set.
And then … we shall see. We shall know what humans really want. Peace … or demise.

“Miss Machile!”
I was snapped from my thoughts by that growl. There was a new teacher in the school I attend. He didn’t know how things worked here. But then, I didn’t expect him to. He was, after all, a new guy.
But poisonous toadstools never change their spots.
An interesting afternoon today. I just wanted it to be over so I could get home.
Back to my dear creation…
“Yes sir?”
I turned slightly. Mr. Smart ass leered unpleasantly over my fellow classmate Anya Machile. I frowned. This was not the way to treat people. Leering on them like they are inferior…
“Why are you doing this,” He picked up a piece of paper with writing on it. “In my PE class?”
“I have finished my work, sir! You didn’t give me any more instructions when you saw my work before!” Anya protested.
“Enough of this nonsense! I will-“
“Put it back down right now.”
The class turned around to face me. My blood was starting to heat up as I registered what that man was about to do. Even if that work did not belong to his class, it didn’t belong to him either.
He had no right to rip it at all.
The man turned to face me, a slightly startled look on his face. This one was fresh out of teachers college for sure.
“What did you say to me?”
He was making his warning quite clear. Sit back in your seat and face the front.
Yeah right.
I pointed to the table in front of Anya. “Put it back there.”
He looked both taken aback and angry, “And who do you think you are?”
I wanted to answer back and say the obvious. I wanted to have him humiliated.
But I decided to humour myself …
I smirked. “Sir, have you heard about me from any of the other teachers, about why they always stay on my good side?”
My voice held that dangerous note. He noticed.
The teacher was stumped. But he answered with a shake of his head.
I grinned a small grin, and reached into my pocket. I slowly drew out my ZIP disk, savouring the feeling of mounting tension in the room.
I held it up and said, “Do you know what this is?”
“No.” He stated.
“It’s a ZIP disk. And on it contains either the destruction or peace of this world.” I stated.
It would seem to a normal class to laugh at this statement, but my class knew me better than they would like to admit.
And they knew that I was who I was.
And they knew even more so, don’t laugh when I speak.
The revolting man looked as if he was indeed going to laugh, but he decided against it, it seemed, when he saw no one else was.
He was alone with me in a void now.
“So,” I said, my voice cold. “Leave Anya’s work be and you may not suffer … much.”
The bell rang, but no one dared to move. They wanted to hear more.
I picked up my bag and placed my precious ZIP disk in my pocket. “You can tell the other teachers I’m nuts if you want, but believe me.
They wont listen.”

***

The river sparkled innocently at me as I walked alone to my house. I suppose I should say what I look like. Pale with black hair and copper eyes. 16 years of age. Average height.
I stopped. The glow from the sun reflected off the water burned into my skin. Light will never be able to defeat darkness. As I looked at my shadow, I realized that light causes darkness. Darkness causes light. And humans can create darkness, but not light.
Do wars make no sense? No. They don’t.
I continued to walk. The sun was setting by the time I got home. I hate the sun.
I hate this world’s setup.
Administration. Leaders. They are good in some ways, but this will all change that.
I entered my two-story house. My parents were still at work and knew better than to disturb me. I headed up the marble staircase to my room.
Inside were a bed, a lamp beside it and a PC in the corner. There were no posters on the walls. A single window was next to the lamp; the sun blocked by the absorbent curtains.
I sat at my computer. “Power up.” It started up with a blink of light and loaded Windows 3D MX.
I inserted my ZIP disk into the drive. “Open file.”
I got to work.

* At the Pentagon, USA*

At five o’clock at night nearly everyone was gone. The night shift was about to begin so it seemed unusual for someone to sit at their PC; working away at whatever it was they did.
“Ohhh! Little sex bug you are!” A man in his twenties said to his monitor.
The words he spoke appeared on MSN; a chatting program used for work, or in this man’s case, idle chatting.
Writing flourished on the screen under his message, but he took no heed to it. Because at that moment, a popup message told him that ‘Thunder’ had signed in.
“Hey Thunder, how’s things?” The man stretched and read the new message that appeared soon after he spoke.
‘The usual.’
“Oh come on! You’ve known me for what? 4 years? And you tell me that nothing out of the ordinary happens in that dratted class of yours? Can’t fool me, Thunder.”
‘You talk too much. You should also know that I hate to be bothered while working.’
“Heh! Your creation? Hey how is that comin’ along?”
‘You are such a fool for asking, Jason.’
The man referred to Jason looked taken aback. “How’d you figure out my name?! I put, like, about 20 firewalls on that!”
‘Yeah … and they sucked.’
Jason growled and a long ‘Grrrrrrrrrrr’ formed on the screen just as a message appeared under it.
‘Wait …’
Jason stared for a moment and then another message came up under the first.
‘It is complete.’

***

It was finally done. I couldn’t believe it. I checked the coding one more time to make sure.
But it was all complete.
It was time to start this test. The test to see. The test to finally know.
“Access World e-mail.” I said to the screen.
“Accessing World e-mail program.” The computer responded.
I waited. The program opened on command and showed a map of the world.
“Password?” The computer asked.“ %**Hack.” I responded as the password box showed a number of asterixis.
“Password accepted. Starting world e-mail scan.” The computer showed a line going across the world slowly. As it did, the box next to it began showing up billions of emails. This was going to be very interesting.
“Scan complete. Waiting for e-mail.” The computer pulled up an e-mail box.
I smirked. This computer had no idea what it was getting itself into.
I said the email as it typed it down. Once it was complete, I added my attachment to it. My creation was going to be sent to every computer in the world. Will they be able to resist such tempting bait?
“Starting world e-mail bomb. Please stand-by.”
And it began to send.

***

Back at the Pentagon, Jason had an audience around his PC. He was just getting to the good part of his ‘chat’ when the computer told him he had an e-mail…
“What the?!” He said as he read the message.

‘Do you want to be respected by the world? Do you want to know what it is like to have the entire world at your grasp? Do you desire power?
If you do want any of these things, download this file. I assure you that if you do, you will have that power…’

“W – what is this?” Jason stuttered. There were shouts from the other members of the office. They too, had received the same e-mail.

***

I laughed. Laughed and laughed. People were already starting to download the file and it had barely been a minute after I had sent it…
Oh yes. Now this is going to be fun. Nearly everything in this golden age ran off a computer, and everything was connected to one. Nothing would be safe.
Not even that god forsook World Administrator.
“Computer,” I said. “Activate the Genesis Firewall and the virus deflect programs.”
”Activating programs. Please stand by.” The computer responded.
“Load the anti-detect shield and tracking device.” I said once my previous request was handled.
“Activating custom request. Please stand by.” The computer responded again.
There. I thought. The programs have been activated. My computer is protected from the trackers. There is no way I will be affected by my creation.
Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day…

***

“Did you get it too?”
“Everyone got it! This is so cool!”
“Yeah, its like whatever that file was, it upgraded my user status!”
“Same here!”
“I wonder why it was sent to us all?”

Chatter was about nothing else but my creation at school the next day. I couldn’t help but show a small smile when I heard about it. They liked my creation now, but they had no idea what they had done to themselves.
They would all be lost soon enough, once the hackers got a hold of my creation. But this was the human test. This was what I wanted them to do. All they had to do was now choose what to do with their new power. For good or for bad, was the question they will soon ask themselves.
Would they decide to enter a top security web page with that power, or not? It was going to be very interesting to find out what they could do to each other.
They had no idea what they have done to their computer.
“Hey, are you alright?” Anya said to me as I set up my stuff for class that day.
“Oh yes.” I replied and looked up at her. My normal sullen face was gone; this seemed to shock her when she noticed. And it was replaced with a contented look.
“Just … perfect.”

***

“Incoming virus!” A woman shouted from her console at the Pentagon.
“That isn’t all! We’ve got worms, hackers and virus’s coming from all directions!” Said a man next to her.
Jason gritted his teeth. This was all drawn down to whatever that file was. It had been sent to them all, but for what purpose?
He sat back at his PC and commanded, “Computer, find the source for the file ‘Genesis.exe’”
“Tracking file. Please wait.” The computer responded and a magnifying glass appeared on the screen.
“File not found. The PC is unauthorized.” The computer said a minute later.
‘Damn,’ Jason thought as the manager at the Pentagon walked into the room.
“Everyone listen up!” They did so. “There has been a crisis world-wide about this new file ‘Genesis’ and is abilities. We don’t know what it is doing, but the fact remains that whoever installs it on their computer gain extra rights on their user ID. This must be stopped or else the entire world could be destroyed!”
“How so?” Asked a woman in her 30’s.
“Because ordinary people can get into our system! That means they could do anything, like launch a nuclear strike!”
“But there is a cure for the radiation isn’t there?” Said the same woman.
“Yes, but think of the destruction such a thing could cause!” The manager argued. “We need to get the word out about this program fast!”
He walked up to a PC and said, “Computer, load the e-mail program.”
The computer responded accordingly. He thought for a moment about what to write and then said, “To all people of the earth,

This is an official notice from the pentagon of the USA. Any police in the area will arrest anyone with the program ‘Genesis.exe’ on their computer. This is now instated due to the dangerous abilities this new Virus has. Please do whatever you can to get rid of it.

If you receive the e-mail from whomever it is who sent it, please delete it immediately. You have been warned.

Sincerely,

Joseph Kennedy of the Pentagon, USA.”

***

So, the Pentagon has put out a message? How stupid. I thought. If it was the one thing that could’ve made this situation worse,
It was this.
“Incoming virus. Attempting to override.” My computer suddenly said.
“Load the slingshot program.” I said lazily.
“Virus has been deflected.” The computer said a moment later.
That was foolish. The idiot, I created Genesis! I thought savagely. Do you think I would allow some minor virus taint my PC?! That one is gonna pay!
“Grrrr! Access Atom bomb virus!” I snarled at my PC.
“Accessing Atom Bomb Virus. Sending destination required.”
“User 65826. Send now!”
“Sending auto-run virus.” The virus was sent in a matter of seconds.
I saw the User account suddenly disappear and I knew my virus had worked.
“Lets just wait and see what these pathetic humans are going to do now. To do or not to do … is the question.”
I watched my creation downloaded for the millionth time or so. Nearly 68% of the world had now installed the Virus on their PC. But then again, it wasn’t really the creator’s fault for what other people did with my creation.
It was simply their choice.

***

Nearly a week had passed and the world had slipped into nervousness all the way to chaos. It was world war 3 on the PC’s. Everyone almost had the virus on his or her PC. Whenever someone sent a virus to another’s PC, that other person would deflect it. How was it that the virus was doing all of this?
The Pentagon was determined to find out.
During that week Jason and his friend Mark were analysing the coding for the virus. They had found close to nothing, as the coding was very complex, but then…
Hang on a sec, go back to that sector.” Jason said.
His partner obliged and Jason spotted the core.
“I’ve got it.”

***

“It’s like this.” Jason said many minutes later.
Him and his partner were standing in front of a projector. They were showing their workmates along with many others (including the manager) what appeared to be how the virus worked.
“Basically when Microsoft released that World Networking System back in 2042, they created (as you know) an administration system that everyone had to abide by. So the lowest rank was the Unauthorised PC; which is for the general public that wish to remain off the network. Next up is the Authorised PC; which is for the general public.
So next up was us, the Military PC. We have a bit more administration than the regular PC; like being able to look into the secret files and whatnot that is needed.
Then there is the Operating systems PC for those Suits in the Microsoft companies-“
“Yeah, them guys who think they are better than us.” Interrupted a guy from the front.
“Er yes,” Continued Mark from Jason, “But anyway, they have a few more abilities than us; like being able to update the main server and things like that.
Even above that are the country leaders. They have the rights to be able to delete files and also create new ones, but not system files. Many think they are the top of the lot.”
“Aren’t they?” Said another person from the crowd.
“Many think so, but there is an even more powerful person above all of us. Like the computer god.” Mark replied mysteriously.
“That’s right.” Jason continued. “He or she is called the Global Administrator.”
“The global Admin eh?” The manager stated, “And how do you know that?”
“It was in the virus’s coding.” Jason stated. “We figured out who it was after that by using the Military hacking satellite. It wasn’t too had.”
“So, what is this person’s purpose?” Asked the manager.
“Well, from what we found out, he or she is the top, top of the lot. It has the most power of all and also the most deadly.
The power to delete files. Any files that exists on the network.” Jason finished dramatically.
“So…” Said that guy from the crowd, “What is it the virus does?”
“Let me show you. Watch.” Mark said and pushed a few buttons on his computer.
The projected image of all of the stats of different users suddenly seemed to melt together, forming two, shimmering words:
‘Genesis User.’
“G-genesis User?!” The manager cried. “What is this?”
“The virus has merged all of the abilities of all of the different types of users together. Even the Global Admin wouldn’t be able to stop this new status.” Jason said.
The whole apartment seemed to be in a state of despair. Never, in all of their combating life had the military around the world faced such a threat. But the main question still remained: who did this … and why?
There was only one way to find out.
“Sonya!” The manager suddenly said. “Upload that virus onto one of the PC’s and track the User who made the darn thing!”
“But sir-“
“Don’t argue! Just do it!” The manager shouted and stormed out, probably off to get coffee or something.
We’ve been attacked, Jason thought, but for what purpose?

***

I came down to the lounge after I had sent viruses to 34 computers and set up that many firewalls. Honestly, some people never learn…
My mother was in the room when I entered. She nodded to me and placed my dinner in front of me.
My mother and I have a weird relationship. Sometimes she’ll attempt to talk to me and other times she’ll stay completely out of my way. It’s hard to know what my mum is thinking sometimes. And on some other occasions she’ll just sit down next to me and watch me work on my PC. I don’t understand why she does it; its like she wants to take some part of my life in her own way that won’t annoy me. I think she is hiding something and I don’t know what it is. But whatever; it was her business.
When I sat down, my father also entered and sat down opposite me. He always tried to talk to me and I hated it when I was younger. But now I think I finally got the message across that I didn’t want him to say anything to me, unless I wanted something. So that was how it was than he came to get to know me via a PC. He was magic with a PC. He taught me everything there is to know about it and taught me to make firewalls and viruses, only to be used for the good of human kind. But then again, I didn’t really care what he thought about me when I used my viruses and firewalls. I used them the way I wanted. But then again, if it weren’t for him, I’d never be able to make Genesis.
Even though I was the daughter, they waited for me to speak first.
“The virus is spreading. Almost all the world has it.” I said and started on my meal of steak and vegetables.
“Placed a tracker on it did you?” Dad asked, knowing the answer.
“Yes.” Ask a simple question, get a simple answer.
I ate a little and then said, “Has the Pentagon found out who sent it out yet?”
My father worked there.
“Nope.” My father said and ate some of the meat, “but it’s only a matter of time. They’ve already figured out how the virus works.”
“Really?” I asked, not caring much for the answer.
“And they’ve found out about the Global Administrator-“
Clang.
Both my father and me looked at my mother. The wine that had previously been held in her glass was spilling across the table. Her expression was masked.
“How did they find that out?” She said, no trace of any strange emotion.
“It was apparently in the Virus’s coding as far as I know,” Dad said. “They figured out where that rank was on the charts due to hacking into the main system.”
My mother said nothing. She finished her meal and left the table without a word.
My eyes narrowed in suspicion. Something is up.

***

Jason scanned the network for the hundredth time. He hadn’t found that dratted user yet, and he had been searching for him or her for an oblivion!
This is so damn annoying! He thought, How could such a user be so skilled that they’d get past the Pentagon hacking system?!
Jason then just thought of what he said. And he remembered.

***

‘The usual.’
“Oh come on! You’ve known me for what? 4 years? And you tell me that nothing out of the ordinary happens in that dratted class of yours? Can’t fool me, Thunder.”
‘You talk too much. You should also know that I hate to be bothered while working.’
“Heh! Your creation? Hey how is that comin’ along?”
‘You are such a fool for asking, Jason.’
“How’d you figure out my name?! I put, like, about 20 firewalls on that!”
‘Yeah … and they sucked.’
‘Grrrrrrrrrrr’
‘Wait …’
‘It is complete.’

***

It’s Thunder.
Jason was shocked. No, it couldn’t be her!
Just then, his computer told him that Thunder had signed in…

***

The manager watched in despair as his world was destroyed little by little. This virus had already allowed a User to bomb a country …
We need a vaccine! He thought desperately, And fast!

***

“Thunder!” Jason screeched, making all the other workers turn to watch too. “I can’t believe you made Genesis!”
Why not?
Jason could’ve had fire coming out of his ears at the unsatisfactory answer.
“I didn’t think it was like you!”
You don’t know me. No one knows me, not even my own parents. What makes you think you know me any better? I’ve never even met you and yet you still claim to know me. Don’t kid yourself. I’m a mystery that’s never meant to be solved.
Jason gasped at the message. When he regained his composure, he asked, “Thunder, did you create the Genesis virus?”
By now, the whole compartment was gathered around Jason.
There was a brief pause when a single word appeared under Jason’s:
Yes.
Jason gasped and stared in shock at the screen. Then he said, in a whisper barely audible, “Why?”
What?
“Why did you create it, Thunder?” Jason asked, his voice full of bitterness, “Don’t you know how much destruction it has caused?”
I didn’t cause it. It was their choice to use it like that! I merely gave them the equipment! Does a gun shop owner get in trouble when he sells a soon-to-be robber a gun? NO! You listen, Jason. They made their choice by their own free will! They chose to use Genesis for destruction. It wasn’t my fault they did so. I didn’t ask them to. This is their path. Genesis is the key for either destruction or peace on this world, and they chose destruction. And to that I say, so be it.
Jason stared at the message. Her words made sense but they weren’t all right. They just couldn’t be.
“But …” Jason cleared his throat, aware of the stunned silence around him, “But shouldn’t there be a choice?”
There was. And they chose what they chose. I have nothing more to say to you now, Jason.
A message showed up on the screen, telling the silent crowd that Thunder had gone offline…
“Manager,” Jason said in monotone. “I have the user ID. Homing in on it now.”

***

I glared at the screen. I hated this place. I offered them a choice didn’t I? I didn’t make them choose what they did with Genesis. Why should I care now?
I didn’t notice my mother standing at the doorway until I turned and found her there.
She had a sullen look on her face. “Why’d you do it?”
I whipped my head away from her in a rage, “I hate this world’s setup. I wanted to give everyone a fair chance to excel in this world; not to be held down by barriers.”
“People are held back, my dear daughter.” My mother said, a small grin coming onto her face, “They are held back by their own mind. They can only excel if they want to. You haven’t given people chances, you’ve taken them away.”
I turned to face her, shock written on my face.
“Giving people such a program as Genesis has allowed the greedy instincts we all possess to wander freely. You may not have made that choice for them, but you have merely given the robber a gun in his hand. Do you really think anyone on this world would use that virus without some kind of greed shining though in the end? Even you have used Genesis to your own personal devices. Am I right?”
I remembered the slingshot program I made and I began to feel ashamed.
But I don’t give in that easily.
“Mum?” I whispered, not looking directly at her.
“Yes?” She said softly.
I turned to her, “You maybe right, but no one has learned from his or her mistakes! They are all blaming the virus! It wasn’t the virus that did it, it was the people who made the choice to use it the way they wanted!”
My mother took a step back. I was shouting now.
“You’ve hidden this status from me too long! I figured out who you are, Global Administrator!”
She was scared. I could see it in her eyes, “How did you find out?”
I smirked at her, “I infected my PC with the Genesis prototype, that’s how. It wasn’t complete at that time, but it allowed me to access top secret files. Files about you that even you know nothing of.”
“But how is that possible?” My mother shouted.
“My god you are naïve sometimes.” I muttered and then said normally, “people can shield their items from you via the use of a stealth firewall. They thought they could hide it from you, and they did, but they could not hide it from me!”
We stood there, staring into each other’s eyes. While her brown eyes were filled with warmth that could only come from being loved; mine held nothing but an icy void of darkness.
But that wasn’t my fault. Heh. It never was.
“Please end this, my daughter.” My mother whispered.
I stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. Then, in barely a whisper, I said, “No.”
I turned and walked back to my PC. I felt her gaze following me and I said, “Get out of my room, Global Admin. Don’t disturb me. If everyone wants an end to this, they have the power to end it themselves. So they can do it themselves.”

***

By now, the whole world had the virus. And predictably, the whole world was in chaos.
It was a battle of wits to keep them alive. I thought. The world is being destroyed. I felt the world shake as bombs swerved around in circles as people from all different places tried to control it. Why did people use my virus for this?!
But isn’t this what they chose? Isn’t this what they wanted in a sense?

***

Jason rode in the battle vehicle to Thunder’s house. He didn’t want to do this, but what choice did he have?
Sometimes Thunder, he thought, I wish you weren’t so confusing.
They entered the house. Thunder’s father greeted them as if they were guests for dinner, but was shocked when they told him what they were here for.
“But my daughter would never! You must listen!” He cried as they made their way to her room.
“We have the evidence to prove it, Mr. Larin. Please excuse us,” Said one of the guards.

***

I turned and faced the wall as the guards burst into my room. Even if they thought they could arrest me, they still made me feel a little uneasy.
But then again, I had more weapons than they thought…
“User 00023! You are hereby-“
The soldier didn’t get to finish as I interrupted with a swish from my electric sword crackling though the air.
I lowered it slowly and said, “I’m not going anywhere.”
The soldiers seemed taken aback. Out of the crowd burst a man in his 20’s by the look of him. He had scruffy blonde hair and would be the object of many girls’ affection.
“Thunder! Why did you do this?!” He shouted.
I smirked, “Hello Jason.”
He growled and I think he was about to charge me, but my sword seemed to put him off the idea.
“Why did you create Genesis, Thunder?” He growled.
“To answer,” I began, and the soldiers who seemed to want to attack were brought to a halt, “I very old question.”
“A question?” Jason repeated.
“That’s right.” I said and swung the sword down to stab into the floor in front of me.
“Well, actually, many questions really. ‘Why is there no peace on earth?’ ‘Why must people fight each other?’ ‘Why do we want more power?’ All those answers can be answered right now without a hitch.”
“I don’t understand.” Jason said, confused.
“It’s simple.” I said. “Think. I made Genesis to make people have as much power as they could possibly want. Why do we want more? Because they want to be able to rule this world in their own way! That answers every question. Humans are greedy!
There is no peace on earth because people use power for this!” I pointed my sword out the window; a bomb went off in the distance.
“We fight each other because of that greed. We always want something from someone else in order to gain power! So I sent Genesis to the whole world; asking them to make a choice that in the end would ultimately decide their fate. And it has.”
A stunned silence followed my words. Jason then spoke up.
“But, no-one wants to do all those things-“
“Oh wake up!” I shouted. “You don’t need to say it aloud! It’s all written out like a script to me! I merely saw what all humans’ desire – power. And I gave them that power. If they want world peace then they need to stop blaming everyone but himself or herself. They need to recognise that they are causing the problem!
The administration system of this world’s computers sucked because people wanted more power. Therefore the tension for it grew to a point beyond anything and I’ll be prepared to bet that if I didn’t make Genesis, someone else would’ve.
So if you want to end all of this, then do it yourself.”
I swung around and faced the wall again. I was confused a bit. Somehow I just knew…
What I had done was just not right.
But it would’ve happened sooner or later.
“People complain so much and protest more, but no-one stopped to think why there are wars and fights and more wars. It was a ploy to prove how much power they had in a sense. The US thinks they are so high and mighty for defeating so many nations, but all they created was enemies in every direction. It was all for power.
What I find amazing is why I was the only one to figure this all out.
The true reason I sent Genesis out was because I wanted people to realise these things. But all it has done it seems is make people worse. That saddens me.
But now humans have chosen their fate; they will now reap their reward.”
I turned to them and swung my sword up. “Leave.”
“No.”
It was not Jason who answered this time. It wasn’t even one of the soldiers.
It was my father.

***

I shouldn’t be shocked, but I was. It was the first time I had seen my father in his uniform and looking so dangerous. It scared me that this really was that guy who had made me an expert at what I do. What was most frightening about his sudden appearance was that I knew he was on their side.
I just knew.
He stepped forward and said lowly, “I didn’t think it of you, my dear.”
I glared at him. “You taught me the things I know now. You made me see the truth!”
“I didn’t expect you to send a global e-mail with a deadly virus on it!” He roared.
“It wasn’t Genesis that made those people do what they did!”
“That is a wrong statement.” He closed his eyes.
I stared at him, “No, it’s not.”
“Thunder.” He opened his eyes and I somehow saw the great knowledge he always had shining in his eyes. “It is true that the virus didn’t exactly do the things that are happening
now, but it began it.”
“Be … gan it?” I said slowly, drawing it out, as my reasons all seemed to float away. I was alone with him in a void now.
“Yes. You merely made everyone what they wanted, to be equal; therefore creating a situation that none of us have ever seen the likes of. It made them feel insecure. Scared.
Their greed and the greed that resides in all of us are here and always will be, but the fact remains that humans will never have world peace. But then again why am I telling you stuff you already know?”
I opened my mouth in surprise as he smiled gently.
“I have the vaccine made and ready. Yes, this is what humans deserved, but they don’t understand things like you or I. Now, why don’t you take that admirable sword and go and stop that mass party protesting against that virus?”
“No.”
“No?” He couldn’t hide his surprise. “Why not? Thunder –“
“Everyone hasn’t learnt yet!”
The void disappeared. I suddenly became aware of everyone in my room and why. I couldn’t allow them to destroy Genesis, but I wanted the madness I had started to end.
But how was I going to end something like this?
I had the answer.
“Computer,” I said and I raised my sword to the men …
“Activate the world video transmission.”

***

The Pentagon was packed with people. They were trying their best to stop the antics of the entire world, but it seemed a hopeless cause.
“What the?!” A man exclaimed as his screen suddenly blurred into the scene of Thunder’s house.

***

“Video transmission successful. Awaiting transmission acknowledgment from Thunder.” My PC stated.
I turned away from the men at my door and walked to my computer. All around the world, people would see the same thing: Thunder.
“People of the earth.” I started, and my words were subtitled instantly for the foreign nations, “For those who don’t know me, I am the creator of Genesis. The virus you so willingly accepted.
I am here to tell you that you have made the biggest mistake of your lives. You always seem to think that whenever something goes wrong that it is something or someone else’s fault. You are blaming the virus for your trauma, but you should really blame yourselves.
Is it Genesis out there making bombs fly from the Pentagon or from some other military centre where you live? NO! It is you who is doing it! So if you want all of this madness to end, then you need to stop blaming anything but yourselves. I merely made that virus to give you what you wanted: power, and that should have made you content and make the world at peace. But then again it is not the nature of humans to do that is it? All they want to do is cause destruction to the world. Ha. I’ve done all I can now. I even shelved my pride to give you this cryptic message. Be glad you even got that chance.”
“Video transmission complete.” My PC said.
I turned to the silent crowd at my door. “There. I’ve done my bit, now all they have to do is respond. If they don’t, then it is their problem-“
“STOP IT THUNDER!!”
If shouts could knock people off their feet, then that one from Jason could throw someone into a wall.
His fists shook as he refused to look at me. I was too stunned to move.
Finally, with a plea in his voice that I never thought I would hear from him, he spoke. “Why can’t you understand your mistakes? How can I make you see the problem that you have caused? Humans cannot be perfect Thunder! We make mistakes! But that is no reason to make them the most pronounced part of us all! That is all your virus did!
It made us all use our dark side only!” He screamed the last line.
I stood against the wall, my sword hanging limply in my hand. I … I think I understood now. Now I understand why I thought what I had done was wrong …
I never thought of what humans really wanted. Yes, they wanted power, wealth and a great life … but it seemed I had blindly taken away the last one. Was it this sole instinct that made me realise that what I had done was wrong? Was it really this?
But what was my existence really about then? What am I here for? I don’t understand!!!
I gripped my head and I felt my mind tear in two. My mind couldn’t take this kind of strain! All of my hard work, all of it! Was it for nothing? I just don’t get it! SOMEONE SAVE ME!!!
“Thunder!” I heard my father shout.
I screamed and then …
I … I think I blacked out …

***

Where am I?
In the spirit realm.
The spirit realm?
A place for a confused spirit such as yourself.

Total darkness surrounded me. A male voice like that of god echoed though the void I had gone to. Was I dead? I didn’t know. The voice spoke again.
You have done the right thing, Arishen.
“My name is … and always will be … Thunder …” I heard myself mutter.
Very well, Thunder. Do not aghast. Your true destiny is still to reveal itself. You will only know what is to come when you wake.
A vortex of light sucked me up.
I was going back…

***

When I awoke I found that I was in my room. The bombs still raged outside of me and I sensed the men next to me. I stirred, sitting up and saw my father with men from the pentagon around me. What is it they wanted now?
‘Your true destiny is still to reveal itself. You will only know what is to come when you wake.’ I recalled the voice …
And suddenly I remembered something … from a long time ago …

***

“Daddy? What is that?”
I pointed to a bizarre symbol on the roof of a Chinese temple. My mother and father and I were on a holiday in china. My father said it had an incredible mythology sites and a deep culture. I was impressed to say the least of the places here. I had even seen him speak in Chinese to people. Before me was this strange temple. It was red and had many carvings on the roof and sides. Its structure was very pretty. The curves of the roof were like rose petals and inside was gold with beautiful carpet.
“That circle on the roof?” He questioned. I nodded.
“It’s called the symbol of balance, or Ying and Yang. The black side means darkness and the white side means light. The dots in the halves show that these two elements cannot survive without the other. Complete balance.” He finished.
I stared at the symbol and wondered aloud, “Are humans like Ying and Yang?”
“Indeed they are,” My mother answered this time. “We have a dark side and a light side, but, like Ying and Yang, are equally balanced. I shudder to think if our dark side ever became more dominant.”
I looked at it for a moment before my father told me to hurry up. We entered soon after…

***

“Thunder!”
I was jolted out of my flashback by Jason. I stared at him and he moved away, clearly under the impression that I didn’t want him near me.
I knew what I had to do, but I didn’t want to somehow … I guess it was because I couldn’t go against the one thing that I thought I knew …
But my father was one step ahead of me.
Because my PC at that moment announced:
“Vaccine successful. The virus ‘Genesis’ has been eliminated…”
I stared at my screen … the message relayed in my head.
Denial. That is what humans really wanted. My pride was bruised and I knew I had lost. I never gave up on things in life, but there was nothing I could do now. My voice held no emotion as I spoke:
“Computer … shut down…”

***

I guess I hit a revelation during my weekend because I realised what I really wanted out of life. The weekend passed quite uneventfully after that and before I knew it, I was faced with a Monday of school.
Well, things weren’t all the same. A couple of countries in Asia had been bombed and now the USA were a clean-up crew. I still laugh at the thought of Jason grumbling around Asia, picking up litter with a pair of tongs.
I had rung up Anya and had a chat to her. She seemed very shocked that I had called her.
I said I’ve had a change of heart.
Well, it was true. I suppose my destiny was to bring some understanding to this world about what power can do to a person. I seemed to have accomplished that fairly well, but I think it was more than that. My father told me that I was both the light and dark of this world somehow … and that my Yang side was dominant throughout most of my life. It made sense, so I didn’t argue. I had had enough confusion as it was.
Anya and her friends Tara and Jess walked up to me as I made my way out to recess that day.
“Erm, hey there … er-“
“Just call me by my nickname, Thunder.” I said, smiling.
The girls looked for a moment as if they were about to faint. It seemed as if I had just shattered my macho image that I had managed to gain here. But I didn’t care. Nor did Anya.
She smiled too. After all, she owed me a fair bit. I had saved her neck a fair few times in class. She seemed to get in trouble an awful lot.
“Hey, wanna come and sunbake with us?” She asked and I nodded.
So, things had changed. My creation was gone from the world now, but it still sat proudly on my desktop, it’s vaccine by its side. I smiled. Yes, things had changed. I sat on the grass next to my friends as they chatted happily about boys and other things. I threw my head back and closed my eyes; the sun was a healthy thing to me now, as were a lot of things that I had previously hated. God, it seemed as if the Chinese; as crazy as some of the myths they have are, had some truth to them. When I reflected back on what I had done I wondered, if I had made the virus to make everyone not have any authority at all, would it have been different? No. Somehow I think that however I had made Genesis, it was still a virus …
But all viruses had a weak spot. And Genesis was no exception.
But I knew in my heart that everyone worldwide were a bit wiser to what power could do to them. I just hoped that I could trust my heart as I had trusted Genesis. But for now … I won’t worry …
I lay down and watched the clouds drift by; always changing their forms.
Always changing, I mused.
Yes. This world is always changing.

The End.