The horizon was awash with smoke, buildings smoldered with the remnants of laser fire as the invading armada rained down luminescent death. Roderick watched from the rooftop of one of the last remaining buildings, looking down at the horror plastered on the black faces below.. His armor gleamed in the setting sun, it’s red and black accents glistening in the waning light. His city was under siege by an invading force from beyond the stars. He leapt into the air slicing through one of the ships with his bare hands. His armor turned him to a living super powered bullet, his hands tore through the extra-terrestrial metal with such ease that he had to acknowledge that this too was a dream.
However even in dreams he was still fighting for his father’s , a place where people of color could be safe from persecution, safe from annihilation. This mission he’d be tasked with belonged to his father and it was now his. The fire from heaven now focused on bombarding him with abandon. The building he had landed on was now a pile of ash. The beams became a focused drill pouring on a deluge of destruction. The light was blinding and he attempted to contain it with his hands. “Better they focus on me than my people.” he thought. Looking past the beam he sneered at the pale almost translucent ships of the invaders. Then he noticed something beyond them, just a spec at first, but it was barreling through the upper atmosphere like a meteor struggling to make landfall. “What is that?” He thought to himself as the light finally overtook his vision and blinded him.
For as long as Roderick Parker could remember his father Jeremiah was his hero. A scientist, writer and inventor, he was the perfect role model where so many black boys had none. From their weekend marathons of Star Trek to discussing Einstein's theory of relativity, they were not only father and son, but the best of friends. Which is why when Jeremiah told him about the new project he’d received a grant for, Roderick jumped at the chance to assist his father. What fascinated him more than the possibility of instantaneous travel that the mechanism known as the “Fourth Wall” provided was the fact that he would be passing through a completely different reality to do it. This was truly the stuff of science fiction and Roderick Parker was sitting on its threshold. As they sat down for dinner he was so giddy he could hardly finish his food. His parents Jeremiah and Anita, however looked more concerned than anything. While things in their city had been relatively, quiet across the country, black men like Jeremiah and Roderick were being murdered on camera by law enforcement. This very present reality had plagued Jeremiah’s mind like a swarm of locusts, eating at him with the voracity of a starving piranha. What good was stepping across space if those here were still dying for crossing the street? He felt he had to do something, he owed it to his wonderful wife who tried as she might as a lawyer, was unable to tell give closure to the families of the slain who had sought justice. And his son who one day would grow up, God willing, to be a man who might come into contact with those forces that wish to destroy him so utterly.
“Where 18 year old Shamiek Johnson was pronounced dead after his confrontation with the police.” Anita let out a heavy sigh as she cast a gaze over her teenage son. Roderick would be in his first year of college by next month, he was the same age as Shamiek Johnson and if not for the grace of God and a little luck, would’ve been him. After dinner Anita went about prepping for her day at the law office, leaving her husband and son alone in the dining room.
“So when’s the inaugural test run?” Roderick asked giddily.
“Should be in a few days.” Jeremiah eyed him suspiciously. “You know you can’t be there for it, right?”
“Aw why not?”
“Because I’m your father and I said so.” Jeremiah got up from the table. “I’ve never let you be apart of an experiment I thought was too risky.”
“But…
“Listen, the chances of your mother and I losing you outside of the laboratory is higher than ever. I’ll be damned if I put you in harm's way on my watch.” Jeremiah said with finality.
“Dad, look it's not that serious…”
“Boy I have never laid hands on you a day in your life, so don't make me start.”
Roderick looked at his father incredulously. “May I be excused...sir?”
“Go ahead, and get to bed.” Jeremiah sat back down and looked off into the living room towards the T.V. as Roderick walked out of the dining room with his head down. Jeremiah looked on toward the television. The crying face of of Brenda Johnson filled the screen, tears fell for her son, whose life was cut short and whose future is now forfeit. Jeremiah rubbed his fore-knuckle with his thumb, this is why he did what he did. The Fourth wall project had to work for all the Brenda Johnson’s of the world who would have to bury their sons before they saw 25. He sat there for a few more moments before the phone rang. “Hello.” Jeremiah answered with trepidation. It was almost 10:30pm he knew of only one person who would call at this hour. “How is it going Dr. Ripley.” Boomed the voice.
“Well it’s nice of you to ask General Doling…”
“Before you continue, I’m talking about the experiment.” Dolling said with finality
“It’s coming along well...I have a few more things to put into place.” Jeremiah swallowed. “ If you could just give me a bit of time.”
“We’re giving you time. But time is not a renewable resource.” Dolling exclaimed. “Get it done.” Dolling hung up the phone. Jeremiah sighed, turned off the T.V. and walked up stairs toward his bedroom. He passed Roderick’s room, the boy was asleep or at least he appeared to be. Jeremiah regretted snapping at him, but the boy had to understand that the world was not a game and that there were very real forces at work that wouldn’t think twice about taking his life. He walked into his room greeting Anita with heavy eyes. “You know he just wants to help you?”
“I’m aware of that Ita.” He incited his pet name for her when they were dating. “I just...he has to understand that this isn’t a game.”
“ That boy has been under your arm since he stopped breastfeeding, he was playing with electrodes before he started playing with blocks, you think he isn’t aware of the dangers?” Anita gave him a knowing look. “ He’s not a child anymore.”
“I’m aware, I know we raised him right.” Jeremiah sighed and got into bed. Anita turned off the light and they both went to bed.
The sky was a strange violet, filled with Eldritch forms mountains made of swirling smoke, the stars were were blacker than any substance he had seen before. The world was a void and he was the only one in it. A voice sounded in his mind and a face formed out of the void, a feminine face black and gleaming..
“ This is world can be yours.”
“Who are you...Where am I…” Jeremiah looked around in awe and horror. “ What are you talking about?”
“I am Scrawl, the world waiting to be born.” The face changed to his own. “ Shape me.”
Below his feet, he watched in horror as his son was drawn on by police. He screamed as his son stood in fright with his hands up backing up slowly and attempted to reach him, beating on the floor as bullets tore through the boy’s body.
“No!” Jeremiah screamed himself awake.
Anita jumped up. “What happened?”
The terrified Jeremiah turned to her out of breath. “Just a nightmare.”He chuckled “I...feel almost childish saying that, but that’s what it was.”
“Well it must’ve been bad, what was it.”
“ Roddy, he the police...I think I need to stop watching the news.” He got up from the bed and began to pace. Anita knew what would come next, she internally sighed and then exhaled loudly. He would retreat to his lab, as of late he had spent more time there than he had in their bed, that fact that he lie with her this night was completely unexpected and she was hopeful that maybe he would start to find comfort in her again. “I’m going to head down to the lab.” This phrase had become like talisman, a symbol of his obsession with the project.
“I guess that's the only place you feel comfortable anymore, huh?”
“What's that supposed to mean?” He turned towards her raising an eyebrow.
“Exactly what I said.” She stood up. “Nowadays whenever you're stressed out or worried you head down to your lab and work on that project!” She sighed. “I...I feel like you're having an affair.”
“That's ridiculous, Anita.” He he gestured towards her. “You have to understand what I’m trying to do.”
“Jeremy, I do understand, but why must it be all you do? I feel like I’ve been living without my husband for the past two months.”
This statement gave him pause. “I...I’m sorry you feel that way Ani.” He reached out to her. “But that boy tonight on the news Shemik, he could’ve been….”
“You don't think I know that? I’m a lawyer, I have to sit everyday and watch as parents like us are denied justice while their child sits in the morgue.” She scowled. “Just because some coward in a badge felt threatened.
However even in dreams he was still fighting for his father’s , a place where people of color could be safe from persecution, safe from annihilation. This mission he’d be tasked with belonged to his father and it was now his. The fire from heaven now focused on bombarding him with abandon. The building he had landed on was now a pile of ash. The beams became a focused drill pouring on a deluge of destruction. The light was blinding and he attempted to contain it with his hands. “Better they focus on me than my people.” he thought. Looking past the beam he sneered at the pale almost translucent ships of the invaders. Then he noticed something beyond them, just a spec at first, but it was barreling through the upper atmosphere like a meteor struggling to make landfall. “What is that?” He thought to himself as the light finally overtook his vision and blinded him.
For as long as Roderick Parker could remember his father Jeremiah was his hero. A scientist, writer and inventor, he was the perfect role model where so many black boys had none. From their weekend marathons of Star Trek to discussing Einstein's theory of relativity, they were not only father and son, but the best of friends. Which is why when Jeremiah told him about the new project he’d received a grant for, Roderick jumped at the chance to assist his father. What fascinated him more than the possibility of instantaneous travel that the mechanism known as the “Fourth Wall” provided was the fact that he would be passing through a completely different reality to do it. This was truly the stuff of science fiction and Roderick Parker was sitting on its threshold. As they sat down for dinner he was so giddy he could hardly finish his food. His parents Jeremiah and Anita, however looked more concerned than anything. While things in their city had been relatively, quiet across the country, black men like Jeremiah and Roderick were being murdered on camera by law enforcement. This very present reality had plagued Jeremiah’s mind like a swarm of locusts, eating at him with the voracity of a starving piranha. What good was stepping across space if those here were still dying for crossing the street? He felt he had to do something, he owed it to his wonderful wife who tried as she might as a lawyer, was unable to tell give closure to the families of the slain who had sought justice. And his son who one day would grow up, God willing, to be a man who might come into contact with those forces that wish to destroy him so utterly.
“Where 18 year old Shamiek Johnson was pronounced dead after his confrontation with the police.” Anita let out a heavy sigh as she cast a gaze over her teenage son. Roderick would be in his first year of college by next month, he was the same age as Shamiek Johnson and if not for the grace of God and a little luck, would’ve been him. After dinner Anita went about prepping for her day at the law office, leaving her husband and son alone in the dining room.
“So when’s the inaugural test run?” Roderick asked giddily.
“Should be in a few days.” Jeremiah eyed him suspiciously. “You know you can’t be there for it, right?”
“Aw why not?”
“Because I’m your father and I said so.” Jeremiah got up from the table. “I’ve never let you be apart of an experiment I thought was too risky.”
“But…
“Listen, the chances of your mother and I losing you outside of the laboratory is higher than ever. I’ll be damned if I put you in harm's way on my watch.” Jeremiah said with finality.
“Dad, look it's not that serious…”
“Boy I have never laid hands on you a day in your life, so don't make me start.”
Roderick looked at his father incredulously. “May I be excused...sir?”
“Go ahead, and get to bed.” Jeremiah sat back down and looked off into the living room towards the T.V. as Roderick walked out of the dining room with his head down. Jeremiah looked on toward the television. The crying face of of Brenda Johnson filled the screen, tears fell for her son, whose life was cut short and whose future is now forfeit. Jeremiah rubbed his fore-knuckle with his thumb, this is why he did what he did. The Fourth wall project had to work for all the Brenda Johnson’s of the world who would have to bury their sons before they saw 25. He sat there for a few more moments before the phone rang. “Hello.” Jeremiah answered with trepidation. It was almost 10:30pm he knew of only one person who would call at this hour. “How is it going Dr. Ripley.” Boomed the voice.
“Well it’s nice of you to ask General Doling…”
“Before you continue, I’m talking about the experiment.” Dolling said with finality
“It’s coming along well...I have a few more things to put into place.” Jeremiah swallowed. “ If you could just give me a bit of time.”
“We’re giving you time. But time is not a renewable resource.” Dolling exclaimed. “Get it done.” Dolling hung up the phone. Jeremiah sighed, turned off the T.V. and walked up stairs toward his bedroom. He passed Roderick’s room, the boy was asleep or at least he appeared to be. Jeremiah regretted snapping at him, but the boy had to understand that the world was not a game and that there were very real forces at work that wouldn’t think twice about taking his life. He walked into his room greeting Anita with heavy eyes. “You know he just wants to help you?”
“I’m aware of that Ita.” He incited his pet name for her when they were dating. “I just...he has to understand that this isn’t a game.”
“ That boy has been under your arm since he stopped breastfeeding, he was playing with electrodes before he started playing with blocks, you think he isn’t aware of the dangers?” Anita gave him a knowing look. “ He’s not a child anymore.”
“I’m aware, I know we raised him right.” Jeremiah sighed and got into bed. Anita turned off the light and they both went to bed.
The sky was a strange violet, filled with Eldritch forms mountains made of swirling smoke, the stars were were blacker than any substance he had seen before. The world was a void and he was the only one in it. A voice sounded in his mind and a face formed out of the void, a feminine face black and gleaming..
“ This is world can be yours.”
“Who are you...Where am I…” Jeremiah looked around in awe and horror. “ What are you talking about?”
“I am Scrawl, the world waiting to be born.” The face changed to his own. “ Shape me.”
Below his feet, he watched in horror as his son was drawn on by police. He screamed as his son stood in fright with his hands up backing up slowly and attempted to reach him, beating on the floor as bullets tore through the boy’s body.
“No!” Jeremiah screamed himself awake.
Anita jumped up. “What happened?”
The terrified Jeremiah turned to her out of breath. “Just a nightmare.”He chuckled “I...feel almost childish saying that, but that’s what it was.”
“Well it must’ve been bad, what was it.”
“ Roddy, he the police...I think I need to stop watching the news.” He got up from the bed and began to pace. Anita knew what would come next, she internally sighed and then exhaled loudly. He would retreat to his lab, as of late he had spent more time there than he had in their bed, that fact that he lie with her this night was completely unexpected and she was hopeful that maybe he would start to find comfort in her again. “I’m going to head down to the lab.” This phrase had become like talisman, a symbol of his obsession with the project.
“I guess that's the only place you feel comfortable anymore, huh?”
“What's that supposed to mean?” He turned towards her raising an eyebrow.
“Exactly what I said.” She stood up. “Nowadays whenever you're stressed out or worried you head down to your lab and work on that project!” She sighed. “I...I feel like you're having an affair.”
“That's ridiculous, Anita.” He he gestured towards her. “You have to understand what I’m trying to do.”
“Jeremy, I do understand, but why must it be all you do? I feel like I’ve been living without my husband for the past two months.”
This statement gave him pause. “I...I’m sorry you feel that way Ani.” He reached out to her. “But that boy tonight on the news Shemik, he could’ve been….”
“You don't think I know that? I’m a lawyer, I have to sit everyday and watch as parents like us are denied justice while their child sits in the morgue.” She scowled. “Just because some coward in a badge felt threatened.
