“Aldous is gone. George is gone. Phillip. Jules. Hell, even Mary. All gone.”

“Greg too.”

“Yeah, Greg too.”

The two men sat in silence around the campfire. The tall redwoods watched over them as they tried to keep warm. Silence for miles. Normally, light pollution prevented the stars from shining at night. Far out into the forests, hundreds of miles from humanity, the stars were clearly visible. Pillars of gaseous nebulae colored the sky.

“Do you think John made it? He should’ve been back by now.”

“Give him time.”

“I’m telling you he shouldn’t have gone.”

“Just give him time.”

“I mean geez, he should’ve been back hours ago at the latest. It’s been a week – no, it’s been over a week.”

“I said give him time.”

Ben sat there nervously shaking his hands. He doubted John would return. Jared’s face didn’t show it, but he was just as nervous. He didn’t think John would succumb to the pressure, but the thought of John assimilating couldn’t escape his mind. They both stared into the fire.

Jared looked up towards the road. Nothing. No lights in the distance or the sound of a car. Silence. Silence for miles.

John was surprised with the city. He had read about them – well, at least when the camp still allowed books. But it was different now than what the books told. He didn’t see any cars, only few lights. There were buildings, but they weren’t the blocking forms that he had seen in his books. They were organic looking forms. Pyramids, domes, tree-like forms covered the city – the streets themselves were curvy to go around the buildings. No people, as far as John could tell. He got out of his car and snuck around a building. He tried to stay hidden. He didn’t know what the building would actually look like, only that it would be shaped like a green letter “T.”

“Face it, he’s gone. You shouldn’t have had him go.”

“Would you be quiet?”

Ben looked back into the fire.

“I mean he used to read books. Magazines. The National Geographic stuff.”

“John would never leave. Even if he wanted, he’d come back first.”

Ben was skeptical. He talked to John sometimes. John was a loner. He agreed for reconnaissance back at the city, mainly to see why Mary had never come back. Why she never came back to say why she left. Why she never even sent a message. To bring her back.

At least, that’s what John told Jared. But Ben knew John might have secretly curious. Only Ben knew about John’s secret collection of Shakespeare. John was devastated when they stopped allowing books to be kept. Ever since the drought, everyone in the village had work. John had read of different societies, societies that used technology – things like “phones”, “computers” – things that interested him.

John crept around the buildings at first, but the city was empty. He walked into the streets. No one was there. Deserted. He saw the “T” in the distance – it was one of the few buildings with lights, with red lights – towering over the city.

“John.”

Mary. It was Mary’s voice. He turned around. There was no one there.

“John.”

He heard it again. But the city was empty. No one. No one walking the streets.

“John, it’s Mary.”

“Where are you? Mary!"

“Mary?”

"Hi John.”

“I can’t see you Mary.”

“I’m here John.”

John turned around again. Mary was standing there. She looked how she did three years ago. Exactly. 

“Mary.”

Mary stood there. John went in to embrace her. 

“Why did you leaver Mary? Why?”

Mary didn’t answer.

“I missed you Mary.”

They held each other in the street alone.

“Tell me why Mary. Where you were you? Can’t you just tell me?”

Mary waited a moment.

“I’ll show you.”

Mary brought John to the giant T.

“This is it.”

“What’s in there?”

Mary stood silent.

“Why won’t you just tell me Mary?”

She didn’t answer him. She entered the building first - an empty arch with no door, and motioned for John to come in.

Mary disappeared into the dark entrance.

“Mary wait.”

He walked into the doorway. A panel closed behind him, trapping him in darkness.

“Mary I. . . Mary?”

Mary was nowhere to be seen. 

“He’s been reading books, hasn’t he.”

“What, no he handed back-“

“I’m not stupid man.”

Ben didn’t respond.

“I found a collection of plays buried under a rock in the garden.”

“If you knew, why did you let him go?”

“I don’t know.”

“Mary, please, where are you?”

A new voice boomed. It was clear and loud, but not shouting. It was almost like the voice was coming from inside his head.

“John, hello.”

“Who’s there? Who is it?”

John trembled with fear. He feared the whole thing was a trap.

“Don’t worry, it’s not a trap.”

A light turned on. He was back in the village. Ben was fixing a hut. Jared was overseeing farming efforts. But there was Aldous, and George. Phillip, Jules. Greg too.

And then there was Mary.

“Mary, where – what is this?”

Mary didn’t open her mouth.

“This is the city,” spoke a voice – Mary’s voice.

THE CITY:

The city worked much differently than any society before. Information was instantly transmitted between humans - the avenues of communication were reduced to the point where society became a single collective. It represented a technological singularity where all knowledge was democratic - almost anarchic.

“He’s not coming back Jared. Face it. Let’s head back to the village.”

“Damn it.”

“If he comes back, he’ll manage to wait out at the campsite. We’ll check back tomorrow.”

Jared sat a moment, looking out at the open dirt road.

“Let’s go.”