The Future of History

Mal , and I have been issuing each other writing challenges. The first challenge was to write a poem about marriage and gout, and we accomplished that (see "Dreams and Toes"  and "Goutage" ). Our second challenge to each other is to write a short story (I think we said less than 1000 words) based on a prompt. He provided a list of quotations, from which I selected the final prompt. I am pleased to present my short story, based on the following prompt:

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. Soren Kierkegaard

The Future of History

The lab partners sat next to each other, peering through individual binocular heads that were part of a much larger, and mostly unused, multi-headed research microscope. Estimated to be hundreds of years old, it was the pride of the Science Branch of the Office of Rediscovery, and as such had been exquisitely refurbished.

“I’m sick of bacteria,” Joe 8275 said, not looking up from his station. “Why do they make us learn this stuff?”

“Because that’s what we do.” Emily 7412 did look up, and then spun her chair toward Joe. “Rediscovery, Joe. You know how important it is. We just can’t let this knowledge get lost, like so many other things have.”

“Why can’t we just discover new stuff?”

“Because, Joe, there’s so much old stuff left to be rediscovered. When the Cataclysm wiped out ninety-nine percent of the world’s population, it was all the remaining people could do just to stay alive. Finally, after five hundred years, the Office of Rediscovery is making it possible to reclaim all that lost knowledge. You should be proud to be a part of it.”

“I just feel like I’m living in the past,” said Joe.

“It’s better than living in ignorance.”

“It’s not ignorance, Emily," Joe protested. "Discovering new truths is exciting to me! Maybe I should join the Office of Original Research. It’s small, but it seems interesting.”

“The Office of Original Research? Don’t be stupid; what those guys do is futile. Every time they make a ‘new’ discovery, it’s not long before we find it in the Rediscovery Archives, already completely worked out. Face it, 8275, everything that’s worth being discovered, already has been. A long time ago.” Emily obviously had strong feelings on the subject. “It’s just a matter of learning and understanding what the pre-Cataclysmic people knew.”

“You’re frustrated,” Joe said, “I can tell. You always call me by my number when you’re frustrated with me.”

“I’m not frustrated… Joe.” She pronounced his name deliberately, and took a deep, sighing breath, clearly confirming that she was, in deed, frustrated. "So what if we do live in the past? Look at all of the great re-inventions we have because people like us comb through the Archives." She raised a smug eyebrow, and continued, rattling off examples like gunfire, “Because of the Office of Rediscovery, we have bicycles, washing machines, steam engines, biomemory enhancing chips, gunpowder, penicillin, X-ray machines, antigravity boots, and smoothies.”

“Some of that stuff came from the Office of Original Research, not from us,” Joe responded, with an indignant tone, “Our section didn’t rediscover at least three of the things you mentioned.”

“You’re missing my point on purpose,” Emily said, “As a society, we can’t make any progress forward without fully understanding what came before. You know the Office motto, For a Better Future, Rediscover the Past!” Emily continued, “And furthermore, the old knowledge was figured out across generations by millions of people. Ignoring that would be disrespectful.”

“I understand your point. I really do,” Joe said with resignation, “And I can’t argue with the valuable knowledge that’s coming out of the Office of Rediscovery. Some of the Branches have taught us great things, especially the biggest one, the Sports Branch. After all, shuffleboard is so great that it’s become our national pastime!” They both nodded, finally in agreement on something.

Emily stood up and put on her sweater. “I’ve had enough,” she said, her patience clearly worn. “I’m going back to my living pod for a while.” She turned to start out of the room, but stopped and looked back at Joe. He was rubbing the microscope’s afterimage out of his eyes, and obviously still brooding. “I’m telling you, Joe,” Emily reassured, “You’re in the right Office, and the right Branch. The grass is not always greener somewhere else. Nothing will ever come out of Original Research that will improve our lives. Trust me on that.” And with that last confident pearl of wisdom, Emily abruptly turned and floated out of the laboratory on her antigravity boots.

671 words