Project Genesis - Part 1

John looks out over the barren, gray landscape, which has never returned to vibrant green since the great catastrophe. What was once a lively place full of life is now an endless, desolate desert where even the wind seems to whisper, as if recalling a time long past. This happened due to a natural disaster 120 years ago—at least, if you believe the politicians and scientists. A catastrophe that happens only once every four million years, where all the forces of nature merge into a single, destructive Geostorm. This is the official version from the government.

But those who dared to search for another truth were silenced—brutally, relentlessly, and permanently. Anyone who tried to ask questions or bring up other theories was dragged to a "reeducation facility," a terrible place from which no one ever returned.

John is painfully aware of this because he lost his father when he was just 14. His father always worked in secret and had never told him about his job. But John could sense that he was hiding something important. In the end, like many others, his father was taken to the reeducation facility and never came back, even after 18 years.

The government says the situation is now under control—but people are still dying in mysterious ways, and the human population is close to extinction. How many died from the Geostorm is unknown. But there are few left—only a few thousand live in small remaining habitable regions. Life here is not easy. Those who want to survive have to work hard from the start. Water is very limited, often contaminated, and has to be processed before it’s safe to drink. Hygiene is nearly impossible because water is too scarce. The ground is dusty and cracked, making food production very difficult.

Most parts of the world are uninhabitable. Besides the lack of resources, there is a much higher risk of contracting a mysterious disease. Even researchers are forbidden to go there—getting caught means an endless stay in the reeducation facility. The disease is called "Obscura infection" by doctors, and no cure has been found. It is deadly. According to the government, the virus is a result of the Geostorm. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other disasters released radiation from the Earth’s core to the surface.

Since the catastrophe, there are no more separate governments. The world—what’s left of it—united into a global state to "ensure humanity’s survival".

The government constantly presents new progress, promises massive improvements, and the eventual repopulation of the deadly regions. But year after year, things don’t get better—in fact, people and nature continue to die. Raw materials and resources are becoming increasingly scarce. The mood among the people is growing worse. Conspiracy theories are getting louder, and even though those spreading them are often arrested the next day, the theories still stick in people’s minds: that the government is hiding something in the restricted areas, or that the Obscura disease is being used to punish citizens who oppose the government...

It’s obvious to many that the government is hiding something. After all, why else would the government act so ruthlessly against its own citizens? But the harsh penalties for those who disobey and the fear of being dragged away keeps the population silent. No one trusts anyone for fear of being turned over to the state.

John wants to learn more about his father. Why did he have to die? What did he hide from him? But his work has kept him from finding answers. Farming requires hard physical labor, and he has to feed his wife, Beatrice, who is heavily pregnant. She’s the one keeping his survival instinct alive in this seemingly hopeless world. After another exhausting day, 13 hours of work, making sure nothing goes wrong and the harvest isn’t ruined, he returns to the house and collapses into bed, exhausted. But despite the immense effort of the day, he can’t fall asleep. The uncertainty gnaws at his conscience, and the hunger for knowledge eats at him. He decides to get up again and search. Inch by inch, he searches the house he inherited from his father, and finally, in one of many boxes in the attic, he finds a journal. A journal with his father’s name on it.

Thank you for reading this blog. Subscribe to don´t miss the next part!

What do you think: How will the story continue? What will happen next?

Suggestments for improvements are also welcome. It is my first story blog, so feel free to give critics!

Note: The thumbnail was created with the help of AI.