Jack Morian pivoted on the edge of his skateboard, catching it reflexively as he looked around at the drab surroundings of Subterranea. He removed the faded Volcom cap on his dark-haired head, the tendrils framing a face so gaunt that he resembled more a war veteran than the seventeen-year-old he was.
Life underground took its toll on the citizens of this place, especially children. There were 5,550 residents of this city, though only 2% were below eighteen.
Sixty years ago, war had ravaged the Earth until the atmosphere was so contaminated with toxic gas and radioactive smog, all human beings and wildlife were forced to inhabit the underground levels of buildings across the world. Forever escaping the atmosphere, each year they would dig deeper. The war had followed, and the population dwindled because only a certain number of the refugees were of the proper age or condition to procreate. Food supply was low, and some of the wild animals had gotten loose.
TPS (Toxic Particle Sickness) cut that portion in half. These were the teachings of the Oligarchy since they were old enough to comprehend it. The government concealed the remainder that existed now, as to prevent anyone from getting any ideas. It was rumored that thousands of ‘Subterraneas’ had been established across the globe, but the Oligarchy had effective ways of silencing those who riled up the population. Jack and his friends had laughed. Couldn’t even go to the library and the government still held to the idea that someone would be intelligent enough to overthrow them. What could they do?
Secretly, beneath the toughened orphan exterior, he yearned for the time of his grandfather to return. Through him, Jack gained beautiful memories and visions of the world above—what had been. He remembered the look on his grandfather’s face when he had run out of stories to quell his thirsty imagination. The harsh reality of the inescapable concrete jungle rustled the boy that day, and before Jack knew it, he was at the site of the Arrival, the only route in and out of the city.
His feet were so accustomed to the way there that he could not prevent it. It was eerily besmirched; the streetlights of no use, and a few of Subterranea’s residents had even attempted to scale it to the top. None of them had ever come back from their endeavor.
Inez had speculated that it was haunted. Tori said that the way was blocked by means of some mysterious being, and that if you outwitted it, you could pass. Inez was part of a radical rebel battalion now and was forbidden to have any contact with civilians unless they were a part of the group. Tori had married another one of Jack’s friends, Mika, and he had fallen out of contact with them. Jack smiled. He would discern for himself the truth of the Arrival. Only touch could lead him; sight, smell, and hearing only served to terrify him further. Taste, he did not want to know. Stuck in limbo, he bit his lip, uncertain of the way back but apprehensive of the road ahead.
His hazel eyes widened in the darkness, a shimmer of light at the end of his line of sight. Memories tantalizing his mind, Jack eagerly journeyed on, his pace quickening until he was panting with hysteria. Faster. Faster. His psyche pushed him, body approaching exhaustion. His pale hand thrust out to grab another rung. There was none. Around the portal was a pure halo of light. Jack Morian got a tight hold on the lever and pushed upwards. What he beheld made him cry endlessly for decades after.
The sky was a beautiful midnight blue, and everywhere he looked, moonlight smiled upon the grassy plains.
They had lied.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Heritage
I am not ashamed to be what I am. Myriads of generations prior to mine have been to the extent where interchanging any another race with their true one seemed to be the only bearable alternative. Some of my fellow brethren still do.
This is not to say that I see no reason behind their actions, their mindset of inferiority. We live in a biased world, and the evidence can be found all around us. Society has always given African-Americans a rough time of it, made them suffer beyond the mind's limitations and berated them until their psyche surmised a less painful way of living.
If time were to rewind one-hundred years back, I cannot say that I would not consider turning my back on my identity.
Yet despite the belief that we are straight-up black, our heritages varies as much as anyone else's. Some African-Americans can trace their roots to the Revolution and prior. Others did not leave the African continent, by choice or without, until centuries after the initial slave arrival in the 1600's. Many have European ancestry because of liaisons masters had with slave women. To be honest, this vestige of mixed-up heritage is symbolic, because it not only represents the majority of us, but summarizes the mentality of black people perfectly.
In most of the African-American community, showing even a partial affinity for anything not stereotypically "black" (unfairly) constitutes this notion of treachery. Well.
I'm about 10% Filipino, 2% Irish, French, and mainly, ostensibly black. I love my heritage and do not hesitate to defend it or declare it to the world. I got teased extensively for my love of anime in middle school, and badmouthed for embracing the "Asian" rather than black. Heh. It was not so, but I am glad I realize their ignorance now for what it is.
I could have 0% Irish heritage or Filipino heritage, and walk around with the national anthem on my shirt in Gaelic, or bear a backpack that says 'Pride in the Philippines' with purple Sharpie. Not belonging to a culture but showing respect and love for it is not rejection of your own. Nor is it turning your back on it in treason; it is what a worldly person should be able to do without question. It is cosmopolitan and quite fun. Fuck haters, man. I like my lupia and maki rolls. We have differences, but they should be adored and accepted.
P.S. I love my folks. But I just don't know about some of 'em, mayn.
~End
This is not to say that I see no reason behind their actions, their mindset of inferiority. We live in a biased world, and the evidence can be found all around us. Society has always given African-Americans a rough time of it, made them suffer beyond the mind's limitations and berated them until their psyche surmised a less painful way of living.
If time were to rewind one-hundred years back, I cannot say that I would not consider turning my back on my identity.
Yet despite the belief that we are straight-up black, our heritages varies as much as anyone else's. Some African-Americans can trace their roots to the Revolution and prior. Others did not leave the African continent, by choice or without, until centuries after the initial slave arrival in the 1600's. Many have European ancestry because of liaisons masters had with slave women. To be honest, this vestige of mixed-up heritage is symbolic, because it not only represents the majority of us, but summarizes the mentality of black people perfectly.
In most of the African-American community, showing even a partial affinity for anything not stereotypically "black" (unfairly) constitutes this notion of treachery. Well.
I'm about 10% Filipino, 2% Irish, French, and mainly, ostensibly black. I love my heritage and do not hesitate to defend it or declare it to the world. I got teased extensively for my love of anime in middle school, and badmouthed for embracing the "Asian" rather than black. Heh. It was not so, but I am glad I realize their ignorance now for what it is.
I could have 0% Irish heritage or Filipino heritage, and walk around with the national anthem on my shirt in Gaelic, or bear a backpack that says 'Pride in the Philippines' with purple Sharpie. Not belonging to a culture but showing respect and love for it is not rejection of your own. Nor is it turning your back on it in treason; it is what a worldly person should be able to do without question. It is cosmopolitan and quite fun. Fuck haters, man. I like my lupia and maki rolls. We have differences, but they should be adored and accepted.
P.S. I love my folks. But I just don't know about some of 'em, mayn.
~End
Top Twenty Movie Failures of All Time
1.) Pulse?
-What the fuck? Are they ghosts? Are they just malicious entities channeled through technology? Did we create them? WHERE IS THE CLARIFICATION?
Achilles' Heel: Bad acting, vague storyline
2.) I Know Who Killed Me
-Yeah. If the sex scene (which wasn't much to brag about) is the one thing the movie is popular for, the chances are that the remainder of the film sucks even more ass. And trust me. I was counting down till it ended.
Achilles' Heel: Didn't pay the actors enough, 'cause they sounded like Hayden Christensen. We'll discuss him later.
3.) The Covenant
-The script was so laced with sordid one-liners that I burst out laughing when the main character fucking died.
Achilles' Heel: Corny dialogue/story/characters
4.) Dragon Ball: Evolution
-Well...the cast was good-looking at least!
Achilles' Heel: plethora: definition = overabundance
5.) Spider-Man 3
-Since when is Topher Grace intimidating in ANY way? I still think of him as the cutie from That '70's Show! Now he's kidnappin' bitches and making death threats.
Achilles' Heel: Dialogue, weak-ass storyline
6.) From Justin to Kelly
-Oh, man. Let's just give it half a star and be done with it. So bad I can't even mention the Achilles' Heel.
7.) Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
-If this is supposed to be the saddest one and I cracked up at the scene that is supposed to evoke tears and sorrow then it's got to be bad.
Achilles' Heel: Hayden Christensen being himself. Which would be hot but terrible at acting.
8.) The Mothman Prophecies
-I used to love this movie until I realized that they never showed Mothman at all. And most of the movie's about pointless side stories and Richard Gere's broken heart. An Officer and a Gentleman with paranormal tendencies.
Achilles' Heel: Misleading title, confusing plot, bad line delivery
9.) Bio-Dome
-Oh, it sucks. You laughed your ass off at some parts but it sucked.
Achilles' Heel: Stephen Baldwin leeching off of Pauly Shore's hilarity
10.) Harry Potter and Everything After the Prisoner of Azkaban
-What, can't find a good director after Christopher Columbus? That difficult, huh?
Achilles' Heel: Cutting out the good stuff, not sticking to the plot and failing to elaborate on why the hell Karkaroff was in that room for any other reason than to create suspense
11.) Ghost Rider
-LMAO. "Look into my eyes." Ha-haaaaa.
Achilles' Heel: Hiring Nicholas Cage. That'd murder any movie.
12.) Cloverfield
-Oh, what the hell? That thing looked like a bloated/pregnant Godzilla! And you could only see it for half a second. I felt cheated.
Achilles' Heel: Not showing me of the monster I paid money to see
13.) Purple Rain
-Prince is really talented at singing and dancing.
Achilles' Heel: Bad dialogue, story line no one remembers, and the '80's.
14.) Any sequel Disney's done other than Toy Story 2
-I'ma 'bout to catch a case, guys.
Achilles' Heel: Stop making sequels that build on nothing from the PREVIOUS MOVIE. T_T
15.) William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet
-Putting the guy's name before the name of the play makes up for the fucked-up plot and botched modern adaptation? I think NOT.
Achilles' Heel: Claire Danes in those ridiculous angel wings and the whole 'We're talkin' 14th century in the '90's'.
16.) Stay Alive
-Hold me back.
Achilles' Heel: EVERYTHING
17.) An American Haunting
-The whole movie's just a huge 'WTF'. I wanted my money back thirty minutes in.
Achilles' Heel: Wasn't worthy of mah interest; horrible, horrible plot
18.) Havoc
-Anne Hathaway's a G now? NO, she's my adorable dork from The Princess Diaries, not a slutty suburbanite with a hankering for 40 oz.!
Achilles' Heel: Tooootal lack of believability
19.) Twilight
-I want to drive a stake through the series AND the movie.
Achilles' Heel: 'Spider monkey'? 'Say it out loud'? And Robert Pattinson having more make-up on than the Harajuku Girls? Unh-UNH.
20.) Every Friday after the first one!
-You know Mike Epps ain't funny.
Achilles' Heel: No Chris Tucker = no more humor
-What the fuck? Are they ghosts? Are they just malicious entities channeled through technology? Did we create them? WHERE IS THE CLARIFICATION?
Achilles' Heel: Bad acting, vague storyline
2.) I Know Who Killed Me
-Yeah. If the sex scene (which wasn't much to brag about) is the one thing the movie is popular for, the chances are that the remainder of the film sucks even more ass. And trust me. I was counting down till it ended.
Achilles' Heel: Didn't pay the actors enough, 'cause they sounded like Hayden Christensen. We'll discuss him later.
3.) The Covenant
-The script was so laced with sordid one-liners that I burst out laughing when the main character fucking died.
Achilles' Heel: Corny dialogue/story/characters
4.) Dragon Ball: Evolution
-Well...the cast was good-looking at least!
Achilles' Heel: plethora: definition = overabundance
5.) Spider-Man 3
-Since when is Topher Grace intimidating in ANY way? I still think of him as the cutie from That '70's Show! Now he's kidnappin' bitches and making death threats.
Achilles' Heel: Dialogue, weak-ass storyline
6.) From Justin to Kelly
-Oh, man. Let's just give it half a star and be done with it. So bad I can't even mention the Achilles' Heel.
7.) Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
-If this is supposed to be the saddest one and I cracked up at the scene that is supposed to evoke tears and sorrow then it's got to be bad.
Achilles' Heel: Hayden Christensen being himself. Which would be hot but terrible at acting.
8.) The Mothman Prophecies
-I used to love this movie until I realized that they never showed Mothman at all. And most of the movie's about pointless side stories and Richard Gere's broken heart. An Officer and a Gentleman with paranormal tendencies.
Achilles' Heel: Misleading title, confusing plot, bad line delivery
9.) Bio-Dome
-Oh, it sucks. You laughed your ass off at some parts but it sucked.
Achilles' Heel: Stephen Baldwin leeching off of Pauly Shore's hilarity
10.) Harry Potter and Everything After the Prisoner of Azkaban
-What, can't find a good director after Christopher Columbus? That difficult, huh?
Achilles' Heel: Cutting out the good stuff, not sticking to the plot and failing to elaborate on why the hell Karkaroff was in that room for any other reason than to create suspense
11.) Ghost Rider
-LMAO. "Look into my eyes." Ha-haaaaa.
Achilles' Heel: Hiring Nicholas Cage. That'd murder any movie.
12.) Cloverfield
-Oh, what the hell? That thing looked like a bloated/pregnant Godzilla! And you could only see it for half a second. I felt cheated.
Achilles' Heel: Not showing me of the monster I paid money to see
13.) Purple Rain
-Prince is really talented at singing and dancing.
Achilles' Heel: Bad dialogue, story line no one remembers, and the '80's.
14.) Any sequel Disney's done other than Toy Story 2
-I'ma 'bout to catch a case, guys.
Achilles' Heel: Stop making sequels that build on nothing from the PREVIOUS MOVIE. T_T
15.) William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet
-Putting the guy's name before the name of the play makes up for the fucked-up plot and botched modern adaptation? I think NOT.
Achilles' Heel: Claire Danes in those ridiculous angel wings and the whole 'We're talkin' 14th century in the '90's'.
16.) Stay Alive
-Hold me back.
Achilles' Heel: EVERYTHING
17.) An American Haunting
-The whole movie's just a huge 'WTF'. I wanted my money back thirty minutes in.
Achilles' Heel: Wasn't worthy of mah interest; horrible, horrible plot
18.) Havoc
-Anne Hathaway's a G now? NO, she's my adorable dork from The Princess Diaries, not a slutty suburbanite with a hankering for 40 oz.!
Achilles' Heel: Tooootal lack of believability
19.) Twilight
-I want to drive a stake through the series AND the movie.
Achilles' Heel: 'Spider monkey'? 'Say it out loud'? And Robert Pattinson having more make-up on than the Harajuku Girls? Unh-UNH.
20.) Every Friday after the first one!
-You know Mike Epps ain't funny.
Achilles' Heel: No Chris Tucker = no more humor
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