The Owls Who Watch

Chapter 1 - The Forest with the Hilltop

The air was repugnant here in Glasgow. The black smog which had been pestering the lowlands of Scotland for the past several decades appeared to thicken the further Kevin delved into the city. The long street with its monotonous grey stone houses with front gardens just as devoid of life to either side epitomized the world he lived in. As Kevin walked, his mind began to escape again and he found himself reminiscing upon one of his few benign memories – his holiday to Greenland all those years ago. He remembered how enchanted he and his younger sister Morgan were to witness the starry night sky for the first time. They had stayed in a warm resort village on the coast, with an Astronomical Centre just a short drive from their hotel. He, Morgan, his father, and his late mother had traveled there every day, mesmerized by its grand displays. It had become a famous tourist attraction to those who lived in the member nations of the Grand Market.

He had loved peering through the various telescopes and being fascinated as he wandered through a massive and fantastical reconstruction of the solar system. The planets, their moons and even the asteroids all span and circled the room while its visitors walked beneath the colossal replicas, while the dome far above depicted stars and galaxies. Kevin also remembered how Morgan had accidentally caused one of the smaller asteroids to smash and how she had wailed in guilt – even though the staff comforted her and gave her a lollipop in the image of Neptune. He also recalled sitting in a grand, dark auditorium as he and his family whooshed through the Milky Way and beyond – their seats darting side to side as the path twisted and turned throughout the planets and the lights of space. It felt like being on a roller coaster. His sister had cried until Kevin got her to laugh and scream with him. It all seemed like magic at the time, but as an adult, he realized it was only technology, tainting this once-perfect memory.

He often found himself reminiscing over other such childhood memories. Ones with his mother and sister, and ones where he left the Grand Market were the sweetest. There would be none of that now. His mother was dead, his sister moved to Greenland, and his father's dwindling funds could never accommodate a holiday. Gaming and movies quelled the boredom somewhat, but going on walks through the dark, dismal streets of Glasgow was the only option to feel physically free. He'd never visit Greenland again. That realization stung, the sinking feeling prompted him to remove his earphones. Even the nostalgic music was tainted. I should never dwell, just ignore.

As he reached the end of the street, Kevin saw a tall iron gate across the three-way junction. He walked across the pavement and onto the street. In the corner of his eye, he caught two beaming lights shining through the smog to his right and realizing that a car was inbound, he quickly stepped back and allowed the rusty car to pass. Struggling to breathe properly, he took a deep breath from his inhaler, re-fastened his face mask to protect himself against the smog, looked both ways and ventured across the road to meet the gateway. Its hinges screamed in agony as he opened them. He ventured into the unfamiliar land beyond.

He soon found himself walking down a forlorn stone path, with sparse shrubbery and grass surrounding it. A plaque by the entrance revealed that the area was a privately owned park owned by some corporation named MEPHRA. Across the surface of the plaque, a map was laid out. Suddenly, a smaller slab rose from the top and a red circular light gleamed, its luminous tendrils scanned Kevin's face, then sank into the main surface. Another slab emerged and illuminated the area with bright light. On the screen was a snapshot of his face, which zoomed into his eyes and began to identify him with text above the picture. So ugly, he thought in disappointment. The text read his name, his age, his personal identification code, his Market-Allegiance and Social Approval ratings, and all the other boring legal details throughout the United Kingdom and the Grand Market which Kevin never bothered to understand or care for.