Utopia is a tentative title that I gave a short story I was working on in 2008. The title was a play on the fact that the world the inhabitants live in is anything but a utopia, but it’s the best life that they can make. I also wanted to pose the question that life may not be a utopia for everyone (at least in the world of this story) but if you were better off in the world, would you consider your life – an upper echelon-type life – to be like a personal utopia? Below is the story presented in mostly its original format with a few updated grammatical and editorial edits.
“C’mon! What are you doing?!” A woman called out from among a crowd. Her voice was easily drowned out by the roaring crowd. The woman then threw up her hands in a fury and scoffed. “…and there goes my paycheck!” The woman then stood, gathered her things, and left the stadium. The crowd continued to rage at the sight of their entertainment.
The crowd was in stands surrounding around “arena” with only bike racks bound together by chains, preventing the onlookers from entering the fight. These fights were held in tents where you could place bets on the winners as well, this became the main financial opportunity for some. Two men stood in the middle, trading punches, then suddenly stepped back raised his arm, and it ignited. He then stretched back into a fighting pose, his other hand ignited, and signaled his opponent to “bring it on!” the other man bent over jerked his back upward. He grew hair, horns, and a snout; He looked like he had become a bull! The animal then took his front leg and tapped the concrete ground with his hoof.
The beast charged full force at the man of fire. The man then grabbed the horns and the bull inched him back. As more and more strength pushed itself out of the bull, he pushed back his rival slowly inch by inch. The man then let out a yell and the fire grew larger out of his hands. The fire climbed out of his hands and up the bull’s horns until it incinerated the bull. The man then lifted the bull by the horns and threw it over his head. The bull landed with a thud on its back, behind the man. The charred bull lay motionless for a few seconds, having thought he won the fight, the ember-covered man raised his hands claiming he was the victor. The noise of the crowd grew louder and then quieted down just as fast. It seemed like the bull had moved. The man turned around only to see the bull staggering as it tried to get up, once it fully stood the “fireman” just took his hand covered his face, and shook his head.
The only thing he didn’t cover was the large grin of anticipation that seemed to glow from his face. The bull regained strength and charged again at the man, when he grew closer the man jumped into the air. He held out an opened hand, palm facing upward, fingers pointed toward the ring, and blew. Out of his breath came a large flame directed toward the animal, it seemed like a flame thrower with how the fire seemed to emanate from his hand. The bull then fell, engulfed in flame, and the victor landed, he held up his hands and took in the crowd’s frenzy.
In the distant future, radiation and biochemical weapons have changed the human race forever. Living in poverty-stricken cities, most modern-day humans now are unable to get good-paying jobs, unless they are willing to risk their being to bring in an income. Now gifted with superhuman abilities mankind is now relying on “super-fights” to win enough money to survive. The victors receive money and fame in this run-down world and the losers would’ve been off if they hadn’t entered.
A Buzzing noise rang in the ears of the fans as the intercom; a scratchy voiced promoter was heard by all “Alright folks, this next one is going to be quite a doozy! It’s a regular sibling rivalry as two shapeshifters, Cipher and Rend prepare to battle it out! Accepting all bets now! The match will begin in 10 minutes!” As the crowds seemed to gather “mosh pit-like” groups, the combatants entered as the ballots were cast. The fire-powered man, Rey, seemed to be awaiting this match with anticipation. “Couldn’t find a better fight than this, eh Tyrone?” “You and your shapeshifters, I don’t see what’s good with ’em.” Tyrone, a tall African American male bellowed. “First you destroy Roman, and now you’re obsessed with these two. I dunno what’s wrong with you man.”
Rey answered calmly, “you know I don’t like your attitude. If I wanted your opinion, I’d ask for it.” “You did.” Tyrone answered back. “You know T, I’d like your large-fisted self to fight one of those morphers!” “Right, you of all people know I like to know what I’m dealing with before the fight, not during.” It was true about Tyrone, his forearms were abnormally large, and his fists were twice the size of his skull. “Right, Right, well good match either way. Place any bets?” Tyrone just glanced at him. “I forgot, you’re not a betting man. ‘You like to know what you’re dealing with’, I gotcha. Sheesh!” The two just continued to lean against the bike racks in the contestant area as the next match began.
“It’s been a long-time brother!” said one to another. “Far too long, old friend!” replied the other as the two hopped in place finishing their warm-ups. “Don’t you hold back!” “Hardly.” Rend replied. The voice rose over the growing echo of the crowd, “Match begin!” While Rend started to ‘warm up’, trying to demonstrate his superiority to his brother, in his cockiness did he not realize that his sibling had dashed at him. “Not transforming? Fine, have it your way.” Rend pulled his arm back, it changed light orange in color, and something seemed to ooze out right out from above his elbow. This slime formed itself to a cylinder sitting long-ways atop his elbow. Smoke started to billow out of this newly expanded arm, and it changed back to his flesh tone. “Rocket punch!” Rend cried out as a fire spewed out of the canister and shot his arm into Cipher’s abdomen making a hole in his chest.
“Enough for you brother?” Rend challenged. Cipher simply laughed, “ah, the young are certainly most stupid. Try to take your fist out of me if you can.” With a large grin, he pointed to his rival’s arm. Rend had plastered a look on his face that his brother later bragged about as “simply priceless” for when Rend shot the rocket in, Cipher opened his chest and closed it, sealing his brother’s arm within himself. The stuck sibling tried to use all the strength he could muster up from within himself to be free, but it was in vain. “Now that you’re settled from using all that energy, allow me to show you just how far you actually are from beating me.”
While the captor held his prey, Rend took his other hand and grew it twice the size of Tyrone’s. “You think you can best me, just because you’ve had more training mean nothing! Time to crumble you!” On the sidelines, Tyrone had mumbled something, Rey could barely make it out, it sounded as if “T” had said, “…using my move…” Back in the arena, Tyrone’s ditto lurched back as much as he could, then his large hand caught on fire. “Meteorite!” as he punched Cipher the crowd started to become rowdier. The large-fisted Ty pounded on the back rack “fence” in front of him and hollered, “You think you can steal my move? Next, it’s you and me!” “Chill, chill, don’t get so worked up…watch.” Rey coolly ushered the large man to check out what misfortune had befallen the “copy” while sporting a grin in satisfaction.
As the clone’s fist impacted his brother, nothing happened. The ignited hand stopped dead at his chest, leaving Rend off guard for the attack Cipher would unleash. “Bubble attack Delta!” Cipher announced as his legs and neck started turning blue and wrapping themselves around his opponent. Cipher had changed into the largest bubble most have ever seen; the crowd was dumbstruck by this action. Though there was no possible way to explain it, Cipher was still able to speak while becoming a bubble. “Ha! Who is crumbling who now? Though this must come to an unfortunate end, I wish you well bro!” With this the sphere began to spin, while it did, bubbles formed within the large one, and water seemed to move and a mind-blowing speed. It’s said that this attack was the equivalent to being stuck in a whirlpool.
As the encasing spun, Rend was released from his brother’s abdomen and reverted back to a more human-like form than before. The waters moved faster, and he realized he was doomed, gasping for air, struggling to free himself. He moved until he couldn’t move any longer. Finally, after minutes of struggling, he laid within the bubble motionless, lying in a “dead man’s float” stomach upward. To make sure this was the end, Cipher continued still accelerating the waters inside of him. Once Cipher had believed he had defeated his brother, the bubble popped and carried by his brother’s waters. The wave pushed him a far distance from the bubble man and landed right in front of Rey and Ty. “C” pulled the waters into him and resumed his humanoid form as well. Standing on two legs, he approached his still brother, and kicked him, “I told you, you couldn’t defeat me. You should have heeded my warning.” He walked back and over the intercom, the announcer declared “And Cipher is the winner by death!” The crowds however were as silent as his brother laying on the arena floor, insulted Cipher began yelling in frustration, “What’s wrong with you people!? I won the fight; I killed my brother! I should be getting the appreciation I deserve!” Just then as the crowd gasped and started to move in fear, Cipher began to turn around and was whipped with a strange black tentacle-like wave.
Shaken, the confused brother recovered, he stood and spoke “What was tha–” was all that could be made out of him while Rend smacked him again with another of his energy tentacles. “You thought you could beat me? ME!? No brother, as long as I’m around you will NEVER defeat me! Nobody will defeat me! I am the strongest in the world!!!” Just as Rend finished his brother got up and started running towards him. “What is this, another fooling attempt at proving yourself?” Cipher then transformed into a rhinoceros as he was picking up speed. When he got close enough, he went to dig the horn into the energy man, but it was unsuccessful. The rhino got repelled back by another attack and Cipher resumed his human form as he hit the ground, he looked to be unconscious. The man emitting the blacklight tentacles approached his brother, knelt, and picked his head up by the hair. He mocked, “Who’s the baby brother now, wimpy Cipher? You couldn’t defeat me if you tried! Now for the final blow.”
Rend pulled back his arm, ready to finish him off, in that second, Rey jumped the bike rack barrier and rushed over. “Hey man, That’s enough!” As he rushed over there, the black lighted man looked back and whipped the light at him, striking him. He rose and approached the fire guy; he came over by Rey. “Rey Del Vaca. The glorified rookie! You think you can best me? Why you’re easily misunderstanding.” Rend said this time it seemed like there was another voice echoing his. “Not only will I defeat you BUT EVERYONE IN THIS STADIUM!” he turned and shouted to the crowd. He then knelt next to Rey’s ear and whispered. “…and it’s all thanks to him I am this way.” again to the crowd,” IT’S ALL THANKS TO HIM I AM THIS WAY!” “You’re insane!” shot back Rey still unable to get up from the force of the blow he sustained by the now laughing man. “OH, AM I? WE’LL JUST HAVE TO SEE ABOUT THAT!!!” Rend again roaring, “I WILL RISE HIGHER THAN ANYONE HERE! I WILL ACHIEVE THE ULTIMATE PAYMENT! WEALTH, FAME, THEY ARE WITHIN MY GRASP! ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DESTROY EVERYONE HERE!!!” The shouting man then came back down to Mr. Del Vaca’s ear, “…starting with you!” Rend lurched back, a few steps away from the frozen Rey, the crazed man hunched over and released more black tentacles that came out from his back. He lifted them around himself and sent them flying toward Rey, he could do nothing but let them consume him.
The fireman felt himself lift from the ground and though lying, he seemed to be floating within the darkness. Rend had become the darkness and surrounded the fiery being in a dark shell, containing the flame user. Rey’s eyes, moving back and forth trying to discover a way out, found nothing except the dark abyss around him. Then he heard a voice that sounded similar to Rend’s but this time more maniacal. “Still think you can best ME?!” the ‘darkness’ man laughed. “Such a pity I must finish you off with so little effort, and now the end for you. Goodbye Rey Del Vaca!” As he proclaimed this, the once blazing man now heard a noise coming from within his shadowy grave. A mysterious sound, as if thousands of snakes were unleashed into the blind cavern the man was held captive in. He felt himself gasping for air, each breath getting shorter and more painful. The anguish he felt in his chest was becoming more excruciating each time he inhaled. He was being suffocated! Knowing he was a fireman, and that fire needs oxygen to breathe, Rend had used smoke to crush his enemy. The black orb then shrank again, forcing Rey to suffocate faster. The dying victim then stretched out his hand in desperation as his body went limp as he went unconscious.
As Rey lay there helpless, he began to do the worse thing for this situation: dream. He saw himself floating in the pitch black, a sight now familiar to him. The dark hell then started to lighten, a slight breeze started to glide past the hairs on his arms, it then grew greater, and the dreamer felt himself falling. Laying on his back and bewildered by his current location. He looks around and then looked down and couldn’t see anything but blue, light blue around him, and a deep navy below. He drew closer to the dimmer color and started to smell salt; He came to realize he was falling into the ocean. Rey being the hardheaded person he is took him a second to panic as he realized where he was going. He frantically attempted to thwart the possibility of drowning, after all, his powers were fire. His mind drenched with the reoccurring reminder of his inability to swim, regardless of the situation and the futility hit “lit up” anyway. Engulfing his body in flame and becoming quite agitated by the incoming death warrant approaching, and him helpless to do anything about it. The impending doom filled his body and the dread of death hanging over him, his eyes grew to a pale white. The force of the drop into the ocean below jerked his body and extinguished him, he sank drowning and charred. Air bubbles rose to the surface and his weakened corpse-like body sank into the deep. One thought seemed to rest in the remains of Rey’s mind before he finally bid farewell, ‘Is this really the end?’
At that moment, his white eyes began to glow vibrantly, sinking into the murky depth, his eyes seemed to pierce the depths of the water. The water started acting very oddly, it seemed as if it started to boil. Slowly, bubbles started appearing on the surface, and then a vibrant torch appeared within the waters. The burning figure seemed to grow bigger as it approaches the surface, the monster didn’t seem to resemble Rey at all as it burst out of the waves with a large bellow. As what was previously the victim roared, and suddenly within the black bubble Rey woke up and his eyes began to glow the same pale, ivory white. The creature had awakened within him!