JOURNAL #5

THIRD EARTH

It's amazing how I sometimes tend to forget how changed my life has now become, and how unpredictable my future now is. The last time Press had spoken to me was months ago – though in many ways it feels like years – and I haven't seen or heard from him since. It was when my cat Earnest and my parents had abruptly and strangely vanished. There'd been no warning whatsoever that my family was going to disappear from my life. It wasn't until Press Tilton returned to help clarify things that I started to understand. It scared me to death but with no choice but to move forward, that was exactly what I needed to do.

The last thing he'd mentioned to me the day my family vanished was that one day I'd be called upon for help. He told me his nephew Bobby Pendragon would one day show up on Third Earth in need of my help. He hadn't revealed when that might be, but I made a mental note to remember this, and be ready for when that day would arrive.

Until then, I returned to doing what I loved – being a teacher and a librarian.

It's been great refocusing my time and attention on teaching at Chelsea High. Diving into history and re-entering the vast world of the computers helps me feel calm, in control and like I'm in the one place I'm destined to be.

Of course, I haven't forgotten about being a Traveler and the mission to protect Halla from Saint Dane. It's tucked safely in the back of my mind until the day I take my first step into this fight. The fact that I'm always wearing my Traveler ring, and writing these journals to you, Jay, makes it impossible to forget my secret life. So I've done my best to carry on with my duties here at Chelsea High, all while wondering what the next step in my life as a Traveler would be.

So I waited. And waited. And just to make things more interesting, I waited some more. I was starting to fear that perhaps things had taken a turn for the worst. Was the fight against Saint Dane already at its end? Would I no longer be needed in this war because the war was no longer being fought?

The answer to all of these questions was no.

It was a Saturday morning. I was in my underground apartment sitting in the living room, doing some historical research into the early 1900's. It never failed to fascinate me how much there is to uncover about our own history. Thanks to the amazingly advanced computers of Third Earth, a wealth of information is always at my fingertips. I've been able to study moments in history from just about every period in time, each more remarkable than the next.

"Computer," I said in a clear voice. "More information on—"

That was when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I glanced down, and pulled out my comm from my jeans. I immediately noticed a bright, green light flashing on the screen. It lasted only for a moment and then grew dark, my comm appearing normal once more.

This was it. This was what I had been waiting months for. It now seemed that I was finally going to embark on my first task as the Traveler from Third Earth. What lay ahead and how things would play out, I could only speculate. Whatever the case, I knew it was time to put my teaching duties aside…because it was now time to be a Traveler.

Ten minutes later, I was in my car driving up to the aboveground world. It had been a while since I'd taken a trip up here and feeling the warm, breezy air in my face as I drove along was a great feeling. On my way toward the Bronx, I took the time to take in the familiar, comforting surroundings – green countryside, numerous apple trees, and grassy, rolling hills. As always, I didn't come across too many people, though I did see a few people lying under the sun with closed eyes, or reading, or strolling about.

It was a short trip and I was soon pulling up my car behind two people, one whom I recognized instantly. It was Vincent Van Dyke, or more commonly known as Gunny, the Traveler from First Earth. It was on my first trip to First Earth that Press had introduced me to him. Standing beside him was a young guy who I couldn't recall having met before.

"Looks like we've got a couple of tourists in town!" I called out in a friendly voice.

The two turned, and upon recognizing me, Gunny said, "Afternoon, Patrick. Thanks for coming to fetch us so quickly."

I hopped out of the car and gave Gunny a warm hug. "Good to see you, Gunny," I said. "Where's the wild man?"

It felt like forever since I'd last seen Press. I figured he was probably off taking care of things, or checking in with the other Travelers. I was surprised when I hadn't seen him with Gunny, but I'm sure I'd be seeing more of him soon enough.

Gunny motioned to the guy next to him and announced, "This is his nephew, Bobby Pendragon."

Of course! It all made perfect sense now. Press informed me that I'd be visited by his nephew someday, and now that day had finally arrived. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together.

I shook his hand with a firm grip. "Pendragon! Press told me you'd be showing up someday. I'm glad to meet you."

"Me too," said Bobby.

"So? Where is he?" I asked, still confused as to why Press hadn't joined them. I'd fully expected him to be leading the way, always ready for the next leg of our journey.

Gunny then shot Bobby a silent look that gave me the grim feeling that something wasn't right. Though no words were spoken, I could tell by the unmistakable look on both Gunny and Bobby's faces that I was about to hear some unfortunate news. I hoped I was wrong, but there was no denying what their faces told me.

"Press is dead," Bobby answered softly, staring down at the ground.

Dead? I replayed the word over in my head, as if I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. When I expected Pendragon to show up on my home territory, I hadn't prepared for this. In the time that I'd spent with Press, I'd come to see him as the sort of guy you could rely on, or go to when you needed words of wisdom. He was the one guy I'd grown to trust and seek comfort from. To hear that he was now dead, well…it felt like I'd just been splashed in the face with freezing water.

The three of us remained silent for a moment, out of respect. It was hard to imagine moving forward in this fight without Press. But it seemed we had no choice.

"I'm sorry, Bobby," I finally said, feeling like I too had just lost someone important to me. "Your uncle was like a brother to me. I'm going to miss him." After my family had vanished, I'd felt alone in so many ways, but I felt a sense of comfort at knowing Press was always there. To hear that he was now gone as well was an unsettling feeling.

"Just before he died," Bobby added. "He told me it was the way it was supposed to be. I have a tough time buying into that."

"I know," I told him softly. I paused briefly, and then said, "But Press believed it. And sure as we're standing here right now, I can't remember a time when he was wrong about anything. That's one thing I can say for certain."

Bobby nodded silently.

"We need your help, Patrick," said Gunny, shifting gears. "I thought you could take us to that library place with all those fancy…what do you call them? Computers?"

The library. Aside from Chelsea High, the New York Public Library was the one place I could truly call my home, my beloved fortress of solitude. I'd always wondered what my role as a Traveler in this fight might be. Hearing mention of the library, it was now becoming clear that I would indeed need to step up as a Traveler. And the first place I would be doing that would be the one place I spent so much time in – the library.

"Absolutely," I replied. "Hop in."

Before stepping into the car, Bobby asked curiously, "Are most of the cars on Third Earth this small?" I couldn't argue with that. My silver vehicle wasn't much bigger than a golf cart but despite its size, it served me well while up here on the surface.

"Yup," I said, settling in behind the wheel. "It was all about designing vehicles that were energy efficient and ultimately environmentally friendly."

While in the library, I searched up information on various subjects, always intrigued by all that was out there. It fascinated me seeing what cars had been like thousands of years ago, and how remarkably different they now were today. I recalled reading of the staggering contribution cars had with regard to air pollution and climate change. Fortunately, such issues have since been resolved and cars of today's world were a major improvement.

While Gunny settled in the back, Pendragon slid in front next to me. After hitting the accelerator, the three of us quietly zipped ahead, headed deeper into the peaceful countryside.

"Have you ever been to the New York Public Library in Manhattan?" I asked Bobby.

"I've been by it," was his answer. "The place with the big stone lions in front, right? Is it still there?"

I smiled. "Yes, but, well things have changed a little." Saying that the library had changed a little was an understatement. Compared with the library that had existed in the ancient past, the library of 5010 was practically a different place in a completely different era.

"Yeah, no kidding," Bobby threw in. "So far, seems like everything's changed."

I chuckled, and said, "I've been to First and Second Earth. I hear you. But there are still many links to the past. There's a strong sentiment that history should be respected. You'll see what I mean."

For a while, we drove along in silence. Where Gunny had been here before with Press, this was Bobby's first trip to Third Earth. I could tell he was speechless, as he took this time to survey the surroundings of the wide, green countryside. In the holographic images I'd seen of the 21st century, this had once been a place known for its heavy traffic, dense crowds of people and constant noise. Here in the 51st century, wherever you looked, you were met with the sight of rolling hills, farms and trees laden with fresh fruits.

Bobby shot me a puzzled look, and asked, "Where is everybody? I mean, it's so…quiet?"

I figured he would ask that question. In contrast to the congested atmosphere that had existed on Second Earth, it was near impossible to overlook the significant evolution that had occurred over thousands of years.

"I'll give you the short version," I began. "By the mid-twenty first century, we were running out of natural resources. Pollution was worse than ever and overpopulation was beyond serious. Governments had to start getting smart or it would have been disaster. There was no getting around that. With the clock ticking down, it was only a matter of time before it was too late. So from then on, Earth functioned as one planet, as opposed to a group of countries with different agendas."

"So they went underground?" asked Bobby.

"That was one solution," I answered. "It began with manufacturing and energy. There are power plants close to the center of the planet."

Bobby shook his head in amazement. "Unbelievable," was all he said. I suppose from a Second Earth perspective, learning of the many advancements and positive changes of 5010 must have been quite incredible.

"It took more than a thousand years," I went on. "But by the year 4000, every commercial enterprise was moved underground. From factories to the Gap stores."

"You still have the Gap?" Bobby asked, sounding clearly surprised. "Seriously?"

"I think that sweater you're wearing came from there," I told him.

"So the Gap's lasted a few thousand years," Bobby commented. "How cool is that?"

"The only businesses that stay above ground are farms and some solar power facilities," I continued. "Most of the big power sources are out West in areas that are unpopulated."

"Makes sense," said Bobby.

"Then people began relocating underground as well. There are vast housing complexes just below the surface, all interconnected by a train system."

"Isn't that a little claustrophobic?" Bobby asked. "I mean, being underground and all?"

"Not as bad as what it was on the surface," I explained. "We were running out of space. It was only a matter of time till we ran out completely. That's what prompted the other move. We not only went down, we went up."

"Up?" said Bobby curiously.

"Space colonies. It started with Space Station Alpha at the turn of the twenty-first century. A few larger orbiting space platforms soon followed. From there we could jump out farther and expand. The next step was the moon. There were colonies of a thousand people each, living on the moon by the year 3000. Mars was next, followed by Venus and two of the moons of Jupiter. By last count there are one hundred and fifty-five million people living off-planet. Combine that with the fact that people finally started getting smart about family planning, and we finally achieved zero population growth."

"How about underwater?" Bobby asked me. "Are there colonies under the sea as well?"

"Oh, yeah, that too," I answered casually. "But that's not significant. Maybe only a few million people are in underwater habitats."

"A few million? Not significant? Amazing," was all he said.

"I'll tell you what was amazing," I said, gazing out at the never-ending line of trees. "Once man began to pull back from the surface, nature began to take charge again. Pollution was reduced. The air and water gradually cleaned up. Forests re-emerged, starting with the rain forests in South America. In a lot of ways it was like the world took a giant step backwards."

"But what happened to all the stuff? I mean, most of the buildings and roads are gone. Where did everything go?"

"It was all slowly dismantled," I said. "It was like a giant recycling project. Much of the material from the surface was retooled and used below to create the underground cities. There were billions of tons of material that couldn't be re-used, like road surfaces. Not to mention all the material that had to be dug out to create the cities below. Most of that was broken down and used to create new terrain. The rolling hills you're looking at were made from the streets and buildings of New York that was demolished. The whole idea was to heal the surface and preserve our resources for the future. It certainly didn't happen overnight, but in the grand scheme of things, mankind really did rebuild this world for the better."

"But some people still live on the surface?" asked Bobby.

"Oh, yeah. There are still cities all over the world. My guess is that it's about half and half, surface dwellers and below grounders. But the below grounders spend a lot of time on the surface, too. People still take vacations to the ocean, or the mountains to ski, and pretty much do most of the things they did on Second Earth. If you want, we can go to a Yankees game."

Upon hearing this, Bobby shot me an excited look. "There's still a Yankee Stadium?"

I smiled and replied, "Of course. There are some things that shouldn't be changed."

"It's like…perfect," said Bobby, still taking in the scenery.

I laughed, and said, "No, nothing's perfect. But it's better than the direction man was headed. What we're seeing now is a new world, so to speak."

As we continued on towards the library, neither Bobby nor Gunny spoke another word. I could tell by looks on their faces that the two were still wrapped up in the simple beauty that surrounded us. Seeing their transfixed expressions reminded me of how I felt when I'd gotten my first, fantastic glimpse into Earth's past. The sheer wonder I experienced on those two trips was something I'll not soon forget. I imagined Bobby and Gunny would remember this trip into the distant future, the same as I'll remember mine into the ancient past.

Before reaching the library, we passed a familiar sight that I knew all too well as the heart of New York City – the Empire State Building. I'd seen many holographic images of the famed structure as it had existed centuries ago. In the fifty-first century, it now presented with a shiny, steel surface that was distinctly different from its previous appearance.

It didn't take us long till the New York Public Library was at last in sight. I pulled my small car up to the bottom of the stairs, turned off the ignition and glanced up at the place that I called my second home. Whatever fears I had regarding my future as a Traveler, there was one thing I felt total confidence in – that my beloved library would always be here to welcome me home.

"This is it," I announced, hopping out of the car.

Bobby and Gunny did the same, but I noticed Bobby inspecting the library with a puzzled expression.

"This is it?" he asked with surprise. "It's kind of…small."

Indeed, the New York Public Library of 5010 was considerably smaller in size compared with what had once existed on Second Earth. While absolutely different, the large stone lions on either side of the cement stairs were still in place, serving as a reminder of the past. The building, however, had transformed into something that was undoubtedly unlike its former structure. Gone were the arches and columns that had often been described as having an obvious "ancient Rome" feel. What had since been constructed was a small, modern building.

I laughed at Bobby's remark, telling him, "We haven't used traditional books in about two thousand years. It's amazing how much room they took up. Believe me, you won't be disappointed."

"So there's no books in there?" he asked, still sounding flabbergasted.

"Nope," I said, starting up the stairs. I looked back to him with a smile and assured him, "Actually, that's not entirely true. We've still got books…they're just all stored in our computers. You'll see what I mean."

As I stepped through the entrance doors of the library, I was once again filled with a sense of…comfort. Despite all the fears and doubts I had about myself and our mission, it was comforting to know that I'd always have this place to come home to. Of course, I had my underground apartment in Chelsea, but there was something special about this place. It was filled with more knowledge than I could ever possibly obtain, and above all…was the one where I truly belonged.