Annihilating Openness

"Everything in the universe is either a potato or not a potato."

This is definitely not the most profound thing ever stated, but it does make you stop and think, at least for a moment. Another statement, much along the same lines, was spoken by the inimitable Arthur C. Clarke: "Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying."

I really wish it had been the former though. Because when the latter was finally proven to me, it was too late.

I don't just mean too late for me. It was too late for the human race.

The year was...unimportant, I suppose. It was one of the years with a war.

I guess that doesn't really narrow it down at all, does it? At least it was a war between humans.

I can't help but imagine what life would have been like if the others had never come. We might have two hundred separate countries on Earth as opposed to the one remaining outpost of humans left on a decimated rock.

I think we live in what might once have been the state of Connecticut. Or it might have been, if the others hadn't helped Great Britain take down the Colonial Revolution.

It was Trenton where it all went wrong. The Revolution's general was planning a surprise attack by crossing the river on an old human holiday. I think it was called Krismuss. That's what it sounds like the elders are saying, anyway.

The British found out. The others could hear the plan being made. They didn't like the idea of revolutions in general, so they made sure that any possibility of any revolution succeeding was shut down.

Maybe they thought that by intervening with humans revolting against humans, they would make the notion of revolution synonymous with failure. If humans couldn't even successfully revolt against other humans, then there would be no chance of them revolting against the power that had been controlling them all along.

But they were wrong.

We have been beaten down.

We have been trodden on.

We have suffered defeat after devastating defeat. Even now they search for our haven.

But still we fight. Earth will be ours again. I can't say when. I may die before it happens. But humanity will surv

---

HUMANS ARE NO MORE. EARTH IS OURS. WE WILL REBUILD IN OUR IMAGE. LONG LIVE THE INFINITE.

---

---

This is coming in a bit later than I would have liked, but I wanted to make sure I got it before the day was completely done.

Thanks to Phil, Dale, Bobby, John, and Chris for their thoughts on this week's prompt. I didn't know what I would be getting into by putting it completely in your court. I hope I did not disappoint.

For next week, tell me what sense you wouldn't want to live without. Post your submissions in the comments section below, and don't forget to subscribe!