The Power of Humans

    It was a long hike following the river deep into the hills. Seven year old Leo didn’t see the point, but his dad was insistent. “You’ll understand when you get there,” his father repeated every time Leo complained. Eventually Leo gave up complaining. There was no point. When his father set his mind to something, there was no talking him out of it.

    Then, cresting the top of the hill, he saw it rising above the trees. Strange metal and stone buildings taller than any he could have imagined. This was nothing like the little cottages of home. Curved walkways stretched between buildings. Trees grew from the sides of the buildings and ivy covered whole walls. Birds nested in the nooks and crannies. The buildings were dusty and dirty, but still standing tall. With a little cleaning, they looked like they would be new again.

    Then some of the fog cleared and he saw the white palace in the distance. It dwarfed the rest of the sprawling city around it. 

    Leo had to force himself to breath.

    His dad nudged him with his elbow. “What’d I tell you. Worth it, huh?”

    Unable to speak, Leo just nodded.

    “You once asked what humans can accomplish, well here you go.”

     Leo gulped. It took several tries, but he finally managed to whisper, “How?”

    Dad shrugged. “Don’t right know. Just know it’s all human made. No gods. No secret aliens or forest people or anything. Just us little people.”

    Leo took a step forward. There were stairs leading down to it. They could go there, look around. Proof. He needed proof humans did this.

    Dad grabbed his shoulder. “Hey, now, where d’you think you’re going?”

    Leo pointed. “I … I want to see it.”

    “Uh, no. This is as close as you get.”

    Leo’s face scrunched up and he looked up at his dad’s hairy face. “Why? It’s just abandoned buildings.”

    His dad was shaking his head before Leo finished the sentence. “It’s more than that. Things live in there for one. Two, your mother has told you what happened to the people before, hasn’t she? I mean, I know I’m not always there, but she’s not leaving off your basic education, is she?”

    “The plague, right?”

    Dad nodded.

    “You … you don’t think it’s still down there, do you? I mean, a sickness can’t live without people can it? Mom says it can’t. It’s all little living things called viruses that we can’t see …” Leo trailed off as he looked back over the empty city.

    “Yes and no. I don’t wanna scare you, and I’m pretty sure your mother wouldn’t approve of me going into too many gory details.”

    Leo puffed out his chest. “I can handle it. I’m not some little kid anymore.”

    Dad gave him a pat on the shoulder. “No, I guess not, but still might be best you let this one pass for now.”

    He gripped his small hands into fists. “I’m not little anymore. Stop treating me like I’m four. I’m not four. I can handle it.”

    Letting out a long sigh, Dad rubbed a hand over his face. “Yeah, I’ve noticed, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Dad set down his pack and took a seat on the ground. He gestured for Leo to do the same but the boy folded his arms together and stayed standing. “Suit yourself.” He pulled out his canteen but Leo was giving him the ‘you’re stalling’ look. “Alright, alright. You want to know so bad, I’ll tell you.” He pointed to the big white palace. “See that building? That was the temple for worship. It was the last thing this city ever built. If you go all the way ‘round, you’ll see the back isn’t finished. Never got to it.”

    Taking a seat, Leo shrugged. “So?”

    “So the reason they never got to it was because of the plague.”

    “So?”

    “The plague they made in that temple.”

    “So?”

    Dad let out another sigh and shook his head. “You wanted to see the power of humans, well here it is, in all it’s glory. Two hundred years after being built, it’s still here.”

    Leo rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I see that.”

    “Yeah, but what do you not see?”

    Leo was about to give a flippant answer, when he paused. Looking over the empty city, he tried to spy the thing that was out of place. There were large buildings. Smaller buildings were clustered in under the raised walkways. There were a few open areas that were likely places for gardens or something. Sure, it was huge and made of rock and metal instead of wood, but it wasn’t too different from the city two days ride from home.

    “People,” Dad supplied. “There are no people.”

    Leo gave his dad a sideways glance. “Uh, yeah, the plague killed them.”

    “The plague they created. On purpose. Out of arrogance.”

    Leo sat up straighter. “They made it?”

    “Yep, then set it loose on the people. Thought it would only kill some people they didn’t like. People that weren’t the right color or religion or something. I don’t know. Records aren’t real clear on why. They just tell what happened next. Disease swept through, killed almost everybody, and left this place to the forest. The disease they made. It’s not natural, son. So, yes, it could still be there. Humans have a lot of power, but not always the wisdom to use it correctly.”

    Leo stared out over the city again. “So … so it’s still down there?”

    Dad stood up and dusted himself off. “Don’t know, but the power of humans is … big … and very scary, so don’t downplay it. Ready to go?”

    Leo nodded as he stood. Walking back down the hill, he watched the buildings until he couldn’t see them anymore. “So, Dad, how did they stop the plague? People are still alive —“

    “They didn’t. The power of humans is not easily stopped, even by the power of other humans.”