Tales of Mystery and Wonder

The Last Silver Coin

February 22, 2023 Shawn America Season 1 Episode 1
Tales of Mystery and Wonder
The Last Silver Coin
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Show Notes Transcript

A family engages in a desperate struggle to save mankind from the ravages of a dying planet.  Kate holds their future in her hands.

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[opening scene. Light wind blowing. sound of a creaking rocking chair] 

Randal sat in his aging rocking chair, pausing to light his tobacco. “Never seen it so bad, June, not in my eighty year, this red dust covering everything. I think I’ve got some in my teeth.” He stopped to pick out the dust with an errant finger.

June was Randal’s daughter, was just thirty year, but the creases around her eyes and mouth made her look older. She gave Randal a worried look, “Not sure what we’re all going to eat, pa. Potato crops failing, corn failing, wheat blight, I’m scared, terrified―if the dust doesn’t bury us we’ll starve to death.”

“The hydroponics will hold us for a while,” said Randal. “The scientists have figured out how to synthesize and mine the nutrients. The hydroponic fields are underground with the settlements. We’ve got enough credits to live there for five years at least.”

“I don’t want to live underground! It’s horrible!”

“We don’t have a choice. The dust. The emphysema. The air’s not breathable anymore.” 

Stu, June’s eldest son, came back from the grub farm in what looked like a rubber hazmat suit with matching boots. “How’s the harvest?” Randal asked him, smoke ascending from his cracked lips. Stu pulled off his helmet, wiping sweat from his brow. “The grubs are good. The field cricket harvest is good too, so we have plenty to mill into flower.” 

Little Kate, June’s daughter, ran out onto the porch in a faded denim dress. “Mommy are we really going to move to another planet?”

“Not all of us can dear. There’s only so much room on the arks. They’ve built ten thousand ships, using the last of our resources. They’re carrying seed, cattle, some wild life too. Our village can only send one person and we choose you.”

“And I’m going all alone?” Kate’s chin trembled and she began to sob.

“Not all alone dear. We found you a good mate. You know John, a dear playmate to you all these years. You’ll get married when you’re fourteen. You’ll go together with your new space family, scour the planets for a new home, and replenish it with children.”

“It’s a great honor,” June whispered.

“A great honor,” Randal echoed.

June looked sorrowful for a few moments, the dire future flashed in her mind, and then she brightened. “I’ve got a surprise for you Kate,” she said as she touched her shoulders. “Here, inside.” They went inside to the modest living room. In its center was a small potted tree.

“What is it mama?”

“It’s a tree, dear. They’re very rare, very precious. It’s an apple tree. It’s just 40 kg so you can take it with you. The fruit produces seeds in the center! On your new home I want you to plant hundreds of trees, and when they produce their delicious fruit, you can think of me.” Tears were streaming down her face, and she hugged her daughter tightly. “I’ve got one more surprise for you.” She showed her daughter to a rather large round present, wrapped in brown paper. Kate looked at June expectedly. 

“Go on and open it June.” Kate tore at the paper. Never before had she been given such exotic gifts and they thrilled her. Inside were what looked like Washington Red apples. Kate had never seen such a vibrant color in all her life. Her mouth hung in an open “o”. They were so beautiful.

“We’re going to make apple pies today June. I haven’t made one in thirty years but I still have the recipe. I still remember. Mary!” Mary was June’s older daughter, already fourteen. “Today is a special day and we’re going to celebrate! We’re going to have roast turkey and fresh cranberries and biscuits with real butter. A feast!”

Mary was dumbstruck. Who could afford such things? She had only heard of them in books.   June looked at her daughter, and grasped her hand, holding it tightly. She took a heavy silver coin, the last of their earthly riches, and placed it in her daughter’s hands.

“Take this to the settlement market. This is what I want you to get. Four pounds of flour, a pound of cranberries, a twenty-pound turkey, one pound of butter, and two pounds of sugar.”

“Sugar, really mom!”

“We can make a cake too!” June laughed. They all laughed. It was a long time since they were so happy.” Kate danced around the kitchen and her mom joined her.

Mary said good bye to Randal. He grabbed her suddenly by the arm, glaring at her, not with anger, but with an intensity she’d never known. “I remember when these valleys were running with fresh water. Rivers and streams full of fish, forests as far as the eye could see. It was beautiful, beautiful I tell you! But we got greedy. We got prideful. We built great machines. Flying machines and factories and robots and senseless pleasures! And now what do we have? Dust!”  

Mary looked at him as he’d gone mad. Perhaps he had for a moment. He let go of his grip, whispered “I’m sorry,”  and kissed her on the cheek. Stunned, she ran out to get the donkey cart. There were no machines now, what was grandpa talking about? There were only the arks and the hydroponics and the underground. Everything else was gone, if it ever was. 

[wind sound. Donkey sneezes and you hear the clip clop of the animal]

Mary walked a long way with the donkey. His name was Lucky. He looked up at her. Funny, even Lucky seemed sad. She gave him a pat on the head, and scratched behind his ears, and gave him a kind look. “It’s just you and me now, faithful friend.”

They walked and walked. The wind was getting mean and dark storm clouds appeared on the horizon. She looked at Lucky “We better get moving. A super storm is coming. Could be trouble.” 

[loud wind noises with grit in them]

The wind got worse. The dust and grit kicked up everywhere, and Mary put on an air filtration mask they all carried these days. She was about to put on her face shield when the grit and dust got into her eyes. She screamed, the pain searing her eyeballs. She dropped the silver coin. She scoured the ground for it, half blind. She pounded the ground and screamed but it was gone. The grit and dust blew and covered her head for the last time.

[control sounds. Computer beeps and buzzes]

The men sat in a control center, sending commands. [robot arm buzz]

“Deploy the robotic arm. Go forward two meters. Looks like we found something. Zoom in. Yes, that right. Right there, let’s dust off that section.” The man looked at the image of the Mars Rover, transmitting 81 million miles back to earth. He gasped in shock. “My God! It’s a silver coin!”