The Rebellion

Category A: Third Place (2023) Monash Short Story Writing Competition 
Author: Ben Berger

The air was thick with smoke, choking the remnants of a once vibrant and bustling city. Skyscrapers stood as skeletal remains, their broken windows reflecting the empty and desolate surroundings. Amidst the ruins of the destroyed metropolis, little life was to be seen.

As the sun rose on the horizon of the broken city, casting long shadows upon the ruins, Bartholomew stood tall, ready to lead his rebellion against the very forces that had torn and wreaked havoc on Earth. With hope in his heart and fire in his eyes, he once again vowed to defy the odds and to bring an end to the reign of the ‘Perfect Humans.’ He hoped to restore the rightful balance to the world.

Luckily for the rebellion, Bartholomew had carefully studied the extensive layout of the compound. He knew how to hide from the heavily armoured guards who constantly marched along the walls on the lookout for intruders. The rebels navigated their way through the labyrinthine corridors and arrived in the chamber housing the cloning machines, but not without costs. On their way there, they were ambushed by the clones and just managed to escape. Though, all that was forgotten as their eyes widened at the sight before them. Rows upon rows of gleaming metal structures, each individual one humming with life, glinting in the artificial lights placed above. The air crackled with electricity. The sight horrified Bartholomew and left a bewildered look in his eyes.

His mind returned to the task at hand and with determination burning in him, Bartholomew began his main assault. He started shouting out orders to his fellow comrades, telling them to help him lay down the explosives. His hands were moving with a precision honed through countless battle simulations. As the explosives detonated, the machines erupted in a shower of sparks and twisted metal.

In the chaos that unfolded, alarms blared, and lights flickered red, illuminating the chamber in a crimson haze. Bartholomew and the rebellion knew that they had only moments to escape before the ‘Perfect Humans’ would descend upon them unleashing their wrath. With a final look of defiance, he led the rebellion out of the crumbling fortress, that once stood tall and mighty, leaving a trail of chaos and destruction behind.

As the dust settled, Bartholomew and the rebellion emerged from the ruins, bedraggled and wounded, but victorious. The largest clone production facility would be unable to produce and supply clones ever again.

Soon word of his triumph spread like wildfire, igniting a spark within the hearts of the oppressed and captivated humans. Though the fight was far from over, in that moment as the sun’s rays painted the destroyed city in a golden hue, Bartholomew and his rebellion knew that a new chapter for humanity was about to start. One where humanity would be filled with hope and would reclaim its place in the world. For this is something that mattered, for this was what mattered most.