Legend of the Future

By Arnold

The story revolves around Gerald and Tatiana, who are dealing with the aftermath of their spouses' departure on a space expedition. Tatiana receives a letter from her husband, Iwan, stating that their spaceship has landed on an asteroid made of metal harder than diamond, and there is almost no chance of returning to Earth. Meanwhile, Gerald keeps his wife's confession about leaving quiet. A year later, Tatiana is pregnant, and the family experiences a rare snowfall caused by an asteroid circling the Earth, bringing positive changes to the climate. Arnold, an astronaut, arrives, and they discuss the asteroid's origin and its impact on Earth. Gerald announces plans for a space expedition to Jupiter's satellite Europa, hoping for his son's return. The story also includes a romantic evening between Gerald and Tatiana, and a dangerous encounter with the Antarctic ice sheet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arnold
• Release date: Mar 19, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224782871

Book preview

Legend of the Future

Arnold

Published by Arnold, 2024.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Film Treatment LEGEND OF THE FUTURE

Film Treatment LEGEND OF THE FUTURE

1. Early morning. A 10-year-old girl is sleeping in bed. She smiles as she dreams, seeing her mother in astronaut's gear on a distant, unfamiliar planet.

MUM: Erikute, I miss you so much.

ERIKA: Mummy, come home.

MAMA: I'll come back as soon as I find my way back.

ERIKA: Mummy, it's unbearably hot in New York.

MAMA: Don't be afraid, God will protect the Earth from the heat of the Sun.

A tornado whirlwind grabs her mother and carries her somewhere far away.

ERIKA (almost awake): Mom, where are you?

But the girl realises her mother has just dreamt of her.

At that moment, the sun's rays, reflected in the glass of the skyscrapers, flash into Erika's eyes. The girl crouches by the window, gazing anxiously into the distance.

The Sun's disc rises from behind the Atlantic horizon line. Manhattan is surrounded by a clumsy concrete barrier, about 30 metres high, which is crashing against the powerful waves. It is clear that the ocean level has risen dramatically: if it were not for this barrier, New York would be inundated. The streets are deserted, uninhabitable, crowded, with no car traffic.

Erika opens the door to her dad's bedroom.

GERALD GROSSNER (opening his eyes): Are you awake?

ERIKA: Dad, I dreamt of Mummy again.

The official NASA conclusion that there is no hope that the crew of the Unicum spacecraft, which disappeared a year ago, is still alive, is on Gerald's mind.

GERALD (to his daughter): But when Mummy comes back, we won't let her go anywhere.

ERIKA: Nowhere else. Daddy, why is the Sun so cruel to humans?

GERALD: Daughter, you must understand that this is a time of severe testing for our planet.

Gerald enters an empty room at the end of the corridor. A photograph of a boy is on the table. Gerald puts a card next to it: 'Dear Arnold, Happy 18th birthday!'

Gerald goes to his office and switches on the video camera, pointing its lens at himself. On the screen, Gerald sees himself asleep, tangled up, wearing his night pyjamas.

GERALD (enigmatically, straight from the screen): "Why is the Sun so merciless, what is