Chapter One - Times before 2012

January 25, 2008

"Mr. Duken, I have some very-"
"I do not vant to be interrupted."
Roy Willia looked up, brushed the hair out of his eyes, and fell silent. Duken Barschlupven twiddled his thumbs and waited for a reply for his e-mail. On his computer screen, a small box appeared and Duken clicked on it. He read the email and snorted.
"Look at zis. Candidates for ze election- I spit on zem," Duken said with a scowl.
"Mr. Duken, I really think you should read this, it's extremely-"
"I said I do not vant to be interrupted!" Duke exclaimed.
"But, sir, if you just-"
Duke cut off him and said, "Give me zis paper."
Duke read the document with a scowl on his face. Slowly, the scowl disappeared and a look of terror washed over his face.
"Alert ze president."

February 7, 2008

"Well then, I suppose that settles that," the president said.
Duken and Roy looked at eachother nervously. What was the president talking about?
"Men, there are many words that could describe this situation we are in. I," the president said with a chuckle, "am simply glad that I will not be president at that time. But I don't think we should alert the public just yet. I mean, for one thing, they'd panic, and possibly rebel. We simply can't have that."
Roy explained, "Do you see this? It's a chart of solar activity around the sun. In 2007, of December 9, there was an exceptionally large energy coming from the sun. Larger than ever recorded in history. All I can say, I don't know what will happen, but it will happen soon. As in a few years."
Duken excused himself for a glass of tea, and Roy continued. "This activity, this, this- I don't know. But we can't sit around and do nothing about it."
The president nodded solemnly, and looked around. The oval office had barely changed since he was elected in 2004. "Well," the president stated, "I guess we shall wait until we have more data. But in the meantime, understand this. Do not show that document to anyone other than my closest ring, which we have discussed a few months previously."
"Yes sir," Roy said, and left the room.

August 17, 2008

"Okay, we're home. I need to go upstairs to check the website," Win Gustin said hurriedly. Win ran inside, bolted up the stairs, and got on the computer. He typed in the address bar, and the screen was brought to his website. After checking some comments, he decided to search the net.
"Win!" Christy Gustin called, "Have you done your homework?"
"Not yet!"
After all, Win was just starting out in the 5th grade. He could use some relaxation.
The screen was now on Youtube. He looked in the featured section, and saw a video with a small picture next to it that had a meteor on it. He clicked the video.
The picture of the meteor was larger. It faded and, through his earphones, Win could hear a man talking.
"2012 is the date that surpresses all dates. It is... doomsday."
Win looked around, and saw nobody in the second floor hallway of his home. He watched the video.
"My name is Ryan Fonton, and I am here to alert you of a catastrophic event. An event that will change mankind, for the better, or for the worst."
Now the screen showed a picture of New York with a huge wave about to hit it. Of course that's fake, Win thought, how could it be real?
"On December 21st, 2012, the earth will shift, causing the ground to, well, change. These changes could wipe out mankind. And we will need to survive. The apocalypse will begin," Ryan said.
Win now was pretty scared, so he closed out of Youtube and went downstairs for a snack.

April 20, 2009

"Mr Obama, your room is this way," Roy Willia said.
Barack Obama looked around the hotel room. He noticed the view that let you see nearly all of New York. Obama was staying at a five star hotel on his trip to discuss important matters with his agents. Roy and Duken cleared their throats, and Duken started.
"Zis 2012 theory, it's true. Ve know. Ve alvays know. But somevun let ze secret out, and now half ze vorld knows!"
Obama looked at the two men, and waved his hand as an gesture for them to continue.
"Of course, nobody really believes it. Zey think it's a load of old tosh. Some believe, though," Duken snorted with a wave of his hand.
Obama said, "What will happen, at this time? I simply think the Mayan calender is starting over again."
"That's what others think! And yes, that will happen, but the flares... They are already causing fatal destruction. In south Australia, nearly half the electronics crashed and failed. We were unable to contact them for days," Roy cried.
Obama sighed heavily, and looked at the door. He was quite sure they had privacy, but you can't always trust hotel staff. Obama said quietly, "I don't think we will need to announce anything. That will, of course, cause panic. But we will need to evacuate, although privately."
"So, basically, we don't warn anybody, but we save ourselves?" Roy asked coldly.
"You don't understand. There's no possible way we can save the country, let alone the entire world. And I've already conducted a series of construction sites at areas that we will evacuate. We are going to build space ships."
Roy and Duken gawked at eachother. Someone could have at least told them.
"The following are the sites that we will construct. We will launch at the Grand Canyon, Area 51, Nunavut in Canada, and a small island near Russia," Obama finished.
Roy asked, "Who will be granted access?"
Obama responded, "Well, each ship will hold, at the most, 5,000 people. That means about 20,000 will make it."
"How will we choose?"
"Our computers have already chosen the people with the best genetic qualities. A good bit of the government will go too. And yes," Obama said as Duken nearly exclaimed, "You two will have access."
"It is the only way," Obama finished sadly.

February 6, 2010

"Wow," Elizabeth Gustin breathed. She, Win, and Shelby Gustin were watching a video of Haiti collapsing. "Isn't it weird how it just happened? And how they weren't prepared?" Win asked heavily. They watched as the ground shook and people ducked for cover as buildings collapsed. "Wonder what made it happen!" Elizabeth cried sadly.
"I bet it has to do with 2012," Win said solemnly.
"Win, don't say things like that," Allan said. He had just walked up behind them and eavesdropped in their conversation. "You'll make everyone scared," Allan said shakily, as if he were already scared.
"But it does have to do with 2012! I once saw a video, and I already favorited it, where is it... here, watch!"
Allan walked away as Ryan Willia began droning about 2012. Allan was already halfway down the stairs when Ryan was at the part about the change that will affect mankind.
"I'm going to play outside," Elizabeth said. Shelby went in her room to listen to her playlist.

August 30, 2010

"It can now be revealed that the devastating cause of the Gulf oil spill was seismic activity. The rig did burn because of the fire, but what really caused the spill was earthquakes. Our president, Barack Obama, accepted a new law that states we can't dig for oil until the spill is cleaned up," the small tv announced. Ryan Willia said, "I told you, Jamie, I said in May that it was because of 2012."
"Oh, come now, ever since that man told you, you have been all over it, writing blogs and making videos-"
"Well, if the government won't alert the public, then I will!" Ryan cried.
"But our neighbors already think we're half crazy," Jamie said kindly.
"Oh, who cares what they think? They can laugh, but in two years I'm going to see their smiles wiped off their faces."
Ryan finished his spaghetti and hurried to get seconds. Their tiny apartment in New York wasn't nearly big enough for comfortable living.
"How's Margaret? Is her trip on the ship fine? I simply can't believe that she would leave us for a job working on a ship for- how long has it been?" Jamie asked, perplexed.
Ryan held up two fingers as spaghetti slid from his chin and onto his plate.
"That's right, two years, I think I heard she plans to quit in about 4 years, and- Ryan, honey, don't make a mess!"
Ryan had tipped his plate in order to get the rest of the spaghetti in his mouth, and accidently dumped it all over his face. Mumbling apologies, he stooped to clean up. That's when he noticed the morning newspaper.
Ryan looked at the headline, flipped a page, and saw another headline. It said the number 2012 in large, bold font.
"Jamie, look at this."
Jamie waddled over to look at the paper. It was then that they realized disasters were taking place.