DR. CABLE

It was about 7 o'clock when Tilly's family found out. They were watching the news on TV, and a special report came on. Even Sean glanced away from the computer screen to watch it. A plane had exploded mid-air. The plane was travelling from Sydney to Melbourne. Tilly's father was on that plane. Tilly didn't know what to say. She had promised her father that he would never lose her. In a second, she had broken her promise.

It was around 8 o'clock when the phone rang. "Incoming video call to Tilly Wentworth from unknown sender," Betty announced. Tilly walked over to the phone, and picked it up. A hologram shot out of the top of the slender piece of plastic. There was no picture. Only sound came. A cruel, screeching sound cut through the air like a knife. "Are you alone, Tilly?" it asked. "Yes," Tilly replied. Picture came. It was of a beautiful woman, but she was scary. She had dark, evil eyes and sharp facial features. Her voice and looks combined sent shivers down Tilly's spine. "That's good," she said, with a thin smile, "Because I have good news for you.

Her name was Dr. Cable the first. Tilly guessed she had a cruel-looking and sounding daughter with the same name, since Dr. Cable mentioned that she was "the first." "Tilly Wentworth," she announced, "You are one lucky girl. You have been chosen to live, which is great for you!" Tilly didn't want to think about life and death after what had happened earlier, but was none the less interested in what Dr. Cable was saying. "The world as you know it is coming to an end, and about ½ its population will be eradicated," Dr. Cable continued, smiling, as if this was all nice as pie. "The other half of the population will continue to live, and you are part of that percentage!"

"How do you know all this?" Tilly questioned.

"Because," Dr. Cable said, "it was planned."

Tilly found it hard to grasp this. "So you're saying that all of these oil spores were put out purposely?" she questioned, amazed.

"Yes," Dr. Cable replied. "You see, Tilly, for centuries humans have been ruining the world. Humans are like a cancer to the earth. We keep multiplying all the time, and destroying the environment more and more as time goes on. The world leaders have recognised this, and have decided that this must stop. They have employed scientists to create the spores and release them. They will spread, and eventually, well……" She trailed off.

Tilly didn't know how to feel. This was crazy talk. No one would do this, would they? Suddenly, anger welled up inside her. "That oil attack killed my dad!" she shouted. "And it was planned? How could the governments do this? It's unfair, it's unjust!"

"Calm down Tilly!" Dr. Cable ordered sharply. "It was the only way!"

Tilly shook her head. "I'm hanging up!" she blubbered. Dr. Cable smiled.

"But Tilly, if you hang up, you won't get to hear more," Dr. Cable said, with a thin smile. "Don't you want to know why your father was killed?"

"When the world leaders came up with this plan five years ago, they started a new organisation within their own governments." Dr. Cable explained. "This organisation is "Special Circumstances," since the leaders figured that this whole "world destruction" thing was a pretty special circumstance."

"Hence the name," Tilly muttered.

"We have organised everything; the development of the spores, their release, making sure they spread, and selection." Dr. Cable smiled at this word.

"What exactly is selection?" Tilly asked, but she was pretty sure she already knew what it was.

"You see, the whole point of this operation is to get rid of some of the population so there aren't as many people to destroy everything," Dr. Cable replied. "Selecting those people is a hard task. You see, we don't want old fuddy-duddies in their wheelchairs whizzing around a new society, we want young, virile people like you, who can eventually have kids. But not too many kids," Dr. Cable said sharply.

"And since I'm young and virile, I've been selected," Tilly said dully. Dr. Cable smiled. "Also, you're creative, Tilly. You're smart. You're a writer, for goodness sake. Most kids your age couldn't even write! They're too busy playing stupid video games." Dr. Cable's eyes flashed.

"How do you know all this?" Tilly asked. Dr. Cable smiled slyly.

"Tilly, do you remember exactly how long ago Betty, as you dub her, was installed?" Dr. Cable asked.

"5 years ago," Tilly replied. Then it hit her. Betty and every other home minder thingy was installed so Special Circumstances could spy on her. Even though Betty wasn't human, she couldn't even look at her any more. She felt betrayed. She'd felt like Betty and her were friends; looking up stuff on the internet together, getting Betty to read her stories through laser technology, waking up and saying "good morning" to her every day of the past 5 years. But Betty was just a piece of technology, used to watch her every move, and decide who was better than who. Tilly sighed, as she usually did.

"Tilly, I've emailed you a list of everyone in the world who will be saved from the disaster. If I was you, I would read it quickly, and follow the instructions on the email. It is essential that you do not tell anyone that I called, nor shall you tell anyone about anything I said. If you do, I will know. Betty is watching you. Goodbye." In a flourish, Dr. Cable was gone, possibly forever.