HINGE

Preface
I have begun to write a book. I'm unsure of it's length. As I complete chapters, they will be posted on this page. My laptop doesn't have Word, so forgive my misspelling and poor grammar. This story already has a plot line that resides in my brain. Many things compete for my time and regurgitation of this book will be very slow. May you all enjoy my novel HINGE.
-your faithful friend Todd

HINGE (ch.1-2)

Chapter 1
The Sun rose methodically from the eastern horizon. It was this steady repetition of light and dark that created life on all worlds. Beyond the realm of earths, planets, and suns, there were still greater forces that churned, rotated, and repeated. These massive internal weights followed a course of ever increasing gyroscopic precession. Though the Sun was a meager appendage of the universe, He added to the momentum of the cosmos. The man Elijah was happy. He sensed the rhythm of life and did not resist it. Though he didn't understand his role in the universe, Elijah saw that there was an invisible current affecting everything. A person who observed life's patterns could plan a better fate for himself. Things that were not in harmony with the rhythm of life were pulled apart by it's great momentum and then recycled.
Amel, with his long steady stride, was approaching his brother Elijah, who was eating a large green apple. Elijah felt as though he was tasting it for the first time. This sensation of innocence and freshness seemed to occur more and more often. An hour earlier, Amel had felt a similar awe as he focused on the smooth cooperation of his muscles as he climbed the ladder to the control pod that overlooked his immense field of algae. The joy that Elijah found in the apple was replaced by a similar feeling, equally satisfying, as he saw his brother Amel returning from the crop.
The tract, over which the brothers were stewards, was nearing the end of it's seventh production and would soon be left fallow for a season. Technology had made the crops resilient and highly productive, still, a period of rest and recuperation was needed in order to maintain fertility. The earth, and all the life in it, was healthy and growing stronger.
Elijah had always admired his brother for his industrious personality, the brothers worked well together. Like them, each member of the colony had a duty to perform. Every man and woman was diligent. Work gave them a sense of satisfaction. All felt tremendous pride. Pride, however, was not a vice in this community, because it was a result of self-fulfillment and not of superiority. When one had prosperity, they all felt grateful for the reward.
The clean September air poured into their lungs. Amel reached the shady oak tree where his brother had waited and the two continued southward toward home. Green countryside hedged them in on both sides. In the distance an electric train neared it's stop. They hastened their pace to meet the next train. A young boy and his dog, saw the pair moving quickly over the cobblestone road. They engaged the brothers in a friendly race and all four ran to the end of the street. Declaring victory, the boy returned to his games. Bright pink and red fruit hung from a nearby tree. Elijah collected two and gave one to Amel. They ate in silence and watched as the next train came to a halt.

Chapter 2
Conversation was casual as they flew down the track. The rhythmic sound of metal on metal carried Elijah into a pleasant memory. "Clickity clack" went a similar train so many years ago, he remembered it clearly. It was taking him to the Conservatory in Whetherton. Whetherton was several hundred miles from where he had grown up. Eli had gone to visit his aging parents at his childhood home, and was now returning to his studies. Blurred lights jumped past his open window. It was dark and the heat of the day was subsiding. The man sitting on the opposite bench was finishing a stale cigarette and Eli opened the window to escape the choking fumes. Ash fell on the man's lap and on the floor. With a few labored drags, between pursed lips, the cigarette was consumed. He rung his hands and shifted in his seat.
Eli tried to be inconspicuous as he watched the man through the haze; he had a mortal fear of being rude. Of course Eli knew nothing about the man before him. Only God knew, but Eli liked to speculate: The cigarette is a momentary relief from some self made stress. The man takes no regard for his health. He works very hard and sleeps little. Despite a respectable income, he has never enjoyed the peace of financial freedom. He believes that more money would solve his problems, ironically, his problems have little to do with his check balance. Ever since his youth, he'd been taught that "more is better." The man never considered that "more" is and elusive goal. It's like a carrot that stays just out of reach. Each accomplishment encourages more greed and less gratitude.
It was unlikely that this man was a native of Whetherton; he was not Davidian. The Conservatory was the epicenter of a new philosophy known as the Davidian Movement. This philosophy teaches that the world has an optimal state of being. The world will naturally approach its optimal state; however, if regional balances, such as disease or population, stray from optimal levels, then the world becomes sick. When appropriate balances are met on a global level then the inhabitants of the earth will enjoy a state known as Perpetual Sustainability.
Twenty-five years earlier, the Conservatory hired a promising doctor named David Kingston. He was an ecology expert with a passion for creating small scale bio-domes. These experiments dealt mainly with life cycles. Dr. Kingston was fascinated to observe all the species within these controlled environments interact with one another. Each specie was maintained by the rest. Certain species provided resources to others and vice verse. If one population became too large or too small, then the others would fluctuate to keep the whole system in check. However, if things were changed too drastically within the bio-dome, then the environment could not correct the disturbance and most everything would die. These patterns were not new to the scientific community. David Kingston was by no means doing break-through research. What made David unique was his ability to make others care. He had an unworldly ability to apply his ecological theories to large scale models. David could envision his bio-dome experiments playing out on our planet.
Many saw that Dr. Kingston's hypotheses were plausible and his work was consistently more reliable than that of his contemporaries. Researchers from various institutions began to imitate his methods. Some of them viewed David as a guide or advisor. More than two decades later, David continues to perfect his calculations and tweak his theories. Modern universities accept his conclusions and teach them as part of their curriculum. Millions of people are changing their lives so that the world can reach its state of perpetual sustainability. Government leaders pass laws and encourage programs that are in harmony with Davidian theory. Much of the secular world has adopted Davidianism as its surrogate religion. Dr. Kingston is quiet by nature and prefers his privacy, however, he believes strongly in his theories and accepts a leadership role because he feels responsible for his ideas.
Eli did not know David Kingston personally. The two had met once after a lecture, but David would not remember the occasion. Eli held the doctor in high esteem and considered himself to be part of the Davidian Movement. Sometimes he wondered that he could be influential too. It didn't matter though, not everyone must be influential. Followers are just as important as leaders, he thought. A leader wouldn't accomplish much without followers. Eli continued to watch the people in his train car. The heavy air made him cough.