Omega and Alpha

Eliza Fotheringay buys a shelter for protection against the bickering superpowers. While her daycare charges are inside her home, the shelter activates – sensing a missile launch. She is trapped outside, but the four kids inside are spared. Many years pass. Martin, the last of Eliza’s charges, is now an old man with kids and grandkids. The shelter is being overtaxed - too many people in it. Also, it should have failed by now. Both Martin and his son, Donald, hear scratching outside the airlock at night. Martin decides to investigate. Leaving the shelter, he finds a beautiful fall day and his old daycare teacher as young as ever. She introduces him to her benefactor – The Master. He has brought her back to life and provided the illusion that the Earth has now recovered from the war. He boasts that he can provide everyone in the shelter with their heart’s desire in exchange for their souls. The residents decide they would rather die, when Martin’s granddaughter leaves the shelter to experience her illusion. Martin can only get her back from The Master by promising him a decision in 24 hours. Faced with death or service to The Master, the shelter residents decide on the former. A detonator box is made that will explode the shelter if necessary. Martin goes to see The Master and tell him of the residents’ negative decision. The Master senses the detonator and is furious. He magically gets it from Martin and proceeds to kill him. Dying, Martin pleads with Eliza to press the detonator’s button – which she does. The shelter explodes, killing everyone inside. The Master takes his revenge by killing Eliza. He decides to leave the Earth. There’s nothing for him here – no souls. As he is leaving, he sees a small weed growing in the rubble. Life here? Not on his watch. He destroys it, bemoaning what he could have given the shelter residents for the mere trifle of their souls.