The year is 2097. Marshall, once a small community, is now a small city with all the problems that go along with it. But after coming back from the over-polluted city of San Diego, Marshall isn't so bad. There is now an invisible shield with a five mile diameter that covers Marshall to protect it against the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun. It also keeps the pollution out. And it allows people to go through it when they want to go to another town nearby. Inside the air is clean, and the mayor releases oxygen every couple of weeks. Fresh streams provide a source of water. The people ride bikes to get to places they want to go on the roads connecting the towns. The people have jobs assigned to them so everybody will have a job. Subsistence living has been replaced by the large number of supermarkets that are in Marshall now.

After wearing heavy protective clothing in the big city of San Diego, it was kind of odd getting to walk around with normal clothes on. I am glad to be back. For the past couple of days since being here I've visited with my two sisters and brother. They've grown up a lot since the last time I saw them. They all have only one child, for now everybody is limited to one child, and all make their living working with the job that was assigned to them. I will ask about an opening for myself and live here as well. After all, Marshall is not the same as it was when I left for college way back in 1997.

When I was settled in at Donna's house I went to visit my friends. I was happy to see Charlotte again. She too lived in a large city and came home for visits often because of all the pollution in the other world. Her younger brother, Shaun, is mayor of Marshall now. Rose still lives in the house that her parents once occupied. Joel still works at a store as a professional clerk. Joe talks a lot about the old days, from boat riding in the summer to plowing through snow in the winters. Many of the others are okay and have small families.

I asked about the other villages like Pilot Station and St. Mary's. Most of St. Mary's population was wiped out by a huge heat wave that came through the Yukon River Region recently. But there were still many people living there, as well as at Pilot Station. Many of the people that live there have skin cancer, though, from over exposure to the sun's rays. And T.B. has once again become widespread throughout the coastal areas, making it hard to survive there. There have also been a large number of new viruses that originated from AIDS and even the common cold.

I don't think I will leave Marshall. It is still better than any other place in the world. I will try and help the people improve the town more and tell them about my experiences in the other world. I will tell them how bad it was to live in a world filled with constant danger, and I will hope that Marshall never gets like those other bigger cities.

Cheryl Hunter