My name is Sam, and I've built my life around a simple philosophy: knowledge is the bridge between what is and what could be.
This morning found me in my workshop, a converted section of one of the old shelters that had become my laboratory for rediscovering the technologies we'd lost to the wish event.
The space was cramped but functional, filled with salvaged materials, improvised tools, and half-finished experiments that represented weeks of trial and error.
On my workbench lay the components I'd been tinkering with for the past few days—strips of copper-like metal that AJ had helped me refine, small magnets we'd discovered, and coils of wire I'd painstakingly shaped by hand.
I'd been circling around the idea of generating electricity for a while, but other priorities had always taken precedence. Today was different.
The settlement was stable, the immediate threats were manageable, and I finally had time to focus on the kind of breakthrough that could bring major changes.
"Right then," I murmured to myself, examining the simple generator I'd assembled. "Let's see if this actually works."
The device was primitive by any measure—a copper coil wrapped around a wooden frame with magnets positioned to create a magnetic field.
When rotated, it should generate an electrical current. The challenge was creating enough power to do something visible, something that would prove the concept worked.
I connected a wire to the generator and began turning the handle I'd attached to the assembly. The motion was smooth, the mechanics sound, but for several minutes nothing happened.
"Come on," I whispered, turning faster. "Show me something."
The wire began to warm in my hands. Not dramatically, but noticeably—a gentle heat that built as I maintained the rotation. Encouraged, I connected a thinner section of wire, hoping to concentrate the effect.
Within moments, the thin wire was glowing with a faint orange light. The heat generated by the current flowing through the resistant material created the first artificial light our settlement had produced.
"Ha!" I exclaimed, probably louder than necessary. "It works!"
The wire lasted perhaps thirty seconds before the heat melted it completely, but those thirty seconds proved that electrical generation was possible with our available materials.
This was the foundation for everything else—lighting, motors, tools that could revolutionise our capabilities.
I spent the next hour documenting the experiment, sketching the generator design and noting the specific materials and configurations that had produced results. This was just the beginning, but what a beginning it was.
The possibilities cascaded through my mind. Better lighting for evening work, powered tools that could increase production efficiency, and communication systems that could coordinate activities across the settlement.
We were still months or years away from such applications, but the path forwards was clear.
AJ appeared in my workshop doorway, his form shifting to peer at my setup. "Something's got you excited," he observed, noting my enthusiastic scribbling.
"Electricity," I replied, gesturing at the melted wire still connected to my generator. "I just created light through electromagnetic induction."
His form rippled with interest. "Show me."
I attached another thin wire and repeated the demonstration, turning the generator handle while AJ watched the wire heat up and glow.
"This opens up a new world of possibilities," he said thoughtfully. "We'll need a more stable source for the power though."
"Exactly what I was thinking," I agreed. "The water mill provides constant rotational force. If I can adapt this generator design to work with that as the power source..."
"You'll have continuous electrical generation," AJ finished. "What do you need from me?"
This was what I loved about working with AJ. No lengthy explanations needed, no convincing required, he caught on quickly and was always ready to offer help.
"Can you duplicate this generator design once I perfect it?" I asked. "And help me create the mechanical components for connecting it to the mill?"
"Consider it done, let me know when you're ready."
With AJ's assistance secured, I began planning the next phase of the project. The water mill was currently dedicated to grain processing, but its mechanical energy could serve multiple purposes if properly harnessed.
---
The walk to the water mill revealed our settlement's continued growth. Construction crews worked on new housing, agricultural teams tended to expanded crop areas, and the general atmosphere buzzed with productive activity. It felt good to be contributing something that could enhance everyone's capabilities.
Thomas was checking the mill's wheel assembly for wear when I arrived. The steady flow of water provided reliable power that had aided our food processing, but that represented only a fraction of its potential.
"Sam," he greeted me with a smile. "Come to see how the mill's holding up?"
"Actually, I wanted to discuss adding something to the setup," I replied, pulling out my sketches. "I've developed a way to generate electricity using rotational force."
Thomas examined my drawings. "Interesting. You want to tap into the wheel's power... and without interfering with the grain processing."
"Exactly. A secondary system that operates alongside the millstone. The wheel has more than enough capacity for both."
Catherine appeared as we discussed the challenges.
"The wheel assembly can handle additional load," she confirmed. "But you'll need a robust connection system that won't interfere with the primary grinding operation."
We spent a while working through the details. The generator would mount on a secondary shaft connected to the main wheel through a set of gears that could be engaged or disengaged as needed. This approach allowed electrical generation without disrupting food processing.
"I can help with the gear components," Thomas offered. "Robert's metalworking skills have improved considerably, and AJ can help with the precision parts."
"When do you want to start?" Catherine asked.
"This afternoon, if possible," I replied. "The electrical generation is just the first step. Once we have reliable power, we can begin developing applications that will benefit everyone."
Both Thomas and Catherine understood the potential impact of bringing electrical power to the settlement. Better lighting alone would extend productive hours and improve quality of life.
We began the modification immediately, dismantling part of the mill's housing to access the main drive system.
The work was precise and methodical, requiring careful measurements and adjustments to ensure the new components integrated smoothly with the existing mechanism.
AJ arrived with the gears and shafts I'd requested, his ability to produce exact specifications made everything much simpler.
"Nice tolerances," Thomas observed, examining a gear that fit snugly into place. "This level of precision would have taken days to achieve manually."
By late afternoon, we had the generator mounted and connected. The moment of truth came when Thomas engaged the secondary drive system and the electrical generator began rotating in sync with the mill's wheel.
The output was modest but steady—enough current to heat wire consistently and maintain a small but reliable light source.
"Great work everyone," Catherine said, watching the glowing wire that proved our success.
I documented the entire assembly process, creating detailed drawings that would allow the system to be replicated by others. The knowledge was as valuable as the immediate application.
---
As evening approached, AJ found me cleaning up my tools and organizing my notes. The day's successes had left me energized rather than tired, my mind already racing towards the next challenges and opportunities.
"Productive day," he observed, studying the detailed sketches I'd created.
"Very much so," I agreed. "Though there still are many challenges to be overcome."
AJ's form shifted thoughtfully. "Speaking of problems that need solving, Victor found another nest about 3 kilometres west of here. The constant flow of creatures coming from the nests is a real pain in the neck."
"Another nest," I mused.
"So we'll need to organize another destruction mission." AJ continued.
The idea hit me like lightning. A nest that continuously produced creatures, creatures that could be used as a food source...
"What if instead of destroying it immediately, we could harness their creature-production capabilities? Set up a controlled system where the creatures are automatically killed? Then we could use them as a constant source of meat."
"That's... a crazy but also brilliant idea," He said, shocked.
"We could experiment with the concept, test whether it's actually feasible before committing significant resources."
The more we discussed it, the more excited I became. Instead of simply destroying the nests, we could exploit them for our own gain.
"Let's go tomorrow morning, if you're available. We'll need to study the nest for some time before we can try anything." AJ said as he made his way out of the makeshift lab.
I spent the rest of the evening sketching preliminary designs for creature containment and processing systems. The challenges were significant but not insurmountable—automated killing mechanisms and safety systems to prevent escapes were the top priority, further refinements would come later.
The engineering problems were fascinating. How do you design a system that kills creatures efficiently without damaging the meat too much? How do you ensure containment when dealing with intelligent predators?
Each question led to others, creating a web of interconnected challenges. It was exactly the kind of complex problem I thrived on solving.
---
The next morning AJ and I made our way west through terrain that became increasingly wild as we moved away from the settlement.
"There," AJ pointed towards a cluster of rocks that looked similar to the formation that he'd seen with the last nest they found.
This one was active, with wolves moving in and out regularly. We stayed at a safe distance, observing the movement patterns.
"They emerge in groups of 2 or 3," I noted, watching wolves exit the cave system. "Roughly every 30 minutes. The timing seems consistent."
"And they stay near the nest before moving out to hunt," AJ added. "That gives us time to deal with them."
We spent some hours observing, mapping the creatures' movement patterns in more detail and assessing the site's suitability for our purposes. The location was isolated enough to minimize risks to the settlement while remaining accessible for construction and maintenance.
"It could work," I concluded as we prepared to return. "We'd need to build containment systems around the cave entrance, create killing mechanisms that activate automatically, and have a group to stay nearby to extract the bodies."
"The materials and construction are manageable," AJ confirmed. "The bigger questions are safety and reliability. What happens if the system fails?"
These were exactly the right questions. Any system we built would need multiple redundancies and fail-safes to keep the people who would be on standby safe.
During the hike back, we refined the concept further. A perimeter fence to contain creatures as they emerged and an automated killing system triggered by movement.
There'll be 2 gates, 1 blocks the entrance to the cave the other will let people through the fence, in order to reset the killing mechanism and retrieve the bodies.
"Let's discuss this with Maria and the others," I decided. "We need everyone on board for this."
AJ nodded. "We could have Ethan and the trainees stationed there, it can serve an extra purpose as a training ground and if anyone can handle a worst case scenario it'd be them."
By the time we reached the settlement, I had filled several pages with preliminary designs and calculations. The meat farm concept was coming to together.
That evening, I presented the idea to Maria, Ethan, and the others. The response was cautiously positive—recognition of the potential benefits balanced with awareness of the risks involved.
"It's worth testing," Maria decided after lengthy discussion.
"When can we start?" Ethan asked.
"In a few days," I replied. "I need time to finalize the designs and gather materials."
As I returned to my workshop that night, I reflected on the day's events. Electrical generation, mill modification, and the meat farm concept, I hadn't made much progress in recent times but the past 2 days were different.
I felt the satisfaction of progress, of problems solved and possibilities opened. This was what I lived for—the moment when understanding became action, when ideas became reality.
The future was looking ripe with opportunities, and I couldn't wait to seize them.