by L K Hingey
Kimber had no idea how late in the sleep cycle it had gotten. Other than the occasional cough or the droplet of water from a stalactite, not a sound could be heard. She knew that her absence would be noticed if she was not present in her bed in the morning, and the Aurorean chamber was not particularly close by. Kimber felt heavy with the burden of knowledge and hardly cared about the ramifications of getting caught. She knew she had to care now though. She had to care as if her life depended on it.
It all sounded too grave and mysterious to be true. Kimber was having trouble discerning what was real and what was exaggerated by the gloom of the fireless caves. Kimber put a hand to her queasy stomach. On the outside, it was as soft, cool, and smooth as a snake’s belly. On the inside though, it churned and tumbled uneasily. Was this all a dream? Had she come to visit the cavern of the Mothers during a nightmare induced by her shed cycle? The nausea in her gut told her no, that this was unfortunately all too real.
Kimber’s mother, with her typical uncanny intuition, broke the stillness with a whisper. “Have you seen Caleb lately?”
“Not for a couple weeks,” Kimber replied, staring off blankly. She didn’t like to be around anyone when her shed was in full bloom, especially the humans who didn’t shed at all. And before that was her one-week cycle of surface excursions. She had more time to socialize in between the surface-duty cycles, when the Auroras were in their two-week cycles of training and education. Not that she saw Caleb much while in training either, but at least they were able to see each once in a while in the dining chamber.
The humans rotated through the various jobs in Inanna in one-year phases. The council had designed the city this way for a couple different reasons. They wanted the youth to become proficient at the many skills it would take to survive if a crisis occurred. They also wanted to help keep the citizens of Inanna from going stir crazy by learning new skills and meeting new people. For ten years, the humans mandatorily cycled through jobs, after which they could settle into one of their choosing, officially becoming a trade master. If they did not want to settle down, they could keep cycling for as long as they wished.
This setup had worked well for the humans. They learned the agricultural trades of farming, fishing, and animal husbandry. They learned the engineering trades of building, bolstering, and planning. They learned the service trades of entertainment, food delivery, and human services. They learned the scientific trades of research, technology, and medicine. They also learned the trade of managing the youth in the caverns to include day-care, aged-based education, and healthy adolescent development.
There were other important jobs in the city, but one had to become a trade master first to be eligible for the more elite jobs. These specific jobs fell under the umbrella of a genetic studies sect, a historian sect, a zoology sect, a geology sect, an energy sect, and of course, a governmental sect. The governmental sect was the most complicated of all and was further broken down into its own unique sub-systems, one of which being an enforcement division.
Since the Auroras were barred from becoming trade masters, they were not allowed to enter any of the elite disciplines. Their job was quite singular. They were bred to explore the surface and bring critical resources back to the city. This symbiosis had been one of the hot topics of the last few Inannian Addresses. The Auroras understood how vital their jobs were, but it left them feeling like nothing more than servants to the humans. They could not choose the direction of their own lives. They could not say no to the rigors of work and training. They could not even choose when to eat dinner.
The Auroras were on a rigid schedule that had not changed since they were first sent up to the surface over five years ago:
Surface excursions: one week.
Physical training and professions enrichment: two weeks.
Repeat.
The only real downtime they were given was during their biannual sheds because their bodies were more vulnerable to the piercing gamma rays on the surface than normal. Not to mention, for the roughly ten days of each shed, their minds were nothing but a jumble of discomfort, emotion, and distraction.
Some of the Auroras excelled with the structure and some did not. Kimber’s mind drifted to her motley crew of brothers and sisters. The Auroras were a diverse group with personalities as vibrant as their colorations. Over the years, they had even started to form their own natural hierarchy. They bickered occasionally like all siblings do, but in the end, they were always loyal to each other. If they made a move to oppose any action of the council, the Auroreans would stand united. Kimber knew that tomorrow could easily turn into the most decisive day of their lives.
“What job cycle is Caleb in?” Kimberly asked, reining in Kimber’s focus.
“Farming. He is in the green houses this year,” Kimber replied.
Her mother nodded. “That makes sense. He brought me a leather-fold of fresh mushrooms a little while back. He has always been such a considerate young man. And he has always cared a great deal for you.” Her mother went on, “I know you don’t like anyone to see during your shed, but maybe you should make an exception this time. You may not even know it, but he is one of your truest friends.”
Kimber’s ears tingled. She cared for Caleb a great deal but felt like they had drifted apart so much since they were young. As children, they had been inseparable, but as free time became increasingly scarce due to the demands of training, they could only steal small moments together. By the time Kimber started surface excursions and the scare of radiation seepage had been impregnated in the minds of the Auroreans, she had made the decision to give him as much space as possible.
Kimber swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, forgetting that her mother may not be able to see it.
“Are you angry with me?” her mother asked.
Kimber thought about it and admitted honestly, “No. Not mad. Hurt… I thought we told each other everything.”
Kimberly did not attempt to console her daughter. Instead she continued to treat her as an adult, which stung Kimber as much as it flattered her. “Kimber, please think on this. Would this knowledge have done anyone any good?” The answer was no, and Kimber knew it. Knowledge at this level would have only caused harm. Kimber could feel the effects of the burden already.
“In case things escalate tomorrow, I need you to remember a place. An old military base.” Kimber’s mother spoke quickly now, as if the words themselves frightened her. “You’ll need to go many levels underground to reach the labs. It won’t be easy with the power shut down. That’s where I would start... restore power first and bring emergency gear with you in case you get trapped down there. You have had classes on electricity. Nothing down there can hurt you.”
“Mother, that sounds crazy.” Kimber frowned. “We go to the surface to escape being underground.”
“I know that, Kimber, but someday you may need a bargaining chip. How long can our Auroras live under the thumb of the council? You know it’s not much longer, and the rest of citizens of Inanna don’t know any better than to support the council.” Kimber got down on her knees and hugged her mother’s lap. Our Auroras. Kimber’s heart melted all over again. She knew how much the Mothers loved their children.
She felt like a small child clinging onto her mother. “Fine,” Kimber replied. “Tell me where it is and then stop talking all this doom and gloom as if I’m never going to see you again.”
Kimberly’s smile returned as she stroked her daughters head. “The fort is north of the caves... It’s only a few days travel.”
With a groan, Kimber buried her face in her mother’s lap. She had studied maps enough to know exactly where her mother was alluding. “Fort Knox?” Kimber asked in a muffled pout. She felt her mother nod.
“Oh good. I thought you were going to say somewhere harder to break into,” Kimber lifted her chin up, “like the moon.” She had learned about the locations and defenses of the nation’s military bases long ago in school. She took it upon herself to read further i
nto the many special fortresses around the country, and interestingly enough, discovered that Fort Knox had endured for centuries as the United States’ largest bullion reserve.
“It’s just a city, Kimber. A city with walls. But yes, it used to be quite the stronghold. Now it’s probably just crumbling cement.” Kimberly was not wrong about that. All of the cities above the surface had been reduced to little more than derelict ghost towns. It was strange to think that her mother had known the fort when it had been alive.
“There is a medical facility there, called the old Ireland clinic. Towards the back of the facility there is a room labeled with the initials of the Bureau. To get in with power, you’ll need an access card. Without power, you’d need a battering ram and an army.” Her mother was trying to lighten the mood before whispering her next statement: “I’m sure you can find an access card or two laying around…”
Kimber was a little taken aback. She had never told her mother about the skeletons on the surface. Why in Inanna would she? But her mother was, as Kimber was now aware, a scientist, and Kimberly’s scientific mind knew the humans that had been left on the surface had not simply vaporized when the flare hit. They were subjected to the most intense radiation the Earth had ever felt. Most had died from the poisoning, and any unlucky souls that had happened to outlive the radiation sickness, died even more slowly from starvation. These thoughts quickly sobered Kimber and her mother up.
The bodies were by far, the worst part of surface excursions. Kimber had gotten used to the phenomenon of daylight, to the bright borealis dancing day and night, and to the withering red streams of water snaking about the cracked Earth. She had even grown to yearn for the wide expanses where land melted into sky and gave her space to be free. But she never grew used to the bleached skeletons that littered the buildings.
Kimber didn’t say anything and laid her head back down sideways, watching the waning embers out of her peripherals. When did everything become so complicated? It seemed like only a few years ago that the humans and the Auroras were going to school and trading lunches in Rafinesque Hall. Now, she was considering running away and breaking into a military base to dig up dirt on them. On her mother. Kimber was desperate to change the subject to anything besides the council, Inanna’s conflict, and her mother’s involvement.
“Do you really think there are more survivor cities like ours?” Kimber asked tentatively.
“I have thought about that a lot over the years. I have no idea, actually. I don’t see why not though. There is nothing that Inanna has that could not be replicated elsewhere.” Kimberly was chewing on the thought as she stroked Kimber’s shoulders. Kimber could tell she genuinely was at a loss. “There are cave systems all over the world. We have enjoyed years of stockpiled supplies, limitless filtered water, plenty of space for our people, and even skylights to help our crops grow. But that does not mean other populations couldn’t have planned or found similar resources and conditions.”
Kimber did not need to say aloud what was going through her mind for her mother to hear it. They may have supplies and even sustainable horticulture, but did they have grafted children?
“Auroras are the key to Inanna’s future, my love,” Kimberly said softly. “But that does not mean other solutions don’t exist.”
Kimber could not even fathom what her mother meant this late into the night. All Kimber knew was that she was itchy, sleepy, and wildly confused. Her mother, sensing her daughter was reaching the point of saturation, kissed Kimber on the head. “It is time for bed. Well past it, in fact.”
Kimber got up and shook herself off. The fire was almost completely out, and her rock had gone cold. She slipped the sleeve off it and grabbed its knitted twin.
“Thank you for my gift, Mother,” Kimber yawned.
Kimberly started to pull something out from under her shawl. “I have one more thing for you.” It was her leather knap-sack. Kimber remembered when her mother used to bring her along to attend various meetings around the caverns. Kimberly would always pull a surprise out of the leather purse to reward Kimber for sitting so still and listening to the droll of the adults. The bag was faded and soft, a dull reddish brown that resembled the color of the surface, its brassy metal fasteners still strong over the many years.
Leather was a valuable commodity in Inanna. It was resistant to the ever-present moisture of the caves and remained useful for decades. But the purse was extra special because Kimber could not recall a time seeing her mother without it.
“Mother!” Kimber exclaimed. “You still need this!”
Her mother took the rock sleeves from Kimber’s hands and placed them in the leather pouch. She then slung the bag over Kimber’s shoulder. “It’s time for it to see new adventures. I’m afraid that now my greatest adventures start and end between this fire pit and my bed!”
Kimberly grinned as Kimber pulled her into a hug. She could tell her daughter liked the old knap-sack, and for a minute, the world’s problems faded away. With her eyes squeezed shut, all the trouble disappeared, the anger fizzled out, and Kimber felt like the richest girl in the world. Even the toxicity of the surface was momentarily replaced by rolling green pastures. She could have stayed there hugging her small-framed mother until she lost track of time, but Kimberly’s shivering let them both know that Kimberly needed to bundle up.
Kimber wanted to help her mother to her bed but knew that Kimberly, who was now all too accustomed to the dark, could find her way without tripping and causing a ruckus. Kimber was not quite as confident in her own navigational skills amongst the many beds and bunks of the Mothers. Although the Auroras had an increased sense of smell and hearing, and could not exactly see, but rather sense better, they were not immune to the dark. There was a lamp burning low at the mouth of the Mother’s cavern and Kimber knew that was her direction of travel.
Kimber hugged her mother one more time and told her she would see her the next day at the address. Kimberly placed her hands on her daughter’s cheeks, cupping the scaly face like the hands in the murals that held the Star of David. Kimber smiled, letting her mother feel her features. Kimber knew, even if only for a fleeting moment, that Kimberly could see her daughter’s face again.
“Remember how special you are. Remember how much I love you. No matter what happens... remember that,” Kimberly whispered.
Kimber pressed her mother’s hands tightly to her face before gently taking them in her hands. She kissed her mother’s upright palm and then closed Kimberly’s fingers around the kiss. This was also something that Kimberly used to do. When Kimber was a toddler, Kimberly would place a kiss in Kimber’s hand and tuck her little fingers tightly around it... just in case Kimber needed it later.
“Just in case,” Kimber whispered with a smile. With that, Kimber turned and carefully serpentined towards the exit. When she got to the mouth of the cavern, Kimber glanced back, but everything beyond the low lamplight was now swallowed in darkness.
The corridors were lit with the dim light of the sleep cycle. Fires always burned softly in the passageways for the safety and health of the citizens. Light was as precious as oxygen down here in the caves, especially for the humans. Kimber silently wove her way back to the Aurorean chamber. It took some time, but she did not see anyone, or worse, wake anyone, along the way. When the chamber’s entrance finally wound into view, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Passing between the familiar pair of towering stalagmites at the entrance of the female Aurorean den was like passing into a safe zone, and Kimber quietly snaked her way between the sleeping Auroras to her own bed. She had established her bunk long ago in a little catacomb of jagged rock. It was her own fabulously tiny apartment which was filled with books, random surface treasures, a knitted blanket, and a matching knitted pillow. She was so tired, she didn’t even bother to climb under the brightly colored covers. She simply laid down and let exhaustion wash over her.
Chapter IV
Morning in Inanna started like always, with the ringi
ng of the bells. Up on the surface, the piercing daylight served as a giant inescapable alarm clock. Down below, however, the notion of day and night was only a memory. The circadian rhythm was a concept solely adhered to for the purposes of productive output and mental well-being. Kimber groaned at the chimes and buried her head under her blanket. It was 6:00 A.M. and she did not feel particularly sprightly.
As she lay there listening to the sounds of the cavern coming to life, the conversation with her mother came back to her. At first, everything they had discussed seemed foggy and incoherent, as if she had dreamt it. But unlike a dream, the harder she thought, the clearer it all became. As she reeled her mind into focus, she remembered that this evening was the address and possibly the last day things would be normal for the Auroras.
Kimber knew the central fire in the chamber would be lit by now, so she poked her head out to let her eyes get used to the light. She sleepily gazed out of her little cove, watching the big ceramic bowl of kerosene blaze. The eleven other female Auroras were busying themselves with their morning routines, quiet at first and steadily coming to life. All around, conversation bubbled up about the day that lay ahead.
Kimber did not know if she should tell her peers about her knowledge of the council’s announcement regarding the ban on interspecies mixing. It would open her up to a gauntlet of questions on how she knew and more importantly, it would shed light on the fact that she had been sneaking to visit her mother. They would all hear the proposal tonight, and Kimber needed time to process everything. She shut her eyes and rolled over to face the wall of her little cove.
On the back wall of Kimber’s catacomb was a ledge that held her things. A small mirror rested there next to her newest treasure, her mother’s leather shoulder bag. As Kimber lazily reached out to feel the soft fabric, she stared at her reflection. Pale blue eyes stared back. In the underground firelight, her eyes sparkled, but it was nothing like when she was on the surface. In the bright sunshine, Kimber’s eyes shone like daybreak hitting glacial ice, scattering into a thousand prisms of electric blue.