“It’s a reflection,” Olfren suddenly spoke.
I gave him a puzzled look.
“Some clever folks around here decided to brightened up the place so they built a mirror on top of the mountain that would follow the sun and capture its rays then reflect it to a bunch of other mirrors placed on a precise calculated position underneath the mountain and the rays would bounce on them until it reaches here,” he pointed up at the large glass,” he explained grinning.
“It’s impressive,” I commented.
When we reached the bottom where the people were gathered, Allison saw us then left the group she was conversing with and came bounding towards us.
“Is it time?” she asked excitedly to Ryder.
Ryder didn’t answer but nodded her head. We followed Allison and headed to the only large metal door in the quarters. It automatically split open when we approached, and inside was a brightly lit room which looked like an infirmary. The floors and walls were covered in metal sheets, and the beds were clean and medical equipment and medicines were all organized. At the corner, where a desk and stools could be found, was a young woman, a man, and a child sitting and talking but stopped when they saw us approaching.
“You guys have been waiting long?” Allison asked happily.
The child, a little girl with brown hair and brown eyes spoke first, “Not that long Alli,” she sweetly replied. The other one a young woman with long black hair who looked bored and uninterested was crossing her arms while sitting and rolled her eyes. The man with unkempt light brown hair who looked older than the others smiled and said, “We were just catching up on things.”
Allison beamed then spoke, “Let me introduce you guys to our guest, this is Lord Curtis and Lady Elaine.”
“Hi,” Ellie greeted smiling widely.
I gave a soft smile without saying a word since I was unsure on why we were here and who they were.
The little girl seemed to be interested in Ellie that her face lit up and said, “Hi I’m Jilly.”
Ellie went closer to her and said happily, “Nice to meet you Jilly, you can call me Ellie.”
Jilly was beaming and then she giggled then Allison continued with the introduction, “This is Celine,”
“Hey,” greeted the young woman with less enthusiasm.
“And that’s Richard,” added Allison, referring to the man who smiled with confidence and nodded.
“Where’s Doctor Irene?” Ryder inquired, but before anybody could answer, the metal door opened then a woman in a white coat appeared and was talking to someone who was following behind her.
“Just try to sleep on your left side Sarah,” a woman with braided long black hair and bronze skin didn’t notice us when she entered.
“I’ll try to remember that doctor,” a voice of a woman from behind the doctor responded.
When the second woman entered, I was in shock and bewildered, and I couldn’t stop staring at the woman’s midsection which was enlarged. At first I thought she might be ill but she looked happy and healthy. My trance broke when I realized someone was talking to me.
“You must be the people Olfren was talking about. I’m Doctor Irene,” said the woman in the white coat, “And this is Sarah,” she added referring to the woman who I was staring.
“Hello,” Sarah greeted shyly.
Ellie was the only one who had the strength to ask the question that I couldn’t, “Is she…. Pregnant?”
“Yes seven months to be exact,” replied Doctor Irene with such professionalism.
“But…. How?....” Ellie stuttered in amazement.
“Honestly, we don’t know. We have many theories, one of them was that Sarah may not have been given the sterility serum while she was in the Birth Chamber,” Doctor Irene explained.
“That’s impossible! The serum is needed for her to survive in the chamber,” Ellie commented.
“Yes that’s what we thought so too or maybe Sarah’s body reacted differently to the serum.” The doctor explained further.
Ryder suddenly spoke, “The sterility serum is one of the ways the Empire is controlling us, the stations, the Numen system, everything, but here we have the future, the Premortals.”
“The Premortals?” I asked curiously.
Ryder nodded, “Yes we call them that because we do not know how these infants came to be when their mothers were born in the Birth Chambers. For more than decades, we found who was probably the first and believed there could be more who were born by their mothers but they have been in hiding ever since. Richard, Celine, and Jilly are our Premortals and we have one more on the way,” she nodded at the direction of Sarah, “And this became the driving force for the Defiers,” she added.
Jilly ran towards Sarah and gently hugged her belly and said sweetly, “I love you mom,” and Sarah smiled in return.
Everything I just heard seemed impossible but I was here and the proof was standing before me. Although I was finding it hard to grasp the reality of this all but I knew what I had to do.
Ellie approached Sarah and Jilly then pleasantly said, “I’m so happy for you both!”
Sarah beamed and shyly responded, “Thank you.”
“Is there any way we could know the gender?” Ellie asked curiously.
“There’s no way of knowing since we lost the technology long before any of this,” Doctor Irene answered.
I saw in Ellie’s expression that she was deep in thought then after a moment she glanced at me and she had a look of determination in her then she glanced at Ryder saying, “I know what I have to do now but I need Curtis to be with me on this.”
Ellie returned her gaze back at me and her eyes told me that she had made a decision and I cannot persuade her otherwise then without saying any word I nodded then turned to Ryder and I told her something that I was not sure until this moment, “I’m in, I want to help.”
They broke into their happy faces except for Ryder who remained staring at me intently.
“We need to get back before it gets late,” I declared anxiously and regretfully that I had to end this.
“Please stay for a while,” Allison begged.
“I wish we could but it’s too dangerous if we stay any longer,” I stated.
“You could at least take a break while we prepare the route for your safe return. There’s still time right Ryder?” Allison turned to Ryder pleading.
Ryder nodded and said, “Yes there’s time.”
“Actually, I don’t mind staying for a bit,” Ellie admitted.
Allison was ecstatic when she got what she wanted.
We were at the mess hall with Allison, Jilly, Celine and Richard waiting for our escort to take us back. Ellie was willing and happy talking with them that she had so many questions. We found out that the Premortals had been in hiding all their lives with their mothers and fathers, and have never been to the institutions or matched since they were not citizens of the Empire. They also shared what it was like to live here under the cave. Despite their limited spaces, they all seemed happy. They eventually left when Olfren arrived and told them that it was almost time for us to go, then Allison asked us to wait here for a while she makes the final preparations with Olfren. Then it was just the two of us in the mess hall seated beside each other.
“Can you believe all this?” I asked in awe.
“I know, it’s hard to sink in,” Ellie agreed smiling.
“You know,” I said in a solemn voice, “everything is going to change after this. The dangers are going to be far more greater,” I declared worriedly.
“Don’t worry, you’re not alone. I will save you if ever you need saving,” she assured me beaming.
I chuckled, “Since when do you save an Elite?”
She giggled, “You’re not an Elite anymore, the moment you went down this cave, you renounced your station and everything.”
I was silent for a while before I replied, “You’re right…. Would you still be with me if I lose everything?”
She
laughed, “Then you’ll live in a cave like this one?” she teased.
“Yes,” I replied in a serious tone looking down at the table.
Ellie noticed my tone then she moved closer, her shoulder touched mine then she gently placed her hand on my face and turned me to face her then she lovingly said, “Then I’ll go with you.” Her face slowly leaned towards mine and our lips found each other as we locked into a kiss that she passionately gave that I have never felt from her before, it engulfed me like a flame. I didn’t want it stop but a stranger’s voice had to ruin it.
“Ellie??”
She immediately broke the kiss and briefly turned to hide her embarrassed expression and then she faced to see who had just called her and that was when I saw her reaction turned to utter shock.
------ TO BE CONTINUED ------
Sequel Coming Soon
About The Author
Jacqueline Wrenley
manages her family's hotel and restaurant in Bohol, Philippines. Writing stories is her hobby. The Premortals was revised and completed on April 2020 while she was on home quarantine due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak. This is her first novel.
The Premortals (The Premortals Series Book 1) Page 20