“Why? What is it for?” I asked genuinely curious.
“A lot of thought went into building this Dome long before the bombs ever flew. Because the inside of the Dome is sealed off from the outside world, it needs to make its own atmosphere, which isn’t an easy thing to do. So the scientists that designed it had to think about the earth’s own processes and try to duplicate them, right down to the water and carbon cycles in order to create an atmosphere in here. The only way they could do that was to be able to grow nature inside. So they built a rainforest, an ocean and a boreal forest. There’s also a prairie with a fresh water lake that’s used to farm meat and grow vegetables. The rainforest produces fruits and vegetables and the ocean provides fish. There are a lot of animals in here too as a way to restock the earth once we can leave the Dome,” he said.
“An ocean too?” I asked in amazement. He nodded. “If only Domers and scientists are allowed in here, how did you come to know it so well?” I asked.
“Because I know how to get in and out without being caught,” he said, patting the computer in his pocket. “Ted and I used to come here all the time and hide in the foliage whenever the guards walked by. We loved this place. I used to fantasize about bringing the girl of my dreams here,” he admitted. I saw that he was almost blushing.
“So I take it you never brought Leisel here,” I joked.
“No! That would have ruined this place for me,” he said dryly.
He stopped for a moment as we strolled along a footpath and pointed to something in a tree. I looked and saw some type of monkey. It was small and reddish in colour.
“I think it’s called a tamarind,” he said. “There are a few monkeys in here that like to throw their poop at you so stay away from them,” he cautioned.
“How will I know which ones they are?” I asked nervously.
“They’ll be the ones throwing poop at you!” he mocked. I laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll shield you if we come across any.”
“My hero,” I said. “I have noticed that we’re the only two guards in here. Where is everyone?”
“Well after I made our new identities, I scheduled us to guard the rainforest for the night shift. I cancelled the two that were supposed to be here. I assume they’ll just get sent home when they show up for work. It’s late so there’s no scheduler on duty to check with.”
“You always think of everything, don’t you?” I observed.
“I told you before, that’s how every Kenner is raised,” he said. “Come on. I want to show you the ocean before the lights go off.”
We followed along a well-worn footpath through the forest, taking care not to trample any foliage. There was an occasional rustle in the bushes, which startled me, but I quickly got used to it. I felt like all my senses were coming alive here. I wanted to see, smell and touch everything.
“Is it just me or is it getting darker in here?” I asked. My eyes were no longer feeling so light sensitive. Everything seemed dimmer. I lifted the visor on my helmet to get a better look at everything.
“They simulate the sun going down and the moon coming up in here,” Jack explained.
The foliage became less dense as we travelled the path and the soil faded away to be replaced by white sand. The trees weren’t as tall here and I could see fruit growing on some of them. We broke out of the forest into a clearing and there it was. The ocean.
“It’s beautiful!” I said breathlessly. I felt strands of my hair lifting away from my face. “Is that wind?” I asked in shock.
“The air current is generated when the warm air of the rainforest mixes with the cool water of the ocean,” he explained.
“What kind of fish is in the water?” I asked.
“Tons of different fish and reefs full of coral. It’s a huge aquarium made from plexiglass. There’s an observation deck below.”
I had never seen an ocean for real – only in books and movies. And this one looked real enough to me. Waves lapped against a sandy beach and I saw crabs popping up out of the sand. Birds flew above, diving occasionally to come up with fish in their beaks. It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen.
As we stood drinking in the beauty of the ocean, the bright light of the sun was quickly being replaced by a dimmer, bluish light.
“Is that the moon?” I asked.
“A fake moon, but beautiful anyway,” he replied.
“A beautiful ending to a horrible day. Thank you for bringing me here,” I gave him a sincere look. “I’m sorry you didn’t get the chance to share it with the girl of your dreams.”
“I did,” he said, giving me a shy smile. “Why do you think it was so important for me to bring you here?” My heart melted when I realized he was talking about me.
He raised a hand to brush the hair away from my eyes and then cupped my face in his hands. His kiss was slow and gentle and I wrapped my arms around him, pressing myself against him. But the bulletproof vest prevented us from making any real contact. Silently I cursed it.
“You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, Sunny O’Donnell,” he whispered in my ear. I laughed and pushed away from him in order to see his face.
“You can say that after everything I’ve dragged you through?” I asked in disbelief. “If it wasn’t for me, you would probably be married to Leisel right now and training to be the next President.”
“Married to Leisel?” he asked with a grimace. “Way to kill the mood, Sunny,” he said, playfully pushing away from me.
“Seriously Jack,” I said, catching his hand in mine. I gave him a sobering look. “When I put that wedding dress on, I ruined your life. And I need you to know how sorry I am for doing that. You would’ve been a good President and all this fighting I created could have been avoided.”
“No. I wouldn’t have made a good President,” he confessed. “My only agenda was the same as my family – restore democracy. I didn’t have any plans for the Pit. My whole world was up here, in this Dome, sealed away from the Pit. The most consideration I ever gave the people of the Pit was to advise the President to stop decreasing rations and concentrate more on decreasing the population through stricter controls. Do you believe that?” he shook his head and chuckled bitterly. “For most of us up here, the Pit is just a place where our coal comes from, where our sewage is treated, where our laundry is cleaned.”
My heart sank with every word he spoke. Why was he saying those things? The Jack Kenner I had come to know wasn’t like that. I dropped his hand.
“My time down there with you was… an eye opener. I can’t begin to describe how it’s changed me,” he said with raw emotion. “I’m a better person for having you in my life. Don’t ever apologize for that.”
“So you never wanted to help us?” I asked in disbelief.
“Not before I met you. You changed me. The Pit changed me. Listening to the children sing in the common room changed me. And Crystal’s sacrifice…” he shook his head sadly. “When I was growing up, my parents told me there were monsters down in the Pit. They always threatened to send my brother and me down there if we didn’t behave. Their threat always worked because we believed in the monsters. It wasn’t until I was down there living with you that I found out the monsters were us,” he said with remorse, his eyes filling with unshed tears. “I just want to be honest with you, Sunny. You putting on that wedding dress was the best thing that ever happened to me. It was the best thing that ever happened to the Pit. Don’t be sorry.”
I didn’t like what Jack had to say, but I did appreciate his honesty. I remembered when he had asked me if I believed in fate and now I saw why. If we had never gotten married things would never have changed in the Pit.
He picked up my hand and stroked my palm with his thumb.
“Don’t hate me,” he pleaded.
“I don’t hate you. I’m glad you’re being honest with me,” I said, looking into his eyes. I stepped forward and kissed him. We needed each other now more than ever. I didn’t want to lose Jack. “But i
f you felt that way about the Pit, why did you come with me? I mean, once we escaped from your apartment you could have found someone to hide you.”
“Well, one reason was that I didn’t think Holt would look for me there right away, and I was right. And another reason was… I was already falling in love with you. I wanted to see where you would take me,” he smiled shyly. My heart seemed to skip a beat. Jack was in love with me? “Don’t look so surprised. Do you know how hot you looked in that green dress,” he joked, trying to lighten the moment.
“That tacky green dress? Ugh!” I covered my eyes at the memory. It was the most hideous thing I had ever worn.
“I didn’t say it was a tasteful dress. It left little to the imagination. I think every man in the room stopped to look at you when you walked in. I was glad to get you out of there,” he chuckled at my discomfort. “But I didn’t really notice you until the next day. You were wearing my bathrobe, all the make-up washed from your face, looking so young, innocent, and beautiful. And then you told me you were willing to risk your own life to save your people. Something inside me just clicked and I knew I had met the girl of my dreams.”
“That’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me,” I told him, stroking his face with my hand. “I wish I could tell you I was in love with you then, but I wasn’t. I really wanted to scratch your eyes out at one point,” I admitted.
“I know and it was part of your allure. Every other woman in the Dome wanted to sleep with the next President, but not you. You wanted to kill me,” he smiled at the memory.
“To be honest, my feelings for you are new. I struggled to stay with Reyes when I went home even though I knew I couldn’t offer him a future. I just felt like I owed him. And then when we broke up I felt so… relieved. I felt free. And I started looking at you in a different way. I didn’t want to have feelings for you. Life was complicated enough,” I confessed.
“How do you feel about me now?” he asked cautiously.
“I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. My feelings for you are strong…” I admitted, but I wasn’t ready to say I loved him. I remembered when Reyes and I became engaged four years ago, at first he was all I ever thought about. But then my interest in him changed and eventually the only reason I was with him was because I thought I had to be. It wasn’t fair to him. I didn’t want to make the same mistake with Jack, even if we were already married.
“You don’t have to say you love me,” he said softly, almost apologetically. “Frankly, I don’t deserve it. But I’m glad to know you feel something and that I might have a shot at being happy with my wife before I die.”
Jack pulled me to him and kissed me again, but this time his kiss was deeper. I wrapped myself around him, wanting to get closer. Everything about him was suddenly intoxicating.
“Damn vest!” he muttered. I was about to offer to take it off when a hot, piercing pain tore into my side. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. I couldn’t catch my breath. Jack looked at me in surprise. “Sunny?” he asked in confusion. I heard another bullet whip past our head.
My rifle was still slung across my back and Jack reached behind me, aimed it and pulled the trigger. The gun fired, jolting me against him. I heard a thud somewhere behind me. He picked me up and ran for the forest.
“Can you breathe?” he whispered. My breath was starting to return, but I was still gasping. “There’s another shooter. I have to set you down. Stay out of sight.”
I nodded. I was actually able to breathe now, although my back screamed with each breath I took. I ducked my head when I heard another shot being fired at us.
“We gotta move!” Jack whispered, pulling me up with him. He had his rifle in one hand and took aim at the area the shot came from.
“I’m okay,” I said, ignoring the pain.
We moved further away from the beach and into lusher foliage. I listened intently for any sounds. The animals had become eerily quiet so it wasn’t difficult to hear the twig snapping about twenty feet away from us. I looked in the direction of the sound and clearly saw a Domer moving through the forest with his rifle drawn. If I knew how to use the rifle I was carrying, I would have shot him. Instead, I tapped Jack on the arm and pointed. He peered into the dark forest and shrugged. I pointed again, not wanting to talk or make any sound. How he could he not see him? Jack looked again, but still didn’t see him. The guard was now a scant ten feet from us and still advancing. Jack finally saw him, took aim and pulled the trigger. He dropped.
I heard the doors to the rainforest opening and the sound of several footfalls coming into the room. I didn’t know if they were here for us, or just responding to all the gunfire. Jack motioned for me to follow him. We stayed low, keeping to the bushes and away from the footpaths. We didn’t travel far before we came up against a stone wall. Further along the wall I could see the shadow of a doorway. I pulled Jack in that direction and he shook his head no. I pointed to the door. He looked but I could tell he couldn’t see the shadow. I wondered how he could be so blind when the moonlight was so bright in here. I firmly took him by the hand and pulled him toward the door. Reluctantly he followed and was surprised to see the door. There was a scanning device on the door itself and I was about to scan my hand in front of it when Jack grabbed it and shook his head no. He took out his computer and tapped away on the screen, which seemed to take forever. I could hear footsteps getting closer to us. I looked for any figures coming through the darkness, but didn’t see anything yet. Finally, the door unlocked.
We went through and silently closed the door behind us. We were in another section of the Bio Dome. This section was a lot more open than the rainforest we had just left. There were a few trees and bushes, but no dense foliage to hide in. I could see several corrals with animals in them. Some of the animals were becoming restless with our arrival. I wondered if this was the Prairie section Jack told me about earlier.
We moved into the room, using the corrals as cover. The animals really didn’t like our presence. The horses were the first to start whining, moving about their enclosure as if to get away from us. I didn’t like being here at all.
“Someone there?” a Domer called out. Of course this section would be guarded too.
Jack grabbed my hand and we ran from behind the horse enclosure to the cows. They weren’t any happier to see us. The guard on duty was alerted and used his communicator to call his partner for back up. I desperately looked around for another door and found one on the opposite side of where we were hiding. I pointed it out to Jack. Not surprisingly, he couldn’t see it. I took him by the hand and headed in that direction. With each enclosure we left we had to run and hide behind another one. We were more than half way across the room when one of the guards saw us. A shot rang out and we dove behind the pigpen. I heard them running toward us. Jack took out his computer and tapped on the screen.
“Run,” he said in a low voice once he had the door unlocked.
We both stood up and made a run for the door. The guards stopped running in order to take aim and shoot at us. We ducked as low as we could, still running at full speed to make it to the door. A bullet whizzed by my head so close I felt my hair move. I resisted the urge to panic and kept going. I heard more Domers filing into the room and they shouted for us to stop. We didn’t. Jack was the first to reach the door and he yanked it wide open for me to run through. We shut it quickly and Jack reprogrammed the lock.
“That should hold them for a while,” he said.
We were standing in some kind of utility room. The door leading out wasn’t locked, so we just went through. We were presented with three different hallways to go down - left, right or straight ahead. Jack pulled up a map of the Dome on his computer and figured out where we were. He went left and I followed. We had just reached the end of the hall and were going through a door when I heard the utility room door burst open and guards come pouring out. Jack quickened his pace and I kept up. He was following the map he had in his palm. I wond
ered where in the Dome we could run and not be found. We were out of places to hide.
He led me through a maze of hallways and doors and it seemed to me this part of the Dome was dirty and smelled bad. We finally turned down a dead end hall dominated by a huge steel door.
“Where are we?” I whispered, afraid of giving our position away.
“Garbage shoot” he whispered back. “This is how we get out. It’s one way.”
Jack began to do his magic on his computer and I kept glancing nervously over my shoulder, expecting an army of Domers to come crashing down on us at any second. I decided that if that happened, I would make them shoot me right here right now. I wasn’t going to allow my death to be put on display as some kind of fear mongering tactic by a crazy President.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the garbage shoot door open. It didn’t open out toward us, like the steel doors at the Reception area of the Dome. This door retracted into the left side of the doorway. It was the thickest metal door I had ever seen.
“Not the nicest way to leave the Dome, but any other exit we take will set off an alarm,” Jack said. We wandered in together.
There was already a lot of garbage in the room. Most of it was mining debris, but there were barrels of chemical waste among other things too. I was thankful there was nothing organic rotting in here, otherwise the smell would be unbearable. All organics in the Dome were composted and used again. Jack tapped on his computer again and the huge steel door closed sealing us inside. It was so pitch black once the door shut that even I couldn’t see. Jack illuminated his computer and used it like a flashlight. He touched my back and I flinched in pain.
“Ouch!” I exclaimed in pain.
“Those vests are good for stopping bullets from ripping through you, but they still leave their mark. You were lucky you were wearing it.”
“So this leads outside?” I asked. Jack nodded. “Is there air from outside in here now?” I asked hesitantly. I wondered if I was already breathing in toxic air.
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