1 Ceres

by Takemoto, D. J.

  “It looks like some type of door. What is this place?” Eve asked after she had followed Dirk’s directions. She extended her hand and gently pushed the door open. It gave way on creaking hinges, and swung open inward, revealing a very dark and long passageway. “This is the back side of the Boardroom Building…I think. We may have found a way to get in,” Dirk whispered. He looked a bit uncertain.

  “Try throwing a rock in first, Dirk,” Eve whispered, holding her hand out to prevent Dirk from entering. She was afraid…not of the dark…she thought perhaps they would get a nasty shock if they stepped over the threshold of the door. Dirk threw a small rock deep into the black, dark tunnel, and then held his candle to illuminate a short distance of the passage. But all they saw was a long tunnel and perhaps another door at the other end. But it was too dark to tell at that distance.

  After they heard the rock hit the end of the tunnel, Eve cautiously slid the toe of her hide-booted left foot over the tunnel entry, clenching her entire body to take what she was sure would be a serious shock. Dirk reached out instinctively to protect her, but it was too late.

  “I think it’s safe,” Eve said, extending the rest of her foot, then her leg into the tunnel. She finally entered, with Dirk following behind, holding the candle up high so they could see further inside. “I think there’s a door at the end. Hold the candle up. If it goes out we’ll be in total darkness,” Eve said. “Don’t worry; I have my flint handy in that case. Let’s go.”

  They both knew if security found them they would be sent for the ride into the void. Attempted entry into the Boardroom Building was number one on the list of forbidden things in the Book of Rules. Eve and Dirk inched their way into the tunnel, passing a small turnout, taking tiny steps so as not to make a sound or disturb anything…though the tunnel was totally empty and mostly cleared of rubble. Eve noticed the walls were no longer made of cement blocks, and that the floor was also covered with those mosaic stones.

  “Do you suppose this is the back door into the Boardroom Building?” Dirk asked. “No, I think this is the front door,” Eve replied, looking at the shiny, silver metallic walls. She remembered her dream. This was definitely the front door. Dirk seemed to understand how she knew. “This door is close to the tall buildings where everyone used to live,” she continued. “They used to come in and out when they lived here,” Dirk went on, almost as if he was dreaming. “Is it like in your dreams, too?” Eve asked. “Yes, pretty much so.”

  She reached out a finger, touching the wall with great care. It felt cool, and gave way as she touched it…like liquid metal. But she did not have time to comment because Dirk said,

  “Eve, look; there’s writing on the wall, and an object hanging here.” “What is it?” Eve asked. They stood near the door at the end of the tunnel, looking at writing carved, or maybe etched, into a stone slab attached firmly to the wall. Right next to the writing a metal thing hung on a hook…again, just like in her dream. Dirk held the candle up next to the writing so they could read it. The writing said,

  Notice to Citizens…entry requires the correct password, number codes, and identity scans or a biosample. Attempted entry by unauthorized individuals will result in the initiation of a sealing protocol.

  The notice was signed by their founder, Robin Lightfighter!

  Chapter Three

  The Key

  Eve reached out, taking the metal object from the hook. “Should we try it anyway?” she asked, holding the solid metal device in the palm of her hand. It had strange indentations and a short handle, and looked made to fit the holes in the door.

  “I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Dirk said, eyeing the object. “Was this is your dreams, too? I mean, how could we dream something so specific? It’s like this place is beckoning to us, Eve.” She wrinkled her brow and rolled her eyes at Dirk. He was more suspicious than Eve.

  “I think grandmother said they used to have these a long time ago to lock and unlock the doors of houses. It’s not as strange as you think. Haven’t you seen this type of object in your book, Dirk? And no, I don’t think a door talks to me, even in my dreams.”

  “Yes, now I remember. I think I do,” Dirk replied. “There’s a picture of it in my book. I think it’s called a key and you insert it into an opening in a door, and then turn it. It makes more sense than a beckoning door. We don’t have keys anymore, but they used to keep their doors locked…especially if something of value was inside,” Dirk commented in a whisper. He looked behind them to be sure no one had followed them into the tunnel. Sometimes other older couples hid in the decay zone for privacy and romance.

  “We used to have valuable things? You mean other than water vouchers or candles?” Eve asked, also whispering. She then found the hole in the door. And before she thought about it, she inserted the key into the door, and turned it…just like in her dream. It was like she had been doing this her entire life. It was just like her dream of that older version of her city. Dirk reached out a hand to stop her.

  “What are you doing…stop!” Dirk whispered in a yell-whisper. He tried to grab her hand, but it was too late. Once the key had been turned, a bright electric light came on next to the writing, and a voice spoke to them from what looked like a box on the wall. It had not been there before; it had jumped out of the wall once Eve had turned the key in the door’s lock.

  Please key your password and code numbers…

  A strange alien device with letters and numbers on it came out from a previously invisible opening in the wall. Dirk examined it and explained, “I saw this in my book, too. It’s called a keyboard. The voice is asking for a word and some numbers. We don’t have that information, Eve. The system will initiate a sealing protocol like it says on the writings, if you try and fail to get the correct combinations.” Dirk turned to leave, but then saw Eve was staring at the door.

  Eve thought he sounded worried that she would try it anyway, because he knew she was the more adventurous of the two. She knew he was afraid an alarm would go off and security would come and drag them off for the ride into the void. She stood, staring at the door, weighing the options of either never knowing what was on the other side of the door, or dying in the void.

  “Let me at least try some word and numbers. Maybe we’ll get lucky,” Eve replied, remembering the word and numbers in her dreams; it was orchid77567. She started to try, but Dirk grabbed her hand and said, “No Eve, the system will do that sealing protocol thing…and we don’t even know what that means. It could be dangerous. We have to get the correct password and numbers first. What if an alarm goes off at security headquarters? Your mother will be inconsolable if she loses you to the void. Your father has already died. She will never get over losing you too.” Eve drew back her hand, realizing Dirk was right; her mother would never get over her loss.

  “How can we find the correct word and numbers? Does it say anything about that in your book?” she asked, turning to Dirk. He shrugged his shoulders, letting her know he did not have the answer. But Eve had removed and pocketed the key, not wanting anyone else to find it. The keyboard then returned to the wall, and the light turned off. Luckily they still had the lit candle.

  “No, nothing…and I have no idea how we can find them either. Maybe we can find some information in the archives. But we should go now before someone finds us here. Keep that key safe. Don’t tell anyone about it. We’ll come back tomorrow during the festival. We’ll have more time then,” Dirk instructed. He appeared relieved she had not attempted to open that door. But as they turned to leave, they heard a noise…some people were coming. Eve quickly took the key from her pocket and hung it back on the hook like before, while Dirk blew out the candle. They slid behind the outcrop in the metal wall, holding their breaths.

  Two members of The Committee walked past them, holding something that gave off light but was not a candle. Eve had not seen the object in Dirk’s book, but guessed it was one of the older light things that used something called a battery. She’d thoug
ht they no longer existed. She listened carefully to hear what the two were saying. Once they were closer, she could hear them conversing about solar light bulbs.

  “How many more solar light bulbs did you count the last time, Miggly? Will we have enough for the year?” As the two passed, Eve recognized Mr. Blakeley, the Assistant Head of the Committee, and Mr. Miggly, the current Head, at least until the next election. “We have enough for one year, but it is imperative that we find that solar light bulb supply bunker,” Miggly replied. He reached into his pocket and removed a blue handkerchief, using it to wipe the decay zone dust from his face.

  “Then I am glad we set the new designation of Lower Level Supply Assessor. I’m tired of going into the lower bunker levels to look for solar light bulbs. The smell is awful down there. It’s all that rotting food. Let that new person do it...what’s his name?” Eve heard Blakeley ask.

  “Heatherfield…Dirk Heatherfield; Mossworth says he’s reliable. He thinks the boy can keep secrets…in case we do find something rare. Although I doubt he’ll find anything of importance given we are out of everything,” Miggly complained as he reached into his pocket. Eve stifled a gasp at the mention of Dirk’s name. “Was this the reason Dirk was assigned to the new job category? Did they hope he’d find a hidden supply bunker?” She glanced at Dirk, who was intent upon hearing the rest of the conversation.

  “But I do think we can trust him,” Miggly went on. “After all, he and that girl, Eve something, both saw the holes in the dome and told no one. We can trust them to keep secrets. Either they do as we wish or we will report them to security.” He withdrew a pristine, white cotton handkerchief from his pocket and blew his nose.

  Eve glanced at Dirk. “So they had seen her and Dirk staring at the dome holes! And now Miggly and Blakeley intended to force both to do whatever they wanted in exchange for not reporting them to security. They were trapped!” Eve noted Dirk stared straight ahead, his shoulders back and eyes squinted. It was his usual stance right before he blew up. She touched his arm and shook her head, no. It would do not good to be caught. They had to find a way out of their conundrum.

  “Will the girl be useful for our plans?” Blakeley went on. Eve could see he had taken something from his pocket. “Yes, I put the girl in the Steam Machine Worker job in my department. She’s an inquisitive one. Maybe she can fix that older steam engine. But most importantly, she is thin enough to crawl through that pipe I told you about. Who knows…maybe there’s a food bunker down there. If she finds anything we’ll be claiming the find, for the city of course,” Miggly winked at Blakeley, and they both chuckled softy.

  “Now that would be miraculous. Of course, it would be wonderful to find more solar bulbs, or even medicines. Is it dangerous to her?” Blakeley asked. “I don’t really care. If she’s killed in the process, I’ll just assign someone else. There are plenty of skinny girls in the city. I only hope she finds something…and fast. We’re running out of those solar bulbs, and pretty soon the canned foods will be gone,” Miggly went on.

  “Yes, and we have to get to the storage bunkers inside this building, and soon. If we can’t get inside by the target date, we’ll be left behind in this void-forsaken place,” Blakeley whispered. Eve gasped, then covered her mouth. Blakeley looked over his shoulder, peering into the dark hallway leading back to the decay zone. Eve was sure he’d heard her. “Did you hear anything?” he asked. “No, just the buzz from the building; let’s hurry and get back to the city before it gets too cold. I hate that the dome is breaking down out here. It’s cold and my coat is too thin,” Miggly complained. Blakeley shrugged and turned back to the task at hand.

  “According to the inventory left by Robin Lightfighter, they have over five thousand solar bulbs, and another one hundred years’ supply of food down in the lower bunkers; we have to find those bunkers. I just wish we had a biosample of Lightfighter so we could get inside. This building has to connect to the tunnels,” Blakeley suggested. He stepped to the door, holding the key he’d taken from the wall where Eve had left it.

  “We have the passwords and codes…but no biosample. And this door will not open without a biosample. I’m sick and tired of coming here each month to try a different password and number code. It’s useless without a biosample,” Miggly whined, pointing to the door.

  “Yes, but it will all be moot in another year. You know what happens then. We’re approaching the target date. If we can’t get inside we’ll be stuck here forever because the thing will leave…I wish there was another way inside. But this door requires a biosample and the other door gives off that nasty shock. Maybe we’re reading the book wrong.” Blakeley sighed, then went on, “Plus, once we do get inside we may get killed. Lightfighter’s notes describe those things guarding this building. He says they’re dangerous.” He looked around again like he’d heard something, so Dirk and Eve held their breaths and remained rigid in their wall crevice.

  “Yes, I suppose once this door does open for us, if it ever does, we can send in someone else to face those nasty things…maybe that Heatherfield boy or the girl, Eve whatever her name is…to see if Lightfighter’s notes are correct about the things. If they get themselves killed, then we’ll know to bring in an armed security guard the next time,” Miggly replied.

  “Let’s hope it’s safe. We have to get inside ourselves…in time…before the target date…and we definitely don’t want to get killed in the process,” Blakeley stated.

  “We’ll also have to find some more medicals, and soon. The gene sickness is becoming worse. Last year we lost too many citizens, and at much too young an age. We are supposed to be viable for seventy years, but now we’re showing signs of drop-out at sixty,” Blakeley finished.

  “I’ll bring it up with The Committee after the Atonement Festival. We can send the Heatherfield boy down into the tunnels with a cart. If we’re lucky, he could find a stash of light bulbs or medicals…that is, if he can find the bunkers and get inside without getting killed by an electric shock or the things,” Miggly laughed softy. Eve noted the evil look on his face as he laughed.

  “Ah, here we are. Now what are the password and code for this month? I keep forgetting we are supposed to memorize them from Appendix 7 at the back of The Book of Rules.” Miggly looked at Blakeley, who had reached into his coat pocket. He took out a small book, and Eve could see it had the words, The Book of Rules on the front in large black letters. She’d never seen the original before, and was a bit disappointed at its small size and thinness.

  “Let me look on this section…the password for this month is orchid and the code is 77567,” Blakeley answered, reading from his small book. From her hiding place, Eve started…they were the same word and numbers from her dream! Dirk nodded, like he knew what she was thinking. Miggly inserted the key, turned it, and the voice spoke,

  Please key your password and number…

  Miggly stood very close to the voice source and waited until the device came out from the wall. Eve and Dirk watched from their hiding place as he keyed in the word, orchid, and then the numbers 77567. The voice then said,

  The password and code numbers are a match for the calendar month and home base year. Please place your left eye to the scanner and right index finger on the pad. Alternatively, please utilize your biosample or the ΩD stone.

  Miggly then put his eye to the scanner and Blakeley tried his finger. But the voice only said,

  Identity not confirmed. Codes and identity scans are not a match. The sealing protocol has been initiated until a legitimate biosample or the ΩD stone is provided. Goodbye and have a nice day.

  “Well, once again we failed to get inside the vessel. I guess we’ll try again next month after the sealing protocol has expires. We have to find that ΩD stone, whatever it is, because we definitely do not have a biosample from Robin Lightfighter…not after almost five hundred years after his death,” Miggly said, sighing. Eve glanced at Dirk with amazement…Their city was five-hundred years old!

  They c
ontinued watching as Miggly and Blakeley turned and tromped back through the tunnel. After several minutes, Eve peeked out from their hiding place, nodded, and she and Dirk scurried out of the tunnel and into the decay zone. They took an alternate and longer route back to the city, watching for the two committee members along the way. It was slow going because they did not want to light a candle and be seen. They both knew they had to get inside that building.

  Chapter Four

  A New Job

  Eve awoke with a throbbing headache the morning after Atonement Day. She’d been dreaming again, and this time someone was trying to tell her, or show her, something critical about that door at the end of the tunnel. Someone told her it was time; it was critical she get inside. But then she awoke. It was only her mother telling her to get up or she’d be late for her first day of work.

  Eve jumped out of bed, splashed some cold water from a metal basin onto her face, and dressed in her brand new worker uniform. It had been handed out to her as she’d passed through the line into the Atonement Day Festival Center at Lightfighter Town Square the previous day. All new workers, and those changing jobs, received their worker badges and uniforms at the festival. It made the day even more special. Because she was the first at her job, Eve’s uniform had been hastily sewn together the previous day by the sewing group of The Assignment Subcommittee.

  And because her job was in a new category, when the uniform was handed to her it caused quite a commotion. No one had seen a worker uniform like it before…it was new, and new things where almost nonexistent. The uniform was dyed bright strawberry red, so was quite noticeable when compared with the other workers’ uniforms. And for now, it was immaculately clean. She knew that would not last for long in a steam room.

  Eve finished dressing in her still immaculate, bright red overalls and matching red woolen short-sleeved shirt. She had also been issued a pair of black, shiny over-boots, made of something called rubber, and having thick wedge-carved soles. The individual who handed them to her waved her in the direction of one of the upper committee members, who explained that the lower level steam machine areas were hot, and sometimes wet and slippery…hence the rubber boots and short sleeved shirt.