by Tiffany Tay
Which makes me wonder how my librarians are doing. What Group is in charge today? Oh--- Caleb's. My heart twists in disgust as I recalled the unkempt shelves and haphazard books strewn all over the tables during my last visit to the library. When was that now? When I first led Stella to my office?
My mind plays back to the tense conversation, and I grimace as I realize what this all could possibly mean to her. Being dragged out of the Organization... especially since we'd lost touch with them a decade ago... that must have been a pretty dramatic turn in her life.
Especially now, since I'd be seeing Kale off to the very place she was either brave enough, or just foolhardy, to venture down into.
When at last I arrive at the entrance to the base, I pause to survey my surroundings. Checking to make sure there was no one behind me, I straighten to face the enormous hidden entrance. The Base, strategically designed, with all its high powered security and around the clock surveillance, is extremely easy to miss.
As its name clearly states, it's located at the very last level of our tunnels of rock. Basically, the top five levels (The Library) are the only parts of this place which could be accessed to from the outside. The Library serves to be our connection to the outer world, a world no one seeks, on account that everyone living here had been taken in to escape life above. Most of our populace, especially the younger ones, had been granted life-long protection here Under the Library.
Almost a decade ago, a severe attack had been launched in the world above. Those few of us living under the protection of the Library, who could actually sense a disturbance, were cowering in fear. There were explosions like never felt before... deep, long tremors that reverberated even down into our quarters.
Our foundation, thankfully, had been built to withstand heavy forms of attack, and almost all of our population survived. Almost 98 percent lived to tell the tale, me being part of that, and my father being the unfortunate two percent who was tragically killed in that attack.
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I still remember the fearful nights, when I was still a mere child. My father had taken it upon himself that in order to fulfill his duty to instill peace and harmony upon the people walking the earth, he'd have to make a decision. And it was that decision that bade him to trust his heart.
My father believed he could save the world, put an end to the attacks threatening to blow over our peace. No one could ever forget that night. A night, with all it's miserably details of hostile wind and looming shadows... a night that consumed my father...
As it had with my mother, years ago.
I could say that that tormenting past had forced me to grow beyond what my years should've branched into. Now, the weight of the world has been slid onto my shoulders, and it seems that the end of it is to occur, as it had in my father's time... now it will, as I continue to administrate.
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Security had been enforced, our underground cavern locked from the treacherous ways of the outside world... the bombings, the mass murdering... the unexplainable phenomena's occurring as often as sun flares... the Library had locked it all way down.
Wrapped up in our own Curse, well... it's still a hard decision sometimes. Remain in the human shell bomb of a world, or seek shelter in a Cursed tunnel of sorts?
Now sure that I'm alone, I lightly step around the oblong-shaped enclosure. A torch flanked each opposite side of the rocky walls, awaiting to be lightened.
I was wearing a long sleeved grey cotton shirt that day. Rolling up the sleeve on my left arm, I expose the cool metal band circling my wrist. A tinge of numbness welled up inside m heart as I stare at it, recalling all the times my father had had it on.
"Take this, Alex, my son. There won't be any need for me to use it up where I'm going. You, on the other hand, need to use this. Keep it as a navigation deice for the first few months around the premises. It would be difficult, but soon you'll unlock the real use of this device."
Father, of course, was always right in his words.
Quick as I could, I step around a protruding stone and slip my arm behind it. I don't hear anything, but I know that behind that stone wall, a thorough scan was being carried out in the form of radioactive waves. One slight move of my hand could offset the whole process.
Finally, a soft click brought about the impressive grand entrance...
The torches erupted in flames, which burned a dazzling white electric flame for about five seconds, then gradually cooled to a slow, shimmering silver-blue glow. The fire is usually a bright blue, but it glows white in my presence. I never saw it any other colour.
The flames gradually died down, and the rock gave a grinding moan as the stone slab rotated about it's rooted axis for about ninety degrees, leaving two gaping holes in the wall.
Drawing a breath, I step through them, hating how the wall immediately rotates back in place behind my back. The feelings of imprisonment, being unable to escape... well, it made my blood run cold.
Almost immediately, lights clicked on overhead, illuminating the silver metal staircase spiraling downward. Griping the rails, I began the tedious climb downwards. Moving at a steadfast pace, I climb down and down, watching the blinking blue lights on the walls, their colour deepening as I descend deeper underground.
However, I know, for a fact, that however deep the Base is situated, however far below new tunnels are continuously being excavated... however far and down reaching our compounds are... none of the above could ever compare to the bottomless chasm.
Depthless... The Library shields something more than just books... it is the passage to an endless depth of worlds. And I was only just beginning to uncover part of it.
*****
The Base is angular in size, reaching out for as wide as the entire library above. It isn't bunker material, but it functions as our main control centre. Of course, the people manning it has their own quarters down here... else I don't see how they could survive the tiring trip. I must see to it that we have an elevator installed someday. Providing we live through this tense moment.
As soon as I step foot in the activity room, I'm again reminded of the depressing state the room is in. Being all silver and white, it closely resembles a sterile hospital wing. The air down here is facilitated from machinery, else my breaths would already be numbered.
"Oh, come on! It's just a short trip, Jocelyn! I can make it and back." An annoyed voice catches my attention.
Standing in the middle of the room, arms folded, is a guy with spiky raven black hair and a muscular build. He wears a baggy black jacket over a tight white cotton tee. But the thing that really draws my attention is the yellow bandage wrapped across his forehead.
"Nikolay Adams!" Wonderful. Now it seems that Jocelyn has taken it into her mind that it's her job to usher all the unsuitable guys she can find for this extremely vital expedition.
Shaking my head in disbelief, I approach him in a stride. "Just what do you think you are doing here?" Then, sensing another headache yet to come, I stop him, saying, "Oh, don't tell me: this is for another noble cause? You are already injured, yet you don't mind venturing deeper into death's clutches?"
Nikolay fixed me with a hard stare. "She's worth much more than my life. I would gladly give it for hers."
Responsibility weighed my heart down. Waves of guilt keep crashing over me, threatening to blow me away. What is it with these people and their noble causes? Why can't they just listen to orders?
I so much wanted to punch a wall, or walk away, or even just sink to the ground and lay there.
But at that very moment, a serious looking woman strode up to me from behind and tapped on my shoulder.
"Excuse me, Mr President, but we've been picking up odd signals from floor thirty-nine."
Her words had an instant effect on me. I'm pretty sure the change that took hold of me cast confusion upon the gathered people. However, my mind had already strayed over to what seemed more important at that time.
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br /> Throwing a hasty glance at the people, I raise my arms to bid them an encouraging speech, but I'm afraid my words were too rushed. Half the time I didn't know what I said once I spoke them. In the end, it was Jocelyn who ushered me out and took my place.
Relieved of that torture, I follow as Peliope--- that's the name of the Head Controlling Manager, down the hall to a little closed door at the far end.
"What's going on? How serious are things, Peliope?" Frowning, I wait for her to activate the entrance. Only, this time, the grand flame is absent as the door slides apart, revealing a lighted central control desk. Large screens lined the walls like surveillance cameras, shimmering images glistened from glowing projections over the ground.
Troubled, I move through the room, bending over desks, but hardly daring to touch anything for fear of upsetting the entire system. Two men scurried around, hugging clipboards and swiping at screens. Their low whispers, besides the constant buzzing of electronics, were the only sounds issued from this small room--- literally the heart of the entire society.
"Well, our signals aren't always the best from this floor, seeing as the chasm blocks most of our waves, but, Mr President... this is most alarming!" Peliope spoke in a low, raspy tone, her face pinched over her eyebrows as she gazes at one of the screens. "Look."
I do, and note, with a sinking feeling, that the the holographic projection on the screen seemed to be flickering continuously. In, then out. Then in again. And so on.
"And look over here." Peliope stepped around the rectangular shaped projection and pointed one finger at a spot on the screen... right beside the huge gaping hole which could only be the chasm. "Something is definitely not right there." She mused, running one hand through her straight hair. She has long auburn hair, standing about the height of my chin. She's almost always in a lose white overcoat--- kind of like a scientist's, but underneath, she wears a red blouse and black pants. She is one of the few people I meet in the library, except during committee meetings.
"Why do you say so?"
"Well, in the past, we'd never really paid much attention to it. Until, you know. We started recieving those warning messages about the thirty-ninth floor... ever since, we'd been keeping close watch over that floor... and the places close by."
I nod. I'd been the one to issue those instructions, fearing the worst might come if we don't start to monitor, don't take heed of that warning.
"We could be too late, though..." I sigh softly, making Peliope look up sharply.
"Alex... there is more to this, trust me. I've been monitoring these screens for years now, and I've seen some pretty strange things in the past. If what you suspect are true... then, I fear that we haven't met with the worst."
Her amber irises pierce mine, and I have to look away. I'd known Peliope since we were children. We practically grew up together... teased each other... She'd even taken to call me Mr President, or Prez, whenever we spoke. We shared our dreams, our hopes... I knew she was really itching to get herself down here... manning the screens and all it's technology.
"Once you are given the power, well, you're handed everything along with it." She'd once told me. True, once you were let into this control centre... you've been handed the power over all the devices in the premise. From here, you could send out a singal signal, and it could transfer it through each and every single room...
"Alex, are you listening to me?" Peliope frowns. I tear my gaze away from her eyes. It's just not fair. I wanted to cry out. I almost did, but the two guys in the room... I didn't want to sound more whiny than I already feel.
"Yeah." I tried to sound brave, I almost got away with it too, but I guess I'd spent enough time with Peliope for her to understand me. Relaxing her shoulders, she came around to stand by my side.
"Alex, I know this isn't fair to you..." See how well she understands me? "And it was never your destiny. There wasn't a choice for you, and I do know that you were pushed against your will... feeling it's your duty---"
"That's just it! I mean--- not it!" I yell, glaring at the surveillance guys who turned to stare at me. God--- I feel so messed up. "Not that word again! Duty... duty... duty! I don't take it upon myself to oversee every single occurrence in this library! I'm not like my mother, or my father! No matter what I did---"
I swear, I could hear one of the guys snort from the front. "Could've fooled me." He muttered, returning to his task.
"Alex." Peliope says, perplexed. "You do have a lot on your shoulders, I agree. But your father didn't see this in your future. He didn't want you---"
"What's it with everyone throwing my father's name into the conversation? I'm nothing like him!" I fumed.
Shocked, Peliope reaches out and curls her hand around my wrist, where I stare at it, breathing heavily.
"I'm not comparing you to him, Alex." She says gently. "But if I were to tell you something... both of you have an uncanny resemblance! If you'd look past people's expectations of you, you'd begin to see them as well." Her voice is soothing, as she forces me to gaze into her eyes.
"My dear friend," She breathes. "We let ourselves grow apart for too long." She sighed. "Look at you.. I mean, really! Ten years ago, who'd knew you'd be forced into an accelerated growth, took over your father's position... and now you are already head over the entire population?"
"You too, Peliope." I averted my gaze. It'd always made me uncomfortable to talk about my presidency, especially with Peliope. She knew my biggest dreams, my worst fears, my silly little thoughts... while my pages remain shut tight to the rest of the world, she could always see through my covers and read me like an open book.
"I mean... we grew up together. Shared our dreams with each other. You got what you wanted, and I---" My voice trails off as a lump begins to form in my throat.
Patting my hand, Peliope gives me a small smile. "I know. Some dreams are meant to be chased after. They--- and you, just won't keep still until you catch them."
I nod and, for the first time since setting foot down here, smile and began to relax. "Yeah, thanks. You sure know how to cheer me up."
"Prez, that's cause I know you inside-out!"
Hi! So... I sort of made up the name Peliope! Once again, thanks for reading and please vote! <3
Question: any quesitons?
~Tiffany :)