by Aaron Denius
As minutes pass, my breathing calms into a rhythm with hers. I feel in sync with Fe. Suddenly, a flash of light on the other side of the compound wall to our left draws our attention.
The drones who were scattered around the walls and the ground rush to that part of the compound. As we stand, I see streaks of orange light fly from the outsiders’ part of the wall and into the compound’s distant areas.
The streaks hit around some of the buildings and instantly explode. The flash of the explosion causes me to squint my eyes, and the booming sound thumps in my chest. More orange streaks fly over the wall, these slightly closer to where we are.
Fe’s screams clear my head, and I snap into action. “Go! Now! Get all the girls and head to the simulation room.”
She stops screaming and looks right at me. Fear has filled the depths of her eyes. “What about you?”
“Just go! I will meet you down there with the guys.” I push her toward the hole. The booms of more explosions thump in my chest, and I hear the sounds of guns as I follow her down.
We run along the hallway, and she continues past the guys who have spilled out of their rooms. I stop by them.
“What’s going on?” Ox asks.
“We’re being attacked.” I look them over to make sure they are all there.
“Why?” Sil steps closer to me.
“Don’t worry about that now. Go in your rooms; grab your pillows and as many protein pouches as you can. Then head down to the simulation room.” They all stand in shock. “Now!”
This gets them moving, and they all run into their rooms. I run down the hall to help Fe with the girls. As I turn the corner, I see her running at me with her group. The girls run past me, but Fe stops.
“I couldn’t find Ev,” she says, panting between words.
“What?” I look behind her and see an empty hallway. “Go down to the room with the others. I’m going to find her.”
“But—” She grabs my hand, concern in her eyes. “Be careful.”
She runs off, and I run deeper into the compound. I make my way through the maze of hallways, screaming for Ev. Just as I turn one of the corners, I almost run into her. We stop inches away from each other.
“Where were you?” I ask.
“Not now.” She runs past me and toward the simulation room. I follow close behind.
The blasts’ booms get closer as we turn corner after corner until we reach the hallway that leads to the elevator. We are a few yards away when a blast blows in the wall next to us.
I am thrown against the wall, my head slamming into the hard concrete. A dust cloud fills what used to be the hallway. “Ev?”
There’s no response, so I pick myself up. A sharp pain shoots through my left leg, but I fight through it. I pull my shirt over my mouth and work my way through the dust cloud to where I saw Ev hit the wall.
I almost trip over her when I finally reach her. I kneel down and see her face covered entirely in blood. “Ev, are you all right? Ev?”
She doesn’t respond, so I check to see if she has a pulse, my heart breaking in anticipation. When I feel a tap against my finger, a wave of relief fills my body. I see her chest rising with short breaths, so I know I need to get her down to the simulation room as soon as possible.
I place my arms underneath her and pick her up. The pain rising in my leg forces a scream from my throat. I carry her as fast as I can to the elevator and set her down. After I press the button for the simulation room, I look back down at Ev. Her chest has stopped moving. She’s not breathing.
CHAPTER XI
The elevator doors open, and I drag Ev out as quickly as possible. I make sure she is on her back, and I kneel down next to her. As I pinch her nose and tilt her head back, I see the Genesys run over. I put my mouth over hers and inhale into her mouth twice.
“What happened?” Mag screams.
“Is she okay?” Ox adds.
I ignore them as I lean down to listen for a sign of breathing. Nothing. I pinch her nose again and give her two more breaths. “Come on, Ev!”
“Is her heart beating?” K leans in.
“Everybody shut up and step back!” I can’t handle their questions; I need to focus. I lean in to listen again, still nothing. I pinch her nose and breathe into her mouth again.
As I pull away, I see Ev’s lifeless face. There is peace there, and she looks more beautiful than ever, but I am not ready to let her go.
“Don’t leave me!” I shout at her. Tears streak down my cheeks and cloud my vision. I check for her pulse, and I feel a faint beat. She doesn’t have much time. I tilt her head back one more time and put as much hope as I can into my breaths.
The Genesys begin to shout encouragement at Ev, pleading for her to come back. I lean down to listen for breathing and still don’t feel anything. Bringing my lips closer to her ear, I whisper, “I can’t do this alone. I need you, Ev.”
I wipe the tears from my eyes and go in for two more breaths. As I pull away, her arms shoot up and pull me down. Ev coughs as she convulses back to life. The Genesys cheer around us, and I’m pulled to the ground next to Ev.
“I’m here,” she whispers to me. “I’m here.”
Relief runs through my body, and suddenly I feel weak. My brain remembers that my leg is injured, and the pain I feel is unbearable. The light around me fades.
“We need to go get help,” Al says.
“No! Nobody leaves the simulation room. It’s too dangerous. We take care of our own down here.” The voice surprises me. It’s Titan’s.
As much as I can’t stand him, Titan is a good leader. Knowing that the Genesys will be safe with him calling the shots, I let exhaustion overtake me, and I pass out.
I teeter in and out of consciousness. Just as I’m about to fade completely to black, a shot of pain pulls me back into awareness. I can’t open my eyes or move my body, but I can hear the muffled sounds of frantic conversations around me.
Another surge of pain rushes through my body, and I can tell it’s originating from my legs. I scream, or at least I try to, but my mouth won’t open. Panic sets in as I desperately call out for Ev or Fe or anyone, but they are just thoughts without the ability to move my mouth.
Frustration sets in, followed immediately by fear when I realize that I’m paralyzed. I’m alive, but my body is dead. I put all the effort I can into moving a muscle, any muscle. My fingers—I’m going to move my fingers. I focus on my right hand and picture my thumb and index finger. I envision them curling toward each other until they touch, and with every ounce of my body, I try to bring them together with an internal scream.
The scream in my head climbs to an unthinkable level. A pain I have never experienced before rises from my legs through my body. I give up, and the clouds of darkness consume me entirely.
Slowly, my eyes open to a blur. I blink a couple of times, and my vision clears. Above me is the distinct ceiling of the simulation room. The same one I was teaching the Genesys to jump up to touch just a few weeks ago.
I roll my head over to the side and am immediately met by Fe’s eyes. She smiles at me and sits up. “He’s awake.”
“What happened?” I try to sit up, but a dull pain in my leg keeps me on my back.
“Just stay still.” She squeezes my hand, and I realize that she’s been holding it this entire time. A small group gathers around me, including Titan.
“Welcome back from the dead, buddy,” Cal says with a sly smile.
“How long was I out?” I push myself onto my elbows.
“Maybe twelve hours,” Hydro responds.
“What?” My head struggles to make sense of this. It felt like seconds.
“Easy, man, you were injured. Remember?” Al looks down at my leg, and I follow his gaze to see it wrapped in bandages.
Everything rushes back into my memory. The missiles, scrambling to get everyone down here, Ev. I shoot up into a sitting position, ignoring the pain. “Where’s Ev?”
“Take it easy, Atom,” T
itan interjects. “She’s fine. She’s in that back corner, sleeping.”
I look toward the corner and then at Fe.
“She’s doing fine,” Fe says. “You really should rest some more. You lost a lot of blood, especially after Mag pulled the piece of shrapnel out.”
Mag has kept her distance from me. Her shyness is endearing. When she looks over at me, I mouth the words ‘Thank you,’ and she smiles back.
“We need to figure out what’s going on.” I look around at the group.
“Titan has got it covered. Just rest up,” Cal says. It surprises me, considering the rough past he shares with Titan. It does, however, put me at ease.
I look at Titan. “Any news?”
“Sodi and I took the elevator up a couple of hours ago,” Titan explains. “We didn’t get out, so all we could do was listen. I think the missiles have stopped. I figured that we would be better off down here with you and Ev recovering until one or both of you were ready. Either that or wait until someone came down.”
I’m impressed by Titan’s instincts. There isn’t much that I would have done differently. “Thank you, Titan.”
He smiles at me and walks away. Cal, Al, Hydro, and K join Fe and take a seat around me.
“What happened?” K asks.
“The outsiders shot missiles at us,” Fe jumps in before I can say anything.
“Why?” K prods.
The group looks at me, and I can tell that the others sitting a little farther away have turned their attention to hear what I’m about to say. I adjust my legs to put less pressure on the one that’s bandaged up.
“Because they are trying to survive. They know that the scientist’s plan is to set off nuclear bombs to purge the earth of the current population so that the twelve of us can start it over. The outsiders are doing everything they can to stop us.” I look around and see that every eye is on me. In the far corner, Ev has woken up and is also listening in.
“Why do they have to die for us to live?” Fe asks.
“Rene and the other scientists believe that their tendency toward selfishness and war will rub off on us,” I say.
“They also don’t want us to mix our superior genes with their inferior ones,” Ev speaks up. I smile at her, but she doesn’t return the gesture. She continues, “We were created with enhanced genes that make us immune to most diseases. Our genes also give us the advanced physical and mental ability that will help us survive through the ice age.”
I actually had not thought of that before. Even if the outsiders were to be spared, the ice age would most likely kill off most of the population.
“Well, the outsiders can all die for all I care,” Sil says as he leans back against the wall.
“Exactly,” Sodi adds. “Anyone who wants to kill us doesn’t deserve a place on this earth.” A few people mumble in agreement.
“They aren’t savages. They’re just defending themselves,” Hydro pushes back. This kicks off a shouting match between the Genesys. Titan, Sil, and Sodi are all in favor of the eradication of the outsiders. The rest, except for Ev and me, seem to be outsider apologists.
Ev and I have been through and learned enough to accept both sides of the argument. We have realized that there is no right answer, and we just need to accept things as they are. As the voices rise, I see that I need to control the situation before it gets any more heated.
“Enough!” I yell over everyone. I pull myself to my feet and place all my weight on my left leg, alleviating the pain in my right leg a little. The Genesys have all quieted and have turned to face me. I close my eyes and take a deep breath to ease the dizziness that is climbing to my head.
“It doesn’t matter.” I open my eyes. “Agree with what the outsiders do or don’t. It doesn’t matter. The scientists have already decided their fate.”
The group looks around at each other. Some appear to want to say something, but they bite their tongues. They know that I’m right. Continuing to argue their point won’t change the eventual outcome. After a few moments, everyone disperses into small groups. Some lie back, and others talk.
Fe has joined Hydro and Al near the weapons cache. Before I join them, I go and check on Ev. Mag, K, and Ox have all joined her. As I gingerly make my way over, I see that Ev is moving around as she talks, and I’m glad to know that she has recovered from the brink of death.
“How are you feeling?” I sit down among the group, wincing as I do so.
“I’m fine.” She looks at me without making eye contact. “Thank you for what you did.”
“You would have done the same.” I smile. She gives me a slight smile but still won’t look me in the eye. It makes me feel uncomfortable, but I’m guessing that she’s embarrassed about what happened. Now that things have settled, I see that her face and body are covered in cuts.
Ev and I sit in awkward silence. K, Mag, and Ox aren’t making it any better with their quietude. I’m about to get back to my feet when K breaks the silence. “How bad do you think it is up there?”
“It was pretty horrible,” Ev replies.
“I was on the roof of the library when it started, and they were launching a lot over the walls,” I add. Ev shoots me a disappointed look that takes me by surprise. I know that she isn’t a fan of the roof, but the look carries more weight than mere disapproval.
Just as the blanket of silence is about to settle, the sounds of the elevator’s mechanical gears come to life. Everyone turns their gaze to the elevator doors, and I see out of the corner of my eyes that the other groups have done the same. A sudden fear tears through my body. What if it’s the outsiders?
“Everybody take cover! If you are close to the weapons cache, grab a weapon,” I shout as I jump to my feet. The pain in my leg rushes blood to my head, and I fall back to the ground. I take a deep breath as I rise to my feet again.
Titan is at the weapons cache handing out the rifles, and I see the Genesys hide behind pads and pillars. I run to the simulation computer and manage to put in a code just as I hear the elevator doors open. Instantly the room transforms into a dense forest in the middle of the night. I look around and can’t see any of the other Genesys. The simulation has hidden us all well.
“Do not go after them. Let them come to you,” I yell. I just gave up my position, but I need to be the general.
When the slight echoes of my voice fade, the room’s silence is broken up by the sound of footsteps from the intruders exiting the elevator.
“Apokalupto!” I hear Rene’s distinct voice say. The simulation disappears, and I see Rene surrounded by drones. A shot fires from my left, and it hits one of the drones in the chest. The drone falls to the ground, moaning in pain.
“Hold your fire!” I yell.
“Sorry,” Sil says as he steps out from behind a pillar.
The rest of the Genesys step out from their hiding places and walk toward the center of the room. Rene moves forward as well, and I slowly make my way to the assembly.
“Is everyone okay?” Rene looks around. He sees my bandaged leg. “What happened to you?”
I look down at my leg and then at Ev. “A hole blew in the wall as I was running toward the elevator, and some shards hit my leg. Mag and the others took care of it.”
“We will get you to the medical ward when we get out of here. Actually, all of you will head down there to get looked over.” Rene speaks with an authoritative tone that I have not heard in a while.
“What happened?” Cal asks.
“The outsiders attacked us with short-range missiles. They caused a lot of damage, but we have it all under control,” Rene explains.
“Is everyone okay?” Hydro asks.
“We lost a lot of drones—and Dennis and a few others,” Rene says. I look over at Titan and see that he is hurt by the news of Dennis’s death. They must have gotten to know each other when I broke his arm.
I start to feel a sadness grow within me too. Dennis is the first person I have known to die. Grant and 80 both left the
compound, but they are still alive as far as I know. There is always a chance I will see them again and maybe talk to them. Dennis is gone, and even though I didn’t know him well, I still knew him. I look at the group and see tears rolling down Ev’s cheeks. She knew him too.
“Can we get out of here? I need fresh air.” Titan works hard to keep his composure, and I am right there with him.
“Yes.” Rene turns toward the elevator. “Stay close and don’t be distracted by what you see. Once we get to the medical ward, you can ask questions.”
We follow behind Rene without any protest. The drones that accompanied him downstairs surround us in a circle as we walk, their weapons raised and ready.
“Half of you come up with me. The other half take the next ride,” Rene says as he enters the elevator. I follow in behind him along with half the Genesys and half the drones.
The doors close, and the ride up feels bumpier than usual. I’m not sure if it’s because of the weight from the crowded elevator or because of the attack. As the elevator doors open, the first thing I notice is the crisp air that sweeps in. My mind jumps to the blast in the wall that happened as Ev and I were running past, and I immediately know that it’s the source of the breeze.
A brightness blinds me as the doors open entirely, and I instinctively cover my eyes with my hands. As I pull them away and my eyes clear the red haze from their view, I see that the source of the light is the sun. Not only is it morning, but there is also a giant hole in what used to be the hallway. More than one missile hit this area.
As I step out of the elevator, I look around at the piles of rubble; I take a deep breath, and the sting of smoke fills my lungs. My ears are filled with an abundance of sound—drones shouting, machines moving into position around the perimeter of the compound, the gasps of the Genesys around me. I know that the second the others join us, they will be experiencing the same sensory overload that we are right now.
The instant I hear the elevator doors open behind me, a cluster of the flying crafts streak overhead. They whoosh past, and a sudden clarity invades my head. I’ve experienced the world outside the compound, but I’ve been naïve to the extent of desperation. The world is at war with itself.