The Tunnel War

by Kevin George

  Julietta sighed, long and low, feeling like it might be the last breath she ever took. It wasn’t. “You’re not important,” she said, realizing she should’ve stepped into the beasts’ cage when she’d had the chance. For that matter, if she hadn’t survived her first trip through the beast enclosures, she wondered how many more people would still be alive today. . .

  With a long sigh, Julietta stood on wobbly legs. She was exhausted and planned to return to the barracks to sleep, maybe for a few hours, maybe for a few days, maybe forever. But she didn’t take two steps before feeling the ground tremble lightly. At first, she thought it had been her own weakness, but then she heard a distant rumbling and the shaking grew in intensity. It wasn’t until dirt and debris rained from the tunnel ceiling that Julietta was spurred into action. She ran down the tunnel, her instinct to survive overtaking her thoughts of past regret.

  As she neared the outside world, she considered whether the trouble had come from the Dome. She couldn’t figure out if she wanted that to be the case or not, but she no sooner emerged into the glass hallway than she saw the Dome fully intact. The hallway was no different than she’d left it. The enclosure’s airlocks were closed, but she soon heard a click and watched the Dome’s airlock open. Laughter preceded the arrival of Henry and his followers.

  “We were starting to get worried,” Henry said, though his smile seemed to suggest otherwise. “The others doubted you’d survive, but I always had faith.”

  Julietta nodded and looked away, not wanting to see any of them. She peered through the glass, wanting to get back to the barracks.

  “I just want to rest,” she mumbled. “I’m feeling dizzy.”

  “I’m sure the shaking ground doesn’t help,” one of the teens said.

  A loud crack turned the group’s attention outside, where they watched a large section of snow break away from the top of the Dome and slide down, crashing to the ground below. A few teens chuckled in amazement; Henry’s face twisted in concern. Both reactions reminded Julietta that these were just children. When the other teens turned to Henry, he forced a smile.

  “Must be Below shaking in fear now that they know who they’re messing with,” he said.

  Julietta fought the urge to sneer, she fought the urge to snap at him for wasting more of their precious supply of beasts, their numbers having dwindled drastically during the last six months. Henry’s decisions were damning them all. She would’ve loved to see his reaction to hearing that, but she said nothing. Instead, Henry looked her up and down, nodding.

  “Now she is strong. . . fearless. . . how I wish all of you would be,” Henry said, wiping the smiles off his followers’ faces. “I know the tests I’ve given you have been harsh, but what you did luring those beasts into the elevator. . . well, let’s just say you’ve more than earned your place back inside the Dome.”

  Henry stepped aside and motioned for Julietta to enter the Dome’s open airlock. She thought about the bigger rooms, the comfortable beds, the vegetable garden, all the amenities inside that would make her life easier. She shook her head.

  “I appreciate the offer, but the beasts behave better when they know I’m around,” she said. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m just going to—”

  “You’re going to do as I say,” Henry said with a glare.

  More than one of the teens looked at her with lascivious glares. She’d feared this day would eventually come, a Dome full of young men and nobody to teach them right from wrong. Julietta hoped she was wrong about their intentions but didn’t want to find out. She smiled and nodded.

  “I have missed being inside,” she lied, hoping the feigned relief in her voice wasn’t too obvious. “Just let me go back to the barracks and get my things.”

  Henry lowered an eyebrow and stared at her for a few silent seconds. Julietta vowed to fight them to her death rather than ever set foot in the Dome again. Her heart nearly pounded out of her chest until Henry eventually nodded.

  “Fine, but I’ll escort you,” he said, turning to his followers before Julietta had a chance to tell him that wouldn’t be necessary. “Head back in and prepare our forces for Below’s retaliation. . . if they survive the beasts.”

  The teens followed the orders, their laughter echoing down the hallway. Julietta headed toward the other airlock, this one leading to the outdoor walkway between the Dome and the nearest enclosure. Upon stepping outside, several beasts lumbered in Julietta’s direction, moaning mournfully as she passed on the other side of the fencing. Their reaction wasn’t so calm when they spotted Henry, their growls turning angrier, especially when Henry laughed and rattled the fence at them.

  “How they respond to you is really quite amazing,” Henry said. “That ability could prove useful to me when I decide the time is right to invade Below. With you leading a squadron of beasts, there’s no way those Lava Lickers would stand a chance against—”

  The ground shook again, harder than before. The fences rattled and the beasts roared in fear, but it was more cracking of snow that got Julietta’s attention. She glanced up and saw snow shifting along the Dome’s top directly above them. Henry noticed, too, and they sprinted forward. Julietta had an instant to make a choice and she didn’t hesitate, diving at Henry’s legs, knocking them both down before they got clear. She leapt to her feet, scrambling away a split second before Henry knew what she’d done. That was all the time Julietta needed.

  An avalanche of snow nipped at her heels, but she dived forward and avoided the worst of it. Henry, however, was completely clobbered, buried alive in an instant. As Julietta lay on the ground—a few snowy chunks spattering around her feet—she exhaled deeply, stealing a glance back at the freshly fallen pile of snow. She felt a burst of hope for the first time in months, but that hope was joined by the guilt of it coming at Henry’s expense. Though he’d forced her to risk her life shepherding the beasts, Julietta couldn’t say with certainty that he’d intended her any greater harm inside the—

  The pile of snow suddenly shifted and an arm emerged. Julietta heard moaning from within and sensed Henry trying to free himself. She rushed to the pile and scooped away a few handfuls of snow before realizing she’d never have greater control over her life than she did at that moment. The ground continued to shake, the fences continued to rattle and more snow plunged off the Dome. Something bad was happening and Julietta refused to be there for it.

  She turned and ran for the barracks, Henry’s cries for help fading in the distance behind her.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Emma gasped, unable to breathe deeply enough to satisfy her lungs. The Sky Person’s arms remained wrapped tightly around her chest. Though she’d tried to wiggle free soon after they’d taken off, her vision remained clear enough to see the battle raging on the tunnel floor below. She saw so much red covering the tunnel floor, the bodies of so many fighters, many of whom had ended up dead due to her decisions. She opened her mouth to call out ‘sorry’ but reminded herself that corrupt Jonas control over the city had led to this moment.

  The carnage was nearly bad enough for Emma to forget the predicament in which she found herself. Beyond the battle, bodies continued to be strewn until they reached The Third’s entrance. She tried to see inside her home section—tried to search for any sign that someone had survived—but everything passed in a blur. Dozens of hovercraft were parked where the battle first began, but as soon as they sped past The Third, the tunnel was mostly empty. With nothing of significance to see, Emma focused on inhaling deeply enough to choke out a few words.

  “Please. . . you don’t understand. . . I’m not. . . Jonas. . . take me back to. . . my people. . .”

  She craned her neck to look up at Love, the effort forcing more pressure onto her chest. But she saw the Sky Person staring straight ahead, each flap of his wings shooting them forward faster. Just when Emma thought the Sky Person hadn’t heard, he muttered in his lilting voice, his eyes aimed ahead the entire time.

  “Descendant. . . thin
ks Weller but can’t fool me. . . I know about the secret folder. . . I read the real story. . .”

  “What. . . real story?” Emma gasped. “What are you. . . talking about?”

  “Your family. . .” Love said, finally glancing down at her. “Not who you think they were. You’re the real Jonas. . .”

  Emma shook her head, unwilling to consider any truth to his words. She suddenly felt a wave of heat, so hot that she felt sick to her stomach. She breathed in deeply to settle her nerves, but the growing stench of sulfur made her feel worse. Another explosion echoed ahead of them and Emma looked up in time to gasp.

  “Look out!”

  A chunk of rocky tunnel ceiling broke free directly in their path. Love curled one of his wings in and tilted his body to the side. They avoided the first piece of debris but nearly hit another. Love flew side to side, up and down, curling one wing and then the other, narrowly missing chunk after chunk of large falling rocks, though he couldn’t stop plenty of smaller bits raining down on them. The farther they flew, the louder the explosions became and the more the tunnel shook around them.

  “What’s happening?” Emma yelled.

  “Must save the Descendant,” Love muttered.

  Emma begged to be released, though she sensed doom for everyone left behind. She wanted to be with her people—even with Oliver—if this would truly be the end for The Third and Fifth and everyone else in the city. But Love held her tightly and kept flying forward, where the orange glow of the Main Tunnel’s lava lines suddenly grew brighter. Mass chaos greeted them as they neared The Second’s entrance. Not only were Second citizens running for their lives, but lots more people—mostly women and children—ran from the direction of One.

  The explosions came with greater frequency. Emma could hardly believe her eyes and didn’t think she’d ever see a sight so horrific. But that thought no sooner entered her mind than she spotted several white blurs among the crowds, white blurs that attacked people and caused more screaming. Nearly a dozen hovercraft drove among the chaos, some barely missing people, others piloted by One guards making no attempt to avoid hitting anyone that got in their way.

  Emma watched one particular hovercraft hit a fleeing citizen, only to careen toward a nearby wall, barely missing it. Just when Emma thought the craft’s passengers had escaped danger, one of the white blurs attacked the driver, dragging the screaming One guard to the tunnel floor. Emma wished no such death on anyone—and she didn’t want to imagine what the hell the white blurs actually were—but she had a clear glimpse of who else was in the hovercraft, possibly moments from being ripped apart by the furry white monster.

  Emma twisted and turned in the Sky Person’s grip, calling out to be let go. After they flew past the hovercraft and it disappeared behind them, she began to thrash wildly.

  “We have to go down there!” she screamed. “There’s a child holding a baby in that craft! That thing is going to get them both!”

  She felt the Sky Person’s grip loosening for a moment, but he quickly readjusted. She was certain the Sky Person would do nothing to help but was quickly proven wrong. Love folded one wing across himself and leaned his body hard to one side, the sudden turn causing Emma’s stomach to swirl and her vision to flash black. She squeezed her eyes closed and took a deep breath, opening them to see the Sky Person flying directly toward the white monster, which had already finished with one victim and now stalked its way back toward the hovercraft. Just when Emma was certain there’d be a collision, Love turned at the last second, lashing out with one of his wings and striking the monster, the force knocking it halfway across the tunnel.

  When the Sky Person slowed and released Emma, she lost her balance and fell to the tunnel floor. Frightened citizens rushed around her and she was nearly trampled. But the sound of the baby’s crying spurred her to action and she scrambled to her feet. She hurried to the hovercraft, glancing back to see the white-furred monster back on its feet, growling as it stomped toward the Sky Person. Emma couldn’t take her eyes off of what was about to happen and felt sudden panic that the Sky Person—who may have kidnapped her but still had the compassion to help two children in danger—was about to be mauled like so many others.

  But Love had different plans. As the white monster charged toward him, Love stood his ground and flapped his wings over and over, the force knocking down several citizens trying to run around him. The monster paused and growled, its eyes locking with Love’s, before it finally turned away and pounced on a Second citizen trying to rush by. Emma didn’t have time to sigh with relief. She hurried to the hovercraft, leaping into the back where a little girl held the crying baby.

  “He’s my brother,” said the dark-skinned little girl, her voice filled with breathless awe and not a single ounce of fear. “I just met him today.”

  “Is he okay?” Emma asked, amazed at the little girl’s calmness.

  “I think so,” the little girl said. “I think he’s just scared.”

  Emma nodded. “Well you let him know that we’ll make sure he gets somewhere safe. Can you do that for me?”

  The girl smiled and nodded, snuggling the baby closer to her little chest, whispering soothing words that quieted the baby’s cries. Emma scurried to the front of the hovercraft—slipping on a splotch of blood—and climbed into the driver’s seat. She studied the controls for a few seconds but didn’t have time to attempt driving when she looked up and saw the Sky Person standing in front of the craft, slowly shaking his head.

  “The Descendant must come with me,” he said.

  Emma shook her head. “But I’m not the Descendant and these kids need our help.”

  More debris fell from the ceiling, one large piece missing the hovercraft by inches. Emma tried to start driving the craft, but Love circled to the side and grabbed her arm, dragging her out.

  “Fine!” she yelled at him, trying to pull free as he wrapped his arms around her. “But the little girl can’t drive the hovercraft on her own!”

  Love eased his grip and Emma hurried toward a group of fleeing Second citizens. She tried to wave them down, but the crowds were so panicked that nobody seemed to hear her offer for the hovercraft. Emma nearly gave up when a single dirt-encrusted man hobbled down the tunnel, his head turning from side to side, his eyes seeming to take in his surroundings, not an ounce of fear on his face. Emma rushed to him, pointing out the hovercraft and the children, begging him to be their savior. The Seconder stared at Love and his wings, not seeming to hear a thing Emma said.

  “Please,” Emma snapped when he didn’t respond.

  The man blinked hard, the shock leaving his eyes, before finally nodding. Emma led him to the craft and walked him through how she assumed the controls worked. The man was about to push the throttle forward and head deeper down the Main Tunnel when a woman’s voice was heard yelling one unexpected word near The Second’s entrance.

  “Emma!”

  Emma’s heart leapt at the thought of her mother, whom she hadn’t seen for months, her whereabouts still a mystery. But when Emma looked down the tunnel, it wasn’t her mother that she saw rushing in her direction. Alistair and Bronwen Upton waved their arms to get her attention. Alistair’s eyes were wide and his hair disheveled, but Bronwen’s floor-length robes remained wrinkle-free. She seemed to glide effortlessly in Emma’s direction. Chad’s mother had treated her coolly at best, and cruelly at worst, during her imprisonment in The Second.

  “Please!” Alistair called out, clearly out of breath. “Hold that craft!”

  Emma had a split second to make her decision. That was all the time she needed to remember how the Uptons had stabbed her parents in the back, a betrayal more than likely responsible for whatever Edmond Jonas had done to them. Emma knew the Uptons had no chance of survival on foot, but that realization did nothing to soften the steel around her heart for them. Without hesitation, she turned and glared at the driver.

  “Go!” she ordered him.

  The man’s brow furrowed and he look
ed over Emma’s shoulders at the Uptons hurrying toward them. “But shouldn’t I—”

  “Go. . . unless you want to deal with him,” she said, nodding to Love and his fully-extended wings.

  The driver frowned but did as he was told, slowly accelerating toward the chaos heading toward the rear of the city.

  “Please!” Alistair called. “Don’t leave us!”

  But the hovercraft gained more speed and the driver didn’t glance back a single time. Realizing he was doomed, Alistair Upton fell to his knees, the panic on his face giving way to a blank expression of hopelessness. He didn’t budge, nor did his wife look back at him. Bronwen ran faster, a few strands of her long black hair finally coming out of place, draping over her face. Emma didn’t expect to feel such guilt, which didn’t ease even as Bronwen’s face twisted into a hateful sneer.

  “Let’s go,” Emma muttered to Love.

  Emma took a final deep breath before the Sky Person wrapped his arms around her midsection. A flap of the wings propelled them toward the top of the Main Tunnel just as Bronwen reached them, but Emma had a chance to pass on one final message.

  “That was for my parents.”

  Bronwen shook her head and started to deny having anything to do with the Wellers’ disappearance, but the Sky Person flew forward and both Uptons were soon out of sight. The orange glow grew brighter ahead and more people from One and The Second fled in the opposite direction, more people that wouldn’t survive whatever was causing the city to shake and crumble.

  “We have to help more of them,” Emma said.

  “I understand the desire to help,” Love told her. “But I can’t save these people. I must save the Descendant.”

  Emma wanted to argue that the Sky Person had gotten it wrong—that she wasn’t a Jonas or the ‘Descendant,’ whatever that meant—but the answer to what was happening suddenly appeared in the distance. It was worse than Emma could’ve imagined.