Project Dandelion

by Heather Carson

  “I guess I already knew that,” she sighed. “Okay, let’s do this.” She opened the door to the truck. Her dad had her lean on him for show as he helped her to the platform. “I love you daddy,” she whispered as he pretended to half carry her onto the bus.

  “I love you sweetheart.” He kissed her forehead.

  Katrina fell asleep hearing those last words echo in her mind.

  Chapter 6

  “Welcome to day 2 in the shelter,” Nanny’s voice echoed over the loudspeaker. It was eerie to Katrina how quickly they had settled into their morning routine. Maybe there was something to this Dandelion Gene after all, Katrina thought.

  They made their way to the common room after breakfast to join Dreya and Mia. The morning class covered radiation levels after a nuclear war and what they should expect to see on the surface. Dependent on the weather patterns, the worst of the fallout could reduce drastically within two weeks. Long term exposure or staying outside without proper gear might be possible between two to four weeks. Of course, this was all dependent on simulated studies so real life scenarios may vary considerably. Nanny explained that the previous twenty-four hours on the surface in the areas closest to all the blast sites were catastrophic for anyone who was exposed. Mia cringed into Dreya’s arms.

  “You think that Nanny would have a little more sensitivity training based on her title.” Dreya shook her head.

  Radiation sickness was explained, and they were all given an increased probability of various cancer diagnosis in the future.

  Nanny then explained the fallout shelter structure. “The control center is inaccessible from the living pods. Within the control center, which you can think about as where I live, are delivery tunnels running on an automatic system which provide food to your rooms. There is an intricate air and water filtration system also within this center. Each living quarter contains two exits. The door that opens outward is what you have been using to access the tunnel to the common room. The other exit that opens inwards is locked as of now. In the locked cabinet beside this exit are shovels and other supplies that you may need.”

  Katrina and Dreya looked at one another. “Shovels?” Dreya whispered.

  Nanny continued. “When the surface radiation has dropped to a safe level, the doors and locker will open. You will then be able to dig your way to the surface. We are an estimated six feet deep under soft earth. This task should not prove too difficult, but you will have to decide as a room when and how this will be done. There are enough supplies to support you all within this facility for one year and they will continue to be dispersed regardless of when the doors open.”

  The lesson ended in an uproar of commotion with everyone asking questions at once.

  “Basically, we are buried alive in a massive coffin?” Laura’s voice rose above the others.

  “Not only are we buried alive,” one of the brothers from Room 2 chimed in, “but we are at the mercy of some electronic system that can choose whether or not to open the doors. What if the system crashes because of the explosions?” His younger brother looked ashen.

  Ethan spoke up, “I don’t think that will be a problem. Any EMP’s that may have been caused by the blasts would have already shut it down. However, the system could still crash at any time…” His voice trailed off as he looked to Jayden, Dreya, and Katrina. “I don’t know what safe guards they have in place, but I’m sure there are some.”

  Mia shrunk into Dreya’s side as the voices in the room grew louder. Katrina looked up to James who sat quietly watching everyone from the top of the bleachers.

  “Why wouldn’t they put a real person in here to answer our questions. Why do they just have this robotic voice shuffling us around?”

  “Where are we even at?”

  “What if the food stops coming or if a tunnel happens to collapse?”

  “Where do we even go once the doors open?”

  The panic in the room was rising. Katrina bit her lip. Mia’s eyes were beginning to well with tears as Dreya took a deep breath and stood up.

  “Everyone breathe,” Dreya commanded the room. All the panicked faces turned toward her. “Just breathe. We don’t have all the answers yet, but we might be given more over the coming days. Let’s not panic over what we don’t know and can’t control. Nothing has happened to us yet and from this information we’ve already been given it seems as though we are lucky to be here.”

  An older boy with broad shoulders and the beginnings of a mustache from Room 1 spoke, “Okay, but we need to do something in case the system fails. We can’t just sit here and blindly trust the government… again.”

  Murmurs from the crowd started back up. Mia shrunk down further into herself as Dreya struggled to find an answer.

  Katrina stared at Dreya and felt the urge to throw her a rope. “Food,” she said resting her arms on her legs.

  “What?” Dreya whispered to her, shaking her head.

  “Food,” Katrina said louder. Everyone turned to stare at her. “Food,” she said again, refusing to look at anyone but Dreya. “You want to feel more in control of the situation? Start saving some food. Each one of the meal packets is 1200 calories. We don’t need 3600 calories a day. Start saving some food in case something happens.”

  Dreya looked relieved. “There you go. Save some food. If something happens to the system, we won’t starve to death. We can also store buckets of water in the mop bins and change them out every day. If the doors don’t open in two weeks, then we can figure out a new plan from there.”

  “Alright, you heard the lady,” Lark said standing up. “We have a plan folks. Let’s get started, it is lunch time now. Back to your rooms.” He ushered his buddies toward their room turning his head back over his shoulder to give Dreya a big smile.

  *

  Becca was the first through the door. The green light shined from the cabinet. “Lunch is waiting,” she called back over her shoulder. She scooped out the packets and quickly closed he door before the buzzing sounded.

  Dreya stood in the room tearing her packet open. She pulled out the breadstick pouch to toss onto her bed. “Thanks for coming up with that,” she said to Katrina.

  “It’s not a big deal,” Katrina said, wondering if it was. She removed her pillow case and put the entire packet inside. Lifting her mattress, she put the case beneath the foot of the thin bed and solid frame.

  “Oh, good idea!” Willow pulled off her pillowcase and put some of her lunch inside of it.

  *

  Dreya took the remainder of her lunch and went down the hall to meet her little sister. She sat on the bench and started to warm up her spaghetti. Mia came in a few moments later with a big smile plastered across her face.

  “Someone has a crush on you,” Mia teased.

  Dreya’s face scrunched up. “Huh?”

  “Lark said “your sister is hot” to me when we were walking down the tunnel.” Mia batted her eyelashes and made a kissing face toward Dreya.

  “Not in the slightest bit concerned about that.” Dreya rolled her eyes.

  Mia laughed and began tearing into her breadstick. “Oh, you saved some of the spaghetti. Can I have a bite?” Dreya handed the pouch to her while breaking off a piece of her breadstick. It tasted like a cardboard biscuit with some garlic powder. After a few bites, Mia handed her food back. “So, are you going to take over as leader now?”

  “Honestly Mia, I have no clue what I am doing.” Dreya finished the last few bites that Mia left for her.

  “You know that you don’t have to take care of everyone here.” Mia stared at her sister.

  “I don’t want to take care of anyone.” Dreya returned her stare. “Just you. But I’m not going to let everyone riot and put you in danger.”

  Mia rolled her eyes. “I don’t need you to take care of me either.”

  Dreya smiled reassuringly and pulled her sister in for a crushing hug.

  Chapter 7

  The mood had changed in the common room once everyone got th
ere for physical exercise. Katrina started running when they were instructed to as did most of the guys and a few of the girls. Ethan began walking with the brothers he had spoken to earlier. Laura, Willow, and Anna sat on the bleachers playing clapping games with the rest of the girls. It’s starting to look more like high school every day, Katrina thought.

  James jogged up beside Katrina, matching her pace. “You’re not staring at me as much today,” he spoke softly.

  Katrina glanced up at him annoyed and then quickly looked away. “Thought that was what you wanted, lone wolf,” she snapped between breaths.

  “Hey. Slow down there feisty girl.” He smiled and turned to jog backwards so he could see her face. “I was only teasing.” She stared straight through him. “Okay, okay,” he said. “I just wanted to thank you and now I’ll leave you alone.” He turned around again and began jogging away.

  “Thank me for what?” She pulled him back as he was getting ahead of her.

  “The food thing,” he said slowing back down to her pace. “I was trying to figure out a way to start saving some without everyone thinking I was weird. Now you’ve got them all on board, so it works out in my favor.”

  Katrina nodded her head in understanding. “You’re welcome I guess.”

  *

  Becca laid on her bed with her arms over her head as Willow swept underneath their bunk. Katrina held the dust pan for her. Jayden and Ethan were busy wiping down one bathroom. Dreya was filling the mop bucket up with fresh water in the other.

  “Plan on helping, princess?” Jayden asked as he went to his own rack to smooth the sheets.

  “What’s the point?” Becca asked while propping up on her side. “We’ve been here two days. It’s not even messy yet.”

  “Well, if we keep it up then it won’t ever become messy.” Dreya walked out of the bathroom towards her own bunk. She pulled her damp hair back into a braid. “Plus, you shower too, and your hair gets caught in the drain just the same as the rest of us.”

  “Ugh.” Becca flopped back onto her bed dramatically. “It’s not like anyone actually cares or is watching us or anything. Nanny isn’t even a real person and she is the only boss we have.” She turned to give Dreya a long look. “Unless you are gunning for that position.”

  “No thanks,” Dreya said finishing up her braid. “Nanny can keep that job.” As if on cue, the meal packets arrived in the cabinet.

  Ethan walked over and grabbed them out. “Hey, at least she feed us,” he said smiling.

  Willow took her packet and crawled into her bunk with her brow creased. After a moment she said, “Becca is right. I don’t even know why we are following the robot’s every order. It’s not like anyone is watching.”

  The room went uncomfortably silent until Katrina spoke up, “We don’t have anything better to do anyway.” She opened her pouch and placed the cookies from the meal in her pillowcase. “Besides, they set up this program for a reason and I, for one, want to see what I can get out of it.”

  Becca burst out laughing. “I can’t believe you still trust the government after all of this.” She swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Katrina’s face grew hot.

  “It’s not her fault,” Willow said, catching Becca’s laughter. “Her dad is part of the government. She doesn’t know any better.”

  “Or maybe I know that I don’t know everything.” Katrina’s voice was sharp. “I know that I don’t have the luxury of Googling my way out of this, so I want to learn whatever information I can in order to be prepared when the doors open.”

  Becca jumped down from her bunk and started to walk towards Katrina, the laughter fading from her eyes. Katrina stood her ground. In three steps, Dreya was between the two girls with her arms out.

  “You know what, I think you are both right,” Dreya said before either of them could get another word out. “I think that no one cares what we do but that we should each do what we think is best. If Becca doesn’t want to clean, then who are we to force her? And if Katrina wants to stick with the program then that is her right.” Dreya turned her palms up and smiled. “We have bigger things to worry about, like what is going on in the world outside of here and what we are going to do when we get out.”

  Becca said okay and relaxed her shoulders as she walked back to her bunk. Dreya and Katrina stared into each other’s eyes for a second before Dreya walked back to her own bed. She picked up her food.

  “It’s stuffy in here.” Dreya started walking toward the door. “You guys want to come hang out in the common room with me and eat before the movie starts?” She grabbed her pillow off the bed. Everyone agreed. They left the room as a group with arms full of pillows and food packets.

  *

  Mia came skipping into the common room and smiled when she saw her sister surrounded by the rest of Room 3. “Oh yay!” she laughed. “Family dinner.” Becca smiled at Katrina. She returned the smile and went back to eating her food. Before the movie started, the other siblings began to trickle in. Some of the guys carried in their thin mattresses and laid them on the floor.

  Ethan watched as they sprawled out. “Oh man. Why didn’t we think of that?”

  The whole group settled down as a Disney Pixar movie began playing from the projector. Dreya sighed and shook her head but Mia’s squeal of delight made her smile. A few minutes into the movie, Katrina climbed the bleachers to go sit beside James.

  “Thought I’d see what the view was like from your ivory tower,” she joked while leaning against the back wall.

  “Well you are in a better mood,” he said, leaning back with her. “Best seat in the house.” He spread his arms out. “No crowd and back support.” He crossed his arms behind his head.

  “Why did you worry that people would think you were weird if you started stashing food?” James raised his eyebrows and smiled sheepishly. “Okay, I guess that might be weird,” she said returning his smile, “but no more than refusing to sit with anyone else.”

  “I’m not refusing anything,” he said leaning forward again. “I’m just watching.”

  “Well what have you seen so far?” Her eyes scanned over the group below them.

  “What have you seen?” he asked, leaning closer to her. His leg bumped her leg and it somehow sent shivers across her thigh. She dug the sole of her shoe into the bleacher beneath it to try and stop the sensation. He pulled his leg back a little, leaving an electric current the size of an inch between them.

  Katrina shrugged her shoulders and he laughed. “Whatever,” he said, “you’ve been watching too. If you won’t tell me then I won’t tell you.”

  “I’m not watching. I’m just paying attention to what is going on.” She glanced at his face out of the corner of her eye. The light from the movie reflected on them, making his skin look pale and his eyes appear dark blue. “I’m waiting for the doors to open so that I can dig my way out of here. Until then, I am paying attention.”

  “Does it matter what happens down here then?” He nudged her leg with his again.

  She shook her head. “Probably not, but you never know. People can be dangerous and unpredictable.”

  The light drained from his eyes and his face became stoic. “You’re right about that,” James said.

  She noticed the change immediately and tried to lighten the mood. “Okay. So, what did you see from your tower?”

  “Teenage drama and normal high school stuff really.” He leaned back against the wall again. “Nothing too interesting.”

  Katrina was somewhat shocked at how fast his mood had changed. “Where are you from?” she asked.

  “Sacramento area. How about you?”

  “About two hours south of Reno actually.” She laughed. “Small town, near a base.”

  “Is your family military?”

  She thought about lying but didn’t see any harm in telling some of the truth. “My dad is.”

  “Cool. I guess.” James smiled. “My dad is dating some chic from the Air Force. Nicest girl he has ever been with.
Her name is Morgan.”

  “Oh, that’s nice. What does your dad do?” Katrina watched a cloud pass over his face again.

  “He works for a security company.”

  “What about your mom?” she asked hoping it wouldn’t be too personal. It was getting hard to read his moods.

  “She isn’t in the picture.” He kept staring at the movie playing.

  “Mine isn’t either.” She turned her attention back to the movie too.

  Down below them, Lark got up and walked to sit between Dreya and Becca. Katrina watched Dreya’s shoulders stiffen as she shifted closer to her little sister. Becca leaned back and tilted her face toward Lark, showing a big smile. Katrina couldn’t hear the conversation, but Becca seemed to be enjoying herself while Dreya looked extremely uncomfortable.

  “I don’t trust that guy,” James said. Katrina looked over to see him staring at the same scene that she was.

  “Why?” she asked. “He seems pretty harmless. Just your typical jock.”

  “Something’s off with him.” James went back to watching the movie.

  Katrina shrugged her shoulders. She climbed back down from the top of the bleachers to go sit with her roommates. She wasn’t in the mood for macho rivalry and Dreya looked like she needed help again. Once she made it back to her group, Lark turned to her smiling.

  “How is our loner friend?” he asked.

  “Comfortable,” she said returning his smile. “He has the best seat in the house.” Katrina sat behind Dreya and tapped her on the back. She gave Dreya a quizzical look and was given a short smile in return. Lark was telling a story about his five year old sister and how much she loved this movie. His sister would run through the playground singing the princess song and he had gotten her the character doll for her birthday. When he finished, Dreya’s shoulders had relaxed a bit and she gave him a sympathetic smile. She pulled Mia closer to her and continued watching the movie. Becca was more verbal, fawning over Lark and giving him assurances that his family was okay.

  When the movie was over, Becca gave Lark a big hug before sauntering down the tunnel to the room.