by H. J. Lawson
“I woke up in the Grounders' Community.”
“How did we end up here?” I ask.
Mother smiles at the question. “Your father used to come and speak with the Grounder elders. Then one day he spoke to me and asked me to join him in the Cueva.
“I accepted the offer to be with your father and away from the harmful UVA rays.”
“Well, get this, Mother it's all a lie. The UVA rays don't hurt us anymore. It's the bio meat. They are poisoning it. Don't eat anything from Purenet; it's poisoned with cancer. Keep Callie away from it,” I tell them.
“It's the bio meat,” Mother shakes her head. “It shouldn't surprise me; nothing has since I met your father. Here’s the good part. His family was also banished, but a long time before mine. One of his ancestors was also a founding father and he disagreed with the rules. They banished him to Cueva. When they did they also took all of his memories. But his memories lived on in his dreams. Your father told me a story the first time we met, that he believed that we aren't from here, and that we were placed here by Watchers.” A little color enters her cheeks.
“By the Watchers?” I ask.
“Yes. Watchers are from a sky planet. They were watching us destroy the planet and they came to help. They left some Watchers behind; the founding fathers aren't from this planet originally.”
Everyone in the room looks at one another, puzzled.
“Is the medication doing this to my mother?” I ask Dax.
“I don't think so.”
“Your father wasn't crazy, and neither am I. The reason the lab was blown up was because my ancestor found human and alien DNA; all the founding fathers and their siblings had alien DNA. Other founding fathers were banished; before I became sick we were searching for their bloodline relatives. They are planning to rise against the Sanctions system.”
“What?” Callie and I ask at the same time.
“People are moving down there,” Hayden says, listening at the door.
“Are you staying or coming with us?” Dax asks.
I freeze for a moment. I hadn't been thinking about what I was going to do next. I don't want to leave my mother and family, but if I stay, the Chancellor will take me anyway.
“Skylier, go find my brother, Otis, in the Cader Sanction. He is working with the descendants of the other banished founding fathers; they will protect you,” Mother says, making the decision for me. “Callie, kiss your sister goodbye, you will meet again.”
Callie dives toward me, hugging me with all her strength.
“Lowell, you go back to your room.”
He frowns at my request. “I'm not staying here, not without you,” he says, puffing out his chest.
“Do we have to bring the kid?” Hayden asks as he nods toward Lowell. Hayden is a few years older than Lowell, but Lowell is bigger. Lowell takes a step toward him.
“Guys, this is not the time. There is probably going to be an army in here soon, which you will be fighting if we don't get the hell out of here,” Dax snaps.
“Go now,” Mother orders.
Callie runs out of the room, wiping her face.
“Mother, I love you. I will come back for you,” I say as I hug her.
She pushes me out of her arms. “Don't come back for me. They will kill you if you come back.”
“But—”
“No buts. Thank you, Dax, for giving me a chance. Now go fight your battle. Keep my daughter, your sister, safe.”
Dax takes my hand and pulls me toward the door.
Tears pour down my face.
“I love you. I love both of you,” Mother says proudly.
I want to stay, but I know I cannot. Dax pulls me forward as we leave her room. Will I ever see her again?
“Skylier, the guards are moving around down there,” Hayden says as he peers over the edge and down at the food quarters. “What's the plan?”
“We need power for our bikes, and some food supplies,” Dax answers for me, and I'm glad. Too many things are running through my mind at the moment, including the fact that I'm the Chancellor's daughter, and that my mother thinks there are other planets outside of this one, watching us.
“We are going to have to split up. Battery packs are over to the right at the opposite side of the quarters where the food is stored,” I announce, without even thinking. “Hayden, you come with me. Dax, you go with Lowell.”
Lowell scowls. “Skylier, you are not going with him!”
“This is no time to argue with me. They don't know where food or batteries are—we do. And if you two go off together you will end up killing each other. Once you've got the stuff, meet me back at the bathing hole.” With that, I take off running before Lowell can say anything else.
“You know it's just because you want to spend more time with me,” Hayden smiles, but he may be right.
Chapter Twenty
“Over there, toward the food storage,” I tell Hayden, pointing at the metal shelves stuffed with product from Purenet. “Ready?”
“Born ready,” he replies. He is fun to be around, and pleasant on the eyes.
We both look around. There are no guards here, and we take off running to the food storage area.
“Stuff it in here.” I hold out my bag, and he does as I order. It's hard to realize that they are poisoning our food. Everyone I love will die if they stay here; I'm glad Lowell decided to come with us.
“Okay, let's head to the watering hole.” I raise my head over the storage counter. Damn! Madam Uri, of all people, is standing in the middle of the food quarters, staring right at me.
“Run!” I gasp, and quickly take off.
“She's here, she's over there!” Madam Uri's voice bounces off the cave walls. “Get her!” She takes off running toward us, and for a big woman she can move fast. The guards are quickly following her orders.
“Shoot her!” I yell to Hayden. “Hayden?” Where has he gone?
Dax, where are you? They are coming for me, Hayden has disappeared.
What? We're coming. Run and hide, we will find you!
My feet feel like they aren't touching the ground, I'm running so fast. I have to get away!
“Get her! She's my ticket out of here!” Madam Uri yells, breathless. Her voice begins to fade—clearly she cannot keep up with me. But the guards will.
Quickly looking over my shoulder, I see several guards running toward me with guns at the ready.
“Oh no!” My body slams into someone, knocking them to the ground. Damn, it's Madam Enid. “Sorry!”
“Keep on running, get out of here!” she yells as she gets back to her feet.
A loud crack echoes through the cave. I turn back once more to Madam Uri swinging her arm through the air as if she's just slapped Madam Enid in her face. Madam Enid's body is on the ground. She's been dying to do that, and I gave her the reason to do it.
Skylier, hide... more are coming... Before Dax's words can leave my mind, the guards appear in front of me. They've come down from the main entrance to the Cueva; my exit through the watering hole is blocked!
Dax, I'm trapped, where are you?
Skylier, we are outnumbered. We hid when the guards ran past. Is there another exit?
No.
Quickly I change directions. There is nowhere to run now. They are going to catch me soon.
I have no choice. Dax, I'm going to our leader to tell him everything. Maybe he will protect me.
What if he doesn't? Dax mind asks.
The guards will get me either way. Get out of here, find our uncle and come back for me.
Skylier, I cannot lose you. I just found you.
I am here, go now.
Skylier, no...!
Block.
“I want to see President Tyler!” I yell out to the guards standing in front of the President's quarters as I run toward our leader's door. Why are there guards here? It cannot be to protect him from me.
“President Tyler, come out!” I shout with my newfound confidence, to the g
uards' surprise.
The metal door opens slowly. “What's all this noise about?” President Tyler peers around the door.
“President Tyler, I need to speak to you,” I mumble quickly.
“Child, of course,” His bushy eyebrows rise up in surprise.
Tyler waves his hand to the waiting guards at the end of the corridor, signaling for them to leave. I smirk at them smugly. I knew he would listen to me.
“Come in, child.” He opens his door wider. Deep wrinkles shoot across his face as he gives me a friendly smile.
He follows me in. I've never been in his private quarters before. Whenever we met him it was in the communal areas or at functions with my family. His place is double the size of my dorm... twenty girls could fit in here easily.
His walls are covered with photographs from around the world; there's a beautiful picture of Cader Sanction's dome covered in snow. I've never seen snow, and I doubt I ever will.
“Please sit, child.” President Tyler points to a chair and I oblige him. The seat is so comfy and the cushion wraps around my buttocks as if it's hugging me.
He sits next to me. “Now, dear child, what have you been up to?”
I lower my head in shame. I don't understand why I feel this way.
“I needed to get medicine for my mother,” I say as I rub my head. All the adrenaline was stolen from me once I entered the room.
“Did you give her the medicine?”
Why does he care? My eyes scan the room. Things seem out of place, as though they don't belong here. It's too clean, too Purenet. Then I see it—a picture of the Chancellor and President Tyler smiling and shaking hands, proudly placed on his shelf. I don't see any other photos of his family, only the one with the Chancellor.
“How is your mother? I'm very sorry about your father... he was a dear friend of mine.”
“She has cancer.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Do you know how she got it?” I ask, still staring at the photo.
He turns his head toward the photo, and back at me with a completely new expression. His bottom lip curls upwards, and his forehead wrinkles.
“No, I don't know, dear child, why don't you tell me?” His voice sounds like a creepy young boy's.
“It's in the bio meat. But you already knew that, didn't you?” I state bluntly. My hands begin to tremble.
He just smiles back at me. “You, child, are just like your father, always meddling in other people's business. It's a shame Xander wants you alive, for some unknown reason. I wish I could kill you like I did your father.”
My mouth dries up as he speaks.
“Skylier, who told you about the bio meat?” My eyes widen in fear as he moves his body closer to mine. Pulling the remainder of saliva from the back of my throat, I force it forwards and phlegm comes flying out of my mouth and onto his face and glasses.
Before I can react, he smacks me, knocking me to the ground. My cheek stings in pain.
His long, awkward body bends over me. “Dear child, it looks like you are hurt,” he says as he pushes his bony finger into the bullet wound in my arm.
Intense pain rips though my flesh as he pushes down; I squirm away from his finger, as a ripple of pain washes over my body. “Arh... stop!”
“Oh, sorry... does it hurt?” President Tyler mocks.
He steps closer to me. “How about this?” He jabs his finger quickly into my open flesh once again.
Piercing white light flashes in front of my eyes as I scream out in pain. “Arh... leave me alone!”
“Who are you with? Tell me and I will stop,” he says, as he extends his finger toward me. I squirm away; my body comes to a halt as I back up into the wall. I’m trapped.
Dax, get out of here. They are coming for you! Go now.
Skylier, wait....
GO!
“Tell me!” Spit flies out of President Tyler’s mouth as he yells.
“No. Xander wants me, not them.”
“You will tell me!” My stomach surges upwards as President Tyler kicks me in the stomach. I coil up in pain, my muscles burning as they contract.
President Tyler grips hold of my hair, pulling me upward. Each hair strand rips at my scalp, like hot pokers burning into my scalp. I scramble to my feet.
“Arh…” I scream out as he punches me in the stomach.
“Are you ready to talk? Or would you like me to continue?” he asks, twisting my hair tightly around his hand, making my head throb.
“Yes,” I scream out, unable to bear any more pain.
“Good child. Who told you about the bio meat?” he asks.
“A Grounder told me,” I reply.
“What is his name?” He twists my hair tightly around his hand, and bright white lights flicker in front of my eyes as the pain scorches my scalp.
“Dax.”
“Tell me more about Dax.”
I pause, for too long. He yanks my head toward him. “He's the Chancellor's son.”
President Tyler releases the grip on my head instantly, like a bolt of lightning hit him. I drop to the ground.
“His son?”
I just nod.
“Guards, take her to the shuttle. We are leaving now!”
Then his arm swings back again and his knuckles come flying toward my face.
Chapter Twenty-One
The brightness burns through my eyelids as I try to peel them open. My head rings out in pain. My limp body is being carried somewhere. Disoriented, I raise my head to see guards carrying me down toward the gate at a brisk pace.
President Tyler is walking alongside us, his grey hair swept across his forehead.
“Arh, you gave us a fright. Thought you were out for good. Xander would not be happy with that.” He's smiling and sweat rolls down to the top of his lip. His repulsive tongue creeps out and licks the drops away.
“You like that? I do wonder what Xander has in mind for you....” His fingers reach out and grab hold of my chin. “Your pure little family finally gets the punishment they should have received years ago,” he says as he squeezes my cheeks together.
I push my head away from him and toward the shuttle.
Oh no! Mother, Callie! Mother's body lies out on the ground, with Callie's arms around her.
“What have you done to her? Xander wanted me, not them!” Anger courses through my body and I begin to thrash my limbs around. I kick a Guard in the legs and his body slams into President Tyler. His head knocks against the side of the gate wall and his glasses fall to the ground.
“Knock that little bitch out!” President Tyler orders, as he turns to face me, gripping his nose as blood pours out.
“What the...” My body springs up too quickly, and my head begins to spin. I go to place my hand on my head, but I can't. They've strapped my arms down. I frantically pull and twist, but I'm stuck.
“Nice of you to join us,” President Tyler says, as he sits down in front of me. We are on the shuttle. A table between us, and the hand restraints, stop me from attacking him. My body slumps down. I will not win this fight. I have to save any energy I have left.
“Where are my mother and sister? “ I shout.
Mother... Callie... where are you?
They don't answer.
“Skylier, this is no way to speak to the President. You make me sound like an animal. I'm merely following Xander's orders. But can I tell you a little secret?” He edges toward me.
I lean a little closer to him, half wanting to know what he's going to say next, half wanting to run and hide.
He opens his mouth to speak, revealing dark, yellow-stained teeth. Repulsive breath flows from his mouth. “I'm enjoying it,” he whispers, and then begins laughing. “I would like to know what Xander has in mind for you,” he continues, his head tilted as he examines me up and down.
“Maybe a new Bazi... how I do love the Bazi—the most beautiful people from our Sanctions...” he pauses, then adds, “or would he like Callie to be his new Bazi?”
“Oh, the thought sickens you? Are you better than they?”
I want to spit in his face once again, but I cannot handle any more hits across my head. Between the motion of the shuttle and the vile face, it's all I can do to not get sick.
“You know they cannot, she's too young! And she's not volunteering.” Those are the rules... you have to be over seventeen, and you must volunteer. And no one in my family would volunteer for that.
Mother... Callie... where are you?
“Your mother and sister cannot hear you. I wouldn't waste your time.” He smiles smugly.
“What have you done to them?”
“Tell me more about Dax. Where's he been? Tell me and I will let you see your precious family.”
I look out the window at the blurry white walls. Occasionally there is a flash of turquoise light, as it guides us to our final destination.
What harm will it do if I tell him about Dax? Dax and Lowell will be out of the Cueva and away from danger. If I tell him, then I will be with my family.
The white blurry image of the shuttle walls is replaced with darkness. The glass window has been blacked out, and they've painted over it... blocking the view of hope and natural beauty, hiding the view.
“We are having a bit of work done on the tunnel; don't want you Cueva people thinking there is anywhere else to go, do we?” He rubs a finger across the bottom of his lip.
“What do you mean, 'you Cueva people'? I thought you were one of us. You are our leader, after all! Does that mean anything to you?” I can feel the anger burning through my veins, as he just sits there smiling at me.
“You are truly your father's daughter—so passionate, so stupid.”
He waves his hand in the air and a staff member comes running over with a silver tray filled with food.
“They do make the most delicious food in Purenet,” he adds as he cuts into his bio meat. Then he puts the bio meat into his mouth and starts to chew.
“I hope you poisoned your own meat as well!”
