Intro
I watch in horror as the towering metal doors snap shut behind the blonde haired girl, who had been tossed inside like a sack. She cries, crawling over and pounding her fists against the closed doors.
"Lacie, it's okay. I'm here." I slowly push off the ground and walk over to the crying child. She turns to face me with her big blue eyes, tear filled and fearful.
"Looks like Little Miss tough guy had a change of heart." I hear a crowd of laughter. Fuck you Raybon.
I take the shaking girl into my arms. "Sissy, is this where they took you? What's going on? Who are these scary people?" Little Lacie bombards me with questions that I don't have all the answers to.
"Sisters? Just how stupid were your parents?" My brow twitches. "I'm surprised they didn't just kill her."
"Shut the fuck up Raybon!" I scream, holding my hands over Lacie's ears.
"Make me, bitch!" Well I'm seriously thinking about it right now.
Lacie removes my hands from her ears. "I can still hear you swearing, please don't." She sniffles, her eyes puffy and red. I notice small cuts and bruises all over her, easily exposed in the white dress she wears.
"Did they hurt you?" I whisper in question, with a sense of urgency that only an older sibling can understand.
She shakes her head. "I fought back, they didn't mean to." I roll my eyes. I'm sure that's how she saw it, but I'm not so naive.
"You won't have to fight anymore, I'll protect you. I promise." I kiss her on the forehead lightly. "Let's get you cleaned up and find some new clothes." I instruct, pulling both of us up off of the ground.
I walk past the gaggle of curious children, before getting stopped by Raybon. "You're mistakes, and the worst kind."
"Don't act like you're any different. Your only redeeming quality is that you make a good punching bag." I flip him off and continue down into the corridor.
When we reach the uncomfortably compact living quarters, my home for the past year, I usher Lacie in and sit her down on my lower bunk. I go through the medical kit underneath my bed, picking out some ointments and bandages.
"Leta?" I startle at the use of my name.
"Yeah? What is it, Lacie?" I take a seat next to her, starting to bandage her up.
She squirms when I treat some of the deeper wounds. "Will you promise me something?" I nod quietly, looking her in the eyes. "Promise me that we'll stay together, no matter what."
I smile sadly. I'm only ten, Lacie is barely five. How can two scared little girls survive in such a cruel world? "Of course. I promise."
Nine years later
I'm not a scared little girl anymore. I can't be, I need to be strong, for Lacie. The past several months have been taxing, ever since the 'attack'. The monitors told us that the surface had been hit by an extraterrestrial force, but I don't buy it. I know the protocol for an attack, we would have been put up there to repopulate. I can't tell anyone of my suspicions, because I'm not supposed to know. I got into the system with Raybon's help, but I kept that detail to myself. My main concern is protecting Lacie, and if that time were to come, I would be ready.
I scan my badge for my second meal of the day. Lacie already has her food, since she's still a teenager she goes first. The younger kids are most valuable, since they'll be alive after us. We don't get the CRISPR gene replacement, since it's against the law to have children. I don't mind it, immortality sounds like hell.
I slide onto the bench next to Lacie, and across from Raybon. I became friends with him after Lacie got attached to him. She said that she liked his eyes, that they looked like black olives. He took it as an insult, lifting her up off of the ground. Before I could run over and knock him out cold, Lacie started... giggling.
"Stop it! You're tickling me!" She squealed, still vibrating with giggles. He set her down, and she hugged him tightly. He was shocked, and from then on was like her big brother. Don't get me wrong, he's still an ass. I just put up with him, because he makes my sister happy.
"You're looking angry, as usual." Raybon greets me with a cheeky smile. Dick. I start shoveling food into my mouth. "Oh, so you're ignoring me now?" I gesture to my mouth full of food, he grimaces.
"Leta, you're going to choke." I prematurely swallow, causing pain to travel down my throat.
I make a sour face. "Only if you guys keep trying to talk to me while I'm eating." I spoon more food into my hunger hole.
"So, broken any more hearts lately?" Raybon asks innocently. I continue to chew the flavorless slop, shooting him a dirty look.
I gulp down my spoonful, chugging half the glass of water. "I told you not to bring that up anymore." I wipe my lips with the back of my hand.
"I think about all of the boys in our group have tried to get with you." I give him the death glare.
"You better stop right there, big bro. She might actually kill you." Lacie not so helpfully adds.
He grins. "Too bad none of them were me, because we all know I have the biggest di-" I splash him in the face with what's left of my water.
"You're such a child!" I scream, turning heads in our direction. I take Lacie by the hand. "We're leaving."
"But-" She starts, and is interrupted by a sharp noise. It becomes clear that it was feedback from the control room when we hear a voice following directly after the noise.
"All groups must gather for an assembly, immediately!" The loudspeakers echo an order. Everyone is moving before the announcement finishes, rushing to dispose of their waste. I take Lacie to do the same, then we follow the growing crowd, leaving Raybon behind. This has to be something of utmost importance to call for an unscheduled assembly. It makes me incredibly worried.
I separate from Lacie to find a spot in my group, fighting my desire to stay close to her. As more of us file in, more of the CCP guards line up at the front, fully armed. I map out the area and the closest exits, ready to make an escape with Lacie at the first sign of danger. The guards are known to be violent if we rebel, but it's not normal for them to show up to assemblies with automatic guns. Something's definitely not right here.
"Ahem." I don't so much as glance in his direction. "Whatever you're planning with that look on your face, I want in."
"Say it louder why don't you?" I whisper angrily.
I hear him kicking the poor kid next to me out of his chair, it creaks as he makes himself comfortable in the objectively uncomfortable chair.
"Weird, isn't it? I'd say we're in for an eventful assembly." He continues to talk at the same volume, and I shush him with a venomous glare.
The president of CCP walks up onto the podium, addressing us with an emotionless face, "Hello children." He pauses.
"Hello President Rosentile." We all say in unison.
"As I'm sure you're all aware, your parents had you and disobeyed Crispr terms. We have collected you here underground to keep those terms in tact." He swivels to look directly at the older groups. "What you weren't aware of is our intentions for you if the surface dwellers went extinct." Gasps are heard around the room, and once people start whispering the President calls for quiet. "That day has come. We now require the children of reproductive age to return to the surface for repopulation." My hand comes to cover my mouth. "Those who agree to these terms will receive the gene replacement that your parents had access to. Those who do not..." The guards load their guns, causing screams to erupt in the room. "...are of no use to us." President Rosentile finally cracks a smile. "Choose wisely."
The doors are wide open, and several children bolt towards them. First is a fourteen year old redhead, who isn't interested in girls. I root for him silently as he makes a run for it, then, the first shot is fired. He immediately collapses, and panic ensues. Tears block my vision, a cry erupting from me. Children still continue to try and leave, and not a single one makes it. Blood covers the doorways of the two exits, the corpses of twelve children sprawled on the floor.
"Anyone else?" The President asks with a catlike grin. I shiver, my face contorted in horror. What are we to them? Cattle? Animals to be bred in captivity? My eyes dart around the room, frantically searching for a head of white blonde hair in the sea of panicked children. My muddy hazel eyes lock onto those blue piercing irises of hers, I let out a shaky sigh of relief. I can see tears welling up in her eyes. It's going to be okay. I'll make sure of it, even if it means sacrificing myself.
"Then get in your lines! No funny business and you'll get to the surface with all your limbs still attached." The President finishes, dismissing us with a wave of his hand as he walks off the podium.
