Children of the Sun

Chapter Two

The two boys spent the next hour gathering some supplies; food, water, first aid, and anything they could think of that might keep them okay while they explored. They left any other forms of entertainment behind to keep the load as light as possible.

Evan retrieved two bikes from his house's storage area. One of the bikes was his dad's but was still small enough to let Jake ride it. "This way we can get to the Old District faster. My dad always offers his bike for you anytime he knows you're coming over," Evan explained.

Jake was happy to have access to faster transportation. Bike routes were almost more common than the electric car roads. This way they could slip between buildings and streets faster. The two mounted their bikes and rode off into the deeper parts of the neighborhood.

It didn't take long for them to reach the business areas, where Jake's dad was working. The large buildings with solar panels covering them casted shadows onto the ground below. Being a massive building that could potentially block sunlight for the smaller ones around it, the business supplies power for just about every building in the area. It made Jake happy that even though it could inconvenience the smaller building's solar energy, that they were always willing to share.

The Old District loomed over them as they peddled closer and closer. Old tall buildings along with a fence lined the border between the Old and the new. The buildings were partially crumbled, and mostly covered in greenery. Vines, plants, and others were reclaiming the Old District in excess. Jake's father had always told him that the Old District was not biodegradable materials, so they let nature take it back.

Alarms and sirens were echoing nearby. Jake and Evan chained their bikes to the fence and began to head towards the sound. Not far away, there was commotion and shouting. The roads into the Old District were blocked with barricades. Scientists and the local Guard were trying to help people stay out of the district.

"We know you are concerned with what fell from the sky, but we have our finest men and women searching for the landing site to investigate. These scientists know what they are dealing with, and will make sure it does not harm nature or cause any harm to any people," one of the local Guard said into a megaphone.

A tall spindly man asked, "Should the people not be allowed to judge for themselves?" A few others shouted agreements to the man's words. He stood out to Jake. His hair was dark, and mostly hidden under a round bowler hat. He wore a nice black suit as well. Jake assumed he must work nearby.

"As we would normally agree that you can use your own choices to infer what you want about literally anything, this object caused an explosion. The Old District is dangerous to explore without proper equipment."

The tall man sneered and began to walk away. He held a long cane with him to aid him with his walk.

"Strange man," Evan stated. Jake nodded, "I got a strange vibe too."

"So what should we do? They said it is pretty dangerous to go in there..." Evan explained. Jake could hear the sadness in his voice.

"Well we are prepared right? We have the proper equipment to deal with this area. I think we could go around," Jake trailed off looking for an area where they could enter without being seen. The fence was much too tall to climb over. "There," Jake finished and pointed not too fair on the other side of the road. There was a gap in the fence. Neither of them had seen it earlier. Jake suggested they might have been distracted with the commotion to notice it.

The two used the crowd to block their view from the Guard and scientists. Once they were on the other side of the road, there was enough left of a building to hide them from sight. They entered the gap in the fence and moved further into the district.

To Jake, the Old District felt extra quiet. As they walked further away from the sirens and people shouting, there was almost no noise. He was sure he heard animals or a building shifting, but they were faint and seemed to have echoed from elsewhere. It was a type of silence Jake had never experienced before.

"The smoke seems to be getting closer," Evan explained as he eyed the gray cloud in the sky.

"I don't hear any sizzling or crumbling. Do you think the scientists already got to it?"

Evan shrugged. "Possibly. They have to approach things like this a bit more carefully. I imagine they are combing the area for any particles or debris that also might have fallen off the object."

Evan was confirmed when they neared where the smoke was built up the most. A massive crater was around a smoke object at the center. The crater was deep and there was no safe way to enter it. Scientists were no where to be seen.

"How are we going to get down there?" Jake asked.

Evan began to look around. Jake tried to scan the area as well. The crater was between several buildings. The heat and energy seemed to have destroy most of the walls and floors. Jake noticed that one of the buildings had several lower floors that went below the surface. "Maybe those basement levels can get us close enough to observe without falling in the steep crater."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Evan exclaimed.

The two boys moved their way around the crater carefully. Dirt crumbled down the steep hole as they passed. Jake swallowed hard as he thought about falling in.

The building that was now missing over half of itself, still held an entrance that the two could enter into. Dirt and dust combined with bits of debris would trickle down every few seconds. Jake was sure if there was one powerful gust of wind or quake, the building would more than likely fall apart.

"We have to be careful in here," Jake stated his worry.

Evan nodded. "I do not want to be the one that causes this building to fall. Especially if it covers whatever is in that crater down there." They both leaned to look. Smoke still clouded what lie in the center. "I believe there are stairs over here."

Jake followed Evan to the stairs. They were on the opposite side of the building from the crater, so they were intact. Some of the steps were cracked, or covered in a layer of dirt. The two walked carefully down each set of stairs. Each step was light. Both were worried that trying to be firm or accidentally become too heavy, and the stairs would give way.

Several stories into the basement levels, the smoke began to become easier to see passed. The two moved around the edge of the floor that looked over the crater, trying to find a safe way to get down more or look at the object.

"Dang scientists always in my way," a familiar voice mumbled and echoed above them. Jake looked up to try and see who was talking. He wasn't sure how far the person was above them. It sounded like the tall man from the blocked road.

"Jake, be careful!" Evan called out.

Jake's gaze returned to Evan and then to below his feet. The ground gave way, causing Jake to slide down into the crater. He tumbled and rolled down the steep wall until he eventually landed with a thud on the floor.

"Are you okay Jake?!" Evan called out.

The voice from several floors above also cried out, "Who is down there?!"

Pushing himself up through the pain of his fall, Jake blinked a few times. There in the center of the crater, wasn't an object, but it was a girl.