Going Down: John Murphy

Chapter ‖ 1 ‖ Going Down

Prologue:

It's been 97 years since a nuclear apocalypse, leaving the earth simmering in radiation. Fortunately, the survivors fled to space to the twelve nations' space stations, but now there is only the ark. One station emerged from the many. Now we're told the earth needs 100 years more to be considered survivable again. Four more space-locked generations and man can go home—back to the ground. The ground—that's the dream. But this is reality.

(Door opens)

And reality sucks.

———————————————

Startled by the low creek of the heavy steel door of her cell, Kelly immediately stands up from her bed. Since her arrest, she's been visited once by her mom, Callie Cartwig, but that was months ago.

Could it be her though? No, of course not. No matter how much she longed to see her mother it was a weak fantasy.

The last thing she saw before being taken to her cell was her mother's disdainful expression when the guards barged into their flat on the Walden station and announced her arrest for murder.

She was now facing four slate grey walls.

(5 months ago)

Kelly would go to the dining table to collect her earth skills textbooks after studying late the night before due to how serious the repercussions from the teacher, Mr. Pike, would be if they did not study enough.

Her mom was at the other across the circular dining table with a clear electronic tablet in her hands with crucial data from the Arks operating systems.

Kelly always believed her mother's job as a data analyst gave her a clinched expression. Her expression was unsettling this time. She had witnessed her mother confront excruciating adversity on the council with a stoic expression, so she knew not to dismiss it as a typical calculating gaze.

Gathering the books under one arm, Kelly made the decision to remain out of whatever it might be and asked no questions.

The door was forced open so forcefully by two guards that the handle broke off. They enter the apartment intrusively and survey their surroundings. Searching.

Callie spoke strictly, "What is the meaning of this?"

The older guard replied hollowly, "Callie Cartwig, your daughter, is being detained for the murder of an officer."

"What? Kelly, no, please tell me you didn't do this," her mother pleads, urgently moving over to Kelly as they tighten the cuffs around her delicate wrists.

Kelly wanted to tell her how she did it to get rid of her nightmares—the same one every night—her father in the airlock chamber, the officer pushing the handle that ejected him into space, vacuuming the air out of his lungs and killing him.

But Kelly was physically unable of making her mother aware of the horrific scene that warranted staying in her mind every time she lay in bed.

"Mom..." Kelly begins, her voice faltering, her throat shutting and drying, tears welling up in her dark brown eyes.

"I needed to get justice for Dad, I'm so sorry"