Beneath The Chaos Above

chapter 5

Sarah -

Feeling anxious and bored. Sarah could no longer stay still. Everything little thing was starting to irritate her. She found herself going off on her family for breathing too loud. Sarah needed her own space! Away from everyone, but she had no where to go. Dad had his office he could disappear into away from everyone, but he had made it clear for us all to stay out. She decided to go for a walk through the hallway. Sarah walks out of her room and finds Mom drinking wine and reading a book in the kitchen.

Mom, can I walk the hallway, please? She asked.

"Sure, just stay close by, please. Don't go anywhere else."

Where else could she possibly go? She heads back to her room to grab her headphones and phone. Even though the Internet was spotty, she managed to download quite a bit of songs to listen to. Kerri is sitting by the window drawing. She sneaks out the room without a word, passes the leaving room, and slowly opens the front door. She looks back to make sure no one is following her and slides out the door.

Sarah puts her headphones on and starts walking down the hallway. She looks up at each number on the doors. Each floor had fifty units minus the two penthouses on top floors of each building. She wonders if the building is completely filled now. So many people rushed to move in the other day for the longest time; our floor only had six units filled. Then again, she didn't know anything about her neighbors other than Greg's family.

Sarah reaches the end of the hallway, where it opens to the main elevators. On the far left side, there is a place to sit and look out the window. Two of the chairs are occupied by a woman and an older man playing chess. The man is dressed in a black suit; he quickly stands up and stands in front of her.

The woman speaks, "Relax! Henry she is just a kid. She won't harm me. She is probably bored like us."

She finally looks up at Sarah. She sees who it is. The young woman is the mayor's daughter, Ivy. Sarah is surprised to see her on this floor. She thought Ivy would be staying in the penthouse or something.

"Sorry, I thought the floor would be empty."

" It's okay, Join us. I'm Ivy and you are?" She asked.

" Thank you.My name is Sarah"

Sarah takes a seat next to Ivy. Ivy went to high school with us. She was a Junior when Sarah was nineth grader. She used to admire how talented Ivy was at playing the piano and violin. We hung out with different people so Sarah didn't really have a chance to talk to her.

" I don't know if you remember me. We went to high school together"

Ivy snaps her fingers and points at her." That's why you look so firmilar! What a small world" she says.

Sarah looked out the window and asked what you think is happening out there?

The two look up at her surprise. Henry responded " Do you seriously not know what's going on out there? How's it that everyone inside this building does not know what is going on"

" No one has said anything. All we saw fog moving in" Sarah says.

" This isn't just normal fog. This fog has brought with it a horrible virus that is killing people" said Ivy.

Henry looks up at Ivy and says" It's all rumors of course! No one knows exactly. Anyways your turn"

Sarah stares back out the window. She wonders if what Ivy had said is true. It would explain what we saw that day in the video. If so, what or how was the fog created? Maybe her parents knew all along that this was happening! If so, why couldn't they just tell us the truth?

She looks up at the doors across from the elevators. Sarah sees a shadow figure in a small window frame. Is that a person watching? She thought.

What's wrong Ivy asked.

She tells Ivy. "I think there's someone at the door. Watching us," Ivy looks up.

"I know. Each floor has its own security guard at all staircase entrances. Their soul purpose is to keep us on our floors and safe. In a few days you'll have more freedom." Said Ivy. Ivy beats Henry again at chess.

In disbelief. Henry demands the two play another around. Ivy laughed and agreed. Henry starts to set up his pieces again. A woman comes running out of her apartment screaming.

"I can't do this anymore," she shouts, running towards the doors to stairwells. She tries to open the door, but it's locked! She begins banging on it aggressively.

Henry stands up and walks up to the woman. He tries to reassure me that everything is okay. He looks back at Ivy and tells her it's time to go back to her apartment. She doesn't quickly pack up the chess pieces and board.

"We need to go back to our apartments now," said Ivy.

She grabs me and pulls me to my feet. Sarah tries to pull away from her. She wanted to help the woman. Ivy grabs Sarah pulls her down the hallway. Sarah asked What's wrong with her eyes?

" Please! Just listen to me and do what you are told! Go home both," shouted Henry.

Sarah doesn't take another foot towards them. She follows Ivy down the hallway. Ivy's apartment is three doors down the hallway. Before Sarah could open the door. Her dad is standing at the door.

"Hurry, get inside. Please hurry back to the apartment"

Ivy quickly rushes inside. Sarah looks back one more towards Henry; something is happening down the hallway. She can't see, but she can hear Henry yelling. Dad pulls me inside the apartment.

"Why did you do that?! Go help him!" she shouted as she reaches for the door. An announcement comes on. "All residents, please return to your apartments, please. All residents"

The apartment door locks on its own. She looks at her dad in a panic and starts trying to open the door, but it won't open.

"Calm down! Your okay, sweetheart," he says.

What is going on, Dad? Sarah asked. Kerri and everyone else come running out of their rooms.

" Everyone! Everything is fine! Just go back to what you were doing," he says.

He looks at me says " We will talk later. Go to your room" How is he so calm about this?

Sarah rushes into her room and slams the door. Kerri walks over to her and places her arm around her. She asked, Are you okay?

"I think something is really happening outside and no one is telling us the truth," she continues. "I saw one of our neighbors freaking out! Her eyes were changing. She didn't seem like herself. They wouldn't let her leave. The exit to the staircase is locked and being guarded."

Kerri didn't know what to say. You tell she was trying to process what She had just told her.

Why would they not tell us about the virus? Did they not think sooner or later we wouldn't find out? were we all going to catch it now? She starts to panic and sits down on the bed.

Kerri looks up and says " Maybe it time we talked to Dad? We have the right to know"

" It would Help easy my worries to know something! anything!"

Kerri grabs me by the arm and pulls towards the door.

Where are we going? She asked.

Kerri looks at her and says "To get some answers"

Sarah knows that look all too well! When Kerri mind is set on something. There's no going back. One way or another today she was going to make sure we got answers. Dad or Mom can't shield us from the real world forever. After all Kerri and Sarah aren't little girls anymore.

Sarah follows Kerri to Dad’s office where we find Kane and Dad talking. The two stop talking as soon as the door open and We walk in.

“Tell us the truth Dad! What’s going on?” Kerri asked.

“Just tell them. They both old enough to understand” said Kane.

Dad sighed. He could no longer hide the truth from us.