Contaminated - on Hold

Prologue

June 25, 3040

"Someday, I'm gonna marry you."

I looked over at my best friend. In fact, he was my only friend. We've been lying on the viewing room floor for hours staring up at the billions of twinkling stars. It was past curfew and we were not supposed to be here, but it was a special day, and Coltrane decided this was the perfect thing to do. It was.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep," I replied. Tears unexpectedly welled up in my eyes, overflowing down my cheeks.

"Hey," he wiped a tear away with his ratty grey sleeve of his shirt that was full of holes. "This is supposed to be a happy day, remember?"

I nodded. He was right. It was supposed to be a happy day. But we both knew it wouldn't end up that way. I turned back to gaze at the stars. One thing we both would be able to share, even if we were far apart.

"When is Mr. Hayes making you leave?" I choked out.

Coltrane sighed beside me. "First thing."

New tears followed that statement. Liam Hayes, our leader, in this underground community was sending Coltrane to the surface, due to breaking in his office and rearranging his neat desk. It was meant to be an innocent prank. Mr. Hayes didn't find it funny. No body agreed with his punishment, but with the alternative being that Liam Hayes drives a dagger through Coltrane's chest... Well, no body was arguing. At least on the surface Coltrane has a chance, however slim it may be.

"You're all I have here, Coltrane. Let me come with you."

"You know that's not possible, Bree," he whispered.

My lips quivered. "We had to grow up too fast, didn't we?"

He nodded. "In a world like this, Bree, we have no choice."

The crying wore me out and Coltrane and I feel asleep there on the cold metal floor. We were woken back up a few hours later by Liam's guards bursting through the door, wrenching Coltrane up by his sleeve and dragging him out of the room. They were taking him to the exit room. I scrambled up from my spot and chased after them.

"Please don't do this!" I yelled at them. "Please!"

They ignored me as they continued down the tunnels. Coltrane looked over his shoulder at me until the guard clutching his sleeve yanked him forward.

"It was just a prank! Let him go!" I pleaded.

We had reached the exit room and Liam Hayes was waiting by the door. With a groaning screech the door to the outside opened. The guard was about to throw Coltrane out but I quickly grabbed Coltrane into a tight hug.

"Won't you give him a mask?" Seeing Liam's jaw clench, my anger seeped out. "He won't last a week!" I shouted at him.

Mr. Hayes stood there stubbornly. No breathing mask for Coltrane. The air outside was not suitable for breathing, filled with gases and other toxic fumes you can neither see nor taste. Coltrane would be lucky if he survive as long as week before the contaminated air destroyed him.

The guard shoved Coltrane out and just as the door was closing, forever shutting him out, Coltrane looked at me. A sad smile formed on his lips. "Happy Birthday, Bree." And he was gone.

I stood there staring at a dent in the door. "I'll never forgive you for this," I muttered.

Liam came up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder that I quickly pushed off. "In time you will," he replied. "You can't be mad at your father forever."

"You're no father of mine," I sneered. A sharp sting came across my cheek.

"DNA would suggest otherwise, little Bree."