The Refugees

Chapter 4: Ash

Edited

I look up and around as we are finally on our way to school. Except it's not school, it's work experience, different to how I know school. For me it was pointless. In a world where war is above everything else, what need was there for education? Especially the kind that will never helped you in real life? At least this kind of education helped them to prepare their future life in The Shelter. It's almost as if they want to keep them here, working here. None of these teens would be able to know how to live out on the Surface and I'm guessing the Deans prefer it to be that way.

Such a waste.

I look around me. The Shelter is surprisingly big, bigger than I recalled it yesterday. It's hard to tell we're underground, ignoring the obvious fact that the sky and sun are missing. The ceiling of this big room-like space is a few hundred meters up and I bet a bit higher would be the surface. Savannah's house is on one of the highest artificial floors. The ground keeps going down like steps, then back up again giving circular floors which is easier to recognize in the light.

I try to remind myself once again which room lead where as I observed the 4 different tunnels lead to different chambers; the one on our right leads to the Educational Chamber, where Savannah's school lies. The room beside the Educational Chamber is the one that interests me. The Industrial Chamber; the chamber that leads to the Opening. All the chambers are apparently interconnected so that makes everything easier. All I need to know is their order and I can't get it wrong. Residential Chamber; Educational Chamber, Industrial Chamber, Arcade Chamber, Nursery Chamber and finally the 'middle room', the Business Chamber.

That's all I really need to know.

"Where does the light come from?" I ask Savannah as I inspect it further.

"There's a small layer of glass over the iron protection which is photochemical so during the day we have devices which capture the light and that energy gets transferred to the glass so during the night it fades along with the sun."

"Oh." Is all I reply. So an escape through the top is already semi-impossible since there is not only a layer of glass but also of metal. That's great, I'll stay with the Opening strategy.

We wait for the tram and I take that time to study better the Residential Chamber. I see many mothers waving goodbyes to their children. A girl heads our way and I see Savannah smiling at her, probably one of her friends. Her hair is almost red, and her eyes are a piercing blue. As she gets closer she inspects me the way I inspect her. Then gives me a smile that was maybe a bit seductive. I just ignore it. I'm not here for romance. I'm here for business.

"Hey Sasha! How did you do on the exam?"

"Great! I got 100%! They'll have to keep me right? Do you think someone else also got 100%? I really worked hard on that one."

"I think you'll do just fine, they can't possibly throw away their best student." Savannah reassures her friend with an encouraging smile on her face.

Someone has found their usual mood again.

"Who's he?"

"A-" Savannah starts.

"It's Rudy." I cut her, giving her a menacing glare

"Oh right! He's my dad's brother's son and is visiting for some time. Don't worry he got a full examination before coming in." How jumpy could she possibly be?

"Oh..." Sasha says thinking as she looks at me. "I don't really mind either way." She says a toothy smile returning to her lips. She's pretty.

The tram arrives and we climb onto it. Savannah says hello to her other friend Carl, a rather short blonde-haired-boy and repeats the crappy story she told Sasha while Savannah's bestfriend tries to get to know me better. I would probably consider her if I wasn't so short on time because she truly is attractive and knows how to work with it.

"We're getting off now." Savannah calls out to us and I hurry out as Sasha goes to another class.

So now not only is Sasha gone but I have to deal with Savannah all day long.

What a bother.

"What were you guys talking about?" Savannah inquires curiously.

"Nothing. Why does it matter?"

"Just making conversation." Savannah simply replies her voice slightly laced with hurt by my disregard.

Whatever. She doesn't need to like me, she just needs to trust me.

In the morning we actually have to sit down in class and listen to a teacher speak and take notes and such and in the afternoon is where the work experiences come in. How bothersome.

I tune out of all the lessons till Mr. Denham comes up with a relatively interesting topic that peeks my attention.

"So does anyone know exactly what the Destruction of the World is?" He asks.

A few students put their hands up and he chooses a girl that I think is called Marie. What a horrible name...

"It's the time when Earth will no longer have any resources for us so we will destroy it with a nuclear bomb or something."

...

What?

That statement is very inaccurate.

Suddenly a loud rumbling sound is heard and all our heads, including mine, snap to the windows on our left.

It has begun.

~~~

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