The Color of Knowledge

Chapter Eight (pt. 1)

"Will you look at that," said Enzo in wonder.

They had returned to the same location they had previously been, and there were more sticks present.

"Are we ever going to see something interesting?" asked Zari.

"Sorry this job doesn't meet your expectations. Feel free to quit at any time," Nadia snapped back.

Ivy did not want to admit it, but their current explorations had been disappointing, to say the least. She didn't see the big deal of the sticks. Enzo wouldn't even let her touch them. She didn't complain, however, for she was still shaken up by the events of the previous day. So many questions needed answers she had no idea how to find.

It was cooler than usual on the Earth's surface. So cool in fact, Ivy felt a shiver run down her spine as the breeze rushed past.

"Is this normal?" she asked, shivering.

"Is what normal?" said Enzo, not looking up from the mound of sticks.

"This weather. I've never felt this cool before."

"Yes, very normal. Different from the climate control we have in The Society. Only God controls the temperature down here."

"If you believe in that stuff," Zari muttered.

Everyone turned to look at the redheaded girl.

"I mean, if he really did exist, why would he end the world? Why would he make other people suffer through things they shouldn't? It doesn't make any sense."

"A lot of things don't make sense," said Ivy. "There's nothing that says anything has to make sense."

"Enough of this," Enzo interrupted. "Everyone spread out and explore. Be back here within the hour and don't go too far. You've all got your watches?"

The three girls nodded. Enzo had equipped them all with black, solar-powered watches to keep track of time. He did not exactly want a repeat of what had happened on their last excursion, and was hard pressed to make sure they would never be late to the ascension point again.

They split up, each walking in different directions away from the pod, Enzo, and the mysterious accumulation of sticks. Ivy already knew what she wanted to explore, but her instinct told her she would be ordered not to. To avoid conflict, she started to the left and began to bend her path towards the bushes and cave the further she walked.

The closer she got, the eerier the air around her felt. The bushes were much larger now that she was closer up. The shrubbery was green and had a sort of gleam about it. Each leaf had six points. Although probably harmless, Ivy was afraid to touch them. They lined the mouth of the small cave in a perfect line. Ivy would not be able to pass without coming into contact with them.

She sucked up her unreasonable fear and brushed past the lustrous bushes to find herself within the dark cavern. The air became even colder; the short sleeves of her black plainclothes offered little warmth or coverage. Ivy covered her mouth and nose as she ventured further into the cave, trying her best to block the stench of mold.

Although small looking in from the outside, the cave seemed to go on forever. She was soon surrounded by complete darkness and was beginning to have second thoughts about entering in the first place. What was she looking for anyway? The moment she thought to turn back was the moment she noticed a soft glow in the distance. As she moved closer, a deafening alarm erupted, echoing off the dark cavern walls, nearly making her jump out of her skin. The alarm was sounding from her watch.

"Shit, I'm late," she said in a panicked whisper.

The reverberation of the siren diminished as she ran out of the cave and into the sunlight. There was no doubt everyone else had heard the alarm go off, and knew where she had been. She did not bend her path as she ran back towards the pod.

"Why were you in the cave?" Enzo asked with anger in his voice. "Didn't I say we had already checked it out?"

Ivy wouldn't look up from the ground. She felt as though her father were reprimanding her. Something she was used to, of course.

"Yes, but you didn't say I couldn't. You said to spread out and explore, and that's what I did."

Enzo sighed as heavily as anyone could possible sigh. "You're right, I didn't. Did you find anything?"

"No."

"As expected. Everyone into the pod, please."

It was then Ivy's turn to receive a look of annoyance and disapproval from Zari, who seemed as if she had been practicing in the mirror for the right moment to use it. It was a perfect grimace to reflect an emotion that had nothing to do with the situation. The ride back to The Society was quiet. Ivy turned her back to the pile of bodies as they ascended.

"We'll be exploring a new site tomorrow," said Enzo as everyone exited the pod.

"But you said we wouldn't move on for the next couple of days," Nadia contended.

"I changed my mind. It will be nice to have a change of location. See you all tomorrow." Enzo walked off in a different direction from the three girls, who turned to exit the Exploration Unit building.

"See you tomorrow," said Nadia as she headed home. Wherever that was.

Ivy walked at a slow pace towards her own home, happy to watch people rush to and from their various destinations. It was amazing to see how different everyone was from one another. No two people were the same.

"You knew you weren't supposed to explore that cave, didn't you?" Zari's voice asked behind her.

Ivy had not realized the girl had been following close behind.

"I saw you curve your path. Thought you were slick, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I have to go. And stop following me, please." Ivy picked up her pace, leaving Zari by her lonesome. Instead of going home, she made her way to the hospital.

Ivy walked up to a bewildered Terri who sat behind his desk. "I need to see Alex," she said with conviction.