The Dome [O L D]

Chapter 2

Location: Former London, England-Dome 3

Subject: Ash Hise

Date: April 7, 2027

Age of Subject: 9

My father looks down at me, whip in hand. He raises his right hand and does a few test swings. Heavy leather brushes my skin as the whip passes over.

I hold my breath and fight the urge to scream as he brings it down at full force onto my back. Loud cracks echo through the small room. After two long minutes, my father slowly sets the whip down onto the counter. I wince as I wait for another blow, but the rough hands of my father instead twist the handle of the door. The sound of heavy footsteps follow him through the hallway.

The pain finally comes in full force. I struggle to keep conscious as blood drips from my back onto the wood floor. After wetting a towel from under the sink, I apply pressure to the wounds.

Looking in the mirror, my back is bloody and the skin is shredded from so many hits. I flinch.

I can't even remember why he punished me.

I hate my father. I hate the kids at school. I hate everyone.

Nothing anyone says helps. I'm too far gone. Everyone thinks I'm a psychopath.

What's worse is that I might be.

***

Today is my tenth birthday.

My wounds from yesterday ache whenever I move. My father is still in his office, staring intently at his Holipad. He probably doesn't remember my birthday.

If mother was here, father wouldn't have whipped me. Today would be a special day.

I wouldn't be a psychopath.

I shuffle into the kitchen, drumming my fingers on the granite counter. I shut my eyes and rest my head in my hand and try to imagine the world outside Dome 3. Could it be as bad as they say?

I open my eyes and look at the clock. It reads 3:45 PM. Two minutes until I'm ten. I count down the seconds. I notice the pain in my back increasing dramatically.

Doubling over, I almost miss the clock reading 3:47.

I scream as my body erupts in a violent spasm. I hear a glass bowl fall to the ground and smash to pieces. "Shut up, boy! Can't you see I'm working?"

My arms shaking less now. I manage to seat myself.

What luck. I might be dying on my birthday.