The World beneath Us

Two- Eavesdropping

4 hours before.

"We're going to place poison into the needles for our 'hallucinating friends' instead of a regular flu vaccination," Lyra explained. "I still have yet to find a way to dispose of the bodies though. I think burning the bodies is the best way to go."

"How convienent, since you work at the medical station. It's not going to be a one-man job though," Rivel responded.

"I think I can get a extra hand in. Two people should be enough since there shouldn't be a lot of these followers, though the group is growing each day," Lyra mumbled. "I'll convince Xandra."

"Well you better hope she says yes, or we're dead," Rivel muttered.

"Don't worry, Xandra isn't like that. She's no different from us; she wants to see the sky once more," Lyra said reassuring. "You're helping me convince her."

"No."

"You're no fun. Anyways I have to go deliver a letter to someone at the Terrain. I'll meet you here again afterwards," Lyra waved.

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Present time.

"Lyra! I found out about the 'saviour'. They must be hallucinating right?..." I ran after Lyra.

"Of course. Who could believe such nonsense? That is unless you're on the brick of losing hope," Lyra replied.

"Yeah... I saw the look in their eyes. They aren't safe to the community anymore," I said. "Something is very off."

"Which brings us to the next topic, or 2. First of all I won't be on duty tomorrow since I'll be helping out at the electrical facility. And secondly, I need you're help to get rid of these followers," Lyra said.

"That's okay, since there's more people on duty for days 5. And what do you mean by 'getting rid of'? I asked. "You want me to kill them?"

"Shh! Not so loud!" Lyra grabs my arm and directed me off the main path. She pulled me into a corner behind a stacks of crates and boxes. "Look, you're right they aren't safe. What do you think will happen when their group reaches a optimal amount of people in their group and decides to kill us in horrible ways for not following them? Or maybe we'll be hanged as sacrifice so they can be spared and freed?"

"Weren't they going to kill themselves anyways?" I demanded. "You really do want me to kill them."

"I know this is really big request in such a short amount of time, however we don't have much time left. Just please think this over," Lyra pleaded. "They will ruin our only chance of freedom?"

"What does that even mean?" I said frustrated. "Lyra, now is not the time to be so vague!"

"Sorry I have to leave now. Someone is waiting for me," She turned around and takes a few steps. "You know Xee, just because there isn't a huge crowd, or railings surrounding the battle ground, life itself is a Terrain. You either strike first, or dying regretting."

Lyra merged within the crowd and disappeared. What's with the sudden killing though? What exactly is she even planning? Why did she ask for my help? I'm not really the type of person who likes to take lives. I sighed. Break's over.

I trudged slowly back to the station. I passed by the fields of vegetables. The government has developed vegetables that don't require sun at all. Which brings me back to the list of questions that demand answers. Why waste such technology on us? The government is tricky. Throw us underground, then sends us supplies so we can survive.

The light above me flickers. Another question was, how could we have lasted so long without the sun? Perhaps they placed something in those monthly pills and needles....

"Hey, Xandra right?" A medical worker approached me.

"Ah, yes?" I uttered.

"You may take the rest of the day off. We have more than enough workers here," He told me. "And go find something productive to do." Was what his look told me to do.

"Uhm, thank you sir," I said unsure what to do with the free time I now have. I guess I'll just wander aimlessly and explore around. Ever since I arrived, I've been busy tending people. I never had time to look around, well there isn't anything to go look at anyways. Somehow I got placed at the medical station and knew what to do. This brings me to my next thought; I've only been here for 2 years. This place has existed for 10. I've seen people who've been here for the full 10 years, and believe me the sight wasn't pretty. They isolated themselves from the rest, or have gone crazy. If I came 2 years ago, it means I've replaced someone else...

I shook off the though and cut through smaller paths between shacks and tents. I tripped over a limb or two, and those limbs connected to those people were not happy. 95% of the people go off to work. If you go to work you'll be fed enough so you can see another tomorrow. Sadly there's the 5% who like to sit and wait for death. No one will notice and no one will care because we all know that when they go, new people come. That 5% mostly consists of disables. Lyra was right, life is basically a Terrain. You take a risk hoping for a huge outcome, only to realize there are others who have the same objective, however you're an obstacle to them; you must be eliminated. Life is revolved around risks. Lyra is wrong. There are railings: borders, boundaries. And the crowd: the government. I'm sure the government would rather see a fight with tremendous action and deaths. So far we haven't been doing anything... Are they planning something? Is Lyra warning me? I-

Scream.

A faint shrill scream. I jumped and looked around. No one else seemed to hear it. I let myself follow the faint scream. I ended up back near the fields. I circled around the area and the equipment shack. A dead end. Stupid, stupid idea, I muttered to myself. I followed the scream without know my scream could be next.

I examined the shack. The shack was big enough to fit 10 people inside at least. Built with uneasy looking wood, there were no windows. I walked to the side of the shack. A gap, no a passageway. It seemed there was no use for the passageway anymore they decided to place a shack smack right in front of it. Still accessible. Could the victim be within this area?

Carefully I slipped through the crates and into the passage. It wasn't very narrow, since there were supplies draped over by a tarp stacked on both sides of the tunnel. Lighting was dim enough for me to stumble my way through. I tripped over a box and tried to reach for the wall. I dug my nails into the wall and stopped falling. The wall was wet. Damp. I continued my way through not caring what was on the wall until a eerie looking shack came into view. It looks more of a lodge, except for the rotting wood, and foggy windows smudged with something. Is that blood on the windows?...

The window was clear enough for me to make out 2- no 3 shadows. A silent sob emitted from the shack. I approached slowly. A knife at the corner of my eye. Grab. It's already in my hand without even thinking. This whole area has been cleared out for storage. I dove for the nearest stack beside the shack. This is really stupid. If I die, another one will have to take my place and suffer here.

I tried to peek through the window above me. A huge blob of blood is in the center of the window. I tried to look through the corners. One figure is leaning against the wall far right. Another figure is circling a person kneeling on the ground with his arms tied behind his back. Are his arms even intact? I watch with disbelief and horror.

Cough. "I won't tell you." Said the figure kneeling.

"Then I'm sorry. I have to end things here." Said the figure circling the one kneeling. What a vaguely familiar voice.

"Just get it over with." The one in the corner snapped. "Have you not realize how damn loud your squeaky assistant was speaking? I swear even the people above could hear it and mistook it as an earthquake."

Unable to hear the rest of the conversation, the figure took a swift slice to the throat leaving the figure falling onto his side bleeding to death. I dropped the knife. It hit the concrete making the whole atmosphere silent. I pressed myself against the wall under the window and placed a hand over my mouth. The silence passed and they resumed mumbling and muttering. Something smelled really off though. I removed my hand and looked down at it. Blood. My palm was covered in dried blood. Thump. The walls back there were smeared in blood. The back of my throat burned. I eased up against the wood.

What's in store for me?