ALEXIA
It's our birthday!
Axelia and I are now turning 10 and just like what we planned we escape our own party to sneak towards the large border with tools on hand, we will me making a small whole in the wall using a stone-cutter laser, that is enough for us to pass through the wall and small enough to cover it from the patrols. There were no guards on this part of the wall but we still need to be extra careful in crossing this border, no guards means more cameras, a patrol drone is the last thing we want to encounter. It'll shoot us automatically if our movements is beyond recognition in their system's program.
"Are you sure this is where you hear those voices?" Axelia ask me peeking on the whole, I can see the doubt in her face.
"I'm sure Axe, they were like a crowd shouting behind that wall." kneeling down beside her as she continues to peek in.
"Something's not right out there... " Axelia stand up and pack the tools we brought in our small bag swiftly swinging it in her back.
"What is it?" I asked in confusion, "What's wrong in there?"
"I can't tell my assumptions to you right now Alex for it's too dark and I don't wanna confuse myself either, but we'll figure out once we're in there... Are you ready?" She took my hand looking at the wreckage in the wall.
"Uhh... Yeah."
As we cross the wall one by one, we keep our eyes open preparing for what may come in our way out, feeling my heartbeat drumming wildly like my heart is ready to jump out, as my large cold sweat trickles slowly at the side of my face. Axelia had already crossed the wall and waiting for me on the other side.
When I was completely out, I loudly gasp, "Axelia....", is all I manage to say.
She had her back turned looking at something, following her gaze to the walled city having our jaw almost touching the floor, eyes wide and we're left staring at it in wonder. As questions starts to flood in my mind. Everything in that city is all about technology preserving and shelding it away from this different place we're standing. It's totally different in here. The ground is no longer concrete and plain, it's bumpy and dry, cracks are visible in the land making it look deserted. There's no nicely built buildings, no skyscrapers, no jetpacks, no metals and glasses structures, no signal, no technology. But there are debris of houses that was once standing before us, a dead tree standing near it. This place is a ruins.
"In here it's almost night time." Axelia starts, looking up in the sky then dropping her gaze to look at the new surroundings, "But in the city it's just 5 minutes before 10 o'clock in the morning."
"Different time zones?" we look at each other, like we're linking our minds then I finish the question, "Or does the city has a fake time zone?"
"Hey Alex, take a good look at the wall and tell me if I'm seeing this right." Axelia said looking at the top of the walled city.
"I-its... " I stutter as I look at her with full confusion, "It's a dome? The city is covered by a dome?"
"You're right and if I'm not mistaken, that dome creates an artificial day and night effects, it is also responsible for the weather." she said, kneeling down and scooping up the soil in the ground.
"It rained last night." I stated, seeing the dry soil in her palm.
"Yet from what I can see in this soil, this place has been dry for a month now." she finishes the sentence.
"I can't believe this." running both my hands to my hair, glancing back and forth to the city and the ruins.
"Neither can I." standing up she wipes her hands and look around the ruins.
She walks away futher from the city, reaching the cliff like end in there, I hesitate to follow but when I saw her shoulder tensed and her fist clinched, I know she saw something she doesn't like.
Following her steps carefully looking back to see some peering eyes, then I stand beside her. Another sad picture greets my eyes. It is a small village, with people walking silently into their houses, some are sitting near a bonfire for warmth, there are children chasing one another. Some are sitting outside their homes, they wear those almost rug-like clothes, the females hair are just tied up in a bun, tangles are visible proving that they haven't been combing their hairs. But what catches my attention is their smiles, they're still happy in their current situation. There's still hope in their eyes. My heart was like crumpled by an invisible hand on my chest, feeling the tip of my nose sting as a stray tear cascade in my cheeks.
"You we're right." Axelia's gaze is transfix in the sight below the cliff.
"Those voices came from them." I reply as I look at the group of people living in a bamboo built houses and a bonfire in the middle of their small village.
"The government leaves them here with that condition, while they are there in that city, living like kings and queens?" she ask shaking her head in disbelief, "And I thought killing our whole family was the worse."
I hold her shoulders and make her face me, staring at her seriously. Unsure for what the future may hold but I know we can do this, not just because of our family but also for these people in here.
"Ill promise you this Axelia, when we grow up. We'll put the officials down and give justice to our bloodline who was killed mercilessly." my gaze then fall to the small village with people that looks malnourish and hungry, "And we'll all live in equality, but you have to promise me one thing too, never let anyone know about this, even Leyla nor Nicoli. Just us Axelia."
With that being said she quickly nod her head and raised her left hand.
"I promise, but we'll work on this together."
~ ~ ~
I didn't notice that I momentarily spaced out until the door was opened harshly revealing Axelia on the other side, her features hard and dark.
"Alex?"
She didn't answer, she continue to stride across the room still looking very occupied. I glance towards Nicoli but he just shrug his shoulders, mirroring my confusion. Getting up I quickly follow her. When she reached the front of the door to her room, she turned to me sharply. Then she exhaled, shaking her head. Darting her gaze to mine seriously, she tried to open her mouth to say something but she refuse in doing so...
"What happened?" reaching out for her shoulder to let her know that I'm willing to listen.
"You have to report to the Glassman's mansion first thing in the morning," she pause and follow my action, she squeeze my shoulder and continue, "This is another step closer to justice, but this is also another step to death."
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This chapter is intentionally written in Italic, cause this is a flashback of Alexia's memory...
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All the love,
RainTrain29 ❤
