Inside

Part 2: Midtown Underground (Chapter 1)

One

I can't see anything. It's too dark and too bright and too mucky and too cold. This suit is suppose to keep me warm. Even with this brown cloak on I feel cold. I'm getting anxious and Dublin is a liar... ok, maybe he isnt. I breath in deep and try to control my thoughts as well as my shivering body. I want to see where I am. I want to know what it looks like out here.

"Can you tone down the lights please?" I beg Crome and Dublin.

"Wait for your eyes to adjust," Crome tells me calmly.

I inhale the icy air deeply and exhale to calm down and watch as the dark slowly starts to show. Dark circles appear all over. Ontop of me, on the walls around me and on the floor. I can feel the rough ground through the soles of the boots. I touch the wall and feel the hard circles and the cold seeping in through my suit.

"What is this?" I ask.

"Dirt. Ground. Soil. Whatever you want to call it," Dublin says.

"This is the Outside?" I say not even bothering to hide the disappointment in my voice.

I expected to see the fantasy trees. Like the one in my dream. Maybe even some green grass, and animals, and feel the wind. I expected everything I've seen in the science books, in the myth section. Wow, now that I think about it, they really did have us brain washed. The Outside, according to science class, was a fantasy land people created. When a loved one died, people who were mentally or emotionally unstable would say they had gone Outside. They created stories about this Outside and that's how word of it got out. But it was never real.

Obviously now I know it is real. The government just wanted to keep us locked in... but why?

"Yes," Crome answers. "But remember I told you the buildings are under ground. Now we start to climb up to the Surface. Where the Outsiders are."

I nod, not really understanding. I don't really know what to expect. The only thing I can picture is us going up some stairs made out of this 'soil' stuff.

"Let's get moving," Dublin says giddily. I can't see his smile, but I guess I won't be seeing it for a while. "The Crakes were close behind, and they keep track of who leaves and enters the building. They'll know we left without permission, and they will come after us."

"Without permission?" Crome asks suspiciously. Dublin aviods Crome's eyes. It doesn't take long for Crome's anger to overcome him. He grabs Dublin's shoulder and pins him to the bumpy, dark wall. "Answer me!" Crome growls.

"What's the matter?" I ask. It's obvious that he didn't ask for permission. Why else would we be running from Crakes? If he had asked for permission, we wouldn't have been running for our lives and Tru wouldn't... Tru wouldn't have... well, that.

Dublin is held against the wall without escape. He may be taller, but Crome is stronger. Dublin realizes there is no way out of this and he confesses.

"Tru and I didn't really tell the supervisor about this," Crome pushes Dublin's shoulders harder against the wall. 'Obviously,' I think furiously. When I see Dublin's terrified face, I can't help but feel sorry for him.

"Let him talk," I say eagerly. Crome slowly let's go. Dublin breaths heavily and gives me a thankful look. I don't feel like saying you're welcome so I just nod. I know that if I even open my mouth I'll end up insulting Crome because he carelessly overlooked that fact. Honestly! Why else would we be running?

 Dublin's breathing slows down and he begins.

"Tru overheard the supervisor talking about the communication problem and he suggested that we send people. The supervisor said no because maybe something had gone wrong on the Surface and he didn't want to put anyone in danger. Tru suggested he send some of us Crakes to see if the Outsiders were in trouble. Again supervisor said no for the same reason. Tru and I got mad. I mean, we take away the Outsiders' kids and then when they're in trouble we leave them to die." Dublin shakes his head in disappointment. "I never thought being a Crake would mean doing this. It's wrong."

Dublin looks down ashamed and I get why. I understand. They're acting like that government I once studied about. Was it Capitalism? They would take away everything the people had and leave them to fend for themselves. Bet Dublin didn't know what he was getting himself into when he became a Crake.

"Anyways," Dublin says standing straight, "we rounded up a couple of Crakes, and we decided to take things into our own hands. We vowed to help the Outsiders, but first we needed to know what they needed help with. The only way to know was to send someone. That's where you come in Crome," Dublin says raising his gaze.

"You were suppose to go out to help them and we were going to establish a radio channel to comunicate with you once you were outside. But then we realized we also needed a Crake up there, since we know how things work in our building. Tru and I volunteered. Once we got to the Surface, we were going to analize the situation. We told the Crakes inside to wait exactly two weeks before sending a message through radio. If we answered, that would mean that we were alright and the radio signal was established. Then they were suppose to round up as many Crakes needed to go out and help the Outsiders. But then..." Dublin looks to the ground and his voice drops, "other Crakes found out, and they tried to get in our way."

"Like the ones who attacked Crome and me?" I ask.

Dublin nods slowly and adds, "And the ones who were shooting in the cafeteria. They wanted to stop us and Tru died... and I don't know how to... I can't do this. I'm not qualified for this. I need you two to do it."

"Us?" I ask. "What can we do?"

"You're both smart and fast learners. The scientists outside can teach you how to establish the radio channel and comunicate with the Crakes inside," Dublin explains.

"Crome can do it, but I can't. I'm not even suppose to be here," I say.

"We know that. We know you went missing two days ago. We know it must have been you with Crome taking on those five guys. We know you have the highest scores in science and math. And we know you skip history as much as you can," Dublin says smilling at my astonished face.

"But-" I say before he cuts me off.

"Mech-wrist holds all your information, and we have access to all that information," Dublin says smilling like a mischievous child. "Crakes work closely with the government. We are technically they're underground police force."

"How much do you know?" I ask wondering if they know about all the private things I've told my mirror.

"Just enough to let me know that you can do this. We need you to do this."

I try to find a way out of this, but it's hopeless. It doesn't matter if I say no, I'm still on my way to the outside. I can't turn around and run back inside. I don't know how to open the door and Dublin won't open it for me. And even if he does, I'll get caught by the Crakes. Besides, the idea of going outside wasn't so bad, until I found out they might be in danger. Maybe they are in the middle of a war. I am suppose to help them? All of this happened just because Deliyah and I wanted to find the truth about the government. I found out a lot more things than I thought I would, but there is no way I can tell Deliyah now.

"Fine. Just give me time." I need to process all of this.

"You'll have plenty of time," Crome says laughing. I look at him confused, wondering what was so funny.

He turns serious and explains, "We're stuck down here for two weeks."

"Oh," I say, "Right."