Lying in the Grave

Chapter 1

White enveloped me. Blinding lights shone from the ceiling, encasing me in a nothingness. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust before I could see five steps in front of me. The hallway was stark white, and each door bled into the walls, if not for the silver name plate announcing each room.

I followed the trail of lights as if they were fire flies leading me to my destination.

My palms were sweaty, and I couldn't fight the impulse to wipe them on the grey uniform I was wearing. The fabric clinging to my damp skin, chafing against my thighs with every step. My heartbeat was a beating drum, deafening in its volume. I could hear my heart beating in my ear. With steady breaths, I pushed forwards.

Every three steps I took placed me in front of a new door, and behind each one was a room identical to the last. The labels publicized whose office was behind the door, or which sector we were in, and I read each one I passed; Commander Augustus, Medical Examinations Office, Sector C – Room 2: Species Identification, etc.

Frustration bubbled in my chest with every door passed. Time was of the essence, and with each wasted minute, my mind fell further into a darkened state of worry. Phantom noises reverberated around me, and I couldn't help but check all directions.

Deep breath in.

Turning my gaze back forward, I exhaled. A unit of guards turned the corner ahead and without thinking, I dove into the first room and shut the door. My nerves bubbled as I was purged into near darkness; the ribbons of sunlight that sneaked past the closed blinds only gave me some sense of sight. I pressed my ear against the door. The cool wood caused goosebumps to erupt across my arms. Muffled voices of soldiers walking passed spilled from the other side before they began to dissipate.

I took a few tentative steps further in, the lights flickering on at the movement. The barren room mirrored the rest of this place, cleared of feeling and personality. I wandered over to the heavy oaken desk that laid in the center of the room. The desk had as little character as everything else, with nothing but a name plaque reading Kelly Mckenzie, Head Medical Advisor.

Not the room I was after.

Huffing in annoyance, I wandered back to the door, listening for any noise. Satisfied with the silence, I entered back into the hallway and towards the next door.

I'd only been here a handful of times since my training- I'd never been fond of how perfect this place always seemed. I was never good at finding my way around this place, but I was sure the room I wanted was getting close. As I turned into the next hall, a label caught my eye. Sector C – Room 17: Citizen Archives.

Bingo.

I quickened my pace to a near run and slipped into the room. I made my way passed the towers of cabinets holding the citizen files. My fingers glided over the soulless metal cabinets as I skimmed the labels.

There was a section of three cabinets, carted off to the back. A layer of dust coated the top. Shelters. I opened the first draw. The doors screeched as the metal ground against itself, and I couldn't help the grimace as the sound reverberated off the walls.

The draws were organized alphabetically by last name. I flicked through the information sheets, gazing over age, species, gender. It wasn't until I had reached the back of the cabinet that I found what I was after.

The manila folder was stamped in red across the front in bold, tilted letters: Deceased.

Flicking through the papers inside, I counted twenty-seven in total. Four of which were children that had gone missing within the past half year, and the other twenty-two were from previous times. The numbers kept running through my head, the names of each one following suit. I had memorized the faces and names of every missing child in the area.