Aumeha Chronicles: The Expedition

Chapter 6

Butterflies were flying in his stomach. Rather everyone's! It was the first time they were flying on a helicopter, on top of that they would be going out of the huge campus for the first time. For them, the base is like the earth for us. While anything outside is like the outer space. It is vast and it is mysterious. They will be exploring the outside the walls for the first time.

There were absolute mixed feelings since they were told a lot about what is outside and the dangers they pose. Many have died, many have returned injured and some have returned mentally ill repeating a single word as they say. There have been many rescue missions to save the stranded soldiers. The rescue is sent only once. If the rescue does not return, the mission is abandoned. Even though they were told that they were going to a relatively safe place since, it was the first mission for few of them. They were afraid. But, they were confident in their training at the same time.

All with excited faces they checked their gears one last time. Then they went towards the helicopter. The pilot and the co-pilot greeted them and gave them their headsets to communicate with each other. Ethan went inside first and the others followed. Went to their seats and they buckled up. Favian sat next to a window.

As the helicopter rose up, their ears protected with ear muffs from the noise from the helicopter, they saw the humongous place that they were living in. The military complex was spread till the whole horizon on one side. There was a huge central dome which was apparently their survival practice zone. The dome was at the centre and then it was connected with eight big blocks. Each block had hundreds of buildings connected by a common path like a spider spiral. These buildings were there classrooms, mess and play and practice area. Each of these smaller blocks were connected with another set of medium height buildings which had the rooms where they stayed. There were some more connected buildings which were for general utilities and stay for the workers.

Right below, they saw a long wall which extended straight from the horizon at front to the back. This wall separated them from the 'other' deserted side. It had very powerful artillery to protect the residents from any attack from the outside. Beyond the campus, they could see a set of tall buildings and a tall spire at the very middle which shone by the virtue of the sun at the top for some reason There were many more buildings but were very faint to be properly observed.

The helicopter then turned towards outside thewall. The whole landscape was filled with dry sand and a few mountains intermittently.It was as dry a landscape like the civilised place they lived in till now. But,there was something serene about this place. A head space. A breath free. Avision forward. A thought balanced. There was a different kind of romanticismabout the whole scape. Yet, they were constantly buggered by the thought thatthis place was the birthplace of infections, diseases and rung of death andseclusion as taught in their classes.