Apocalypse: Underwater City (A Dystopian Novella) PART 1 (The Hope Saga) Page 4

  I laughed.

  Rachel looked at me oddly.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Your face is pink.”

  When I looked at hers, I noticed she had the same problem. “You do too.”

  “Did we catch some terrible rash up there?”

  “Maybe the air’s not safe after all,” I joked.

  “That’s not funny!” she snapped. “How can you stay so calm? Who knows what germs we brought back down here.”

  I smirked, trying not to break into laughter. “It’s a sunburn.”

  “What?”

  “Our skin is pale. We got a sun burn from the sun, that’s all.”

  “My first sun burn?”

  “Yeah. I know the perfect trick. Make up, lots of it!”

  We went back and put on lots of cover up to conceal our sunburn. It worked like a charm. We didn’t have tons of make up so we used it very sparingly on special occasions, or for emergencies like this one.

  On the way to the cafeteria, I ran into my twelve year old cousin.

  “These are for you,” she said handing me a pot with a Christmas cactus. The red and pink drooping flowers were gorgeous. “Happy Birthday!”

  “I love it!” I said, my face lighting up. “When did you plant this for me?”

  “They’re not from me, silly. They were sitting in the lounge with your name on them.”

  I cocked a brow. “Who are they from?”

  “I don’t know. The card just has your name. Who keeps leaving you all these flowers? We don’t have any more room for them. Because there’s more that came.”

  “More?”

  “Yep. I don’t think Brett’s going to like that much.”

  I bit my lip. “Yeah, I’m gonna have to agree with you on that one.”

  ***

  After lunch, Walter called me over. He delivered supplies from the surface and did lots of repair jobs for our city. He lived on the surface already and only submerged about once a month, and whenever he did, he made it a point to chitchat with me. Walter was a nice, sweet guy, and both Rachel and I could clearly see that he had a crush on me. His cheeks always turned red when he talked to me, and he stuttered and wrung his hands. I thought of him as nothing more than a friend, but it was cute and a bit flattering that he liked me that way. He was big and buff, like a wrestler, and he had black, curly hair and dark eyes. “Hi, Sky,” he said.

  “Hello, Walter,” I answered. “You’re still here, huh?”

  “Yeah. Took all day to fix that stupid thing.” He handed me a wrapped present in blue, floral wrapping paper. “Here. This is for you.”

  I smiled at the sweet gesture, but I felt awkward accepting a gift from him; I didn’t want to lead him on.

  “Happy birthday,” he said. “I hope you like it.”

  I smiled and slowly unwrapped the present. My jaw dropped at the pair of small diamond stud earrings. “Wow, Walter,” I said, glancing up at him. “This is very sweet of you, but—”

  “I was hoping to make…a glittering statement,” he said. “Do you like it?”

  “It’s very beautiful, but I…” I trailed off and looked down at the jewelry. It was too much. I hardly knew the guy, and Brett would have a fit if he found out that another man was giving me presents like that. Walter knew I was dating Brett, but he didn’t seem to take that too seriously. Awkward. Just a little while ago, I’d given Rachel a firm warning about not accepting apples from Melvin, and now Walter was giving me diamonds. I didn’t want him to have any expectations when I arrived on the surface; even if I would be a legal adult by then, I didn’t want to date him and certainly had no intention of marrying him. He had previously mentioned finding his special woman and settling down, and I sure hoped he wasn’t talking about me.

  I smiled and tried to be polite. “Thank you, Walter. Really. It’s just lovely, but I’m afraid…well, I can’t accept it.”

  He frowned. “It’s just a token of my friendship. Nothing more. I won them in a raffle held by Dante. What am I going to do with them? They don’t look good on me.”

  I chuckled.

  “It sure is pretty, Walter, but like I said, I just can’t accept it.”

  “Shoot. I knew it was too much. I shoulda stuck with something simpler.”

  “Save these diamond studs for that special somebody.”

  “I know the perfect girl. She smiles at me a lot. I’ll be sure to save it for her,” he said, trying not to sound too embarrassed, but his cheeks had turned even darker red, and his eyes looked sad—like a punished puppy’s.

  “She won’t be disappointed.”

  “But now I don’t have anything to give you for your birthday.”

  “I know the perfect present.”

  “Yeah? What?”

  “Info,” I said, smiling slyly. I figured if Walter liked me enough to buy me an expensive and rare gift like that (it wasn’t like there were still jewelry stores on every corner in the new upper world), maybe he’d be willing to flap his lips, even if he wasn’t supposed to.

  “Info?”

  “Yeah. Tell me what it’s like up there, Walter.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Is the sky really blue?” I asked, wondering if he’d lie to me like all the other talking heads on Dante’s payroll.

  “It is. In fact, it’s the prettiest shade of blue I’ve ever seen. Today, it’s especially gorgeous, with white, fluffy clouds floating by. You couldn’t ask for a prettier day on your birthday.”

  Whew! I thought, glad he was telling me the truth. I knew, because I’d seen it for myself. “It sounds lovely. What’s the city like?”

  “Dante made sure to build Viti in the best part of Miami, the least-damaged area. We’re all working together to build a strong, beautiful community.”

  “Do you see my dad, my brother, or my sister?”

  “All the time.”

  “How are they doing?”

  “Wonderful.”

  “Please tell them I said hello.”

  “I will.” His gaze narrowed. “What’s wrong, Sky?”

  “Walter, I just don’t see why I have to wait, why I can’t go up to the surface to be with my family. Why are some of us left behind down here? Miami’s a big city. Surely there’s enough room for all of us.”

  “Look, you should enjoy your life down here while you can. It is beautiful up there, but it’s a lot of hard work.”

  “I know, but I don’t care. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help our community.”

  “You’ll be up there in no time. Don’t rush it, Sky.”

  ***

  After my talk with Walter ended, I ran into Brett. When I did, I lit up like a Christmas tree; my awesome boyfriend always had that effect on me. Brett had short, blond hair and brown eyes. He wasn’t muscular, but he was definitely fit and in shape, very athletic. I’d been smitten with him ever since he took my toy truck when I was five. We’d grown up together, and we’d been sweethearts since childhood. He was the perfect guy for me, and no one—not even Walter—could replace him.

  I didn’t like keeping secrets from Brett, so I told him about the jewelry dilemma. He was pretty cool about it, surprisingly mature for his age, and I was thankful for that. We decided to walk to his room because he had a special birthday present of his own to give to me. As nice and thoughtful as Walter’s gift had been, Brett could have given me a paper airplane, and that would have meant a whole lot more to me than Walter’s diamonds.

  When I overheard a couple talking, I listened intently.

  “Dante Marcellus has envisioned a glorious future for everyone,” Jan said.

  Her husband nodded. “He has a strategic plan to get us all out of here. We just have to wait our turn. It’ll only be a little longer.”

  “Well, some things are worth waiting for. I’m sure he has good things in store for us.”

  “I agree. We couldn’t ask for a more charming, adaptable, persuasive leader.”

  “Rem
ember that last speech he gave before he went to the surface? I felt the energy and adrenaline when he talked about the challenges we’d face.”

  I rolled my eyes, tired of Dante’s fan club, and continued walking to Brett’s room. How can all these people so blindly accept everything that man tells them? I wanted to say something about it, but I was pretty sure Brett was tired of me standing on my soapbox, ranting and raving about it all the time.

  Brett opened the door, and I walked in first and sat down on his bed.

  “I’m afraid I can’t top diamonds and silver,” he said as he walked over to the dresser to pull something out of his drawer.

  “I turned those down, remember?” I reminded him. “A gift from anyone else doesn’t mean anything to me.”

  “Sky, I know there’s only one man in your life,” he said, absolutely aware that no other man could compete with him when it came to my affections.

  I grinned. “You’re right…and you’re him, baby.”

  He softly brushed his lips against mine in a soft kiss. “Happy birthday, Sky,” he said, handing me a card and a present.

  The passionate kiss would have been enough, but I smiled and opened the box. When I saw what was inside it, I screamed in delight at the giant stone set in a stylish silver ring.

  “It’s a mood ring,” he said. “It changes colors when your mood does. It reminds me of your eyes,” he explained.

  “I love it, Brett! It’s just…perfect.” I jumped into his arms, and he lifted me up and kissed me.

  “I know it’s not a diamond, but—”

  I put my finger to his lips. “I’d rather have this any day. This is more…me, and it flatters me that you know that.”

  He grinned, and I kissed him on the cheek and slid the ring on my finger.

  ***

  I wasn’t a huge fan of school, but I did actually look forward to my survival class. They taught us lots of survival tips, including how to start fires and how to fight. I thought learning how to shoot would be quite important if we had to hunt, but Mrs. Selena thought otherwise, because she was entirely opposed to guns. She did teach us how to use crossbows though, in the huge room we used for sparring and for target practice. I had the best aim of anyone in class, and it was nice to actually have a talent besides gardening and shooting pool.

  After class was over for the day, Rachel and I decided to stay and practice. We knew experience was the best teacher. Besides, we enjoyed sparring, and it was a friendly match. It wasn’t really dangerous, because we used wooden spears with padded tips. Sometimes, though, we’d sneak and use real spears, but we were always super careful.

  “You ready for a two-hour battle?” Rachel asked.

  “Bring it on.”

  After a few minutes, Carla came in. “Hey, Sky,” she said.

  I met her gaze straight on. “What do you want?”

  Her sapphire blue eyes blazed as she pushed strands of black hair from her face. “Wanna take me on?”

  “I’d be glad to,” Rachel said.

  “Not you. I want the garden girl, the nerd with the green thumb.”

  I smiled, refusing to be ashamed of my passion. “You mean garden girl extraordinaire,” I said, correcting her.

  “We all know why you wanna fight Sky,” Rachel said, glaring at our uninvited guest.

  Carla stared at me but didn’t say anything.

  Both Rachel and I knew that she really just wanted revenge. She was still furious that her boyfriend had dumped her for me when we were fourteen. I only went on two dates with the guy, and it never amounted to anything. In fact, I started dating Brett shortly thereafter, but she still hadn’t gotten over it. As petty as it was, she continued to carry a grudge, and she was always trying to get back at me in one way or another—even in after-school sparring sessions.

  Rachel rolled her eyes. “Are you ever gonna get over it? Gosh, Carla. It’s been years since your puppy-love crush dumped you…and I can’t say I blame him.”

  “I just think Sky is pretty slimy, just like the worms that crawl in the dirt she plays in.”

  “Them’s fightin’ words,” I said, grinning. “Care for a little hand-to-hand combat?”

  “Why? You scared to fight with a spear?” she said in a mocking voice. “Did I mess you up too bad last time?”

  The last time I’d fought her, she’d smashed my knuckles and bruised my shoulder. Carla towered over me and was all muscle. She worked out every day, and she really was a force to be reckoned with. Almost everyone feared her, but I didn’t—even if she did kick my butt in sparring. “Spears it is then,” I said. “Now mask up and bring it on.”

  Rachel shot me a look. “Let’s just leave.”

  “Why? I never turn down a good fight.”

  Without another word, Carla came at me, but I used basic blocking maneuvers to defend myself. My footwork was spot on. I threw my whole body into every jab, because I knew if I just used my arms, I’d only tire myself out. I also was careful not to give in to the temptation to lean forward to get that extra range when thrusting; I knew that would just throw me off balance and put my face right within range of Carla’s spear.

  I left an inch or two of pole sticking out behind my hand, in case Carla tried to pull it from my grip, a move she was infamous for. One advantage I had over her was that she was very predictable. I protected my whole body and pointed at her shoulder in a threatening manner. I thrust toward her, then returned to my sideways crouch, positioning my spear in perfect position. I kept my knees bent and kept my weight on the balls of my feet, just as we’d been taught to do.

  She was tough, so I knew she’d win the first few onslaughts, but I also knew she’d tire easily. I, on the other hand, was smaller and more agile, and I had lots of endurance. My movements were quick and sharp as I blocked and then immediately attacked. I tried every little trick I knew to force her to move around more than I was, trying to wear her out. Then, when she was out of breath and her muscles were aching, I’d have my chance to strike.

  Suddenly, she clumsily and foolishly leaned forward. She deserved to get a spear in her face, but instead, I grabbed her and pulled her off her feet. She counterattacked and came at me, but with lightning speed, I moved my spear parallel, into the path of the attacking spear.

  “You suck!” she shouted.

  “Why? Because I blocked you?”

  “Sky will outthink you anytime!” Rachel shouted from the sidelines.

  “Shut up! What are you, her cheerleader? Where are your freaking pom-poms?” Carla said.

  I decided to rush her while her attention was diverted. She launched the spear with an underhand throw toward my head, a move that might have killed me if we weren’t just practicing. The spear caught me on the side of the head and drove the helmet into my face.

  “Sky!” Rachel shouted.

  I was thankful for good, full-face protection. The helmet was equipped with a heavy foam and made of leather, and the hard, plastic face mask had a rubberized surface. I pulled off the helmet and felt a warm trickle down my face, and I was furious that I’d let my guard down and reacted so poorly rather than thinking things out. Carla could use her freakishly large body to fight, but I always tried to rely on my brains. This time, that had failed me.

  “You’re bleeding,” Rachel said, handing me a towel. “Did the spear get you?”

  Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the damage had been done from the meshing driven into my cheek rather than from the tip of the spear itself. “I’m fine,” I said.

  “Well, I think we’re done here,” Carla said, stripping off her helmet.

  “I’m not!” I yelled at her. “Get back over here, and let’s finish this.”

  She winked. “See you at dinner, loser.”

  “No!” I said, wiping sweat off my head. “The fight’s not over.”

  “A fight? Felt more like a dance in the park to me. You’re nothing but a garden nerd. What does Brett see in you anyway, with all that dirt beneath your fingern
ails? Besides, why do you wanna fight? Shouldn’t you be out weeding or hoeing or something?” she said, smirking at her own double-entendre.

  “At least what I do is useful to everyone, and people on the surface will depend on it—including you. We can’t eat without planting…and from the looks of it, you eat more than most, you freaking Amazon.”

  “You’ve got no skills, Sky. Just admit that to yourself.”

  She then turned and walked away.

  Angry, I started to charge at her, but Rachel pulled me back.

  “Let me go!” I shouted.

  “No. We’ll get her back later, when she’s least expecting it.”

  “I can’t stand that girl!” I fumed, throwing down my spear.

  “Don’t let her get to you.”

  “How do I ignore it? She knows just what buttons to push and…ugh, I can’t stand her.”

  “Yes, and she loves pushing your buttons. The best way to get under her skin is to just ignore her.”

  I looked down at my mask. “She gave me another deep dent.”

  “Yeah, just like the one between your eyes and on the cheek. Man, that mask is taking a beating.”

  “Better that, than my face. Besides, battle scars on my mask just add…character, right?”

  “Right. You look like a badass with that dented up mask.”

  “A badass who knows how to grow pansies. Hmm. Who would have ever thought?”

  We both burst out in laughter.

  ***

  A month passed, and flowers seemed to show up when I least expected them. I always wondered why no one bothered to give them to me in person. Brett tried to be understanding, but he was obviously growing quite frustrated with it.

  My five-year-old niece admired my long French braid. “How do you braid it so close to your head?” she asked.

  “Lots of practice. If you can master the French braid, you can do any hairstyle—any kind of braid or twist.”

  “Teach me!”

  “Okay,” I said. “How about after my classes?”

  She smiled. “Yay!”

  I grinned back at her.

  After I ate breakfast, I said goodbye to my cousins and my aunt, then headed out to the library to go to my class. As I stepped out of our suite and about tripped over a pot of geraniums. I bent down and picked up the note that was leaning against the pot. I read it aloud, in a mumble: “For Sky. From: Your Secret Admirer.” I looked for a signature or any telling sign of who might have left the flowers there, but there wasn’t a clue.