Rising Above: Super Story

Chapter 1: Where did they Go?

The doors opened. People came rushing in, some on gurneys and others limping. "Harlow!" I turned around to find my brother Merrick running towards me. "I need you to go get supplies for the injured!" he said.

 I ran over to the infirmary and quickly got the medical supplies and ran back to the people crowding the tunnel entrance. My brother was well trained in the medical field as he wanted to become a healer for those who fought to get supplies and for those who couldn't travel above ground.

Instantly my eyes caught someone. It was Everett, who happened to be my best friend. One day, the rebels found him right outside the entrance along with another kid. He was built like a soldier and lean with black hair and piercing green eyes. 

Nobody else could see him. Why? He was using his powers. Invisibility. For some reason I have always been able to tell when someone was using powers yet, I don't have them. 

Everett was trying to sneak past the group of people and get outside. I walked up to the door that was now closing. Too late. "Nice try. You got close this time. What was that new record?" He looked at me and sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I can't really haul ass when there is a clutter of people laying everywhere." 

He looked down at me and had a silly grin on his face. His 6'4 frame made it hard to look at him. I used to be tall yet that little turd face had to pass me up. Unbelievable. I rolled my eyes.

Merrick came over to me and Everett, he looked tired. He probably hadn't slept in days. I stressed for my brother. He normally had pale skin but right now, he looked ghost white. "I think you should lie down." 

I looked him up and down and put my hand to his head. His hair was too long and he looked disheveled. His blond hair used to be cut short and tight but now, he looked unkempt. Merrick's blue eyes pierced into me. The only way some may think me and my brother were related was the color of our hair and our eyes being piercing blue. 

He was a little more sturdy and ate more than I did. I was flat and had no curves, which did not help me unless I needed to fit through a small crack when Everett dropped his chips. That son of a gun was using me to get chips. "So... how did it go above?" I asked.

When I looked at him he sighed. He looked so stressed and tired."They've been getting closer. I don't understand why... we've all been so careful when bringing food and supplies back. We keep attacking their small facilities but not ones that would bring that much attention.

"I suppose they are getting annoyed. Rumor is they haven't killed us all and the council is pissed."he said. Who would rat us out? That's what we all were thinking. The only way we were able to survive this long was due to everyone thinking supers had died. There had to be someone who was spilling some information. Only punishable by death.

I never understood why my brain worked like that. Some days I wanted to be a cute little squirrel and other days I wanted to scratch someone's eyes and then cut them into little pieces and feed them to the wild coyotes above ground.

 That someone was Gwen. Ugh. She sucked. She was the other person found next to Everett.

 The first day she stole my lunch spot and I told her to get up. She said "Make me." Oooh. I saw how it was and I ripped her small pigtail right off her head. She had a bald spot on her head for quite awhile. Honestly, I don't regret that. She became the rebel leader's wife. Barf. "Maybe new people should be let out? I could go... and so could Harlow."Everett said. He had his stupid grin plastered on his face. "Why do you guys wanna leave me?" 

Little Max came from one side of the tunnel. The poor twelve year old's power was mediumship. Or talking to the dead. He has nightmares and would constantly be cold while he claimed he heard whispers and people who were not put to rest after the establishment took over. Being so close to where so many died he heard them and their pleas. He was twelve, how was he supposed to control that kind of power? 

They whispered to him and begged him for help. Some nights when I snuck out of my room I could find him curled in a fetal position while Merrick tried to help him out.

Merrick always saw the best in people. He kept saying one day we all would get out and things would change. For the better. Yeah I don't know about that. I mean really? I don't think it's as easy as he thinks it will be, but a guy can dream I guess. Medicine and the talk of a better future above ground was all he could talk about. Everyone cleared out of the tunnel. Some headed to the infirmary for more treatment and others went back to their rooms to rest. The dead would be mourned. They had to be left above ground. Food for the coyotes unless the establishment ended them. Everyone met around the tables for dinner. 

Merrick, Everett, and Max reserved our table. My little family is full of testosterone and idiocy. Everett was trying to balance a spoon on his nose while my brother- lost in thought-explained to Max how amazing some medicine is and how to create it. Meanwhile, Max was dead asleep. When I sat down the leader of the rebels entered. Everyone saluted him. 

He was a big and wide man who looked like he was meant for battle and destruction. His power: strength. 

You would think that someone more powerful would lead us but he was elected by the rest of the rebels. 

Each person had a say, unlike the establishment, where anyone who opposed them would die. He was loud and had no need for a microphone. He was only talking to about 500 of us. Most of us weren't supers but had relations with them or we were born here. Me and Merrick have always lived here as far as I knew. "Hello everyone. Today we recognize the lost and the injured. We thank those who go above ground, who fight for us, and who are a key factor for us in surviving.

"Many of you know, they have been getting closer. I don't want to keep it from you and I believe you all should know. We are sending five people outside tomorrow. New blood to explore above ground and report back."

 He then pulled out a sheet. He made a list of who he'd send to die. How thoughtful. Going outside was a death wish and those who wanted out could already be considered dead. "Merrick, Jack, Masi, Everett, and Harlow." He looked right at me when he said my name. That little bi- "Thank you all. That will be it for the night." 

He turned back and went to sit with his wife. Yuck. Why didn't she ever go out? Huh? We were all so young. Merrick and Everett just turned 19. I had a few more months before my nineteenth birthday. I remembered. It was hard to keep track of days when underground but we made it work... somehow.
After dinner, I slept like a brick. I know everyone is supposed to be nervous but honestly I would be pissed if I didn't get sleep. Now that would make people nervous. Forget the idea of going outside, the establishment soldiers patrolling wouldn't need to kill them.

 I would. I expected Merrick to be panicking but instead he looked at peace. He went out only twice a week. He didn't like the feeling and recently he had been coming back barely on time. The doors would shut exactly at 7:00 pm. 

If you didn't make it in by seven you were left outside, left to die. 

Yeah maybe I should shut my trap and just go to sleep.