When It Rains

Chapter One - The Fallen

Before ending up in this ugly hole, I had been listening to Vivaldi's The Four Season's. It's beautiful and I love, love the way the violins chase each other. The melodies climbing higher and higher and higher. Then falling back down to earth. Much like I have in the past few days.

I've been in Newtopia for three years. Me and my two sisters started off living with Mom in a high rise that's as sharp as a needle. But we don't live there anymore. Hyla and Chuck live in a compound somewhere else in the city. Actually, I'm not far from their home.

Newtopia is just what President Sebastian promised Aeternians. It's a beautiful place with blooming flowers, waving trees and grass as green as, well, grass. There is no monotone orange here. The sky is blue and has white clouds floating in it. There are no Motos, no Waterstealers, no taxes nor neighbours to fear. I'm never hungry or thirsty and I know I'm safe. I should say that in past tense. I was safe.

Mom and Uncle Sebastian put me in the bowels, an oubliette. I was thrown into this hole yesterday evening. I'm sure it's daytime by now but I can't tell in this dark dungeon. There are no windows in this pit and its muddy sides are slick with moisture. The only way in, or out, is through the door above me. I can't use my skills either or else I'd blast through the door with a waterdrill. Since I turned 18, Uncle Sebastian says he can't treat me like a kid anymore.

I have no idea what's happening in the real world, the world Mom took me out of. The last I saw was Rassel standing in the middle of Aeternians after the Bunker Battle, that's what I've been calling it. The global government (or the GlobalGov) named it the Operation Family Lines. The government spun the story by saying the intention was never to fight the Aeternians in Calgary, just to make sure Sebastian's nieces got out of there safely. Yeah, right.

Goliath was not a rogue Moto officer. He had been a soldier tasked with killing us, Aeternians who spoke out against Sebastian. Instead, I killed Goliath. I think that's why Sebastian has never liked me much.

The darkness in the bowel doesn't bother me much. Don't forget, I was raised in a cave. The sucky thing is that I've gotten soft. By living with sunshine, clouds, rain, snow, all natural weather, I've forgotten how cold it gets in black holes. I wouldn't change a thing, though. I'd still go to the protest if I had to live the day over again.

Crinae and Elody told me not to.

"Uncle won't like it," said Crinae, tossing her long brown hair behind her. "You'll end up outside the walls if you keep this up."

"I can't see the bother," said Elody, hugging her thin arms to her chest. "It's not like anyone will listen to you, you're GlobalGov royalty."

"That's the point!" I said. "If anyone should speak out, it's us. I'm not going to let Hyla and Chuck down."

Elody shrugged and shook her blond head.

"Whatever."

So, I went to the square.

Ended up in a round hole.

I should tell you the truth. I tried to go to the square but I didn't even get out of the door at home. Uncle got to me first. He wasn't there, of course, he had his guards do his dirty work and arrest me and put me in here.

There's a straw mattress on the ground of the Bowel so I can sleep if I wanted. There's a stash of water bottles by the bed and a pot for a toilet. There's no food though and my stomach is upset with me. I hear it growling constantly while I pace the 11 steps around the room. All I can do is think. Think, think think. That's about all I can do. Think about before we came to Newtopia. Think about Dad. Think about what I'm going to do with my life moving forward. When I get out of here.