We Live Beneath

Chapter 2.

© All Rights Reserved. 2013

I watched him carefully from beneath the blankets of my bed, he was strapping his guns tightly around his waste. The muscles in his arms flexing as he fastened his belt secure. Zander Lawson (My Prosecutor) was a man of his own. Following only the rules and direction of The Commissioner. His guide lines were strict: protect me and make sure I didn't have sex.

I hated Lawson, he was my imprisoner. He kept a short leash on me, allowing me to hardly have anything of a social life. Him and I often clashed, it seemed the people of Glass City were terrified of Zander Lawson. I wasn't. The only thing I terrified; was falling in love. It was a truly awful thing to think about, and at twenty three the interest of wanting to know more about men and sex was becoming virtually impossible to escape. I often thought about a mans touch. I knew better though. The repercussions that would follow such an act was ones I didn't want to face, ones I were completely afraid of.

I sat up clenching the crisp white sheets to my chest. Lawson watched me carefully, as if at all times I was going make a run for it. Sighing I gripped the sheets tighter, I hated waking up to his face, it was just a reminder of the freedom I didn't have.

"Turn. Please?"

I asked him softly, my vocal cords were rough from not using them while I slept. I cleared my throat and eyed him conspicuously as he did not budge.

I grumbled feeling heat rise up into my face with anger.

"Mr. Lawson I am naked underneath these sheets, I'm asking you to turn around."

"June, you know the rules."

His voice was overly thick with authority.

Yes I knew the rules, I knew them well. His eyes were to be on me at all times. Naked or not.

As degrading as it was in this moment and - as it always was, I slipped out from the comfort of my sheets reaching for my robe. His antagonizing smirk fueled my anger and I nearly lost my temper. I knew how I was to act around Lawson, I was to not get out of line. I was forced to standards I thought to be ridiculous, I was to act like a proper women with set morals. I was none of those things, I was angry. I shrugged on the red silk robe and turned to face him.

"You have landed yourself the luckiest job in the world haven't you Mr. Lawson?"

"Cocky this morning are we Ms. Brooks?"

I shot him a fleeting smile. The man had his moments, at times he was so silent I'd forget he was even there. Other times he would be crossing into my personal space enforcing his rules upon me. Mr. Lawson was a man of government, he followed the book to the science, if I were to say he was as bad as The Commissioner, I'd be wrong but, I'd be damned close. As much as I didn't like him- that being most of the time, he wasn't completely cold and soulless, I somewhat enjoyed his company. And I hardly could believe I admitted that to myself, it was something I'd never tell him or let alone anyone for that matter.

I adjusted the tie around my robe, synching it in closely above my hips. Making long strides to open the curtains to the vast ceiling to floor windows in my room. Pulling the tie the turquoise shaded curtains promptly swooshed to the sides, making my dark hair toss back behind my shoulders in the wisp of motion. I eyed the marvelous view, brilliant colors of fish swam past in front of me, the beautiful wonders the oceans held were un-ending. I loved my world, my home but my smile quickly melted away. My vision framed in on a Sea Craft, they were a remarkable two person Sub Machine and they were only issued to The Prosecutors.

How I longed to explore in a Sea Craft just having the privileged to see how much more immerse and limitless the deep blue goes. I had never been beyond the glass walls of my city, civilians weren't allowed. It was just another haunting reminder of how confined and controlled we all were. The freedom that our ancestors once had was also washed away by the waves, forever buried beneath the oceans floors.

The Commissioner didn't believe in human rights, he believed in his rights, his law was the only law, and we were all made as sheep to follow one another. Some to the slaughter others to be confined forever in captivity. I was stuck in captivity but, I wasn't complaining, I could be below in the chambers. My body shivered at the thought, I pulled my robe tighter around me.

I was one of the lucky ones, among the community I was a walking advertisement, to be beautiful was to be rich in Glass City. I cherished every treasure I owned, although I possessed more than most, I didn't become rotten by my wealth or by my beauty. In fact if I could I'd throw it all away just to blend into the background, to not be noticed. I would. For eyes to pass over me and to not take a second look, to not stop to study my extinguishable features. That was why I stopped doing any sort of makeup, I'd pull my hair up into a tight bun and would try and wear the most plain cloths I owned. Getting notice for elegant looks wasn't what I wanted, I wanted people to see the real me. I was desperate to remove myself as one of the seven chosen to keep their womb, I didn't like the attention it gave me, negative or positive and most of the time being negative. Women often looked at me as a stuck up rich girl - to good for them, and then there were the men, the men often avoided me like the plague, they knew what would happen if they were so even to touch me. Beauty was a curse, one I wish I didn't have.

"I would like to go to the market Mr. Lawson, is that permutable?"

I didn't turn to look at him, I hated to ask him to do anything, he was the source of my confinement, I wouldn't give him any more pleasure than he was already given by my enslavement to him. When he didn't answer I spun to see him sitting in one of my armchairs, loading his weapon. One of his strong hands gripped the handle to the flat black pistol, while the other gently loaded it.

"Have you used the ammo in your gun lately, is that why you must reload it?"

Lately Mr. Lawson has been leaving me during the nights, bringing in Tex another Prosecutor, he was just as bad as Lawson and I hated how I wasn't to ask any questions about his departure. I had often wonder why he was leaving me, I knew the reason must be important, and it still made the air thick with curiosity.

His dark elusive eyes ventured up from the black steel to look at me. His plump lips pulled into a straight line. Zander Lawson hated me to ask questions but, I could hardly help myself.

"If I were to say I used the bullets in my gun to kill a person, it would anger you, wouldn't it June?"

I clench my teeth, I didn't know why I had asked the question. I knew Lawson was a senseless being, one with no sympathy or true human emotion. He was slowly becoming just as sick of a man as The Commissioner, heartless and with blood of the innocent on his hands- just like the others- the ruthless men who follow him, I hated them all and one day I'd bring this demented city to its knees.

"You know all to well how I feel about our government Mr. Lawson, you and the others like you are going to fall hard, when that day comes."

He stood sliding his gun back into its holster.

"You are wrong Ms. Brooks, we will never fall."

He then reached for his helmet, the one I hated, and slipped it on over his head, hiding that all to handsome face of his, but, it was the face of a murder, one I could never like.