31 Days

25 - Light

Warning(s): none

"We're leaving, and we're leaving now."

Everyone looked around in shock at each other.

"B-But, Diana..."

"No ands, ifs, or buts," Diana shot back. "You all have told me for so long just how much you guys wanna leave this place. I just had to wait for the right time. And now, the time is here."

She saw unrest beginning to grow. She took a deep breath and spoke again, her voice less leader-esque, and instead, taking on the voice of a friend.

"Listen. I know how scary change is. I remember when this hideout was first started. No one wanted to leave the world above. I especially didn't, and as a 7 year old, I had no idea what was happening. But we had to for our safety. It wasn't ideal, and it took a while, but we adjusted. Now, 40 years later, it's time for us to resurface. We've been carefully monitoring the situation aboveground for years. Now is the safest it's ever been. I believe now is our time. All I ask is that you guys trust me."

There was murmuring among the crowd before a bold, faceless voice rang out. "And why should we?"

Diana's head swiveled as she scanned the crowd to find the doubtful person, but to no avail. They'd hidden themselves well in the crowd, and clearly felt safe in their anonymity.

Her heart hurt to think that something she might've done could be considered unworthy of the trust of the people. She had always tried her best, even when it wasn't ideal. She sighed.

"A past action of mine may have given you the idea that I'm not to be trusted. But I assure you guys, as I have for twenty-seven years, everything I do is to ensure the safety of every person here. It may not always be the choice you agree with, but it has ultimately kept us safe. I'm sorry if you don't trust me, but I'd encourage you to step back and assess what led you to that conclusion while keeping in mind everything else. If you still don't trust me, then you don't trust me, and there's nothing either of us can do to change that."

There was a deafening silence in the room after that. Diana let her words echo in the quiet for a moment, then spoke again.

"You guys can trust me. Believe me, I want to return to the upper world as much as any of you. But I also want to keep you all safe in the process."

A nod of agreement rippled through the crowd, bringing a smile to Diana's face.

"Alright. If you're all on board, start packing your belongings or anything you wish to bring along. Try not to pack heavy, you're in charge of carrying everything you bring. Let's meet back here in an hour."

The people began to disperse, and Diana waited until the crowd was sparse before going off to her own dwelling. She pulled the curtain in her doorway shut behind her and looked around. For most of her life, she'd lived in this room. She didn't have much, for she always anticipated that they'd be leaving at any minute, and she didn't want to have to rush to pack tons of items. She sighed and began to move about the room, her mind solely focused on the plan.

If everything went right, they'd reach the upper world just before sunset and could escape into the valley about a half an hour walk from their hideout. They would then continue their journey the next day, and the next, for five days until they reached their safe city. Then, they'd finally be free from the oppressive rule that had forced them underground.

But if it went wrong...

Stop it, Diana, she chided herself. Don't even think like that.

She would lead her people back to the upper world. Back to the light. To safety and to a new future. She could do it. And she would succeed.

As she came across a photo of her parents, she smiled softly.

"Mom, Dad, you should be here with me. But I know you're watching over me. I hope I've made you two proud," she whispered into the room.

Of course, there was no response, but she always felt comforted by looking at that picture.

She finished packing her belongings, and dropped it all off at the rendezvous. She then made her way around their underground city, helping people pack and encouraging them. She very much wanted everyone to trust her and believe in her. She truly did only want the best for everyone there. And so, she tried to convey this to the people, regardless of whether they noticed the hints or didn't, or rejected them entirely.

After an hour, everyone was back where they had started. There was a nervous sort of silence that filled the air; occasionally a voice or two broke it, but the voices always trailed off quickly. As Diana stood watching the crowd, she noticed the hundreds upon hundreds of eyes that looked up to her.

She took a deep breath and let her voice fill the cavern.

"Okay everyone, follow me. It's time we return to the light."

A/N: Not my best, but I tried my best to take the concept I had and roll with it 😂 I just put an announcement on my message board and I'll recap it here: basically my mom has asked me to prioritize school stuff - college and current schoolwork - and household responsibilities and focus on those for the time being. Now, I already prioritize those, but she's asked me to hyperfocus on them for the next couple weeks as application deadlines get closer. Updates will be very sporadic for the time being, unfortunately, but any spare second, you best believe I'll be writing anything I can and have the inspiration for. Thank you guys so much for all your patience with me!!!