Year 7 short story (opening only)

Underground (a story opening)

Leila ran.

The gravel scratched against her bare feet as the cries got louder, ricocheting off the tunnel walls like a kid’s ball. Whoever was there was going to get help. Leila would make sure that everyone was safe, unlike last time.

A few years ago, a friend had gone Overground. Overground was dangerous. Overground meant devices being implanted into peoples’ heads, and Big Brother controlling minds forever. Leila’s friend – her best friend – had made the mistake of trespassing into Overground. Now she was captured, and heaven knows what had been done to her.

Since then, only a few people had been left, hiding in the somewhat safe haven of Underground, in these clammy tunnels constantly suffocating under a blanket of fear about getting caught in avoiding Big Brother’s laws.

Leila turned many corners, some she didn’t even know were there, and perhaps could’ve done without knowing they were there. It was obvious no one had been down in this part of Underground for at least a century. Black mold grew the sides, snaking on to the ceiling and disappearing down cracks that looked frightfully, Leila thought with a shiver, like the ceiling would cave in on her.

Or perhaps that was just how her insides felt.

The ground soon became even more rocky and uneven, and Leila stopped short to avoid falling down a hole the size of a crater on the moon. Stepping more tentatively now, Leila could hear the sobs just round the corner. Leila felt foreboding rising in her chest, up to her lungs and mouth, a scream threatening to overtake her… but she kept her mouth shut.

She caught her breath and the panic subsided.

A few meters in front of Leila sat a boy about 15 or 16, curled up against the wall, his head cradled between his legs. Occasionally, he shuddered violently but moved just enough so Leila could see a mop of shaggy blond hair and a pale complexion. Not wanting to scare the boy, Leila first turned her around to see if anyone was coming up behind her, and then turned back to the boy, her eyes full of sympathy.

“Hey,” Leila said softly and sat down next to him, very aware of her shoulder pressing against his. He looked up and set his eyes on Leila. They were an icy blue, but seemed to have some kind of comfort hidden in there somewhere. He had a scar on his right cheek, and a few dirt marks of his left, but Leila couldn’t help noticing the way his hair fell over his eyes.

“Hello,” the boy said, barely a whisper, “I’m Jason. I got lost down here, will you please take me back?”

Still holding his gaze, Leila’s brows knitted together in confusion. “Back where?” she asked.

“Anywhere,” Jason said glumly, staring back at the floor.

Leila smiled. A sudden urge to help this heartbroken boy was creeping up to her brain. “C’mon,” she said, and helped Jason to his feet. His touch was warm, and Leila felt her cheeks burning as she and Jason walked back. One moment she had a sneaking suspicion that she saw a device peeking out of his hair, but dismissed it quickly, immediately feeling guilty at the thought.

Maybe she could find a way to become closer to Jason, and things won’t be so bad after all…

by Amber Bunyan (Year 7)