The Last Mate on Earth

Part 1 - Chapter 3

* * * Hope’s POV * * *

After the history class, I was scheduled for reflection time. This time was scheduled most days. We were to find a quiet and peaceful spot to sit and reflect on what we had learned and what we hoped the facility would achieve. The parents said that this time helped to promote good thoughts and mental health, which in turn helped the body to flourish.

I made my way through the corridors, until I reached the castle walkways. My peaceful spot was by the pool with the view, but today I wanted to change things up. Today I was going to have my reflection time in the park. It was not like the parks in the books I had seen. It did not have real grass, it was like a carpet. The parents said that real grass was too much work and would harbour the bad air from the world outside the facility.

“Wait up”, Hayden called from behind me. “I thought you would have been heading to the view by the pool”, he said, once he had caught up to me.

“I fancied a change”, I told him.

“Are you sure? You do relax at the view and that is the point of reflection time”, he said, appearing uneasy. Why was he trying to convince me to go to the view?

“No, I would like to reflect at the park. I like the bird sounds they play”, I told him. I had made my mind up.

“They are soothing, aren’t they? I think I will join you at the park”, he said, his voice tense and off.

We have been sitting in the same spot in the park for an hour. I had begun to reflect, which usually meant me talking to myself. But with Hayden there. We had fallen into our usual routine of talking about anything and everything. Not much reflection had taken place. Sometimes Hayden would let blame moan about the parents and how strict they are, about my confusion over who I am and who I am meant to be. Sometimes we would just sit in silence, and that was enjoyable too. Being with Hayden was effortless.

I felt a pain in my heart at the thought of the prospects. Would that mean that I would no longer get to spend time with Hayden? Would I ever get to do something for myself? Why can I never do what normal people do?

“Hayden, am I even a person?” I asked him.

He began laughing, but stopped when he realised I was being serious. “What do you mean Hope?”

“Sometimes I feel like I am just a specimen in a lab and not a person. How can I be in this facility surrounded by so many people, but feel lonely?” I asked him.

His face fell and he wore a sad expression, “Are you lonely when you are with me?” He answered me, his voice hinting at his sadness.

“No. Not at all. Sometimes, I think that you are the only person who understands me. I feel lost when I am not with you”, I told him truthfully.

Without thinking, I picked up a rock from the edge of the fake grass. The parents assure me that the rocks are real. I like how it feels in my hand, heavy and smooth. I rotated around and around, looking at all its perfect imperfections. It was a piece of the real world. I began tossing it into the air and catching it. Focussing on the soft thud as it landed back in my palm.

Higher and higher I threw the rock, the repetitive action was soothing. “What do you think you are doing?” Hayden gasped, his voice more harsh and abrupt than I am used to. He looked panicked.

“I was just playing catch. What is your problem, Hayden?” I asked him.

“You know we are not allowed to throw things out here. It is against the rules. You know that”, he told me, still looking panicked.

“Oh for moon goddess’s sake, just relax Hayden”, I said. Throwing the rock a few inches into the air, and caught it with both hands. I knew it was against the rules and I knew it was risky throwing things that could damage our protective dome. But the look on Hayden’s face was priceless and made it worth it. I was always miss goodie-two-shoes and he could not believe I would willingly break the rules. I find that bending the rules, even a little, is exhilarating and I want to do more.

“Please don’t. I can’t afford to get in trouble again”, he said, his palms over his face, as though he cannot bear to watch.

“I can’t believe you’re being such a she-wolf about it. It’s just a rock in the air, it’s not like I’m going to hit the dome”, I told him.

“Hope. Hayden. Inside, now.” A voice shouts loudly, making us both jump and making me drop the rock.

“Oh for moon goddess’s sake it’s only...” I started to say as I turned to the castle walkway. Parent Rita is stood there with her hands on her hips and her face wearing an angry frown.

There was something about parent Rita that often scared me. She was tall and strong, and not like any of the other parents. She was not soft or maternal and she never seemed to like me. She wore the standard grey uniform, but hers held a strip of red. Showing her seniority over the others. She had grey highlights appearing in her short spiky hair. The sternness of her face, which is always angry but currently more thunderous than usual, stops me talking. There is no point explaining to her, she never listens to me.

My bravery in breaking the rules slips away, and I place the rock back in its rightful place. I find myself rooted to the spot, feeling frustrated and embarrassed, suddenly breaking the rules is no longer exhilarating.

“I said now, Hope. Do not make me ask again”, she told me sternly, her dark grey eyes boring into my own.

“We were just talking about the weekend, Miss. Rita”, I said, keeping my tone low and steady, hoping to dispel some of that anger before I was left alone with her. Hoping to make her forget, I was throwing things and putting us all at risk.

“Miss Rita, it’s my fault”, Hayden begins to interject.

“Hayden, you are needed in the training room, go now”, she cuts him off rather sharply. And then turns to glare at me.

This is bad.

Like really bad.

What is the training room? I wondered. They had never mentioned a training room for Hayden before. I thought he was just a student like me. I had to find out where the training room was and what it was for.

“Inside. Now, Hope”, she says quietly, her tone authoritative and cold.

“I’m sorry Miss Rita”, I told her, feeling like an i***t as I followed her across the castle walkways and inside. I could have damaged the dome and doomed us all. This place was made to keep me safe, to keep the hope of our race safe and alive. The toxic air could have killed us if the dome was damaged. What was I thinking?

Along the walkway and through the corridors, I followed her dutifully with my head bowed in shame. She stops outside of the directors' office and turns to me, her face more calm and passive than before. “Do you understand how serious this is? You could have doomed us all. One crack and our air integrity could have been compromised.” Her voice was barely audible.

“I really am sorry. I got carried away being a kid and playing.” I lie, unconvincingly. I have never done well being reprimanded. Luckily for me, it’s a rare occurrence.

“One slip up and you could have killed us all. Do I need to remind you of how toxic the air is? And the reason we made this facility for you?” Her questions made me feel like a dim-witted i***t, as I followed her into the directors' office.

“No. Of course not. I know how important this facility is”, I answered her, trying not to squirm.

“You are given so many liberties, Hope, do you want to lose them?” She asks me, running her hand through her hair.

“No. Please, I promise it won’t happen again”, I pleaded to her.

“Maybe we should just keep you locked inside the castle, and prohibit outside time”, she tells me. She is tormenting me, asserting her power over me. Even though I know she is playing me, the thought of being trapped inside fills me with fear. I know that inside the dome is technically inside, but being on the walkway and seeing the outside through the dome is freedom at its finest. As good as I will get, until the outside air is safe again. That may not happen in my lifetime, but I hope it does.

“Please don’t”, I told her, trying to force emotion into my voice.

“If you cannot follow simple instructions and follow the rules, Hope..” she begins, the side of her mouth lifting into a smirk. She knows she has me exactly where she wants me. All I can do is sound regretful enough that she will not follow through.

“I promise I will follow the safety rules, Miss Rita”, I said submissively, bowing my head.

I peer up through my lashes and find that she is glaring at me. I lowered my head again.

“You are a jigsaw piece”, she snaps at me. “A significant piece that will complete the picture, I will give you that. But without this facility and without us protecting you, you are nothing”, she sneers at me.

I feel my face flushing crimson as I continue to stare at my sandals. The ultimate responsibility of repopulating the planet with the wolf race is on my shoulders. Miss Rita has been entrusted to make sure that I am prepared to fulfil my duties. She is not allowed to physically hurt me, but she can make life difficult by removing my freedoms. She knows how much I love being outside and watching the world slowly heal. I am terrified of losing that connection to the real world.

“I promise I will not break the rules again”, I said, my voice low and sorrowful.

“Good, see that you don’t”, she lets out a sigh, pausing for dramatic effect. “Now, the director will be here shortly to discuss the prospects. Once done, I want you to go to your room to prepare yourself. Miss Sophie will be there to ensure that you are appropriately groomed. Remember the rest of the world are counting on you to fulfil your duty”, she says, looking at me in disgust.

“Yes Miss Rita”, I said dutifully, taking a seat and awaiting the director.

I sat wringing my hands together, in an attempt to keep myself calm. The footsteps in the corridor sent my heart rate racing. I could hear hushed voices at the other side of the door, and waited for director Philip to come in.

He walked in without saying a word, he was old. Even by werewolf standards, he bore the signs of old age. He sat behind his desk and watched me. “Hope. Miss Rita tells me that you have been throwing rocks. Do I need to remind you of the importance of the dome and how it keeps us alive? Do I need to remind you of the importance of what the facility is for?” He spoke in a stern tone and with a disapproving look on his face.

“No Sir. I was playing catch with a rock”, I began to explain myself.

“That is besides the point, you put everybody in this facility at risk, Hope. You will be grounded for a week”, he scolded me. “And no back chat” he added, when I opened my mouth to protest.

The next twenty minutes were spent with director Philip lecturing me on how the world was at risk from nuclear pollution and our race dying out had threatened to make us all extinct. Reminding how lucky I was that I was born into the facility and had people to look after me. I listened as he explained how my survival meant the survival of our race after the nuclear air rendered our race infertile and how it was my duty to repopulate the planet.

“You will be spending more time with the parents. You must be groomed appropriately for when you meet the prospects. I do not want to hear that you have made the task difficult or complained. Do you understand, Hope?” He asked me.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Now. Go. And remember you are grounded. That means classes and your room only”, he said with a wave of his hand, dismissing me.

I left the office and followed Miss Rita back to my room, wondering why it had to be me. I was 16 years old and I carried the weight of the world on my shoulders. Would my life have been easier if I had been born a man?