The World As We Know It

Her breath was slow and shallow while the air surrounding her was cold and dense. It was pitch black inside the water tower and her grip on the ledge was slipping slowly as she held on to the side. She had to keep hold until they passed. She could not risk being caught by Raiders and turned over to the Capital. "Iris?" came a whisper in the dark. A slippery hand found hers and squeezed. Iris squeezed back and placed the hand on the ledge. "Don't slip. The smallest sound can signal us being here and then we would be screwed" Cato let out a small sigh and held his breath for a second to hear the sounds outside. There had to be about 10 horses underneath them, who knows how many hoverboards, along with the farmer whose water tower they were currently hidden away in and the farmer's two Dogs (a black and tan German Shepherd and a black and white Border Collie). The voices underneath the water tank were muffled and they were unable to make out anything. The farmer didn't even know they were there anyway, so as long as they remained quiet, they would be completely fine until everyone left. It was bullshit anyway. All of it. One day, everything was fine and then it just.... wasn't. Iris remembered everything. It wasn't something she would soon be forgetting. It seemed like yesterday.....yesterday when her husband was still alive....yesterday when her daughter, Claire, was spinning around the living room in her light blue prom dress. Everything just changed. They had come crashing through the front door, guns drawn, demanding everyone on the floor with their hands behind their backs. Jack resisted. Of course, Jack resisted. The sound of the shot will haunt her forever. The metallic smell of his blood soaking her clothes as they made her lay still while they loaded her daughter up. She never got to say goodbye. Her daughter was long gone by the time she was loaded into the van. There were other women in there, all neighbors of hers. Everyone looked absolutely terrified, as they should be. Who wouldn't be? Who were these people? Where were they being taken? Where did they take her daughter and where would they have taken her husband had he cooperated? She noticed that she was the only one covered in blood and stifled a cry. There was no point in crying. It would do no good. The ride was a long one. The women were given water and hard stale bread for their one meal. There were no windows except the one between the back and the front that slid open. It had been tinted extremely dark and only opened once, to throw a bag with the food and drink to the women. No one said a word as they evenly divided the bread and water, never making eye contact. Hours went by before the van finally stopped and the back door opened. A blinding light flooded the inside and everyone covered their faces. "Out." demanded a husky voice. One by one, each woman climbed out of the back of the van and into the floodlight of what appeared to be a camp. "Anyone above sixty here?" the voice asked. It belonged to a tall man with black shaggy hair. He had a deep scar over his left eye and a scowl permanently etched on his face. He stood next to a blonde-haired woman in a black pantsuit and sunglasses. One woman hesitantly raised her hand, then instantly fell to the ground as a shot pierced through the air. Another woman screamed loudly, breaking the horrific silence. "Alright," the man said, taking a clipboard from the woman in the black pantsuit before she walked off. "I need everyone to form a line. I will need your name, birthday, and occupation. The sooner we get this done, the less we have to deal with," waves in the direction of the poor woman, "casualties." Iris shook her head. She was back in the water tower again, surrounded by total darkness. She could barely make out the calm breaths of Cato next to her as he tried to be a silent as possible. They heard a shrill whistle underneath them and the descending pounds of the hooves hitting the dirt as the horses took off. "Iris?" Cato asked. Iris took another second longer of listening before sighing and nudging him to climb the short steps to the top hatch. Cato opened the hatch slowly and peaked out. It was dark out. The only light came from the full moon up in the sky and the few lamps in the home to the left of the hatch. Not a soul was in sight. "Coast is clear," he reported. They both slowly and silently climbed up and out of the tower, through the hatch and down the metal ladder on the side. Once their feet touched the ground, Iris let out a relieved sigh. "You're just in time for dinner" a voice sliced through the air. Iris turned sharply around and Cato gasped "Where did you come from?!" There, in the dark shadow of the tower, stood a short man in overalls. "See, my dogs done knew somebody was up in that tower there. They wouldn't leave the base of it. Best be glad it was me who owned them and not somebody else like them snaggers," the man said, walking past Cato and Iris to head towards the farmhouse. Cato looked at Iris, who shrugged and followed behind the man. "I'm sorry, sir. But you never did say who you were," Iris inquired. "Now, Ma'am, I think you owe me here more of an explanation than I owe you one. Especially when you got them there snaggers comin' round here when they never comin' out here no more." They had reached the entrance of the farmhouse at this point and the farmer quickly walked over to the small rug in front of the fireplace and stomped three times. He stepped back and there were distant shuffling noises from under the rug. The noises quickly got louder and the rug lifted up to reveal an attached trap door. There was a set of beady eyes in the darkness of the trap door. "I'm Iris. This is Cato" Iris said, looking at the trapped door as it slowly opened. The man took a step back. "Well I be damned. Everybody done known about ya'll. Ya got a big reward on yer head. The name's Samual. Sam or Sammy fer short," said the farmer. Cato shuffled his feet while the trap door opened all the way to reveal a small face of a little girl. She had straight jet-black hair and piercing green eyes. Her tiny nose was curved upwards to a small point and her lips formed a baby pout. She couldn't be much older than seven, ten at the most. She had a small frame and tiny feet. Her dress was made out of an old potato sack, something that wasn't even found anymore since the Capital was built. "Everyone is looking for you, you know," said the girl. Her voice was like honey, sweet and a little pitchy. "You two are the most wanted fugitives around." Iris stared at the girl. There was no way. It couldn't be. "Audrey?" she asked. The little girl looked up at Iris, "yes?" Iris dropped to her knees and started to sob. She had heard rumors about the child that was born from Claire before the mountain raid. The child was never seen from again. Lost. Claire was killed protecting this little girl and then the girl just disappeared. This child meant more to the Capital than even Iris and Cato. Genetically modified in womb to be a warrior, her green eyes can cut through the darkness better than any night vision goggles while her black hair can blend in with any shadow that comes her way. Cato looked at the girl, who blinked and looked right back at him, both confused. "Excuse me, miss. Excuse me." The girl nudged Iris gently. "How do you know me, miss." Iris wiped her face slowly and smiled, "I knew your mother." "My mother died when I was a five," Audrey said softly. "Yes," replied Iris. "I remember your mother Claire. Claire was.... Claire was my daughter." Audrey stumbled in surprise and the farmer hurriedly scooted a small chair under her before she fell. "I'll git some water," he said, rushing out of the room. "She was my daughter," Iris said, squatting next to the girl so they were eye level. "Your mother was my daughter. The day of the mountain raid, everything changed. Cato and I have been on the run ever since." Sammy walked back in and handed Audrey a wooden cup filled with water. She downed all of it with wide eyes and handed it back and a small "thanks" "Tell me everything. Tell me all of it. I want... no. No. I NEED to know everything about her. I NEED to know everything that happened. How this happened," she begged. "Tell me about my mom. Please. Please." Sammy left the room, only to come back seconds later with a large basket of jerky, bread, wooden pitcher of water, wooden cups, and nervous eyes. "I'm sorry but if yer gonna do this yer gonna need to move it down below. Them snagger fellers might be back and them fellers don know bout that there door nor basement. It safe down there." Iris nodded and helped Audrey to her feet. Sammy lifted the rug in front of the fireplace and shuffled everyone towards it. The trapdoor opened to reveal a steep wooden staircase that leads to a well-lit room underneath. The room was warm with four straw beds, blankets, pillows, four chairs, a single table, a stack of sticks, a stack of arrows, four bows, and two buckets (one with water and a rag and one empty). Audrey walked slowly over to one of the straw beds and sat down on it. Iris followed and kneeled in front of her with Cato following. "Well, I'm just gonna leave ya down here. I've given ya enough fer two days. I'll be back in two more." Sammy left back up the stairs and closed the door behind him. "Where do you want me to start?" asked Iris. "The beginning," replied Audrey. "What is this. Why is this happening. What is happening?"