They’d been driving long enough that Will’s butt was now numb, but with no windows, he had lost his sense of time. When the transport began to slow, he grabbed Ember’s hand again in solidarity. They had to be ready for what the dreaded Outside held. When the vehicle came to a hard stop, he released Ember’s hand to push the interior button for the door to slide open. His hands trembled. He took a deep breath. The Outside represented both a horror and an unconditional freedom they had never known. He smoothed his palms along his upper legs, waiting for his typical heroic spirit to kick in. The door slid open with a gratifying hiss. This is the door to the future for all of us.
The sight greeting Will as he and Ember peered out the back was a somber one. Blackened ground and charcoaled wood
