empty earth, a novel by rick mcmanus, first three chapters

8/11/2019 EMPTY EARTH, A Novel by Rick McManus, First Three Chapters

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Empty

Earth

By

Rick McManus


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Copyright 2014 Rick McManusAll rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 9781500320287

ISBN-10: 1500320285


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This story is dedicated to young adults, children, and grandchildren everywhere.

May they all be able to enjoy beauty and wonder world without end.


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I wish to express my appreciation to Paul McManus for reading the first

draft of this story and making helpful comments, to Gabe McManus for his

extensive editing and thorough review of the plot and characters over the course of

this writing project, and to Paul Abbott for valuable assistance on a chapter needing

his knowledge of aviation. I am also grateful to Jill McKellan, members of my

writers group in San Diego and to others who read the manuscript and gave me

useful suggestions.


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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Ripped away p. 3

Chapter 2 Eva meets Adam p. 28

Chapter 3 Life through a hole in the wall p. 42

Chapter 4 Play it safe or risk it all? p. 60

Chapter 5 Leaving the tundra p. 79

Chapter 6 The Canadian p. 107

Chapter 7 The passenger p. 139

Chapter 8 It took Manhattan, the Bronx p. 162

Chapter 9 A shack and a farm wagon p. 175

Chapter 10 Lawmaker in a lawless land p. 197

Chapter 11 The ways of empires and men p. 213

Chapter 12 A jungle in Georgia p. 240

Chapter 13 Finally Florida p. 258

Chapter 14 Armageddon in Alabama p. 271

Chapter 15 Tornado boulevard p. 286

Chapter 16 Hot in the heart of Texas p. 304

Chapter 17 Unexpected help and threat p. 323

Chapter 18 Arizona in flames p. 338

Chapter 19 California p. 360

Chapter 20 Refuge p. 379


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Chapter 1

Ripped AwayWho would have ever thought it would come down to this? People ripped away

from their homes and loved ones, forced to go to a place that was foreign to them in order

to work for a cause they didnt understand. These thoughts were ugly and forlorn, striking

Eva in a most disturbing way.

A sinewy guide led the way, moving forward against the gales, not letting them

deter him from his mission. All Eva could see in the darkness was a colossal stone

structure looming menacingly before her and the others in her group. A torrent of rain

drenched her, as they got closer to the building, a place of refuge in the wasteland shed

just passed through.

Massive bronze doors stood mighty, resisting the wind. It took four guides to

open them wide enough and hold them steady for the new arrivals to enter the fortress.

Once safely inside, Eva removed her raincoat and handed it to one of the guides that had

come over. The guides were all dressed in shiny red metallic uniforms, and they wore

plastic smiles on their faces. You know the kind. They act like life is fantastic, but theres

that distinct feeling that if you cross them they would not hesitate to unleash their fury

upon you. Having studied acting for a long while, Eva saw it clearly.

Eva looked around at the others who had been forced to come here. Everyone was

shivering from the cold after a short trek from where the huge helicopter had landed with

a jolt that caused her to hit her head. Some were muttering and others looked scared and


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confused, not understanding what was going on. As for her, she sighed, feeling

apprehensive and trying to control her anger at being torn away against her will from

those she loved. She hugged a decorative box in her arms tightly. It was the only

connection she now had to her past.

From up front, a guide cleared her throat and everyone quieted down to listen to

what she had to say.

Youll find that were most accommodating here, she said, smiling sweetly. The

rules are simple and easy to follow. Obey them and youll be just fine. Her voice was

chirpy, making Eva cringe. It reminded her of an infomercial sales lady who was trying

to sell you on something you didnt want.

Eva looked at a massive sign with thick black letters scowling at them behind the

guide. THE RULES: 1. Work for the Causeand receive a reward. 2. ABSOLUTELY

NO TALKING without permission. 3. If you disobey any commands you are given, you

will be severely punished or terminated.

Punished? Terminated? What are weprisoners of war? Eva wrinkled her brow.

These three rules will change our lives even more than being ripped away from our

families have.

The rules are effective RIGHT NOW, the guide announced firmly. Then she

smiled again, playing the role of sweet lady. I trust that all of you will obey and report to

a guide immediately if you observe that someone is jeopardizing you by violating any of

them.

Eva looked around, wondering if anyone else thought this was as crazy as she did.

It was nuts and, honestly, she didnt have a history that would show she was able to


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follow such a set of prohibitions to normal behavior. She was someone who loved to act

and sing. That required opening her mouth to make it happen. How did they expect her

not to talk for however long this mission lasted?

One young man had the courage to express what Eva was thinking. Youve got

to be kidding! He yelled it out and raised his hands in the air, a one-man rally in a sea of

lost faces. Were Americans and we still have free speech. You cant take that away

from us.

As they say, it takes one person to ignite a fire. Others in the group started to

chime in with their own loud objections. But they quickly found out that it also took just

one guide to smother any spark in the ominous enclosure where they found themselves

now locked away from the rest of the world. A towering uniformed female, who looked

like she could hold her own against anyone, came up behind the vocal protestor, and

wrapping her arms tightly around him revealed two black devices that were attached to

her hands. She smiled menacingly as her hands began shooting sparks of electricity into

the man, who screamed, struggled, and then collapsed on the floor.

Everyone in Evas group raised a hand to their mouth to stifle a gasp, too fearful

to utter it aloud. The guide dragged the lifeless body through a doorway like a caveman

taking her kill back to her home in the wilds. Not knowing what else to do, everyone

turned back to the guide standing in front. Still wearing her ridiculous smile, she acted as

if they hadnt just witnessed one of their group get killed or seriously maimed whatever

it was.

The guide waved her hand and moving rapidly she led the hushed group into a

narrow concrete corridor. Feeling disgusted and aghast by what shed witnessed, Eva fell


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in behind the others. Her desolation grew with every step as she trailed the others down a

dimly lit corridor without windows. The air she breathed smelled, almost tasted, like

cement. Her eyes were panicked. She wanted to run, but where? It was dark and cold and

desolate outside.

Young men and women clad in plain brown uniforms, identified by bar codes

instead of nametags, all lingered in halls intersecting the corridor through which she was

being led.Bar codes? Thats spooky. They kept their eyes down, not daring to glance at

the newcomers. Their eyes were so blank it was as if they didnt have a mind. Eva

clenched her hands together into a fist, something shed always done when she was

nervous, and wondered if they were brainwashed. They didnt seem humanany more.

Would that happen to her? Eva shivered, as her new nightmare life kept getting worse.

They entered a concrete room stacked high with large boxes. The guide turned

around and assessed everyone that had followed her.

For you, another woman said. She began to hand out two brown uniforms and a

pair of brown boots to each person. When Eva was next, the woman tossed the clothing

into her outstretched arms, not bothering to look at her. Grimacing, Eva ran her fingers

across the bar code. Then she glanced up and noted that both women had matching dark

hair cut short, looking like they could be sisters.

Have a nice day, the guide said. Her tone was sarcastic and her eyes danced

with disdain as she stared at Eva and the others.

The guide motioned for the group to follow her again. They made their way down

another narrow corridor, holding their clothes and boots in their arms. Eva continued to

follow behind the others, not wanting to be near them and risk talking.


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Evas mind wandered back to earlier that day and the ghastly events that had

unfolded. A military plane had taken her and the other young people from San Diego, as

fires burned near the airport, smoke filling the air. She knew it was increasingly

dangerous there, but she also felt it was better than other places in the country. Few

people had acknowledged what was happening until it was too late. Looking out the

window of the airplane, Eva had glimpsed some of the destruction. No more Golden Gate

Bridge. Fires burning everywhere. Smoke so thick that much of the land was not even

visible. She had heard about the tornadoes ravaging the Midwest and South. Hurricanes

tearing up the Gulf Coast. Constant rain flooding the East. Death and destruction

everywhere, every day. Earthquakes now as common as sunny California days used to be.

Finally everyone had to admit that mans unrestrained burning of fossil fuels had

devastated the atmosphere, land, and oceans, and no one could remain in denial. People

should have come to that conclusion a long time before it finally became so evident, Eva

muttered to herself. How could everyone have gone collectively insane, she thought, and

allow almost the entire human species to kill itself off? What good was anything that

people wrote, said, did, or acquired if the world was no longer livable? Sure, the earth

would exist for a few million years more -- but without its human occupants. Ten

thousand years of human progress dumped onto the ash heap of a history that would no

longer be recorded. Eva moaned knowing that every day the berserk weather was

pounding the earth and its inhabitants with a relentless furor that was unstoppable. The

scientific explanation for it was climate change, but it had come to be known simply as

the warming.


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One by one, members of Evas group were being stopped and shown into the

quarters in which theyd live. The group got smaller and she wondered where shed end

up. Eventually it was her turn to enter a room.

This is where youll sleep, the guide said. Ill be here to get you at seven a.m.

Make sure you are ready. Evas mouth opened and she was about to say something, but

she thought better about it. The Cause requires obedience. Do as you are told and you

will be safe. The guide glared at her, raising her lip in a half smile. Do you have a

question?

Eva shuddered. I want to go home to my parents.

That is not possible, she said. All trace of her attempt at a smile was gone and

Eva gulped, feeling anxious.

How will I know the time?

You will. The guide turned the metal knob and shoved her forcefully into her

room. Then the door was shut and she heard it lock behind her.

Eva staggered in the gloom, searching in vain for a light switch. The inside of her

private space was draped in shadows. Her feet scraped across rough concrete as she

reached out to touch whatever might be in front of her. As her eyes grew accustomed to

the dark, she could see dim light filtering in from a skylight. A digital clock inserted into

the wall above the door cast a red glow on her.

There was only one decoration on the walls, a picture of an American flag in a

metal frame. In the corner was a bathroom. The door was open and it cast a long shadow

across the floor. Glancing inside the bathroom, she saw light from another skylight

flickering on stainless-steel fixtures. Eva flinched when she saw her reflection in a mirror


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on the bathroom wall. Her long blonde hair was a tangled, wet clump covering a nearly

unrecognizable face with terrified blue eyes poking out. Her grimy white dress clung to

her slim figure like a shroud. Gasping, Eva paced around the ten-foot-by-ten-foot room,

hung the clothes she had been given on a peg in the wall, and then looked at the box she

had carried with her. Tearfully she stashed it under the only piece of furniture in the

room, a sagging cot with a single blanket and a small pillow on it. Shed look in the box

tomorrow. Right now, her mind didnt know what she could take or not take any longer.

Exhaustion set in and Eva flopped on the uncomfortable bed and gazed at the

skylight with half-closed eyes. Lightning flashed above her, and she caught a glimpse of

dark clouds. The rain had ceased drumming on the ceiling, and the only sounds she heard

were occasional footsteps echoing in the hallway.

As she continued staring up at the skylight, random thoughts flashed through her

mind about where in the world she was. It seemed like they had flown northeast. Maybe

she was in Maine. She hadnt wanted to talk with anyone on the plane to get their

thoughts. And now talking was apparently a crime against the State. What had happened

to her rights as an American?

Evas mind drifted to back home. In San Diego, things were scary, but Eva and

her family were still in control of their decisions. Now she was anything but free and she

knew her parents had tried to protect her from this, but theyd failed. Sadly, she also

knew it was partially due to her own carelessness.

The transition from her previous life to a harsh existence in the city of her birth

had taken place in what had seemed like an instant. With wildfires burning and street

gangs taking over, the city government collapsed. Immediately military authorities


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imposed martial law. Stores closed after being looted and burned down by gangs or by

wildfires that raged out of control. The food supply dried up and those who were

unprepared faced starvation. Everyones life turned upside down, and few people knew

how to manage in the new world into which they had plunged. Once comfortable citizens

reached depths of despair they could never have imagined.

To Eva and her parents the military had descended upon the city like a conquering

power, and they wondered what the federal government really had in mind. It seemed that

they were not there to help but to take advantage of the situation. Whatever the reason

turned out to be, Eva and her parents realized that their old lives were over. They had

prepared for the worst, but their emergency stock of food was running out. If they dared

go outside to try to scavenge for something to eat, they would face gangs roaming the

neighborhoods brandishing automatic weapons. So they hunkered down inside their

house in what had once been a quiet neighborhood, making the most out of what they

had.

Those days had been so hard for Eva and she recalled the conversations she had

with her father. He tried to teach her and help her understand, but it had been nearly

impossible to absorb what he said. It wasnt a code of life she wished to live by.

I dont want to shoot anybody, Eva said. She was sitting at her nighttime post in

the shadows behind the curtained window. Explosions lit up the sky and gunfire rang out

in the night as armed thugs attacked civilians and army vehicles to rob them of food,

weapons, and ammunition.

You have to, her father called out from the darkness. Look, I know its tough,

but its us against them.


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What if they fire back?

Lets hope we all make good shots then, her father said. He tried to make light

of it, but what he said was true and there was nothing funny about it.

But dont shoot unless they approach the house, her mother cautioned from her

post by a window across the room.

Evas mother had always been the cautious one, more reserved and not wishing to

dwell in the extremes of life. The changes had been very difficult for her as a result. She

naturally wanted to smile, help others, and trust in what was good. That no longer seemed

possible.

The cot creaked and Eva rolled to her side, trying to get more comfortable and

hopefully get some sleep. She struggled though, replaying the conversations with her

parents about what was happening to them. Her last day in San Diego was just that

morning, but she already felt like a lot of time had passed by. Perhaps it was because she

felt so numb about it all.

During her watch by the window, Eva had nodded off to sleep. She slowly opened

her eyes to warm sunlight touching her face. Thats when she saw it. A military troop

truck was parked outside and someone was banging on the front door. They didnt give

them time to answer or run. They busted it down.

You cant take her! Evas father shouted, trying to block the khaki uniformed

soldiers from getting by him.

Step aside, old man, the army officer growled, or Ill be forced to shoot you.


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He chucked his shoulder into Evas dad and made his way toward Eva. The other

one stood there staring at her parents and pointing his gun at them, showing that he

wouldnt hesitate to shoot.

Come with me, the officer yelled, grabbing Eva.

Eva struggled, trying to release herself from his grip. She saw the fear in her

mothers eyes. Leave me alone! Im not going with you, she spat.

Why are you doing this? her mother begged, moving to shield her. Shes our

only child. Please dont make her go.

Its for her own goodand she will be working for the Cause.

Shell be your prisoner, you mean, her father said. His face was red and you

could see the panic in his eyes.

Evas heart was racing as she was practically dragged to her front door.

Wait! She can take something with her. I know she can, her mother said.

Hurry up with it then, the soldier said, rolling his eyes.

With tears in her eyes, Evas mother ran out of the room and into the

bedroom. One soldier went and looked down the hallway to keep an eye on her.

Evas mother came back with a small wooden box, one that was ornately carved

and had been a gift from Evas grandfather a long time ago. Her mother loved that box.

This will help you, her mother said. She nodded her head and her eyes welled

up with fresh tears, staring at her daughter as if it would be the last time she ever saw her.

Keep it close to you.

Let me see that, the soldier said. He opened it up and pulled out some letters

and a book. He grunted and shoved them back in the box.


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The next thing she knew, Eva found herself in the back of an olive-drab troop

transport truck. Peeking through the canvass side, she saw her parents standing somberly

nearby. Her father was squeezing her mother tightly and they were both crying. Eva felt a

pang in her stomach. Why did it seem like shed never see them again? She had to. There

was no other option. Perhaps if she worked hard for the Cause shed be able to get home

sooner. That was what shed thought early that morning. Now she was lying in a bed in

some encampment heaven knows where and she had seen rules that did not give any

assurances of a decent life, freedom or a better day. And she had seen someone killed for

resisting.

Inside that troop truck Eva had looked around and had seen other frightened faces.

What are they going to do with us for this Cause? Does anyone know?

They say its for our own good, a scruffy young man sitting next to her said.

You know theres no future for us here.

But dont we have the right to make that decision for ourselves? Eva asked.

Surely they cant just take that away from us.

Welcome to the Cause, someone else muttered. Then he hung his head down

not wanting to say any more.

Quiet! A voice shouted from up front and everyone in back fell into silence.

Eva was left with her thoughts and an overwhelming sense of guilt about missing a

curfew with her friend and being seen by military police a few weeks back. Shed hid

ever since then, but it would be only a matter of time before theyd find her.

Eva rolled over again on her uncomfortable cot, thinking about what her life had

been like before the warming. It had been fun and full of promise at the university


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studying music and theatre. Then it happenedthe universities were forced to shut down

because of the catastrophes and she was sent back home. She was a twenty-year-old

woman with no clue how to handle the menacing new world in which she was engulfed.

Eva remembered that thirty years ago Americas enemy was human and the attack

was called 9/11. She was born on the tenth anniversary of that horrific event. Throughout

her entire life, her mother had taught her about love and trust, believing that a good heart

and good intentions could triumph over anything. Her father, on the other hand, believed

that the nations response to the attack was justified, but it had ultimately led to the rights

of Americans being stripped away out of fear. He always counseled her to look out for

herself and count on no one, especially the government. How right he had been, she

thought. Then she couldnt fight sleep any longer.

Morning came and the clock above her door buzzed loudly, flashing a bright red

light into the room. It was six a.m. Time to begin working for the Cause.

At seven a.m. sharp, Evas door clicked and swung open. She moved toward it

feeling claustrophobic in her room and saw all the other doors in the hall were also open.

Guides were stationed every twenty feet or so watching as everyone filed out of their

rooms dressed in their drab uniforms and started shuffling down the hallway. There were

many curious eyes, but clenched lips, as if it would help remind them not to talk.

Where are we going? Eva whispered, instantly regretting she had opened her

mouth. To her it was a fair question and certainly not a threatening one. She had a right to

know.

A guide moved toward her, taking only two massive steps, and raised an arm and

hit her with the back of her hand across the cheek.


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Stunned, Eva flinched but kept her mouth shut and followed along with everyone

else. It wasnt the time to ruffle feathers. The concrete corridor seemed endless until an

ominous hinged sheet of steel came into view straight ahead. When this heavy door slid

open with a screeching sound, everyone filed into a shadowy round room the size of a

massive sports arena without any pillars to hold the roof up. Skylights were everywhere,

filtering in dim light from above. The sky looked as gray as the room itself.

The only color in the huge shadowy room came from green laser lights, and the

booming, pulsating sound of drums and electric guitars blared from speakers in the

ceiling. Glancing around, Eva noticed that everyone already inside seemed to be working

in sync with the fast pace of the sounds echoing off the walls. She also saw lasers

scanning barcodes as new arrivals entered.

Taking a deep breath, Evas nostrils were assaulted by the pungent, almost

overwhelming, smell of raw fish. Looking around, she saw more doors open on other

sides of the vast workspace, and she saw more workers streaming in, all wearing the

same brown uniform. There were so many people there. What could their job be?

A guide directed Eva and the others near her to sit down at a long metal table. She

felt lost in an ocean of brown bobbing above a sea of metal and concrete.

When everyone was seated at her table, young men and women in brown

uniforms dumped fresh fish in front of them. A man in a red uniform gave them brief

instructions on what they were supposed to do, demonstrating on one of the fish.How

could gutting fish be good for the Cause and a cure for the warming?


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As Eva drifted off into her thoughts, a guide noticed her lack of attention and

pounded his hand down next to her making the fish in front of her jump into the air. For

everyones own good they best keep up with the pace of the workflow.

It soon became clear to Eva what he meant by the pace of the workflow. She had

only a short time to gut and clean the fish in the pile in front of her before another group

came by with large black pots and indicated that she had to toss the fish shed prepared

into them. As she continued cutting up fish, her hands felt so slimy her mouth twisted in

disgust. Hardly missing a beat, the first group brought more raw fish to her table and

dumped them unceremoniously in front of her and the others. Eva shuddered at the sight

of the repulsive guts she removed. As more and more fish were disemboweled at her

table, the air around Eva became so filled with the stench of cut-up fish she could hardly

breathe. Shed never cared for fish anyway and after just a few hours she didnt think she

could ever eat one again. They repulsed her.

Surely this fish-cutting task was something they just did until theyd be assigned

to something more meaningful. Who could cut fish every day for the rest of their life or

until the scientists figured the weather out? The music was also annoying, making it hard

for Eva to focus. She eventually drifted off in her mind into the rhythms of her favorite

musical numbers and found that it helped pass the time and keep her moving along. In

fact, she was so into her thoughts that she jumped when the blaring music came to an

abrupt halt.

It is break time. You have five minutes. A voice said this from a speaker

somewhere above the workers.


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Eva made eye contact with the girl next to her. Why are they doing this to us?

she whispered to her neighbor after glancing around, but she got no response. She looked

around curiously again. All the workers inside the vast room were in their twenties or

thirties. They must have been chosen because they were young enough to keep up with

the mundane and strenuous task of filleting so many fish.

A shrill whistle blew, signaling their break was over. Loud sounds began

bouncing off the walls again, this time playing another horrible song. This one was better

than the one before at least she didnt hate it, but it seemed to be a manipulation

weapon of those in charge, and that was something she definitely didnt like.

Several laser lights flashed on a young man near her, a loud buzzer sounded, and

the music faded away. One of the guides, this one with three red stripes on his sleeve,

went and stood over the man, who looked up with terrified, pleading eyes.

You are not keeping up with the rest, the guide barked.

Im sorry, he begged. Im not good at this sort of thing.

No, you are lazy and uncooperative.

Please! I can work faster.

You will be an example for the others of what happens when someone is

not working hard enough for the Cause, he hissed, grabbing his shoulders and sending

electricity into him. The young man screamed in agony, fell down, and remained

motionless. Work stopped at nearby tables as all eyes were glued on the man and the

guide. When the loud music echoed again throughout the vast hall, those who had paused

to watch immediately got back to work. No one wanted to be the next one to feel the zap

of that contraption they had.


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After hours of fish gutting Evas eyes were blurring and sweat was pouring down

her back. She felt she could not go on, but she was aware that her life depended on it.

Casting furtive glances around the room, she tried to see if there were any areas that

werent guarded or any exits. Eva knew in that instant that nothing would make her stay

at the enclosure forever nothing. She wasnt going to surrender herself to being a

prisoner. Just play it smart, she reminded herself.

When she didnt think she could go on any longer, the green laser lights suddenly

disappeared. Everyones arms dropped in an almost synchronized thud that resounded

throughout the room sounding like applause that consisted of a single clap.

Its mealtime. Enjoy! It was the mysterious voice from the speaker again. It had

the guides chirpy sound, the one Eva associated with false pleasantries, and it did not get

her to drop her guard for a second. The only thing on her mind was surviving that

afternoon. Her fingers, wrists, neck, and back hurt so badly.

Without a word, everyone got up and trudged out and headed for a nearby circular

dining hall, another massive, windowless room lit by skylights that only accentuated the

still gloomy sky.

A supervisor by the door made intimidating eye contact with everyone who

entered. If someone didnt keep up with the person in front of them, the supervisor

grabbed him or her and shoved them forward. They dared not react.

Eva joined the long but fast-moving line in which no one bumped shoulders,

smiled, or spoke to get food being served by large mechanical arms that swung loaded

trays over from a kitchen area separated by a low wall from the dining room. In the


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kitchen, she glimpsed endless rows of stainless-steel counters, sinks, and cabinets all

polished to a gleaming finish.

As she moved down the line, she saw a sea of brown-uniformed workers making

something on counters on one side of the kitchen. Then they placed what they had

prepared onto trays on conveyor belts, which sped the food off toward the serving area

where the mechanical arms serving the workers took over. To Eva it was an enormous

fast-food factory, but unlike the ones she was used to, the only sounds that could be heard

were feet shuffling on cement and the low hum of the robotic arms. There was not a

single conversation.

Eva inspected her tray. It had a fish sandwich, which made her roll her eyes. It

also had salad greens and vegetables. At least that was something she could enjoy,

although she didnt think itd really hold her over. She had worked hard that morning.

The beverage was a dark fizzing drink that didnt taste like anything shed ever had

before. Desert was a packet of dried fruit. Eva imagined they must have some sort of

inside greenhouse to grow fresh produce. From what it seemed like to her, growing those

things outdoors wasnt an option. Things like this couldnt be generated in the outside

world any longer.

When she came to the end of the line, she took her tray and sat next to a girl with

short brown hair who was focused intently on the food in front of her. To Eva it was

college life in reverse. A university of the living dead or it was a labor camp. Take your

pick. Everyone around her looked reasonably well fed and not physically abused, but no

one smiled and everyones eyes were empty. The only sound was the clinking of glasses

and scraping of silverware on metal trays as the army of young men and women dug into


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their food. It was great to be saving the world, if thats what they were doing. Saving

themselves seemed equally important and challenging. After all, what good would it do

to solve the warming if everyone turned into zombies, afraid to talk and communicate?

That was driving Eva crazy. She felt anxiety rising inside of her, feeling like shed burst

if she couldnt hear her own voice.

Unable to make eye contact with the man across from her, Eva turned her head

slightly to look at the girl by her side. She knew the penalty for talking was an electric

shock that either made the victims unconscious or killed them, but she couldnt help

herself. They couldnt have eyes everywhere.

Im Eva. Whats your name? she whispered. The girl dropped her fish sandwich

at the sound of Evas voice, looked terrified, and did not respond.

Please say something, Eva begged quietly. The supervisor who had been

stationed by the door hurried toward her table, a menacing look on her face.

I dont want any trouble, the girl said hesitantly to Eva without turning to face

her. I dont want to lose out.

What? Eva said, looking intently at her neighbor without getting her to look

back. Were keeping up our production quotas. They need us.

Im sorry, the girl murmured. She began staring at her tray of food again and

Eva could see her hands shaking. Then she saw a shadow looming over her. She looked

up to see the supervisor standing there, an angry look on her face.

Was someone talking at this table? the supervisor asked. Her voice was flat like

an electronic recording announcing, The menu options have changed. Thats when Eva

sensed every eye at the table on her. She heard glasses and silverware drop onto trays.


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Time froze and Eva looked straight ahead, her heart pounding. The supervisors eyes

shifted from one person to another at the table then settled on Eva. After a few breathless

minutes, the supervisor clapped her hands, and those who had stopped and stared began

eating and drinking again as if nothing had happened. As for Eva, she felt horrible about

nearly getting so many others in trouble. Yet, she knew that if she didnt fight against

what was happening shed lose herself and she was not ready to do that. Nothing was

worth doing that.

After about thirty minutes lunch ended and they made their way back to their

workstations. Ahead of her a man and a woman held hands briefly and then let go,

whispering to each other while looking straight ahead. It made Eva smile, seeing that at

least two other people didnt want to accept eternal silence.

The music began again and Eva found that she couldnt block it out. She began

struggling to keep up the fast pace of fish gutting she had maintained that morning. She

felt her hands and arms going numb, her fingers stinging from the cuts on them, but she

kept working as if her life depended on it. From what she had seen in the morning

session, it did.

Finally, the music stopped, the green lasers lights disappeared and the

loudspeaker came on again. Your government keeps you safe! That must have been the

signal that their workday was over because everyone immediately dropped the fish they

were gutting back on the table, rose to their feet, and shuffled wearily toward the

corridors. Shed despised her room that morning, but Eva was eager to see it that evening.

She was wiped out and as sad as she had ever been in her life.


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Squeezing her hands to get feeling back in them, Eva reached up and tried to rub

her shoulders, but she was unable to reach them. Perhaps a warm shower would help.

Then she saw the guide looming in front of her like a schoolyard bully. Everyone

at your lunch table will be dealt with, starting with you. She grabbed Eva by her aching

shoulder and shoved her in the opposite direction from her room. You have been

selected to work tonight.

Oh, no was in her head and ready to come out, but she held her tongue, despairing

that her maddening first workday was about to get longer.

The guide escorted her to the kitchen that shed seen during lunch. The sea of

workers was gone. She was alone. Her guide thrust the handle of a sharp, stainless steel

knife into Evas hand and said in a rough voice that she should start cleaning and gutting

a pile of fish in front of her and then throw them into a large vat next to her. Turning

away from Eva, the guide moved noiselessly out of the room. Eva looked around longing

for someone who would be kind to hershe longed for her parents and her grandfather.

Tears began to sting her eyes, but she fought them back. She wasnt going to give the

Cause the satisfaction of her crumbling at that moment. She just needed to do what she

had to and get back to her room.

Two hours later, her hands were covered with blood and the vat was filled with

clean fish.

You must go back to your room, a voice said firmly, which made Eva jump

because she hadnt heard her guide come in. Clean the knife and put it in this box with

the others. Obediently, Eva went over to the sink to clean the knife, as someone calling

out to them from the door distracted the guide. Thats when Eva took advantage of the


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opportunity to slide the knife into her boot. You just never knew when it might come in

handy.

Is the extra-duty worker done? She requires sufficient rest to work effectively

tomorrow.

She is going back now, the guide said, still looking toward the door. Then

staring at Eva with her green, emotionless eyes, the guide ordered Eva to go straight back

to her room. Then the guide left the room, and Eva was alone again.

Hurrying through the corridor without her guide beside her, Eva passed the fish-

gutting room where she had spent the day. When she glanced inside the room, it occurred

to Eva that the entire enclosure might be round like all the rooms inside of it. The narrow

corridors she had already walked through radiated out in all directions like spokes in a

wheel and led to other similarly designed corridors no doubt leading to the private rooms

that housed all the people she saw during the daytime.

Eva paused on her way back to her room. Knowing her curiosity could easily

result in torture, she decided to push her luck anyway and find out what was in the center

of the enclosure. This was her chance and Eva knew it. She turned around. It would be

one peek harmless, she convinced herself.

The center had to be the most important place of all. Maybe the government was

there. Or climate scientists. At that moment Eva saw a grey-haired man in a white coat

hurrying down a corridor in the direction of what she imagined was the center. She would

follow him. Running as quietly as she could, she wanted to catch up with him before he

entered what would probably be a locked door near the center. Once she had followed

him into the forbidden sanctuary, she would give him a piece of her mind, tell him that no


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one had a right to make slaves out of young people while older people worked on the

problem they created. Would her words do any good? No. Theyd only get her into

trouble. She dismissed from her mind the extent of the consequences she was asking for.

Eva didnt get far. Two guides appeared out of nowhere and blocked her way and

brusquely turned her around. The next thing she knew, one of the guides grabbed her by a

hand, dragged her forcefully to her room, kicked open the door, and pushed her roughly

onto her bed where Eva crouched trembling. She squeezed her fists and felt a wave of

pain travel through her arms. Was that what getting zapped felt like? At least if shed

been shocked shed feel something as strong as her anger.

The guard was still there, staring at her with dark eyes. What we are doing here

is vital to the future of the world and mankind. You must do what you are told to do, go

where you are told to go, and not talk to anyone. You know the rules.

Yes, Eva mumbled, barely able to get the word out.

Those who labor faithfully for the Cause are not punished or terminated. And

they are rewarded every night. She paused and looked contemptuously at Eva.

As she pondered what her guide was telling her, Eva saw similarities between this

strange place and life back home. Give workers incentives like rewards points. Who

wouldnt catch on rather quickly: dont make waves, keep your mouth shut, and meet

your quota so you can get something to fill the yawning cavern of your monotonous life.

People were bribed in exchange for their silence and complacency. That had to be it.

They went along with the program because they had no choice. They had nowhere to go.

Im doing my best, Eva said in a low voice, looking down.


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If you obey the rules, you will receive something nice to take away any pain you

may feel from being removed from your past life for the purpose of serving your country

in this time of crisis. She paused. Be sure you make the right choice, she hissed and

then turned, left the room, and slammed the door. Eva, immobile, stared at the door,

scarcely able to think. When she felt safe, she got up, took the knife out of her boot, and

hid it in the toilet tank.

Until recently her life had revolved around technology and the most modern

devises. Being forced into a barbaric situation, one in which you felt like youd been

thrust back into medieval times, was awful. Eva longed for what until recently had been a

good life, a normal life, and she was angry that no one had done anything to stop the

climate from changing into a global monster. Now, as she stared at the ceiling, she

wondered what good all the technology had accomplished. It hadnt done anything to

make their lives better permanently anyway.

Eva wondered about the people who were in charge of all of them at the

enclosure. Who were they? What were they? They looked perfectly human, but they

could be robots. They seemed to be void of any emotion other than anger. She finally

drifted off to sleep with hopes that tomorrow would involve a different task.

Unfortunately, the next day turned out to be exactly like her first day, except that

she didnt have to work overtime in the kitchen, and with conversation not allowed she

felt even lonelier. She sat down at lunch and everyone seemed to move as far away from

her as possible. They all thought she was trouble and it bugged her. She wasnt trying to

jeopardize anyones safety, just help people realize there was no way their guards could


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stop them if they decided to rebel against what theyd been brought there to do. Their

help was obviously needed so those in charge couldnt just get rid of everyone.

Days turned into weeks and Eva was starting to go mad. She finally decided that it

was worth being zapped if she could have a conversation with anyone about anything.

She went up to the girl that shed tried talking to the first day.

Please talk to me, Eva blurted out.

No, she whispered. Leave me alone.

Dont let them win. Together we can figure out how to survive.

I know how to survive, the girl said.

How?

Dont talk, she said. I dont want to die. She walked away then, keeping her

eyes down. Eva looked around and no one was paying attention to her.

That night Eva was in her room not knowing what to do or think. Up to that point,

she hadnt opened the box shed taken with her. She wasnt sure why, but she kept

talking herself into saving it for a day when she felt really desperate and lonely. It might

just save her. Or looking back at the past might drive her to the depths of despair. Was

today the day to look inside? No, she didnt believe it was.

Lying on her cot under her one blanket, it struck her that this concrete prison was

going to destroy her independent, non-conformist nature. She was standing on a mental

precipice looking down into the abyss. She knew she had to obey the rules and mold into

the system or suffer the consequences.

A few nights later, as she lay on her sagging cot wondering if she would ever see

anything outdoors again except for what the skylight showed her, something caught her


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attention. It was a crack in a corner of the back wall about head high. The surface around

the crack looked like it was crumbling. She jumped up from her bed, eyes wide open.

Maybe she had gone mad because it struck her that she could make her own small

window to the outside. Maybe there would be some sort of life out there, something to

see to bring her peace, a place to which she could escape, at least mentally. Shed run out

of songs to sing and hopes to dream.

Evas hands still ached by the end of the workday, but that didnt bother her when

she saw the opportunity for an adventure. With some effort, she found that she could

dislodge some of the crumbling concrete with her knife. It would be slow going, but she

was desperate for a window. When she thought that the wall might just go to another

room, she brushed the thought out of her mind, determined that it would be a window.

She didnt care if the rain came in and flooded her out. She didnt care if the cold outside

air froze her into a block of ice. She could not live in a concrete tomb for the rest of her

life. If her project was discovered, she could forget about rewards, not that she ever really

expected to earn them or that she even wanted them if they were what she thought they

were. All thoughts about fitting in vanished from her mind, as she embraced the notion

that she could be the person shed been before, a risk taker, an independent soul. So she

began chipping away, fantasizing about what shed find on the other side of that wall.

After digging until late at night, she slipped the knife back into the toilet tank and

pushed her cot over to the wall to hide the concrete particles she had dislodged. Then she

wedged the picture of the flag on the wall into the small indentation she had made,

hoping that if the guide poked her head in the door she wouldnt notice her digging


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project. That might be wishful thinking, but she was willing to take the chance. Next she

wiped concrete dust from the wall and floor with her white dress turned wet rag.

From then on, as soon as Eva closed the door behind her every night, she would

move her cot away and begin to dig into the wall and remove one small chip at a time.

Her mind was intently focused on what she was doing. Part of her was always listening

for approaching footsteps, too. It was extremely slow going, but Eva didnt mind. Days,

weeks, and months passed by, and she continued to chip away at the wall.

One night, much to her amazement, she heard a soft scratching sound coming

from the other side of the hole in the wall. It was music to her ears and she didnt know

what it was, but she was determined to find out. It seemed like whoever or whatever was

making that sound was trying to reach her too.

Eva continued working late into the night, as did the producer of the sound on the

other side. When she quit digging, the digging on the other side stopped too. The window

that had been so important no longer was. Now her mind overflowed with thoughts about

making contact with another human being. As time passed she convinced herself that it

had to be a human being, someone whod talk to her. She was so desperate to talk to

someone other than herself.

Each night of digging eventually had to come to an end, and she would collapse

onto her cot for a few hours sleep. Then she would gut fish in the big room the next day

before going back to working on the only thing that mattered to her. Each night she told

herself that would be the night she would break through, but each night she got too tired

to continue much past midnight. Putting down the knife, which was now broken and


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harder to use, she would fall exhausted into bed. The last thought in her mind before

drifting off would be that it would happen the next night.

One night when she peered into the hole in the wall, she saw a piece of metal

moving in an opening that suddenly appeared, and she worked feverishly to enlarge the

hole, as did the person on the other side. When it was large enough, she reached two

fingers through and touched the metal tool and felt the fingers that were holding it. Her

heart skipped a beat and she could barely breathe. Then she began to dig like mad, as did

the person on the other side. They had a common goal and were eager to see whom they

had been working with.

Eventually the wall crumbled enough to open a jagged head-high hole, and thats

when Eva was able to solve the mystery. She paused and smiled, unsure about what to do

next. The handsome face of a man streaked with flecks of concrete was there on the other

side, and he was smiling back at her.


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Chapter 2

Eva meets Adam

They stared at each other.

Finally he broke the silence. All right?

Hello, Eva whispered. She noticed the British accent right away and was so

drawn to it.

Im Adam. He wiped concrete dust off his pallid face and she saw the most

penetrating brown eyes framed by short, dark hair. And who are you?

Eva, she murmured. Then a dam of pent-up emotions burst within her, as all the

darkness and loneliness poured out in a low moan, and she closed her eyes and sobbed

uncontrollably. When she opened them, she saw he had a finger to his lips and a worried

expression on his face.

Are you okay?

Yes, she said, sighing, becoming quiet. Im sorry about that. She wiped her

eyes with her hand and breathed heavily while he watched her every movement.

I understand, he said in a low tone. Its tough in here, I know.

It would be awful to put you in jeopardy though, Eva said. Now that shed

found someone to talk to she wasnt about to do anything to sabotage it. Shed have to be

more alert. Are you in my corridor, Adam?

No. Im in the British enclosure. From your accent, I assume you are in the

American enclosure. He calmly brushed his face, while Eva stood on her side of the


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head-high opening between them and gazed at him. So many emotions were bubbling up

within her. Hearing the voice of a human being was so soothing to her, yet so stimulating.

The British enclosure? Eva glanced nervously toward the door.

Our two enclosures must be attached in this exact spot. One of the earthquakes

probably weakened the concrete. He carefully touched the jagged side of the hole and

then drew a handkerchief out of his shirt pocket to wipe his hand.

Can we make this hole bigger?

Looks unlikely. The concrete has only crumbled in this one location.

Oh, she said with a sigh. Anyway, I can see your face and you can see mine,

and we can talk. Thats great! Her emotions now in check, her words poured through the

break in the dam, and she couldnt hold them back. Youre the first person Ive spoken

to who actually wanted to talk to me. Why wont they let me talk to other people? Can

you talk to people over there?

Adam gave her a slight smile. Yes, we can chat over here, only briefly though.

How many people are trapped in this awful place?

Im told that its a small percentage of the worlds population. Were all part of a

plan to revitalize the earth, if thats even possible. Things are pretty scarce from what I

understand.

They shared that with you? Eva asked. She wondered why the Americans

hadnt been informed anywhere near as much as the people from England.

Adam nodded yes.

Is it only us here? The Americans and British.

All governments are huddled together here trying to solve the problem.


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Where are we?

Northern Canada.

Oh, Eva exclaimed. So, how do we get our food?

Youve likely guessed that they have greenhouses to grow things. Hunters who

are here have to go out into the elements to get our meat or fish. Some dont survive so

more have to join their ranks.

Oh my, Eva said. She looked down and traced her finger around the jagged

concrete. Why Canada, do you suppose?

It was the only country that would allow all nations to build enclosures in one

place.

Why didnt countries like Russia and China build on their own land?

Oddly enough, it took this blooming disaster for all governments to realize they

needed each other. They are desperateand afraid for their own survival.

And so they make us desperate and afraid too, Eva said in a loud whisper.

Indeed, he replied.

Eva suddenly thought about her disheveled appearance, her tangled hair, her

concrete-dust-covered face, but she couldnt take her eyes off Adam. He was so

handsome, even with the cement dust all over his face. Between his accent and those

brown eyes he was like a British film star. Even the concrete wall between them and their

dire situation couldnt keep her mind from wondering what if? She quickly turned from

that thought. Adam, have you heard about the concept of a clockwork universe where all

lives are intertwined like gears in a clock?

I know about it, he said, a blank expression on his face. Why?


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I recall studying it in college. Maybe all the enclosures are interconnected circles

touching those around them at only one point like cogs in a giant wheel.

Yeah.

I wonder why theyd make it that way, she said, giving him a quizzical look.

Adam furrowed his brow. Maybe theyre attached to be part of an energy grid.

Maybe for wired communication. Then he smiled at her. Probably no Wi-Fi here. All I

know is I wanted a window to keep me from going off my trolley so I started pounding

the loose bits of concrete in the corner of my room. And I found you, not a window. Not

complaining, he said smiling.

Eva blushed. She wasnt complaining either. I dont know why they need me.

All I do is gut fish, she offered sadly. She didnt care what they talked about so long as

the words kept flowing. To her their conversation was like healing waters. What do you

get to do?

I record data. Its dull and repetitive. I sit in a room all day and write down in a

ledger information called out by a speaker in the ceiling.

That doesnt sound much better than gutting fish, Eva replied. She smiled at

him softly, still unable to take her eyes off him. He looked back at her and his eyes

expressed that he was feeling the same thing. Eva longed to reach out to him and touch

him, but she just couldnt do that. She feared that shed grow too addicted to human

touch and it would end up badly for her. I dont like any of it here, she said. Her eyes

went from dreamy to flashing with pent-up anger. We do what were told and then have

to go straight back to our rooms.


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Its the same here. I work all day and then come back here. Sometimes I can go

to the library briefly, but not often. Until now, Ive spent most of my time staring at

concrete walls. Now that youve popped through I have an awfully good feeling about

my life.

I looked through the skylight mostly, wondering if Id ever see sunshine again.

I do that too, he said.

She heard him scratching on the wall. What are you doing?

Keeping track of time. I make marks on the wall. Ive done this for a year.

A year? And youre still sane. I dont think I could last that long without going

nuts.

Its around the 30th

anniversary of 9/11, isnt it?

I was born on the tenth anniversary of the attack. Eva began crying softly then

shrugged her shoulders. Adam, whats this all about?

Its for the good of the State and for our goodI suppose. It came about fast,

didnt it? Small changes were scarcely noticeable at first. Then everything accelerated. I

was forced to leave my home. Were things worse when you were required to come here?

I left probably six months ago, she said, wiping her eyes. Things were really

crazy. Earthquakes and wildfires one after another. San Diego, where Im from, was in

shambles. No food. Nothing. She could see him studying her face, calculating her age.

He had to be a couple of years older than her.

Ive been talking to an officer over here who is as tired of this place as I am,

Adam said. He told me things are falling apart back home faster than before.


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My parents and grandfather are still in the U.S. Its not right that they can just

grab some people and take them away, forgetting about everyone else.

Sadly, that is whats happened.

Its inhumane! Eva wanted to shout, but controlled her reactions. A fresh set of

tears started to stream down her cheeks.

Eva, our old lives are gone, but at least were safe here. Theyll find a solution.

Thats the only thing theyre focused on now.

Everything was madness back in San Diego. Martial law, thugs, rebels.

Thats probably true everywhere, he said. And those whove run away from

the chaos in the cities now roam the land. Ive heard some of them referred to as wild

people.

Wild people?

Thats what the officer told me, Adam said matter-of-factly. I cant get much

out of him. But the vent in our library connects to one of their break rooms. At times, Im

able to eavesdrop, get a smidgen of what theyre talking about. Its not really very much.

But bits of knowledge can be fitted together to figure things out and eventually

get us out of this mess.

Youre curious and dont settle. I like that, Adam said.

You know, even with all thats going on back home, I would never have chosen

to come here.

His brow wrinkled and he looked at her sternly.

I would not have chosen it either, but at least were alive.


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Im not so sure this is living. My father told me that when government intrudes

in our lives were always the worse for it, she said, while taking to heart his gentle

reproach.

I know what youre saying, but theres not much we can do. Weve just got to

make the best of it, yes? Adam was frowning, but his eyes were trying to look hopeful.

Eva couldnt hold onto any longer the question burning inside her. Adam, do you

know what it looks like outside?

I was able to take a glimpse earlier this weekafter work.

You did! she screamed, her eyes wide open. Her hand flew to cover her mouth,

as her eyes shot toward the hallway, hoping a guide hadnt heard her. She turned back to

him. How?

They cant watch us every second. I got a chance to take a different corridor

back to my room. Took some nerve though. Were not allowed to wander about. I saw a

window and managed to get a brief glimpse before they caught me.

What did they do?

Just ushered me back to my room. A bit roughly, I might say.

What did you see? Eva had to know what was out there. Is it as bad as they say

it is?

The land is brown, desolate. I saw no ice or snow.

Even browner than this? she asked, pointing to her drab uniform.

Every bit as brown, Adam said. Its madnessblooming madness.

Did you see anything else?

No. Didnt have time to take a good look.


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Oh, she said, sighing. Well, whatever it looks like, Id rather be outside than in

here.

We cant survive out there. They tell us that. Its really bad dangerous.

Are you sure? she asked in a quiet voice. Eva always questioned what people

told her. This came from her father, who didnt trust anyone, especially people who

worked for the government. While Evas mother was amazing and kind, Eva was more

attuned to her fathers outlook: seeing is believing and question everything people tell

you.

Why would they lie?

To keep us doing their work, Eva spat back. She felt herself getting angry, not

understanding how Adam could just accept what they said as truth.

What about all the storms we see? They cant fabricate that.

True, but when they snatched me away from my home they lost my trust

forever.

At least we have shelter, food, and clothing. Many people out there dont have

that.

Were prisoners though. As dreamy as Adam was, Eva continued to feel

bothered by how he so willingly accepted their lies. Perhaps the British enclosure

operated differently, but it didnt seem that different from what she had heard so far.

I jolly well think so, but it could be worse, he said, slightly raising his eyebrows.

Drudgery every day, cramped cells, then a little fish, and vegetables to survive

on, Eva said, scowling. This is not a vacation resort.


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Youre right there, he replied calmly. And yes, theyve got chains around our

necks, but are they the real tyrant?

What do you mean?

Think about it, Eva. The planet is the one punishing us all, not that we dont

deserve it. Most of us ignored the signs it was giving us for a good long while.

Adam, I have nothing. And I live in a concrete cage. All I have of my past life is

a box that I was allowed to take. We could each take one possession and my mom handed

me this box when they dragged me off.

Whats in it?

I dont know. Im afraid to open it, I guess. I keep putting it off until a day where

I think I might not be able to go on. Then Ill need to look inside.

Adam reached through the hole and touched Evas face, which made her weak in

the knees. I hope that day never comes. I can see how much you love your family.

Dont you love yours?

Yes, but were definitely different from yours.

That sounds lonely, Eva said.

Not lonely, just different.

Did you get to bring anything with you?

My cell, but it didnt work up here. Other than that, I brought a backpack with

paper, pens, and a pocketknife, but they took those things away, saying they werent

necessary for the mission

Helping the State, Eva interrupted, feeling sympathetic toward him but even

more anger toward governments.


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Yup. You know Adams words were halted by a sound that came from his

side of the wall. Gotta go. Tomorrow?

As Eva gave him a wholehearted yes, he covered his side of the hole. Hoping that

he would be okay and that their conversation had not been discovered or recorded, she

put the picture of the American flag in the hole on her side and slid her bed over to the

wall. Sighing as she lay down, she was nearly overcome with excitement about finding a

new friend and nervous that he might not be there the next night when she removed the

picture and waited for him. It was hard to fall asleep but eventually she drifted off

dreaming that she was Cinderella at the ball dancing with the prince.

Eventually morning arrived and her accustomed routine got under way. The day

was so long for Eva, torturing her because she couldnt stop thinking about what was

waiting for her once she got back to her room. It was her secret, her act of rebellion, and

she cherished it. Knowing her secret hole in the wall existed made her feel alive again

and more determined than ever to do something about the situation she was in. Shed just

have to be wise with her timing.

As soon as Eva returned to her room that evening, she went into her bathroom and

tried to do something with her hair. Then she moved her bed, slid the picture away, and

waited impatiently, staring at the back of a picture he had put in the wall on his side.

After a few long minutes, she heard his door clang shut and the shuffling of feet.

She stood on her side with bated breath, hardly able to contain her excitement. Two

seconds later, Adam removed the picture on his side and stood smiling at her.

Hello there, Eva, he said. She smiled back at him, captivated by that accent and

those merry dancing eyes.


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Hi Adam.

He paused and studied her. Then the two picked up in quiet conversation like

theyd known each other for more than just a night. This picture of the Queen fits in the

hole very nicely, he said, showing it to her.

I wonder why I was brought here, Eva said. I studied music and theatre,

nothing thats beneficial in this place.

They definitely need laborers and youre young, which means you can labor the

day away.

Dont they want to preserve the arts though?

Those are luxuries that have no place here.

I guess, but its a shame.

I must confess. You have me curious about whats in that box you brought with

you. I fear Im more nosey about it than you are.

Really?

Maybe its because youre so connected to your family. I want to understand that

better.

Well, lets take a look then, Eva said. With Adam near her, perhaps she didnt

have to fear what seeing inside the box might do to her state of mind.

As Eva dug under her bed for the decorative container of mysteries and memories,

she told Adam about how her mother had suggested that the items in the box could be

beneficial in helping her to get back to them some day.


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In a moment we will learn its secrets, Adam said in a voice filled with

expectancy. See, he said smiling at Eva, we can find excitement just by talking

through a small hole in the wall. Pretty grand, dont you think?

I suppose, but not as grand as being out there, Eva replied sadly, gesturing

toward her skylight.

With the box in her trembling hands, she opened it slowly. As Adam watched, she

pulled out a book and some letters. The letters appeared to be mostly from her

grandfather and she put her hand to her heart. She loved her grandfather so much and

hadnt seen him for over a year now. It had been difficult to see him the past few years

because of college and her father wanting to shield her from someone he called an

environmental extremist.

What have you got there? Adam asked excitedly.

Letters from my grandfather and a book about North American plants by

region.

I see, Adam said, looking puzzled.

My grandfather taught me a lot about nature and different plants. We used to go

camping and hiking all the time when I was little. It was so much fun.

Sounds nice, Adam said.

Evas eyes were bright, lit up with happy thoughts, as she talked about

grandfather. He had this hat he always wore. It was a large tan safari hat and as wed

hike along in nature, hed tell stories, using what was growing or lying around us to take

me on adventures of the mind. I just loved it.

Doesnt seem like something a theater and music girl would care for.


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Two sides to me, I guess, Eva said. Tell me about your family Adam.

I really dont know what happened to them. Like you, I lost contact with them

when I was sent up here. When I left the heavy rains were pounding the city, and the

wind blew so hard it knocked buildings down all over London.

Where do you think they ended up?

I dont know, maybe a shelter somewhere or maybe they stayed back in England.

Unlike most people, they had choices.

What do you mean?

Theyre rich.

Why didnt they keep you with them?

Dont know. You know what they saysurvival of the fittest. Maybe they

decided they were better off going it alone in England without me.

Theyd do that to you?

Were not quite ascloseas you and your family.

Eva shook her head. It was hard for her to imagine. So, they can survive in

England?

I dont know. All I know is that wealthy people like my parents have separation

anxiety not from people, mind you. They wouldnt part with their money for anything.

I definitely cant relate. All I know is that we didnt have much money, but we

had each other.

Then you had a lot.

Eva heard footsteps approaching in the hallway, and this time she raised a finger

to her lips. She hoped that a guide hadnt heard her talking. Shed done her best to be


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quiet. Sweat beaded on her forehead and her heart was pounding. When the sound in the

corridor faded, they both exhaled and just looked at each other. That was close.

Well, its time to say goodnight I think. I could talk all night, but it makes my

days rather long.

I understand, Eva.

Well, goodnight then.

Same to you, Adam said. Oh

Yes?

Sweet dreams, Eva.

Same to you. They put the pictures of the Queen and the flag in the wall on both

sides of their secret hole, and Eva slid her bed over and lay down in it, drifting off

thinking about Adam. She definitely was growing considerably more attached to him

than as just a friend. But how could it possibly be anything more? Doors, cement, and a

ban on conversation separated them. Yet, friendship was worth more than gold or

anything else to Eva. She was certain Adam felt the same way.


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Chapter 3

Life through a hole in the wall

How did you sleep? Adam asked.

It had been a long time since anyone had asked her that, and Eva smiled broadly

at her new friend through the rough-cut hole in the wall.

Im having the best sleep since I got here. And you?

Good, except for the sleepwalking. Ive done that a few times since I got here.

Where do you walk to?

Pretty much into the cement wall, which definitely wakes me up.

Evan couldnt help but laugh at the thought of it. Thats too bad, she said,

covering her mouth.

Yeah, I dont get too far.

Wouldnt it be great if they forgot to lock our doors one night?

Id say so, Adam said. Id love to take a walk about, even down dull cement

corridors.

Anything exciting recording things today?

Nohow about in the fish-gutting room, the one you say looks like a sporting

arena.

Someone got zapped and dragged away today. It happens often. Eva knew it

was deadly serious but she also knew she couldnt let it impact her the way it did at first.

Shed drive herself mad if she allowed it too.


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Thats gruesome. Sorry to hear about it.

You know, Im kind of envious of those peoples courage. Some days I think,

zap me and let me be done with this and other days I just stay focused on getting back

to my room to talk with you.

Well, please dont give in to getting zapped. Seeing you is the brilliant part of

my day. I dont want it to end, Adam said, his voice shaking slightly. He reached

through the hole and squeezed Evas hand, which she had raised to brush her hair back.

She hoped he wouldnt take it away. His touch was so nice, so warm. It was something

she longed for. Eva?

Hmmm

Before all thiswhat were your hopes and dreams?

I guess theyd seem frivolous now, but I wanted to be an actress or singer. Thats

all I ever dreamt of.

Maybe its not too late. If they find the solution, those things will come back,

right?

I hope so, Adam. I know for me, music is everything. It makes me happy when

Im sad. It calms me down when Im anxious. It gives my mind a break when Im driving

myself nuts.

Really? Thats what reading does for me. All Ive ever wanted to do was read,

maybe write a book, and teach children about the classics.

Why didnt you?

Didnt get the chance, plus my parents wanted me to go into the family

business.


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Whats that?

Oil, Adam whispered hoarsely. Eva looked at him and could see shame on his

face for saying it.

Why so guilty looking? That wasnt your choice. Many people made choices like

that, not knowing the repercussions, Id imagine.

You dont judge me for it?

No, wouldnt think of it. I know you and I see how good you are. Not to

mention, how much you mean to me.

Thanks. Adam gave her a quick smile and then looked down.

Sadly, another night came to an end all too soon. Eva slid her bed over,

but couldnt fall asleep. She eventually decided she would flip through the letters in the

box, remembering her mothers words. Now she had something to fight for and she

wanted to know what they said. If her mother had chosen for her to take those things over

anything else they must mean something. It was time to find out what. If there was a way

to help her escape, shed take Adam with her, and they could go outside together and take

on whatever madness came their way as a team. She knew it would work. As for Adam

agreeing to it, she had no choice aside from believing he would. She saw it in his eyes.

He was feeling the way she was, she told herself.

Eva lifted out a letter, one from her mother, and slowly opened it. The sound of

Adam moving his cot caught her attention and when he pulled the picture from his side of

the wall she peered in, waiting to see his beautiful smile.

Hey, you okay? he asked, looking fondly at her. I heard you doing something

in there.


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I was just about to read a letter from my mother. Want to listen?

If youre all right with it.

Eva nodded her head yes. Then she unfolded it and shared a few lines with him:I

am sorry, Eva. Your father and I tried to shield you as much as possible from your

grandfathers ideas, which seemed so different at the time. But as the weather worsened,

I came to agree with his conclusions, although your father didnt. Your grandfathers

written you many letters I want you to have. I think theyll help you in what you must do.

I know if you are reading this, you are gone but not forgotten for one second. We love

you and miss you so. We will see you again. I know it in my heart of hearts, sweet Eva.

She looked up and saw Adam grimacing. He spoke slowly, carefully weighing his

words. I know its the opposite point of view, but my parents told me the warming was a

story concocted by radicals, just a way to obtain research grants.

Eva nodded, not wanting to debate the point with him. She felt differently and

nothing he said was going to change that. Her grandfather was not some wacky extremist.

She set her mothers note down and pulled out a letter from her grandfather. A newspaper

clipping was attached to it. Would you like to hear this?

Sure, Adam said, frowning slightly. Eva could not imagine how the letter would

strike him. But his willingness to listen meant he had an open mind, she thought.

Eva read the letter aloud. Your parents dont listen to me, but I keep sending

clippings. She opened the attached news article.May 1, 2009. People said the wildfires

on the Australian coast came earlier in the season this year, and they were worse than

ever. Thirty thousand people were driven from their homes. Eva looked up at Adam,

whose face did not reveal what he was thinking. Then grandfather goes on in his note to


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meaning, as I have. Evas blue eyes sparkled with excitement, and she stared perplexedly

at Adam, whom she could tell was trying hard to suppress a chuckle.

Hes come up with a secret formula that the best scientific minds in the world

have not? Adam questioned, keeping a straight face. Doesnt seem too likely.

Its very likely, she retorted. You dont know him! Eva was mad and

although she kept her voice down, it showed her anger.

Look, Im not trying to upset you. But youve got to look at things logically.

All I can tell you is that when grandfather says something that sounds out there it

is still thought through and not just said on a whim.

So what is his secret solution?

I dont know. The letter is torn off at the bottom. Probably by my father.

Look, I know your family means a lot to you. However, I kind of agree with my

parents on this. The melting of polar ice, rising sea levels, and weather disasters were

natural phenomena.

Maybe. Who can know for sure? But look at whats happened to us as a result.

Maybe what has happened was bound to happen anyway, he said. From my

parents perspective, fighting the tide of nature would have made no difference in the

end.

But what do you think? she asked, looking him straight in the eye.

I think youd make a jolly good debater, he said seriously, and what I know is

were stuck here. Im glad youre next to me and I plan to make the most of it. Whether it

was man-made or occurred naturally doesnt matter now.


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Well, I think we could have made a difference, she declared, and then she

breathed in, trying to calm her thumping heart. He may be good looking, but Adam had

her ticked off at the moment.

I would like to think you are right, Adam offered appeasingly, now smiling

sympathetically through the concrete. It was obvious to him that what he had said had

upset her.

Eva didnt want to debate any more. Tears streaked her cheeks. How could

everything have gone so wrong? she cried.

I dont know, but it happened faster than any of us ever could have imagined.

One day we were safe in our homes and the next we found ourselves up here.

I dont get why scientists didnt see it coming earlier. If grandfather did, they

should have.

They did but no one paid attention to them, Adam said. He closed his eyes and

then opened them a few moments later. I read in the library that in the summer of 2012

scientists were astonished when Arctic sea ice hit a record low.

Astonished? Eva gasped, scrunching up her face. So even they didnt fully

grasp how fast things were deteriorating.

Carefully observing her look of distress, Adam wanting to let her know he wasnt

against her, just trying to understand her point of view. He reached through the jagged

hole and touched her face tenderly, making Eva temporarily forget what shed been

thinking. She needed that more than she ever could have realized. She put her hand up to

his hand, showing she didnt want him to take it away.


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computer or cell phone. Until I was eighteen, he continued to write letters to me and they

always included a Spanish lesson in them.

He was kind of like a private tutor, then.

Exactly, Eva said, smiling brightly. Thoughts of her grandfather always did that

to her.

Thats nice. Adam looked a bit lost as he spoke those words and it didnt go

unnoticed by Eva.

Tell me something about your life, Adam, she said softly.

At my parents insistence, I studied economics and finance at university. It was a

far cry from my first love, literature, but I did it nonetheless, saving literature for my late

night wind down.

That must have been hard.

Yes, but it doesnt matter now. At least now I get to teach some of the younger

ones here a day a week or so.

You do? Thats wonderful. Waityou have kids there?

Yes.

We dont here. Not that Ive seen anyway.

Now I wish I would have had the courage to go against the grain and not be so

fearful of doing what I was supposed to do. Everythings easier in hindsight though.

My parents worked hard to pay for what we had but they also encouraged me to

do what I was passionate about, Eva said. I worked after school to help them and saved

up to pay for my one year of college before everything went out of control.

I admire that a lot. Must have been tough.


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Sometimes, but not always. It gave everything more purpose and

meaningknowing what it took to get what I wanted.

You had a much harder life, he admitted, shaking his head.

Because it was late and they were both tired, they said good night. As Eva lay

quietly staring at the skylight in her room, she felt drained. But she couldnt fall asleep.

She saw herself back with her parents and grandfather. In her minds eye, her parents and

her grandfather were sharing a festive moment with her around the dinner table on her

seventh birthday. They were all laughing at their hesitancy to eat the princess cake in

front of them. Several layers of cake covered in pink frosting formed the beautiful gown

of a doll. The top was made of pink icing and it was so magical, so beautiful. Eventually

they dove in after Eva finally had the courage to put a smudge in the icing gown with her

finger, making them all break out into laughter. Then theyd gone into the living room,

where grandfather picked her up and held her tightly, saying arriba. The only way she

could get down would be to reply abajo. Her parents smiled. They had seen this

particular Spanish lesson before. That happy scene faded from her mind, and she fell into

a fitful sleep. When she awoke the next morning, she groaned, realizing where she was.

It was time for work again. Eva gutted fish that morning and tossed them into the

pots as usual, but her mind was a million miles away. She couldnt stop thinking about

that seventh birthday party with her parents and grandfather. Thats the way birthdays

and life should be remembered for all the children on the planet. This new world didnt

seem like it would offer such warm memories and recollections ever again. That deeply

saddened her.


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In the afternoon Eva received a big surprise. She got to work in the greenhouse.

No gutting fish for the rest of the day. She couldnt wait to tell Adam.

He was so happy for her, as happy as if shed just received the job of her dreams.

In a way it wasthe dream job for her at the enclosure.

The greenhouse was enormous like everything else here, Eva said, excited to

talk about her experience that day that was so different from every other day for her.

They have several climate rooms for different veggies and fruit.

The food that winds up on your plate.

Someones plate. Not mine. It looked much tastier than the dried fruit and small

serving of greens that I get.

Really? Adam said, sounding to Eva very British because of the way he

pronounced that particular word.

Uh huhon the way to the greenhouse, I looked into other enormous rooms.

One was a laundry room filled with a cloud of steam. Heat hit my face when I passed by.

Inside sweating men and women were stuffing loads of uniforms into big round wa

empty earth, a novel by rick mcmanus, first three chapters

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