The Grounders Part 2

“What is going on?” President Hardthorne shouted as she entered the security office. She walked over to one station.

“It looks like five people have escaped to the surface Mrs. President” the woman in front of the screen told her. The footage showed the escape. She looked closer.

“Is that Ezra?” she asked quietly.

“I believe so” the woman said.

“My Son has been kidnapped!”

“We don’t think so” Benson, the head of security said.

“How so?” President Hardthorne asked.

“It was your code that was inputted to open the door, we believe that Ezra took it from your office.”

“Not only that” the woman at the screen said “but he also raided the archives for supplies before he escaped with four women.”

“We don’t know their names yet but once we do, we will get them to you” Benson said.

“Elodie!” President Hardthorne said

“Excuse me Mrs. President”

“The one in the Pink is called Elodie. Ezra’s first choice. The other three I don’t know” she told Benson.

“President Hardthorne” A man in black uniform said

“General Callahan” President Harthorne turned to face him “my son Ezra and his future fiancée have been kidnapped and taken to the surface by these three” she pointed at the screen, the escape playing on a loop.

“We don’t know that for sure Mrs. President” Benson said.

“Treat it as a kidnapping for now” she told Callahan “And bring them back” she left the security office.

“I will need that footage” Callahan said to the woman behind the screen.

She looked and nodded glancing the gun attached to his waist.

“I will have it to your office in the next thirty minutes.”

Callahan nodded and walked out.

“Things are about to get a bit more interesting around here” Benson said waking away.

The woman’s colleague looked at her.

“Do you think they were kidnapped?” he asked.

“No. Knowing Elodie she would have gone willingly” she looked at her colleague “She’s always wanted to run away to the surface.”

 

The sun shone brightly in the sky. They had stopped for a quick break and a drink of the water Ezra had packed in the rucksacks.

“It doesn’t seem like much had changed out here, does it?” Marisol asked

“No, it doesn’t” Elodie replied “It looks like the asteroids never hit” she stood up and looked out at the horizon.

“It has been 300 years since the strike” Ezra said. He looked around “Come on, we need to find some shelter for tonight.

    They carried on walking. They had all taken off the coats as they were getting really warm.

“Do you think anyone survived?” Nadira asked.

“Maybe, who knows we will find out soon enough” Elodie told her. “Let’s look out for a road it should hopefully take us to somewhere with shelter.”

They walked a few more hours before coming down hill towards a three-lane road with a white derelict house in the middle off it. They stepped over the metal barrier on the side of the road and made the way over.

“It’s empty” Dora said when they got there.

“Of course it is its derelict” Elodie told her.

“Is that another road?” Nadira asked looking at the other side. Ezra made is way over and climbed up. The others followed. It was indeed another road with three lanes.

“Oh, it’s a motorway” Elodie said “The is one side and that’s the other” she pointed to the road they had walked over first.

“If this is a motorway when where are all the cars?” Marisol asked

“Maybe they don’t have any anymore or very few making it nowhere near as busy as it was 300 years ago or as it seems practically empty” Ezra said. Elodie walked over to the other side of the motorway.

“Wow!” she exclaimed

“What is it?” Ezra asked

“An Asteroid” she told them. They joined her and looked. Sitting in a body of water was one of the asteroids that hit the earth 300 years before.

“It’s not as big as I’d thought it would be” Dora said

“It probably was bigger but years of corrosion and not to mention entering the earth’s atmosphere properly contributed to the size it is now” Ezra told them. They looked at him.

“What, I paid attention in science. Come on it’s getting dark we’ll camp out in this farm tonight then continue tomorrow.”

    Once they settled for the night, Ezra took out a little camp stove and a gas carton and made them all something to eat. Once it was dark they settled in sleeping bags that had been in one of the rucksacks they had brought.

 

Meanwhile, Callahan made his way to military meeting room. A team had been assembled and he was ready to brief them.

“The situation as it stands, Ezra Hardthorne has been kidnapped along with the woman he is to propose marriage too, Elodie, by these three woman, Marisol, Nadira and Pandora. All have gone to the barren surface world” he pressed a button in front of him revealing the CCTV footage of the escape.

“This is them leaving earlier today. They can’t have gotten far.”

The team of solders watch with puzzled looks. Some were whispering to each other.

“What seem to be the problem” Callahan addressed. They all hesitated.

“It’s just, it doesn’t look like Ezra Hardthorne was kidnapped” one said

“It looks like he went willingly.” Another finished.

Callahan rewatch the footage again, this time he watched it properly and realised Ezra had gone willingly. He was the one who gave them the coats, who brought the rucksacks and even put one on. He spoke into a communicator on his wrist.

“Benson, I need the last person who logged on to the archives.”

“Getting it for you now, sir” Bensons voice came back. There were a few minutes silence.

“E.Hardthore, sir.” Benson said

“Which E, Ezra or Eric.”

“It doesn’t specify but I will get you the CCTV footage for the archives and have it sent up to you.”

“Thank you, Benson,” Callahan looked at his team. All had descended in to conversation again. Before he could call them back to attention, he caught the chat between the two nearest to him.

“No way I have lived in the same compartment as Elodie for years I’ve seen all three of those girls come and go, they were good friends. There is no way they would have kidnapped her.” The woman stopped and looked up at Callahan sitting to attention. Everyone noticed her and did the same. There was a voice in the communicator.

“It was Ezra, I have already told President Hardthorne that Ezra was the one who raided the archives before they left” Benson said.

“Thank you, Benson,” Callahan said. He looked back at his team.

“Until we have more information, we are to treat this as a kidnapping, President Hardthorne has instructed us too.” Callahan continued his brief.

“And what of their families?” The woman who had sat to attention first said

“They have been informed but….” He looked shameful “unfortunately Effie, the families of Marisol, Nadira and Pandora are under house arrest.”

“Are you kidding?” Effie stood up “They probably know nothing about any of this, they are most likely as much in the dark as we are”

“I know. But when President Hardthorne gives me an order, I have to follow it. She wanted them held in prison but I was able to negotiate house arrest for them” He looked at her sombre “I need you to lead the search team. I know you will able to track them and be fair with them. We need to find out what is really going on, why it is they left. We know now no one was forced but until we have the full story it will be classed as a kidnapping”

Effie nodded and left to ready a search team.

 

Elodie was the first to wake the next morning. It was another bright sunny day and she made her way up to the road to have another look at the asteroid. The sky was clear blue. After a while looking at the asteroid, she heard a noise. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was but it kept getting louder and lauder. She made her way into the middle of the road. In the distance she saw something coming towards her. She couldn’t make it out until it was nearly to late. It was a vehicle of some sort and it was heading straight towards her. In a slight panic Elodie managed to launch herself out of the way and hit the metal side railing. The vehicle, a pickup truck screech to a holt.

    Getting out of the front passenger seat was a woman not much older than Elodie with long dark bushy wavy hair. She was wearing cropped jeans, boots and a strap top. She ran over to Elodie.

“Are you alright?” she asked. Elodie stumbled up.

“Yes, sorry I didn’t realise how fast you were going.”

“Well, we are on a motorway 70mph speed limit though lots of people tend to do about 100 or more. No speed camera anymore is there” the woman said.

“Isn’t there?” Elodie asked

“No, not for about three centuries, where have you been living?” the woman asked

“Underground” Elodie replied. The woman surveyed her and what she was wearing.

“Oh. You’re a grounder” she stated “Never thought I’d ever meet one of your lot.”

“What’s a grounder?” Elodie asked but before the woman could answer Ezra and he other three appeared.

“Get away from her” Ezra shouted pointing a small gun at the woman.

“Don’t point your bloody gun at me jackass, I was only making sure she was ok, after all she is stood in the middle of a motorway” she told Ezra. Another person got out of the pickup truck and came running over. He had a bigger shot gun in his hand.

“Easy Max” the woman said. Max lowered his gun.

“You going to lower yours as well” the woman said the Ezra. He lowered his gun.

“You, grounders have a lot to learn”

“What are grounders?” Ezra asked

“It’s what us surface people call you lot who were lucky enough to get a place in the world underground when the asteroids first hit” she told then, a tone to her voice “you must have had a real easy life down there”

“In some respects, but at least you get to marry who you want” Nadira retorted “and you get to wear great clothes while we have to wear the same metallic colour day on day out”

Then why are you all wearing different colours?” Max asked

“It depends what compartment you live in, we all like in different compartments so we wear different colours” Nadira continued

“So why did you leave your cushy life behind?” the woman asked.

“It’s not as cushy as you think” Elodie said “but we ran away. We wanted more freedom and the awful man who wanted Nadira’s hand in marriage finally gave us the courage to do it”

“So, this man who wanted your friend’s hand just gets it does he like it’s the 18^th century or something like that” the woman said

“Yes, this time of year every year the woman who have all turned 18 are presented to the president with all the men who have turned 21 watching on then they get to choose who their bride is. We can refuse but no one has ever dared. We have no idea what the repercussions would be” Elodie told her.

“A few rumours have gone around like the whole family being moved to the worst compartments or not being fed properly or the woman in question being forced into marriage or there was one around 150 years a go of someone being killed for refusing but there is no evidence to support it” Dora said.

“That one is just a rumour, it never happened” Ezra told her.

“So, you have no intention of going back then” the woman asked

“Not if we can help it” Marisol said

“Well, you better get in then, the least Max and I can do is offer you a place to stay. I’m Beth by the way” Beth introduced herself. Everyone else introduced themselves and the packed up their stuff and get into the pickup truck. Max and Ezra sat outside in the back strapping themselves in with harnesses. Beth drove on.

    “So where do you live” Dora asked

“On a farm in East Yorkshire” Beth told them.

“Cool, what kind of farm?” Elodie asked.

“Produce farm, it does ok but it’s just me and my bother and a farm hand whenever he gets the chance to come help”

“Is your brother Max?” Nadira asked.

“Yes, he is”

“Why you asking? Go a little crush, have we?” Marisol teased

“No, I was just asking” Nadira told her going a little red.

“Well, we have a few hours before we get there so you may as well it back a relax and with those two in the back, I’m having to drive a bit slower” Beth told them.

Elodie looked out of the window.

“It’s so beautiful up here” she said more to herself but Beth turned to look at her.

“Never see the outside world, have you?”

“Nope, just pictures” Elodie replied “I can’t wait to start our new lives.”                       

The Grounders Part 1

Preparations where on the way for the new woman who had come of age over the past year. A new influx of 18-year-olds where to be presented to be wed. President Maylynn Hardthorne had been overseeing all the preparations since the beginning of the summer. As she walked down the corridor to her office, her assistant was giving her an update on the official ceremony.

“And your eldest son Ezra will get first pick this year as he is also of age.”

“Hopefully the crop of women will be above average this year” Maylynn replied entering her office. A crowd of men surrounded the desk in the clean metal room. Maylynn sat at her glass and metal desk.

“Gentleman” the room fell quiet. Maylynn took a moment to take in the room. Her government consisted of all men, the only other women in the room was her assistant. All wore metallic jumpsuit except the women who wore metallic dresses. Maylynn and her assistant wore different colours, Maylynn gold and her assistant purple and silver whilst the men, steel grey with trim the colour of the compartment they lived in. Maylynn’s assistant lived in compartment E so wore a metallic purple whilst the male counterparts wore metallic steel grey with purple trim.

    After her moment Maylynn begun,

“The preparations for the new influx of brides are complete and this year will mark the 300^th anniversary of the asteroids that unexpectedly hit the earth killing nearly all of the human population. Those ancestor of ours who were lucky enough to make the cut to live down here have created a safe and fair society for us to flourish in. At the end of the debutants week there will be a ceremony to remember this time and those who were lost during one of the most terrible times of our history.”

Everyone agreed.

 

As the meeting went on the debutant brides were preparing for their big entrances. Elodie who had turned 18 in June looked out of her window down on to the hall where she would be presented to the eligible bachelors to marry and start a life of what her and her friends called old fashioned servitude.

“Hey Elodie” Nadira came through her bedroom door.

“Hey” she replied. Nadira turfed the contents of her make up bag on Elodie’s bed.

“Hoping you’ll become a spinster” Nadira asked.

“What do you think” she replied “why is President Hardthorne still putting us women through all this, I though the whole point was to move forwards not move backwards. We may as well be living in the 16^th century.”

“What being pursued by Henry VIII” Nadira laughed.

“I hope I find someone from my own compartment I’m that pale I think metallic pink is the only colour I can pull off.”

The bedroom door opened again and their two other friends Marisol and Dora walked in.

“Couldn’t help over hearing but don’t forget that Ezra Hardthorne gets first pick this year” Dora told them, her red curly hair was up in a messy bun. Marisol’s chocolate brown hair hung down her back.

“Dame, I forget he had turned 21” Elodie sighed. Men came of age at 21 whilst woman came of age at 18.

“And on the subject of President Hardthorne, she is power hungry, anything to keep things her way” Nadira said.

“Do you think she killed her husband?” Marisol asked.

“Of course she did, he was an awful person, not that she’s any better.”

Nadira opened Elodie’s draw and found a book on the surface world before the asteroid hit.

“Are you still obsessed with the surface world Elodie; you know there is nothing there now I don’t even think it habitable”

“Well, I wish we lived before the asteroids hit, all the fashion, the careers women could have, falling in love with who you want, not having to wear the same metallic colour all the time” Elodie took the book and flicked through it and sighed “if the rumours are true, I’m going to feel so sorry for the woman who ends up with Ezra.”

“I think the rumours started because of his parents; they have never been nice people themselves” Dora said as she sifted through Nadira’s make up.

“Can I borrow your eye shadow for tomorrow?” she asked.

“Sure” Nadira said.

 

The day ended quicky and soon they were up and getting ready for the rest of their lives. Elodie, Nadira, Marisol and Dora all entered the side room.

“Pandora, you look beautiful” Dora’s dad said’

“Thank you, but please don’t call me Pandora.”

“Pandora is your given name and that is what I will call you” he said.

Dora sighed.

“Come on or we will be late” Dora’s mother said.

They all walked through the bright steal spaceship looking corridors. Door opening automatically as they stepped towards them. Dora’s mother filled into the massive hall as Dora and her father joined all the other dads and daughters in a side room whilst the expectant grooms where all in another side room. They would stand on the balcony looking down into the hall and watching as each woman was presented to President Hardthorne.

   One by one every father, or mother in the case the father wasn’t around, presented their daughter to the President just like they use to in the Regency era. Ezra stood next to his mother’s throne like chair silently inspecting each girl. 

    Elodie in a lowcut short dress with a slit up one of her legs her mother had insisted she wear was presented halfway through, Ezra looked taken aback a little.

“Wait” he said as Elodie and her father started to move off. They stopped. Nadira in a skin tight long dress with a train looked stunned. She had been presented earlier and was now standing in the crowed.

“Thank you” Ezra said after a few minutes. They moved off and stood with the rest of the crowd. Elodie and Nadira gave each other a worried look.

 

After the presentation was over, Elodie and Nadira found the other two and told them what happened.

“Wait, Ezra has taken a liking to you?” Dora asked.

“Yes, what am I going to do?” Elodie replied panicked.

“Marry him” Marisol said.

“Marisol” Nadira said she looked up “here he comes.”

“Elodie” Ezra said. He was tall and handsome and very well spoken.

“Hello Ezra” Elodie replied “you look very dashing” she complemented.

“And you look very beautiful, though I wasn’t expecting to see your in something quit low cut.”

“My mother insisted” she told him.

“Well, there was no need for it” he told her. As he spoke Nadira jumped as a man groped her bum.

“What are you doing?” she snapped.

“Just getting feel, very plump.”

“Ben that is no way to treat a woman” Ezra told him.

“Oh, what would you know fancy boy, you need to know what it is you are getting; you don’t want a frump do you” he told him.

“You are without a doubt the worst man I have ever come across” Nadira told him moving away from him.

“Well, you’re in my top three love and if I choose you, you can’t say no.”

“Yes, she can” Ezra told him “There is nothing that says a woman can’t reject a marriage proposal if she wants to.”

“Well, there should be and that will be the first thing I am changing when I” he put emphasis on the I “become president” and he stalked off.

“I really hope no one votes for him” Dora said.

“I certainly won’t” Ezra said.

 

The next week was filled with many dates and getting to know you sessions, Elodie couldn’t help but gush about Ezra.

“I can’t help it” she said to two of her friends one evening “he just seems so different to what I was expecting. He’s so kind and respectful.”

“If this isn’t an acted to get you to like him” Dora said.

“I hope not, that would be such a disappointment.”

“You learned anything interesting about him?” Marisol asked.

“Nothing that we didn’t already know, except he loves to read, and can’t stand his mother and the kind of person he is.”

“So, no deal breakers yet?” Dora teased

“No Dora not as of yet if there are any that is”  

“Has anyone seen Nadira?” Marisol asked

“A date with Ben again” Dora said “her father’s been chaperoning her” she added to stop them worrying.

Nadira’s father approached them shorty after this statement.

“Have you seen Nadira?” he asked frantic.

“No” Elodie replied

“We thought she was with you on her date with Ben” Dora said

“She never showed up, now we can’t find her” he said worryingly

“We’ll help you look for her” Marisol said.

They spent hours running round the corridors, weaving in and out of people going about their day. Each friend checked their own compartment but to no avail. They checked their hang out spots, they checked the communal canteen and the garden area. Nothing. After 24 hours there was no sign of Nadira.

“My mother is going to go mad when she finds out” Ezra told Elodie. He had joined the search when Elodie told him.

“What do we do then?”

“No Idea. My mother has been running a tight ship since my father died, she thinks this system works even though it doesn’t. All she’s done, all any of our presidents have done is take the human race backwards and destroy all the human race had evolved too before the astride strike”

“You like history?” Elodie asked.

“I love it.”

“Me too.”

“Oh, will you two stop flirting” a voice said. Elodie and Ezra turned around

“Nadira, there you are, where have you been?” Elodie grabbed her friend and hugged her.

“Trying to find the exit out of here”

“Wait what?” Elodie looked shocked  

“I need your book?” Nadira told Elodie

“What book”       

“Your book about the surface world”

“Nadira that’s just a history book, it won’t help you up on the surface, and why do you want to leave anyway?”

“I am not marrying Ben, no way. He’s the only man who has paid me any attention and I’m not doing it, I’d rather take my chances on the surface” Nadira told them “Meet me by the exit with your book in twenty minutes, it’s by the archives” she ran off again through the crowd.

“Nadira!” Elodie shouted but she was gone.

“What do we do now?” Ezra asked

“I need to find the other two maybe they can help me change her mind.”

“Ok I’ll meet you at the exit I need to do something first”

Elodie looked at him worried.

“Don’t worry I’m not going to tell my mother or anyone else” he kissed her before leaving.

 

Elodie found Marisol looking very glum,

“Marisol there you are, what’s wrong?” she asked

“My date asked the other woman to marry him” Marisol said

“Oh, Mari I’m so sorry”

“It’s ok I can be a lonely spinster with Dora now”

“Don’t say that you’ll both get another chance” Elodie consoled her “Anyway we need to find Dora now, I found Nadira and she says she’s leaving for the surface”

“What!” Marisol shrieked.

They ran off and found Dora and headed for the exit to stop Nadira

“Nadira stop, you can’t leave” Elodie said

“Why not, I hate this place and I can’t marry Ben”

“We know, we all hate this place but we have no idea what the surface is like, it may not even be habitable” Elodie told her

“I know but I can’t stay here, I can’t, I’m sorry but I have to go” Nadira was starting to panic tears ran down her cheeks

“I’m coming with you” Marisol said. Everyone looked at her

“Really?” Nadira said with a weak smile

“Yes. I’ve just been rejected and why not, they system down here is broken and wrong, I’d much rather be single and taking my chances up there with my friends” she turned to look at Dora and Elodie.

“I’m in” Dora said. Elodie hesitated.

“I don’t know” she said

“But you’ve always wanted to escape to the surface world” Nadira said

“I know but…Ezra”

“Another thing we have in common” Ezra said as he approached arms ladened with stuff. He dropped them on the floor and started handing out coats.

“Put these on” he told them “And carry these” he handed them boxes with straps on them

“What are these?” Marisol asked

“Gas masks just in case”

“You really want to escape to the surface?” Elodie asked

“Yes, we can live free of this placed of all it rules and regulation. We can breathe the fresh air and run in the grass. We will find shelter and take it from there” he told them.

Elodie smiled at him.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“A hundred percent.”

“But your mother”

“What about her, I’ve tried time and time again to get her to change things down here but to no avail. I have thought about running away a number a times but always held back for some unknown reason” he looked at Elodie “Now I do, you. You deserve more than what is down here”

Elodie looked at him, then the others.

“Ok. Let’s do it, let’s get out of here.”

     They put on the coats Ezra has given them and changed their heels for boots. Dora offered to carry one of the rucksacks Ezra has brought with him. Once they where ready Ezra put a code on to a key pad.

“We need to move fast get as far away from the exit as possible, an alarm will go off alerting everyone that someone is escaping. And stick together” Ezra told them “There will be no going back. Ready”

They all nodded determined to be free. Ezra pressed a button and the doors began to open. In an instant the alarm went off.

“Doors opening” an automated voice said

“Doors opening” it kept saying  

“Go” Ezra shouted over the noise. They began to run. Steep steps lead up to another door. They could hear voices shouting wondering what was going on As the second door opened, they saw the bright blue sky. Wisps of cloud dotted about.

“What is that” Dora asked

“It’s the sky” Elodie told her “It’s blue just like it is in the book” she said surprised.

As they ran thought he door it closed behind them. They looked up taking in the view.

“It’s beautiful” Elodie said. Hills and trees starched out before them.

“Come one, we have to keep moving” Ezra told them. They set off towards the horizon and into the unknown.