Break the chains

Centrepoint, formerly known as New York City, 2075

Luna peeked out of the manhole cover, knowing it was such a risk. So much risk and for what? Her first glimpse above ground since she'd come into this world. She was 16 years old and the underground was all she'd ever seen.

With that single glance, she knew this couldn't be it. This wasteland of crumbled concrete. This once Mecca of civilization. There had to be more. But what would more look like? She didn't even know what that meant--more. New York City. This version was all she had ever known beyond the stories Sara had told her. And in fact, she had only ever seen the tunnels, caves, and catacombs of the Watchers home.

She stared down at the silver locket---heart shaped---and it almost broke her. She hadn't had it in her to open it up and didn't dare show anyone. She quickly tucked it back in her pocket. That locket had pushed her. Pushed her into thinking and wondering. Dreaming.

So she'd snuck away from her tunnel patrols with Cliff--he'd cover for her if he could. But she didn't have much time left. She had to get back. And couldn't afford to get caught above ground by the Reapers.

She slid the manhole cover back into place and shimmied down the ladder, made sure she was still alone and silently ran back to meet up with Cliff as if she'd never left her duty as a Watcher.

Later that night, tucked into her bed roll, Luna looked over all the other girls in the room. All sleeping in various forms of “furniture” although you could use the term loosely. We held a part of the underground that was located right under what used to be some fancy hotel---the Waldorf they called it. But it hadn't been that for almost three decades. But we were lucky because over the years we’d been able to bring down supplies, more than most of the other Watcher circles. There were 10 of us girls in the room. Soon it would be just nine as I wasn’t supposed to be there at this point. I was 16. That meant being chosen---chosen as a concubine to a Watcher elder.

I pulled out the locket and wondered. Why had Sara given this to me? Had she known she was going to die? Sara had been adamant no one ever know about it and I had never seen it until that day Sara disappeared. Jonathan--our Watcher elder had said another Watcher circle had needed her more than we did. But I knew that wasn’t true. I’d managed to keep that thought to myself though. Sara would never have left without saying goodbye. She never would have given me the locket so secretly, in such a rush, if she hadn’t known. She couldn’t have any children. Once women stopped being able to have more babies, they were “relocated” as the elders called it. Once we turned 16, that’s all we were good for. They took us off patrol rotations of the underground and we were mated to an elder to have as many babies as possible until we couldn’t anymore and take care of the children. Most of the babies didn’t make it. Our supplies were limited. Some of the other Watcher circles had the ability to grow food underground but we weren't one of them. Ours had the healers though. So we all traded---the circles. We bartered and stayed alive.

I'd been given a reprieve from the mating to an elder because of Sara’s “departure”. But it was coming. Jonathan wouldn't stop staring at me. I knew he wanted me. Rarely did a girl stay within her circle for the mating. But I knew I would be staying.

I glanced around the room again to make sure I was the only one awake. I had snuck my flashlight from patrols into bed with me. I turned it on under the covers and slid the locket out from under my pillow. It was about half the size of my palm, silver with an engraving on it. Espoir it said. Hope in French. I was fortunate---I knew how to read. Of all of us born underground, most knew very little about the world before the Silencing. Sara had taught me lots of things, but oh so secretly. How to read, maps of the above ground and Earth before we were forced underground, math, basic science principles. She had mixed in the teachings with chores and cleaning and she'd always been so adamant to never tell anyone about my skills. I'd become an excellent actress---hiding what I knew about signs and maps from the Watchers.

Shaking my head a little, I turned my attention outward to the locket. I had expected a picture of Sara or her family or something similar. What I didn't expect was a folded up piece of paper. As I unfolded it, I had a sense of anticipation that made my nerves tingle. The paper wasn't bigger than four inches square. On one side was a map of how to get out of New York City via hidden tubes under what used to be the George Washington Bridge. Now it was a collapsed pile of concrete and metal in the Hudson River. I was confused. As far as I had known, there was no way in or out of the city except by air. The only safety we had was being silent and unseen underground. The map took a path across lower New York State where it eventually met up with a small town on the Delaware River, Narrowsburg.

I flipped the paper over and read the words.

"Luna---you have to escape. If you're mated you will die. The leaders will breed you until you have nothing left to give. The above ground is NOT what we've been led to believe. Yes there was a silencing---the plague that destroyed most of us. But above ground there are good people. It is not all bad. The Watchers are not the good people in this. I don't think I will make it, but my family had a cabin in the country in New York. It was right on the River. Beautiful. My favorite place. If you can get there you can be free. Follow this route and do not take anyone with you. You'll never make it unless you're alone. I taught you everything I could to keep you safe. Your mother asked me to before she was taken and killed. Please do this for both of us. Run. Be free like we couldn't."

I heard a rustling next to me and quickly turned off the flash light. I was stunned and couldn't even begin to process what Sara---the only mother I had ever known--had left me before she was taken and destroyed much like my biological mother. Was it possible for me to leave? If I did it would have to be in the next couple of days. Jonathan wouldn't wait much longer. I quietly folded the map back up, tucked it into the locket and gently closed it. Drifting off to sleep I wondered what my life could be if I escaped.

The next morning as I dressed for breakfast followed by patrols of the tunnels all day, I took stock of what I would need to gather over the next day and how I could do it. We all had small packs on patrols, so I could slip supplies in here and there throughout my day. Inventories were taken on any supplies at the end of the week so I should be okay on that score. Throughout the day I snuck food, basic medical supplies, and smaller weapons into my pack. Before the end of my rotation I was able to hide it all along my route in an alcove near the old hotel entrance from the tunnels.

As I crawled back into bed that night I mentally mapped out my route. I knew I would be able to sneak through the tunnels to the northern end of the city and what used to be Central Park. After that I'd have to go above ground to get to the bridge tubes. But I knew I could do it. It was just me. No one else to worry about and nothing else to lose.

The next morning I rolled out of bed and prepared like any other morning. I was calm, steady even. I slid my meager possessions into my pack and left the dorm for the last time. After breakfast, Cliff and I were on rotation together again. We were quiet for awhile. He looked at me and said, “you're going to go above ground again today aren't you?” I looked him straight in the eye and said, “no, actually I'm not feeling well and am heading straight to the dorm to rest.” He just stared at me for what seemed like an eternity and took my hand, squeezing it, and said “right.” I turned and started a silent jog to head uptown and west---the opposite directions of the dorm room. He had turned away at this point.

I slowly and steadily made my way through the tunnels, picking up my stored supply stash and listening for other patrols. It took me until the next day to make it to the end of the tunnel system. I'd gotten really lucky. Let’s see if my luck held out.

I climbed the ladder to the manhole cover and slid it open. It was pitch dark as I quietly climbed out and put the cover back. There was silence. No movement. As I looked up at the sky, all I saw was a bright full moon. Was it an omen? Given my name, maybe. Maybe not. I could see the Hudson River from where I stood and made my way towards it and then slowly jogged north towards the bridge. Towards freedom. I didn't know if I would make it to that little cabin upstate, but it wouldn't be for lack of trying. And I damn well wouldn't be a slave to some broken group of men that had taken advantage of a sickness across our world decades ago. I would fight, in my quiet, steady, way to break the chains my mother and Sara couldn't.