The Sun No Longer Rises

Year: 2135.

The sun no longer rises over Earth.

After the last massive solar storm, the ozone layer was completely destroyed. Humanity now lives deep underground in cities known as “New Undercities.” One such city, Enclave-7, lies 15 kilometers beneath the surface. Artificial light, filtered air, hydroponic farms, and constant surveillance have replaced the sky, the breeze, the soil.

Silva, a 17-year-old girl who has never seen the sun, lives in a corner of Enclave-7. She has only heard tales, tales of sunshine, golden dawns, and trees that sway in the breeze. She thinks these stories are science fiction. Her father works as a "Data Recovery Engineer," tasked with retrieving pre-collapse images and videos from the old world. Silva frequently observes these relics, including the sea, children playing in grassy fields, and clouds drifting across a bright sky. A strange ache builds inside her every time. A yearning.

Then, one day, a rumor spreads like wildfire through the underground net:

“The Sun is returning.”

At first, it's dismissed. A single forum post claims someone saw strange light above ground. People call it a glitch, or madness. But then, a few birds—canaries genetically engineered for air toxicity detection—escape their artificial enclosures and fly upwards. Surprisingly, they don’t die.

Scientists analyze the data. The surface radiation has begun to decrease.

Silva’s heart races. Could it be true? Could the surface be healing?

Her father warns her, "It’s still too soon. That might have been an accident. There's still danger up there."

But doubt begins to gnaw at Silva. Not fear—hope.

The Forbidden Journey

Silva decides to see the truth for herself. She sneaks out one night with a gas mask, a backpack filled with filters, protein cubes, and a salvaged smartpad. Vent Exit 34, an abandoned emergency access tunnel, was her final destination. She climbs.

The darkness grows thicker.

The air thinner.

Silva continues despite coughing and stumbling. After nearly two hours of crawling and climbing, she reaches a massive rusted door. The hinges scream as she forces it open—and then she sees it.

The skies. Not entirely blue, but tinged with gray. Yet it is vast. Open. Alive.

And above all… light. Golden, warm light Silva drops to her knees. Her hands tremble. Her eyes fill with tears.

She is able to see the sun. But just as the moment sinks in, a drone descends from above.

You are located in a restricted area. Identify yourself.”

Central Enforcement is the source of the drone. Silva doesn’t run.

She just whispers, “The sun is rising.”

The Truth They Buried

She’s taken into custody, held in an interrogation chamber lit by flickering fluorescents. A stern man enters, dressed in a sleek gray uniform. His nameplate reads: Director Lane.

He studies her calmly.

“What did you see?” he asks.

Silva hesitates. Then says, “Light. Sky. The sun.”

Lane nods. “Yes. We are aware Silva looks down. “What?”

“We’ve been tracking radiation levels for over six months. The surface is recovering. However, we've kept it a secret." “Why?”

Lane leans forward. “Because people fear change more than confinement. Down here, everything is stable. Safe. Controlled. If we tell them the truth, chaos may return. Conflict. Greed. Division.”

Silva stares at him. “That’s not your decision to make.”

Lane doesn’t respond.

After a long pause, he says, “If you truly want change… there’s a way. We are putting together a surface team. You’ll lead it. We'll let the people choose if you survive and bring back evidence. Silva agrees. Not bravely, but rather out of necessity. A New Dawn

Two weeks later, Silva and a small exploration crew emerge onto the surface. This time, fully equipped. They enter a world that is still alive, just wounded. They find sprouting plants—tiny, but real. Patches of green emerging from the cracked soil.

The sun is faint but unmistakable.

The wind is cold but breathable.

Before returning underground, Silva records a message:

"My name is Silva. I saw the sun. The surface is being healed. It’s not safe yet, but it’s alive. You don’t have to live in shadows forever. You can choose. You can hope. You can rise."

The video goes viral inside Enclave-7.

Some weep. Others disagree. Many are afraid.

However, just a few begin their climb. And slowly, a line forms at Vent Exit 34.

Silva stands at the edge of the tunnel, watching as people emerge one by one. A baby touches sunlight for the first time. A mother breathes fresh air and sobs.

The sky above them begins to clear of clouds. The sun rises again.