slightly. He levered it back and forth until there was a gap between the doors the size of his hand. He stuck his arm through and used his own strength to pull the door the rest of the way open.
Light!
Glorious light spilled out through the opening, and Jonathas saw the delegation hall beyond the gap. Sunlight streamed in through windows just as tears streamed down his cheek.
“Help!” he cried. “Anybody, please, there’s an injured woman here!”
Jonathas didn’t wait for a response, but instead ran back toward Linsya. He cradled her head with his elbow, tucked his other arm underneath her knees and lifted her up. She wasn’t heavy, but Jonathas was weak from being trapped below the surface for so many hours with neither food nor water.
He sauntered toward the door as quickly as his feeble strength would allow.
“Jonathas?”
Linsya didn’t open her eyes but his name escaped her lips, her voice barely audible.
“It’s ok, Lins, I’ve got you. We’re safe now.”
He turned sideways so they could fit through the narrow opening, and they emerged into the delegation chamber.
It felt like walking into another world. Instead of the rough stone walls and dusty ground, this room was grandiose: polished hardwood lined the floors, a luxurious chandelier hung from the ceiling, and a beautiful oak conference table dominated the centre of the chamber. This was where the higher-ups held their meetings with other division heads, or where city delegates would come to proposition the Department of Distributions, hoping to secure more energy for their districts.
Jonathas approached the table and laid Linsya out on its smooth top. He scanned the room looking for anything he could use to communicate with the medical bay.
There!
On a far wall hung an emergency phone. He ran over to it and with his elbow, smashed the weak glass casing. He picked up the receiver, praying it was operable.
His ears were met with the sweet sound of a dial tone.
Jonathas punched the bright red button in the centre of the phone and it started ringing. After only two rings a hesitant voice answered the call.
“Hello?” A man’s voice said.
“Yes, my name is Jonathas,” his heart was racing as he checked the sign above the door, “I’m in the East delegation room, section 109. Please send someone immediately, my friend is badly injured.”
The man on the other end of the line sighed with relief. “Good to hear there's people still alive down there, Jonathas. You wouldn’t believe the damage reports. I’m sending someone now, hold tight.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Jonathas hung up the phone and stumbled back to the table, collapsing in a leather chair in front of Linsya.
“Jonathas?" Linsya moaned. "Where are we?”
He smiled at her, relieved that she was capable of speech. “Don’t worry, you’re going to be fine. We’re out of the mines.”
She struggled to meet his eyes, wincing in pain. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have left. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just wanted to find help.”
“It's ok, Lins," Jonathas grinned. "I'm glad you made it. Your dad would never believe me if I told him we were a couple."
Linsya gave a small laugh as Jonathas brushed a string of hair from her face.
"I’m never leaving your side again, you hear me?”
“Works for me,” Linsya smiled and closed her eyes.
His warm hand found her cold one, and his weary bones overtook him. His forehead met the smooth wood and he closed his eyes, passing into a deep oblivion.
Chapter 18
Skyia looked over at her mom, the buggy casting a shadow along the rocky mountain wall beside them. Mother and daughter, separated by only twenty years, were both stronger than they knew. As they drove, Skyia could feel the bonds that existed between them yawning, stretching out and reawakening. They vibrated with a palpable energy that existed in a secret world that only the two of them shared.
That’s what Skyia loved most about
Light!
Glorious light spilled out through the opening, and Jonathas saw the delegation hall beyond the gap. Sunlight streamed in through windows just as tears streamed down his cheek.
“Help!” he cried. “Anybody, please, there’s an injured woman here!”
Jonathas didn’t wait for a response, but instead ran back toward Linsya. He cradled her head with his elbow, tucked his other arm underneath her knees and lifted her up. She wasn’t heavy, but Jonathas was weak from being trapped below the surface for so many hours with neither food nor water.
He sauntered toward the door as quickly as his feeble strength would allow.
“Jonathas?”
Linsya didn’t open her eyes but his name escaped her lips, her voice barely audible.
“It’s ok, Lins, I’ve got you. We’re safe now.”
He turned sideways so they could fit through the narrow opening, and they emerged into the delegation chamber.
It felt like walking into another world. Instead of the rough stone walls and dusty ground, this room was grandiose: polished hardwood lined the floors, a luxurious chandelier hung from the ceiling, and a beautiful oak conference table dominated the centre of the chamber. This was where the higher-ups held their meetings with other division heads, or where city delegates would come to proposition the Department of Distributions, hoping to secure more energy for their districts.
Jonathas approached the table and laid Linsya out on its smooth top. He scanned the room looking for anything he could use to communicate with the medical bay.
There!
On a far wall hung an emergency phone. He ran over to it and with his elbow, smashed the weak glass casing. He picked up the receiver, praying it was operable.
His ears were met with the sweet sound of a dial tone.
Jonathas punched the bright red button in the centre of the phone and it started ringing. After only two rings a hesitant voice answered the call.
“Hello?” A man’s voice said.
“Yes, my name is Jonathas,” his heart was racing as he checked the sign above the door, “I’m in the East delegation room, section 109. Please send someone immediately, my friend is badly injured.”
The man on the other end of the line sighed with relief. “Good to hear there's people still alive down there, Jonathas. You wouldn’t believe the damage reports. I’m sending someone now, hold tight.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Jonathas hung up the phone and stumbled back to the table, collapsing in a leather chair in front of Linsya.
“Jonathas?" Linsya moaned. "Where are we?”
He smiled at her, relieved that she was capable of speech. “Don’t worry, you’re going to be fine. We’re out of the mines.”
She struggled to meet his eyes, wincing in pain. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have left. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just wanted to find help.”
“It's ok, Lins," Jonathas grinned. "I'm glad you made it. Your dad would never believe me if I told him we were a couple."
Linsya gave a small laugh as Jonathas brushed a string of hair from her face.
"I’m never leaving your side again, you hear me?”
“Works for me,” Linsya smiled and closed her eyes.
His warm hand found her cold one, and his weary bones overtook him. His forehead met the smooth wood and he closed his eyes, passing into a deep oblivion.
Chapter 18
Skyia looked over at her mom, the buggy casting a shadow along the rocky mountain wall beside them. Mother and daughter, separated by only twenty years, were both stronger than they knew. As they drove, Skyia could feel the bonds that existed between them yawning, stretching out and reawakening. They vibrated with a palpable energy that existed in a secret world that only the two of them shared.
That’s what Skyia loved most about
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