The doors opened up again, letting us in and to work. It’s sick how I’m actually interested to get into the tower and even more locked up than being outside it and in my other prison.

“You sure are cheerful  tonight?” Poppy giggled while we went to the narrow corridors.

I nodded my head, “I find working interesting. Somehow I’m getting these thrilling ideas of how to possibly change my life in the future.” Poppy looks at me with her worried look that I’ve seen ever since we were kids.

“C’mon! You do know that I’ve tried to get out from this place and now I’m slowly getting there. Yeah, I do know that it’s dangerous beyond the walls but I just want to be free and not a slave of others,” I whispered to her quietly. The things that we were discussing, they’re considered being rebellious and it’s highly forbidden.

I went inside the apartment, his lights were on and I notice him in the kitchen. I place my back bag on the counter and I start to take out some things.

“Oh you came already,” he said and I glance at the equipment that he had this time.

“I would like to take a tissue sample today. It will hurt,” he said and my eyes widened.

“Worker 1989, are you alright?” He asked and touched my hand. He was wearing the gloves.

“When you want to cut me? No, I’m not alright,” I laughed bitterly as I pulled my hand away.

Marko sits across the counter and pats the chair next to his. “Well, I promise something good in return,” he laughed.

“Like what? Am I some sort of dog that you can simply praise as reward,” I hissed at him. He seems amused by the way that I’m glaring at him.

“I asked you to bring ice cream. What if I would offer you some? Oh.. and take you on a tour at my building,” he spoke kindly which confused me.

“In return of a scar afterwards?” I mumbled and he nodded his head.

I shook my head. “Just make sure that these research results of yours end up for public to see. Your people need to know that we, the Ground Pack, are people too. There’s no reason for us to be separated,” I said to him boldly. I regretted it immediately when I saw his face. I’m not sure if it was wondering or misbelieve but I knew that I had stepped over an invisible line.

“I’ll think about that. I’m not sure what you are yet but so far everything seems interesting to me,” he shrugged and grabbed the scalpel. He forced my hand to rest on the table, his grab was strong and the way his eyes stared emotionlessly into mine, it scared me.

“Now I suggest that you stay still. I’m going to take the sample from behind your neck,” he said as he stood up. I let a quiet sob when he lifted my hair away.

“W-why are you doing this?” I whispered as he cleaned my  neck with some fluid that smelled bitter to my nose.

“As I’ve told you countless times before. I’m doing research,” he sighed and then I felt how his fingers pressed against my neck. I close my eyes, the feeling of rubber is making me feel nervous and then I felt the cool blade over my skin. I whimpered when it slide a cut into my skin.

“I see that you really sense the pain like I do, I’m sorry that I couldn’t use some drugs to make you not feel a thing. They are now really keen on keeping track of our supplies in the tower,” he said quietly. I felt him taking the sample out, hearing the sound when he closed the small sample jar.

Then he wiped my neck, stitched the wound up. I’m just staring at the floor, seeing his feet passing me. The wound is pulsing and hurting badly.

I hear him taking out something from his cabinets. When I look up I see him opening up the ice cream package. Carefully he scooped the ice cream into two bowls, he handed me the one that was fuller. “Okay so this had vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. I wanted trio because I wasn’t sure what you would like,” he said while he took a mouthful of strawberry one.

Without saying anything I took some of the vanilla. It melted in my mouth, it was really sweet and cool. “Wow,” I mumbled as I took some of the strawberry.

“I guess that you’re liking it?” He chuckled when he heard my sigh of pleasure. It was embarrassing so I glared at him angrily and show my tongue at him.

He just hummed, “Try chocolate. The girls are always nuts about it.”

“I’m sure that it isn’t that good,” I mumbled as I took some. “Mmmh! Ahh, wow,” I exhaled as the smooth texture spread into my mouth. It was really creamy.

“Told ya,” Marko grinned and finished his portion. He took his bowl to dishes and then went to a door.

“Are you done?” He questioned while raising his eyebrow. I scooped the last bits of the ice cream and then I took the bowl to the sink.

“I am,” I replied.

“Good. Now then, let’s get us dressed up,” he whispered as he takes couple capes from his closet. He made me wear the other one.

“You can keep that. First, I’ll tell you something about living in a tower. We do have rules too and one rule is not to be moving outside this late. I’m sure that everyone is sleeping now but let’s try not to be seen? It shouldn’t be that hard because you do that as a living.. and sort of failed too,” he chuckled and smiled mischievously. I wanted to slap him badly.

“Fine, let’s get going then,” I said to him as I cover my head with the hood on the cape.

The corridor where we got into was lighted up by a faint green light. Everything was quiet. Marko lifted his front finger on his mouth before we started walking. He was really cautious.

We were heading into the middle area of the tower. I’ve never been there. That’s the only parts where we’re not allowed to go, only the actual tower people have access here.

I started gasping, we arrived in this part that appeared to be a small park. There was this little stream running on the middle, trees were rising high around it.

“Yeah, looks can mislead,” Marko sighed. He was still wearing his rubber gloves as he pulled me down. He made me touch the water which was cooling.

“This is real but then--,” he said while making me touch a plant. It felt similar to his glove.

“Real plants and trees are really rare. They’re only for the richest to see,” Marko said quietly while rising up. He dragged me through the fake forest. There was this black looking wall.

“What’s that?” I said as I pointed at the smooth surface that was so dark that it could swallow you in.

“That’s the glass outer wall of our tower,” Marko replies while we go to see it closer.

“I can’t see anything?” I question as I touch the glass.

“I can see when it’s bright on the outside. I can see you people walking down there, you look like ants because you’re so small. The thing is that me, like many other people, have been raised in here. We’ve never seen the real sun or anything like that. I always tried to imagine how the grass might feel and what sun looks like? I had just to adjust to the thought that I’m only able to see it from up here, through this glass wall that makes everything look gray,” he whispers and sounds sad.

“Grass tickles you between your toes. Sun is like rays of warmth over your skin,” I told him and I saw him smiling back.

“Thank you,” he said to me and then he took my hand.  I flinch which he notices.

His hand let go of mine and I sigh, I just don’t like the feeling of the glove. “I’m sorry but I have to keep these things on. You are my research target. Just follow me, alright?” He smiled and ran towards a staircase with his cape whipping the air. I roll my eyes as I run after him.

I notice how on three walls seems to be like apartments and other things built up. The middle part is open and there’s stairs leading to upper floors.

“Could you tell me more about the architecture?” I asked as I reached him.

“Of the tower? Well sure. One wall is entirely made from see through glass and it’s connected to public places and facilities. Like the park where we were, it’s a big open space. Then there are the three other walls, they have apartments on two of them and the fourth wall is basically meant for places like shops and where I work. The same glass wall is also in them so I can see places from my own living room window. Cool huh? I think that I can see a farm from up there---,” he told me.

“Grandpa Thunder’s farm!” I gasped but then I slam my hand to cover my mouth. I made a mistake.

“Grandpa Thunder?” Marko replied. We had just gone into the next floor and going towards a corridor. He paused, standing in front of me.

“I guess that you guys have name’s after all?” He questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Worker 1989, what’s your name?” He whispered.

“I’ve told you it. My name is Dawn, Dawn Emerald,” I gulped out.

“My name is Marko Hope,” he told me.

“Weird name,” I mumbled aloud.

“I know. Do you have other relatives besides this Grandpa?” Marko asks while he continues his walking. I fasten my steps to reach him.

“No. My mother died when giving birth to me and my father died later,” I told to him. Why am I even telling him these things? He surely doesn’t care unless he needs it to his research.

“I’m sorry. My father denied my existence,” Marko said as he paused in front of a door. I see him pulling out a keycard which he then slides through a device. He pressed some buttons and then leaned towards a weird flashing light. I got startled when it waved above his eye.

“It’s an eye scanner Dawn. Harmless and it knows that it’s me who is getting in,” Marko told me when he saw my reaction. His hand reached the handle which he pressed down.

Some lights stared flashing on. The room was covered with shiny surfaces, pure white.

“This is my laboratory,” Marko told me while getting his cape off. He ruffled his blonde hair that had been stuck against his head.

I place my cape to hang from a nail that was close the door. It felt a bit odd, to walk in a place like this. “So you tower people keep this nice and neat, huh?” I said as I tried to break the silence.

“Yes Dawn, that’s what we tower people do,” Marko chuckles as he goes to a weird device.

“What is that?” I gasped as I see some images flashing on it. It’s really flat and has vibrant colors. There’s some writing on it, Marko presses the surface with his fingers and I see more things appearing.

“This is my computer. It’s meant to deal with information, the latest model to be exact. I guess that you just have the simpler models in the ground?” Marko said. His voice was blank because he kept on typing something.

“Y-yeah, that’s the case,” I sighed and I walk around the place. I saw a small room which is where I went. There was a desk and a chair which I sit on. I can see Marko working through a window that has clear view to the laboratory of his. This is some sort of office.

“So you’re not a medical worker?” I asked as I started pulling some drawers open.

“No, I’m a scientist who is more into technology than humans,” he replied.

“I see so you thought that sticking needles and such to a living being could be satisfying after working with screws and other not living and breathing things?” I said sarcastically.

“Uh .. huh..” he mumbled. He clearly wasn’t concentrating.

I notice a picture frame on his desk. I grab on it and the image started moving. He is there, keeping his arm over another man’s shoulder. They were laughing and Marko’s hair got messed up by the other man. He seemed a bit older than Marko, with friendly green eyes and brown curly hair.

“Marko?” I questioned.

“What is it?” Marko asked as he left from his studies. He appeared on the doorway, leaning against it.

“W-who is this?” I asked.

“He was a coworker,” he whispered sadly.

“Was?”

“He died,” Marko gulped out and sat on a chair beside me.

“What happened?” I asked again, without any trace of reason.

“He met a girl, sort of like you. I tried to make him stop, seeing her and such. She was a worker like you and he met her. He spoke lots of stuff that was crazy like loving her and wanting to be with her. That idiot made her pregnant!” Marko said. His voice was shattering and I saw how vulnerable he was.

I couldn’t say anything but then he continued.

“I tried to help him, to convince them to let him live. Yeah, well my dad banned me and I had to move here. They made Luke as a warning, they murdered him in public. And that hag is probably living nicely in the ground while my friend got himself killed because of her,” Marko stared into emptiness.

“If it even slightly comforts you. They murdered her and her unborn baby,” I said to Marko.

“W-wait.. so Luke’s kid is?” Marko whispered.

“Gone as she is but I didn’t know that the father got killed too,” I replied.

“Mixing up blood is forbidden,” Marko said quietly and smiled sadly. He took the photo frame from me as he looks at the picture.

“This is forbidden too. I guess that this is the reason why you’re so interested in me? Taking tests? Trying to prove everyone wrong and get those people punished because they did wrong to your friend?” I asked. This disgusted me.

“Yeah, you could say so,” Marko said and placed the picture over a file shelf.

“Oh and I actually thought that you were up to something good. Like trying to make everyone realize that we, the Ground Pack, are not the ones that your childhood horror stories tell about,” I told to him furiously.

“You sure have some rebellious spirit in you. Keep it as a secret, will ya? If they found out, well my favorite guinea pig is lost,” Marko grinned to me and I was just left opening and closing my mouth speechless. Guinea pig?

“My friend tells me that all the time,” I replied as I passed him. His laboratory was a big space, with various of weird looking equipment.

“So you have a friend. How nice,” Marko’s voice was the opposite from what he said.

“Are you having a problem?” I raised my voice while I crossed my arms.

“Nope. Hey, come to see my invention,” he nodded towards a corner which was covered by fabric.

“What is under the sheets, I just wonder,” I said sarcastically while rolling my eyes.

Marko pulls the cover off and I’m staring a helmet.  It was a suit, dark blue in color and there was

“It’s meant for us, the Tower People, so we can go out from towers and explore. I mean I’m not worried about us dying because the air itself would be bad but we’re not used to breath in the same air as you are,” Marko speaks in excitement. I tuck my hair behind my ear while I watch him, he explains with his whole body, waving his hands and his eyes sparkling in excitement.

“Then why do you need the suit?” I asked.

“Well, think of it this way. We might be exposed to some diseases which our bodies are not used to because we have been quarantined inside the towers for so long. I worked with Luke on this project, he really thought that we could live with, uh, Ground Pack people one day,” Marko said and quieted down towards the end.

Suddenly Marko starts to pull off his shirt. I watch how his abdomen slowly gets exposed to my sight. He places his shirt on  a counter, giving me a sly smile when he noticed that I watched at him. Quickly I stick my tongue out to notify him of my feelings towards him.

A shiver runs up on my spine when he turns his back at me.

Rules are the base of Existence.

Rules are to be Obeyed.

I gasped when I read the words, he had them burned on him. Burned over some slashes of a whip. He was scarred.

“Considering the silence I can tell that you noticed my ‘mistake’? Or at least that’s what the people in here call it,” Marko said bitterly as he was unzipping the suit that he had been creating.

“Why?” I asked.

“I tried to stand up against everyone. When they put my friend into this tiny little shuttle that they then shot beyond the outer walls.  And do you know what’s out there?” Marko chuckled with his voice being bitter than anything else.

“Don’t say that the Basar’s are still there?” I replied.

“The cannibals. Yeah… So they made us watch from big screen how Luke at first wandered out there alone, then ending up captured by them,” Marko whispered as he was dressing himself into the suit.

“You saw everything?” I said quietly.

“Everything but I guess that you saw how the worker girl died? I mean this world is sick,” Marko laughed and then cleared his throat to cover his sob. He places the helmet on his head so I can’t see his face anymore.

“I did. And you got hurt too?” I questioned.

“Yup but without my dad I would’ve joined with Luke. I mean at first I fought against The Organizers who came to get him. Then I tried to make people to forgive him, to let him go without punishment. Without me he probably would have lived, well as neutered and blind, mute person because they sort of destroy the senses in here as punishment. And I? I tried to help him out but they thought that I’m starting a riot so – they killed him to show how things will go if we try something rebellious. Nice huh?” Marko said emotionlessly through his helmet. He took a step forward.

“Take the senses out?” I gulped out.

“Yeah,” Marko replied while walking into small room across the laboratory. It was an empty space. The door locked after him and then my eyes widened. He started to float in the room and I read a sign saying ‘ Test Room 1’. I stay behind a glass and I watch how he flies in the space.

“You didn’t answer,” I whispered.

“I can hear you Dawn. The senses, as in sight because he saw the worker girl, mute as he chat with her and --,” Marko explained but then paused when a target practice looking board popped out. He shoots a beam of light from the arm of the suit which burned the target.

“—Neutered because they were going to have a child,” Marko spoke.

“That’s horrible. S-so because you and I are chatting?” I inquired carefully.

“Normally they would just cut my tongue off and burn my eyes but hey, since I’m an idiot and worked against the Tower before  -- they get it easier by just killing me,” he shrugged while he lands down. He takes his helmet off and leaves the test room.

“Hey, umm,” I said and bit my bottom lip to prevent me to continue.

“Hey what?” He lifts his eyebrow and looks at me.

“I’m sorry about Luke?” I told him and I let my arms go around him. I felt him inhaling deeply and tensing up. He is holding his hands up and not breathing.

Then I let go of him, he was shocked. “Yeah, thanks I guess,” he laughed nervously and then went inside a small glass looking cabinet. He pressed a button. I see how he is covered by white smoke which suddenly vanished.

“What did that thing do?” I asked.

“Sanitazed me?” Marko told me  as he started taking the suit off.

“You mean that I look that dirty to you?” I snapped.

“Well not exactly but you might carry diseases that pass through breathing. This is risky,” he mumbled back.

“Are you guys idiots! We, the Workers, clean your apartments each night! And yeah, we are not wearing masks!” I shouted at him.

He just stared at me and then he put on his own gray shirt. “Nothing to say smartass? Well I’m going to lick your every spoon so you will get a flu! I just hate you! My neck hurts because of you! If you try some more of these kind of tests I’m the one who grabs the scalpel and slams it to your neck!” I yelled at him.

“You better calm down,” he said without any trace of nervousness on him.

“I won’t! You guys just think that you can do anything to us! Right?!” I screamed but he placed his finger over his mouth.

“Chill or they will hear us. Then we both are in trouble,” Marko said quietly. He was right. I was catching my breath after the outburst.

“That was last of that kind of experiments. Now we’re moving on and I’m researching how your body works. That’s one of the reasons why we came here,” he sighed and pointed a device.

“Step in there, it won’t hurt,” he promised. I went into it and a light ray pointed at me.

“What does this thing do?” I said while a blue light was going up and down on my body.

“It’s a scanner,” Marko told me. Suddenly the machine beeped and the light vanished.

“Okay, it’s about done now. Come here Dawn,” Marko ordered.

He is sitting in front of the computer and something is loading.

“Wait? Is that me?” I gulped when I saw a figure appearing on the screen. It was blue in color but it was similar to me.

“Yeah, that’s what your body looks like. Now let me insert the data that I collected from you, well the sample that I took tonight isn’t ready of course but your blood sample is,” Marko hummed while tapping the screen with his finger.

My heart paused when I saw information being calculated and then ending up as a result.

Gender: female, fertile.

Eye color: Green

Hair color: Red

Age:  19

-          signs of starvation at young age

-          strong and fast body type

“So you’re that young, huh?” He laughed and glanced at me.

“Well how old are you then?” I snapped at him and I glance back at the screen. I saw something saying about ‘cycle’.

“I’m 24 years old,” he hummed while shutting down the screen. He started stretching, “I better go to sleep and you don’t need to clean up my place tonight. I think it’s the time that you go back to your life on the Ground.” He yawned.

“But--,” I replied.

“I’ll be up on the next night too if you wanted to ask that. I still need to do some tests to you. About stamina and such,” he grinned as he placed his cape back on him.

When we passed the park area I saw the daylight slowly breaking through the clouds. Now I could see a glimpse of the place where I live. How the outer walls were now turning pink on the first rays of light.

“We need to hurry before they close up the doors,” Marko told me as he grabbed my hand. The glove rubbed against my skin and I quickly pull my hand away.

“Marko?” I asked while we run.

“Yeah?”

“Could you help me because I help you? I want to get out from this place, outside every wall and to freedom. Help me out?” I asked while my heart was throbbing.

Marko opened up his apartment door and I left my cape to his couch while I went towards the secret passage way. He didn’t say a thing but he kept on glancing at me weirdly.

“It’s dangerous but I can think of it, okay?” Marko sighed as he was closing the passage way after me. I nodded my head to him.

Then I was back in the darkness of the corridor. I just can’t figure him out, why is he doing this?

I run to the stairs and then I rush my way down.

“Hold on!” I yelled with the top of my lungs as they were closing up the doorway.

“Worker 1989? Usually you don’t work to this late,” Ms. Spank pointed out and I just responded with my nervous laughter.  She looks at me weirdly when I go to place my things back to their places.

They closed up the place after I had gone out. It made me quiver, to think that I left the place same time as Ms. Spank did. Usually I just avoid her to all causes.

“Hey!” Poppy’s voice called. She was waiting me by sitting on a trash can. I wave my hand to her and quicken my pace.

“What took you so long?” She exhaled.

“Umm… the apartment’s owner had had this huge party that I needed to clean. It was a disaster,” I sighed and rolled my eyes.

“Okay, well let’s get some rest then shall we?” Poppy grinned and stretched her arms. Swiftly she jumps down and heads towards our barrack.

“I need to go to one place first before I sleep,” I whispered.

“To see the sunrise? Where your dad used to take you?” Poppy sighed and I nodded my head slowly.

“Alright, see you when we wake up?” She smiled and I gave her a yes.

The hill was like a piece of art once I saw it. Every beautiful shade of light red that you could imagine was making it beautiful. The amazing color splash even did the ugly wall less unappealing.

From the distance I could hear the voices from the fields of the Farmers. They were early at work, making sure that everyone would have something to eat. Well, some would have more than other’s but it was important.

I go to lay in the grass, it’s tickling between my fingers that are brushing the mat like surface. It smells good and fresh, the sun rays are now reaching my face. It felt warm and I close my eyes.

Marko hasn’t felt things like this. I think that he is even afraid of the outside world, because of that suit and all. However I want to go even further, as far away as I can from this place.

Living outside the walls would be perfect. No one tell me what to do, no more rules.

No more people dying and no more punishments.

I open my eyes and I hover my hand over the spiky grass. An idea made me bounce up and run towards the farm.

“Grandpa!” I yelled when I saw him carrying a bag of seeds outside from barn.

“Dawn!” Grandpa laughed and placed the bag down.

“You’re supposed to sleep at this hour?” He hummed and crossed his arms.

“Yeah I should. Umm do you have any small jar or container to spare?” I grinned to him.

A sly smile came to his face, his tanned skin showed his laughing wrinkles well. He wiped some sweat from his forehead, the day might be hot today.

“Sure, there are some empty jars in the barn. I can borrow it to you. What do you need it for?” He chuckled but I was already running towards the barn. I yelled my thanks to him as I slide the barn door open.

Indeed there were a pile of small wooden jars near the only window that gave light to the barn. I picked up one and I cleared the dust from it.

It was a simple looking thing, made from old grayish wood. It was actually beautiful square shaped jar and my fingers reached around it barely.

I noticed a paint brush laying on the ground and then I saw some old paint buckets. There might be some spare paint from the time when they repainted the barn red.

And I was right. The brush was dipped in this vivid red paint and I started figuring out what to put in the little jar that I got.

Then I knew it.

‘Piece of Earth to Heaven above.’

My handwriting isn’t marvelous or exquisite but I focused on doing the best that I could. The words circled around it on each side.

It wasn’t necessary to hide the jar when I rushed out of the barn. Everyone was too busy with their own works and the tower Workers were already sleeping. At the hill I kneel down and I carefully stuff my fingers inside the dirt. I dig out a chunk of land, being careful that I don’t harm the thing that I wanted.

Slowly I lift up the chunk of land and place it to the jar. A breeze blows across the grass area and I watch how the grass in the jar starts to wave in the wind calmly. Since he hasn’t felt the real grass, now he will. Maybe he will also realize that we and the Ground itself aren’t bad? He has tried to reason with them earlier so what if I can turn him to liking of my people.

“Okay, a little nap and then I’m going back to the Wall and try to get myself a way out from here. Rock by rock I will get myself out,” I mumble to myself as I lay on my back. My hands reach behind my neck and I stare at the sky with clouds that are slowly drifting across it.

“I need to convince him on helping me. This isn’t working this way, me digging holes in the wall and then they just put the stuff back in and ruin it,” I sighed.

It’s getting harder and harder to keep my mouth shut. And if I open up my mouth in wrong place it might be my death ticket. Getting out from all this is my number one goal because I just want to live my life freely.

A/N:

Finally an update!

I just didn’t know that people actually read this. Dunno if ya even like it xD.

Is it confusing or do you guys get it?

Love Ya ! <3