Into the Pit

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

I can't pull the plant off of my neck. I kick and tug, but nothing's moving. It pulls itself tighter, and I open my mouth to scream, but not even air bubbles can push past the plant cutting off my throat. The lake no longer is feeding off of my fear, obviously, or I wouldn't struggle against it.

I feel similar sensations to those I felt this morning; the bursting lungs and eyes, and the absolute need of oxygen. I look up. I see a two silhouettes; one of someone coming down quickly, reaching out with a long blade, and the other way closer to the surface, struggling to swim deeper.

The one with the blade swings it down and chops the plant off my neck with ease. Then it puts its arm around me and swims me up to the surface. We pass the other, floating near the top. My head emerges, and I cough, even though there isn't anything to cough up. I am swum to the shore and laid down gently on the dirt. I try to catch my breath.

Someone helps me sit up and rubs my back. I open my eyes and find mystifying aqua ones staring back. "I'm guessing this is kinda what happened when you got here?" Calix asks.

"Pretty much," I whisper. The other person's head comes above the water. I look over and see Misto, shaking his head slightly. He swims over.

"Wow Calix, that was amazing!" Dylis says. "Are you okay Liliya?"

"Yeah. I am now," I say. I hear Misto kicking the dirt in frustration. "Can we get out of here?" I say.

"Sure thing," Calix says. He offers his hand and I don't hesitate. I stand and brush the dirt off of me. Then Calix leads us to a different archway. "Let's go somewhere a little more friendly," he says. "This way is the Helix eating place. We eat here once a day, we're assigned what time by age group. Right now is thirteen through seventeen eating time, so we're allowed in. You can meet some of my friends!" he says. "Follow me!"

We enter what looks like any normal cafeteria. White rectangular tables are arranged in rows and columns, and there's a line of teens with lunch trays getting served by lunch helpers. We snake our way through dozens of people until we find Calix's friends. Two boys and a girl sit at a table slurping whatever the soup of the day must be. They wave to Calix to come over.

The stockier boy speaks first. "Who're your friends? I don't think I've seen them before."

"They're not from here," Calix replies. "They say they're from the surface-world. I would've been here sooner but we had some trouble with Despair's Lake." He winks at me.

"You took them to the lake?" the other boy says. He wears big glasses and constantly pushes them up higher on his nose. "Calix that's stupid! They could've died!"

"We got it taken care of, I fixed it. Anyways, guys, this is Ludo-" he points to the bigger one- "Skytus-" then glasses boy- "and my sister Veda-" the girl. "And this is Liliya, Dylis, Melina, Ajax, and, uh, Misto is the wet one in the back."

Veda laughs. She has the same color hair as Calix, but her eyes are dark purple. "Nice shirt cutie," she says to Misto. He blushes and adjusts his black plaid dress shirt self-consciously.

"Did you say they're from the surface-world?" Skytus questions. "Calix I'm pretty sure that's forbidden. How did they even get down here?"

"Dude relax! I've got in under control. And I don't know, how did you guys get here?" Calix asks us.

"We fell into the pit," Ajax says. "It used to be a giant trash hole but the trash was gone today, and we almost got caught by Security so we jumped down into it. Then we fell into a pile of leaves, then into Despair's Lake."

"Wow. I don't know if I believe that or not, but I'm just not going to say anything anymore," Skytus says.

"Good, we're tired of hearing you. And as long as no one finds out they're from up there then it's fine!" Calix says. "Now take a seat guys, I'll get y'all some stew."

We sit with his friends and create some random small talk. Skytus seems wary of us, and gives Ludo funny looks when he tries to talk to us. Veda has the same friendly personality as Calix though. She seems eager to know all about life back on the surface. We tell her about the school and how every important building is surrounded by a giant bubble, and the whole city for that matter.

"That is so cool! Down here school is voluntary, and all of the cities are connected somehow. We're separated from our parents at age five and are assigned our own rooms. We're allowed to see them and stuff, but no one ever does. It feels so good not having anything on your shoulders though. We never have to get jobs or anything. I love it down here. You guys should totally stay, you'd love it!" she says, her excitement emanating from her smile.

Calix returns with six bowls and hands them out to us. "It's calendula and potatoes I think," he says sitting down next to me.

"What is calendula?" Ajax says, looking at his ugly green soup repulsively.

"Just eat it, it's good!" Melina says, sipping away. Ajax shrugs and takes a spoonful. His face changes from disgusted to delighted. I take a look at my own, I guess it can't be that bad. I take a sip; and it's one hundred times better than the gunk they feed us back at home. I can't even describe the taste, like a warm blanket wrapping my tongue in deliciousness. "Oh my god this is amazing," I say. Veda laughs. "I told you you'd love it here. And I bet we can find you a place to stay too. What do you say?"

"That sounds great!" Dylis exclaims. "I like this place so much better than where we're from already! You know, besides that lake, and the fire cult thing. But other than that I'd love to stay!"

"Uh, you're forgetting one thing," Misto says. "People are going to notice we're gone tomorrow, and then we'll be in real big trouble. You don't think they're just going to let six kids go when the alarm has been pulled."

"And don't forget," Skytus adds, "that they have to be in the census and legal citizens of Alcibus, let alone Helix, in order to get another room and into any big public places. And we have assignments, they won't be in the programming."

"Oh both of you are just big party poopers," Calix says. "People go run away and go missing all the time, we can find a way to put them in one of those slots. Take a risk for once you guys!"

"How about," Veda says, "the girls can stay with me and the guys and stay with any of you guys? My room can fit us all I think, if we come up with a room plan."

"And there can be two guys per room, since I have one back at my place," Calix says. His friends give him a puzzled look. "He's unconscious, he fell into the lake too."

"That settles it then?" Ajax says. "Shall we vote, for the party poopers' sake?"

"Okay," Calix says. "All in favor of having our lovely guests stay, raise your hand. All but Misto and Skytus raise their hands. "You two are rooming together, looks like you have similar personalities," he motions back and forth between the two of them. They both give him the same fine-but-I'm-not-going-to-like-it glare.

"Great!" Veda claps her hands together. "Let's get settled right away! You boys can wake up your friend and decide who rooms where, then we'll meet up at Par's later tonight. Sound good?"

"Yep. Let's go then!" Dylis says. So the girls follow Veda one way and the boys follow Calix in another. Skytus shakes his head. "I swear you're all going to regret this when this all goes down in flames!" "That's exactly what I said!" Misto says. "We can hang in there together, roomie," Skytus replies. I laugh. This is going to be a lot of fun.