The Beyond

Chapter 1

Grace opened the door to the Knowledge Atrium and took in a deep breathe of the cool, clean air that flowed inside. Her shoes clicked on the metal floor and the sound grated on her. She knew the metal served it's purpose; metal was more easily sterilized. It wasn't porous and wouldn't allow for the growth of colonies of bacteria. But the sound....it disturbed her thought patterns and she found that rather irritating.

She made a conscious effort to nod in greeting to the Guardian sitting at the reception desk. The Guardian's whole being revolved around maintaining the bank of knowledge stored in the Atrium. She monitored every movement, every file removed and returned. Grace came to the Atrium nearly everyday and desperately wanted to avoid The Guardian's attentive gaze. She looked around at the shelves and drawers filled with knowledge and information, but always seemed to be drawn to a small, back corner section entitled: "EARTH". As far as she knew, she had been the only one who had withdrawn any files from the section since the dust patterns on the discs remained the same week to week. She didn't know why she was so curious about the Earth previous to The Event. She knew that she shouldn't be; it was a sin. This section was clearly labelled "For Professional Use Only" but Grace didn't care. Her curiosity was deep and unrelenting, only fueled more by the lack of knowledge other people seemed able to provide her. Even her father, who always knew the answers, failed to answer her most basic questions about the Earth: What was The Event? What caused it? Why do we need the walls? What is outside them? And the biggest one of all: Why can't we leave?

Grace selected one of the discs in the back of the file; one that she had never removed before. It was entitled "Habitats and Animals". Grace had heard tell of how there used to be a huge variety of animals on the Earth but no one had been able to satisfy her further. The only animals Grace had ever seen were a few birds, her neighbour's cat and the occasional squirrel. Other than that, variety behind the Wall was severely lacking.

She made her way to a Knowledge Output Centre (KNOC) and inserted the disc carefully into the device. She glanced over her shoulder one last time to ensure The Guardian was still behind her desk before focusing her attention to the screen in front of her. Brightly coloured pictures of strange creatures Grace had never seen began to fill her eyes. Music played in the background while the narrator began to speak: "Several hundred years ago, before The Event, the Earth was blooming and growing. It is estimated there were over 8 million species of animals on the planet, as well as over 300,000 species of plants, all co-existing in harmony. But how was all of this possible? The answer lies in the existence of ecosystems: different zones of the Earth with unique temperatures and climates designed specifically for the animals inhabiting their borders. But it was not to be. Humans began to encroach on these perfectly balanced ecosystems and the unique temperatures and climates faltered. Humans created weapons against one another and such a hostile environment could not be sustained on the peaceful Earth. The Event changed everything. The Bloodshed began and the last small shred of peace was extinguished. Our brave Benefactors, though, had a plan to save our race. They built the Walls and restored peace and growth to a dying world. Long may the Walls stand."

The disc ended and Grace took in a deep breathe. Though that was more information than she had ever received on pre-Event life, she still wasn't satisfied. The information was so vague; it left her curiosity unquenched and aching for more.

"Breathe-taking information Miss Lotts?" The Guardian asked.

Grace could almost hear her pulse quicken as she slowly widened her eyes in an attempt to see The Guardian without turning around.

"Yes, ma'am", she stuttered. "I just wanted to learn about animals."

The Guardian sighed. "You know the rules Miss Lotts. This is your third warning about reading restricted material in the Atrium. I must now report your behaviour to The Keepers."