A few things before you start reading. This story is mostly my own creation. The characters are ALL mine. They are loosely based on real people, but they and the plot are mine! If you'd like to post this story on your website or use it for some other purpose, please Ask me. As long as you credit me, I won't have any problem. Just know that it's mine. Thank you.
Now that the ugly stuff is out of the way, a few notes about the story. It takes place in the future. The reason there is a question mark after the title is because that is not the permanent title. I just haven't been able to think of anything better yet. ^_^
The place is unimportant and irrelevant, because the plot shouldn't be linked too much with the real world. It's an alternate universe, so keep that in mind. At the start of our story, you may not understand, but keep reading because it makes sense.
So far (as of 05-22-01) this is yet unfinished. But it's already LONG and it will be LONGER. Keep that in mind. I think it's worth it, but...you decide!
Now that I'm done rambling...On with the story!
Cynthia Vacata stood on tiptoes and looked out the small window at the snow that had recently fallen. It was white and comforting to her, a symbol of the new season that was upon them. Perhaps the changing seasons would also signal changes in her community.
"Cindy?" a female voice called from down the hallway. "Cynthia? Are you here?"
Cindy stepped down from the box she had been using as a boost. "Over here," she called.
A brown-haired woman with big, bright, blue eyes stepped into the hallway from around a bend. "Cindy, what are you doing here?" she asked. "You should be with the other children, on the other side of the Colony." She took the seven-year-old's hand in her own and led her down the hallway. "I hate to think of what your mother would think if we lost you."
Cindy followed the caretaker down the hallway. "She wouldn't be too upset, Marie," she protested. "My mother knows I can take care of myself."
"Maybe so," Marie agreed. "But she would still worry. And it's still our job to take care of you. That includes not loosing you. "
"I was looking at the snow," the young girl explained as the two trotted briskly down the hallway. "It's so pretty."
They paused at an elevator shaft and Marie pushed the button. "Yes," she agreed. "It is. The first snow of the season is usually very beautiful."
The child looked up at her caretaker. Her blond bangs lay gently across her forehead, along with a few wisps of hair that had fallen out of their braids that curled down her back. They framed her round, chubby face beautifully. "Do you think we could go out and play in it?" she asked with pleading eyes.
Marie hesitated. The elevator paused in front of them and they stepped into the simple metal box. The doors closed behind them, and Marie pushed the button for Underfloor Three, which was where the children's area was located. "I don't know," she replied finally once they were descending. "You'd have to get permission."
"Permission from who?" Cindy asked. The elevator jumped to a stop, and she followed Marie out. They had reached their destination.
"Well, probably from Riana," she replied after a moment. They reached a door at the end of the hallway and then entered it.
Cindy made a face. Like a lot of the children, she didn't know Riana well and thought of her as, at best, a strange person. Most were slightly intimidated by the quiet, reclusive old woman who had been chosen to be the colony's leader. "Do you think she'd agree?"
"Maybe," Marie replied non-committally . She didn't want to get the child's hopes up.
Now they were inside the younger children's area, and Cindy rushed to join the other ten children who were at or near her age. Playtime was still in session.
"You found her?" another woman asked. Marie nodded, staring towards the children, who were playing at some blocks in the far corner.
"Do you think Riana would agree to let them go outside?" she asked.
The other woman looked astonished. "Outside?" Marie nodded.
"Yeah. Why not?" she challenged.
"Well…" she stammered. "It isn't safe."
"Riana might agree, but I doubt the Council would," a male voice behind her. Marie turned.
"Why do you think that, Jake?" she demanded of the tall, dark haired man.
Jake, whose full name was Jakob, shrugged casually. "They barely let us go above ground, Marie," he replied pragmatically. "They're not likely to let the children go."
"But they should," Marie protested. "Children need to be outside. You can't keep them inside all the time!"
Jake shrugged again. "You can try," he replied. "But I doubt they'll agree."
Marie frowned at him. "I'm going to get them to agree," she snapped back. "Just you watch." She turned and marched out of the children's center, her shoulder length brown hair flopping behind her as she went.
Jake just smiled to himself as he watched her leave. Then he turned and went back to his work.
"Riana, I know you're in there. Let me in. This is important!" Marie demanded. She pounded on their leader's door with her fist, not bothering to control her anger. The old woman always disappeared when she was needed.
She sighed and leaned up against the plain wooden door, incredibly frustrated. How would she convince the council to let children play in the snow if she couldn't even convince a slightly senile old lady to open a door?
"Marie?"
Marie looked up from her spot where she had slumped on the floor in front of the door. Two brown eyes framed by silvery locks looked down at her with a hint of mischief.
"So that's why I couldn't get you to open your door," Marie realized as she regained her feet. "Where were you?"
"In the greenhouse," Riana replied, stepping past the younger female to open the door to her room. "You were looking for me, I presume?"
"Yes," Marie replied, following her in and shutting the door behind her. "Why were you in the greenhouse?"
Riana shrugged. "Search me," she replied.
Marie thought that response made absolutely no sense. "You were there and you don't know why?" she asked.
"Yes," Riana replied with a mischievous smile. She laughed at Marie's expression. "I was dragged," she confessed.
Marie nodded in understanding. That was believable. She waited for her to continue, but, as predicted, she did not. "By who?" she prompted.
Riana shrugged. "Mr. Witherspoon?" she asked. She shrugged again. "Short guy, bald, always wears a suit and tie, glasses, beady little eyes. He wanted me to observe how the plants were going. Advise him on how to buy more seed or something."
Marie nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a bore," she replied.
"Incredibly. I know very little about greenhouse plants, and he made me wish to know even less." She sighed and sank into a chair behind the large metal table that served as her desk. "Did you want something?"
"Yes," Marie replied. "And it has nothing to do with plants."
"Good. Tell me then."
"It snowed today."
"I see. So?"
"Well, this morning, I had to go on a search for little Cindy Vacata," Marie explained. "I found her looking out the window outside of the kitchen. You know, the one that looks at the valley?"
Riana nodded.
"She asked me if they could go and play in the snow."
Riana nodded again.
"Well?"
"Dangerous…"
"Yes, I know that. But they're kids! Kids should be allowed to go out and play in the first snowfall. I did when I was a kid. I know you must have, too!"
Riana leaned back slightly in her chair. "But when you and I were kids, it was safer. None of us had to live in an underground colony, we lived in a house in a town, above ground. We didn't have to worry about an invading empire taking away our liberties."
"No," Marie admitted. "But kids shouldn't have to worry about that."
Riana sighed. "I don't know, Marie," she replied. "I don't know if you'd have any luck convincing the Council."
Marie was adamant. "They've got to agree. They must've been kids once themselves!" She waved her hands to illustrate her point and began to pace back and forth across the room.
Riana put her feet up on the desk. "Yeah, and some of them also have kids," she pointed out.
Marie admitted her defeat. "Yeah, I'll probably never get a bunch of geezers to agree with me about what kids need." She paused, hoping the older woman wouldn't be offended. She didn't think she would be.
Riana laughed, amused by the joke. "You could suggest a compromise," she offered.
"I'm listening."
"Ask them if you can let the kids go out during the winter months. For less than… two hours at a time. With a whole bunch of caregivers. There aren't many scouts or raiders around here in the middle of the winter. If you get some of the Watchers to keep a sharp lookout from all sides, they'd be secured."
"That's a great idea!" Marie agreed. She leaned on the desk. "The kids would be as safe as anything! That has to please them."
"Try getting a few parents to agree with you, first," Riana advised. She righted the chair again. "And maybe some of the caregivers. If you have enough people on your side convincing them that it's a good idea, the Council might just agree."
The lighting outside was brighter than it had been inside. In the bright sun she squinted, blinked several times, and rubbed her eyes with her hands.
'It's been so long since I saw the sun…' she thought to herself. 'I didn't expect it to be so bright.'
She realized that she wasn't quite certain of where she was or where she was heading to. 'I won't figure it out standing around here,' she reminded herself, and began walking.
