The Surface--Anger and Sadness

The Rogue Speaks:

To catch up with the story, please read my post from Wednesday. Now, the story continues:



"We have to talk, Selah," Scott told her at the end of their embrace. "I need to tell you just why I went to The Surface."

Selah took Scott's hand and led him to the couch. "Scott, you're scaring me," she said. "You look so angry, and so distant." At that moment, Selah felt the baby move, and she quickly grabbed his hand and placed it on her abdomen.

Upon feeling the movement of the child that he and Selah had created, a solitary tear fell to his cheek, and quietly rolled down. He had been so happy when he first learned that they were to be parents, but now...

"Selah, there is a series of rooms in the compound, archives, where every family's history is kept. When a person reaches "the age of enlightenment," as I have done in the past week, that individual is allowed access to the history of past family members. I went there, Selah, and I read my family history. I knew I had to go to The Surface and see for myself just what had happened to the world my ancestors once lived in."

"But, Scott! We've been there! We went there together on a field trip with the nursery staff! Don't you remember?" Selah asked, a look of confusion and concern on her face.

"Selah, no! No, we didn't. That trip was only created in our minds. The place we went to had not existed for hundreds of years. It was only a fabrication! It was a lie, Selah! A cruel lie!" said Scott, becoming more agitated. "I can't talk about this any more right now. Tomorrow you reach "the age of enlightenment," and I will take you to the archives myself. Then you'll see what The Surface has become over the centuries. Then you'll know, Selah.

"But the Woks, Scott. What about the Woks? I heard them trying to dig their way into the compound! Aren't we in danger?"

"The Woks can't hurt us any more. Their bodies have been weakened by...." and here he paused, realizing that he must choose his words carefully. "Well, they no longer have the strenght to continue their attempted invasion."

"That's wonderful news!" Selah cried in delight. "I was so afraid that they would break through and you would not be here beside me. Now you are here and we are both safe. All three of us are safe!"

Selah put her arms around Scott in an attempt to draw him to her, but his arms lay limp in his lap. The artificial sun had set, and lights began to softly illuminate Selah's little room. She could see Scott's face, and the pain and sorrow in it was almost too much for her to bear.

"Selah, I have to go. I want to go back to the archives and finish reading the history. I'll read through the night if I have to, but I must learn what happened! I'll be back for you in the morning, and together we will read your ancestors' stories.

Scott stood up quickly and turned to her. "I love you, Selah," he said, and then he was gone.

It was hard for Selah to believe the range of emotions that had flooded her mind in only day. She sat quietly, trying to sort it all out, but then a weariness overcame her. She lay down on her bed, and fell into a deep, but troubled, sleep.


THE HISTORY UNFOLDS:



Today was her birthday! Today she had reached "the age of enlightenment." Just as he had promised, Scott arrived to take her to the archives to search for her ancestors' memoires. Selah was filled with trepidation when Scott took her hand and began to lead her through the maze of rooms filled with the history of their race.


The walls of the archives were filled with large drawers, each numbered, but sealed. Scott took Selah’s hand and placed her palm in the middle of a drawer. The drawer opened, and inside lay a chest which he carefully removed.

Selah opened it to find a series of data files, each one older than the next. At the bottom, she saw a stack of letters in pristine condition, as if they could have been written just yesterday. Reverently, she lifted the stack of letters from the ancient chest and placed them gently on a table in the middle of the room. Then she sat down and began to read.

Scott stood quietly by, watching her expression change with every page she read. After a while, Selah paused in her reading and looked up at him. "I don't understand! This can't be true! It can't!" Her eyes were wide with shock and confusion. "I thought The Surface was a beautiful place! I thought we would be able to live there again one day. They told us we could! Why did they lie?" Selah's shoulders sank and a tear began to trace its way down her cheek.