Chapter 1

 

Naiya and her sisters lay sleeping on the uncomfortable mats, whose lumpiness they had grown accustomed to.  The frigid temperature of the cell they were abiding in manifested itself on their skin but the normal frostbitten feeling didn’t bother them for they had grown used to their living conditions.  The intense darkness provided the  environment necessary for deep slumber.  Naiya tossed and turned as the world in which her mind had created thrived.

Fire illuminated all around her as she began to call out to her beloved parents.  Her brown eyes manifested the fear that threatened to consume her.  Her heart raced as the fire bit at her soft, caramel skin, tainting it with its evil blemishes.  The usual waviness of her brunette hair now sagged due to the humidity all around her.

...

“Mother! Father! Please help me!” No one could answer her.  Darkness was all around her.  A sense of isolation filled the room.  She was alone, forgotten, uncared for.  Adrenaline shot through her body so fast, it shocked and  paralyzed her. With her heart rate skyrocketing, causing her pulse to quicken by the second; she screamed out for help into the distance.

“Somebody help me!”  Her cry for help went unanswered.   She knew that no one would be able to come to her aid but still, something inside of her caused stubbornness and forced her to call out continuously.

“Help!” She heard a sound. It was unrecognizable but it was a sound nevertheless.  A small glimmer of hope danced in her stomach as she began to call out.

“Please help me! I beg of you!  My parents are gone, my sisters have been taken from me, I am small, weak, and alone! Please take pity on me! Please come and deliver me to my family!”

Another noise echoed in her ears as a masculine, distorted voice responded.

“You will forever be without a home, love, and happiness! You are insignificant; always have been and always will be! You were born in sorrow, and sorrow and loneliness will be the only things you  know until death takes you!”

 “You’re wrong! I will escape this hell you have made me come to know and I will rise above it! You are a liar!!”

 Indignation surged through her as the fire thrived and grew.

“Stupid girl, you know that I am right!  You don’t even believe your own words! You have failed before you’ve even begun your so-called ‘journey to rise up!’”  he said mockingly, “Look around you! You said it yourself, your parents are dead, your siblings are gone, you are isolated and alone! How are you going to rise above this?!”

She fell to her knees in despair and acknowledgement that the voice was correct.  The screams of her parents echoed as the flames closed in around her.  Her mother.  Her father.  Her sisters.  Gone.  She was alone forever.

“Naiya?” Another voice echoed but she made no attempt to respond. Her spirit was broken into a million pieces. She closed her eyes and waited for the flames to consume her.  “Naiya, it’s time to get up now.” “No. It's too late for me.” “Naiya, get up. Now.” “No.” “Naiya….Naiya!…Naiya!!… Naiya!!!”  

Naiya awakened from the horrors  of her nightmare sweating and panting.  Her hair drooped by her sides and hung in her pale face.  She did a quick, frantic once-over of the dark, frigid cage.  She gazed with two blurry eyes at the two figures that sat in the dark in front of her.

“You okay, sis?”, Mara, a practical child having straight brown hair that framed her spherical face,  inquired.  A look of worry began to show on her face and manifest itself in her brown eyes as her sister continued panting.  “Sis? Are you there?” Her futile calls resonated in the practically empty cell.  Starting to really become fearful that something was wrong, she placed a hand on her damp forehead. “Naiya, are you okay?”  she asked placing her small hands on Naiya’s pale cheeks.  Even little Addilyn, the youngest sister who was usually carefree and inquisitive, was starting to grow anxious of Naiya’s condition. “What’s wrong wit’ sis?”  “I don’t know,” responded Mara gravely.  She laid Naiya back gently on the lumpy, moldy mat.  “Naiya, please answer me. Naiya… naiya,” she repeatedly called out to her beloved sister.  

“What!?” she exclaimed, the indignation showed in her voice.  She looked at her sisters who were a little taken aback by the sharp remark.  She wiped away the sweat that soaked her forehead.  “What is it, Mara?” she asked defeated.  

“You’re sweating bullets and you wouldn’t answer when we called you...it was like you were in a daze… so i started to get worried,” she explained.

“That… and,” little Addilyn giggled, “you were talking in your sleep.”

“Yeah…” Mara added looking back at the giggling child.  It amazed her how anyone could maintain such a happy and carefree personality when they were living in a hell hole like ‘The Brig’. Maybe it was due to the fact that she had not known freedom or that she was too young to really experience or comprehend the cruelties that this place had to offer.  Either way, her happy personality was both refreshing and annoying.  She watched as that little girl,  with dirt all in her brown shoulder-length  hair; attired with the same bleak, filthy grey jumpsuit; with dirt caked onto her cream skin just like the rest of them; that little girl who had not known freedom- who had not felt the warm radiant sunlight warm her skin or seen the glittering stars twinkle in the midnight sky,  sit and play with her tiny fingers contently and hum a foreign tune to herself.  She shook her head and turned back to her older sister (who was watching her as well).  

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked like a mother worried over her ill child.

“Yeah… I’m fine,” she answered.

The two of them stared at each other for a moment, but before a word could be spoken red lights began to flash and the blaring sounds of an alarm blared in their ears.

“Yay, breakfast!”

The sound of the breakfast alarm also served as a warning call that meant ‘you good-fir-nuthin shanks had better be up and ready to go when i git here or i will kindly take ya out ‘dere and give ya a beat’n ya’ never fir’get’.  When that alarmed sounded, even the heaviest of sleepers would be up and ready for the ‘breakfast’ that was on the way.  While Addilyn giggled, Mara and Naiya sat sullen awaiting the sound (and smell) of the breakfast overseer to come grumbling and stomping down the long, dark, and eerie hallway. Although, the alarm had stopped, the sound of the metals bars sliding across the metal floor quickly made up for the obnoxious noise.  Almost immediately a tall and stout figure, having green eyes that shone like emeralds and a freckled face all framed by his messy black hair, came rushing in.  He gave a mischievous smile as he approached and addressed the three girls.

“Mornin, ya- whoa!” he looked at Naiya humorously, “what happened to you!? You look like crap, girl! I hope you ain’t got the X-virus,” he joked.

“Shut up, Mark. I am not in the mood for your stupid games and annoying comments,” she warned, eyeing him like a predator.

The X-virus was no joking matter.  A truly gruesome, painful, and fatal virus indeed, it had already taken out 20 ‘tenants’ in the past month.  Winter was always the time when the virus would strike and deliver the people you cared about up to death. It always struck at the time when you least expected and the person you least expected.  Once caught, one’s immune system would gradually shut down and the body would gradually deteriorate in a matter of weeks.  Eventually, all the systems would shut down and you would gradually become a vegetable.  But until then, it was all painful.  Naiya could still hear the wails, screams, and moans the victims made as their cells slowly attacked and killed the organs and systems in their body.  *If the walls could talk* she thought, *the horrors they would reveal*.  No one really knew the cause or the source of the virus, but once the overseers and/or ‘Mama’ found out, it was all over.  They would be taken to some isolated place to slowly rot and die.   It made Naiya shiver to even think about her sisters being victims to that horrible virus.  If that happened, she would have nothing left.  She was lost in thought and thus did not hear Mark calling her.  

“Naiya!” he exclaimed snapping his fingers, “come back.”

In an instant her mind ceased its wanderings and returned to the cold, harsh reality; to the cold hellhole she was forced to endure.  

“Huh? What?”

“Come back to earth,” he replied.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Mara inquired. “You seem a little… off.”

“Now that you mention it…”  Mark said as he approached Naiya, knelt down where brown could gaze into emerald, and placed his large hand on her forehead.  “You do seem a little pale… er than usual. You sure you not getting sick?  Maybe you should just stay in for the day.  I’ll handle your shift and you c-”

“No!” an angry scowl crept onto her face giving her a look of both warning and pure hatred that was enough to make him shudder.  “I can handle my own ‘shift’.  I don’t need your help.  I just need some fresh air that’s all.”   

The two stared at each other as a long tense silence consumed the frigid confines of their cell that was only broken by the sounds and smells of the breakfast overseer stomping towards them.  The low grumblings increased in volume as he drew nearer and nearer to the cell. The sounds of the squeaks of his breakfast cart rang in their ears as the short, round man approached the doorway of the cell.  His scruffy hair and dirty attire painted him a dangerous man.  Add that to the dirty heavy stubble on his face and you had yourself a malicious looking man.  An evil scowl formed on his rough, grotesque face as he peered into the cell with his seemingly bloodshot brown eyes and spotted Mark, who wasn’t supposed to be there in the first place.  

“What you doin in here, boy?”  his rough, raspy voice sounded.

Mark arose and turned to face the man.  “Jus’ checkin on a friend… is that a crime?”  

“You know good and well you not s’posed to be out your cell before ‘Mama’ comes,” his lips formed a twisted smile, “les’ you want ‘Mama’ to whup ya again?”  A chuckle escaped his dry, crusty lips as he turned his attention to the three girls.

“Well, what ya’ll standing around for!?” he exclaimed. “You want to eat or not?”

Immediately Mara and Addilyn scrambled up and all but ran to him to get their trays of food like puppies obeying their master while Naiya sat there quiet and still and stared at him with vehement hatred.  Upon realizing the look on her face, ‘overseer’ stared right back at her and formed a frown on his dirty face.

“You got a problem with me or something girl?”

Not a word escaped her lips but her scowl deepened and her growing hatred manifested in her eyes that were now locked with his.  Tense silence overtook the room as the three figures watched with anticipation and anxiousness concerning what would potentially go down.  Not wanting to be the witness of an altercation, he stepped in.

“She’s tired, ‘sir’, that’s all.  She didn’t get much sleep last night,” he stepped in front of Naiya and stared at ‘overseer’ with straight, innocent eyes until he let out a low grumble and signalled Mark to grab their trays.  As he left out, he mumbled just loud enough for Naiya to hear.  

“You better watch yourself and be thankful you wench… or else, imma tell ‘Mama’ and she’ll put a whuppin on you that you’ll never forget.”  He spat in front of the cell and trodded off leaving Naiya's blood simmering to a boil.

“Are you crazy, girl?  Do you want to get reported to ‘Mama’?  You know how that man is… all he needs is one little excuse to say that you stepped out of line and then the next thing you know, you’ll find yourself being marched up to ‘Mama’ to attempt and fail to explain yourself.  Then you come back with a beat up face and a sore and aching back.  Is that what you want?”

They looked each other dead in the eye in silence before Naiya finally answered him.

“I don’t need you to fight my battles for me,”  she said lowly.

“Im not fighting your battles for you, I was just trying to keep you from getting beat up by ‘Mama’.” He let out a huge scoff, handed her the tray before moving away from her.  “You know, you shouldn’t push people away that are only trying to look out for you, because you’ll end up alone.  We’re all we got and more than likely all we’ll ever have.”  

With that, they all ate- except for Naiya- in utter silence.

…

The sound of ‘Mama’s’ boots clicking against the metal floor broke the thick silence in the air as Naiya continued to stare down at her untouched plate.  She had not eaten and had no desire to touch the food- or what was meant to be food-that filled it.  A single slice of dry, whole wheat bread next to a grey mass that was supposed to be eggs occupied the dingy, white plate.  A glass of lukewarm water stood next to it- probably to wash the terrible taste out of one’s mouth.  She pushed the tray away from her and turned her gaze towards the sliding bars of their cell.  A tall, curvy, and commanding red-headed figure stood awaiting them.  She wore red lipstick that stood out against the whiteness of her face which was gracefully framed by her long, sweeping hair.  Her attire consisted of an all black duster coat and vest that set off her chest features and pants which held a pistol in her holster belt.  She tapped her black high-heeled boots in impatience as Naiya arose to exit the cell. Her eyebrow arched as she spotted the extra inhabitant- Mark- exiting behind Naiya.  She simply shook her head and closed the steel bars behind him.  She walked briskly down the hall with Mark and Naiya following behind obediently as if they were trained puppies.  They walked silently down the dark, freezing hallway as their owl-like eyes scanned the numerous empty cells that lined it. The dull scent of must mixed with wastes filled the air, causing a desperate need for the outside air.  ,  They walked down the practically dark hallway, passing by all of the dark, cold, odiferous cells.  They reached an intersection at the end of the long, dark hall.  Each one was a dark, pitch black, cold metal tunnel that seemed to stretch for miles.  The left and right tunnels remained a mystery to Mark and Naiya for no one had ever ventured into it and came back.  There were numerous speculations and rumors on what lie down those dreaded paths.  Some said that’s where the diseased ones were taken while yet others speculated that Mama’s lair was down there and that where one would be taken if they got unruly.  They would be taken there and all manner of obscene and terrible things would be done to them which would eventually kill them, for those who got unlucky enough to be dragged down there to Momma would never come back.   They continued straight ahead reaching another hallway lined with more empty, odiferous cells- well almost empty.  One soul remained lying still in the utter darkness.  ‘Momma’ stopped in her tracks and peered into it to detect any signs of life. The two of them watched silently- Mark in anxiousness and Naiya nonchalantly- as they stood a foot behind ‘Momma’.  When the figure finally stirred she reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver ring of keys.  She cut her eyes behind them to see Mark and Naiya take a huge step back.  She opened the gate and walked inside slowly  and forebodingly- her boot heels clicking loudly on the metal floor where a sprawled teenage masculine figure lay sleeping.  She reached her left hand in her pocket and pulled a brown leather whip.  Her painted fingers curled around the whip and uncoiled it.  A loud ‘crack’ resonated loudly and clearly throughout the compound.  The sleeping teen awakened with a loud groan and immediately scrambled to his feet, trying to ignore the pain.

“Git out here.  Now!” she commanded still gripping the whip in her hand as if she was about to strike once more.

His gaze met hers for a moment.  His eyes held a look of utter disdain and defiance. Clenching his fists, he strolled out of the cell towards Mark and Naiya.  His intense brown eyes stared at the two of them in an almost deadly way that had Mark almost  running behind ‘Momma’.  Naiya, on the other hand, didn’t really seem to care and stared right back at him with the same look in her eye.  I guess I’m not the only one…, she thought as they all started behind ‘Momma’ down the long, dark tunnel.  Their owl-like eyes seemed to almost glow in the dark.  Eventually- after about two silent minutes that seemed to move so slowly that it felt like an hour- they reached the end of the tunnel where a light could be seen.  They stepped into it and was bathed by the intense golden sunlight that shone on their pale skin.  Naiya squinted and looked out at the lush, green hills and the miles and miles of forest that surrounded it.  She looked up at the birds and listened to the tweets and squawks they made as they flew overhead and out into the horizon.  Nature.  Everything was free to live it’s life until it died.   Why could she not have been born a bird, or a tree, or even an insect? At least then she could live her life- however short it may be- without the hindrance of an oppressor.  Because she could not experience the joy and contentment as the animals and plants could, she looked upon the horizon where the sun was hovering, upon the beautifully clear blue sky where those birds flew into the distance; she looked upon the lush, green hills that rolled into the distance until they reached the forest barrier.  She gazed upon the scenery with absolute disdain.  She hated that sunshine, that clear blue sky, the squawks and tweets of the birds. The smell of the tall redwoods and pinetrees.  The sounds and sightings of deer and fawns staring, mocking her in the cover of the thick brush of the forest.  She despised it so much that it filled her heart.  

She scowled and walked with the two other boys behind ‘Momma’ to the edge of a hill where the others stood  at the bottom chatting amongst each other. Mark immediately ran down and pushed his way through the sea of people, leaving only Naiya standing next to the boy.  Standing at 6 feet 4 inches his lean, muscular teenage body and his flawless chiseled face to match seemed as if it was hand-crafted by God himself when he was in a particular good mood on a particular good day.  Although, Naiya wasn’t that much shorter than he was- standing at a 5 foot 7- he still had to kind of look down to her.

“You, okay?” his voice was like silk as he spoke.

“Peachy.” she replied still staring out.  

He chuckled a little. “Sounds like im not the only one having a crappy morning,”

A frown formed on her expressionless face as she lifted her head to face him.

“Judging by the dark circles under your eyes it looks like your morning is worse than mine.” she answered.  

He chuckled once more. “That old hag can’t break me that easily. Nice to see your concern though.”

“I never said that I was concerned,” she said as she gave a humorless smile and started down the hill towards the huge, work area that lie ahead.  Her eyes attempted to see inside of those dark tunnels engraved in the rocky hillside where they would spend most of the day hacking away at rocks and praying that the tunnels wouldn’t collapse on them today as it had on other previous occasions.  It was amazing that only five people had died that day.  She let out a heavy sigh that had the young man, looking at her once more.

“One day, I’m gonna leave this hell,” he started, his face stone cold as he averted his gaze ahead of him, “and I’ll kill anyone that gets in my way… and that includes dear old ‘Momma’ as well. I tell you when I get outta here, if she’s not dead already, I think I’ll hunt her down and kill her anyway… and maybe I’ll take that leather whip and get a few strikes of my own just for the heck of  it,” something cross between a mischievous and an evil smirk formed on his face that lifted Naiya’s spirits a little.  In silence they walked down the lush, green hill towards the noisy crowd of teens that were gathered at the entrance of mines. The worksite itself was a barren clearing with a dull light-brown color that stretched into a barren hillside, which was the entrance to the dark mines.  The two of them shoved their way through the noisy crowd towards a brown cart that contained all of the gear they would need for the day.  The intense noise level of the crowd brought on a pounding headache for Naiya as they continued to shuffle through the crowd.  As they reached they reached the carts, Naiya could hear Mark’s distinct voice.

Author's Note

This concludes chapter one folks! :) (some parts subject to be changed or revised)

Reviews

[Dark Rider]

Intriguing. Usually, I'm the kind of person who likes to know the backstory of someone/something first thing so I can get a feel and appreciation to the present setting. However, I'm kind of glad this wasn't the case with this chapter. You've managed to capture my interest and have only made me more curious as to what is going on and who this "Mama" character is. Plus, I would really like to know why she's only using teenagers to do the mining and not adults as well. You'd think she would have kept the older people for their strength and skill, but she seems to have her own reasoning behind this. I'm very interesting to know more.

Plus, if anything happens to Mark, I'm going to be really upset. XD

[Sira YR]

Thanks and I'll keep that in mind but I can't make any promises XD

[Dark Rider]

XD Of course, not. At least don't make him suffer, lol.

[Sira YR]

Lol, I'll try not to :)

[Dark Rider]

That's all I ask. XD But you do what seems right. :)

[Sira YR]

Oh believe me I will and thank you again for reviewing it :)

[Dark Rider]

You're welcome. I really can't wait to read more. :)

[Cy!]

I wike it. It's very intense. The dream she was having, It was hard to understand but that added to the mystery of the story. Keep it up! :)

[Tashida]

I have one thing to say: Loved it. Your use of imagery was impeccable. I couldn't have done it better myself. The more I read, the more hooked I became. This was a great intro. Keep up the good work!

[matrixmark]

Sad but good intro. The words which you used to describe the fire burning into her were really vivid and gave off great imagery. Adrenaline shot through her body so fast, it shocked and paralyzed her.

Change this..... Her pulse quickened and her heart rate skyrocketed. Her lips quivered but she managed to scream out into the distance.

To this....With her heart rate skyrocketing, causing her pulse to quicken by the second; she screamed out for help into the distance.

Change this...“Somebody help me!” No answer.
To this.........."Somebody help me!" her cry for help went unanswered.

I like this piece and the words you have used are well executed and put to good use. You vacabulary is good and over time this will grow. A talent in the making.

Mark.

[Sira YR]

Thank you and I'll be sure to change those :)

[matrixmark]

No worries...it was such a good read. I had such a good time enjoying this quite dark write.

Mark.