Like Glass.

It’s too dangerous to leave town. That’s what the citizens of Nox, were told when they asked why the gates at the edge of the city remained locked from the outside. They didn't want them to know.

It’s too dangerous to leave town.

That’s what the citizens of Nox were told when they asked why the gates at the edge of the city remained locked from the outside.  Only special guards of the city police and the mayor himself where able to pass the electric-wired fence.  What lay beyond the gate? Only the permitted knew.

They didn’t want them to know.

Despite the safety precautions the mayor stressed to the townspeople, Anwen couldn’t help her curiosity to catch a glimpse of the world beyond.  On the weekends, when school didn’t occupy her time, she would tie her brown curls into a bun, stuff herself into a heavy coat and oversized boots, and trek through the snowy streets to the west boundary of the city. Her opinions of the government in Nox were underlined with an unpopular dose of skepticism.  Everyone insisted that the gates were for the city’s own good, that they were better off living in a peaceful ignorance than the apparent horrors of what lay beyond.  

Anwen didn’t buy into it.

It always snowed in Nox.  Whether a whirlwind storm or a whisper of powder, the white always blanketed the city.  While it made driving a hassle, a heavy snow fall could turn the forested part of Nox into a wintry woodland out of a fairy tale. At the same time, an angry storm could white out the forest into a sinister nothing.  It was almost as if part of the city were erased, but characterized by barely visible, clawing tree branches; its icicle teeth menacing. Sometimes the snow trapped the townspeople.  The claws would drill into the set gravel streets; the white blanket would bury the houses.  Due to a lack of ready equipment, sometimes the townspeople would have to rely on the sun to diminish the snow.  Sometimes it could be days.

Sometimes Anwen realized she hated the snow more days than she loved it.

The present Saturday was towards the end of December, Christmas and the New Year looming right around the corner.  Anwen was on her usual hike through the woods, the fence appearing in the distance. The winter sun dully glowed behind the layered, charcoal clouds.  When the sirens blared throughout Nox, she didn’t feel any sense of surprise.  Whenever a harmful storm loomed in the distance, the city-wide alarm would sound, alerting the town to take shelter in their homes.  However, Anwen felt that there was more to the alarm than just a storm warning.  She thought that maybe what was concealed beyond the fence would reveal itself during these storms, freeing her from the ignorant population.

And possibly escaping town.

The siren wailed louder as she got closer and closer to the gate. A red light flashed over the Nox city building, alerting the townspeople of a level 5 storm, the worst of their kind. By the time she reached the wired barricade, live with electricity, the wind began to scream with icy hurricanes. The snowstorm came so abruptly that Anwen jumped.  Yet, she remained persistent and looked past the gate into the distance.  In the gusting wind that almost knocked her to the ground, Anwen squinted and swore she saw a huge shape of color in the colorless blind. The ground shook and the storm raged on. 

“WEN!”

Vik, her boy friend, came sprinting from the woods, barely visible through the snow coated atmosphere. He hugged her close and began to tug her back towards the town.  

“What the hell are you doing out here? I know you want to see what’s outside the city, but you could die out here! Telephone polls are being ripped out of the ground and we have to get inside NOW!”

“Vik, I don’t care! We need to get out, we…”

Before she could say another word, the impossible occurred.  The ground literally tilted at a ninety degree angle, knocking the two off their feet. Before they could cry out, the ground turned at another angle, sending the couple hurtling downwards towards what would have been the sky.  Suddenly, the free fall ended with a bone rattling crack.  Anwen could hardly move; her body ached and pain shot through her now distorted leg.  She heard Vik gasp.  When she worked her body over to face him, she saw her boy friend laying on his stomach, but it seemed that the two of the had froze in mid air.  Yet, the sky felt solid and smooth, like glass.  She worked to flip herself over, her leg handled like dead weight.  Her face pressed against the sky and the breath coming from her nostrils left a foggy shadow in front of her.

Like glass.

Anwen stared out into a colorful abyss.  A room, but not like any she and Vik had ever seen.  There was no snow in this area of Nox.  Every object in the room stood tall, huge like the tallest skyscrapers.  She was the ant trapped in an arena of giants.  Yet, she could not push forward into this strange new world, because she and Vik pressed their noses against yet another barricade.  Their world was incased by a glass globe.

“Wen, it’s okay...”

Vik held her as Anwen’s tears began to hit the clear pane.  She screamed, thrashing and pounding her fists against a universe she had never truly known.

Then the glass broke.

Author's Note

Sorry for any grammatical errors, I have not thoroughly proofread the story. I just wanted some feedback.

Reviews

[KeeD]

I liked this, could feel the suspense, visualize the environment you created then the reveal caught be by surprise, I had things going through my mind before reaching the end but never did I quite predict such creativity. It was refreshing being surprised by how that suddenly took a shocking turn which was scary, impressive and left me wanting more of the story. Really cool writing.

[Harmartia Poe]

Thank you so so much! This means the world to me :)

[Sofia Papastavrou]

You have good rhythm throughout the writing

[Harmartia Poe]

Thank you :) I appreciate that you think so!

[Sasha]

Wow..

Pretty interesting !

Loved it !

[Harmartia Poe]

Thank you so much :)

[MAD ENGLISHMAN]

Truman story meets the Dome meets the Simpsons movie. Could be an interesting scenario.
I liked the fact that I could actually read this. So many stories on here are unfinished, badly written , no punctuation, etc etc etc.
REALLY well done and congratulations.
Let's see where this goes.

[Harmartia Poe]

Thank you very much :)
However, this is where the story ends. It's meant to be open ended. It's meant to leave the reader to interpret their own ending, but hopefully, it invokes hope. She's discovered she's been trapped all along and now she is finally free.

[MAD ENGLISHMAN]

Yeah that's how my story Porcelain Dolls started. Now it's nine chapters, eighteen thousand words and a follow up book is already started. If you have a good idea I think you should expand it and see where it leads. This was a well produced, well thought out piece of writing I know you have more inside.

[Sophy Freebirds]

Thought provoking from the start... very unexpected end.. Story takes an abrupt U turn.I guess you could have been a bit more clear about the free fall...much detailed so the reader can picture it more clearly. :) Nice plot.

~Sophy

[Harmartia Poe]

Thanks girl. I actually felt a bit like I stumbled through that section -- I'm glad you picked up on that and told me. I'll work on it. Thank you :)

[Sophy Freebirds]

It is a pleasure reviewing your amiga ;)

[A. Amos]

I always enjoy reading your work, you're a great story teller...keep it coming!

[Harmartia Poe]

Thank you so much :)

[A. Amos]

You're most welcome

[Tiberio Tano]

Intriguing story. Interesting concept. Above all, very well written.

[Harmartia Poe]

This is means so much to me :) Thank you.