Fiction logo

Across the Trench

by Vanna Fuqua

By Vanna FuquaPublished 3 years ago 9 min read
3
Across the Trench
Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

Crumbling stone lined the walls of the tunnel. The floor was packed dirt, flattened by years of foot traffic. Every few feet a torch stuck out of the wall, bright spaces in the dark.

Em was nervous. More scared than she’d been since their parents died.

Her sister, Charlotte gripped her hand and followed close behind her.

“Where are we going?” Charlie whispered.

“Be quiet,” Em said. “You’ll see.”

Charlie jerked her hand out of Em’s.

“Tell me where we’re going or I’m not moving,” She crossed her arms, planting her feet.

Em sighed. “Fine. We’re going to the Trench. We’re sailing across and getting out.”

Charlie searched Em’s face, looking for a lie or truth.

“You’re joking, right?”

Em said nothing.

“Why?”

“Because your test results came back today and they weren’t good,” Em said quietly.

“My genetic testing? What was wrong?”

Charlie turned 18 a few days before. Genetic testing was required of every citizen. It was allegedly part of job placement but it was actually more like a slow genecide. A higher risk of certain diseases that were terminal or required life long medication were a death sentence..

“You have a higher risk of cancer.”

“I’m going to get cancer?” Panic gave her voice an edge.

“No,” Em said firmly. “It doesn’t mean that. It just means your risk is slightly higher than others.”

“But, then why-”

Em shook her, “You know why. You know what they do.”

“Not to everyone,” Charlie said, starting to cry.

“Not everyone is the daughter of traitors,” Em was harsher than she’d intended.

Tears slipped down Charlie’s cheeks. She looked heartbroken and younger than Em felt at 18.

But when Em was 18, the Quake happened and the Trench came. Charlotte was no more than 12 at the time, too young to understand what was going on as people watched the gaping wound in the earth fill with seawater and monsters.

And while the world was scrambling to regain its footing, a battle for power was being waged in the blindside of the world’s distraction. Unfortunately, their parents were on the losing side of that battle.

They were condemned as traitors and sentenced to death within hours of being caught. To make sure their mistakes wouldn’t be repeated, the families of the traitors were forced to watch their loved ones’ executions.

Afterwards, Em was assigned a job in the Government Building and Charlie was sent back to school. Life moved on like nothing happened.

Em’s world narrowed from the impending freedom of young adulthood to a full time job and a grief stricken, traumatized 12 year old to raise.

In the beginning she did nothing more than make sure they were still breathing. But Charlie’s needs were greater than food and a roof over her head. So, Em took on the role of parent as well as therapist.. Healing Charlie’s wounds became her priority. And so did making sure Charlie kept those wounds hidden from the ever watchful eyes of the government. The children of traitors were monitored more closely than most people.

Then, about a year into this new life, Em was kidnapped.

They jumped her outside of work, threw a bag over her head, and hauled her off in a cart of some sort. Anything not computerized was harder to track. She could tell by hollow sounds and the smell of the air that they were underground. Ten minutes could’ve gone by or ten hours. She wasn’t sure. The whole time she kept thinking that her parents’ mistakes had caught up with her and worrying about what would happen to Charlie if she wasn’t there to take care of her.

They emerged into salty air and mist. Em was dumped unceremoniously from the cart, the bag ripped off her head, revealing their neighbor, Natalie, a woman who’d never paid them much attention. Natalie was a tall fierce looking woman but her eyes were kind and calm as she looked down at Em.

“What is this?” Em asked, growing angry as the fear burned off.

Lightning flashed above the Trench not far from them. A never ending storm that followed the water below.

Natalie stepped forward so calm she was almost cool. “This is an offer.”

“An offer of what?”

“Escape,” Natalie held a hand out to her. Em took it and Natalie hauled her to her feet.

“What do you mean by escape?”

“The rebellion didn’t die with your parents.”

Em froze, looked closer at Natalie. Their parents kept them as far away from the rebellion as possible but Em heard things, saw people coming and going. She didn’t recognize Natalie as one of them.

“You were part of it?” Natalie nodded. “Then how were you not executed right next to my mom and dad?” Em narrowed her eyes.

Natalie waved this away, “Your parents knew what they were doing. They had backup plans in place for this kind of eventuality,” she looked at Em with sympathy.

“So they had a plan in place for the rebels?” Em asked, “They couldn't be bothered to have one for their daughters?”

“Actually this was their plan for you.”

“Running to hide?” Em sneered.

“No, escaping this world they left you in.”

Em laughed and shook her head.

“What’s funny?” Natalie asked her.

“How would escaping help anything? Charlie isn’t even 13 yet and you want me to risk her life by trying to escape?”

“Your parents-”

“My parents are dead,” Em nearly shouted. “They left me behind to raise Charlie. This is my choice now and I won’t risk her. We’re watched all the time. Do you realize how much danger you could put us in just by bringing me here? No, we’re not leaving. I won’t risk Charlie having to watch her sister’s execution too.”

For years after that, Em lay awake at night, wondering if she’d made the right choice. She’d gotten her answer. Now they were doing exactly the opposite and following in their parents’ footsteps. No, not rebelling, Em thought. Fleeing. She was doing this to save Charlie’s life. To save her life.

The tunnel opened out onto a flat space of land near the Trench. The same spot they’d taken her to almost 5 years ago.

Natalie’s round white face floated out of the darkness. The rest of her body, covered in black clothing.

Em could tell immediately something was wrong.

“What is it?” she asked.

“There’s a problem with your passage,” Natalie said, somber.

“What do you mean?” Em asked.

Natalie rubbed a hand over her mouth. “I can only get one of you out.”

Em covered her eyes with both hands. “Shit,” she said.

“I’m so sorry, Em. If there was anything I could do-”

She shook her head. “No, this isn’t your fault. It’s mine.”

The two women looked at each other for a moment, both remembering Natalie’s offer of escape half a decade earlier.

“You have to take Charlie,” Em said.

Natalie paused. “If she goes, and you stay, they’ll know that you helped get her out.”

Em shrugged. It was true. Even if they couldn’t prove it, it wouldn’t matter. She’d be guilty no matter what. “Maybe. Maybe my years of good service will count for something,” a wry smile.

“Can you wait a bit?” Natalie asked. “Until I can get you both out at the same time?”

Em shook her head. “Charlie turned 18. They got her test back yesterday. A friend of mine in that department warned me.”

Natalie sighed and then reached out, put a hand on Em’s shoulder. “Say your goodbyes,” she said and stepped aside.

“Charlie,” Em said, walking forward.

Charlie looked pale in the moonlight. Her long blond hair was silver. For a moment Em saw the 12 year old girl and not the 18 year old woman.

“They can only take one of us,” Charlie opened her mouth, “No, it’s got to be you. They’ve got your results and there’s nothing we can do.”

“I won’t leave you!” Charlie cried out, tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were wide and panicked. “I can’t leave you! Please, Em! Please come with me.”

Em shook her head, even as her heart broke. “I can’t Charlie. Not right now at least. This is my fault. Natalie offered a way out years ago, and I said no. If we’d left then, you never would’ve had to go for testing,” Em wiped a tear off her cheek.

“I want you to have this,” she stepped back, pulling a heart shaped locket out from under her shirt. It was warm from being next to her skin. She opened it for Charlie who gasped when she saw. “This was Mom’s. She gave it to me before they took her. For safekeeping, she said. I don’t know if she knew...but anyway. She said the compass,” she pointed at one side of the locket, “was so I’d always be able to find my way. And the clock,” she tapped the other side, “was so I’d always know the time.”

“You’ll need it though,” Charlie sobbed, “so you can find me again.”

Em felt the grief starting and they weren’t even apart yet. But she laughed, a small forced sound. “You’ll need it to find your way around on the other side.” She nodded towards the dark trees.

The other side of the Trench was a bit of mystery. Rumor was that it’s uninhabitable. But there were other rumors, whispered in softer voices, that said it was the home base for the underground rebellion. The Trench was dangerous to cross by sea. No one had found a way to cross by bridge yet. Not without the workers being snatched into the depths of the Trench by giant tentacles.

“I’ll need it so I can find you. I’ll come back for you I promise,” Charlie threw her arms around her neck and Em remembered when she’d done this after the execution. There was no funeral. They weren’t allowed to mourn traitors. And Em had barely held her and then pushed her away.

This time she wrapped her arms around her sister and held on tight.

“I love you,” Em said through tears.

“I love you too,” Charlie choked out.

And then Natalie pulled Charlie away gently and Em saw the tears on Natalie’s cheek. She led Charlie down to the waiting ship and sat her in the middle of the boat, far away from the edges. A tentacle was less likely to reach her there. Natalie hopped in beside her and then they were casting off and moving away across the Trench.

Em stood watching as they moved too far away for her to see.

All she had to do now was wait.

Fantasy
3

About the Creator

Vanna Fuqua

Great story comes from great characters. Whether I'm writing science fiction, fantasy, mystery or some combination thereof, I'm looking for a quirky character to drive the story.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.