First Steps

The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room.

Babel was an interesting person. The only interesting person in this place. He also was the only one with access to a window that opened outside. No one knew he had opened it of course.

She thought it was one of the most intriguing things about him. Outside was toxic and dangerous according to colony knowledge. Both of us were born in the colony. It was strange how un-phased he is by the outside world.

She leaned on the sill, feeling the air on her skin. “Were you scared the first time you opened it?”

His laugh rolled out smooth,”Never. My dad always told me the council was full of fear. When I found the window. I knew I had to be different from them. Flo, you're the only one I'd ever tell about the window because you are the only one who wants to be brave."

Flora scoffed. How could she believe him when like the window he’d only seen parts of her. She didn’t feel brave, just tired. Tired of all the monotony in The Colony. Though she felt that way about herself; she sat with what he thought of her.

“I’ve just been curious that’s not very brave of me.”

Babel laughed. He was always quick to chuckle at everything he thought unfounded and ridiculous. It was in his nature to know himself to be right. No one had ever proved him wrong before. We weren’t grown but no grown up had ever proved him wrong. It was easy to be arrogant.

“What is curiosity it’s if not bravery without chance? Here in the Colony there is very little to explore or stand up for. No one will listen if you talk of leaving or changing the way things are done.”

“All of us have grown up in the colony the last Natural born died, years before we were born and he was but a child when he was moved into Colony 6.”

“Just because this is all we have ever known, why should that stop our progression! Does our sheltered life not mean we should not strive to know more. To venture out and see the world with new eyes. Even when I long to not be one of the few. I know that this colony is a blind echo chamber of fear. The grown are scared by any story of the Natural world we came from. The council will kill anyone who speaks of the colony as a means of transition is now executed. All those curious or brave enough to stand up are muted or sentenced to public trial with propaganda being played to sway everyone against them. We are in a colony of would be tyrants. Do you think if they knew I opened this window they would let me live?”

Flora stared at him, his heavy breath made his anger and frustration known. Babel was slow to anger, he was quiet and simple. To see him riled up was to see a mountain become a volcano.

“No they wouldn’t. Maybe we should leave. It’s obviously not toxic out there, there’s no reason for us not to.”

His black eyes glinted, catching the severity in her tone.

"Would you really leave? We couldn't come back."

Flora sniggered, taking on his manner of making fun of the incredible. For how could she stay, in the station, without the one person who made it easier to breath on rationed air. "I would do anything with you Bay."

“Oh I doubt that, would you share your last pudding with me?”

“Leaving for the outside world, that is crazy. I can work with crazy. Trying to take the one delicacy I can stand in the place. That’s insanity.”

“I am fairly insane.”

“Babel you opened the window. I knew that. We just need a plan.”

“a plan you shall have.”

“What if we left tonight.”

“Now a plan with only a few hours to prepare that sounds like my Florina.”

“Give me till nightfall, I’ll say my goodbyes and we can seal up the window on our way out.”

“Already taking the leader route. You really are a control freak Flora dear.”

“Oh you haven’t seen anything yet.”