Project Genesis

By Christopher Shaw - Grade 8 The sky has always been black as far as Kai’s memory goes. The brilliant ball of yellow that was once rumored to reach high in the sky - was nothing more than an old legend. Down in Sub-Base floor Nine, beneath the layers of steel and forgotten dirt, were the machines and data screens that were to be shown every morning for the past five thousand days in Kai’s life. He lived off the hums from the machinery and the artificial lights that flickered on and off every once in a while. There weren’t many of their kind left - he was one of the few children to be walking in this world. Kai didn’t know where he came from - the so-called parents and family meant nothing to him. Nor did all the old stories of the Elders that they would speak every so often about the Surface affected him. He believed they were all bedtime lies. Hope, he thought, was a dangerous thing. It made people wait for miracles instead of learning to survive. 

***

Kai woke up as any normal human would. Of course - in this context, woken up to the sounds of machinery clattering, sounds of footsteps, the smell of the recycled air that he has smelled for the past 13 years, and the bright artificial lights that turned on in an instant. He was looking straight at the ceiling. No thoughts were processed into his mind yet. A quick sigh later, Kai sat up, looking around his room. His bed - for one - was rather small. It was built to fit the exact size Kai was, giving just a foot of extra spacing on all sides. Kai gulped. He was thirsty every morning. There was a small desk to the right of his bed, and a bottle of water was placed on top.

He gulped down half the bottle, and got out of bed. For this whole base - called Rezone - was one of three that could fit up to five thousand people. There were ten layers and floors that were split throughout the base. Each floor has a harder environment to live in, ranging from the hardest floor, ten, to the simplest, most serene abode you would see in this world. They would place you from your physical ability to work, the amount of rations you would eat per day, and the looks of any potential in creating a new world from the surface. Of course, without any debate, the Elders were placed on the first floor. Kai - was living on the ninth. He couldn't remember what put him here - the first seven years of his life was blank to him. But one thing for sure - he would wake up to the same routine every day; wake, work, eat, and sleep for the rest of his life. Of these four words - three are easier than the rest. 

Kai slowly stood up, shaking off his weariness and took a quick stretch. He’d need to quickly get or his rations for lunch won't be enough. Work usually comes with a payment. Payment? Food. Rations. The amount of water you get per day. How long you can rest per break. Work is tough alone - but for a thirteen year old on floor Nine is untold. After a few seconds, Kai took a few steps to the steel door. His legs were still sore from the work the day before. For whatever reason, someone thought it was a great idea to add an eleventh floor - either to punish more people or to add more than enough space they already have. For this task, floors Ten, Nine, Eight, and part of Seven will be working on this project. Kai opened the door to have a blast of cold air blow into his face. His first sight was three men running down the elevator to not miss their jobs. One waved at Kai whilst running,

“You’d better hurry up or starving will come and get you!” Kai nodded at him and looked at the massive hallway. It was at least five thousand feet long, you can barely see the other sides of the rooms from his view. The elevators were positioned every one-hundred rooms. Unluckily for Kai, he was in room #3762 - meaning he needs to run 38 rooms to get to the nearest elevator. 

“Great.” He mumbled, as he started jogging towards the left. In the middle of the hallway were scattered machinery to hold the Floor up and many air recycling machines to provide oxygen for us to live in. We’d go to work hungry and leave work hungry. The only foods we receive are at lunch. No breakfast nor dinner. Over time, our body gets adjusted to this and humans slowly only need one meal a day. We’d also burn alive if the light of the sun were to touch our skin - the result of humanity not touching the Surface after twenty seven thousand years. Kai was deep in thought. If I were to create a new humanity on the Surface - who am I kidding. The Surface isn’t even real. I’ve thought that for over thirteen years. Why am I bringing this up now? Kai shook his head, reaching the elevator. He was the last one in this massive hallway,

probably indicating he’d go hungry for lunch. Kai smacked the button many times, in the hurry of getting there at least on time. This wasn’t the first time he’s gone hungry - at least a dozen more. The elevator opened, and led to a small hallway from the back. A hallway? Kai looked around him. Usual elevators would contain a steel box to contain around sixty to seventy people on an average day. This - however was a rather smaller area, but a long passageway that led to somewhere dark in the distance. The door wasn’t closing - nor making any intentions on doing so.

Kai stood there for another minute, making sure it wasn’t a mistake. Maybe they changed the layout of Floor 11’s elevator? He shrugged it off, and walked in, expecting the elevator to start moving or dropping down. All it did, however, was close the double sided steel doors. A loud bang boomed in Kai’s ears when the two steel plates connected. He was used to this - each day hearing this sound at least twice. What he wasn’t so used to was the silence of the elevator. Surely even a roach can make a sound here. Instead, it seemed as though silence itself was bouncing off the walls and entering Kai’s ears. It was - deadly silent. Too silent to even seem real. Kai’s hands were starting to sweat.

What’s going on? Nothing like this has happened before. Has the elevator shut down due to how late I was? No. I’ve been late before. This is only five minutes later than usual. He touched the door in nervousness. He could barely hear his fingernails scraping the metal. An eerie wind touched his back - making him jerk his head backwards. The long passageway was calling out to him. It was lit by small, dim lights on the ceiling every few yards. He gulped, clenching his fists. There was supposed to be a button to call for help - but no button was in this elevator. Kai stepped forward into the path, the steel suddenly becoming a brown and blue carpet. That’s a bad color combination - though it's not the time for that. Kai walked forward - there was nothing he could have chosen. He was scared to scream for help, and too frightened to try anything else. With each step, the sounds became louder and more audible.

He walked on for minutes, soon becoming hours. Yet - nothing seemed to change. Am I walking in a loop? No curves, no turns, no nothing - just a straight hallway. At last, Kai reached a door. It was wooden with small crevices each few inches. There was a small pattern of a circle with two parallel lines intersecting inside it. There was nothing for Kai to do but open the door - he hoped it led to where everyone else was. 

Kai was utterly wrong. In fact - his guess was so wrong that it seemed as if an elephant was sleeping on a bed. Past the door was a small room - the size of a small office. There was a desk and a few greens in a lighted area. On the desk were thousands of papers and a glass box that contained a small item. However - that wasn’t the part he was most focused on. A human (for whatever reason, Kai was shocked) was sitting at the chair behind the desk. It was Old Man Dr. Lira. He had mostly white hair, blue eyes (a rarity in this place), and a white coat. Most of his wrinkles were gone - probably due to some antidote he invented. 

“D - Doctor Lira -” Kai stuttered. Dr. Lira looked up and smiled. It was such an innocent smile, but a lighthearted one - as if he knew something others didn’t. 

“Strange seeing you here.” He replied.

“What is this place?” Kai couldn't help but ask why this mysterious room that stretched for miles long was hidden in one of the elevators. 

“Funny you ask.” Dr. Lira said, and continued to check his papers and examine the specimen in the glass case. Dr. Lira was always this kind of person - mysteriously bad at being mysterious. The dim lights were making Kai’s heart panic. Why is he here? No - why am I here? Kai stood there, anxiously, expecting a deeper explanation on what this place is. None came. It was as if Dr. Lira already forgot about Kai, his eyes looking deeper into the glass casing, and pushed a small button on the side. It was at this moment Kai realized what Dr. Lira was up to. There was a small brown seed in the case with a brown substance. What is that? Kai sneaked a little forward. Small pecks of brown all mixed together, with a brown seed stuck inside. Kai had learned about seeds in the lab, but never heard of this brown mixture. A shot rang through his mind and a shiver ran down his spine. His eyes widened. 

“Doctor… Is that?” Kai muttered.

“You’ve been staring at it for some while. Finally he knows.” Dr. Lira looked up and smiled at him, eyes closed, smiling wide. Kai’s heart was racing. His hands, which he didn’t notice earlier, were starting to sweat. He gulped. The walls were all black and it seemed as if nothing was behind Dr. Lira. Kai turned his head back. A small echo wailed through the tunnel. Wails? 

“Oh. Seems as if it started early.” Dr. Lira stood up and spread his arms open. The wails seemed to turn into an alarm of a sort, screeching from the base. It was barely audible here. “Welcome to Project Genesis.” 

Kai shuttered at the name. 

“Project Genesis?” He asked, confused with panic. Dr. Lira didn’t reply. Instead, he pushed a button on his desk. It was those classic ‘red buttons’ that had a huge meaning. His, however, just closed the door behind them. That was enough to surge panic throughout Kai. His hands started shaking and his legs couldn't move. 

“It’s okay. I’m not going to kill you, ” Dr. Lira said, walking towards him. His sentence seemed unfinished - as if there was another aspect of contradiction. Kai looked up at him. His teeth were chattering. Then what will? He thought. The room started moving, walls shaking and desk rattling. 

“The mission of the Project is to plant the seed on the surface. The brown mixture you see - that is dirt. I’m sure you haven't noticed, but some people are disappearing. Why? They’re dead. It took us seven people to get this small amount of dirt. ” Dr. Lira explained, sitting on the ground. Kai’s body shook from the movement. His face went pale. D-dead? “It’s for the greater good. We’re going to start a new life above the bases. We’re going to live on the surface again. ” Kai didn’t dare to move. Silence spoke in his ringing ears. A minute passed. Two. Three. The light that hung above swung back and forth. Back and - . A sudden screech, and everything was flung to the other side. Kai banged his head against the desk. Dr. Lira, however, was perfectly fine, still in the same sitting position he was in three minutes ago. 

“I suppose we exit. Seems like a man is late for work.” Kai knew he was talking about him. It wasn't like he had a choice to not work. 

“D-doctor. What are you planning?” Kai asked, rubbing his palms on the area he hit his head. 

“For you to save this species.” Kai’s heart dropped. 

“H-how do you expect me to do that?” He asked, dreadfully. Dr. Lira stood up and grabbed the unmoved glass case.

“You - are going to plant this on the surface.” 

“Surely I’ll die! What are you thinking? I don't want to - ”

“Don’t worry, there is a tunnel dug already by the other people.” Dr. Lira cut him off. Kai knew there wasn't fighting back. He was in the hands of this old man. His life - which was already doomed from the start - was for this one reason. “You’ll save thousands. Millions. Maybe one day billions. And you - you are going to be the reason.” He’s making it sound better. The dark door slowly opened, leading the bright lights of the hallways to illuminate the whole room. Dr. Lira smiled. 

“Go on. I’ll lead the way.” Kai rubbed his head once more, knowing it would be the last. He was doing this for a good cause - to save the planet. Save humanity. He stood up, following Dr. Lira. Can I run? To where though? This whole place is a prison. He’ll find me sooner or later. I have no protection from any of the guards or leaders. Kai was led to a small room from the other side of the hallway. Dr. Lira handed him the glass capsule. 

“Alas, it is your turn.” Kai felt no emotion to those words. He was already prepared. The Surface. At least I can break a myth from my childhood. He walked into the room. It was an exact replica of the one he was in earlier - but without the glass casing. The room started moving without notice. Really is no turning back. Before long, the room stopped. A small trapdoor on the right side of the room opened. Kai didn’t move for a minute. He clutched the glass case, staring at the small gap from the trapdoor. At last, he decided. He crawled in the trapdoor, the tunnel narrow. It was already starting to heat up a little. Before he left Dr. Lira, he was told the trip to the surface would be safe. It's just crawling now. Little by little, his arms and legs worked together, pushing him further and further. He soon reached another trapdoor.

At this point, his arms and legs were all sweating, water dripped from his forehead. His breath was ragged and unsteady. There was a small ladder leading to the trapdoor that was on top of him. He took a deep breath, and went for it.

***

A bare planet, once buried deep in dust and ashes, drifted through the Milky Way. Its surface of no greens, cracked and molten - held no trace of anyone who once lived. Ten years passed. A single tree broke through the sand. Then another. Thousands of years passed. A jungle, slowly formed tree by tree, year by year. Life started to buzz again. 

Another hundred thousand years have passed. Forests and lakes spread through the continents. Deep beneath the ground, a door hidden beneath the green grasses, creaked open for the first time in eternity. A two legged figure stepped out. Tens, hundreds, all jumping in joy and happiness. Beneath their feets, a seedpod had once grown there. The memory of a boy who gave his all for life to try again.