They get more attention with negativity. They always have, the mystery surrounding them is quite possibly their greatest accomplishment. The media hype surrounding the underground village has always been exponential but recently the media coverage has turned in an unexpected way. What used to be called the golden dream is quickly turning into a hellish nightmare. The population has never been as high as the immigration to the city. Journalists have made this known for a good bit of time at this point.

The bigger the news the bigger the hype the more revenue the creators make per month. The business strategy is without flaw. More people means more money and more control which all the rich autocrats want. The loop that has been created has affected the global economy negatively. The general public is now afraid to go out after dark in the city of darkness. As for me, I was born into the darkness to a widow whose husband disappeared just a month before I was born.

“Do not even think about going out after dark.” I overhear while climbing out my window. The artificial light has turned off. It’s just about the only way to keep track of time down here. As my feet hit the stone below I hear a whistle.

“Hey you, what are you doing out after dark!” I recognize that phrase from one of the guards who are supposed to be “keeping order” as they say. I bolt. Instinct taking over my body. Body hairs stand on end. Heartbeat quickens. Slight sweat beads on my skin. I know this instinct well, fight or flight. If there is one good thing down here it is the schooling system. The grueling academy starts at 6 in the morning 7 days a week from ages 4 through 16. One school, one large building, thousands of kids.

I duck behind some old crates and crawl my way into a crevice in the rock. Sounds of the guard walking and shouting echo around the old, damp, cave I find myself in. I keep crawling in the dark without missing a hand or foot placement. I know this tunnel, I’ve made it through hundreds of times. As I’m crawling I feel something out of place. The first thing that comes to mind is an old raggety blanket.

“What the…” I start to say until some shuffling sounds stop me in my tracks. I freeze. I think to myself I have never been in this situation, never met someone in here at the same time. It’s a pretty well kept secret between my buddies and I. I hesitate to move as I’m unaware of what dangers might present themselves. After a short pause I worked up the courage to call out.

“Hello?” I whisper it harshly to let it be known I took notice that something else was in there. In return I only hear the grate at the end of the tunnel be opened. It’s around the final bend and a little illumination lights up the old sewer system that has since been replaced. The improvements around here have always been a priority so that the appeal to the outside world will still be there. I see nothing out of the ordinary, but then the grate is closed again and it is back to pitch black. I wait for a couple seconds deciding what to do. The curiosity overpowers me so naturally I continue forward.

I reach up for the handle to open the grate and pause a moment while I steady myself. My skin is slightly damp and my heart is still in my throat beating at a wildly quick rate. I pull the handle and crack the grate open to make absolutely sure the coast is clear. I peer out of the darkness into the alley but nothing seems to be amiss. I steady myself before crawling out. My feet hit the ground after the 3 foot drop to the cold dark concrete.

A breeze chills me to the core and I get the feeling someone is watching me. I duck into the abandoned building where the pipe comes out. Little did I know this was one of the worst decisions of my life. I really should have listened to my mother this time.

I feel a small prick in the back of my neck to which I turn around and see one of the many dangers we learned about at the academy. One of the rumored new species that was created was staring me down, face to face. The skin on its face is dark and scaly with large eyes peering into me. Then my legs start to quake and I collapse to the floor. My consciousness is fading. I remember feeling the pinch of the needle and realize my fate has taken a very unexpected turn. Absolute darkness shortly followed as my brain and body quit fighting the paralytic that was injected into my bloodstream.