"Daddy! Look, our first spring sprout!" Amelia exclaimed with infectious excitement, pointing to the delicate, green shoot emerging from the earth.
"That's wonderful, honey! Now, why don't you go inside and keep your mother company?" Dan managed a strained smile, though, beneath it, he concealed a well of desperation. It had been two grueling months since spring had ostensibly arrived, but the crops had only just begun to sprout. The relentless, harsh weather and the growing impatience of those in power weighed heavily on him.
"Of course!" Amelia skipped away, blissfully unaware of the grim reality that her father faced. She remained oblivious to the situation, heading upstairs to assist her mother with cleaning.
Dan was determined to shield Amelia from the harsh truth. The once-vibrant flowers had withered, joy in nature was scarce, and most of the population had sought refuge in the city of Ethera, abandoning rural life for menial, soul-sapping jobs.
Yet, Dan resisted this course of action, knowing he couldn't bear to see his daughter condemned to such a fate. He donned his gas mask and was about to ventured out to the fields to tend to the soil. One of the fields had already succumbed to the harsh conditions.
Suddenly, a series of ominous knocks interrupted him in his footsteps.
KNOCK KNOCK
Dan strained to catch a glimpse through the window, but layers of dust, a perpetual result of relentless dust storms, obscured his view. A few years ago, they could have cleaned the windows once a week, but now they were soiled within a day. Rhea, his wife, heard the knocks as well and emerged from the bedroom, her gaze locking with Dan's as he stood alert in the entryway.
Dan's unease communicated itself to Rhea, and he quickly signaled to her, conveying their shared sense of foreboding.
Rhea hastened into their bedroom and whispered, "Amelia, you remember what to do, right?" Amelia, though young, proved astute. She nodded and Rhea assisted her in accessing the concealed crawl space within their closet. Amelia slipped inside, covering her mouth to stifle any sound. Rhea offered her daughter a reassuring smile before returning to the bed, where she pretended that everything was normal, continuing to fold clothes she had left unfinished.
"Aye, my good man Dan," came a voice from outside. Dan opened the door to a group of imposing figures, their limbs adorned with metallic parts. The spokesman, a man with a cybernetic eye, addressed Dan. "Wyatt, I wasn't expecting a visit. Can I assist you?"
"Of course you can, Dan. Where's the food you promised me for the winter?" Wyatt removed his gas mask, further revealing his glitching robotic eyes. Dan hesitated and fidgeted. "Wyatt..." Dan spoke. " wait, let me think. Give me another month, please." Wyatt rudely interrupted.
Wyatt's smile vanished, replaced by a wall-shaking slam of his hand. "LOOK AT MY EYE, BASTARD! LOOK! Do you recall the choice I gave you, to stay outside and find safety for you and Rhea? WHAT HAVE I RECEIVED?"
"I can get something... I can get something for you," Dan pleaded.
Wyatt's face twisted into a sinister grin. "Get his eyes for me," he instructed one of his hulking companions, who pinned Dan down. While they subjected Dan to their cruelty, Wyatt advanced into the house.
"No... no, please... I can get you the crops, they're sprouting... Ah... AHHHH!" Dan's agonized screams filled the air, terrorizing Amelia and Rhea. In her hiding place, Amelia trembled, tears silently streaking her face.
Rhea, her breath labored, her emaciation evident from years of malnutrition, faced Wyatt as he forced open the door. "Ah, Rhea, sweet, beautiful Rhea," Wyatt mused with an intimidating smile. "You haven't changed since the last time we met—still soft and natural."
"Wyatt, what would it take for you to let Dan go?" Rhea asked calmly, fully aware of what was to come.
"Oh, honey, you're in no position to bargain for him. Plead for yourself, and perhaps I'll let you join Dan in the afterlife," Wyatt retorted, incensed by her glare. "You WRENCH! You left me no choice!" he exclaimed, striking her.
Rhea closed her eyes, surrendering to her grim fate, and whispered a fervent prayer for her daughter's protection. Hours crawled by in a tumultuous cacophony of terror. As the heavy footsteps of the men and the haunting sound of her parents' lifeless bodies being dragged away from the house gradually faded into the distance, Amelia remained frozen, firmly rooted in her hiding place. The paralyzing fear still clung to her, preventing her from making even the slightest sound.
As the last vestiges of sunlight disappeared into the cracks of the vents, Amelia knew she had to leave before morning arrived, ensuring that this farm would have a new owner by sunrise. With her gas mask secured, she gathered the supplies her parents had prepared for her. They had kept her existence a secret, knowing that if they ever faced a dire situation, Amelia would stand a better chance as an orphan with no connections, no ties to them. Her parents, struggling to afford even the basic necessities, had devised numerous contingency plans for Amelia.
Amelia ran into the darkness, tears streaming down her face, desperately recalling the lessons her parents had imparted: "Follow the Polaris star... Get to Ethera."