"Chapter 1: The Umbrella
A structure was created underground to hold people for safety. It has been considered as the best investment of all time. It was called Project Umbrella."
The girl looked up from the picture book, showing a sky with an umbrella covering the happy looking stick figures, to stare at the handle of her umbrella, the she looked at the handle of the umbrella covering the Earth, the "handle" was the cover of the mechanics holding the umbrella, she smiled, and closed the book.
"A piece of shit."
The girl jumped, she looked behind her and saw a boy.
The boy then spat at the umbrella and watched it sink into the ground with the rain.
"Chapter 2: New Order.
In 2060 it was announced that citizens under the umbrella are not allowed to leave, the result is death penalty."
"I'm tired of the rain, its dark, and wet, the government are just assholes who want to keep us concentrated in an area so if we attack they could kill us."
The girl was speechless, this was a quiet area, nobody comes here, it gives her a place to think.
"I'm here to leave. I want to see the world like its supposed to be, to be able to see the sun, and flowers."
"But things like that are locked into the book." She pointed to her picture book.
"Well let's unlock them together." The boy held out his hand.
The girl thought for a few seconds, "But the penalty is death."
The boy dropped his hand, he became frustrated, "I'd rather die trying to find something greater than being a low-life and die being a slave." He began to stomp toward the handle.
The girl watched him as he threw off his hood, she then got up, "Wait!" She ran to him clutching the picture book to her chest.
He looked back towards her, and started walking calmly to let her catch up.
"Chapter 3: To Save Lives
Due to climate change and depleting ozone layers, in 2138 it has been confirmed that leaving the umbrella is deadly because of high solar radiation."
They walked together without saying a word until they reached the door.
"Why did you change your mind?" The boy asked while staring at the door.
"All I have ever done is sit at the handle and look at the pictures of this book, I was never taught how to read. I made a promise to myself that the first thing I do when I learn how to read is read the history of this thing." She stared up the pole.
The boy looked down at her face, how could this beautiful girl not know how to read. "When we see the sun I'll teach you how to read."
The girl smiled and looked at the door, "Let's open it together."
They stood in front of the double doors and pushed together, it opened easily, as if it wanted them to go.
"Chapter 4: No More Hope"
2330: Even if someone were to sneak out, scientist have determined that even though it may be painless,if person is exposed the person will die in less than an hour."
The two of them walked through the doorway and saw the spiral staircase going up.
"This must be a maintenance shaft to fix it if something were to happen."
When they took the first step on the stairs the door closed, the structure was barely illuminated with a light on the wall for every level.
After they had passed floor 50 the girl became tired, "Can we rest? All we have done is gone upwards in circles." They reach floor 48 and decided to stop and rest, the boy pulled out a loaf of bread.
"Chapter 6: The World's End
2579: Even when scientist put on protective suits they still die the same time frame as an unprotected body. The death count of experimenting has gotten so high, the dead is now put in cages in a wooden box, to symbolize their bravery and to be recognized for dying for the upper world, now know as The World's End.
The boy gave her half the loaf and started shredding it with his teeth.
The girl stared at the bread and looked at the boy, "How did you get this?
The boy spoke with his mouth full, "My mom made it before I left."
The girl took a small bite and put the rest in her pocket, realising how delicious it was she would save it and eat it outside, the true outside.
After a few minutes of sitting down the boy looked up, and noticed cages hanging down from the ceiling, the true ground. The cages contained boxes.
The boy got a sick feeling in his stomach.
"What's wrong?" The girl said with a concerned look on her face.
"We're getting close." The boy strongly said, he grabbed her hand and began to walk at a quicker pace, almost tripping the tired girl.
"Chapter 7: replenished Life
3048: Plant life has started to evolve and replenish. Humans may eventually be able to walk the Earth their ancestors 1000 years ago had to leave."
The boy starts seeing the single digit numbers and begins to run up the stairs, still holding on to her hand.
"We got nine... eight... seven... six… five… four… three… tw-"
He had been running so fast he had made the girl stumble. He felt a lurch almost pull him off the stairs to hit the ground 1000 feet below.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" He yelled as he heard her scream, terror filled him, his companion was fixing to die if he didn't hold on. He lurched his other hand to her arm, everything seemed to have happened in slow motion, him grabbing her arm that went into her uniform style dress. Her other arm was holding that book. His grip was slipping, she was going to fall.
The boy stuttered, "HOLD ON D-DAMNIT! WE'VE C-COME TOO FAR!"
The girl stared at him, "Let me go, I've done what I've wanted to do, I'm going to die while trying to find something greater," she chuckled, "and I got to meet this amazing guy that put the legends to rest."
"BUT YOU N-NEVER LEARNED TO READ!" He has all memories of them together, this has been the best day of his life, if he hadn't had her, he wouldn't have gotten to be happy, purely happy, have a friend, have more than a friend.
"I'm sorry, but somethings have to be sacrificed. Go. Become a legend slayer, bring me a flower." and with that, she let go.
And the boy began to cry.
"Chapter 8: Conclusion
3060: Due to so many deaths, one more experiment was conducted to find out about how the plants survived. There was a mutated gene that was discovered, even though replacing genes had been simple in past times with different genes, it would reject humans and drive them to insanity. The experiment was ended and was officially announced that it would be impossible to ever leave Project Umbrella."
The story of the boy and girl was in 3067. The boy had been the son of a baker family. The girl was homeless, her house was burned down in 3059 while she was looking at the umbrella. When she went back home she found the book in a case, unburned, that her father had saved for her to read.
The boy had just turned 17, the girl was 16.
The boy dragged himself up from the wall and walked slowly up the staircase, every step was a burden, then he saw a white shadow on the wall towards the door, to his false happiness, all he had ever wanted to was leave his old life, this was what he thought was his only option. But he had found a new life with that girl, the girl…
He walked down the hallway towards the light through the cracks through the door. 'The light locked in books', her book...
He grabs the handle and pulls down slowly.
"The wind is blowing." The boy froze. Its impossible.
A warm figure hugged him from behind.
One arm holding a book.
He turned around and squeezed her. She was alive. They both sobbed loudly. He buried his head into her neck. "How?..."
"I landed on a cage, and I jumped over."
"They just held each other for what seemed like forever. When they let go the girl looked at the door, "Ready to unlock the light from the book." They both smiled. He put his hand on the handle
"I'm opening it"
"Kay"
They were immersed into light. Pure light. Sunlight. They took a step outside.
"Its so warm, so embracing."
The boy went and picked up some lavender flowers "Here, for you."
The girl stared in disbelief, "I love them."
The boy smiled, "I love you."
The girl looked up at his smiling face, his teeth gleamed from the sun, he was so beautiful in the sun.
She hugged him, "I love you too." She wrapped her arms around him, "Can you teach me to read now?"
He laughed, she thought his laugh was beautiful, "Yes."
They both sat down in the grass, he wrapped his arm around her and held the book.
"Chapter 1: The Umbrella..."
He read to chapter seven, and they drifted to sleep with a smile on their face, she was held in his arms.