The orphanage in the Northern Quadron was placed on top of one of the many concrete platforms in that region. Platform B-12 was held up by steel beams thirty feet above the roaring sea. The sea never ceased to make waves that crashed to and fro. The giant darkened house-like orphanage faced the landing area where a guarded electrical gate was placed to protect the children from any imminent danger. The platform was approximately three miles long. 

The rain poured onto the foggy window as a young girl, Alice, gazed out into the dark cold night. She sat on the window sill with her arms resting on her knees, thinking.

Her thoughts centered on her father. A kind and gentle soul he was. He never raised his voice, he never cursed under his breath, but he was a force to be reckoned with if he had his back against the wall. His laugh was a mighty roar; he was tall and bulky in size. She remembered him teaching her how to hunt and trap. How to use a fishing pole and how to gut a fish properly. She had learned from him how to point and shoot a rifle and… how to never miss, ever.

“If you have a shot, don’t hesitate,” he whispered into her ear. She had her sights on a deer. The blast rang through the forest.

They lived in a little log cabin which he built himself.

“They’ll never find us here,” he used to always say. She never knew who he was talking about. She was too young.

As the fire filled the cabin with its sweet warmth, they prepared to cook the venison meat. As it was cooking over the fire, he would hum a sweet melody both staring into the mysterious flames which never danced in the same way. Alice asked what he was singing.

“That’s a song from long ago,” he said softly. “Your mother used to sing it. She knew the words, but I’ve forgotten them over the years.”

They stared at the fire.

“She was a beauty,” he said. That was the last memory she remembered of her father. She only remembered fragments of him. It all seemed like a forgotten life, a blissful dream.

Alice looked out but could not see the horizon. She never saw the horizon. 

It had been like that her whole life. Her father mentioned this light before. It was a light that gave life to all things. It gave its warmth like fire to sustain them, helping them grow. He called it the Sun. Nobody ever mentioned it or wanted to talk about it. It was a problem nobody had a solution to.

Darkness had enveloped the world. Only artificial light was seen.

A creaking sound was made. She looked suddenly. It was Max. Max, a faithful friend, was curious as to why she was up staring out the window in the hallway. 

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“Alice, what are you doing?” he whispered anxiously. Alice rose walking toward him in her white T-shirt and ripped jeans.

“What I should’ve done last week. I’m getting outta here. Tonight.”

“What? Alice, you can’t escape. You don’t know what they’ll do to you.”

“If I escape with no one noticing they can’t do anything to me.”

“Alice, stop. You can’t go without me.”

“No, Max you gotta stay here. Trust me, you won’t last long out there.”

Max didn’t like that. His ego was too big for such a low blow.

With a sarcastic chuckle, he said, “What does that mean? Of course, I’ll be OK out there.” He knew he would not be OK out there.

Alice became annoyed as she sighed, “Max, I gotta get outta here. I gotta see the world. This place is weird and a lot of strange stuff’s going on. I don’t like it. Why are there guards at an orphanage? With guns?”

“The world is dangerous, Alice. That’s why you can’t go out there alone. I know this place isn’t nice, but at least it feeds us and gives us a warm bed.”

“Max, I can’t live like that. I can’t go on stuck in a system being watched every minute. That’s why I have to go and you’re not going to stop me and you’re not coming with me,” she said forcefully. 

Quickly, she entered the girl’s room of the orphanage escaping from Max. The bunk beds were on both sides of the giant room. Dressers were next to the beds crammed tightly together. She left Max outside confused, scared, and worried for his friend. She changed her clothes, grabbed her bag, and attempted to open her window. 

Max heard movement and walked slowly to the door until his ear was up against the oak.

Alice opened the window with a push loud enough for Max to hear. He couldn’t let her go alone. He forced the door open. He saw her standing on top of the ledge looking down at the gray concrete as the wind blew in the cold rain. 

As he approached her, trembling with fear, Max whispered, “Alice, stop. Come back!”

She didn’t turn to face him, “You can’t stop me, Max. I’ve made up my mind.” Pausing, she stared into his brown eyes, “I’m sorry.” 

She jumped down. Spinning, she caught herself on the wet ledge, her small pale hands trembling as she dangled.

Max rushed to look down at her. She leaped onto the bottom ledge of the second-floor window, grabbed the gutter, and slid down onto the concrete floor. Max pleaded with her to come back but she ran to the corner of the house, carefully checking the corner and her surroundings. 

Max couldn’t let her go, he had to do something, he had to help her. He looked around for something to tie to one of the empty bed frames: sheets. 

That’ll do.

He strung multiple sheets together, tied them to the leg of the bunk bed, flung them out the window, and attempted to climb down. To his surprise, he made it down without any hassle. He ran to Alice who still strategized. With both their backs against the side of the house, Alice peered carefully at the two guards stationed at the front entrance.     

Max, not knowing what was going on and terrified for both their lives said, “Whadya see?”

Annoyed, Alice turned, “Max, I need you to shut up. You’re not coming with me, OK? You’re just going to slow me down. I don’t need you or anyone, understood?”

    Max persisted, “Alice, please just stop this. There are two guards there. How are you gonna pass them without them noticing?”

    She turned toward the guards who were about twenty yards away, “They’re gonna see me. That’s the only way.” Turning to Max she said, “If you’re gonna come with me you better not slow me down or get scared, OK? I need you to be on guard and focused. No hesitation.”

    Max’s heart thumped loudly, but still, he responded with a clear voice, “OK.”

    “Just like in training. No sobbing, no stopping, no mercy. Oh, and Max don’t worry. I’m only gonna hurt them a little bit.”