A Hole in Time

The Dome - Chapter 5 - A Hole in the field

That day in the field after school, Liam asked me how I slept. "It was a wonderful night. I felt safe and secure. I think I actually had a better nights' sleep last night than I ever have before. What about you?" Liam tucked my hair behind my ear and smiled. "It was amazing. I had a dream, of you, Gracie." I giggle and smile at him. I snuggle in close, feeling the warmth and security Liam brings, and drift off to sleep. 

When I wake up, I stare up into the sky. Well, the empty space between me and the Dome. I see something flicker, and look more closely. I can see a dark spot in the shield, almost as if I am looking through the Dome into the Outside. The thought scares me when I think of the conversation I  heard this morning. "Lee, where are you?" Liam appears from in our garden, worried at my tone. "I am over here, Gracie. What is wrong?" He walks over and stands near where I am sitting. I reach up and pull him down, pointing to the black space in the shield. Liam follows my finger and startles at the sight.

"What is that, Gracie? It looks like a hole in the shield." I nod and spill the whole story. I tell Liam about the c***k in the ceiling of my bedroom, the snow on the ground and the conversation I heard between the two men Outside. Liam sits thoughtfully, mulling over the fact that someone is leeching energy from the grid. "In essence, someone is stealing the energy and robbing the rest of us of the security of the Dome. Do you think it could be someone from Outside?" The thought never crossed my mind. "But no-one can survive on the Outside. The Hierarchy tell us that all the time."

As soon as the words cross my lips, I doubt the thought. Can we trust anything that the Hierarchy tell us? They tell us that the shield will protect us, yet it has leaks and the energy is being leeched. They say that physical contact will lead to disease, yet Liam and I have been holding hands every day for 6 years and we are fine. They tell us that flowers are poisonous and will lead to sickness, yet Liam and I have been tending our garden for 6 years, taking flowers home too, and we and our families are fine. I am beginning to doubt everything that the Hierarchy tell us. 

I explain all of this to Liam and he agrees with me. We know we are different, that we are not the same as our twins. We are free to think thoughts that would get others arrested. We are free to go places no-one else would dare to go. We are free-thinkers and that could get us in trouble. I know the same thought is crossing Liam's mind because his face scrunches with worry. I reach for his hands and he grabs mine and holds tight. We sit there, not saying a word, in the middle of our field. We know we have to go through the motions of daily life, because we need to make the Hierarchy think that they can control us. For the sake of our families and our lives. 

"Gracie, everything we do will affect our families and each other. We have to be careful." I nod. "I agree, Lee. We need to do whatever we can to make sure the Hierarchy do not find out about us." We agree to do whatever we can and then we get up and head home. We walk as slow as possible, not wanting to be apart, but soon our street comes into view. I stop and pull Liam behind a tree. "Lee,  do we sleep upside down again tonight? I forgot to ask while we were at the field." Liam nods, and I feel safer. I do not want to be the one making all the decisions. "Yeah, Gracie. If we are going to be rested enough to hide from the Hierarchy, we need a good night's sleep. I had the best night's sleep last night." I nod in agreement and we resume our walk home. 

After spending the afternoon together at our field, having to stand over an arms-length apart from Liam is difficult. We rely on each other for support and we have fun together. Another thought dawns on me. What if that is one thing the Hierarchy do not want? Children are taught from the moment we are born that the Hierarchy take care of us and we must rely on them to protect and feed us. What if the greatest form of, I guess you could call it rebellion, is not relying on the Hierarchy, but on someone else?

When we reach my house, we bow respectfully, like we always do, but something feels different. We both know that we are doing this bowing thing just so the Hierarchy do not get suspicious. I sigh, turn towards the door and almost turn back. I catch myself just in time. I must not let them know that we care for each other. Here in the Dome, marriage is so that children have both parents under the one roof and to save on housing. A married couple will live together, and that will spare a house for another married couple. Simple mathematics really. Couples do not care for each other anymore than the affection I see between my brother and Scarlett. Liam and I are truly different from everyone else. It is starting to worry me. If we are so different, we will be easy to spot.