Down Deep

Chapter One - Grant

Down Deep

©Cheri L. Jones 2017

Chapter One - Grant

'You are not listening to me!' Grant pleaded with the two men. The guards were dressed in the light grey uniforms with blue seams of the mine's branch of the city watch. Each had ahold of one of his arms and were dragging him down a scarcely lit corridor. Unlike the city which had exceptional lighting with plenty of space, the maintenance passages were cramped and smelled of dust and dirt. Thick black cables ran along the walls and ceiling leading off to unknown places. 'I broke no laws! I do not understand why I am,'

'Oh, shut it would you.' The guard gripping his right arm growled. Both men released him when they reached an elevator door. The guard on his left pressed the call button.

'What?' Came an annoyed growl from a speaker above the doors.

'Escorting one prisoner to the Fens.' The same guard said sounding bored with the whole ordeal. Grant shook his head confused. How could these two act so nonchalant, when his whole life was crashing down around him? The intercom buzzed and then the doors opened revealing a large compartment. 'In.' The guard ordered motioning to the open doors.

'But I did nothing.' Grant pleaded. 'I do not understand why I am being sent to the Fens.'

'Look boy,' The guard on his right snarled before grabbing him and shoving him into the elevator. 'You had a choice. The Fens, or the long walk. Unless you changed your mind about taking the long walk, shut up.' He pressed a button, and the doors closed leaving Grant standing alone trying hard to figure out what had happened.

The week had been uneventful. His weekly schedule was the same without deviation. Work in the morning, gym in the evening. There was nothing he could think of doing in his free time that would get him labeled as a criminal.

The elevator jerked a little and his ears popped pulling him out of his confused thoughts. Dim light from the small fixture above his head did nothing to help him see much of anything inside the compartment. In the Capital, the elevators had panels that let you know which level you were on. Some even held clever little advertisements for new products. This compartment had no panel and the only writing scratched into the white pant of the walls was a single phrase.

'All hope is lost.' He read out loud. Shaking his head, he moved to the door and tried to look out. There was nothing to see but darkness. Guessing, he was sure he had been descending for over two minutes and wondered how much longer it would take him. The farther he was dropped the worse he felt. The increased thump, thump, thump of his heart was not caused by the fear that had been driving him for the last twelve hours. Coupled with the fact it felt as if he had all a sudden gained a hundred pounds and the rapid drop in temperature, told him he was down deep.

The compartment shuttered again and he could feel it slowing. He leaned against the wall having trouble keeping himself standing. When the elevator jerked to a stop, he stumbled. As the doors started to open, he could no longer keep himself upright. Both knees gave out and he hit the floor with more force than what should be normal. The doors slid open fully revealing an even darker corridor than the one he had just left. A loan man was standing there waiting for him. This was not one of the city watch. He had no armor and was not wearing the standard uniform.

This man was dressed in clothes fashioned out of a material he could not even guess the name of. It was brown and looked almost like burlap, but had patches of short hair on it. The man who looked to be around five nine shook his head and looked over him with brown eyes full of pity.