Hushed Invaders : A Dystopian Romance Novel Read online

  Mr. Hartley sat behind his desk at the front to survey his kingdom. No one dared to speak another word until the end of the lesson when the bell rang.

  Mr. Hartley stood up and proclaimed, "You may pack your bags and go. Class dismissed."

  All students rushed to move out, resulting in a jam at the door. Emily stayed back and waited for the room to clear before approaching Mr. Hartley's desk. Her stomach twisted with nerves.

  "Mr. Hartley, sir... can I have a word, please?" Emily said with hesitation, unsure what his reaction would be.

  "What do you want, Emily Manther? I'm afraid I cannot help if you want to ask questions about your genes. I'm a history teacher, not a scientist."

  "Of course, sir, but how can I know for sure? Is there a genetic test I can do? I need to know if I carry the Enders’ gene," her voice trembled, but Mr. Hartley was already shaking his head, dashing her hopes.

  "I am afraid not, Miss Manther. The simple answer is no, you cannot take the test." Emily recognized the stern tone, which warned against arguing back, but she persevered anyway.

  "I was also wondering, sir, if you can tell me more about the time before the advancement period, what was the world like before the first days?" Somehow, the textbook teaching didn't sit right with her. She wondered if the world was really such a terrible place before the separation of society into Enders and Uppers.

  "I'm afraid there isn't much to say. I've taught you about the three founders, what else do you want to know?"

  "Can you tell me more about the Enders, have they always been dangerous? What were conditions like before the advancement days?"

  "My goodness, why not use your brain? Isn't it obvious that before the Enders’ gene was discovered, there was no separation between the two groups?" Mr. Hartley replied in an agitated voice. "There were no restrictions, so most people were free to mingle, have kids, and work whenever they pleased. They worked for large corporations and used their salaries to pay for items such as food, clothes, cars, housing, and everything else they wanted. Such a world couldn't be imaginable in today's society because we now know that Enders are dangerous. They are biologically unstable and do not have the intellectual capacity to become leaders. They are violent, argumentative, destroyers, cruel, and incapable of reason. Had the three founders not made this discovery along with the courage to implement the necessary changes, we would not have the privileges we do."

  She took several deep breaths to process this information. Emily couldn't understand why Enders earned a reputation for being dangerous based on their genetic identity. Conditions for Enders were much better, and they took part as full members of society before the separation.

  She knew it was unwise, but she pushed Mr. Hartley further and said, "Sir, it sounds like they had all the rights which Uppers now enjoy."

  "You forget, Emily Manther, that the world was very unstable compared to conditions now. The Enders had kids at an alarming rate and filled the world in their billions, creating food shortages and famine. This threatened the global ecosystem, resulting in massive deforestation, flooding, natural disasters, and drought. The separation allowed us to step back and rebalance the global population to sustainable levels. It ensured the ultimate survival of humanity, in making sure the Enders’ contaminated gene did not further corrupt the entire human race." Mr. Hartley took a pause and gave Emily the full force of his gaze. She shivered and remembered why even some teachers were nervous around Mr. Hartley. His gaze penetrated through her skin, baring her soul. "I don't know whether you're an Upper or Ender but you should not be here."

  Emily shivered in fear. The loathing from his eyes was unmistakable. He took a step towards Emily as if to strike. Emily dashed sideways to avoid the blow due to years of practice escaping from bullies. She ran out of the classroom through the now empty corridor, through the main gates, and did not slow down until she entered the school hall for the evening assembly. She slowed her steps, trying to control her breathing.

  In Search of the Truth

  The students gathered in long queues according to their class and year group. Robert Stone stood at the back of the queue, so Emily slipped quietly behind him before the school caretaker, Miss Joyce Ricky, closed the doors.

  Mr. Fence addressed the school from the stage. "Thank you, students. A few announcements please."

  Emily knew from experience that his politeness was a deadly mask; students and teachers alike were wary of him for good reason.

  "The Global Nations Alliance has issued a heightened security alert for all Uppers because of the recent rebellious protests by the Enders. Therefore, security around the school premises will be strengthened. There will be additional police patrols at night to protect us from outside intruders. Students should not worry, everything is under control."

  Emily doubted this very much. The situation must be serious for Mr. fence to mention it in the first place.

  For the first time, a whisper broke out among the students, who normally stood as stiff as wood, speculating on the outside threat.

  "Silence," hissed Mr. Fence. Emily felt the full force of his anger from the back of the room as silence descended on the hall like a cold blanket. "I am reminding students that you are not permitted outside the school premises without a teacher's escort until the end of term. Dismissed."

  They marched out to the tune of the school song playing softly through the speakers. The youngest class, Year one, were the first to leave, followed by the older students. As soon as it was safe, Emily ran to her dorm room ahead of the other students and shut her door. She laid on her bed, thinking about the events of the day. She knew nothing about her parents except what the orphanage had told her, which is that her mother had dumped her at the age of one. There was a strong possibility that her parents were Enders because she was raised at an orphanage. However, if that was true, why did she receive the invitation to attend Harlington?

  These questions buzzed around Emily's head like an annoying bee as she tossed and turned on her bed. At the orphanage, the kids woke up every day at the crack of dawn and worked from morning until evening. They assigned each child several tasks—anything from cooking, washing, and drying. Sometimes they had no food, electricity, or fresh running water. Those days were the hardest. On the few occasions when they ventured outside, she remembered thinking the kids with families were not much better off.

  Ms. Naris Nabil, their custodian at the orphanage, told them horrible stories of the outside world, which had instilled great fear in their hearts. She saw families wandering the streets aimlessly whenever she was sent out for errands, which reinforced this fear. Most houses in the city had dirty broken windows and flaking paint not dissimilar to the orphanage itself.

  She had secretly taught herself to read at night by hiding old books under her bed. She still remembered the day she received her invitation letter to Harlington and the surprise on Ms. Nabil's face that someone would bother writing to her.

  She packed all her belongings and said goodbye to the other kids, with Ms. Nabil only too glad to let her go. Mr. Hartley collected her from the orphanage and escorted her to Harlington, where she had seen real trees for the first time. Looking back, she wasn't so sure she had made the right choice. The orphanage was very hard work but at least the other kids left her in peace, unlike here at Harlington.

  Loud footsteps approached the dorm, forcing Emily away from her memories. It turned out to be Millicent Kiki, her roommate. Two students shared each room with two single beds lining the walls on either side. Millicent usually kept to herself and ignored Emily as if she was a worm beneath her feet, unworthy of being spoken to. Emily preferred to be left alone, so this suited her just fine.

  Emily watched Millicent change into her dinner outfit and apply make-up. This was the only time students could wear their own clothes and the worst time of day for Emily. The dining hall would be packed with students competing to show off the latest fashion trends. Ms. Olivia Yates, the matron for the girls' dormitory, supplied Emily with some old clothes abandoned by the previous generation of students. It was either this or her uniform, so she pulled on an old pair of jeans and a ragged T-shirt along with her backpack and left the room.

  She took the lengthy walk across the school grounds to the school hall, now transformed into the dinner canteen. Emily took her usual place at the back and hoped she would be left alone. Lost in her thoughts, she paid little attention to the dinner ladies serving the food. She tried to remember whether she had read anything about the period before the separation and the Great War in any of their history textbooks. Even among the library books in the history section that Emily had read, there was no mention of world events prior to the Great War.

  A coin landed in her bowl of soup.

  "Hey, ugly Emily, take the money and buy yourself some clothes," said Peter Kisher, the third member of the Grill Boys.

  Ignoring the jibe, she removed the coin and headed to the library to find some answers. The head-teacher's warning about students wandering the school corridors outside of lessons rang in her ears as she approached the library.

  It was 8 pm and the July evening sky was still bright. Emily was not surprised to find the library empty with most students now in the dining hall. The restricted section was locked and off-limits. She searched Ms. Harrison's desk for any sign of the keys but had no luck until she pulled open the drawers under the table and found them. With shaky fingers and a glimmer of hope, she tried several combinations until one gave way. The restricted section was a drab room with fewer and shorter shelves compared to the main library. She found the history section and scanned the row of books for a while before settling on one titled 'The First, Second, and Third, Industrial Revolutions by Martian Radley'. Emily sat on the floor and opened the first few pages. It didn't take her long to become absorbed in the book, unconscious of the passing of time.

  After several minutes of reading, she understood why this section of the library was restricted. The amazing technological and industrial progress during the industrial revolutions as described in the book made their current 'advancement days' seem like child's play. They had many wonderful inventions that were unfamiliar to Emily, including computers, the internet, and robots. There was no mention of social segregation or the Enders’ genetic code. It was not an age of darkness as Mr. Hartley had led them to believe, but the opposite.

  A faint noise from the main library caused Emily to pause and switch off the lights. She shut herself in utter darkness when she closed the door, for the room had no windows. She held her breath and listened for the sound of movement. There were footsteps moving deeper inside the library until they paused outside the restricted room as if suspecting Emily was inside. However, the person didn't enter the room, and the footsteps moved on until she heard the main library doors being closed.

  She switched the lights back on and continued her reading. She picked up another book at random, 'Modernity by Professor Mercy Quinine' published in 1991. The book was delightful; it contained a description of the modern way of life in the 1980s through the eyes of a professor of sociology and even mentioned household appliances like televisions and fridges. Emily had never seen those things before, either at Harlington or the orphanage.

  Unknown to her, Emily was regarded by Mr. Fence as one of the highest performing students in the history of Harlington. Many teachers remarked that she had a photographic memory, but even for Emily, it was a challenge to read through so many books in rapid succession that night. Her brain soaked up the pages of the books like a sponge. The more she read, the more she realized their current society was not sophisticated at all. Everything she had been told about the history of humanity before the so-called advancement period was a lie. The technology and industry used by previous generations were much more superior to anything they possessed now.

  Emily scanned the shelves and odd rectangular-shaped plastic discs arranged in neat rows caught her eye. They strangely resembled books but were solid. She picked one, turning it over in her hands and wondering what it could be. A small label was attached to the back: 'The Humanization of Robotics Experiment — First Test'. She counted 20 discs in total, all labeled similarly from the first to the 20th test. She remembered seeing a diagram of the discs in one of the books she had scanned earlier. She went back along the shelves and picked it up, 'VCR Recorder: The How-To Dummy Guide by Stellar Campy’. The discs were a type of technology known as videotapes and she needed a videocassette recorder to play them. She wondered where she could find such a thing. Shrugging her shoulders, she packed it all into her backpack and left the library.

  Discovery and Hope

  The night sky was breathtaking with millions of stars shining above, illuminating her path to the girls' dormitory. She dreaded to think what would happen if Ms. Olivia Yates, the matron, caught her. She cautiously approached the communal area where students sometimes gathered for leisure, slowing her steps to listen for signs of movement. There were footsteps coming from her left, so she ducked underneath one of the tables.

  "Hello, is anyone there? Hello?" Marie Golding's voice called out across the room. Emily made herself as small as possible underneath the table. Her eyes grew heavy and she felt uncomfortable in her own skin. She desperately needed a shower and her bed. What was Marie doing out of bed at 12 am?

  "Oh, it's you, I thought I heard someone open the door," said Marie. Emily wasn't sure who she was speaking to until a second voice joined the conversation.

  "My bedroom is just beyond the stairs, I came out when I heard you calling out. I haven't been able to sleep all night because Emily isn't in her bed," said Millicent.

  "You should report her to Ms. Yates in the morning. I wonder what she's up to," said Marie.

  "I can't believe I still have to share a room with her."

  "Come to my room, I've got some of the good stuff from Ms. Yates' storage cupboard. We can have some fun tonight since we both can't sleep."

  They both headed off in the opposite direction. Emily knew that Millicent sometimes came to bed late and drunk, but she didn't realize her and Marie were drinking alcohol from Ms. Yates’ storage cupboard.

  Emily hurried into her empty dorm room once their footsteps faded away. She headed straight to the bathroom, ignoring the temptation to jump straight into bed. Her skin began to itch as if something was crawling within her. The more she scratched, the itchier she felt. Her blood was slowly heating up to a fever. She ran into the shower and set the flow to the coldest setting, ripping off her top with her bare hands. The coolness gave her little relief as the heat in her blood continued to rise until steam rose out of her ears and nose. Emily thought having a full bath would cool her down faster, so she dropped the showerhead and ran out of the cubicle.

  She filled the bathtub with chilly water and jumped in. The feeling of something moving inside of her only intensified, desperate to get out. She shook her body to throw it out, whatever it was. She looked in the mounted mirror opposite the bath and became frightened by what she saw. Her skin was glowing red. She blinked several times and rubbed her eyes, but the red glow was still there, brighter than before.

  She sank into the bath and closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to block it out. She couldn't understand what was happening to her. Emily's body slipped lower into the bath as she lost control until the water covered her face. Too weak to fight, the water pushed into her nose and lungs. She knew that death would be a welcome relief at this point. Her life flashed before her eyes—every action and every scene was replayed in excellent detail within seconds. Except she wasn't ready to give up.

  She forced her eyes open and saw the red glow was now brighter and filling the bathroom with light. It flowed from her pores like a stream and assumed the transparent shape of a strange red creature. With a supreme effort of will, she pulled herself back from the bleakness of death. A sense of freedom flooded her mind which she had never experienced before. The former tension, anger, and pain was replaced by an inexplicable sense of serenity.

  She coughed as much water from her lungs as possible, wiping her eyes for a better glimpse of the creature standing in the bathroom.

  "What are you?" Emily addressed the creature. It was fierce-looking and hypnotically beautiful with sharp features and a body that was red and transparent. It had an enormous head with extra-long limbs in comparison to a human being.

  The creature did not speak. It glided out of the bathroom through the open window by the tiny crack.

  Emily blinked several times. It couldn't have been a hallucination; she had seen the strange creature standing in her bathroom a few moments ago. Her skin was covered in cuts and bruises from where she had scratched herself raw, but despite this, she had never felt more alive.

  She stepped out of the bath and looked in the mirror, her skin was energized with a soft healthy glow. The fact that she had almost drowned in the bathtub was almost a distant memory. Whatever that creature was, it had crawled inside her body; she was sure of it. It had emerged from her body, and with it, the cloud of despair and hopelessness disappeared. The scales had fallen off her eyes. She felt a sense of invincible freedom that she couldn't explain.