Simon wheezes to a stop, sweat dripping onto the sidewalk. He braces himself against the nearby wall, his breath coming in gasps. He's been running for an hour, trying to chase away his daily nightmares of the abyss, though no matter how long or fast he goes, it never seems to be enough. He shudders, his body cold even after the intense running. Nearby the old man watches him, amused. "What?" Simon asks, irritation coming to him in waves.

  He chuckles, "You've been running for two hours, young man. What are you running from? The darkness?"

  Simon scowls, "Why do you care?" For some reason, he can't seem to shake the unpleasant feeling he's had all morning.

  "Of course, I care. After all, I am a fellow struggler as well."

  There it is again. Struggler. I still don't know what that means, but it was the one-word dome techs used to summarize their job. "What are you talking about?"

  "You're frustrated, aren't you? No one else seems to understand this strange feeling you have. An all-encompassing emotion. An unpleasant one. Your family, your friends. They all live without a care in the world, always happy and fulfilled."

  Simon plops onto the sidewalk, taking a swig from his water bottle, "I'm listening."

  The old man smiles, happy to have someone to talk to, "Most of the people here think those with the Levy are insane, or mentally unstable, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. We've just been awakened to fear and anger. Of course, many with the Levy do go insane. They have these new thoughts and feelings that no one else can understand. They-"

  Simon cuts him off, "How do you know so much about this? Not even doctors who spend their entire lives studying the Levy know this stuff. This terminology." He points the water bottle at the man for effect.

  He sighs, eyes staring up at the fake sky, "I have dreams child. Lovely ones of beautiful waters and oceans filled with creatures of all kinds. And whispers. From the deep." The aged man frowns, "Mabye whispers is wrong. Feelings that are turned into words. Thoughts." He turns an eye to Simon, "And the deep has plans for you. It calls you the listener. The messenger."

  Simon jolts to his feet, the chills turning into fear, his hands shaking slightly, "What-whatever old man. You're insane. Maybe I should report you to the levy inspectors. We'll see who's spouting shit then."

  The smile never leaves the old man's face as the perturbed young man runs off, "Your path has already been set. You need to do nothing but watch."

  ***************

  Simon doesn't slow down until he locks the door behind him. The messenger? He shakes the thought out. He's just an insane old man. Nothing can exist down here without a density shield. They were just dreams. With a deep but shaky breath, Simon turns the corner of his hallway only to slam into Laris. He catches himself on the wall, "Watch where you're going," He says, a growl of anger coming out.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  The child peeks up from his bangs a beaming smile on his face, "Sorry, bro."

  Behind him a large pot is shattered, dirt all over the floor. Simon's jaw drops, "Laris, what is that?" He points to the pot.

  The child looks behind him, "Ah. I hit it on the way out. It broke. Just have Esmeral take care of it." He shrugs, impassive.

  "Take care of it?" disbelief clear on Simon's face. "Laris, do you know who's flower that was?" The plant in question is an extremely rare pink-petaled rose, the bulb having been trampled flat and the petals strewn across the floor.

  He nods, "It was Dad's right? But he's gone. Besides, it's just a plant."

  "J-just a plant?" Simon stutters, pain in his voice. His disbelief turns into rage, heat expanding through his chest into his face, "JUST A PLANT!? THAT WAS ALL WE HAVE LEFT OF HIM!" Simon screams. The heat has turned into a raging inferno, covering his whole body. He quivers in rage. His father, the man who inspired him to be a dome tech. Reduced to just a passing thought by his own son.

  Laris just stares at him confused, "Why are you shouting? You look scary." Simon wants to break something. Punch something. But he takes a deep breath, calming the inferno. A smile appears on the young man's face, one that doesn't reach his eyes. He ruffles Laris's hair, "Don't worry about that. Go play with your friends."

  Laris beams at his brother and takes off outside. As soon as the door shuts Simon is on the floor, gathering the flower petals gingerly. Ever since my first walk into the abyss, these emotions have come out of nowhere. They're a poison. No one else acts like this. But I can't help it.

  A tear plops onto his hand, his vision blurry. What is wrong with me? Is this how Dad felt? Why he always fought with Mom?

  The tears come steadily now as he curls into a ball, clutching the petals. A hollowness encompassing him. Simon remembers life before being a dome tech. Everything glowed with a warm color and sparkled. Everything was new, even if he had experienced it before. Bliss. Happiness. There was never a moment when he felt anger or sadness. Never a time he doubted the world he lived in. But now? What am I supposed to do with these new feelings? These negative ones that never go away? Everything is dull and repetitive. Is all this fake? Am I fake?

  Questions continue to barrage Simon as he pulls himself together, throwing the pot away and cleaning up the hallway. No. It's not me. It must be everyone else. Happy all the time and never fearing a thing. Never angry. Something has gone wrong. This place, this city. It's perfect. To perfect. We've lost something important, and only the abyss can bring it back.

  He shakes his head. Thoughts like this get people sent to the levy inspectors. What am I even trying to say here? The citizens deserve to be angry and fearful? No. They don't deserve this. This curse. Maybe Dad felt this way too? He must have. He was a dome tech.

  With renewed strength Simon finishes cleaning, putting the remains of the rose in a glass vase, and setting it on the table in the living room. I need to protect this city. So no one else ever has to feel like this. This is a burden only dome tech should have to bear.