Underground Society

 Isla needed a restart in life. She'd recently picked up a self-help book that called to her from the library's new arrivals in nonfiction shelf. In reading the book's pretentiously worded, but relatable contents, the realization she'd let her insecurity erode her potential smacked her hard. The time had come to take back control of her mediocre life and make it something of value. The only problem being that she had no idea how.

Since the book had also mentioned time in nature being a way to embrace one's true self and open the door for reflection and discovery, Isla decided the first step would be a nature retreat. She requested time off from her dull job filing documents, and procured a cabin rental in the serene woods of Kentucky.

Warm rays of sunlight flickered through golden, brown, and deep red leaves. Each footstep crunched as her teal sneakers crushed acorn hats and dry leaves. The cool air kissed her cheeks with frosted lips, but her hands felt toasty warm shoved in her faux fur lined pockets. She longed for a mug of hot chocolate to warm her nose with it's silky steam.

Among the mostly brown fallen leaves, a bright yellow one with red speckles like splattered blood caught her eye. She bent down and delicately lifted the leaf. Where the leaf had once rested, she now noticed a black, metal door handle. She couldn't fathom why there'd be a door handle in the middle of the woods, and wondered if it might be connected to an old mine.

Curious, she grabbed the handle and pulled the wooden hatch open. The dark stairwell was expected, but seeing bluish-white light at the bottom was not. Surely a long ago abandoned mine would not still be lit.

The desire to understand what she saw crawled across her mind, leaving an unbearable itch in its wake. She grabbed the top ladder rung, stepped on the slick metal, and worked her way down slowly.

She jumped off the ladder and glanced around. The air in the tunnel felt warm and carried a mouthwatering scent of cinnamon buns like they were baking fresh in a nearby oven. Her stomach growled a request for one.

To the right, a long hallway with evenly spaced lanterns stretched before her. A long, seemingly never ending blue carpet ran along the floor. The left looked as similar as a mirror image.

Isla slowly crept to the right, keeping her footsteps soft and quiet. Once she gathered a bit more courage, she whispered, "Hello?"

 Nothing. A little louder, "Hello?"

 The walk continued until the hall opened into a large room with a living room furniture set. The room smelled moldy, the lighting was dim, and running her fingers across the back of the couch revealed the furniture to be damp. Since the room was empty of occupants, she continued to wander down the hall. 

Further down she heard voices speaking in a language she couldn’t understand. The pace of her heart beat sped up as she moved closer. Sweat pooled in her palms. She wondered if this could be someone’s underground bunker. The voices grew louder as she walked closer. Although she didn’t know every language or even most languages, the sound seemed completely unfamiliar. She couldn’t even pick up a hint in the dialect. 

The next room approached and her legs trembled. She could hardly walk around the corner. Taking a deep breath and mumbling reassurances, she stepped forward. 

The first thing she noticed was the earthy smell. The room smelled like stepping into a compost pile. A wall of computer screens caught her eye. A subtle buzz of electricity pulsed across her skin, raising her arm hairs with static charge. Then she saw...them. The living creatures didn’t quite look human, but maybe some sort of human-adjacent. They had the basic human form, but their skin was a deathly grayish-white. Their hair fell in clumped strings that reminded Isla of the hair she pulled from the shower drain. Their finger nails were long, curled at the tips and yellowish-brown. Two of them sat, wearing only tattered pants, before a giant keyboard. They turned and stared at her with wide-eyed bewilderment. 

Isla stepped back. Their eyes appeared human enough, but there was something unnatural about them she couldn’t quite place. They had a sleepy, dullness to them. 

The creatures chattered in their click-clucky language. Their faces didn’t convey any emotion, and Isla couldn’t tell if they meant to hurt her. She stepped back again, bracing herself to run. 

“Please...don’t...run.” One of the creatures spoke in a slow, careful way. The other nodded. 

Isla stepped back again. 

“We...won’t...harm.” 

Isla stepped back again. 

“We...like...you.” 

“What’s that?” Isla pointed to the screens. Each screen had an image of a different farm on it. 

“We...watch.” 

“Watch what?” 

“Learn.” 

Isla stared at the screens hoping an answer would reveal itself. 

“We...show.” One of the creatures waved her to follow and walked through a doorway. The other held his hands up as if to say he was harmless. At least she guessed they were men of some type. Hesitantly, she crept forward. They hadn’t made any attempts to harm her yet, and moving forward seemed as dangerous as running. Maybe if they thought she was calm, they’d stay calm. 

On the other side of the door, was a brightly lit room filled with plants. 

“You’re learning to grow plants?” 

Isla saw large red tomatoes, vibrant green peppers, and shiny leaves of lettuce. They looked delicious and healthier than any she had seen.

“We...make...all….we...need.” 

“Why down here?” 

The creature titled his head and raised a corner of his mouth thinking. “We...people. We...left?” 

“You’re creating your own society down here?” The idea impressed Isla.

The creature nodded excitedly. 

“How long have you been down here?” 

“Always.” 

“You were born here?” 

The creature nodded excitedly again. 

“Did your parents live...above, I guess?” 

“No...grandparents.” 

“How many are there?” 

“Many.” 

“Where?” She wanted to meet the others.

“Many places.” 

“What’s your name?” 

“Eugene.” 

“I’m Isla.” 

Eugene smiled. He waved her to follow again and walked down the hall. “You...join...us.” 

Isla stopped moving. Eugene turned, patiently waiting. 

“It would be a restart.” Isla said. 

Eugene smiled and continued walking. Isla slowly followed. It would be a restart, but not necessarily one she wanted. Could she really leave everything and everyone behind? How much did she need to change? 

“We’re...happy...you’re...here.” Eugene said in a soft, warm way. 

Isla felt a smile tugging at her lips. She’d never felt welcomed anywhere before. In her life above, she felt as invisible as a ghost. No one had time for anyone but themselves. Everyone was so hard to meet or know. Fear of so many things closed them off. Down here felt warm, quiet, and friendly. It felt like a good start. Her back straightened, and her steps landed forward more deliberately. Why not at least learn about what they were doing here?