Ranch Dipped
Hot Wings
Nobody remembers what it was like up there.
It’s been too long. We’ve been down here, underground, for generations. My great-great grandparents couldn’t tell you what went on up there even if they wanted to. Because, take it from me - we do not talk about it.
Everyone stays underground - they’ve grown up, lived, and died here. It’s all that will ever will be of our lives. The constant scurry down the tunnels is all that we will contribute to this world, our only mark footsteps on the dusty cement pavement.
Well, that’s the contribution of most of us.
A few - an extremely small, selective few - leave legends behind instead. They are the ones that are crazy, brave, ambitious, curious and bonkers enough to go up.
Their insanity doesn’t show at the beginning. Perhaps they pay a bit more attention to the myths of “skies” and “sunshine”, but they take their food rations, interact with their teachers and execute their drills like everyone else. They have the identical, well-practiced polite smile, same gray uniforms and same lack of laughter.
But then, as time goes on, you can start to tell them apart.
They aren’t as patient, quiet and tolerant as before. They don’t conceal their emotions like they’re supposed to, kicking the few bits of furniture we still have when frustrated and angry. They complain about their food, their beds, their schedules, their lifestyles. And they ask uncomfortable questions that none of us can answer.
“What are we doing down here?”
“What’s it like up there?”
“Why did we head down in the first place?”
“What is it that we’re so afraid of?”
And when no one responds to their questions, they, against the begging of their families and friends, decide to go after the answers themselves.
They never come back.
Skeptics, leaders of the community, wave their monumental actions off, telling the others that they had a chronic case of Curiosity. That the rest of us should be careful, keep our heads down, and maintain an air of politeness and disinterest for our own safety.
So we never ask questions. We never interview/interrogate/ speculate with one another. If we catch ourselves wondering we shut it down, looking around fearfully to make sure no one noticed our forbidden thoughts.
Because all of us, no matter how hard we try, are curious. And it’s only a matter of time until we crack.
——————————————————
Rules
It’s been too long. We’ve been down here, underground, for generations. My great-great grandparents couldn’t tell you what went on up there even if they wanted to. Because, take it from me - we do not talk about it.
Everyone stays underground - they’ve grown up, lived, and died here. It’s all that will ever will be of our lives. The constant scurry down the tunnels is all that we will contribute to this world, our only mark footsteps on the dusty cement pavement.
Well, that’s the contribution of most of us.
A few - an extremely small, selective few - leave legends behind instead. They are the ones that are crazy, brave, ambitious, curious and bonkers enough to go up.
Their insanity doesn’t show at the beginning. Perhaps they pay a bit more attention to the myths of “skies” and “sunshine”, but they take their food rations, interact with their teachers and execute their drills like everyone else. They have the identical, well-practiced polite smile, same gray uniforms and same lack of laughter.
But then, as time goes on, you can start to tell them apart.
They aren’t as patient, quiet and tolerant as before. They don’t conceal their emotions like they’re supposed to, kicking the few bits of furniture we still have when frustrated and angry. They complain about their food, their beds, their schedules, their lifestyles. And they ask uncomfortable questions that none of us can answer.
“What are we doing down here?”
“What’s it like up there?”
“Why did we head down in the first place?”
“What is it that we’re so afraid of?”
And when no one responds to their questions, they, against the begging of their families and friends, decide to go after the answers themselves.
They never come back.
Skeptics, leaders of the community, wave their monumental actions off, telling the others that they had a chronic case of Curiosity. That the rest of us should be careful, keep our heads down, and maintain an air of politeness and disinterest for our own safety.
So we never ask questions. We never interview/interrogate/ speculate with one another. If we catch ourselves wondering we shut it down, looking around fearfully to make sure no one noticed our forbidden thoughts.
Because all of us, no matter how hard we try, are curious. And it’s only a matter of time until we crack.
——————————————————
Rules
- All RPN rules apply.
- This will be detailed. At least a paragraph, but I would really appreciate more. And you haaaaave to progress the plot. Don't be boring. Make things happen.
- Realistic pictures only.
- No OOC drama.
- Decent grammar is a must.
