The Never Dawn: (Sci-fi Dystopian Trilogy, Book 1 ) | eBook

I had touched the sky. Not the real sky; that, of course, would be soft. The one under my fingertips had felt hard and scratched my skin. I know I shouldn’t have done so, but after thirteen years in the confines of Education, the high dome of The Workers Level had been too much to resist. Together with Reuben, I had climbed onto the factory roof to take a closer look. My stomach had churned as I’d gazed down onto the jigsaw of grey rooftops below. But it was the sky I’d come to see. Standing on Reuben’s shoulders, I barely had time to run my outstretched fingertips across its rough surface, before Mother’s booming voice had sent Reuben toppling forward leaving me dangling over the edge, hanging by my fingers.

But it was worth it. I’d touched the sky! My skin tingles even now at the memory. But that was a long time ago, almost five years, and I learned my lesson. Mother banned me from the bedtime story for a month, and I still feel the shame of being excluded from those magical evening sessions. But she knew what was best for me as always. She knew back then, that with the right encouragement, I would become one of the most productive workers in The Ark. I won’t let her down.
I, Noah, will make her proud.

* * *

The patch of blue showing through the tiny skylight above my workstation, reminds me of Mother’s promise—if we work hard she will let us go outside. It’s been weeks since we last had a blue sky. Mother must be happy.

I look back to my desktop, annoyed at letting my concentration slip. I push the memories aside and pick up a number six fastener from the tray on my left. With a flick of my wrist, I attach it to the protruding bolt holding plates A and B together. Next, the middle finger on my right hand feels for the groove beneath the box and I fix the bracket my left hand has already taken from the top shelf, and snap it shut. Thirty-six! I reach thirty-six and I’m well on schedule to finish fifty-two before lunch—that’s two ahead of the target Mother has set for me.
I reach for the next plate and look up to the giant poster on the far wall beyond the rows of workstations. The determined face of Moses, our hero-worker, watches over all five floors of the factory. His eyes shine as he stands in front of his shelf stacked high with the record number of units he produced in one shift. I take encouragement from the words, ‘Remember Moses!’ Perhaps one day that will be my face on the wall.

“Mother will be pleased.” I jump as Abe reaches over to place the tray of parts I need for the next batch. “You’re way ahead of the rest, Noah.”

I nod. “I’m going for my record today. I’ve worked out how to make each unit twelve seconds faster.”

Abe glances down the row. He lowers his voice and leans forward. “Have you cleared this with Isaac? He hasn’t said anything to me.”

I stutter, suddenly ashamed. “No… no I haven’t. I’m sorry. I’ll go back to the old way until I get approval.”

Abe’s shoulders drop. “Yes, that would be best. You can put forward your idea at the next production meeting, then if Mother approves, you can show the rest.” He starts to walk away, but stops and turns. “I know you mean well, but you must remember to ask before you change anything. If you want to break the record you must use the correct procedure.” His eyebrows rise and he manages to smile. “Mother knows best, eh!”

I duly repeat his words. “Yes, Mother knows best. I don’t know what I was thinking. Sorry.” Abe turns his back and pushes his trolley along to Reuben’s workstation. Once he’s collected all the units from our row, he will leave them by the small door at the end of the workshop to be collected by Rachel’s team. We work together. We succeed together.

I wait until he completes his collection from Reuben before I breathe out. You fool, you should have checked first. Was I showing off? My jaw tightens. I should not put my pride above the team’s objective. I hope Mother won’t be displeased.