The Destroyer

Chapter Sixteen

Marcus did lose most of his beer belly. A renewed sense of purpose kept him busy and physically active as never before.  His son Lane was now twenty five and was an aspiring engineer, trained under his father's capable wing. Over the course of nearly twenty years underground, the engineering talents at hand, had shown themselves through extensive transformations. What began as a basic habitat with food production and some limited recreation, now extended well beyond the original physical boundaries, creating new venues, more green spaces and something of a suburbs, where families were able to live and almost convince themselves that things were normal and life was good.

Social dimensions also expanded, much of which was to nourish the young with physical activities and stable institutions of education. The benefits spilled over to everyone's benefit. Higher learning for the young, became advanced research for the old. Every apprentice needed their master. Sports ranging from soccer to basketball to cave running was instated to keep youngsters active and healthy, but it also pulled in the entire community and added richness to their lives and gave everyone their health. It was the dynamic of multigenerational society at work, as youth aspired toward maturity, and the mature clung to their youthfulness.

The running caves were the most basic, yet arguably the most coveted resource they had added. It was simply a large meandering loop, ten kilometers long, with two connectors to allow for shorter journeys without doubling back. Over the full distances, the climbing elevation was four hundred meters, mainly dolled out as rolling hills underground. But there was a revered highlight for those capable of the long run. It was a series of ten switchbacks, each about ten meters of elevation gain. The width of the tunnels allowed two runners or walkers to be comfortably side by side. The project, like many others, took a long time. Patience was required underground, as dust mitigation and the need for many additional safety features was required. There was always the need to consider lighting and ventilation as well. The running caves alone were seven years in the making. But these challenging efforts were welcome. 

Purpose was critical in maintaining one's sanity. But after a dozen years underground, no amount of purpose could mask the gnawing sensation of hopelessness. It was a slowly developing problem, as not everyone succumbed to this feeling simultaneously. But as more depression started to appear, like an infection, it spread and its weight cascaded down on the entire community.

Avery had told his team that it was critical to begin the ascent toward the surface because they were still young and energetic. But the trigger for his decision to move early had more to do with the growing pandemic of depression. One individual had finally summoned the courage to take his own life and in so doing, showed many others a path for escape. It only deepened the depression, another sign to many, that there was no future. Avery's program and the engagement of the community was a game changer. They were headed for daylight, well ahead of schedule.   

"Hannah, what is the air looking like today?" Inquired Balanson. They were in the surface observation lab, which was linked to the air monitoring and drones now deployed on the surface. Hannah was the chief climate scientist in charge of the lab.

"Honestly? It looks great. The sensors are working perfectly and it appears that the rate of decrease in ozone is statistically significant, even over the one month we have been collecting data so far."

"How long until it's safe?"

"Current model they ran yesterday says that we could safely do a couple of hours on the surface, once a week, right now."

"When will it be totally safe to stay outside?

"Model gives a range, two to five years. The limited data still has too much uncertainty. We need to go through the four seasons and see if there are fluctuations."