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Description
Dark.  That is the single word that describes the water encasing the circular dome, that one single word that affects everything.  Rather than resembling the cerulean seas of stories the water appears to have more ink than ocean.  Encased within the murky shell is one of glass.  The walls are smooth and clear, with little to no boundaries.  Sitting upon the ocean floor this casing has been in the dark.
If there was light one would see very clearly that a city is buried inside the glass structure, and in that city are people.  Among these people were children.  Even though these children lacked clean skin and hair, while the better off children actually had shoes made from the leather seats of useless cars, they were happy.  Each day after school they would gather behind the taller buildings that encircled the once green park, now just fields of dirt and dust.  The eldest always took command, meaning a group of children ranging from six to twelve were led by those who were soon to be adults, children on the cusp of teenagedom.  They knew a secret the adults didn't, and each day they would indulge themselves with this secret in the dirt mounds, safely hidden.
Before any of this happened there had been no glass house on the briny's floor.  No, there had only been an idea that was meant to help solve everything that caused worrisome nights lacking sleep.  Dr. Swenson was the genius that came up with the solution.  His plan was to help reduce the world's population back to at least a billion, inadvertently also making way for more answers as well.  With this new advancement the sun would have time to gain enough strength for it's rays to penetrate thick clouds.  Finally there would be enough space for the plants to regenerate and the animals to grow.  Yes, everything was falling into place and darkness seemed to wane each day.
Although the idea was ideal, there was the problem of funding such an extensive project.  Not to mention the importing of materials would require the last few gallons of oil, which did not suit well with the companies still running.  Healthy and fit people needed for labor and construction were in short supply.  "No matter," said Swenson, "all obstacles are insignificant with the proper planning."   Insignificant became a new favorite word amongst the humans.  If one did not contribute to the construction of the New Hope, as Swenson had dubbed it, then they were of no use.  The last of the oil was used to export the tons of resources needed, all healthy people willingly signed up to help build, and money was disregarded in this one case. There was not a single scenario overlooked when the dome was being built.
Made large enough to fit a city with the area of Eastern Europe there would be plenty of room.  Half of that space would then go to crop cultivation, while the other was made into a metropolis.  There were supplies of packaged food to last roughly four years, which Swenson had said wouldn't be needed after two. A school was made, big enough to hold an entire apartment building's capacity, with all the finest materials needed.  Everything was set into place, including a solar powered system of electricity.  Fresh water was stored in tanks in the western half of the dome behind the crops, equipped with filters to remove salt from their endless supply the people would soon be surrounded by.
Even though Dr. Swenson had largely opposed to the idea there were also escape devices as well.  A type of flexible glass bubble that would float directly to the surface if the need should arise.  Swenson had declared them a waste of time and money, seeing as his plan was infallible.  Surely, thought the people, that humoring their insecurities with a trivial matter such as this was something all people of his intellect must deal with, at this Swenson relented and allowed the bubbles to be built.
The dome was finally finished after five laborious years, and the world could not have been more unified as a result of the joy that came with it's completion.  During that time the companies that funded the world with power allowed each town screen to function without the usual fee per minute.  On each screen was the image of Swenson standing on a podium in front of the dome speaking with such earnest about their good work.  He did deliver some terrible news though, the act of choosing who is allowed to go and who must stay.  He had made it a rule that only the young and healthy should go, which meant that any above the age of forty had to remain on land.  Also those children who had no parents were perfect candidates to accompany the adults, since most do not lose their fertility until after age twenty.
It had taken a year and seven months to choose the few thousand that were to descend into the future.  Those chosen were ecstatic, those who weren't had their joy only slightly dampened, for they knew that after the pilot population gave the definite report of success they to would go later as well.  Swenson was to remain on land, his reasoning being that he had to oversee the other domes construction as well.  He was still able to communicate with the New Hope population with an intercom system, in case an emergency were to occur.
The descent had not started out dark, it had started out quite amazingly.  Fish would swim past the enclosed arena, their emotionless eyes staring through those of the humans.  The corals amazed the children and their favorite animals consisted of giant turtles and vibrant octopi.  However once the excitement died down and the sun's light began to fade people began to doubt.  Within the confines of their prison, as some had taken to calling it, restlessness flourished.  The children were not as edgy as the adults for they had school to attend, the perfect outlet for any pent up energy.
The bottom was reached and soon there were no more animal sightings, and of course no more sun light.  For the first year everything had gone just as Dr. Swenson predicted, and the fidgetiness slunk into the back of minds.  Two months after the New Year problems began to start.  They were small, so trivial that the children didn't even notice them.  Small flickers of power, less and less crops were yielding enough for eating.  The adults, so as to keep mass panic at bay, placed a façade over the entire situation.  Making sure that children still attended school, that sporting events were still considered easy to attend instead of work, and to encourage play amongst the youngsters.  The final instant was one that occurred after three years in the dome, there were no more crops.
Not a single plant had germinated, and the power would shut off for days at a time.  Whenever the power was on distress calls were sent to Dr. Swenson, who in fact did receive them.  They asked permission to leave, sending children up first with a single adult inside the escape bubbles.  However after two months of waiting for a response they decided to begin evacuation anyway.  Upon opening the storage vault that contained the bubbles the people were shocked by what they saw.  Having been so closely placed to the generator the flexible glass bubbles had become warped over the years due to repeated heat exposure.  They were now useless, oblong structures that caused mass riots upon seeing them.
Hundreds died in the riots, but even more passed in the months ahead.  Starvation was the word humans stood side by side with.  The power was only on in short and sporadic intervals, and children were being born as well.  In the dark all that was heard were yowls of infants whose mother's were too malnourished to produce breast milk.  Some babes were killed out of pity or hunger, most did not know or question it.  Those that did live past infancy were cared for by the older children, and made to attend school, which was now taught orally.  Years had past, so many in fact that a third generation was just starting.  The name Swenson was spat at upon hearing.
So now standing in a previously green pasture the children were in the dark.  They did not know any other life other than this one of shadow.  But their secret allowed for them knowledge of something, if not hope.  Their secret was light, light made outside past the dome's curved wall inside the void.  Creatures with too many eyes and too little legs would float by each and every day.  Their ability to produce their own blue light was nothing short of remarkable to the children.  The short thirty minutes in which the children got to forget they had empty stomachs and lethargic limbs.  Eyes wide, faces and palms pressed against glass walls.

Description
Dark.  That is the single word that describes the water encasing the circular dome, that one single word that affects everything.  Rather than resembling the cerulean seas of stories the water appears to have more ink than ocean.  Encased within the murky shell is one of glass.  The walls are smooth and clear, with little to no boundaries.  Sitting upon the ocean floor this casing has been in the dark.
If there was light one would see very clearly that a city is buried inside the glass structure, and in that city are people.  Among these people were children.  Even though these children lacked clean skin and hair, while the better off children actually had shoes made from the leather seats of useless cars, they were happy.  Each day after school they would gather behind the taller buildings that encircled the once green park, now just fields of dirt and dust.  The eldest always took command, meaning a group of children ranging from six to twelve were led by those who were soon to be adults, children on the cusp of teenagedom.  They knew a secret the adults didn't, and each day they would indulge themselves with this secret in the dirt mounds, safely hidden.
Before any of this happened there had been no glass house on the briny's floor.  No, there had only been an idea that was meant to help solve everything that caused worrisome nights lacking sleep.  Dr. Swenson was the genius that came up with the solution.  His plan was to help reduce the world's population back to at least a billion, inadvertently also making way for more answers as well.  With this new advancement the sun would have time to gain enough strength for it's rays to penetrate thick clouds.  Finally there would be enough space for the plants to regenerate and the animals to grow.  Yes, everything was falling into place and darkness seemed to wane each day.
Although the idea was ideal, there was the problem of funding such an extensive project.  Not to mention the importing of materials would require the last few gallons of oil, which did not suit well with the companies still running.  Healthy and fit people needed for labor and construction were in short supply.  "No matter," said Swenson, "all obstacles are insignificant with the proper planning."   Insignificant became a new favorite word amongst the humans.  If one did not contribute to the construction of the New Hope, as Swenson had dubbed it, then they were of no use.  The last of the oil was used to export the tons of resources needed, all healthy people willingly signed up to help build, and money was disregarded in this one case. There was not a single scenario overlooked when the dome was being built.
Made large enough to fit a city with the area of Eastern Europe there would be plenty of room.  Half of that space would then go to crop cultivation, while the other was made into a metropolis.  There were supplies of packaged food to last roughly four years, which Swenson had said wouldn't be needed after two. A school was made, big enough to hold an entire apartment building's capacity, with all the finest materials needed.  Everything was set into place, including a solar powered system of electricity.  Fresh water was stored in tanks in the western half of the dome behind the crops, equipped with filters to remove salt from their endless supply the people would soon be surrounded by.
Even though Dr. Swenson had largely opposed to the idea there were also escape devices as well.  A type of flexible glass bubble that would float directly to the surface if the need should arise.  Swenson had declared them a waste of time and money, seeing as his plan was infallible.  Surely, thought the people, that humoring their insecurities with a trivial matter such as this was something all people of his intellect must deal with, at this Swenson relented and allowed the bubbles to be built.
The dome was finally finished after five laborious years, and the world could not have been more unified as a result of the joy that came with it's completion.  During that time the companies that funded the world with power allowed each town screen to function without the usual fee per minute.  On each screen was the image of Swenson standing on a podium in front of the dome speaking with such earnest about their good work.  He did deliver some terrible news though, the act of choosing who is allowed to go and who must stay.  He had made it a rule that only the young and healthy should go, which meant that any above the age of forty had to remain on land.  Also those children who had no parents were perfect candidates to accompany the adults, since most do not lose their fertility until after age twenty.
It had taken a year and seven months to choose the few thousand that were to descend into the future.  Those chosen were ecstatic, those who weren't had their joy only slightly dampened, for they knew that after the pilot population gave the definite report of success they to would go later as well.  Swenson was to remain on land, his reasoning being that he had to oversee the other domes construction as well.  He was still able to communicate with the New Hope population with an intercom system, in case an emergency were to occur.
The descent had not started out dark, it had started out quite amazingly.  Fish would swim past the enclosed arena, their emotionless eyes staring through those of the humans.  The corals amazed the children and their favorite animals consisted of giant turtles and vibrant octopi.  However once the excitement died down and the sun's light began to fade people began to doubt.  Within the confines of their prison, as some had taken to calling it, restlessness flourished.  The children were not as edgy as the adults for they had school to attend, the perfect outlet for any pent up energy.
The bottom was reached and soon there were no more animal sightings, and of course no more sun light.  For the first year everything had gone just as Dr. Swenson predicted, and the fidgetiness slunk into the back of minds.  Two months after the New Year problems began to start.  They were small, so trivial that the children didn't even notice them.  Small flickers of power, less and less crops were yielding enough for eating.  The adults, so as to keep mass panic at bay, placed a façade over the entire situation.  Making sure that children still attended school, that sporting events were still considered easy to attend instead of work, and to encourage play amongst the youngsters.  The final instant was one that occurred after three years in the dome, there were no more crops.
Not a single plant had germinated, and the power would shut off for days at a time.  Whenever the power was on distress calls were sent to Dr. Swenson, who in fact did receive them.  They asked permission to leave, sending children up first with a single adult inside the escape bubbles.  However after two months of waiting for a response they decided to begin evacuation anyway.  Upon opening the storage vault that contained the bubbles the people were shocked by what they saw.  Having been so closely placed to the generator the flexible glass bubbles had become warped over the years due to repeated heat exposure.  They were now useless, oblong structures that caused mass riots upon seeing them.
Hundreds died in the riots, but even more passed in the months ahead.  Starvation was the word humans stood side by side with.  The power was only on in short and sporadic intervals, and children were being born as well.  In the dark all that was heard were yowls of infants whose mother's were too malnourished to produce breast milk.  Some babes were killed out of pity or hunger, most did not know or question it.  Those that did live past infancy were cared for by the older children, and made to attend school, which was now taught orally.  Years had past, so many in fact that a third generation was just starting.  The name Swenson was spat at upon hearing.
So now standing in a previously green pasture the children were in the dark.  They did not know any other life other than this one of shadow.  But their secret allowed for them knowledge of something, if not hope.  Their secret was light, light made outside past the dome's curved wall inside the void.  Creatures with too many eyes and too little legs would float by each and every day.  Their ability to produce their own blue light was nothing short of remarkable to the children.  The short thirty minutes in which the children got to forget they had empty stomachs and lethargic limbs.  Eyes wide, faces and palms pressed against glass walls.