In the year 2178, Earth’s sun had begun to burn hotter, and safe zones had become smaller, more isolated. Closer to the equator, survival was anything but guaranteed. It had been three months since the hostile environmental changes had forced humanity’s elites to gather in exclusive, dome-enclosed oases—part luxury, part fortress, all heavily guarded.
Ava had never intended to become one of the elite, but fate had strange plans. One moment, she was a scientist working on climate control compounds; the next, she was black-bagged and whisked away under the premise that her work would save lives. That had been four weeks ago. Now, she found herself in “The Scarlet Oasis”—the name of one of the government-sanctioned sanctuaries meant to withstand the Earth’s increasingly hostile environment. The structure was massive, built around a glistening inner pool whose saline waters could withstand the intense temperatures radiating across the land.
The Oasis’ residents weren’t just surviving—they were thriving in its artificial perfection, where everything looked real but wasn’t. The grass was synthetic, the palm trees genetically engineered, and the pool shimmered unnaturally, the result of an advanced filtration system that reflected more light than it absorbed.
Ava hovered by one of the poolside cabanas, a drink in hand, her eyes trailing beneath dark sunglasses. Even in a place as luxurious as this, she wasn’t at ease—not when she knew the price that came with staying behind the shield. It had nothing to do with credits or connections. It had to do with control. The moment she learned this oasis was more than a retreat, she made a vow. She couldn’t live here as a puppet in paradise. She had to escape, or at the very least, find out who was running the simulation pulling everyone’s strings.
From across the pool, she noticed her: the model that everyone called Scarlet, draped in a vibrant mint green bikini that refused to blend in despite the rich, lush surroundings. Her red hair was ablaze under the softly clouded sky, a beacon of rebellion in a world where compliance was a currency. Her tattoo—patterns that hinted at a code Ava swore she had seen in the facility databases—drew Ava’s attention.
Scarlet sauntered confidently, each movement so deliberate, so in sync with the string of playful lights overhead, which dangled like the artificial stars in their pre-crafted firmament. As onlookers admired her beauty, it struck Ava how wrong this all felt.
Maybe Scarlet was the key—her confidence in a world of hiding, her tattoo hinting at secrets long buried. With a calculated glance exchanged between them, and a barely noticeable nod from Scarlet, Ava knew she was not the only one who saw through the Oasis’ veiled perfection. Tonight, amidst the dreamlike décor, beneath false stars and projected clouds, she would make her move to uncover the truth.
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