Along The Way

Prologue

“So what does he look like?”

   We sit on a branch a few feet above the ground. The grass is covered by snow.

   “Hazel eyes, like you can…no, not drown in them. They make you feel alive. They make me feel like I can fly.”

   Jesse looks unconvinced.

   “Have you guys even talked?” he asks. Before I can reply he specifies. “Talk is defined with more than ‘hi’ and the subject can’t be ‘Do you know where the cafeteria is’.”

   “Jesse, don’t be like that!” I whine.

   He raises an eyebrow. “So have you?”

   “What?”

   “Have you guys talked?”

   “No.”

   “He’s not your soulmate, is he?” Jesse gives me a sad smile. He knows he’s right. I only shake my head and look down on my hands covered by red worn out gloves. It’s freezing and it’s only September. “Drew… It’s illegal to be with anybody but your Soulmate when your older than 18.”

   “You sound like a book, you know”, I mutter. “And I’m not 18 yet.”

   “You will be and I don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t want them to hurt you.”

   “They won’t hurt me because we’re never gonna happen.”

   I don’t tell him that he is a she because in our world two girls are not a Soulmate match.

   In our world we’re supposed to be with our Soulmate. But what if I’ve met him, and I hate him?

Two parents along with their six and 16 years old daughters walk up to the house. It’s much nicer than theirs. It’s like one of those houses they show on TV. Big, white and has all of those details like flowers outside the door and expensive curtains. The small family comes from the poorer blocks of the city. Living in a big house, but with three other families.

   Nervously they step up on the porch and ring the doorbell.

   A young woman opens. A big smile is on her face. Their youngest daughter looks admiringly at her long hair. She’s got long blonde hair just like her own mum. But this mum has much nicer clothes. You can see she doesn’t eat old bread and begs for money on the weekend when her husband has lost his job. No, this woman makes sure her family gets a warm steak every night. Maybe even some sweets from that nice boutique when they watch TV later.

   Still, it’s the hair the young girl sees because that’s what’ similar with her mum. She doesn’t want to see the differences.

   “Look, mommy”, she says. “She has the same hair as you.”

   Her mum whispers in her ear that she needs to be quiet.

   “What can I do for you?” the woman asks.

   The father takes off the young girl’s necklace. She always wears it. Preferably visible. It’s the shape of a half circle with pointy edges. Like a best friend necklace. But this isn’t for a best friend. This is for her Soulmate. Along with numbers on the back of the half circle it’s matching her Soulmate.

   That’s how it works now. Everybody kept getting divorces before the change. Some people ended up not marrying anybody at all. Not as much of a problem as it may sound, but something did have to be done. Children belonged to several different parents. Money got lost in the divorces and the parents to those children ended up on the street.

   The marriage became a game. People no longer looked for the perfect relationship, but were looking for the most partners. They even started clubs where they bet on how many they could marry. There were a few who still wanted one partner only but you couldn’t know if it was just a bet.

   Somebody came up with this idea then. Every newborn baby gets a necklace in the mail, just like the girl’s. Within the age span of 18 to 20 she has to find her specific Soulmate and get married. Those who don’t get married? That’s not supposed to be talked about.

   When the woman sees the necklace she’s first surprised but then frowns.

   The girl’s father sees her disapproving expression and explains. “We’ve searched for our daughter’s Soulmate for some time now. We hired a private investigator and she says you have a son whose necklace matches hers.”

   The woman had understood before he explained. The difference between the rich and the poor though is that poor want the Soulmate system. It helps them survive, if they get a rich Soulmate will say. The rich people wants nothing more than to end it. Not that they’re opposed to arranged marriages but they want to arrange them themselves. Get a rich partner. The Soulmate system rarely works that way.

   “I have no son”, the woman says shortly.

   The girl’s mum looks desperate. She knows why the woman says so. “Please, ma’am, it’s the law.”

   “It’s not the law, it’s a made up game”, she says disgusted. “My son won’t marry a poor girl. And absolutely not when he’s six.”

   “No, of course not, but can’t they meet? It will be easier for them when they get older.” She puts a hand on her older daughter’s shoulder. “Eliza here, met her Soulmate when she was four. They really like each other. They’re even together now.”

   The older girl smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

   A man comes up behind the woman. Neither of them has turned 25. The girls’ own parents are over 35. It’s unusual for parents to get another child after they’ve been married for more than 7 years or so. Still the mother is waiting yet another child.

   “Hi, I’m Geoffrey. How can we help you?”

   The girl’s mother looked hopeful at him. Maybe they would get another chance. “We think your son’s necklace matches our daughter’s.”

   “They aren’t meeting each other, Geoffrey”, the woman says.

   “If they really are Soulmates, let’s find out. It’ll be easier later. Not that I like it though.” He turns around. “Nathan, come here!”

   A young boy, six years like the girl, comes running down the stairs. He meets them by the door.

   “Don’t”, the woman hisses.

   “Nathan, introduce yourself.”

   The boy offers his hand to the girl. “Hi, I’m Nathan.”

   She shakes it shyly and pushes a blonde strand behind her ear. “I’m Drew.”

 

 

***

 

Might come back for editing.