The Elevator.

Chapter 3.

As I turned away from the remnants of Isobel, I swallowed my saliva, hoping to quench the hot feeling in my mouth, and assuage the hole growing in the pit of my stomach. As I wandered, desperately trying to recall Isobel’s instructions in what seemed like a never-ending series of white doors and white walls in an all white hallway.

My legs were made of iron and steel as I dragged them to the screening room. My body was willing me not to go, but I know I need to win. I will stop at nothing for those wishes. I turned right and walked straight, this time with a greater sense of purpose, determined to put my fears behind me.

When I reached the door, my hand hesitated. I stared at it with my brow furrowed. I’d never been the type of person to be scared of anything. I was strong.

Too strong for my own good.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes at the way I was allowing myself to get caught up in my own thoughts and pushed the door open without a single look back.

When I opened the door my eyes were struck with a room that was completely white from ceiling to floor, so much so that it just looked like space, like the room was much bigger than it actually was. It contained only one white desk with a white chair in front of it and a chair behind it, which seemed occupied by a hispanic woman, maybe in her mid thirties.

“Hi! I’m Loretta, one of the screeners, but you can call me Lolo babes!! I’m here to screen you today, so just sit down, and we’ll get to talking!” She squealed.

I raised an eyebrow and moved towards the chair to sit in it. She was so bubbly and spoke so fast and was so… in your face. The exact opposite of me. Her flamboyant personality had me missing Isobel’s impersonal and clinical programming. I was suddenly brought back to the present when I recognized her vocal fry and realized she was talking to me or oversharing about her life.

“-- moved here from Sector 4008, formerly known as Milwaukee like centuries ago for work. I mean, at first, I was all like “oh em gee no my family” but then the paycheck came in, and I was like oh em gee I will never move back again.” She said while stretching out the n at the end of again.

I made a noncommittal sound in the back of my throat to convey that I didn’t care and she seemed to sober up, pulling out a small tablet from under the desk quietly. I sighed quietly, I never meant to make her sad, I just wanted her to shut up.

“Um, you know, I’ve never heard that accent or colloquialism before…”
Instantly, the smile was back on her face, and her eyes were bright. “Yes, at my old job in Milwaukee-” I raised an eyebrow, I had never heard of that place, but it sounded familiar. “Sorry Sector 4008, I was in The Government’s historical archives system, and I worked in the 21st century department. This was the lingo at the time.” I smirked slightly at her use of the word “lingo”, amused with how clueless she seemed. “Ugh I was born in the wrong century. What about you?

“Me?” I said, fighting my instinct to look around.

“Yeah, what century would you be born in?”

“Um… I think I’m good where I am”

“Ugh. You’re no fun.” She tapped on the small tablet. “Okay let's see here. Your name is Eleanor Poverly?”

I nodded.

“Born February 12th 2548 to Maya Poverly and Jackson Sharpe?”

“Yes.”

“Why’d you take your mothers last name instead of your father’s?”

“I don’t know. I was a baby.”

Suddenly, she burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter. I just stared blankly at her. Nothing I’d said was even remotely that funny. In between laughs while gasping, she said “Sorry… you’re just a riot.”

“Okay,” she said, smoothing down her pantsuit. “Are you sexually active?”

“Um” Truth is, I didn’t know how to answer her question. Me and Kieran had done it once. Not in a fit of passion or anything, but just to know what it felt like. I guess it occurred to us that we’d never have the time to get freedom to get married or have kids, and if we were ever going to do it we were going to do it with each other. The best thing about it was that afterward it wasn’t awkward. We just did what we always do.

“Um… not currently”

“Ooh, juicy. Okay, last question.. If you had your three wishes right now, what would they be?”

Money. A stable house where me, mom, Kie, and Murr could live together. To get my mom back.

“I don’t know.”

She looked at me, studying my face and my eyes before saying “Okay babes, that’s it for the screening. You should get your letter in the mail in about a week”.

“Thank you.” I got up from my chair and proceeded to push it in and exit the room while she still sat there.

As I approached the door, she said “you know” I hesitated. “You’re withholding something from me… but I like you, and I want you to win.”

I turned around and gave her a tight-lipped smile before pushing the door open and walking into the light.