Author Games: Brave New World

Task Two Entries: 1-12

Natalia "Olive" Amber

Okay, deep breaths. In and out. What was it her ninth grade physical education and health teacher had always said about breathing deeply? In through the nose and out through the mouth. Or was it out through the nose and in through the mouth?

"Hey, are you okay?" A girl's voice asked.

Olive looked up. It was the other girl inside this too tiny landing craft, not that it could have been anyone else, short of the plastic like white walls starting a conversation. Olive forced out an uneasy smile. That was what you were supposed to do when someone asked if you were okay, right?

"I'll be fine," Olive said. At least she would be once they landed.

The girl tucked a strand of smooth black hair behind her ear. "You're Natalia Amber, right?"

"Yeah." The landing craft seemed to tilt down, and Olive could have sworn the seatbelt strapping her in grew tighter. "But I go by Olive."

"I'm Genevieve," the girl said, "but I go by Eve." She extended her hand out through the space in between their seats. Olive shook it.

"Eve like in Adam and Eve?" Olive asked.

Eve looked away awkwardly. "I guess like Adam and Eve."

"Oh," Olive blurted out without thinking, "You're the Population Specialist, aren't you?"

The only one of the crew who had no scientific expertise whatsoever. Olive remembered hearing about her. Eve was nice enough, but her IQ was likely under advanced, or heaven forbid, average.

"Has your, uh, work, started yet?" Olive asked, and immediately regretted it.

Eve's lips pressed into a thin line and she shot Olive what could only be an appalled glare. Olive was so stupid. You couldn't just ask someone if they were pregnant. That was rude. Even Olive should know that. Eve's gaze dropped to her stomach, and Olive's followed.

"I didn't intend to insinuate that your body weight is any greater than average," Olive stuttered out. "Well, what I mean is-"

"I know what you meant," Eve interrupted. "I know I'm not here for being a scientific genius, because I'm not, but you don't have to dumb things down for me."

"Sorry," Olive squeaked.

There was no more time for conversation. If the craft had been tilting before, it went into a nose dive now.

Olive let out a shriek. If the tight seat belt wasn't strapping her in, she would be flying against the windshield now like nothing more than a fly.

Of all the animals whose lifestyle to mimic, a fly's would have to be the worst. Well, sea turtles had it rough too. It was impossible to say which animal's life was more difficult, but the comparison temporarily took her mind off the terror.

It came back in with full force a second letter at the sound of Eve's garbled scream. Olive pressed back against her seat and shot her craft partner a look out of the side of her eyes. It seemed she wasn't the only one freaked out by this.

"Gah!" Olive screamed, but the terror wasn't as thick as before.

Eve looked at her. "Ack!"

Olive tried to be louder. "Urgh!"

The black haired baby destined beauty apparently wasn't willing to be outdone. "Hoyah!"

"Ay ay ay!"

"Eeh eeh eeh!"

"Oy oy oy!"

"Eek eek eekity, eek!"