The Name Game

Memory

The river moved slowly, tumbling over rocks and weeds. It was bordered on either side by an earthy riverbank, slowly being eroded away.

Forty-One's heart was heavy as she walked along the riverbank. She took steady breaths, calming herself after the tragedy she was trying to leave behind.

She found solace in the continual pounding of the river, beating in time with the rhythm of her heart, but the peace was fleeting.

She had lived through considerable loss, and was putting off the moment when she would have to return to her family. They needed her, especially in such hard times.

A bird flew from a nearby tree, landing on her outstretched hand. It sang a sweet tune, causing her to show a sad smile.

Oh, she thought pensively. If only my life could go back to being what it once was. Back to when I was young, carefree, naϊve, and ignorant. Ignorant to the tragedy that was fast approaching.

She paused to let the bird fly from her hand. It flew down to the ground and started pecking at the soil, looking for bugs and seeds to feed her family.

The sight of the bird reminded Forty-One that she too had a family to care for. Slowly, she turned away from the river and began to walk back to her family.

.............

Forty-One was suddenly wide awake, back in reality. She began to stand up only to be reminded of the tethers that bound her in place. Cursing inwardly, she realized she had no other option than to wait for the man to return and release her.

But he did not return quickly, leaving Forty-One with plenty of time to contemplate the scene she had just witnessed.

The grief she had felt was all-consuming.

If that's my future I don't want any part of it, she thought to herself.

It was terrible. No, she corrected herself. It is going to be terrible. How can I survive such a terrible catastrophe? I don't know exactly what the tragedy was, but it must have been awful. I could feel its devastation overpower the rest of the memory.

She didn't realize her muscles had been tense until she relaxed them an hour later, when the man finally returned. He released her tethers with the same flick of the wrist and led her down the same hallway through which they had come.

Suddenly, the man brought hand to the side of his face, pressing it lightly to a black piece that fit perfectly in his ear. He was listening intently to whoever was speaking to him.

A radio device, noticed Forty-One.

In response, the man lifting his wrist to his chin.

"I'm on my way," he said softly, and turned to face Forty-One. "I am needed elsewhere. Please proceed down the hallway and take the fourth left turn. This will lead you to the dining hall, where your peers will be waiting."

Forty-One nodded once to show she understood and the man took off, walking back down the hallway at an alarming rate.

Forty-One was now alone. Remembering the directions, she continued down the hallway. She walked slowly as to not miss a single left turn for fear of getting lost in the overwhelming facility. When she reached the fourth left turn, she was surprised to find that it was a solid door without a handle. Unsure of what to do, she pushed on it briefly, wondering if it swing open.

Nothing happened.

Lost and confused, she put her palm against the door and laid her head on her arm.

I'm sure someone will come looking for me eventually, she decided.

Click.

To her surprise the door had simply swung open, leading her into a completely different area of the facility. The cold tiled floors had been replaced by finished hardwood, the closed off rooms replaced by open office space, and the sound of the beeping monitors replaced by the murmurs of far off conversations.

Assuming that the far off conversations were her peers, Forty-One began to follow an endless series of hallways in attempt to reach them. Her head was on a swivel, listening for where the noise was coming from and trying to find the quickest way to arrive there.

Consequently, she did not notice the young man standing stiffly by a doorway until she collided with him.