Save Us!

Chapter Thirteen (Bain)

November 8th, 2059

"If we behave like those on the other side, then we are the other side. Instead of changing the world, all we'll achieve is a reflection of the one we want to destroy."

Jean Genet

Things didn’t change much after the takeover except the beginning of the construction of the wall. Other than that, things were… normal. I got into the mindset of an Outcity worker, and soon it was as if I’d been doing this all my life. I mean, sure, it had only been three days, but I felt… at home.

I got better at milking the cows (they didn’t hate me anymore) and Starbuck and I became (almost) best friends. After work, Connie, Gale and I – and sometimes the others – would have long talks before bed.

Today was the day of the ‘celebratory announcements’ at the cliff. Connie and Gale had left to go see it a while ago. “Why does Connie always go to those rallies?” I asked Matt as we cleaned out one of the pig stys. There was a team assigned to each one, which got the job done a lot faster.

 He cleared his throat. “I don’t think I should be th’ one to tell yeh,” he said, scratching the back of his head and frowning.

I stopped hosing the wall down and stared at him. “Is there something going on that I should know about?”

“Have yeh ever been to one of th’ rallies?” he asked.

“No.”

He cleared his throat. “What about on th’ news?”

“Yeah, I did. Nothing special, yeah? Some idiot kid goes up and spits out shit about the Agents, then they go up and say the same things, it’s all completely –”

He shook his head. “Did yeh know… did yeh know Connie had a brother?”

I froze. “Yes,” I said slowly, drawing the word out.

“So yeh know –”

“I was the one she – they – lived with,” I said softly.

“Aah.” He pushed the mop back and forth across the filthy floor.

“Matt…? Is – is that –” A thought struck me. “Is –”

“He’s the one. He’s the speaker,” Matt said in a hushed voice.

I gaped at him as it all suddenly made sense.

The scrawled note left on the kitchen table flashed before my eyes:

I have to go, I can’t stay here, I’m going to make da proud. Thank you for everything, Ben, and Bain. Love you, Connie

Through my peripherals, I caught a glimpse of a boy. I turned to look –

“It was him,” I whispered.                                         

I remembered the skinny, blonde boy that always needed to be around people. No self-dependence. I remembered his pale, almost translucent skin. I remembered sharing a room with him, remembered playing games with him, remembered being friends with him… then I remembered seeing the boy in the hospital at the Agent’s headquarters… but that hadn’t been the same boy. This boy was tall, tanned, with wavy light brown hair. He had been confident and poised. “That doesn’t make sense,” I whispered. “It can’t be the same boy.”

“It is,” Matt said, knocking me out of my reverie. “She goes to make sure – I dunno, that he’s alright I guess. Never talks to him, never sees him. Just goes to… watch.”