Amanda

Chapter I

It started with a note. Carlton Kay walked off the public bus, from a 9-hour shift at the government building. It had been a normal day, so of course he was tired. And then he noticed the white envelope on the table. He, of course, opened it, his curiosity getting the better of him. Fancy sloping, silver script, only used for letters from the government to civilians, read as follows:
Come to the lounging area on 5th Street. Come alone. Nice clothes are recommended but not necessary.
There was no signature. Carlton sighed, took one longing look at his bedroom door, then went to the shop to find a nice outfit. He tried to look good, which was hard with such bland clothing choices. He also tried to make his unruly cinnamon-colored hair look presentable, but to no avail. Nevertheless, Carlton was ready to go soon after 8pm. He walked to the lounging area full of people on this Friday night, got a chip bowl, and had just started to eat when a finger tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to see a woman about his age, with startling emerald eyes and unusually dark eyelids. She smirked. "Carlton Kay?" She asked, as if she already knew the answer.
"Yes, I am Carlton Kay," Carlton answered.
"Come here." The strange woman pulled his arm, taking him to a small room off to the side. After checking that they were alone, the woman began to talk fast, almost leaning into him.
"Carlton, my name's Evangeline. I work for Greenwall Corporations."
"That is the computer company, correct?"
"Yes, keep up! So anyway, I'm here to recruit you. For Greenwall. And," she added urgently, seeing Carlton's face deflate with disbelief, "I'm supposed to tell you that the world you're living is a lie." Her voice was a whisper now, her lips close to his ear. Carlton shuddered. It was against the law for two people of the opposite sex to be alone together.
"What about my life is a lie? I wake up, I get clothed, I go to work in the government building-" Evangeline rolled her eyes, attempting to toss her silky black bob over her shoulder unsuccessfully.
"A cover-up. The government isn't, well, really in control. We are. Greenwall, I mean."
Carlton raised a suspicious eyebrow. "You mean, a computer company is responsible for everyone in this community? A computer company is the government?" What?, he thought.
"Yeah," Evangeline answered. "You're wondering why the hell I'm telling you. I know you're thinking that because that was my exact thought process when I was told. Here's my card. And all the answers." Evangeline slipped Carlton a blank business card and disappeared. Scoffing at this mystery woman and her mystery world, Carlton caught the train to take him home.