Tattooed

VI

Work in the Creative Stratum was actually quite fun. When I arrived Joleen put me in a little cubicle where I could do my work. The whole back wall was this touch screen and the desk had a holographic feature to show what my ideas would look like in real life. The others were in their cubicles next to mine and I could hear them messing around with ideas.

So this was going to be my job for the month. All I had to do was dream up products that would help with the listed problems. The whole list was pulled up on the touch screen. There were tasks from all Stratums, from Colorless needing a way to handle more trash to Courageous needing a strong unbreakable tether. I had to make a product that met the requirements and then send the mock-up up to Cunning for them to make my idea a reality. I really liked what I was doing and I hoped my next job would at least be half as cool as this.

A while later Gregory poked his head into my cubicle. "Hanging in there?"

I smiled. "I've drafted two products already. Speakers for Creative and a vacuum teleporter for Colorless."

"Great job. You show real promise. Feel free to ask me any questions." He turned to leave but I stopped him.

"Actually...I have one question." I had to ask him before I lose my nerve. It was something that'd been bothering me since last night. "Is there anything you could tell me about Wes?"

Gregory shot me a confused look. "Ok...Wes who?"

"I-I don't know his last name. But he's 18, and he didn't come to orientation yesterday and I wanted to know what job he got and-"

"Alright alright." He cut me off laughing. "Let me seen what I can find." He took out a tablet and began swiping through the database. "There's no 18 year old named Wes in here."

I looked at him confused. "But-"

"Sorry Cecil. Looks like he gave you an alias. Probably wasn't that into you."

I gaped at him. "I'm not INTO him! I was just curious that's all. He's not even attractive."

Gregory raised his hands in defeat. "Okay sorry. Get back to work."


I finished two more projects by the time I got to clock out. The whole time though I was confused about Wes. Why would he lie about his name? Or maybe...

When I arrived home I decided to stay on my front porch and wait to confront Wes. As soon as I got my answers I could stop thinking about him. My curiosity was relentless once I got intrigued.

It was well past night when I finally saw him, lurking as usual. I ran up to him and he jumped in shock.

"You-you," I panted breathless, "you're hiding something."

His eyes widen and I could tell he was trying not to show he was scared. "What makes you say that?" he replied smoothly.

"You're not in the Creative database. I looked and there's no Wes and something doesn't add up. You're lying about something-"

"What gives you the right to look my name up in the database?!" He demanded angrily. I flinched. "What I do is none of your business." He turns away but I grab for his wrist.

"Please! Just tell me something that will make sense because I'm going crazy borderline obsessive trying to figure out the pieces." I look down at his wrist and gasp letting go. He realizes what I saw and makes a move toward me. I step back.

"Cecil-"

"No." I stop him. Suddenly almost everything is clear. Why I only see him at night, why he wasn't at orientation or in the database. "You're not from here." I whisper.

There was a lion marked on his wrist. A lion where a simple spiral should've been. He wasn't a Creative. He was a Courageous.

Wes sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Okay. I'll tell you everything, if you just promise not to tell."

I nod in shock. He pulls me away from the street into a place where not many can see us. It was weird, I felt like this wasn't real, like I was watching a movie instead of living it.

"You were wrong." He said finally. "I am from here. My family is here. On Branding Day I got branded to the Courageous Stratum and I was excited. It was where I wanted to go. But then I learned my mom got extremely sick and I realized I had to take care of her. My dad died when I was young and she has no one else. But because of the stupid laws I'm not allowed to leave my stratum. I couldn't just leave my mom to take of herself though. So I decided I had to sneak in and out of here. She's getting worse no matter what medicine the doctors give her."

He finishes his explanation and stares at me. I don't meet his eyes. While he was explaining I kept on thinking of my own family. What if my mom was the one sick? Would I break the law and go visit her? She has my sister and my dad and even her own family...

"Your mom's...not from Creative?"

"She was born in Colorless." He said solemnly.

I was surprised at that. I knew kids born in Colorless always tried to get out but to me Colorless and Creative were polar opposites.

"So you got enough answers to stop being obsessed with me?" He smirked. He was acting like when we first met again. Now that I knew he was Courageous I wasn't surprised. Typical Courageous, breaking laws and being cocky.

Suddenly it dawned on me I was talking to a criminal. He was doing something illegal. I know it was for a good cause but suddenly I felt uneasy.

"Ok there?" He asked concerned.

I backed away. "I-I promise your secret's safe with me." I stammered. Then I ran back home leaving behind a very confused Wes.