Under Changing Skies

F I F T E E N

At last, the Foreman releases my hair from his iron grip, leaving my scalp throbbing and sore. I slump against the bed, suddenly feeling completely drained. Ever since I woke up — how long ago was that? — a barrage of emotions has sapped my energy, one disorienting sensation after another. 

At this moment, all I want to do is close my eyes and fall asleep, but the Foreman's foul voice demands my attention.

"We've already taken the tests that we need from you today, so our work here is done," he says, pressing a series of buttons on the small black box hanging from a loop on his suit. "Now, you'll be sent to your job stations . . . I believe you have both been assigned to the botanical garden."

Without waiting for a response, the Foreman steps towards the door, turning back once to say over his shoulder, "Before I let you go, you should be aware that your emotions will be highly unpredictable. Expect each emotion to be multiplied tenfold in intensity."

That explains my sudden exhaustion, I think to myself, dreading the thought of having to endure this fatigue every minute of every day.

"And be warned, the citizens won't take too kindly to your antics," the Foreman says severely, his eyebrows furrowing in a rare show of feelings. "So, I urge you to be civil around them. A daunting task, considering the Chip had been functioning for five years, but it's in your best interest to behave."

"F-five years?" Everett stutters, his eyes flitting to me just as I manage to wrap my head around the Foreman's cutting words.

But the man in the pale blue suit doesn't respond. Instead, he opens the heavy door and disappears behind it, leaving us in ringing silence.

▲

Everett and I remain speechless even as we are being released from the beds by a pair of female officials who then lead us out of the vast, sterile building. On our way, we attract the attention of several passersby, their eyes widening at the sight of two people without the Imperium's symbol branded into their skin.

When we finally emerge out of the building and walk down a long set of stairs, one of the officials holds out two white bands, wrapping one around my wrist and the other around Everett's.

"Wear these bracelets at all times; they are your identification tags," the woman says, all the while avoiding our questioning gazes by staring straight ahead. "You must reach your stations in the botanical garden, your shift begins in one hour."

With that, the officials turn around and start walking towards the building again, moving in long, swift strides.

"Hey, wait! Stop!" Everett and I cry out in unison, hurrying back up the stairs when they fail to listen to our repeated calls. Just as we catch up to the officials, I reach out and grab one of them by the hand, forcing her to turn to me.

"Sorry. I'm sorry," I mutter when the woman snatches her hand away, her sharp features contorting in fear. "We just . . . we don't know where the garden is!"

The fear in the woman's brown eyes morphs into distaste when she says in a very matter-of-fact way, "We can't help you. Find your way. And don't be late."

Stung, I watch as the officials turn around and continue up the stairs. Everett pulls my attention to him when he sighs and says, "Shit. Is this how everyone's going to be now?"

I shrug helplessly, smoothing my clammy palms down my suit, several shades darker than the grey suits worn by the officials. "I guess we just have to find it ourselves. Let's just head straight."

As we turn to climb down the wide steps, I look around at the tall, beautiful buildings in the distance, painted in gentle shades of white and grey. The pathways, dotted with men and women walking in different directions, are spotless. Unlike the streets where I was born, there are no burning piles of waste, no dead weeds, no heavy clouds of dust.

"Wow," I breathe, "everything is so . . ."

"Different," Everett says. I turn to agree with him and find him staring at the sky with his head tipped back.

I follow his gaze, looking up for the first time. Shielding my face from the sun with one hand, I allow my eyes to adjust to the daylight, the sight so unfamiliar that it causes me to waver on my feet.

The sky is a vivid blue, starkly different from the eternal grey atmosphere that I grew up under. Immediately and unthinkingly, my attention wanders to Everett's eyes which are somehow even brighter than the sky. A moment later, he catches me staring and I turn away quickly.

"We should probably go," I mumble, knotting my fingers tightly.

Nodding, Everett falls in step with me and we head down the path leading away from the building behind us. As we walk in silence, the only thing that keeps me from buckling under my mounting anxiety is the familiarity of the boy beside me in this strange new world.

As if he has read my mind, Everett steps closer until the back of his hand almost brushes mine.

Does he feel the same way? I ask myself, and for the first time since I opened my eyes, I feel my lips lifting in a fleeting smile.

This update took forever and I'm not going to try to make excuses, so I'll just say . . . 

But I'm excited to put this chapter out because things are really going to take off from here, now that Arya and Everett have "woken up"! Please let me know if you're enjoying this story and what you think of it so far. Thanks so much!

Love,
Amethyst