Zero

9 : Number History

P A R T 9

I stuff a few notes into Elli's hands. The total is enough to feed her for weeks.

I'm afraid about giving her so much though- she can get robbed.

As if reading my mind, Elli reassures me, "Don't worry, I'll keep the money safe."

I nod, then check the time. "I better go," I tell her.

"Are you ever coming back?" She asks, her eyes widening.

"I don't know."

▲

After Paige drives me back to the apartment, I get changed into more comfortable clothes.

I sit on the bed, thinking, then drag over a pretty black backpack I bought on yesterday's shopping trip.

I start picking out a couple of my favourite pieces of clothing as well as some practical clothes from the walk-in closet. Then I fold them all up and put them into the backpack.

Half of it is now filled. I put in the wooden box Paige passed to me a couple days ago. Great. My emergency escape bag is ready.

Paige calls me downstairs and I join her in the living room.

"Do you know how our entire community came about?" She questions. "Not just Nine and Zero, but all the numbers."

I shake my head. I have vague bits and pieces floating in my head but not the whole picture.

She gives me a disapproving look. "You obviously have not been paying attention in Number History."

"That subject is a brainwashing device designed by the government," I say in defense.

"Alright. I'm going to tell you the whole thing in the non-brainwashing version," Paige states.

"Our society used to be ruled by communism. Then there was a rebellion that rose against the government - and it failed. Many people died at the end of the entire thing.

"But there were a few rebels who survived. One of them in particular was a young scientist. He gathered the last of the rebels and told them to recruit more.

"Over the next few decades, they managed to infiltrate the government and turn it into a corrupt one through bribery. While the other rebels handled this, the scientist was planning for something else.

"When the time for the second rebellion came the scientist had created a formula, which he poured into the community's only source of water.

"Everyone but the rebels drank the water. The next moment they all had different inked numbers, from Zero to Nine, on their collarbones. Some newborn babies had different numbers from their parents, some had the same.

"The second rebellion in history began, and it triumphed. The rebels took over as the new rulers and made new laws. Those laws are the ones we know now. The higher your number, the higher your status.

"Some of the enforced laws make sense, like the one where we're supposed to stick with people of the same number. Some are unexplained, like why Zeros are not allowed to have children," she finishes.

There is a long silence in which I take in all the information. "So... the organization you come from was set up to overthrow our current government?" I guess.

"Like I said before, Cobbs will tell you everything you need to know about A Hundred Numbers," Paige replies, giving me a mysterious smile.

Well. That's infuriating. Irritated, I return back to my room.

Later at night, I hear tree branches rustling. I mean, they rustle all the time, but not as loudly as this. Then I hear footsteps sliding along across a surface - a thick tree branch.

A moment later there are another pair of footsteps but they are in the house. The soft slip-slap of bedroom slippers tell me it's Paige.

But who's the person outside in the trees?

I get up slowly and quietly make my way to the living room where I heard the slippers.

Something tells me that silence is key right now. I hide behind a wall and watch Paige start to make her way through the living room to the stairwell behind me.

Suddenly I hear the rustling again. Paige whirls towards the large windows in the living room and gasps. Her face is a mask of horror.

The next thing I hear is a pop, and then I see the red on Paige.

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Mindjournal #022

30 July 0100hours

Am now in the hammock. Spent entire day locked in as usual. Now is past midnight. Sneaked through underground passageway to get out. No one knows about it except me and Jones.

Been getting clearer visions. Some girl in Nine. Jones came over today. Told him about visions. First got them a few days ago; was all a blur. Jones said further discussion when they are clearest.

Knew what he really thought: he can't help me with the visions- he doesn't want to get involved with 'mind magic', his phrase for all this. He said none of that out loud. But he knows I know.

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A/N: okay everyone don't panic this last part will make sense soon ;) thanks for reading!