Hansel and Gretel

Erick

Hansel

        When I finally get up, the only thing I notice is the sun streaming through the open window.  I roll over to avoid the fragile rays before I realize what the sun means.  “Shit!” I yell out as I jump out of bed and run over to the wardrobe.  “Gret, get up!  We overslept!”  I don't hear her moving, so I hop over to the bed as I pull on my pants and yank the covers up.  She isn't there.  That's when I notice the note lying on the bed.  I pick it up and start reading.

“Hansel, sorry I didn't wake you, but I know you didn't sleep well last night.  Whenever you're ready, come on to work.  I told the boss you were throwing up, so try to look a little sick.  - Love, Gretel”

        'So she left me, did she?'  I quickly decide to enjoy the freedom while it lasts, and take a hot shower for the first time since Rosea came along.  After I dry off, I pull back on the pants and shirt, black as befitting our inferior rank.  Then I shimmy under my bed and open the lock-box.  I pull out 5 Imperial Notes, enough to buy Gretel some lunch.  I fix my hair and walk out the door, veering into the entrance to the tram for the Market District.  The tram goes the usual speed and I make it to the Market District in just under ten minutes.  When I exit the tram station, I head towards the nearest vendor and grab Gretel a pork kebab, taking a few bites as I navigate the side streets to the factory.

        It takes a few minutes, and I stop to give a beggar a few coins, but I finally get to work and see something I probably wasn't supposed too.  I see Gretel and a boy our age in a brown shirt and pants making out.  “Ummmmmmm...  Sorry to bother you Gret, but I brought lunch,” I say this as I walk over, pull the brownie off of my sister, and hand her the kebab.  “Who's your new friend?”  The boy runs off, probably afraid that I will hit him or something crazy like that.  “God damn it, Hans!  You scared away another one,”  'That was four this week...  I'm going on a new record!'  “His name was Erik, if you must know, and I might actually like him!” Gretel was eating the kebab as she was saying this, so I couldn't really be sure if she was joking or not.  “That's what you said about the last two, Phillip, and Maurice, and we all know what happened with those,” I loved teasing her about Phillip and Maurice.  She had been dating Phillip when she met Maurice, and she somehow convinced them to date her at the same time.  After a few weeks, they approached her and told her that they were breaking up with her.  They're still dating though, and they seem happy.

        “The lunch break is almost over, so I guess we're lucky you're here now,” Gretel tells me this while she finishes up the kebab and throws the stick at me.  “Oh good!  Anything interesting happen today?” I ask as I pick up the stick and throw it in the nearest receptacle.  “Let's see...  Machine Three blew up, but no one was hurt...” She said this as we started walking back inside, “Marie is on maternity leave, we're not sure who the dad is, but all the guys are trying to figure it out...  That's pretty much it.”  “Well then.  I'm putting ten in Marco being father, I've seen them come out of the bars several times in the last few weeks.  Ready to start work?” I start walking toward the door before I get Gretel's answer.  I push open the door and walk into dank Warehouse 15 that houses Imperial Tiles.

        The inside is full of people dressed in browns, blacks, and grays.  Gretel and I move through the crowd over to Machine Six where we start cutting out the tiles that floor many of the houses in the poorer districts.  Machines Six through Ten are worked by the poorest, the blackies as everyone else calls us.  Machines One through Five are worked by the middle class, grays and brownies.  The Machine Manager, Jeanine, asks me why I was late and I tell her that I was sick.  We work for several hours and then they announce the end of the day.  They hand out pay.  I get ten Imperial Notes and Gretel gets twenty-five.  'That's thirty-five more notes for our fund.  A few dozen more and we can eat well for the first few weeks of being leaving.'  We get on the tram and head back with the rest of the people getting off of work and I think I catch a glimpse of Erik get off a few blocks before us.

Gretel

        I wake up in the morning to a tapping at the window.  As I get up and cross the room, I thank the stars that Hansel sleeps like a rock.  I close in on the window and see a familiar shadow on the other side.  “Erick!  What are you doing here so early?” I hiss this through the window as I pull out a black tank top and jeans to put on.  “I couldn't stand not seeing you for another moment!  Let's do something fun today, just the two of us!” He always sounds so excited, like a puppy.  “Okay, just let me take a quick shower and then we can meet at the Cafe, 'kay?” I didn't have any plans for today, anyway, so I run off to the shower without waiting for his answer.  I'm in and out after a few minutes and I quickly pull on my clothes and leave the house.

        I navigate through the urban jungle that is our district, the Opal District.  There is only one place to eat here, and no one ever goes in there for some reason.  I guess they're all just too busy getting somewhere else to see whats right in front of them.  I open the door to the Parting Block Cafe and walk through the smoke and over to the booth where Erick has seated himself.  He has one large smoothie in front of him and he sips at it seductively as I walk towards him and seat myself.  I reach my hands across the table and take his.  We just sit there for a few minutes and enjoy each others company until he breaks the silence.  “So what do you want to do today?  We can head over to the Amusement District and watch the new movie, or we can go ride some roller coasters.  Or both, if you want.  I'll pay the whole thing,” I know he's trying to be sweet, but I'm not about to let him do that.  “No.  I'll pay my share.  You're only two levels up from me and I know you don't have all that much money,” I don't want to hurt his feelings, but I also don't want him to starve for me.  “Fine, Gretel.  Forget I mentioned it.  So what do you want to do?”  “Lets go see that movie.  I'm sure it'll be fun!”

        As we walk to the tram station, we casually exchange words and kisses.  I tell him about Rosea, but not about just how bad the situation is.  He tells me all about his little brother's antics of the week and I laugh with him.  At the tram station we board the tram set for the Entertainment District, one of the longest rides.  It takes an hour to get there, and we talk the whole time.  'I wasn't lying to Hansel yesterday when I said I liked him...  He's so sweet.'  “Gretel?  Hello?  You in there?” I snap out of it and see Erick standing up and by the door.  “Sorry Erick...  I must have dosed off,” I get up and walk over to him.  We exit the tram together and walk to the Theater.  The ticket costs ten notes, and I pull it out of my pockets.  Erick buys the candy for us and we get a seat right in the middle.  We are pretty much in a sea of yellow shirts.  They are better off than us, but no body really cares, because they could fall to our level any time.

        As the movie starts, I reach over and grab his hand.  The movie plays on.  It's a romantic comedy and I laugh quite a bit.  Erick kisses me at right the right moments and it's perfect.  When the credits start to roll, he leans over and whispers, “I really like you, Gretel.  You are the most perfect person I've ever met and you don't even try.”  When I try to say something back to him, he kisses me and I can't talk.  I kiss him back like I've never kissed anyone before.  And we stay there kissing until the workers come in and tell us that we have to go.