The Girl From Ortec: An Omnibus

by Amy Richie

  With a grimace, I pulled my own bowl closer. I was never very good at making it, not as good as Sasha, and Angelina made sure I knew about it. She wouldn't be in a good mood today.

  “They won't care much about the oatmeal this morning,” Sasha correctly interpreted my expression. “They'll be too excited.”

  “And for good reason,” I agreed. Sasha and I tried to remain positive while we were locked in the safe room; Angelina and Katrina complained enough for all of us.

  It had come as no surprise when we were told we would go to the safe room with the last two surviving pregnant women. Only Sasha had been with the doctor longer than I had. Nurse Betna had been a surprise, but we didn't question the choice. Along with Constantina and my son, Dais, the eight of us would stay safe from the sickness that hunted the people of Ortec until medicine came from the nation. 90 days. That was the plan.

  Today was day 90.

  For the first time since the door clicked closed, Angelina woke up without my help. “Rani!” Even with sleep still lodged in her throat, her voice boomed across the small space.

  I hurriedly swallowed my first bite of oatmeal. “Yes?” I called back, making my way over the now stirring bodies.

  “Is it morning?”

  “Yes, Angelina.”

  “Finally.” She pushed her blanket off with a huff. “Constantina?” She coaxed the older woman, the leader of Ortec, awake. “It's morning. It's time.”

  “Not for a few hours,” Constantina answered, pulling herself up beside Katrina, who watched with wide eyes.

  “Constantina,” Angelina batted her long eyelashes convincingly, “can't we just open the door now?”

  Constantina's head jerked back sharply. “Absolutely not!”

  Angelina slumped back down.

  “We wait until both clock hands are on the twelve.” She pointed at the small clock with two fingers. “The instructions were very clear.”

  “I don't see how a few hours will make a difference,” she sulked, crossing her arms over her chest just above her jutting belly.

  “Now, now, dear,” Constantina clucked, “don't get yourself too worked up. We had to go to these extremes to keep your baby safe from the sickness. Both babies.” She briefly joined hands with Angelina and Katrina before turning to me. “We need breakfast,” she snapped.

  Nodding, I backtracked immediately to gather the bowls of oatmeal that Sasha had already dished out. Angelina glared at me, but took the offered bowl and obediently began to eat.

  “You get Dais ready,” Sasha ordered in an undertone, “while they all eat.”

  It wouldn't be the first morning I had gone without breakfast. Although my stomach protested, I turned to the small boy with white blond hair and surprisingly green eyes who was waiting for me.

  There are only so many supplies, Constantina had told me, and my ration would be split with Dais.

  I wasn't complaining though.

  “Hey you,” I grinned, patting his odd colored hair.

  “It's day 90 today, isn't it, Momma?” He half pulled on his shirt.

  “You remember how important today is for everyone, right?” I asked quietly as my fingers worked expertly along the line of buttons on his shirt.

  “I remember.” He nodded solemnly, even while his feet pranced restlessly.

  “You be sure to stay out of the way,” I repeated my instructions to my overly excited son.

  If I hadn't lived through each of the days, it would have been hard for me to believe that eight years had already passed since I gave birth to the unwanted child. Constantina had feared he would grow to be a pirate like his father before him, but so far his heart remained kind and good―better than most of the people I knew.

  I bit back the ill thoughts, thinking instead of the day ahead of us. Finally, after being locked in the safe room for 90 days, the door would be opened. I still felt the dread that had started a few days before, but Sasha was probably right; it was just nerves and the smallness of the room getting to me.

  “Momma, do you think the water will still be there?” Dais asked again.

  “I think it will be.” I chuckled lightly as his face fell.

  “Nanny Grace said the water would go back to the oceans one day,” he insisted.

  “The waters are the oceans.” I tapped affectionately on his chin.

  “Yeah, but—”

  “You just stay close to me today,” I cut him off quickly when Constantina glared our way. “Don't get in the way.”

  Dais had always been curious about the water, and his obsession scared me. Did it mean he was destined to sail away on them one day like his father? I shook my head quickly, remembering myself as a little girl.

  “Where did all the water come from?”

  “The ocean.”

  “Where did the animals go?”

  “They drowned.”

  “Where did the land go?”

  “It's still here, under the water.”

  “What about the flowers?”

  “They drowned.”

  “Rani!” I jumped at Constantina's command.

  Chapter 2

  The clicking of the metal door echoed loudly all around. Maybe it was the unfamiliar sound of the large metal pins or maybe it was something more sinister that made my arm prickle with goose bumps. I had no reason for dread, yet I couldn't shake it. I hadn't been able to shake it for days.

  I pulled Dais closer to my side, snaking one arm over his shoulder to rest against his heart. That steady thump had sustained me through eight long years. Even now, the sound soothed me as nothing else could. It was my anchor to the world.

  “I know Byron can't be here today,” Angelina spoke wistfully, as if she expected the exact opposite of her words, “but it will be nice to breathe fresh air again.”

  “After you get the vaccine,” Doctor Gourini replied sternly.

  Sasha smiled slightly from her place beside me. Of course they would get the vaccine first. This was the second year for the sickness. Last year, no babies had survived. The delicate balance of population control wouldn't take much more.

  “What happens if our population gets too low?” I had asked Shelia, one of the population control officers.

  “The waiting list for babies is long. We'll redouble our efforts next year.”

  Angelina's smile grew wider as the door slowly slid open, the heavy metal and concrete disappearing entirely inside the wall that had held it in place. I watched it until it shuddered to a stop, my attention only broken with Angelina's shrill voice.

  “Where is everyone?” she whined. “Someone should be here to greet us.”

  The empty hallway was the only greeting we received. The basement of the council building— where the safe room was built— was dark and cold. Clearly no one had been there for a while. Although I didn't expect a huge crowd down here in the close quarters, Angelina was right—someone should have been there to greet us.

  “Why is no one here?” Angelina screeched again, her high tones echoing back to us forebodingly.

  “I'm sure,” Constantina swallowed loudly in the middle of her words of comfort, “I'm sure they're here somewhere.”

  “Yeah,” Angelina nodded quickly, “let's go upstairs and check.” She smiled brightly, despite the wideness of her eyes.

  “Better wait.” Doctor Gourini stuck his arm out.

  “Why?”

  “Maybe the sickness isn't gone; maybe that's why they aren't here. You ladies should wait here.” He glanced at Constantina for confirmation.

  “Will you go?” she asked in a near whisper.

  The doctor nodded. “I'll take Rani and Sasha with me.”

  My heart beat wildly against my rib cage as I followed Sasha and the doctor up the narrow set of steps that would spill out in the council building's great hall.

  “Here.” Doctor Gourini pulled something from the back of the door and handed them to Sasha and me. Surgical masks.

  “What's this for?” I hissed up
at Sasha as I took the offered mask.

  “He must think the sickness is still uncontrolled,” she replied quickly.

  “Keep these on until I tell you otherwise,” the doctor ordered gruffly.

  It wasn't until after the elastic bands were secured around my ears that the doctor pushed the heavy door open and led us the last few steps. My mouth, hidden by the blue material of the mask, fell open at the sight of the great hall. I had never seen it so empty.

  “There's no one here,” Sasha needlessly pointed out. “It's too quiet; something is off.”

  I silently agreed, but followed when the doctor started for the throne room. “That's strange,” he said almost to himself, but loud enough for us to hear. “Why is this door open?”

  He was right to be confused. Long standing tradition dictated that this door remain closed, whether someone was inside or not. Now, the door was wide open.

  Doctor Gourini blocked the view from us while he looked all around the spacious room. “There's no one here,” he announced, moving aside so we could see for ourselves.

  “Maybe there was a wedding today,” Sasha suggested.

  “It's too late in the year for that.” Doctor Gourini's eyes met mine, and I quickly nodded my agreement. It was too late in the year with harvest season already in full swing, but where else would everyone have gone that made them forget we were opening the door today?

  “We'll go out to be sure, but I don't think there was a wedding. I think you were right Sasha.” My eyes widened with shock. “Something is off here.”

  The brightness outside was almost overwhelming when the doctor pushed open the heavy doors of the council building and led us out to an eerily silent city. Even before my eyes were completely adjusted, I could tell it was empty.

  No sounds could be heard. Not a single child running by on the road, no one called out a greeting. If I was alone I could understand the missing greetings, but Doctor Gourini was a respected man.

  “No one,” he muttered.

  “Do you think it was the sickness?” Sasha asked nervously.

  He shook his head while peeling the mask from his face. “There are no bodies.”

  “No ...” My lips snapped shut before I could repeat what he said. No bodies; was he expecting to see bodies?

  “You two check the villages. I'll go get the others.”

  Sasha nodded for both of us.

  “What is all this, Sasha?” I whispered as we trotted along to the bridge that led to Number Two.

  “I don't know,” she replied in a much louder voice, “but it doesn't look good.”

  “How can everyone just be gone?” It wasn't even the freezing season when we went in to the safe room. That had been one of Angelina's complaints―to spend most of the growing season locked in a room.

  Water lapped at our feet as we crossed the bridge, only to enter an empty village. Empty, and by the looks of things, it had been that way for a while.

  *****

  “Did you find anyone?” Constantina fired as soon as we returned to the council building where everyone stood, waiting for us.

  “No one,” Sasha confirmed.

  “You went to every village?” She asked hoarsely, eyes wide.

  “Not even the animals are there. Everyone is just gone.”

  And no bodies, I silently added.

  “What took you so long?” She snapped. “You knew we were waiting!”

  “We were sure to be thorough.” She lowered her head.

  I scurried to Dais' side, pulling him halfway behind me. No wonder no one had been there to greet us, they had all left Ortec. It made no sense, though. Even if the sickness forced them away from the city, why would they all go and leave us behind? My eyes narrowed as my thoughts raced.

  “Well ...” Constantina cleared her throat, shaking her head out so she could raise her chin. “Obviously some ... thing must have happened. We were safer where we were.” Her voice gained volume as she went along. “They'll be back for us now that the door has been opened.”

  “They wouldn't leave us,” Angelina argued. “I know Byron would never ...”

  “He did, though,” Nurse Betna cut her off. “They all left us.”

  “They will be back,” Constantina tightened her lips. “We'll wait here at the council building until they return.”

  Betna's face fell, but she didn't argue further. None of us did. As I looked out at the empty streets of Ortec, a shiver created little bumps along my arms. All around us, the loudest noise of all, the water raged and swirled—knowing all along where they went.

  Chapter 3

  I arched my back with a small groan, sore from keeping the same position for too long. Beside me on the long couch, Angelina stirred.

  “Are you going somewhere?” she asked groggily.

  “No.” I patted her arm, reassuringly. “We're all still right here.” The same place we had been for three days now since we opened the safe room and found the city empty.

  Where else would I be, I thought wistfully, than right next to Angelina?

  I glanced quickly at the younger woman―worried she had read the thoughts behind my eyes―but she had closed her eyes again. Sleep was the best thing she could do right now. I wished Katrina would do the same.

  “And what's this one?” Sasha's voice carried over to me.

  “It's a great white,” Dais announced without hesitation, his little boy voice full of wonder.

  “Great white,” Sasha repeated, exaggerated wonder coloring her voice.

  “Nanny Grace said they're still out there,” his green eyes turned up to Sasha. “Have you ever seen a shark?”

  “No way!” She shook her head quickly. “I've never left Ortec.”

  “Yeah,” he sighed, letting his shoulders droop. “Me either, but one day I'm going to sail away.”

  The worry that tried to well up in my chest at his words didn't have much time to take root when Katrina suddenly perked up again.

  “Do you want to know what I think happened?” Katrina asked loudly to no one in particular, “I think they must have all went to the Nation.”

  Angelina groaned loudly, but no one else responded. Katrina had switched frequently between slumps of complete silence and bouts of wild speculation. Each idea she came up with seemed less likely than the last.

  Sasha met my eyes across the room, her lips pursed with suppressed worry.

  “Or you know,” Katrina held up one hand, “maybe they left with the bartermen.” She sat back, nodding happily. “It won't be long now and the bartermen will come back for us.”

  “Where is Betna?” Constantina asked wearily, her thin lips held in a tight line.

  “She's standing watch,” the doctor replied, not looking up from the tattered book he had been reading.

  “She hasn't seen anything yet?”

  “If she does,” Doctor Gourini said in his deep, calm voice, “she'll sound the bells.”

  I still couldn't decide whether I wanted to hear those bells or not.

  “Is there anything for lunch?” Angelina half sat up on the long couch. “I'm so hungry.”

  “I'll go and make something,” I offered quickly, eager to move from the couch where I had been held prisoner all day by Angelina.

  “I'll help,” Sasha jumped up, too.

  I waved quickly at Dais, ushering him outside before we left. He had never before had so much freedom in the city and needed very little encouragement from me before skipping out the tall doors to the great outside.

  “Is there any bread left?” Sasha asked quietly as we made our way across the great room to the small hall that led to the kitchens.

  “I think we used the last of it last night.”

  We both grimaced at the news, not knowing how to make any more. I was sure that Angelina would not take the absence of her favorite food quietly.

  “We could visit the bakery,” Sasha suggested. “Maybe we can find a recipe there.”

  I doubted we would, but I kept my
pessimism to myself. The skills of the baker were passed down generation to generation; therefore, they wouldn't need to write it down.

  “After lunch,” I agreed, “we can go check.”

  Suddenly, a loud clanking split the space between Sasha and me.

  My head snapped up at the sound of the bells. After waiting tensely for them for so many days, their shrill tones seemed to freeze me to my spot―arm still stretched for the small wooden door handle to the kitchen.

  “Is that the bells?” Sasha whispered, her eyes widening to take over most of her face.

  “Yes,” I whispered back, “it's Betna.”

  I wasn't the first to react, and neither was Sasha. There was a flash of movement behind us, and I was able to just catch a glimpse of Doctor Gourini before he disappeared outside.

  I didn't need Sasha's urging to follow. My feet thundered across the small yard and up the steep steps behind the rest, Dais close at my heels.

  Betna stood at the top, not looking at us even when we all spilled out behind her.

  “What is it?” Constantina asked anxiously. “Why did you sound the bells?”

  Betna didn't respond. Instead, she raised one shaking arm and pointed out the window.

  My heart caught somewhere in my throat at the sight outside the large tower window. A ship, larger than life itself, loomed just outside, close enough to hear the massive sails whipping frantically in the wind.

  “A ship!” Constantina gasped, covering her mouth with several fingers.

  “It's pirates,” Betna squeaked, pressing close behind Doctor Gourini. “They've come to finish us off!”

  “It's not pirates,” Angelina gasped. “It can't be pirates.”

  “Who else could it be?”

  “Bartermen,” Sasha suggested calmly.

  “Too early in the year for bartermen,” Constantina muttered between still-raised fingers.

  “Maybe they're early.”

  “It's not bartermen,” Betna insisted. “It's pirates!”

  Chapter 4

  Despite the acceleration of my heart, I felt no fear as I watched the ship come close enough to drop anchor and let some of the men come onto Ortec. I had never before seen strangers come to our home. I knew the bartermen came twice a year, but I had never seen them.