by Jill Caplin
Tessa liked eyeing one particular boy from a distance, enjoying how his arms flexed as he lifted the boxes. She felt he sometimes glanced at her way.
She blushed the first time she smiled at him. There were many routes to carry the boxes through the Center, but it seemed he planned his path so had to walk by her.
Tessa wondered if she’d seen him before in the auditorium. She had to be wrong. It didn’t make sense to her at all since he dressed like all of the others she watched in the warehouse.
She liked to grin at him. She smiled at the way he moved closer to her. First, she just exchanged grins.
“Hi,” she said, one day as he passed her by with a smile.
“Hi, I’m Aden.”
“I’m Tessa,” she said, and their conversation ended.
Her exchange of smiles with him became a fun routine. A rule of no talking, especially between male and females during their shifts, would be a hard one to try to break. With all of the Supervisors around, they would have to be careful.
Back at her dorm, Tessa whispered to Felicia how Aden said hi to her.
“Oh, it’s a game for those warehouse guys to see who they can talk to while they are working.”
“Well, you never know.”
“Oh, you’ll know.”
Taking to Aden again seemed like a great idea at the time. Even though Tessa would never lose focus on her goal of being picked for Exchange Day.
5
Aden
About a week later, Tessa observed how Aden managed to walk up with a huge box next to her as she stood at her station. She shrugged her shoulders as he came so close to her. After she wiped her face with the cleaner side of her apron, she smiled at him.
“Here you go,” he said, looking around, and then dumping the box of vegetables into her cleaning basin.
“Thank you.” Tessa glanced around, making sure none of the Supervisors were watching. “Wish we had more time to talk.”
“Wish we were allowed to.”
“After this shift, meet me outside by the back door,” Aden said. She nodded.
After her shift, Tessa finally located the place by the back door to meet Aden. He stood there, waiting for her.
“Glad you showed up,” he said.
“You, too. Been here long?”
“A few months. When did you arrive?”
“Two weeks ago,” she said, “I better get going.”
“We should meet again.”
“Yeah, why not?”
Aden left. Tessa rushed back to her dorm.
As Tessa let her mind drift to Aden, it caused her face to turn bright red. When Tessa returned to her dorm, she said hi to Maude and Felicia.
She wanted to talk to them, but a few moments later, Lana showed up by her bed with one of her friends, a plump girl with brown hair and green eyes named Harriet.
“Hey, Tessa. Harriet saw you talking to Aden,” Lana said.
“Whatever,” she said, thinking how it was none of their business.
“Who are you? His girl of the month?” Harriet asked.
“What were you, Harriet? His girl of the week?” Tessa asked with a grin.
“I don’t think so,” Harriet said, standing with her hands on her hips.
“Careful, Tessa. Harriet isn’t his first girl. You might not be his last,” Lana said.
Tessa rolled her eyes at her. “Why do you care anyway?”
“Come on.” The two of them left together.
Tessa forgot Harriet worked in the kitchen and had a view of her vegetable washing station. Tessa figured she must have seen her with Aden. She didn’t care how many ex-girlfriends he had. She only cared that he liked to talk to her.
Tessa grinned seeing Maude with her mouth hanging open and Felicia trying hard not to crack a smile as the girls walked away.
“Can’t believe Harriet talked to me like that,” Tessa said to Felicia.
“Nice the way you handled her.”
“You know anything about Aden?”
“He must’ve met Harriet before I got here. Just don’t go and trust the warehouse guys.”
“Why not?”
“They come and go. Seems like it’s a game for those boys to try and get to know us.”
“Like we’re a distraction, right?” Tessa asked.
“Right,” Felicia said.
“Well, it was none of those girls’ business, right, Tessa?” Maude asked.
“You’re also right,” Tessa said, “Let them just go stick their noses somewhere else.” The three of them started laughing.
The last thing Tessa cared about would be letting a bunch of girls get into her head. Maybe she needed a distraction from her tedious job.
Instead, Tessa went to bed, thinking about Aden, wanting to see him again, and reliving the conversation they had as it played over in her head.
6
Options
It seemed like a long week passed since Tessa last spoke to Aden. Finally, one day she decided to wait for him on another side of the building. After a few minutes, Aden walked up to her.
“Hi! Okay, we talk here instead?” Tessa asked.
“Why is that?”
“Harriett caught us talking.”
“Harriet’s always had a thing for me,” Aden said. “We were together for a bit. You, on the other hand… are different,” He smiled at her.
“Thanks,” Tessa said, “You know, I’m thinking of being exchanged.”
“You don’t like it here?”
“Like to try and find my parents. They might be in a New City or Annex close to ours.”
Tessa noticed her words seem to catch Aden off-guard He scratched his head.
“Maybe I could help you locate them.”
“You would want to?” Tessa asked, tilting her head to the side. “Have another reason to be exchanged?”
“Nothing I would talk about…yet.”
“Okay. I get it.”
“Didn’t say I didn’t want to. Just not now. Got to go,” Aden said. He reached over, kissed her cheek, and left.
Not wanting to get caught after curfew, she hurried back to the dorm. She noticed Felicia sitting on Maude’s bed and walked up to them. Sitting by Maude, Tessa smiled.
“You talk to Aden?” Maude asked.
“Sure did. Said he would help me search for my parents.”
“You sure you want Aden working with you?” Felicia asked.
“Don’t see why not,” Tessa said, “You never know. Might just need him.”
“What would a warehouse guy know anything about leaving New City? Just be careful,” Felicia said.
“Oh, I will.”
“Don’t forget. Get your name in for Exchange Day tomorrow,” Felicia said.
“No worries. I won’t.”
“What makes you think you will be picked?” Lana asked.
Tessa rolled her eyes, annoyed that Lana seemed to figure out a way to eavesdrop into her conversation. She reminded herself to lower her voice next time.
“You’re right, Lana,” Tessa said. “You have just as good a chance to get picked as I do.”
“Maybe you’ll be picked for Conservation or Preservation. We all risk that every month,” Lana quipped.
“We don’t know what you are talking about,” Maude said.
“Thought we’re just talking about Exchange Day,” Felicia said.
“We were,” Lana said, “Until Tessa opened her mouth.”
“Go ahead. Tell us all about it, Lana,” Tessa said.
“Not going to waste my time. Felicia can tell you. Besides, I have better things to do than worry about Exchange Day,” Lana said, walking back towards her bed.
Tessa turned to Felicia, with a wrinkled nose wanting for an answer to what Lana told them.
“Okay. Felicia, what’s this Preservation?”
“Ready for some real messy stuff going down around here?”
“Sure, let me in on it.”
“Certain girls are hand-p
icked for the Preservation of New City. We never see them again. We think they’re having babies for the women there.”
“What a horrible idea,” Tessa said, appalled.
“Yeah, but we’re not really sure what happens to them.”
“What’s Conservation?” Maude asked, wrinkling her nose
“Conservation is for girls who are taken away by a Supervisor to the Medicinal Center. They get the next day off work. The rule is they can’t talk about it.”
“That’s just awful,” Maude frowned.
“So, what happens to us at twenty-one?” Tessa asked, nervously.
“You get kicked out of here to the Adult Dorm. Then they assign you to different Centers. Good thing you’re only eighteen, right? Or even sixteen like me.”
“You have any idea what happens to the girls that are taken away to Detention?” Tessa asked.
“Guess you figured out they never come back. We don’t talk about those girls, the sick or weak ones,” Felicia explained. “A few are taken to a Holding Center.”
“A Holding Center? Like a prison?” Maude asked.
“Oh, no, that’s Detention,” Felicia said.
“Then what’s a Holding Center? Maude asked.
“Holding Center is where they keep you alive. When they need a part of your body for whatever reason, they take it.”
“That’s horrible,” Tessa said, disgusted, churning at how people like the New Leaders did what they wanted to people.
“Kind of goes with Conservation, don’t you think?” Felicia said.
The bells chimed for supper. Eating in silence again made Tessa think about all what Felicia said. The idea of having a baby for someone in New City sounded disgusting.
Conservation seemed such an extreme way of controlling the population and sounded wrong to her. Tessa burned inside, thinking about the New Leaders, aware of the power they had to not only mess with the girls’ lives but also their bodies. Not that she ever considered having a child herself, but Tessa believed each girl deserved the right to choose when and if she had her baby.
Tessa observed the girls who were sick and unable to do their jobs, leave for the Medicinal Center, and never return. None of it seemed right to her. She felt so terrible and helpless; upset nothing happened to stop the practice of Detention or the Holding Center.
Once in bed, she recalled her talks with Aden. She appreciated his offer to want to help her escape and located her parents. Even though Tessa realized her ability to go alone, having Aden around might make things go a little easier.
7
Chances
Tessa rushed back to the dorm before curfew.
“Hey, Felicia. Anyone go out at night?”
“Not in the dorms. No one wants to get taken away. I knew a few girls who got caught.”
“What about those in the apartments?” Maude asked.
“I heard with how expensive everything is, most people stay home. Some might go to a shop.”
“What’s a shop?” Tessa asked. “You mean like the ones in New City?”
“Hardly. Let’s check one out the next time we have an evening shift off together.”
“Sounds like a great idea.”
“It’s no big deal. You’ll see.”
“Okay. Then, whenever.”
Tessa didn’t want to spoil her chances with tomorrow being Exchange Day. She doubted if she could sleep at all, being so excited about just the possibility of being picked.
“Are you hyped?” Felicia asked.
“Of course.”
“Well don’t get your hopes up too high. Hardly anyone gets picked their first time around.”
“Well, that doesn’t seem right,” Tessa pouted.
“You’ll get used to it,” she stated bluntly.
To Tessa, Felicia seemed so right about lots of things when it came to living in The Annex.
Sure enough, the next morning, Tessa missed hearing her name called. Five other girls were picked for Exchange Day. Two girls each were chosen for Conservation and Preservation. At least Felicia avoided the “I told you so,” comment afterward and she left for her Center. Oh well, Tessa murmured to herself, one month gone, more to go.
In the evening, Tessa left with Felicia to visit a shop, located between the dorms and the Containment Centers after dinner one night. It had a basic wooden sign nailed above the door. The shop closed two bells after supper.
Tessa noticed people could buy stuff like prerecorded music players the size of hearing aids and other small luxuries like chocolate bars priced outrageously high. Baffled how people wasted their money on those kinds of purchases. With little to do after working all day, she figured they needed a little distraction from their discombobulated world.
Seemed the only escape from The Annex would be Exchange Day, so Tessa told herself she would keep submitting her name in the lottery for the monthly drawing. If escaping meant one day being reunited with her parents as a family, then Tessa was all in.
8
Delay
Two times Tessa put her name in, and each time she did not her name called. It felt so annoying and frustrating to her. Their rejection just frustrated her. It only fueled her determination to do her best, save her income, and look forward to the Exchange the following month.
Forced to go with all the girls to the Medicinal Center the day before an Exchange Day, Tessa received a shot and also sanitary pads. She figured the injection regulated their periods just like birth control pills. Tessa guessed population control had to do with Conservation.
The second Exchange Day Tessa missed, Harriet got picked for Conservation. Harriet never said a word about what happened. Lana tried to keep her company while she rested on her bed in the dorm. While Tessa finished up one of her bathroom rotations, she noticed from a distance Harriet taking a shower.
Tessa heard her scream. She wanted to check on her. Harriet pointed to her lower abdomen where she had a scar. Tessa realized Conservation had to be all about stopping girls from having their babies. She felt shocked the New Leaders considered such a plan to limit the number of future workers in The Annex. She thought the more people they had to do their work, the more productive the society, but she guessed wrong.
Tessa noticed Security escorted girls away at various times of the month for all kinds of reasons. Worried about her new friends, Tessa decided to ask them their plans before lights out one evening.
“Felicia, are you applying for the next exchange?”
“Sure, I give it a shot. Just like everyone else,” Felicia said, without a smile.
“What makes you think everyone wants to be exchanged?” Maude asked with a huffiness to her tone.
“Heard New City has better food, actual stores. That it’s a bright, happier place,” Felicia said.
“Maude, you mean you don’t want even to try?” Tessa asked.
“I like it here. Haven’t been feeling well, either,” Maude whined, “The other day one of my friends got sick. They just took her away. Besides, I thought you and Aden want to get exchanged.”
“This has nothing to do with Aden,” Tessa said. “You don’t have to try if you don’t want to.”
Tessa wished Maude would stop talking about things she told her. She tried talking to her about Gem after she left, but. Maude wouldn’t talk about it. Tessa observed how most of the teens like Maude went through their daily routines, like robots.
She felt closer to Felicia. Tessa liked the way Felicia stood with her hands on her hips as she talked. Tessa enjoyed talking to her about everything. She enjoyed learning about life in The Annex.
So many things wrong with The Annex Tessa wanted to change but felt like she had no power to do anything. It didn’t mean she’d forget. Tessa wondered if maybe someday she hoped to join a few people who wanted changes for The Annex.
Tired of trying to figure out the horrors of The Annex, Tessa decided to focus more on finally getting picked for Exchange Day.
9
F
amily
Tessa gasped how the night before another drawing for Exchange Day finally arrived after another long month of washing vegetables. Her small talks with Aden about nothing important didn’t comfort her at all.
Before supper, she noticed Felicia seemed more quiet than usual. After a few moments of silence, she stared at her without her big grin.
“What’s up?” Tessa asked.
“I need you to promise and come and see me after you get exchanged?”
“Yeah, sure, I will, but why?”
“Been lucky so far not to be picked for Conservation. Feels like my time has to be running out.”
“You have until you are twenty-one to be picked. Your luck will hold out.”
“It isn’t easy. You know my job…”
“Sure, it’s hard living here. Every month, you have a chance to be exchanged just like anyone of us. Just tell yourself that.”
“But…you might forget about me.”
“That’s just not going to happen…you are family,” Tessa said, warmly trying to reassure her.
“Well, you’ve got Aden now.”
“He isn’t family. You’ll always come first,” Tessa said and hugged her.
After supper, while in bed, Tessa thought how Felicia’s words stuck in her head like mold. Tessa noticed Felicia dragging herself to her bed from her job in the kitchen loading the dishwasher.
She shook her head, making a promise to herself to come back to Thorndale and check on Felicia. Wanting to help her cousin in the near future seemed just as important as locating her parents.
Tessa wondered why people even were forced to be exchanged in order to work for better pay in New City? She thought perhaps an Annex existed with a place for people to apply for jobs. She shook her head, keeping one idea in her crowded head at a time.
With Exchange Day approaching the next morning, Tessa knew she needed to get to New City. Saying a final prayer before bed to whoever would be listening, she hoped her time had come.
10
Anticipation
On the morning of Exchange Day, Tessa watched several girls getting ready. Dressed in a freshly cleaned shirt and pressed jeans, she scratched her head and tapped her feet. Considering the possibility of being picked, Tessa checked to make sure she placed the picture of her parents and her father’s carving in the pocket of her jeans. She headed over to the Center of The Annex, for the third straight month in a row.