PODs

by Michelle Pickett

  “Regulations require that My eyes never left David’s face.op three ouresidents carry their IDs with them at all times,” he said.

  “Sorry, officer, we were just out for a walk. We didn’t think to grab our purses.” I tried to look contrite.

  “Then I suggest you get back home. Next time you’re out, remember to bring your IDs with you. You know those pretty little strings hanging from them? Well, those are for you to put around your neck. That way you’ll never forget them.”

  I wanted to use the “pretty little strings” hanging from his ID and strangle him with them.

  “Thank you, officer. C’mon, Eva, let’s get home before we get in more trouble by missing curfew.”

  “Yeah, yeah, just a second. Officer? What are all those lights up the road?” I pointed down the road leading out of town. I hadn’t noticed the commotion before. I was too focused on finding the clinic. But the lights had flickered on and I could see a bunch of uniformed personnel milling around.

  “That’s the East checkpoint.”

  “For what?” I asked.

  “It monitors who is coming and going.”

  “And if I wanted to go somewhere?”

  “You wouldn’t. Residents aren’t permitted to leave the compound.”

  Compound? I’d heard people refer to the small village as a camp before, but never a compound.

  “Wait, what do you mean we aren’t permitted to leave? Since when?”

  “Since the gate went up. Go home, ladies.”

  “Come on, Eva. Let’s go.”

  Nona and I didn’t waste time getting home. It was getting dark and we would be breaking curfew by being out after dusk. We walked so fast we were almost jogging. It took us half the time to get home as it had to get to the clinic.

  “Don’t do that again, Eva.”

  “Nona, I really didn’t know that was the clinic. I swear.”

  “Whatever. Next time you invite me for a walk, make sure you don’t have any other motives. I don’t know what’s going on with the fences and the gates, and I don’t want to know. I want to stay in the village. So next time you want to go on a little fact-finding mission, leave me out of it.”

  She walked up her driveway, her back ramrod straight, her chin in the air.

  A thought occurred to me as I watched her walk away. What did she mean when she said she didn’t know what was going on with the fences? No one had said anything about fences.

  “What do you know about the gate, George?” I asked him the next afternoon at lunch. The lunchroom was buzzing with activity. Kids and faculty talked and joked at the tables next to us. No one was paying attention, so I didn’t worry about anyone overhearing.

  “How do you know about it?”

  “I took a little stroll last night after work. I saw the gate just down the road from the clinic.”

  “Eva, you’re gonna get in trouble. I don’t know—”

  “Don’t tell me you don’t know elephant sitting in the middle of I It wasee. You’re the one person in this place who seems to know everything. And why is that?”

  “I don’t know about the gates, just that the MPs are supposed to check everyone’s ID before they leave or come into the village.”

  “Compound.”

  “What?” He looked shocked. I couldn’t tell if it was because I wasn’t supposed to know that our quaint little village home w01D;

  Chapter 17:

  Meeting

  “David? What about him?”

  “I didn’t tell you because David’s now considered an outsider. They won’t let him in, Eva. He’s been out of the villages too long.”

  I shook my head. George couldn’t know that for sure. They’d have to let him in. He was a POD survivor, not someone who’d stayed topside. “They’ll let him in. Yes, they will—stop shaking your head at me, George. He’ll show them his ID and they’ll let him in. They might make him sit through two weeks of quarantine, but they’ll let him…”

  My words died when I heard the small smack of plastic hit the table in front of me. I looked down and tears formed in my eyes. George was right.

  “Seth had it.”

  “Why would he…? Why wouldn’t he take…?” I couldn’t finish a thought. I kept staring at the ID badge George had placed in front of me. David’s face looked up at me, his eyes meeting mine.

  “He probably didn’t think he’d need it again. Put it in your purse, Eva. Take it home and hide it. Or burn it. Whatever, just don’t get caught with it.”

  “It has an E on it,” I said quietly.

  “Huh? What about it?”

  “David thought he’d be working in marine biology, or Earth science. But his number has an E at the end. He would have worked in education. We would have worked together… lived in the same district. We could’ve had a life together.”

  George reached out and awkwardly brushed a tear off my cheek. “I’m sorry, Eva.”

  “Yeah, well, it is what it is.” I looked up at George and tried to smile. “Um, I need to go to the restroom and splash some cold water on my face and get myself pulled together before my next class. I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow?”

  “I’ll save you a seat,” he said.

  I nodded and walked away. It wasn’t until later I realized I’d left David’s ID badge on the table.

  Three weeks passed. George and I ate lunch together every day. It was Monday of the last week of George’s classes. He’d be working in the clinic for the next month. It would be almost impossible to see each other with the new security that was in place.

  The police had installed two gates with checkpoints, one on each end of the main road leading in and out of town. The fence encircling the compound must have been twenty feet tall. Barbed wire twisted around the slanted top. I felt like I was in a pr He bent his heaadl down here with my ison yard every time I looked at it.

  At each corner of the fence, and at both checkpoints, guards stood vigil, overlooking the survivors who camped outside the compound waiting for a chance to sneak in. Guards were also posted at different areas of the fencing, but they couldn’t watch everything.

  “Here, you forgot this.” George slid something to me. He lifted his hand and I saw David’s ID badge.

  “Thank you,” I sighed. I slid my hand under George’s and took the badge. “I thought I’d lost it for good.”

  “Keep it someplace safe, Eva.”

  “Why, what’s wrong?”

  “He’ll need it,” George whispered.

  “David? How am I supposed to get it to him?”

  “You’ll be seeing him soon. I don’t know how or when yet, but Seth saw him hanging around the front gate with the other people camped out there. We’ll figure out a way for you two to see each other.”

  David.

  “Thank you.” I put David’s ID badge in the pocket of my jeans.

  “Yeah, well, if it was Tiffany on the other side of that fence I’d want to see her. I’d risk everything to see her. Will you, Eva? Will you risk everything to see David? Because that’s what you’ll be doing.”

  “I’m not risking anything. There’s nothing here I want if I can’t have him.”

  The week passed slowly. Every day at lunch I bit my lip so I wouldn’t scream at George. I wanted to know when and where I’d see David.

  George didn’t bring up the subject again. I knew why. Everything needed to be kept as quiet as possible. He wouldn’t say anything until he knew the when and where. That didn’t help my fraying nerves, however.

  On Friday—his last day of class—he slipped me a note when we hugged goodbye. I wouldn’t see him for a month.

  “Whatever you do, don’t get caught,” he whispered in my ear.

  That was the longest day of my life, I think. I didn’t dare look at the note until I got home. I couldn’t risk anyone seeing it.

  My fingers shook so badly, I was afraid I would tear the paper. I read the small print…twice.

  Tomorrow. Midnight. At the fence
in the field at the end of your street.

  Tomorrow. I’d see David tomorrow. I wanted to scream, dance around the house. My stomach had butterflies the size of birds swirling around.

  Tomorrow I’ll see David. My David.

  Remembering George’s warning, I walked to the kitchen and pulled the box of matches out of the cupboard. Striking a match, I lit the corner of the note and watched the black smoke swirl up and float away. The flames consumed the words that made me so happy, that gave me hope. When the burning yellow flames licked at my fingertips, I dropped the remnants of the paper in the sink and let it burn itself out before washing the ash down the drain.

  No evidence. I can’t risk getting caught. Not when I’m so close.

  What do I wear? Black. Need to blend in.

  I dug through my dresser looking for my black jeans and sweater. Maybe it wasn’t necessary, but I was taking every precaution. I’d been warned not to get caught. I didn’t know what would happen if I were caught, and I didn’t want to find out.

  I was ready to go at ten o’clock.

  I’ll brush my teeth…again. Just to be sure. Perfume? No…wait! Yes. No. It’ll attract mosquitos. I don’t want to be slapping at them the whole time… Are they out now? Is it too cold? Who cares?

  Why am I so nervous? It’s David. My David. What if he’s changed? Geez, Eva, it’s only been a few weeks. But still…

  I tried to sit on the couch and wait, but the minutes ticked by so slowly I decided to leave early. I’d wait for him in the field, but I had to get out of the house before I went crazy.

  I cringed when the hinges of the back door creaked. It was as if they knew I was doing something I shouldn’t and were giving their warning. I screamed when a figure loomed over me in the dark. His hand darted out and covered my mouth.

  “Geez, Eva, I told you not to get caught,” George whispered.

  “You scared the crap outta me. What are you doing here?”

  “It’s dark. I wanted to walk with you. Make sure you find him okay. Why are you leaving so early?”

  “The neighborhood is dark and I was going crazy waiting. I decided to wait at the fence.”

  “Dammit, Eva, you can’t do that! Go back inside.” He pushed me through the door, closing it quietly behind him. “We set up the meeting at midnight for a reason. It wasn’t just a time Seth and I drew out of a hat. It wasn’t some romantic gesture.”

  “Then what? And don’t talk to me like I’m an idiot. You didn’t tell me there was a reason I should wait until midnight.”

  “Yeah, I know. That’s one of the reasons I snuck over. Listen, Eva, this is really important. You and David will have an hour together. One hour…no more. The guards patrol the fence. Seth and I timed them all week and this is the best time for you to meet, but you can’t stay for more than an hour or the guards will find you.”

  “I could hide—”

  “There’s nowhere to hide. It’s a meadow. There aren’t many trees around—”

  “But there’s a weeping willow tree. I can see it from my house.” I could hide in that if I needed to. I need more time with David. An hour? Just an hour? It’s not enough.

  “You couldn’t make it to the tree if you needed to. It’s too far from the fence. There’s some tall grass, but that’s too risky. You can meet again another night, but tonight it’s an hour. Okay?”

  I nodded and blew out a breath, frustrated and more than a little disappointed. Part of me did think meeting David at midnight was romantic. I had visions of us lying in the grass, looking at the stars while we talked all night. Of course, I’d never admit that to George.

  At eleven o’clo and maintenance personnelRk to the l fck, most of my neighbors’ lights were out. With no televisions or radios to keep them occupied, most people were in bed early. I paced the living room, twisting my fingers. My knuckles cracked painfully. Each time I passed the clock I looked at it. It didn’t seem to be moving—that’s how slow time was going. I didn’t think it would ever be time to leave.

  David. Where is he right now? Is he as excited as I am? My heart is doing weird things and a million butterflies are inside me. I swear if I open my mouth they’ll fly out. Just thinking of him makes it hard to breathe.

  “Are you ready?” George stood and moved toward the door. I got there first.

  “I’m more than ready.” I pulled the door open.

  No street lamps lit the small road I lived on. The community reserved its wind power and solar energy for homes and businesses, and the dusk-to-dawn curfew made lighting the residential streets unnecessary. The distant yellow glow of the lights surrounding the front gate of the compound gave just enough light for us to see. When the time came, George and I stayed in the shadows, making our way down my road toward the field.

  I could see it from my house during the day, but it seemed so far away in the dark. I was glad George was with me. During the day, the meadow was calm and soothing; birds fluttered in the sky, singing to each other. The tall grass swayed gently in the breeze. But at night it was eerie. The darkness blanketed it. I couldn’t see the swaying grass, or watch the squirrels play. The trees lining the road loomed over us, their moon-cast shadows making menacing images on the ground. I wanted to shrink away from them before they snatched me up.

  “I’ll walk halfway with you. Then I have to get back before the guards make their sweep in my sector,” George whispered when we’d made it to the edge of the field.

  “Okay.” My voice trembled.

  We walked through the knee-high grass, holding hands so we didn’t lose each other. The sliver of moon didn’t give us much light.

  Geez, George walks like an old man. Can he walk any slower? Hurry, hurry up!

  When I was standing in the middle of a sea of inky blackness, George squeezed my hand.

  “See that?”

  I looked ahead and saw a faint flicker. It looked like a firefly.

  “David,” I whispered.

  “Just walk straight, Eva. He’ll light a match every so often to keep you on track, but he can’t leave them lit too long, so pay attention.”

  I turned and kissed George on the cheek. “Thank you.”

  And then I was running. I ran as fast as I could toward the fence, stumbling over rocks and weeds littering the ground. I lost my footing when my shoe caught in a gopher hole. I hit the ground hard; my teeth chattered together, and the wind was knocked from my body with a grunt.

  I scrambled up from the prickly weeds just in time to see another match flare and then die. He was right in front of me. I only had a few yards to go. I started running again. I ran straight to the fence, stopping just before I hit it.

  I expected to see him waiting for me. But there was no one there. Panic set it. Had he left already? My mind whirred with possibilities before I heard movement in the brush.

  “David,” I sighed.,” Jessica said.ad requireou

  “You’re more beautiful than I remember.”

  “You can’t even see me,” I said with a sob.

  “I see you,” he murmured, walking to the fence. He stuck his fingers through the gaps in the fencing and grabbed my hands through it.

  There was just enough moonlight for me to make out his features. His head bent forward and met mine against the cool steel separating us. He kissed me gently, letting go of one hand to run his finger down the side of my face.

  “I’ve missed you.”

  “Ha, you have no idea how much I’ve missed you, Eva.”

  “Where have you been all this time?” I asked, looking at his face in the dim light. His boyishness had been erased, replaced with ruggedness. He was still just as handsome, but…different.

  “Right after I arrived at my village a group of nomads moved through the area. They were topside survivors. Until then, none of us knew there were any survivors. I left with them. We traveled looking for other survivors and other villages. About a month ago, I met up with the group I’m with now. They told me about the villages merging.
I joined with them, and we’ve been traveling from village to village. I’ve been looking for you. They’ve been looking for their own family members.”

  “If you’d only waited…” I shoore so flippin&

  Chapter 18:

  Meadow

  I lay in the cool grass. The prickly weeds bit into my skin, snagging my clothes. The ground was moist under me, my clothes cold and damp. But I didn’t care. The only sensation that registered was David’s warm fingers touching mine through the small openings in the cold steel fence that separated us.

  We were silent, looking at the pitch-black sky, the stars twinkling like fireflies. It would have been a romantic night if it weren’t for the circumstances—if David wasn’t locked out of the prison I was in.

  “Time’s almost up,” he murmured. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  “I’ll try.”

  “I’ll be here if you can get away. If not, we can meet the night after.”

  “Okay.” I dreaded leaving him.

  It’d been three weeks since we’d first seen each other. We’d been meeting almost every night since. George warned us it was too much, reminding us not to get caught. Just because this area of the fence was away from the gates didn’t mean that people—on either side—wouldn’t notice us, follow us. But knowing David was nearby was too much of a pull for me to ignore. I needed to be with him.

  The nights I couldn’t get away were torture. Knowing he was waiting by the fence in our meadow made it almost impossible not to sneak away, even when my neighbors could see me. But George’s warning stuck in my mind, so when people were around I forced myself to stay home.

  I’d missed two nights. Each night, people were walking around the neighborhood, disregarding the curfew. I worried that, if they continued s the smile in his voice.

  The third night was quiet, just the chirping of crickets and the far-off croak of a bullfrog breaking the silence. My neighbors weren’t outside and most of the houses were dark. I walked outside and listened again. The night was still and my heart lurched. I ran nearly the entire way, stopping only when I heard him whisper my name.