MEMORIAM

by Rachel Broom

  “You think I would turn you in?” I asked Sam.

  “No, I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Then what? That’s beside the point. If we are going to escape we need a plan. What have you two got so far?” I asked.

  Sam crossed his arms and nodded at Mary, as if to signaling that it was her time to shine. She seemed quite proud of herself as she set a metal box on the ground in front of us. I bent over and opened the box.

  “Mary has been collecting information from the file room for weeks now. We figure the more we know about this place then the easier it will be to escape.”

  “Those are the documents you were telling me about?”

  Sam nodded.

  “And it’s just you two planning to escape?”

  “Yeah.”

  I skimmed through the papers in the box. Most of them were photographs of people I did not recognize, all with scribbles on the sides. I stopped when I saw one of the Head. He was younger in this photo; he stood in a field with a house behind him. Below the photograph was a clip of an announcement about two inches long titled, ‘Trillionaire invests in warehouses.’

  “What is this?” I asked.

  “Chip encryption that someone decoded and printed about fifteen years ago,” Mary said. “It was twenty years ago that Pax recruited the other rectors to help put the Trux back in their place. The Head must have been around to see it.”

  “You think these bases used to be warehouses?”

  “Yes, that he changed over time.”

  “I can’t believe he set them up so long ago. How could he be sure he would win the election and become the new president?”

  Sam’s brows furrowed as he took the article from me. “The Trux started taking over almost two years ago when the Head was voted into office.”

  The simplest idea was to get Sam, Mary, and myself out. Another part of me wanted revenge. The Head deserved to pay for what he did. He had no right to destroy the Pax and wipe us off North Country – it was wrong. I would be insane to suggest an escape plan for the entire base, but I wanted to make this count. I wasn’t going down without a fight.

  “I think we should get everyone out.”

  Mary’s mouth fell open.

  I held up the warehouse article. “We could do it- free everyone, steal weapons...essentially take over. Start a rebellion right under the Head’s nose.” I smiled.

  “It’s impossible,” Mary said. “And crazy. Did I mention that?”

  “Crazy enough that it might work,” Sam said.

  “You’ve got to be kidding. An escape plan of that magnitude....there are thousands of people living in this base. There is no way-”

  “The numbers will continue to drop,” I interrupted. The screen at the Head’s mansion with the Pax’s death count flashed in my mind. “I’ve seen the skryers. They beat people more often and without reason. At this rate we will all die if we stay here. I don’t think the Head intends to contain us. I think he means to wipe us out completely.”

  Neither Sam nor Mary spoke.

  I continued. “The least we can do is fight back. We can’t let him wipe out the Pax.”

  “The Head is too powerful; we’ll never succeed,” Mary said.

  “Not if we take out the skryers. They are his main weapon. If we can block any distress signal sent to other bases then we could escape. That, and dealing with the hunters,” Sam pointed out.

  “AKA you,” Mary said to me.

  “You need to trust me. We need to go bigger than anyone has gone before. It’s the only way to catch the Head off guard. He won’t be expecting it.”

  “It’s suicide.”

  Sam pursed his lips. “We should at least try.”

  “You two can be martyrs but don’t expect me to follow in your footsteps.”

  “What are you saying?” I asked Mary.

  “I say it’s every man for himself, me included.”

  “You want to get out first, you mean?”

  Mary nodded.

  “Fine. It’s not like we were expecting you to lay down your life, anyway What do you think is the simplest way to get everyone out?” I asked.

  “No entrance is large enough to let that many people out at once.”

  “What about the weaponry?”

  “You mean the tunnel?” Sam said.

  “What tunnel?” Mary asked.

  “There is a tunnel in the weaponry that connects the base to the prison. I’ve been through a handful of times to heal prisoners.”

  “There’s a prison?” I scanned the clipping. Exactly how many Pax were imprisoned? How far would the Head go to make sure we were extinct?

  “The prison is where the Pax are brought before they’re integrated into the base,” Sam said.

  “And there are seven warehouses…meaning seven bases,” I pointed out.

  “There could be more, we don’t know,” Sam said.

  I searched through the metal box and spotted a ring and a locket at the bottom but nothing else. “Can you get any more of this, Mary?”

  “It’s not as easy as you think.”

  “So then just the box...and us.” I nodded slowly. “We are either going to succeed or die trying.”

  “Let’s start planning then,” Sam said. “What factors have we got to work with?”

  “Everything. Security, trackers, skryers, and possible traitors.” Mary made sure to say the last one while looking at me. I rolled my eyes. “Can’t we just take over the base?”

  Sam shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to stay here.”

  “Me neither. We should get out before another base has a chance to reprimand us. If we spread out then it will be harder for the Head to round us up,” I said.

  “We should take down the Head for good measure,” Sam added. “I like it. Rebellion; it will be rewarding after all this time.”

  “We need weapons if we are going to fight,” Mary said.

  “I’ll do it since it was my idea. Besides, I’m the only one with complete access to the weaponry.”

  Sam didn’t seem to like that idea by the way he hesitated. “Vi, you don’t have to-”

  “It’s fine. Someone has to do it.”

  “You sure you want to step up to that challenge?” Mary asked.

  “Yes. We need a place to hide them, though.”

  “I’ll cover that. I know the laundry division like the back of my hand.”

  “That leaves the prison to you, Sam. We need to find any weak points and figure out patterns the Trux might use to stand guard.”

  There was a loud clang.

  “What was that?”

  Sam held a finger to his lips and opened the door. His face was white when he turned back to us.

  “Skryers. Two of them.”

  Mary sprang to her feet. She ripped the metal box away from me and stored it under her arm, scurrying up the wall where a small skylight was. Sam was shoving me up, telling me to pull myself up.

  “Who’s grateful for arm muscles now?” he yelled up.

  “Yeah, yeah.” I heaved myself up, turning back to help Sam. He waved me off, his arms flexing as he pulled himself up.

  “I’d start running if I were you.”

  “Where? I don’t know where I am going!”

  “Follow me.”

  Mary was already taking off in the opposite direction. It took me a second to process that we were on top of the base. I stopped and took in my surroundings. There were trees for miles in every direction. Everywhere I looked was captivating. The sun was low in the sky and the trees swayed back and forth. The sky was an ashen pink fading into treetops, the stars barely visible under the cloak of darkness.

  “You catching flies? Come on!” Sam took my hand and pulled me along. The sun was almost gone and the sky was swirling as night approached, the moon growing brighter.

  We stopped after we made our way around the dome where we could see the greenhouses. They were laid out in neat rows; shadows moved inside lik
e dancers on a stage.

  Sam let go of my hand. “You should go. The skryers will be on watch.”

  I wanted to tell Sam I didn’t want to sleep alone tonight, but I wasn’t sure it was safe because of the secretary’s threat. Her warning to end Sam’s and my friendship could have been an empty threat, but my gut told me she wasn’t lying.

  “Thanks for today.” I wanted so badly to tell him about the secretary but I was worried we were being watched, even from up here. “I mean it. You’re a good friend, Sam.” I took a step closer to him. His eyes were a midnight blue, matching the sky forming around us.

  “You don’t have to butter me up so you can hang out in my room tonight.” His eyes crinkled.

  “I would, but…” It does not bode well for you if this friendship progresses. I wanted so badly to reach out and touch Sam’s face. I exhaled slowly and ran a hand through my hair. “…but I think I should keep my distance for now.”

  “Oh.” Sam looked off at the trees. “It’s not the smell is it?” Sam joked.

  He was so close. I refrained myself from skimming my thumb along his arm.

  “I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

  Sam tilted his head. “Wha- ”

  “I’m sorry.”

  At this point I didn’t want to risk either of us getting hurt. Whatever was happening between Sam and Mary was out of my control, and no matter how much I wanted to be with Sam, it wasn’t in the cards for me.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Time is a funny thing. The idea that you can control it is impossible. Many people over the years and throughout history have claimed to be the masters, only to be put in their place by failure, or even death. David O’Brian thought he was the master when he told the rectors he could double his life span by a rock he found in the jungle, one that was rumored to have magical powers. I wasn’t sure why everyone believed him, but they did. He almost succeeded until he died a few days later from radiation exposure. Apparently the new machinery he was using to run tests backfired.

  I always thought it was dumb how people did things like this in secret where no one else knew. What happened if you failed or the plan backfired? That was why I thought it unwise to mess with time. It was an uncontrollable element. Last night when I tried to explain this to Sam, he argued that there was no way I could hurt him, but I knew he was wrong. The secretary’s threat was very real to me, and despite my growing feelings for Sam, I knew I had to keep my distance to keep him safe. I wished so badly that I could ask how he felt about me, but something held me back. Fear of rejection, maybe. I wanted to say that time would tell, but I didn’t know how much time I had.

  After our conversation on the roof I went back to my room and slept alone. When I woke in the morning I had an alert about my first real hunt. My mind was blank as I scooped up my hunter pack, laced my boots, then shoved my arms through the sleeves of my hunter jacket. Ten minutes until departure. I picked up the last item that remained: my klave.

  I got to the weaponry faster than I wanted to. Malina was already there next to Sev. The way he eyed her made me think he had other intentions. Sev and Malina were the last two people I’d picture together. Vince gave me a small wave when I came over.

  “You ready for your first hunt?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be. Where is Zanna?”

  “Here,” Zanna called out. She came over from behind a huge magnus, throwing her long hair over her shoulder. The five different knives hugging her hips were more than intimidating. “Stop staring and get in the damn magnus.”

  “So bossy,” Malina retorted. She opened the hatch and stood aside, letting Zanna in first.

  “I’ll be right here,” Vince reassured me. Guilt swelled in my chest from the last time I got in a magnus. I hoped the outcome from this trip would be different.

  “I’m sorry I cause so many problems.”

  “Never be sorry, Vi. The greatest lesson to learn in life.” He took my hand and climbed up with me, heading to the back corner where we sat together, our heads down. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. The woman from the Head’s mansion flashed in my mind. My jaw clenched and my temples started to throb.

  Who knows how much time passed once I dozed off? It seemed falling asleep was what I was best at when we rode in the magnus. Cold air, along with the smell of fresh pine, was what woke me; it was something that intoxicated and thrilled my nostrils. The others were gathering their packs.

  “Where are we?”

  “Our destination.”

  I followed Vince out of the magnus. The sun was lower in the sky compared to earlier when I went down to the weaponry. Lavender skimmed the bottom of the sky in the distance, and the sun’s rays kissed the tops of pine trees like mothers kiss their children. It was colder now. I rubbed my arms, exhaling puffs of air. The sunset was so enticing, as if it was taunting my imprisonment.

  “Have hunters tried to run away on missions?” I asked Vince.

  “Some, but none make it. The base strategically places a Trux in each combination to keep an eye on the other hunters.”

  “Do you know who the Trux is in our group?”

  “No. If I had, don’t you think I would have warned you?”

  My pants were soon soaked from brushing past plants and low branches that were covered in dew. The tall grass didn’t help much, either. Each step rubbed my pants uncomfortably; my jumpsuit was determined to leave its mark. We came near the edge of the forest where, through the trees, I could see a large field with a country-styled home in the middle. I hadn’t seen a country-styled home in ages. They were banned from being built a decade ago because they violated the Environmental Code.

  We came to the edge of the tree line. Overgrown vines grew up the sides of the house; glass from broken windows covered the porch, and vines invaded the house’s interior. My hands were numb from the cold. I rubbed my arms and glanced over at Sev for direction. He seemed to be the designated leader out of the five of us. Was he the undercover Trux?

  “Zanna, go around back. Malina, take the basement. I’ll search upstairs.”

  “Violet and I will cover the first floor then,” Vince said. Sev was watching me out of the corner of his eye, and although I wasn’t afraid of Sev, he intimidated me. A few weeks back when I first started training, Sev would glare at me from across the room. Once when I was eating alone in the hunters’ eating facility, Sev came in and sat down across from me. When I stood up to leave he gave me a hard shove, sending me crashing into the nearest table. I never told anyone.

  I didn’t want to come off as a coward to the other hunters so I kept my mouth shut. Even now, as we crossed the field and neared the house, I kept my distance from him. If any of us was insane, it was Sev.

  “I’ll send the lighters,” Sev said. He pulled a handful of marbles out of his belt and threw them at the house. Flames shot through the front window. I jumped, gawking at Sev.

  “You’ll burn the building down!”

  “The lighters never burn, they only create light,” Vince said.

  Sev threw four more at the house. Small flames now danced against the setting sun.

  Dark stains covered the rickety porch railing; the woman’s bloody chest from the Head’s mansion flashed in my mind, her heart stopping against mine. I had seen her fears, hopes, and dreams. They were the same as mine: freedom.

  Our combination dispersed. The only ones left were Vince and I. We walked through the front door and into a large entry room. A few pieces of furniture littered the floor, along with a shattered frame with a photograph of a boy and two older people, most likely his parents, and a grand piano. I hadn’t seen one of those in ages.

  I crossed the room and lifted the lid to the piano. Several keys were missing and some were speckled with stains – undoubtedly blood. When I touched a key a melody began to play in my head. I rested both hands on the keys, closing my eyes. I swayed to the melody as I played. A faint smile spread across my face. It was like a floodgate of forgotten memories fi
lling my head.

  “You play?” Vince asked.

  “I don’t know. This has never happened before.”

  “Keep going.”

  My mind went blank. “I can’t. It just....stopped.”

  He didn’t say anything more. I pulled the lid back down over the keys and pulled out my klave, clutching it tightly as we left the entry room.

  “Violet, go check the kitchen. I’ll clear this room.”

  “Okay.”

  “Take this.” He held out his gun. I wasn’t allowed to carry a gun as a new hunter – all hunters knew that. Vince shouldn’t have done it, yet I knew he did it out of kindness. It was much easier to shoot someone than it was to watch them die from poison. I took the gun.

  I passed Vince and wandered to the back of the house into the kitchen. A smell filled my nostrils. It smelled like...beans. There was a heating device on the counter. Edging closer I peered inside. It was a pot full of beans. My heart sank when I stuck my hand in and realized they were still warm.

  That meant someone was here in this house. My stomach clenched into a tight fist. Was a Pax hiding from us, or were they wise and fleeing the place? I wanted to show Vince what I had found, but if I called him, then Sev and Malina might hear, too. If a Pax was still here, I didn’t want to expose them. I wanted to avoid killing if I could help it.

  The squeak ruined everything. It was a faint squeak, like a cupboard closing. I whipped around, aiming Vince’s gun. There was nothing under the table. Past the table in the corner was a double-doored cabinet almost as tall as me. One of the doors was cracked open and through the crack was a blue eye.

  I froze and held my breath. It felt like my stomach had just plummeted through my body and fallen through the floor. Dread filled my heart as I took a step forward, hesitant as to whether or not I should open the cupboard.

  “Violet, no,” someone said. It was too late.

  I was already pulling it open. Inside was a child, a small girl with a large forehead and long dark hair that hung stiffly around her face, a strand pushed behind her ear. Her face was too thin, her body too small for the large cupboard.

  “Shut the cupboard.” Vince was beside me. He was the one who spoke again. My arm wouldn’t move. I stared at the girl. A little boy flashed in my mind, his curious brown eyes crinkling at the edges. His small hand was reaching out to me. The image changed to the same little boy holding my hand, pointing at a toy display in a window.