The Ultimate Choice

by Lisa C Hinsley

  She realised as she walked further and further south, the buildings grew smaller. It seemed strange to her to see only three or four story accommodation. There was so much more sky. As she stared, something metallic on the horizon caught the sun and flashed. Could it be? Cassie ducked into a doorway – there weren’t alleys around here, just bigger streets and smaller side streets – and dared to pull out her map. She checked the road name, and found her location.

  “Wow,” she mouthed. The shiny thing above the grey slate rooftops had to be a greenhouse. She admitted to herself, Elijah was right. The journey looked short on the map, but in reality lunchtime had come and gone. Cassie took out a grain bar and munched thoughtfully. The shoes Elijah kitted her out with were comfortable, just like he said. The sore parts of her feet had settled, and certainly not worsened, but where the rat had bitten her ached now. Every step reminded her of its presence. Before long, she guessed the pain would be constant. She didn’t want to think about that, and rubbed the spot absentmindedly, her eyes fixed on the shiny patch of roof.

  Must not be too far now, she thought as she packed her map away.

  Time to find food.

  Chapter 11

  Half an hour had gone by, and still the greenhouse seemed no closer. Confusingly, the surrounding houses appeared to shrink as more of the roof came into view. The building was a beautiful sight, all glass and metal structure, glinting and sparkling in the light. Evening approached, and the sun headed towards the horizon. The reflections at that angle became almost hypnotic. She turned down the next street and to her surprise, there it was.

  The greenhouse was enormous. A single storey height of brickwork ended at a glass wall which led to a glass roof, which all dwarfed the surrounding buildings. Inside, only the tops of greenery poked above the bricks. Giant fans hung from the roof turning in lazy circles. She glanced up at a movement, and dipped into a shadow, suddenly aware she had stood on the street gawking for too long. Two men clambered about on the roof using steel girders as narrow walkways. She squinted to try and work out what they were doing up so high, then she realised they were cleaning the glass.

  The walls were too tall for her to catch a glimpse inside. She needed to get a view of the interior, find out what went on in there and figure out how to get in, and more importantly not get caught. She’d have to work out where she was going to sleep as well, but one problem at a time. She found a fire escape on the back of a building near enough to the greenhouse that she might be able to set up a safe place to spy.

  As night approached, fewer and fewer citizens walked about on the streets. The distribution centre would have closed up for the day by now. Most people had returned to their homes, if they’d even left at all, and by now sat secure in front of the television, ignoring what went on all around them.

  Cassie climbed up the stairs carefully, so as not to make any noise. On the first floor landing she peered over at the greenhouse. If she curled up against the wall and didn’t fidget, she reckoned no one would find her, not unless they searched specifically for her. She could spy on the greenhouse pretty well from her perch. Although the seven o’clock curfew had come and gone, the place still buzzed with workers. They must have special dispensation to be out at night. A twinge of jealousy passed through her. Lights flickered and came on bathing the building in light. Cassie hardly blinked. She had never seen so much green before in her life. She’d watched documentaries, but this was real, tangible, almost within reach. Trees grew in two rows down the middle of the building. All pruned to a similar size and shape. The next rows housed shorter plants and bushes planted in long raised structures putting them at waist height. She understood why as a worker walked in the path between the brick walls. He had a basket secured to him by a strap. He picked all the fruit off a plant, placing the produce in his basket before moving to the next plant.

  A couple of rows over from the collector, two workers did the strangest thing. They each held a long stick with what appeared to be a feather fixed to the end and tickled the inside of the flowers of a bush, meticulously finding every blossom before moving onto the next plant.

  Her stomach rumbled, she guessed the sight of all the greenery triggered her appetite. She tried to remember if she’d ever seen a proper plant, even as a child. All that came to mind were the lichens and mosses found growing between paving stones, and those scraggly weeds that attempted to grow at the edges of buildings. Pigeons pecked at them.

  She pulled a protein bar out of the pack and took a bite. She chewed slowly, savouring the taste. After she swallowed, she considered taking a second mouthful, but changed her mind. What if she couldn’t find a way in? The food Elijah gave her might have to last a long time.

  A sigh escaped her. What if she stayed, agreed to the sex, then it wasn’t rape, was it? She’d have been fed, taken care of to the best of Elijah’s abilities. Despite his drawings, there was every possibility she’d take something poisonous. She might be dead after the first raid. Maybe she would have been better off staying with him, ignore his rambling chatter and fumbling hands. Sex for nourishment, nourishment for company, a life with a companion. Win, win, win. Cassie got the map out and followed the red marks in reverse to Elijah’s flat. He’d take her back. She knew he’d give that big, slightly vacant smile of his and wrap her up in a bear hug the minute she knocked on his door.

  Could she stand being used by him? If she took control, told him what she’d allow, and what he shouldn’t do. She frowned and put the map away. She should just find the nearest police station and turn herself in for recycling.

  Despite her confusion, her need to live, even to simply exist, superseded everything else. She wrapped up the protein bar and put it in her bag, Cassie focussed on the greenhouse once more. She should at least try a life as an illegal, and learning the workers’ routines would be the best place to start.

  Close to the edge of the building, and almost out of sight, a man had a suspicious air about him. She turned her attention to him. He stopped by a bed thick with low lying leafy green plants, their runners spilling over the edge of the bed. The worker pulled off a small red berry and after performing a quick scan for his colleagues, popped the food in his mouth. Cassie salivated at the mere sight of him eating, amazed no one else witnessed his theft. Did he actually think he wouldn’t be caught? Quickly, before the image faded from her mind, she took out Elijah’s sketches and flicked through. She found two or three it might be, she was too far away to know for sure, but at least she knew whatever grew there was edible. Excited she singled him out from the others and kept watching.

  He ate a few more pieces of fruit from those beds before moving on. This time he approached some pale green bushes, tendrils curled up around thin poles set in the ground. She waited, on her knees, face pressed against the railings of the emergency stairs, trying to get as close as possible. Then so fast, she almost didn’t catch him, he nipped something off the nearest plant and popped it in his mouth. Did he eat a leaf? She was sure the food was green. She stared unblinking, waiting for him to take another. Not to be disappointed, the thief reached into the nearest plant and took a pod-shaped fruit. In the mouth it went. Excited, she thought she recognised this one from the drawings. She shuffled through, and found the picture she wanted. The words, ‘Sugar snap peas’ were printed at the top. Elijah labelled the plant as pale green with a pod shaped fruit. Underneath, he listed the food as: ‘sweet and tasty, also crunchy in your mouth’.

  Inspiration hit, and she took a pencil Elijah had left at the bottom of her bag and began sketching on the back of one of his papers. She might not be able to see the food he picked properly from here, but she could do something else. She drew a basic layout of the greenhouse and marked the letter ‘x’ where the thief took mouthfuls. Her smile grew as she studied his movements. When the night had fallen completely, she’d scout around to try and find a way in. Then all she needed to do was crawl between the raised beds to the places she’d marked, and then… a feast was
hers for the taking. Her mouth filled with saliva with each fruit that disappeared between the thief’s lips. She drew an ‘x’, and stared intently.

  Chapter 12

  The red glow of dusk faded on the horizon. First checking to make sure no one on the street below had spotted her, she took the blue worker clothes from her bag and changed. A little while ago there had been a shift change – actually more of a mass exodus – and now there seemed to be only a handful of workers on duty to guard the greenhouse. All the lights had gone off with the exception of one by the main entrance. After a moment’s consideration, Cassie left her bag on the landing, tucked in behind the fire door. If by some mischance an evacuation happened in the apartment block, her possessions would hopefully go unnoticed as the residents piled out the emergency door and down the metal stairs.

  Being on the streets after dark made Cassie incredibly uncomfortable, before her escape from The Ultimate Choice she’d never been out at night. Curfew didn’t allow it, and anyone found was sentenced to immediate death – going out after dark was just something you didn’t do. She walked as quietly as possible, keeping close to the buildings, and staying vigilant for the sounds of anyone who might be approaching.

  She arrived at the greenhouse without incident, and stared up at the brick walls. How was she supposed to get in? Once again, doubt reared up inside her. She should give up. The place was built like a fortress. She’d only found one entrance, at least that she had counted so far, and four men guarded that door. As she debated what to do, Cassie started walking. Earlier on, she’d noted down the strict procedures for entering and exiting the building as she watched from her hideout. They gave an automatic search for all those leaving – that must be why her helpful thief ate as he went.

  She heard a rushing noise further along. Cassie quickened her pace in curiosity. Up ahead she found a large metal grille fixed to the wall. Through the slats, a giant fan pumped warm air out to the street. She blinked a few times, the breeze drying her eyes. Might be a way in, she thought, and tugged half-heartedly at the grille. It was screwed firmly into the brickwork, and even if she moved it, how was she supposed to get past the fan? She tried looking inside again, her eyes half-closed against the blowing air, this time to figure out how far back the fan was. If she figured out how to loosen the screws and there was enough room, she might just squeeze through. The air current blasted out. Tears streamed as she tried to see anything through the vents. From what she could make out, the fan blades had been positioned right behind the grille. Probably to stop people like her.

  Cassie moved on. Fingers crossed she’d find some other hole in the wall that she would be able to make use of. She passed two more exhausts, warming herself for a few minutes at each before continuing.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered. The absence of noise alerted her initially. Another grille was just up ahead, the moonlight reflected off the metal, but no whooshing sound came out. She jogged up the street.

  No wind, no warm air. Cassie said a little prayer to whomever might be listening, and tugged at the grille and to her relief, felt a jiggle. She checked the first screw, and found it loose enough to turn with her fingers. Within minutes, she had all the screws out and in a neat pile beside her. She braced and pulled at the grille. The metal scraped along the pavement. Cassie stopped, took a deep breath and used all her strength to pick up the grille. She staggered a couple of steps to the left and leaned it carefully against the bricks. If she made a loud noise now, her short life as an illegal would be over, before she even got inside. The fan was pushed back from the wall a little, hopefully allowing her just enough space to squeeze through. Cassie stepped up to the gap in the wall, gave a glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching her, and pressed up against the machine’s blades. They dug sharp edges into her chest. She sucked her breath in and held, wiggling to get through. For one scary moment, she convinced herself she’d got stuck. The morning shift would find her jammed in between the blades and the wall, and she wouldn’t worry about anything ever again. Then Cassie popped out the other side and landed with a thud on the ground.

  She sat still for a while, waiting to see if her entrance had been detected. When no one came running, she dared to stand up and look around.

  The greenhouse seemed even bigger now on the inside. The air was thick and humid, despite the extensive ventilation system. The scent of moist soil and vegetation was so exciting to her. She scooped up a handful of dirt and sniffed. Everything smelled so good. The guards stayed down by the remaining light. She could just about whoop and clap her hands, the white noise the fans created overwhelmed most everything. The guards sat, ignorant of her and all the way at the other end of the greenhouse. And they didn’t have a clue she’d broken in.

  She was going to get away with this! A smile grew on Cassie’s face, and she dared take a few steps. She’d squeezed past a fan more than halfway down the building. The light the guards used didn’t stretch far into the crops. All four sat around a table – playing cards or something. She squinted. A faint cheer distracted her, she glanced over as someone threw their hand on the table. They were oblivious to her. Her heart jumped, this was so exciting. Edibles, everywhere. Her mouth started salivating again. Food – fruits, vegetables surrounded her. Fresh food, tasty food – real food.

  She reached out and touched the leaf of the nearest plant – it felt waxy yet soft. Not at all what she expected. She’d formed images in her mind over the years, she supposed everyone did. All based on the fake shows on the telly.

  Cassie had brought her improvised map. For a moment, she orientated herself. In the greenhouse, with the crops all at waist level, it was hard to figure out where she was… like she was caught in a labyrinth. After a quick check on the guards, she went to the central row of trees and figured out her position. Two rows over, and up two. She made her way through the foliage, searching as she slowly crossed the greenhouse, and to her surprise, found the plants that had the red fruit her thief-guide had first eaten. She twisted one off and popped it in her mouth. The soft berry dissolved into liquid on her tongue, filling her mouth with a sweet sugary juice. The flavour was mildly recognisable as the strawberry jam ration she received once a fortnight, but the intensity of the actual fruit almost overwhelmed her. She closed her eyes and savoured the berry. Rations would never taste the same, she thought. Then she took another, and another. She’d left her bag, and now had nowhere to store food. Maybe tonight she should just sample the flavours, follow in the tracks of the worker. Cassie wiped away a dribble of juice and checked her map.

  The sugar snap pea came next. It crunched between her teeth as Elijah had described, but wasn’t juicy like the strawberry, but still surprisingly sweet. Next her thief had gone to the trees. She’d identified these as apples, at least the particular part of the row he’d stolen from. Cassie chose a small one, and reached up to pluck it from the branch. The apple didn’t twist off easily. She tugged harder, and suddenly the apple fell into her hand and the branch snapped back into place with a loud swish and rustle.

  She checked on the guards. Still playing their game, she thought. Thank God. Even if they couldn’t hear much over the constant thrum of the fans, they might notice movement. Be more careful, she chastised herself and stood motionless watching them. The card game took up all their attention. One of them glanced at his watch. Did they go on rounds? She should hurry up. Cassie took a bite of the small apple she’d picked.

  “Blargh.” She spat out her mouthful and held the apple out, eyeing the pale flesh as if the fruit had intentionally done something wrong. The flavour was sour, tart. Her mouth and lips shrivelled at the bitterness, and a shiver ran through her. “Yuck,” she said and tossed the offending fruit into the undergrowth.

  The map still had half a dozen Xs she needed to locate. New flavours to discover… she started salivating again. Cassie tucked the map back in her pocket.

  Something moved up ahead. A shadow jumped behind the trees on her right. Cas
sie stared harder. Must be a trick of the light, she thought. But she remained perfectly still, her eyes wide. On her left, a dark shape slipped between the rows. Cassie tried to search both places simultaneously. Something besides the guards was in here. Maybe a dog, she’d seen them on the television, used to hunt and protect. The beasts scared her. Certainly explained the guards’ complacency. Her heart pounded, the beat loud in her ears. With her eyes as wide as possible, she scanned the area surrounding her. A plant rustled behind her. Cassie spun around and tried to separate shapes in the shadows.

  How big was a dog? She tried to picture one in her mind, fear created a beast as tall as her, with wild staring eyes and teeth like daggers. She knelt down and peered between the rows. Nothing seemed to be there now. Cassie stood up and glanced towards the broken fan. How long to get back there, to be outside again? Because she was sure of one thing, she wasn’t the only creature sneaking about in the undergrowth.

  Cassie stood unmoving, her attention fixated on the rows ahead. The plants rustled too loudly for her to listen to much else. She turned and concentrated. The overhead fans spun their lazy circles and the exhaust fans sucked at the air, the constant breeze caressed the foliage, and she couldn’t hear a thing. Cassie whipped around again, staring wide-eyed into the shadows. Leaves rippled in the wind making a static-type noise. How was she supposed to hear whatever was hiding between the rows? Something was stalking her, and she needed to figure out its position.