by Melanie Tays
I look at the screen of my tablet and see the light that indicates an open audio transmission. That’s when I finally understand, and my heart starts racing in excitement. “Hello,” I whisper.
“Hello? Is someone there?” a voice like mine cries back through the speakers.
I’ve finally reconnected to Mara-Bot! She’s alive—or the robot equivalent of alive—somewhere.
“Yes, I’m here. Where are you?” I ask.
“Oh, thank goodness!” the girl says back, her voice muffled by static. “Please help us. I don’t know where we are, but we need help.”
“Who is ‘we?’ Is Aiken with you?” I ask, trying to keep my voice low so my parents won’t overhear me talking to myself.
“Yes, he’s with me. They sent us all out here, but there’s no city. Most of the others left hoping to find food, but Aiken won’t go. He keeps saying he has to get back to Mara. But I don’t understand, because I’m Mara.”
They must be out of the Safe Dome—dumped into the outside world like garbage being discarded without a second thought. But Aiken has discovered that she’s not the real Mara. And he’s determined to find a way back to me.
In that moment, I know one thing for certain. I may not know exactly how yet, but one way or another, Aiken and I will breach the Safe Dome and be together. Maybe we can even find a way to reclaim Sanctuary.
I ache to run to the edge of Sanctuary and look out into the beyond for Aiken, but I don’t dare move and risk losing this connection.
“I want to talk to Aiken,” I say, breathless with the anticipation of hearing his voice again. I know I’ll be able to tell the difference between him and the hollow replica I see every day now.
“You can’t. I don’t seem to be able to transmit sounds outside my own mind,” she says. I’m disappointed, but only slightly. All that really matters is that Aiken is alive.
Suddenly, Mara is screaming. I turn down the volume so the piercing screech won’t drift beyond the walls of my room.
“What is it?” I ask, desperately waiting for an answer that doesn’t come.
“No!” she screams, strangled and terror-struck.
“Aiken! Aiken, I’m coming for you,” I cry. “Hold on! I’ll find a way to reach you.”
And then the transmission goes dead.