“Congratulations to all of you on your new jobs. Thank you for playing your part in keeping our delightful city peaceful and prosperous.” Then he grabbed his jacket, bowed to Miss Hope and left, coughing and sneezing all the way down the hallway. Shortly after, Miss Hope said her tearful goodbyes to her class, and then dismissed them to their future work lives. Each gathered their few belongings…worn and carefully repaired jackets and shawls, lunch buckets, leftover cloth paper and stubs of pencils, some pictures pasted onto the greying and unpainted walls…and left quietly.
Dirk left right before Eve, carrying only his frayed, brown, goat-wool jacket, and a single, yellowed book of words he’d purchased several years back with gifting money from his grandmother. She had left him with a huge sum of worker chits once she went to recycle. He’d used all the inherited chits to purchase the single book of ancient words from the used rare items shop near the center of town in the Management District. It was an unheard of extravagance to own your own book, and Eve watched as Dirk carried it carefully from the classroom. She saw Dirk frown all the way down the school front steps. Eve knew Dirk hated the idea of working underground in a store room. He’d wanted to be in Electrics so he could fix things…or at least a messenger so he could run all over the city. He’d told Eve that.
They both loved to run and climb. He and Eve had already explored several of the abandoned tall buildings at the edge of the dome out in the decay zone, climbing up twelve levels of rusty iron rails, over crunching broken glass, and finally reaching the top, to see all over the city. Eve and Dirk had stared out over their city…at the gravel path of the decay zone, leading to the more paved one as the city began, and finally at the tiny, neatly arranged town with its small houses surrounding the town square. They could see the town square with its wind-up steam clock, and the school, three buildings to the left, with the library in between.
That was on a rare day off from school, and Everemembered the painted blue sky looked much closer up at twelve levels, and that several parts appeared torn. Dirk and Eve both remembered feeling a freezing cold breeze above them, and it was then that they noted black spots on the other side of the blue light-time sky of their dome. It was the first time Eve had experienced the freeze of an unprotected region; the city was, after all, protected by an environmental plasmon dome. And Eve had been taught it was safe, and would protect them from the void forever.
“It’s probably from the deadly dark black void time outside our dome shield,” Dirk had explained. He’d told Eve that, like their city, the void also had dark and light times, but that outside the dome, the weather was not controlled. He told her someday he wanted to go beyond the dome and explore out in the void. Eve wanted to go along, but nobody did that anymore since they had run out of air pods and enviro suits about a century ago. And anyway, now Eve knew their explorations would be rarer because city jobs took a bunch of time.
After being dismissed by their teacher, Eve followed Lily outside the school, leaving last. She was confused. She had no idea why The Committee had selected her to work on a steam machine. Everyone thought they ran mostly by themselves, or that you had to have some vastly advanced worker level training to go near them. She’d only ever seen one once on a field trip. And that one was a tiny model on display in the library.
Eve continued slowly down the school steps, ruminating over her strange city job assignment. She had once wished for the job of Timekeeper, or to be a carpenter. But those jobs only came up every ten years because they required so much training; she knew many craft jobs, like furniture makers, were passed from family to family. No one was selected that year for the job of Timekeeper, or Electrical Worker either, for that matter.
“You can never tell which jobs will be offered each year,” she was thinking as she walked down the steps, ignoring those around her, while deep in an internal conversation. She stopped for a moment to hike up her sock again, and switched her load of school books to her other arm. “I only wish mine had been a normal job, not a new category. Now I have no idea what I will be doing.”
Eve continued her inner dialogue until she reached the square in front of the school and turned left, thinking that was what made the day so unnerving…not knowing which jobs would be offered, and which one each student would be assigned. But the boring jobs, like Garbage Collector, or Pipe Cleaner were always offered. Luckily, the new workers could ask to change their job after five years, because no one wanted a boring job forever.
Eve only vaguely listened to Lily, who walked with her while gushing on about her job assignment luck as a Greenhouse Worker. People rarely got their first choice so Eve understood Lily’s excitement. Lily left before Eve reached the road turn towards her own home, also a two-story, unpainted cement block building identical to all the others.
She wanted to tell her mother what job she’d been given; to ask her if she’d ever heard of it before, perhaps from longer ago. Several of her friends smiled at her as she passed them; some expressed sympathy. Bream looked especially happy. She had been given the job of Bakery Worker, a job that guaranteed the best food. Eve nodded at Bream, and walked quickly on to her own house to speak with her mother. “She should be home by now,” Eve thought, glancing up at the town clock. It was the day before the Atonement Festival, so the school and work day had been halved.
When Eve’s mother was not at her official city job as a Street Cleaner, she and Eve wove new cloth from the old clothing, in a loom-filled shop on the first floor. This was their sanctioned home commerce, something everyone did to supplement their meager worker vouchers. Dirk’s family did blacksmith work, and Lily’s did shoe repair.
Every first workday at Eve’s home, a delivery person would bring a package from the recyclers, filled with clothing too worn to repair and reuse. In the evening, Eve and her mother would pick the cloth apart and then string the wool threads onto an ancient loom to create new cloth. The cloth was then washed and spread out flat to dry. Once that was done, Eve and her mother would fold each finished cloth and price it for the open market, depending on its size, and fineness. Fine cloth, the pieces that felt smoother, went for a premium.
Sometimes, if they could get berry juice, they would color the wool cloth first, because it would bring a much higher price at the seventh day open markets. During berry season they could use the rotting berry juice to dye the cloth bright red or purple. The blue dye, the most expensive, came from the rare blueberries grown for those who had a higher pay level city job. Eve could always discern those citizens, because they often wore blue clothing to advertise their economic advantages. She was happy when she’d first gone on an adventure with Dirk; he’d arrived in his non-school clothing…all brown, a common worker color, like all her clothing.
Still, because each had a sanctioned trade, they did not go hungry. The city-minted coins obtained from the selling of the cloth on the open market supplemented their household voucher income now that Eve’s father had died of the fever four years prior. But Eve knew her mother would be happy that she would be working, because they could also use her worker chits.
As Eve walked towards her home, Lily appeared suddenly from a side road. She ran up to Eve and punched her lightly in the shoulder, causing one of Eve’s auburn braids to loosen at the end and begin to unwind itself into a curly mess. A slight shoulder punch was the in-style greeting among the older students of the city. Eve stopped and bent to deposit her books on the road. She stood and placed one hand on her hip, smiling at her friend.
“Are you happy with your job assignment, Eve? I mean, what is it anyway? Will you be working with the steam generators? That’s underground in the bee-low…right?” Eve could tell Lily felt sorry for her, having to work underground every day, away from the painted blue sky. “I hear it can get hot there,” Lily finished, looking sympathetic.
“I’ll be fine, Lily. You never know…maybe it will be an adventure! Anyway, maybe I can help make more power for the city if I can help fix the steam machines,�
� Eve said, trying to sound happier than she really was. She reached behind and began to re-braid her unruly hair.
“What about you? You got your first choice. You’ll get to work with old Ben Greenfield in the plant pods with all those plants…so much light and warmth. Plus, you can sneak extra food sometimes,” Eve replied. She’d removed her backpack to get to her water container. Eve took a long drink and then offered her water to her friend. It was the custom to offer water to another citizen; water was dear, cost more than bread, and was doled out with care.
“I’ll share the berries with you, Eve; especially during the blueberry season. I’ll be sure you get the juice for cloth dying…well, and berries to eat, too,” Lily said, after taking a long drink. She handed the water container back to Eve, and motioned for them to sit on a step outside one of the many identical houses along the path. They sat down, each folding their hands across their knees.
“Thanks, we could use more blueberry juice. It’s difficult to get and blue cloth brings in twice the normal coin. I’m so happy you got your first job choice,” Eve replied. She knew one of the good things about greenhouse work was the extra food the workers could sneak pick. And the berries were the best part. Once, when Eve was younger, she and Dirk crawled under one of the greenhouse tents and stuffed themselves with so many strawberries she had made herself sick. Dirk had gently carried her back to her parents, who’d given her some nasty tasting oil to drink.
Lily and Eve sat on the step, talking about their jobs, and gossiping about the upcoming Atonement Festival. They made a strange pair; Eve was a head taller, and Lily had that red frizzy hair. But they were both identically dressed in their brown wool shirts and pants, and ancient brown leather boots. Soon, they both knew they’d be turning in their uniforms to the school supply office for their official job uniforms. They would look different after that, because each uniform was a different color and design, depending on the assigned job.
“What are you bringing to the festival, Eve? Doyou have gifts for anyone?” “No…I mean I haven’t thought about it. I guess I forgot that when we turn eighteen we’re supposed to start bringing our own Atonement Day gifts.” “I got a basket for my sister. We fight a lot,” Lily said. Eve grew quiet, trying to think of who she should have gotten her gifts for. She did not think she had angered anyone. Lily changed the subject.
“Do you have a new dress for your marriage ceremony? Mother had a blue gown made for me.” Lily did not mean to brag. Her family earned high level chits in their jobs, so could afford a new, and blue, wedding gown for their daughter. Eve, on the other hand, had repaired and cleaned the same faded yellow gown her grandmother and mother had worn to their wedding ceremonies. It now hung from a hook in the bottom level sewing room of their house.
Eve and Lily continued talking for several more minutes, then got up to leave, promising to meet for tea at the Atonement Festival tea tent. Eve walked in the opposite direction, arrived at her street, turned left, and walked toward her home. She thought about her new job assignment as she approached her home. She had imagined herself in other jobs, wishing she had been given a more familiar one. She would have been happy at Lily’s job in the warm, earthy smelling greenhouses with all those wonderful bright lights glowing all over the ceiling. A job as a street cleaner would have allowed her to stay in the up-top and at least get to say hello to her friends. “Now I’ll be someplace underground, in the bee-low, a dark, damp, and from what I’ve heard, very noisy place where conversation is impossible. It’s like being buried alive,” she thought.
“Eve, wait up!” Dirk yelled at her before she turned into her house, causing her to start. She stopped, looked back over her shoulder, and smiled at her future partner and also best friend. Lately, he made her heart go to a weird place. Her mother told her it was natural; that she would become attracted in other ways to her match. Her mother had even started to explain what would occur once Eve moved in with Dirk. But Eve had immediately stopped her. It was embarrassing. And at any rate, Eve already knew most of what her mother would say; she and Dirk were not exactly strangers to each other.
“So what…are you happy or not? I mean, I wish I had your job instead of one in supply. Working with one of the steam machines would be so exciting…much better than supply,” Dirk said, smiling down at her. He was a full head taller, had twice the muscle, and hands that could cover her entire bare stomach…with a single hand.
“I’m not so sure, Dirk. I hate the thought of being in the bee-low, and I don’t know anything about steam machines,” Eve replied, noting the way he looked at her while trying to stay in the eye contact mode. She smiled impishly as his eyes drifted over her body, even though he tried to concentrate. “I wish I had your job. Supply will be boring,” Dirk mumbled, now looking forlorn.
“But you’re in another type of supply job, Dirk. It might be something different. What is a Lower Level Supply Assessor, anyway? Maybe it will be exciting.” “I have no idea, but it’s going to be boring; I know it,” Dirk moaned, running a hand through his unruly dark hair. He looked down at his brown school boots, running one toe over the stone surface of their street. He had both hands in his pockets, a look that reminded her of the Dirk she had met when she was twelve, on the day of their match announcement. He’d come to pay her a formal visit, head down, too embarrassed to make eye contact. He was so relieved when she asked him if he wanted to sneak into the archives. That had started a fabulous friendship; one filled with way too many almost getting caught adventures.
“Why did The Committee choose both of us for the new jobs? It’s weird. Do you think we’re being punished for climbing the old buildings? Maybe someone was watching when we saw those dark spots in the dome.” Eve said, looking up at Dirk, suddenly angry; she had no idea why The Committee had selected her to work in the bee-low with a steam machine. Eve knew nothing about steam machines, and pictured many days reading boring instruction books.
“No, I don’t think it’s a punishment, Eve. I think it’s because of that paper you wrote about running out of things and how we should become more self-sufficient. I think they need new ideas about how to fix what we have. Anyway, I think you’re lucky. My job is boring,” Dirk repeated. “But maybe your job will help our city, too,” Eve replied, reaching up to touch his cheek. She was trying to cheer her best friend, but frankly, she did think his job sounded dull.
“It won’t help us at all. What good is it to just keep taking things from the supply bunkers when we should really figure out how to do things for ourselves?” Dirk asked. Eve thought he sounded truly upset. She had never heard him speak so seriously. Dirk was usually either thoughtful or showed a wicked dark sense of humor. She decided to walk on with him for a while.
Eve put her arm through Dirk’s while they walked to Lightfighter Square. It was still early dark time so they could sit watching the people before Eve would be expected home to help with the cloth making and other chores. She saw from the town steam clock they had at least an hour. Free time would be less frequent once they started their city jobs.
She and Dirk plopped down on one of the front steps to the Boardroom Building, right in front of the beautiful statue of their founder, Robin Lightfighter. He looked fierce and determined, holding a book in his right hand. Someone had once told Eve it was probably The Book of Rules, and that Robin Lightfighter had written it himself as a rule book for their city…that following the rules kept their city safe from the void…that all rules should be followed exactly as written. Well, Eve thought, she and Dirk rarely followed the rules.
They remained silent for a full minute, just watching the people. Eve noted a runner jogging by repeating her message to herself so she would not forget it before she got to the receiver. She also noticed the few older women sitting near a single candle, laughing and telling jokes. A man passed by them pushing a cart of water in a wooden barrel. Every so often he would stop to sell some to a passerby, taking their chits or coins, and then opening the spout to release t
he purchased water into the metal containers they had with them.
Eve sighed. She knew she belonged in the up-top with all these people; here, where everything happened, where life went on, and not in the bee-low with a noisy, hot steam machine. Dirk interrupted her thoughts, probably guessing her concerns. He always seemed to know exactly what was bothering her. “Listen Eve, I can help you with your job. My book contains all sorts of words. There’s a whole section on steam machines,” Dirk said, reaching into his backpack for his precious book of words. “Here take it. Keep it as long as you like. I won’t have need for words in Supply. Everything already has a word there,” Dirk said, placing his precious book into Eve’s arms.
Eve took the book, carefully setting it on her lap. She knew how important the book was to Dirk. He’d spent hours going over strange words with her. And the book was really special, because every so often one of the words had a picture with it. For example, they now both knew what a stapler looked like because of the picture on page 456.
“Is there a section on steam machines?” Eve asked. She opened the precious book as they sat together on the steps in front of the sealed, silver doors of the Boardroom Building. Dirk placed a hand gently on her thigh, and she smiled up at him. Dirk always seemed to calm her.
“Yes, it’s on page 482. I looked it up in class right after you got your job assignment. Here…see…there’s even a small picture. But I don’t think it will help you with engine repair because the picture is pretty simple. But at least you can get some idea of what they look like.” Eve and Dirk examined the strange picture. It showed a cart-shaped object with a huge wheel, and with a black belt attached around it. The machine also had a tube coming out of the top with what Eve thought was supposed to depict the steam.
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