On the Brink

by Alison Ingleby et al.

  Fenton’s eyebrows quirk around the yellow frames of his spectacles. His messy blonde hair sticks out in every direction, but it’s exactly the way he likes it.

  “Thar’s helluva lot more comfy spots ta sit inside,” he laughs.

  “Yeah, I know,” I say, standing up.

  Fenton’s eyes narrow. “Somethin’ on yer mind?”

  I open my mouth, about to blurt out what I really want to ask him but close it back up again. “Nah. Just thinking. How’s everything going inside? You and Landry still working on those crazy NeuroShield things?” I laugh.

  “C’mon now. Don’ be so glib. They’re gonna rock and ya know it,” Fenton says, tugging at the fabric of his shirt just over his heart.

  “Yeah, sure. They look like moronic wigs. And definitely not the good hair day kind.”

  “Oh, so sorry Mr. Blue Hair. No’ everyone can ’ave such beautiful locks,” Fenton snorts, rolling his eyes in a fluttering kinda way.

  “You’re just jealous,” I laugh, walking up the steps and messing up his blond bush of hair.

  Fenton snorts again, “Of your blue hair? Nah, I’m good. Now, tha’ reddish brown you were sportin’ when I firs’ found ya, hell yeah. I could only dream.”

  “Not if you grew up inside the Helix,” I say, entering Landry’s living space.

  The couch on the left-hand side looks inviting, so I meander to it and take a seat. Further into the room, Landry takes up residence in his normal spot, right in front of his mainframe and holographic screens.

  “Hey, Trae,” Landry says without turning around.

  “Hey.”

  “Where ya been this morning? Did you head out to the surface again?” he asks, as he flits his gaze between his holographic screens and the pile of hair resting on the desk in front of him.

  “Nah, just out wandering the Lateral. Felt like moving around.”

  “Gotcha. See anything exciting?”

  “Not a damn thing. Starting to get a bit restless,” I admit.

  “Ya could always ’elp wit these NeuroShields,” Fenton says, grinning madly.

  “Pass,” I laugh.

  “Job snob,” Fenton snickers.

  Taking a deep breath, I realize this could be my opening. I mean, if not now, when? Right?

  “Say, Fenton, I guess I do have a question for you,” I say, my tone suddenly more serious than I intended.

  “Ooooh, intrigue,” Fenton says, crooking an eyebrow and shifting his gaze between me and Landry.

  I sit up a bit straighter and clear my throat. “What do you . . . er . . . what would you think about breaking off from the Lateral? You know, starting our own little . . . I dunno. Safe Haven.”

  Landry stops working and spins around to catch Fenton’s reaction as he eyes us both.

  “I, uh—wha’s go’ ya wanting to bail on tha Lateral?” Fenton asks, his eyebrows disappearing behind his yellow spectacles.

  “It’s not that I want to bail on the Lateral. I just feel like, I dunno . . . like I need to mix things up a bit and this is as good a way as any. I’ve been scouting the rest of the cave and—”

  “You’ve been explorin’ without me?” Fenton asks, his hand clutching at his heart.

  “No—I mean, yes. Sorta. It’s not like you didn’t have your own stuff going on. Yeesh,” I say, the need to defend myself feeling awkward as it arises.

  “Hmmm… Okay, then. Whatcha got in mind?”

  “That’s it?” I say, my mouth gaping open.

  “Wha’? Were ya expecting a fight?” he asks, chuckling.

  “Maybe a little.”

  “Sorry ta disappoin’ ya, Trae. But I’ve been thinking ’bout it fer a while, too. Wanna show me where you were thinkin’?”

  My jaw pops open, but I nod.

  That was easier than I thought—which is never a good sign.

  Chapter 3

  Runa

  It’s slow moving as I trudge through the knee-deep snow drifts. My NanoTech boots work hard at keeping out the moisture, turning a dark black as they heat and dry in a constant cycle.

  By the time I make it to the tree line, the worries from inside have broken away from my conscious mind like snowflakes falling from a tree branch. All that matters is the here and now—what I can see and touch.

  “Where to explore today?” I say aloud. My spoken words fumble awkwardly off my tongue, but it feels good to stretch my vocal cords again.

  As lovely as the instant gratification is from the eLink’s mind-to-mind communication, it’s just not the same.

  Birds’ songs call out across the frozen landscape, echoing through the trees and open spaces. Their beautiful chatter makes my heart soar and a smile crack my lips.

  See? How could I not love it out here?

  I shield my eyes, turning to face our low-hanging sun and its radiant circle of light encompassing my entire field of vision. The sundog is even more noticeable today than most, and I stop to admire its beauty. My eLink downloads from Earth talked about a sun that changes its position throughout the day, but I can’t imagine not being able to rely on our sun’s locked position with its sundog to admire daily. It’s simply magical.

  For a while, I listen to the crunch of my boots as they flatten the snow beneath my feet. I watch the way my exhalations billow out in tufts of clouds. One of the trees nearby catches my eye and I meander over to it to get a better look.

  Its branches are different from the others. Rather than rising high into the sky, they dangle low, some even buried within the drifts of snow.

  A willow—if my eLink download serves.

  “Willows always grew near water on Earth,” I whisper, recalling the data download.

  How can they say Pendomus was devoid of most life before we arrived? If there are willows, surely there was running water, not just snow.

  I reach out, grabbing hold of one of the dangling branches. Its thin tendrils are brittle and light as I release them. They scrape at the snow, bony fingers raking away the frozen rain.

  Somewhere in the distance, an ear-piercing howl erupts, making the hairs on my arm and neck stand on end and my head snap up. With my heart thumping loudly in my ears, I spin around, scanning for any evidence of what could have made such a ferocious sound. When nothing is evident, I crouch down to survey the landscape from a lower vantage point.

  Snow continues to flitter through the air, devoid of any distraction from its beauty.

  “Maybe . . . maybe I should head back,” I whisper to myself, eyeing how far I’ve come. The Helix’s large woven cylindrical shape looms in the distance, but the expanse is too wide for comfort after a sound like that.

  I stand up, brushing off my trousers. Moving slowly, I trudge through the snow back the way I came, trying to utilize my previous steps to make progress slightly easier.

  By the time I make it to the Helix, the tension from the howl has all but been lost to the back of my mind. Instead, the trepidation of having to go back inside looms over every fiber of my being. I don’t know what it is, but life inside this building simply doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t know how, but I have to find a way to convince them to allow me to work towards an outdoor profession. Even if it means being the first one.

  Taking a deep breath, I reach for the door and step inside. Wrinkling my nose as the scents of electricity, plastic, and cleaner assault my senses, I make my way to the Professional Appointment Center.

  I could easily send my request via the eLink, but it feels like there will be more power behind it if I show up in person. At the very least, they won’t be expecting it.

  Walking the silent hallway, I can’t help but hope there’s something I can do to make this happen. I mean, the whole idea behind the Helix is to ensure every person is fulfilling a higher purpose, right? To ensure we all work on something that resonates with us. It’s why they monitor our aptitudes from the time we’re able to walk and talk. Surely, they have to know there will be new professions added as people evolve?

  W
ithin a few short minutes, I find myself standing outside the door. My heart thumps unevenly in my chest and I shake my head.

  Why am I so nervous?

  It’s not as though I’m asking for something horrifying. I simply want to be able to study our surrounding world.

  I step forward, allowing the door to dissolve in front of me, as I continue onward to the little desk set a meter inside the small space. It’s barely big enough to house the desk, but then again, I suppose the only purpose it serves is to deliver the physical details of professional appointments. Not many people would be traipsing through here just for the fun of it.

  The woman behind the counter looks up, a bored expression flitting across her face.

  ~Excuse me, is there any way I can put in a formal request for study?

  The bored expression evaporates and turns instead, to one of surprise and amusement.

  ~Say that again?

  Even in our eLink exchange, I can hear the disbelief.

  I straighten my shoulders and stare her in the eye.

  ~There are no outdoor professions and I would like to request they be considered.

  She blinks rapidly, her dark eyes wide.

  ~I—I wouldn’t even know how to go about something like that . . . Runa Cophem.

  She pulls up my details via the eLink, determining my name and probably downloading all the other details of my life.

  ~There’s a first time for everything, right? Could you try?

  ~Certainly.

  She tips her head in agreement.

  ~Thank you, I really appreciate it . . . Bianca.

  I pull her details for myself and tip my head. I do appreciate the help, but I honestly don’t know how hard she’ll push.

  Am I being unreasonable? I mean, if the aptitudes are in place because the Helix’s system finds the right profession for everyone, surely they would have had an outdoor program before now. Maybe there’s a deeper reason there isn’t one? Safety?

  Taking a deep breath, I turn and head out the door. It shouldn’t be so strange to want to do something new, but it feels as though I’ve grown horns simply by asking.

  Chapter 4

  Traeton

  Gearing up for the move to the Safe Haven is like finally scratching an itch after letting it fester for longer than you should. The satisfaction of planning, excavating, and moving is even better than I envisioned. It’ll still be years before things are fully finished, but at least we can move there in the meantime.

  “Did you figure out where you’ll put your mainframe room?” I ask, turning to Fenton.

  We’ve been walking with another load of stuff for a little over an hour, but we’ll be there soon.

  “Yep, sure did.” Fenton nods.

  “Figured you would,” I say, chuckling to myself.

  “So, question for ya,” Fenton starts.

  “Uh-oh. Nothing good ever starts with that,” I mutter, twisting around to look at him.

  “How do ya feel abou’ others joinin’ us ou’ here?”

  I stop walking, taken aback.

  “Ah…I dunno. Did you have someone in mind?” I say.

  Fenton chews on the bottom of his lip and he adjusts the box in his arms.

  “No, jus’ wanna arm myself wit some knowledge,” he says, his forehead wrinkling.

  “Are you sure? Because you kinda—”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m sure.” He nods. His lips tug downward in a fake sorta agreement.

  “Okay,” I say, dropping it.

  If Fenton has more to say, it’ll come out eventually anyway. He can’t keep things pent up, that’s for sure.

  We spend the majority of the next three days at the Haven, getting things organized and set up. Fenton chooses a small offshoot in the cavern system to be his bedroom and I pick the other small alcove on the opposite side of the hallway. As much as I love the guy, I don’t think I could share a space with him all the time. I need my own place to think and be.

  Besides, if he ever plans on bringing women back, the last thing I want is to be in the same room.

  I shudder at the thought and put the last of my books on the small bedside shelf I built.

  “Uh—I think I’m gonna head back to tha Lateral for a bi’,” Fenton says, poking his head into my bedroom.

  “Did you forget something?” I ask.

  Neither one of us had a lot to move, since we’d been staying with Landry. The hardest part was moving the equipment needed to build out our space and get areas set up for our basic needs.

  “Uh—yeah, yeah,” he nods.

  “Okay, I’ll come with you,” I say, standing up. “I’m done putting the rest of my stuff away.”

  “Oh, ya don’ need ta do tha’. I won’ be gone long,” Fenton says, his voice slightly higher than normal.

  “Hmmm, what are you hiding?” I chuckle.

  “Nuthin’,” he mutters, his face suddenly flushing.

  “Yeah, sure. Spill it,” I say, taking a seat on the bed.

  Fenton’s hand scratches at the back of his golden hair, making it stand on end.

  Nervous energy flashes through me and I sit up straighter.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Look, I’ve been doin’ some thinkin’ . . .”

  “This doesn’t sound good,” I mutter, my eyebrows pulling in.

  Fenton sighs, chewing on the side of his cheek, “This Haven is awesome—it really is. But I feel like it’s so far away from everyone else. I mean, it takes over an hour ta walk ta the Lateral. What if summat bad went down?”

  “Are you having second thoughts?” I blink back surprise.

  Fenton noticeably winces.

  “Shit,” I mutter.

  “Look, it’s jus’—”

  “I’m not gonna keep you against your will, Fenton. Obviously, I want you to be here with me. But if you’re concerned about how far away . . .”

  Sighing loudly, Fenton walks into the room and paces.

  “I dunno yet. I mean, par’ of me is really excited. This is gonna be a stellar place. But—I dunno,” he says, his voice trailing off.

  “Where’s all this coming from? I mean, look at all the hard work we’ve put into this place the past few weeks. We’re nearly done.”

  “I know, I know. I jus’—”

  “This isn’t like you,” I spit.

  I’ve known Fenton for a long time, but he’s never pulled anything like this before.

  I knew it—I knew his acceptance was too good to be true. I’m so stupid.

  “Like I said, I’ve jus’ been thinkin’ and—”

  “And decided all this work isn’t worth it?”

  “Nah, man. It’s no’ like tha’,” he says, shaking his head.

  “Then explain it,” I growl, my eyebrows pulling inward.

  “I can’t. Not now. Look, lemme jus’ run ta tha Lateral for a bi’. When I get back, we can talk more about it. Okay?”

  I splay my hands out in front of me. “Be my guest.”

  He casts me an apologetic look and walks out of my space. I hold still, unable to move from my bed, as I listen to his footsteps as they echo down the tunnel away from the Haven and toward the Lateral.

  Shaking my head, I try to squash the disbelief rising inside the pit of my stomach. How could this happen?

  What the hell changed in the past day or two?

  Taking a deep breath, I kick off the bed and wander across the hall to Fenton’s space. His bedroom is set up, but nowhere near as homey as mine. There are no books or other items to say he’s the one who’s claimed it. It could be just about anyone’s room—with the exception of all the blue blankets covering most of the floor instead of the bed.

  Scratching my forehead, I take a quick walk through to see if there are any clues left behind that would have triggered this change of direction.

  There’s nothing.

  What in the hell made Fenton change his mind?

  Chapter 5

  Runa

  Aren�
�t we all supposed to be in charge of our own destinies here?

  That’s what we’re always told through the downloads and lessons, anyway.

  I walk the open hallway back to my Living Quarter, barely taking in the surroundings. Instead, I meander on autopilot, wondering who makes the decisions to allow a new profession. If there’s no one technically in charge, how does something like that get advanced?

  Before I realize it, I’m standing outside my LQ. I step in front of the retinal scanner and it springs to life, the bright light scanning my eyes and opening the doorway beside me.

  Baxten looks up from the table at the far end of the space.

  ~You look like someone just ran over your foot with a cart. What’s up with you?

  I lick my lower lip and say out loud, “Tried to talk with someone about professional appointments. Didn’t go well.”

  My words are slow, and I’m not entirely certain they sounded correct, but it feels good to use my vocal cords, rather than the eLink to communicate with him.

  His eyes widen in surprise—perhaps because I spoke out loud, perhaps because I defied the natural order of things in the Helix.

  Probably both.

  Racing around the table, he comes right up beside me.

  “You shouldn’t do that in here. If someone else hears you—” he whispers frantically as he leans in close. His voice is scratchy and his words slow, but I get the gist.

  I make a face, swiping at the air and walking past him into my quiet space. Before he can follow me, I slide the door shut. Disengaging the eLink for a bit, I debate going to my Lotus Chair, or back to the window.

  However, it's been a while since I last got some rest—five minutes wouldn’t hurt. If anything, it might make things a little clearer.

  Taking a seat in my Lotus Chair, I cross my legs, letting the seat wrap around me like a warm embrace. Closing my eyes, I tip my head back and allow the headrest to sense me. It springs to life, sending out its electrodes as it connects to my brain and puts me into an induced state of deep sleep. Just before I drift off, the hairs on my head stand on end, tickling as my mind begins its sequence of reviewing the day’s events and shutting down.