“Don’t say that. You’ll have a beautiful life. You’ll have your baby to remind you of me.” Mauricio hadn’t planned to say it like this. Rosie fell silent. He had immediate second thoughts about revealing what he had put together.
“I’ll always remember you,” Rosie said tentatively.
“And I’ll think of you as long as I’m alive.” I can promise that.
“It’s not enough for me,” she replied softly.
“I’ll always be with you,” he said, thinking of the little baby growing inside her.
She started crying loudly at his last words. Mauricio decided that she had the right to know.
“Rosie, I’ll be alive in your baby girl. Every time you look at her, you’ll know I’m there as well. I’ll never leave you,” Mauricio said, hoping that she was going to let him talk.
“I don’t understand…” Rosie had stopped sobbing, at least.
Mauricio felt it was a sign to keep going. “I heard the Priestess and the nurses talk about you and me. You know why I wasn’t killed after I was found in your room?” Mauricio’s feet were getting cold on the tiled floor. He shifted his body slowly to reactivate the sleeping limbs.
“I didn’t think about it. I guess that they spared your life because they saw in the recording that you didn’t mean to harm me.”
He smiled at her words. Rosie’s world was a good place to live in. “I was spared because they needed me to provide fresh sperm, in case you needed it. This is the only thing I’m good for.” Mauricio hoped he wasn’t too crude, but he didn’t know how to say it without being direct, and time wasn’t on their side.
“What—”
“Listen to me: Do you remember when you almost lost the baby?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I was your private donor. They couldn’t afford to lose me at that moment. Your pregnancy was at risk, and there wasn’t any time to find another semental with the right genetics. I happened to match the list of traits you wanted in your baby.” Mauricio didn’t know how long they had left to talk. At any moment, Guen or someone else would come to check the floor.
“But it can’t be! A man’s semen is used only to conceive fathered women. Pure breeds go to the Temple to conceive with the help of the Priestess. She invokes the blessing of the Goddess, and the incognito descends on the women. Everybody knows that!”
“Every woman knows that…” Mauricio knew his words sounded blasphemous, but he had to tell his story. And when he was done, she could decide. “From what I heard, the Priestess uses the sementals to father both men and women. All women. Even the pure breeds.” He heard her gasp and felt a pang inside. He wanted her to believe him. He hadn’t realized how important it was to him that Rosie trusted him. Then a terrible thought flashed through his mind. At first, he refused to think it through, but after a few seconds, it formed again in his mind and he couldn’t ignore it. What if Rosie was going to hate her baby? Could she still love her daughter if she knew that she was fathered?
Tears formed in his eyes, and for what seemed an eternity, he couldn’t speak. Mauricio felt a longing to hold this little girl who wasn’t born yet. He wanted to protect her, smile at her, and sing to her the lullabies his father had sung to him.
“What you said isn’t believable. It’s like saying that Ginecea is flat,” Rosie commented at last, breaking the silence.
Mauricio was relieved by her words. She didn’t sound like someone who was going to bolt in disgust. He breathed slowly, until he could steady his voice, and then told her everything he had put together. He started from the beginning, explaining the series of coincidences that had put him in a position to know what no man knew and probably very few women as well. Rosie listened in absolute silence. She must have had questions, but she waited for him to finish talking, and she was still there at the end of the tale.
“So, there is no incognito?” Her voice came out composed enough.
“I am your personal incognito.” Mauricio rubbed his right temple with sweaty fingers. Talking was taking its toll on his mind and body. It was the second night in a row with little or no sleep at all, and he was going on pure will. “It’s the only reason I’ve been spared death, until now…”
“Don’t say it.”
“It’s the truth. You are fine, the baby is fine, and I‘m not needed anymore.”
“I don’t want to listen to this. I don’t want to listen to anything.”
“I’m sorry, but you had to know. I wanted you to know.”
“The things you’re saying are blasphemous—”
“You’ll have time to think about what I told you. You don’t have to believe me now, but promise me you’ll think about it.” Mauricio waited for Rosie to answer back, and when she didn’t say anything, he thought she had finally left. “Please,” he said to the wall.
“I am trying,” she whispered.
“It’s the only thing I ask of you.”
“So, you are saying that there are no differences between pure breeds, fathered women—” Rosie paused longer than Mauricio thought was a good sign and then resumed with a lower voice,“—and men. No… it can’t be. It simply can’t be…”
A muffled sound came from outside. Mauricio didn’t know what to think about Rosie’s silence, and then he heard the steps coming closer.
“Mistress? Going for a stroll?” Guen’s voice was higher than necessary.
“I don’t usually sleep well at night, and now the daily sickness and the nausea have also started. Walking relaxes my nerves and gives me time to think,” Rosie answered calmly.
“I’m not sure how much relaxation you can achieve walking around this dreary place. This is not the most beautiful area of the compound. Tarin is renowned for its immaculate fields, but not for the elegance of the interiors,” the guard commented with a sarcastic tone. “There’s nothing interesting here,” she added with a sudden change of tone.
Mauricio had the distinct feeling that Guen had seen Rosie talking to the wall of his cell, probably from a comfortable seat inside the surveillance room. She was playing with Rosie. Any moment now she would call her bluff and expose her.
“Mistress, I think I have a solution for your problem. I’m at the end of my turn. I’ll accompany you to the terrace, where you can have a private view of the sun rising over the fields, if you like the idea. I assure you the sight is dramatic,” Guen said, and just as she said it, other steps echoed in the silent hallway. A few greetings were exchanged and Guen officially passed the baton to the next guard.
Mauricio remained a few seconds on the floor, not really sure of what to make of Guen’s actions. He was worried about her intentions. He fought the nervousness that was reducing his ability to think straight and went to lie down on the bed. He tossed and turned on the uncomfortable surface for a long time, and only when Tarin started to wake up did he close his eyes.
Chapter 9
A guard who wasn’t Guen woke him up. She wasn’t gentle in the execution and seemed to enjoy having to activate the collar to convince Mauricio that it was time to go to work. She could have powered it up another two notches, he thought, trying to find the bright side of the stinging burn on his neck. He was out of the cell in mere seconds, and the collar returned to a comfortable buzz. Mauricio automatically turned toward the door opening onto the fields. Arias was already there, peering through the window, waiting to escort him to the cafeteria.
“Other plans for you.” The guard redirected Mauricio to another hallway.
He saw the distressed look on Arias’ face and saluted him with a nod, mouthed, thank you, and even tried to smile at the other man. Arias’ eyes stayed on him until he turned around a corner. Mauricio dragged his legs after the guard, his mind jumping to the conclusion that he was being led to the slaughter. They walked for several minutes through a series of well-lit chambers, and then the guard slowed down before a glass door.
“Now, you’ll do what you do best.” She pointed at a low table with a tray f
ull of plastic cups, waited long enough to be sure he understood, then left, sliding the glass door shut behind him.
Mauricio took a depressed look at the room. I was born and raised in a place like this, and I’m going to die in a place like this. He sat down on the customary white chair and took one cup in his hand. This is all I’m worth to them. He gingerly tossed the cup from one hand to the other. I’m not going to make it easier for you. He couldn’t have, even if he wanted to. Now that I know the truth, I want to make a difference. This’ll be my last act of rebellion before dying. I was born a slave, but you are going to slaughter a free man. Mauricio put the cup back on the tray with the others. He started playing with them, rearranging their order until he was satisfied with the result. I’m sure after today, you’ll remember my number. Then he stood up and knocked on the glass door.
“Done?” The guard appeared from around the corner.
“Yes. I am definitely done with this,” Mauricio answered. You have no power over me anymore.
The guard looked at him for the first time since she had come to his cell and then looked at the tray.
“What does that mean?” she asked, enraged.
“Exactly what it looks like.” Mauricio smiled proudly. This feels good.
“You… you…” The guard was in shock; a slave had dared to defy a woman’s direct order. She was staring at the tray with the cups neatly aligned to spell the word ‘no’ and no other sounds came from her mouth.
Mauricio knew that there was a camera somewhere in the room and fervently hoped that later, when the guards analyzed what had happened there, they would see how happy he was at that precise moment. Look at me; look at my face. You’ve never seen me before; I’m a new breed of man. He turned around slowly, facing every wall to be sure that his smile couldn’t possibly be missed. He was down on his knees a few seconds later, but before passing out, he thought, At least you gave me enough time to do a full rotation; it should be enough, and then thanked the guard out loud.
* * *
He opened his eyes, knowing right away that he was in his cell. The first thing he saw was the high ceiling looming over him. He didn’t bother to move. The collar was mercilessly scratching the blistered skin of his neck, and he had probably woken up because of the pain that was making him cry even while he slept. His muscles were having spams, and he knew from past experience that he had to let it pass. Through the pain, Mauricio’s lips managed to twitch in a vague smile when recent memories of how he had ended up in his cell came back. I’ve defied a woman’s orders, and I’m still alive. I can’t be dead and feel so much pain.
A strange smell in the air interrupted Mauricio’s thoughts. It was a sweet scent that invaded his nostrils and his throat. Mauricio saw white smoke coming out of the four little windows in the walls. His eyes, already watery, started stinging. He felt his throat constricting, and panic took over. Before dark patches covered his vision of the tall ceiling, the white fog filled his cell and the sweetness in the air became horrid. Mauricio coughed until his throat felt like a floor of broken glass. He brought his hands to the collar in an irrational attempt to loosen the grip on his skin. When he couldn’t cough anymore and his mouth froze in a silent scream, he thought of the tiny baby girl he knew was his daughter and fainted.
* * *
From far away, Mauricio heard a commotion of metallic sounds, human steps, and voices calling him, but he didn’t react. How could anybody ask more of him? Why wouldn’t the voices leave him alone? And what was it with all the beams of light cutting through his eyes?
“He’s not responding.” He heard a familiar, feminine voice say. Frantic. Worried. For me? Why? I’m beyond pain and misery. Leave me alone. I deserve to be pain free for once in my life. “I can’t move him. He is too heavy for me.”
“Get his arms. I’ll get his legs,” another voice ordered. Equally familiar, but older.
Mauricio opened one eye, but it was dark. There were cones of cold light cutting through the obscurity, but his head was bent at an odd angle and he couldn’t see anything.
“How long do you think it’s going to take them to restore the electricity through the main building?” Rosie’s voice sounded as if coming from underwater.
Mauricio was slowly regaining consciousness. He was still disoriented and queasy. A throbbing ache enveloped his body, making it difficult to think.
“Not more than ten minutes. Probably less. We have to hurry.” He recognized Guen’s muffled voice. A loud thud reverberated inside Mauricio’s ears.
Rosie cursed, saying, “I dropped my light. I can’t see where I’m going.”
“Calm down. Follow my voice. I’ll aim my light higher, so it illuminates the vaults.” Guen sounded calm. Mauricio automatically relaxed at the sound of the older woman’s voice giving instruction to Rosie.
“We’re almost there. I can see the door. Lay him down. I have to cut his collar before we go out,” Guen explained. After a moment she said, “Okay, slowly, careful not to bend his neck too much. Keep the light straight at his face. Yes, good, like this. Just a moment now—” Guen grunted and then he heard a small snap. “—perfect, just perfect. The seam just gave way. Now, to cut through the material… and… done.” Something fell on the floor and the guard sighed in satisfaction.
Mauricio felt the skin on his neck getting colder, and then he realized that the collar wasn’t there anymore.
“Okay, give the light back to me and take care of him while I signal to Arias that we are ready.” Guen left Mauricio’s side.
“Rosie?” he croaked.
“Mauricio!” Rosie was close to his face, but everything was dark again.
“Shhh!” Guen whispered from somewhere.
“Mauricio, I was scared that it was too late,” Rosie whispered in his ear.
“How…” Mauricio was still too tired to formulate whole sentences, but Rosie understood his question anyway.
“I heard my mother giving the order to get rid of you. Someone besides Guen noticed my escapade two nights ago.”
“Two nights…” Something loud was banging inside Mauricio’s head, but he thought he had heard correctly. How long have I been out?
“They kept you asleep while withdrawing… what they wanted from you. My mother doesn’t think that you are really worth the trouble, and today she decided that whatever they had was going to be enough.”
“Guen?” Mauricio was struggling to stay awake when his mind and his body wanted to faint. Why is a guard helping a slave?
“Guen… it’s a long story. I’ll tell you everything later. For now, what matters is that you are alive, thanks to her, and that you can trust her.” Rosie stood up at the sound of faraway steps. “Guen?”
Mauricio felt the floor vibrating with a stampede of steps and shuddered.
Rosie put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed softly. “I think I see Arias. Yes, there he is. I’m going to open the door. Be ready to haul him out. We don’t have much time left before the guards arrive,” Guen said. The whoosh sound of the door seemed louder than usual.
“Hurry!” Arias called from outside.
“Can he walk?” Guen asked, while coming back from the door.
“No, he keeps dozing on and off,” Rosie answered.
I’m here.
Guen made a guttural sound when she tried to raise Mauricio’s body from the floor. “We need help; he’s too heavy for the two of us.”
“I can’t come in. The dorms outside of the main building have a different power supply. My collar hasn’t shut down.” Arias was frustrated.
Guen swore loudly. “I hadn’t thought of this—” And she swore again.
“We’re going to make it.” Rosie breathed hard and then raised Mauricio by his shoulders. They took a few steps and were almost at the door when Mauricio’s body was shaken by a sudden tremor. Guen lost her grip on his legs and let him down. Rosie was dragged to the floor beneath him.
“I hear voices. Hurry up, now!” Arias was get
ting anxious. The steps were getting closer.
“Be still, please.” Rosie was now crying.
I can hear your heart racing, Mauricio thought, feeling comforted by her proximity.
“Now!” Arias was yelling.
“Are they coming for him?” Rosie asked.
“I’m afraid they’ve already discovered he hasn’t died. When they gassed the chamber, they also activated a vital-alarm.” Guen helped Rosie move Mauricio out of the way. “I had hoped we had more time.”
Stop talking so loud; my head hurts. But his wish wasn’t granted; nobody cared about being quiet anymore. Rosie’s, Arias’, and Guen’s voices were drowning under the noise of the guards running toward them
Guen and Rosie made a final, desperate attempt at carrying Mauricio outside. Arias reached his arms inside, and the shock from the collar kicked in. He screamed, but still managed to help the two women haul Mauricio through the door. Once outside, the older man relieved Guen and Rosie of their cargo, took Mauricio in his arms and started running.
“I’ll catch up with you later. I’ll try to buy you some time by locking the door from here.” Guen’s voice became fainter as Arias put some distance between the main building and them.
Mauricio wanted to throw up; his head was being tossed every which way, and his neck was bleeding.
“Don’t give up. We’ve almost reached safety.” Rosie was running along with Arias.
Mauricio hooked his mind to Rosie’s voice and used it as an anchor to remain conscious. He could feel the cold air of the night biting at his skin, which also helped. Finally, Arias stopped running and put him down on the ground.
“Are you too cold?” Rosie was immediately by his side.
No, I don’t feel cold.
“Are you in pain?”
“Yes,” he managed to answer.
“Is it too much? Can you bear it?” She was talking fast. “Arias, I don’t think he can bear it. He’s shivering.”
The Priest Page 11