The ARC 01: Tainted

by Alexandra Moody

  I’m in a large room that extends as far as the eye can see. It must be at least four stories high, with huge round lamps that hang from the roof. Below them, metal suspended walkways network like an intricate spider’s web just above my head.

  And there, below the lights and under the walkways, an expanse of greenery grows. Neat and endless rows of vegetation shoot off into the distance, with the smallest of concrete pathways cutting between the leafy plants.

  The air around me is thick with moisture. The earthy, fresh smell of mint combined with the rich, robust aroma of rosemary tingles at my nose, and the soft gentle trickle of sprinklers reaches my ears.

  I am in the Plantation, my favourite place in the ARC.

  I take a moment to revel in the calm, exotic atmosphere of the place. Then I set off into the greenery. I know I don’t have much time before the workers clock on for the day and there’s no way I plan on getting caught. I have to act fast if I want to reach the far corner of the vast garden in time. I don’t need to search, or mindlessly wander through the endless rows of plants though. I already know exactly where Ryan will be.

  When I reach the olive grove I catch my first glimpse of the apple orchard that lies just beyond. It is glorious, and as always the trees are covered in the shiny red fruit. Below one of the large trees, set slightly apart from the others, stands a man cloaked in shadow. Ryan. He’s standing waiting for me and I find my stride naturally lengthens, the closer that I get.

  As I reach him he tosses an apple to me. I catch it, laugh and take a bite. The first taste is ecstasy as the sweet crisp juice drizzles through my mouth. I find I have to stop myself from groaning out loud in delight.

  I can’t even remember the last apple I’d tasted. Maybe Christmas? I wonder. Unfortunately, the more indulgent, perishable food is saved for those in the ARC of higher importance. After talk of further rationing in the Council meeting last night, I can’t be certain I’ll get to taste another one any time soon.

  ‘Hey Elle,’ Ryan says, as he reaches up to pluck another apple from the tree. He’s smiling, but under the bright lamps his face seems lined with worry.

  ‘Ryan,’ I muffle, placing my hand over my mouth in an attempt to disguise the apple I still munch on.

  ‘I was worried you weren’t going to come.’ He’s looking down at his own half-eaten apple, and his face creases as though he’s bothered by the thought.

  ‘And miss out on this?’ I say, taking a second decisive bite of my apple. ‘No way.’

  He laughs and eases himself down onto the grass that grows under the tree. ‘How’s school?’ he asks, as I sit down on the ground next to him.

  I raise my eyebrows at him and ignore the question. He knows I don’t want to talk about school. He’s thirteen years older than me; he could hardly be interested in how I went in my latest math’s test.

  ‘Okay, no school talk.’ He looks at me more seriously. ‘Your testing is coming up soon. Isn’t it?’

  I stare back at him and struggle to respond. Testing, such a testy topic. I’ve only just gotten past the stress of Quinn’s testing and I don’t particularly want to talk about my own.

  My fingers begin to restlessly pull at the grass that tickles my fingertips. ‘Yes. I have my testing in a few weeks,’ I admit.

  ‘You’ll be fine,’ he reassures me. ‘There’s nothing for you to worry about.’ It’s nice of him to say, but he really doesn’t have to. I’m fine with being tested. It’s everyone else getting tested that scares me senseless.

  ‘You probably shouldn’t be in here with me, but I couldn’t help myself. I know how much you love this place.’

  He’s right; I do love this place. I imagine it’s the closest thing to the surface, before impact, I might ever get to see. I mean yeah, we do have the virtual reality simulators, but they only give you a visual of what surface life used to be. At least here in the Plantation you can feel the moisture in the air, smell the freshness of the plants.

  ‘Do you ever wonder if maybe we could return to the surface?’ I ask him.

  He frowns and looks at the ground around us, as though searching for another apple. ‘Why do you ask that?’ His words are slow and seem carefully chosen.

  I consider telling him about what I overheard in the Council Chambers, but immediately disregard it. I’m not even certain what Ryan does for the ARC and I don’t want to get Sebastian or myself in trouble.

  ‘I just wondered.’ I shrug.

  He glances up at me, his curious eyes probing me for answers, before turning away to continue his search for fallen apples. ‘When the surface becomes sustainable again for people, they will return to it,’ he says, confidently.

  I watch Ryan closely. His eyes are guarded and it seems like he’s holding back. I can’t tell if he knows something or if he is simply recounting the same lines we’ve always been told. The way he’s acting though, I think it’s safe to assume he knows more.

  ‘Is there something I’m missing?’ I ask.

  I receive no response to this. He simply shakes his head and looks up, laughter replacing the restrained look in his eyes.

  The reaction reminds me so much of our first meeting—well, first collision. It was about a year ago. I’d been walking through the dining hall juggling both Quinn’s food tray and mine when I bumped into him. Literally. I was so focused on the trays of food I ploughed straight into him.

  His hands were quick to steady me as I lost my footing, and miraculously I didn’t lose anything from my trays. I looked up to apologise for my idiocy, but my brain turned to mush and, for a second, time seemed to stand still.

  He had shaken his head just like he’s doing now, and his eyes danced with amusement. He helped me rebalance my items, then without a word walked right past me.

  In my state of shock, I failed to string two words together. He was good looking, yes, but that wasn’t what really stopped me in my tracks. It was what I’d seen in his eyes. They had been so bright and playful, with what felt like a hint of recognition. By the time I’d found my tongue again and turned to say thanks, he had gone.

  Ryan still sits there amused. His eyes finally land on an apple. He stretches his arm right out to grab it, and begins rubbing it on his trousers before popping it in his pocket.

  ‘Ryan,’ I say. ‘Am I missing something?’ I still can’t shake the feeling he’s keeping something from me.

  ‘No,’ he responds, almost to himself, the smile falling from his face. He stands abruptly, and walks a few steps away, out of the shadow of the tree. I quietly get up to follow him, uncertain why his mood has changed so suddenly

  ‘You should go,’ he says. His voice is calm and distant. ‘You’ve got school to get to. Plus you need to leave before the farmers come to work for the day. I won’t have you getting into trouble on my account.’ He takes a deep breath before he continues. ‘I’m not going to be back for a while.’

  I turn away from him and bow my head. Every time is the same; he will suddenly turn up and then just as quickly he will disappear again for months on end. He is constantly leaving. I can only guess at what he’s doing, but he won’t tell me, and I will no longer ask.

  ‘Okay,’ I say quietly. ‘I understand.’ He grabs a hold of my shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

  Why must he be constantly leaving? I like our talks, but it feels like they’re becoming few and far between.

  I turn back around to say goodbye, but he’s already gone.

  CHAPTER NINE

  I’m running late and I can only blame myself.

  After I left the apple tree I was distracted. My thoughts were so tangled, obsessing over the mystery that is Ryan, I nearly ran into several farmers. It was only through sheer luck I managed to avoid them. I ended up having to hide in a pumpkin patch while they stood there having a good old chat. They’d just arrived for the day and were attempting to delay starting work, so it felt like they talked there forever.

  I spent the entirety of my time hiding fuming
at myself. If I had been concentrating I would have heard them a mile away and chosen a different path.

  Eventually they moved on and I continued my race to get to school on time. The hallways were crazy busy. It was that time of day when it seemed like everyone in the ARC had somewhere to be. The Atrium alone took me five minutes to get through.

  When I finally make it to the school lobby, I’m puffing like I’ve just played a full game of basketball. Luckily, the large bright room still has students milling around in it, so I’ve made it in time.

  ‘Elle!’ I hear my name called. ‘Over here!’

  Sebastian waves at me from the far side of the room. I frown and approach him very cautiously. He seems to be acting like last night didn’t happen and this has me feeling very tense.

  He’s standing out the front of the English classroom chatting animatedly to some girl who I only vaguely recognise. I think she’s in his year, but I’ve never spoken to her. Well, whoever she is, she seems to be engrossed in whatever he is telling her.

  As I approach I hear him say, ‘Well I guess I’ll catch you later Chelsea.’ Her shoulders slouch with disappointment as she is effectively dismissed. Sebastian turns to me, remorse evident on his face.

  ‘Elle…’ he begins, apologetically.

  ‘What do you want Sebastian?’ I dig my hands into my pockets and rock on the backs of my shoes.

  ‘I’m sorry. I was out of line last night.’ I watch him quietly, allowing him space to explain. ‘I was just in a bad place and I seriously overreacted.’

  Trying to kick a hole in the wall seems to go way beyond overreacting.

  He scratches his head, concern furrowing his brow. ‘Listen, I just wanted you to know that I realise I shouldn’t have taken my own issues out on you.’

  ‘No you shouldn’t have. I still don’t even know what you were upset about.’ He shifts uneasily as I stare at him, waiting for him to explain.

  ‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ he mutters uncomfortably.

  ‘Well I think I deserve to know, given the way you acted towards me. Did I do something wrong?’

  He doesn’t respond.

  ‘Were you angry because I questioned you about finding that room?’ I ask quietly, admitting what I fear is the problem.

  ‘No, of course not. Honestly Elle, I was being stupid. It’s nothing.’

  I cross my arms, waiting for an explanation, not believing he would ever act the way he did over nothing.

  He ignores my crossed arms and obvious disbelief, and gives me his most charming smile. ‘So, friends?’ he asks.

  ‘Are you really not going to explain what this is all about?’

  He slowly shakes his head. ‘I’m sorry about last night, really I am. Please will you forgive me?’

  I sigh and unfold my arms. He’s turning all of his charm on me this morning and it’s hard enough to resist at the best of times. I feel my will to be angry with him dissolve. ‘Well are you planning on arguing with me again anytime soon?’

  ‘Of course not.’

  ‘Then I guess we can be friends. But I’m still upset you’d lash out at me the way you did. And, well, just no more freak-outs! Okay?’ I’m way too easy on this guy.

  He laughs in response. ‘I think I can agree to that.’

  We stand in uncomfortable silence for a minute.

  ‘So who was that girl you were talking to before?’ I ask, trying to act like things are back to normal.

  ‘Who Chelsea? She’s just a girl in my year,’ he responds.

  ‘She’s cute, and she seems interested. Are you going to take her on a date?’

  He looks down at his feet and shuffles them. ‘She’s just a friend. Besides, I’m waiting for the one,’ he says in an attempt to joke, but I swear his cheeks are turning pink.

  ‘Oh, by the way, I have something for you,’ I say, as the bell for class rings overhead.

  ‘What, even though I’m a psycho?’

  ‘Yes, even though you’re a psycho.’

  He looks up intrigued. Are his eyes a brighter shade of blue today? As I look into them, the tingling I’d felt the other night awakens, and I can feel it slowly building in my stomach. I glare down at it accusingly. If you don’t stop that, I will punch you, I warn it.

  He looks at me as if to say, ‘I’m waiting,’ so I quickly rush on.

  ‘But not until lunch. And not here,’ I lower my voice to a murmur, ‘Let’s meet in the archives.’ I know no one will see what I’ve brought for him there.

  ‘The archives,’ he repeats. ‘Okay. Till then!’ He winks and walks through the door to his English class.

  I turn back around to the foyer, which is now slowly emptying of students, and head across to the history classroom. I’m incredulous; how has he managed to wiggle his way back onto my good side with such ease? That boy should give lessons! Then again, I’ve never been able to stay angry with him.

  I spot Gemma towards the back of the room and I head to the seat next to hers.

  ‘You’ll never guess what happened to me last night!’ she exclaims, as I approach.

  ‘Let me guess … Cam?’ I say with a laugh, as I pull my chair out and take a seat. It’s hardly a guessing game.

  ‘Yep,’ she says proudly. ‘He took me on a date.’ She says it as though she hardly believes it herself. They’ve been flirting for long enough though, she shouldn’t be so surprised.

  ‘Where did you guys go?’

  ‘Well he’s been doing his community service hours at the cinema and I guess he’s become quite friendly with the manager there. He talked him into letting us have the cinema to ourselves to watch a movie.’

  ‘That’s amazing!’

  ‘I know. It was very unexpected. He only asked me once everyone left basketball.’

  ‘How was your mum about it?’ I ask delicately. Her mum can be an absolute nightmare.

  ‘Pissed, as you can imagine. I wasn’t home until late.’

  ‘How late?’ I ask.

  She blushes in reply. ‘Late…’

  ‘Gemma!’ I gently thump her arm.

  ‘What? We just kissed a bit…’

  ‘A bit? I can see the hickey from here!’

  ‘What!’ The colour drains from her face and she grabs the side of her neck.

  I burst out laughing. She’s too easy to fool.

  ‘So not funny Elle,’ she says, thumping my arm in return.

  Ms. Matthews enters the room, and the chatty hubbub of the class quietens. I lean back in my chair, still smiling, and get ready to switch my mind off. I find spacing out is harder than usual today though, and my interest is piqued when Ms. Matthews opens the case she carries to reveal a virtual projector.

  You can almost feel the contagious buzz of excitement spread through the classroom when she announces that today we are focusing on the world just before the day of impact.

  She turns the projector on and the entire room is engulfed in images. We are immersed in simulations of tall majestic buildings and large burgeoning cities. Forests that are green, lush and alive buzz with activity. Tall ancient oaks stand strong, untouched for an age and a surreal atmosphere is created under a canopy of trees, as subdued light flickers through the leaves.

  Students sit forward in their seats when a simulation of a beach surrounds us. It is bathed in the orange and purple glow of the sun setting along the endless horizon. Even Ms. Matthews’ bored face lights up as she gazes at the sun. She at least can remember the feel of its warmth across her skin and I can’t decide whether that’s better or worse.

  As the image flicks to a towering mountain, cloaked in an eerie mist, I shudder. My whole body begins shaking and feels as though it’s been fully submerged in the ice that clings to the rocky peak. My own memories of a different mountain arise and my thoughts are helplessly captured by them. My eyes no longer see the virtual simulations and instead I am surrounded by the one day I never want to think about.

  There is screaming, so much screaming, as peopl
e fight their way past each other, desperate to find their way to the front of the mob. The adults all tower over me and from this far away it’s impossible to see the huge dark gate carved into the side of the mountain. I know exactly where it is though. Everyone is desperate to be one the few refugees to make their way across its threshold, so they all rush frantically towards it.

  Most people seem terrified, clinging to their loved ones as they attempt to protect them. But it is nothing compared to the complete fear I feel welling up inside me. My parents are gone, I have no idea where, and I am alone in a world submerged in crying and shoving and panicked screams.

  The sound is all too familiar and even now, years later, I can still remember the screams with remarkable clarity. This is one of the few, flickering memories I have from before impact. It has haunted me over the years, almost as much as the half-formed impressions of warmth and love I have from before that.

  The others stare longingly at the simulation, but my hands clench as I wait for it to be turned off. The bell finally chimes for lunch and we all quietly pack our tablets back into our bags. In silent contemplation we head for the door and everyone spills out into the busy foyer. The crowd is a far cry from my memories of the day of impact. It’s more like the ocean simulation I watched earlier, one strong but calm surge towards the dining hall. I tell Gemma I’ll catch her later and then slip between the other students to make my way into the library.

  As I enter the archive room I gently close the door behind me. Sebastian sits on the floor, behind one of the library stacks, his back propped up against the wall. He closes the book on his lap as I walk over.

  ‘A bit of light reading?’ I ask. The book in his hands is huge.

  He wiggles it up in the air. ‘You just wish you had the patience to get through a whole book,’ he retorts.

  I screw my nose up at him. As I do, I glance at the cover of the book, ‘Post Apocalypse: The Lysart Asteroid’s Effect on the Surface,’ the title says.

  ‘You’re reading through all that surface literature again?’ I thought he’d given up on all the conspiracy theories that used to circulate.