Lush Trilogy

by S. L. Baum

  A line had been crossed with her. I thought I had carefully worded everything, but apparently I had not. “You said I could ask you anything.”

  “I said you could ask me anything, in private, Bluebell,” Cimarron said, cutting her eyes to the front seat where Gill was opening his door to get out. “Armory is an important facet of Concord. The Council has deemed it necessary. I believe you have all the information you need to know.”

  Gill opened the back door and Cimarron got out. She immediately walked toward the building, not waiting for me. I’d been dismissed.

  Gill held his hand out to help me out of the back seat. I smiled up at him. “Thank you, Gill.” I grabbed his hand.

  “You’re welcome, Bluebell.” Gill released my hand after I exited the vehicle. I stood next to him and smoothed my hair. “When I was in Incorporation, there was a young lady from the female side that looked a lot like you. I liked her very much. I like you too,” he said as he swung the door closed. “It’s good to question things and to seek information.”

  My hands dropped from my hair and fell down to my sides. He pointed behind me, and I turned my head to find the video team approaching. I looked back at him. “Gill…”

  He winked and gave me a slight nod. “Another time.”

  “Bluebell,” the man called out from behind me.

  Gill went around the front of the vehicle and got back behind the wheel. He waved at me as he pulled away. I took a deep breath and turned toward the quickly approaching team.

  “Bluebell, we are not authorized to record video of you inside of your Accommodations, but we have been given clearance to take some photographs of you inside the grand suite. The pictures will be placed on the Lush Ambassador Channel.”

  “How many do you need?”

  “One shot of you in each of the rooms.”

  “And the Citizens are interested in this?” I asked with disbelief. I didn’t quite understand why anyone would want to see a picture of me standing around inside of the suite. “I need to get ready for this evening.”

  “There is a request tab on the channel, and we were informed of the overwhelming response to this particular request. It will take no more than ten minutes. We must fulfill our orders.”

  I gestured toward the front entrance. “To the third floor.”

  “This is exciting,” whispered the female member of the team, as we walked through the front door. “I’ve never been inside this place before.”

  “It’s for travelers, and you don’t travel. Of course you haven’t been inside,” the man scoffed at her.

  I dutifully posed for the photographs, rushed through dinner, and then changed into a comfortable, but suitable, outfit. Even though she wasn’t as warm to me as she usually was, Cimarron stayed by my side for the rest of the evening. I suspected that her decision to remain ever present was fueled by her desire to make sure I didn’t voice my inappropriate questions to anyone else. With Cimarron on one side of me and Weaver on the other, I pushed all thoughts and questions to the back of my head once more. I tried to make myself smile, laugh, and enjoy the marginally humorous comedic video that I found completely predictable. But it was becoming more difficult to appear to be the ever perfectly pleasing girl that I was expected to be.

  The lights came back on as the creation credits scrolled across the wall screen. “What did you think?” Weaver asked.

  “It was an enjoyable evening,” Cimarron answered his question.

  Weaver smiled politely at Cimarron. I knew he had been expecting me to answer, not her. “What did you think?” Weaver asked again, making sure to look directly at me.

  “It was slightly predictable,” I answered honestly.

  His brow scrunched. “How so?”

  “It was a masterful example of the students’ talents,” Cimarron interrupted.

  Weaver turned his back to her and faced me. His body blocked my view of Cimarron. “How so?” he repeated.

  “Well, I think that the students have shown their ability to create something visually appealing and entertaining. The way the man kept tripping over everything, and the fact that the woman could never remember her mini tablet and had to turn around to retrieve it in every scene, was particularly amusing. I heard many Citizens laughing throughout the room.”

  “I agree. But…”

  “But… I knew what all the characters were going to do, even before they did it,” I tried to explain myself without somehow insulting the instructors or the students involved in creating the comedy. A little mystery, a little surprise, a twist at the end would have interested me more. But I kept all those thoughts in my head.

  “But don’t we all know what is expected of us? How could there be any other outcome?”

  I looked at Weaver and knew that as far as Concord and The Council were concerned, he was right. The only acceptable outcome was the expected one. So I donned one of Cimarron’s smiles and agreed with him. “You are absolutely correct. We all know what is expected of us.”

  “I’m glad to see you understand, now, Bluebell.” Cimarron poked her head around Weaver to look at me.

  “I am the Lush Ambassador. I’ve always understood,” I said with a dismissive wave, letting her know that she wasn’t the only one who could use that gesture. “How could you think otherwise?”

  A small look of worry crossed her face. “I di-didn’t.”

  “That woman was so forgetful,” Weaver said with a laugh.

  I looked away from Cimarron and smiled at Weaver. “Comically so. And the man was so clumsy.”

  Weaver laughed again. “I know! He definitely needed Medical after that last fall.”

  “Do you think he would have broke a bone, if it were a real situation?” I asked.

  “I do. He fell at such an awkward angle and with enough force to do so. The metal bin he landed on could do some serious internal damage.”

  Cimarron stood up. “I’m sure you would have done a masterful job of healing him. Don’t you agree, Bluebell?”

  I stood up as well and Weaver followed suit. “The man would have been as perfect as ever after a visit to Weaver,” I answered Cimarron’s question and then turned to offer him my extended praise. “And I’m sure you would have found a way to cure his clumsiness as well as heal his injuries.”

  He smiled and rested his hand at the small of my back. “Thank you. I am honored to serve the Citizens of Concord.”

  I took a step toward Cimarron and his hand fell from my back.

  “We must be going now,” Cimarron stated. “Bluebell needs her rest, and she still has a journal entry to write about her activities today.”

  “It is still early,” Weaver pointed out.

  “She has work to do.” Cimarron smiled at him. “I know you understand all about that, being a top Medical student.”

  “I do. Beta instilled a driving work ethic within me, within us all.”

  “Beta Two?” I asked.

  “No. I’m from One, just like you. I meant Beta One, the man with the immaculate grooming habits, with a strong emphasis on impeccable dress. I transferred over here for Medical. I’ll be transferring back as soon as my time at the CEC is complete. It shouldn’t be long now. Unless, that is, I put in for an instructional position. I haven’t decided what I want to do yet.” Weaver winked at me. He winked at me too much.

  “You’re from One?” I stared at him in disbelief.

  He nodded his head. “My family resides somewhat near yours.”

  Cimarron placed her hand on my elbow. “Yes. Well. We must be off. Bluebell, shall we?”

  She pushed at my elbow and I immediately moved forward. “Goodbye, Weaver.” I waved at him.

  He waved back. “I’ll message you.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief when Cimarron finally announced that we were finished for the evening. But that was only after we’d logged into the journal that had been set up, filled in all of the informational blocks that appeared on the screen, and went over my schedule for the fo
llowing day… only then was I allowed to retire. The first thing I did, after I closed and locked the door to my bedroom, was check my tablet. There was a message from Thorn. He told me to video chat him whenever I was able to, and that he’d be waiting up for me. There was also a message from Weaver, telling me that he hoped we’d be able to have some time to spend together… privately.

  I shook my head as I read Weaver’s message, and then pushed him out of my mind as I requested a video chat with Thorn.

  There was a tightness in my chest as I waited for the chat to connect. Thorn made me feel sane when my world felt like it was spinning upside down. He was the only person that I could truly confide in. At a time when I was questioning everything, the bond I had with Thorn was the one thing that felt genuine.

  His face appeared and I reached out to touch the screen. My fingers traced the image of his face. “Thorn!”

  He smiled and my world felt lighter, if just for a moment.

  “Hello, Blue. Gracious, it is so good to see your face. How have you been?”

  “It’s good to see your face too. I’ve been busy. I’m not used to talking so much. My mouth actually hurts from it.”

  “So, I’m guessing Cimarron kept you on a tight schedule today?”

  “Cimarron and The Council. She’s already been sent a couple of updates to our schedule. She said that she’ll constantly keep my calendar updated, and I’m supposed to check it all the time. Which is ridiculous, since she is always right beside me. She just told me that we will be having a nightly run down, which we just finished, so this is the earliest I’ll ever be able to chat with you.”

  “It’s not that late, I’ll wait up for you. If this is when I get to see you, then this will be my favorite time of day.”

  “Mine, too.” I smiled and my whole body relaxed. “I have a public journal now, with pictures taken of me during the day and anecdotes that I have to write up about my experiences – all Cimarron approved, though. She sat next to me and said yes or no to each sentence I typed. You can read it and look through it if want. I think it will be up in the morning. It has to go through an approval process first.”

  “I’ll look for it. I’m sure an icon will appear on my tablet tomorrow. There was a video recap of your day announced earlier. I watched part of it; it was nice to see your face. But it doesn’t seem like I’m really watching you, just a version of you. The video is so stylized and edited.”

  “I’m becoming stylized and edited.”

  Thorn just stared at me with a wide smile on his face. “Check it.”

  “Check what?”

  “That thing you told me about in the park.”

  I closed my eyes, puzzled, but trying to remember. He was talking to me in code. What had I told him about in the park? I opened my eyes and looked at him with confusion.

  “That thing that I reminded you about at your Gala,” he added.

  The secret tablet. My eyes lit up as I realized what he was talking about. I nodded my head at him and retrieved the bag that held my tablets. I pried open the bottom, where I’d hid the tablet, and pulled it out. Keeping my back to Thorn, I placed my finger in the center of the tablet and waited for it to scan my print and then come to life. Incoming Message flashed on the screen.

  I opened the message.

  My father let me in on a secret. He knows about your tablet. He didn’t give it to you, but he knows the people who did, and he has the ability to let me send messages to it. I don’t know any more than that, right now. But this is a way that we can communicate without our conversations being observed and analyzed. Talk to me on video chat about regulation things, and then type to me what you really want to say. But keep it off screen.

  I put the secret tablet on my lap and looked back at Thorn.

  “My ring, right? You are talking about my ring. It’s right here,” I said holding up my hand and twirling the ring around my finger.

  I lowered my hands and placed my fingers on the screen of the tablet resting on my lap, and I typed. I can hardly believe this.

  Thorn smiled at me. “Exactly. I was wondering if you took it with you.” How has your memory been since you left?

  “I had to. It’s my favorite piece of jewelry.” Good. No problems so far. I was able to get some pills today that will help bring memories back. But I guess I’d have to know they were missing, first.

  Thorn’s face brightened. “That’s wonderful.” Really wonderful. “I can’t wait to read your Lush Ambassador Journal tomorrow. Concord is lucky to have such a wonderful example of a perfect young Citizen.”

  “That is nice of you to say, Thorn. You are so good to me. I really value your friendship.” What would I do without you? There was a file on this tablet last night that basically accused Concord of negligence in Citizens’ deaths.

  What?

  I don’t think all accidental deaths are really accidental.

  My mother!

  I don’t know. But it raised questions about Aspen’s mother’s death. Too much typing. We should be talking. “Thorn?” I said, trying to get him to respond to our last spoken words.

  “I can say the same about you. I’m glad we became friends.”

  I smiled at him. “How are your studies going at the CEC?”

  “Very well. My instructors say I have real writing talent.” I need to ask my father about this. I can’t believe it.

  “I knew that from the first time I read one of your stories.” Be careful.

  There was a knock at my bedroom door. “Bluebell, are you video chatting?” Cimarron asked.

  I took the tablet off my lap and slid it under my legs. “Yes.” I called out.

  “You should probably end the chat now. You need your rest.”

  I didn’t want to but I knew that she’d insist if I resisted. “I will, in just a minute.”

  “Alright, but be quick about it.”

  “I will, I promise,” I called back, hoping that would satisfy her.

  I heard her footsteps as she walked away from the door and I brought the tablet back onto my lap. Thorn grimaced into the camera.

  “I guess we should go now. As Cimarron said, I need my rest,” I sighed.

  “Not a problem. The Lush girl must be well rested and alert!” he said with a laugh. “Until tomorrow.”

  “Until tomorrow.” I’m so glad I can talk to you.

  “Sleep well.” Me too.

  “I’ll try.” I waved into the camera until the video chat closed and Thorn’s face was gone.

  Chapter Nine

  Dinner and Drinks

  One day bled into another during the rest of my week at Concord Two. My day spent at Training Tech was probably the only truly enjoyable day that I had. I loved interacting with the students, especially the young ones. They were so happy to have a visitor and marveled at my Brand. Eating lunch in them in the cafeteria, and remembering my own time spent at One’s Training Tech, was comforting. It wasn’t that long ago that I was in their place. Things were easier then. I was blind and innocent and trusting before I received my Brand, which made it all so much simpler. It was becoming quite difficult to navigate through the mess that my life had become.

  I never had another moment alone with Gill. Cimarron was always at my side. But when he looked at me in the rearview mirror, or as I was getting in and out of the vehicle, I could tell that he was just as upset about that fact as I was. I was desperate to know if there was anything he could tell me about my mother, and I waited for another stolen moment with him, without the video team or the prying eyes of other Citizens.

  My video chats with Thorn were kept short. Cimarron knocked on my door each night exactly five minutes after I retired for the evening. After the second night she knocked once and then quickly opened the door. I’d barely been able to hide the secret tablet before she walked into the room, looked at Thorn on my screen, and told the both of us that it was time to say goodbye. After that, we decided that it would be best to keep our typed conversations to a q
uick two minutes at the beginning of our video chat.

  Thorn had asked his father if he was suspicious of his mother’s death and was stunned at the answer. His father told him that while Thorn was a Year One, his mother had not been feeling well. She was easily tired and at times found herself short of breath. She had her yearly physical and was told that there was nothing wrong with her; that she was in perfect health. But about a week later, still feeling unusually tired, she was out shopping, walking along the street, when a vehicle hit her. A chauffeur had swerved to avoid something in the road and Thorn’s mother was the innocent victim. The chauffeur was reprimanded and demoted, but Thorn’s mother was gone.

  His father had always suspected that the two incidents were related. He never voiced his feelings to Thorn or his co-workers and friends, because he knew that he would be marked as a wicked and lying Citizen, for even suggesting that Concord was somehow responsible for his wife’s death. But eventually, he found a group of people that he felt comfortable confiding in. He told Thorn he was relieved when Thorn asked him about it. He’d put off telling his son for too long.

  That was all the information we were able to pass during the week, and it took a few days for Thorn to type all of it out. He could only send a few sentences at a time, before Cimarron came bursting into my room each evening. I was stunned, and walked through my daily Ambassador duties in a daze. What sort of Concord was I living in? It surely wasn’t the one that I’d been groomed to believe in, all my life.

  All I wanted was to be able to be near Thorn, but instead, during my week in Two, Weaver had become my shadow. He was in attendance at every event I went to during the week. He wasn’t always at my side, for that I was grateful, but he was always there. He messaged me nightly, with a quick two lines, trying to be humorous, caring, or filled with bravado… but all he succeeded in doing was to give me an uneasy feeling about him. I felt as if I was being sized me up, like Weaver was measuring my worth to him, inspecting me. And I was pretty sure he had a Marriage Contract at the front of his mind. I couldn’t wait for Sunday to arrive, and with it my exit from Two as we journeyed to Concord Three.