I was so confused, the huge applause barely registered in my mind. What choice? I didn’t remember any choice about anything. Something was off, but I just didn’t know what.
“And since it would take too long otherwise,” said Challan. “We’ve chosen only a few patrons to make their decisions here. The rest will make theirs privately.”
And then a process began. A process that, try as I might, I couldn’t figure out.
A name appeared, projected onto a large screen above the terrace. A woman in one of the seats across from us got up and came forward. She stood on the ground below the terrace and looked up at the large screen, which showed pictures of the kids from The Island Program and some information about them. After the woman stood there for a moment, looking up at the screen she made her way up to the terrace and Challan handed her a smaller screen. She then pressed something and the large screen zoomed in on a photo. I recognized the girl it displayed immediately. It was Every.
“Every Clint” Challan said.
After a moment of silence, Every stood up and made her way to the front. When she got there, she was surrounded by a crew of camera men. Then a live image of her showed up on the screen. The woman walked down from the terrace and back to her seat and after a minute, Every sat back down as well.
This exact process repeated, over and over. People of all ages went up, some younger than me and some much older, but still, I had no clue of what was going on or why. The more time that passed, the harder I tried to figure out what was going on. And as I tried harder to figure it out, I only grew even more confused and frustrated. It was like all the answers were right in front of me, but I couldn’t quite grasp them. Like looking through a glass window that’s fogged over; you can see the objects on the other side, but you don’t know exactly what they are.
14
Finally, roughly three hours later, Challan once more stepped forward to speak.
“That brings us to the end for today,” she said. “I know some of you are worried about the issue of the disease, but I wanted to assure you that we fully intend to continue The Island Program. We’ve already taken care of things on the island, and are presently transporting the children we have chosen, back. Thank you and I hope you’ll all continue with your generous support.”
The audience applauded as if she’d just made the most profound and beautiful speech they’d ever heard. But I could barely hear their applause. I was too deep in thought. Challan had said they'd gotten things on the island 'taken care of'. Did that mean the kids left on the island were dead now? If so, is that where they'd taken everyone under the age of seven? It would make sense then that some others as well were missing, because they'd need older ones, as well.
Walking away, once more divided into groups, I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed—like I was leaving a place I really liked. Because even though it had been frustrating and I hadn’t figured out anything, the whole experience had been pretty amazing. All those people, the tall buildings...I’d certainly never forget it. If I’d been free, I would have gone to the top of the tallest building in the city and looked down over everything.
As we loaded into the bus, I looked back one last time and finally noticed just how incredible the place really was. The tall buildings formed a pathway, glistening white, silver, blue and gold. The pathway led to an even more magnificent building. There was gorgeous architecture; from the blue trim on the windows, to the white marble stairs. And every aspect of every detail was absolutely perfect.
During the drive back, I once more, took in everything; noticing little things that I hadn’t before. Like the curve of a certain roof or how two parks were noticeably similar. Then when we reached The Island Program building, I remembered to try and blend in. Fortunately, all went well. I exited the bus with my head low. While making our way through the halls, I stuck to the middle of the group and acted just like everyone else—nervously whispering, and glancing around anxiously.
When I reached my room I finally relaxed a little. It felt so good to know I actually was supposed to be there and didn’t have to sneak everywhere I went. I didn’t have much time to rest up though. Nearly as soon as I’d sat down, I heard a voice over the microphone, telling everyone in group two that they had to be down in the cafeteria in five minutes.
I got up, fixing my hair as I walked. I needed to look just as fresh as earlier, rather than looking as if I’d been gone for hours. I caught up with Vanissa in the hallway and she looked relieved to see me. Maybe, since I hadn’t gone to her room, she’d assumed something had happened to me. I was glad though, that she didn’t ask me any questions. Possibly, she’d made a close guess at what had happened the other night.
When we reached the cafeteria, six of the fourteen had already gathered there. The others, I could see, making their way through the hall and down the stairs. No one was talking much though, just looking at each other in a scared, nervous way. I took a seat by Vanissa and neither of us said much either. Only meaningless questions and guesses as to where we’d be going and what we’d be doing there.
I wondered if—after today—we really would be free. I wanted it so badly, to be free and to have a normal life, both for myself and my friends. And yet, somehow, realistically I didn’t see how it would ever be possible. And even if they did let us go; what then? We didn’t have money or a place to stay and none of us had any idea of where our relatives were or even if we had any living. I didn’t have any idea of what we’d do. Maybe, in time out future would present itself.
Just then a few attendants arrived to take us to our ride. We went the same way as the last time—through halls, up an elevator, through more halls and then down some stairs. The buss was much smaller this time because there was so few of us, but the seats were much more comfortable. I sat with Vanissa in the back row in the aisle seat. The reason being, I was too tired to look at the scenery and I’d already seen so much earlier, I wanted to let Vanissa see it.
The bus was quiet and the ride was long, so before I knew it, I’d drifted off to sleep—a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
I was jolted awake by the bus coming to a stop. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and looked out the window. We’d stopped at a small but sophisticated looking building. Outside the building there were shady trees, perfectly trimmed hedges, and a path leading up to the entrance. It looked like it might be some sort of meeting place for important people. To confirm my thoughts two guards stood at the entrance and a sign on the door read ‘authorized personnel only’ in large lettering. But I guess we really would be with at least one ‘important person’ because Challan was the President and therefore a very important person.
I slid out of my seat and followed Vanissa down the aisle. By the looks of things I wasn’t the only one that was tired. Everyone seemed to be moving twice as slow as usual, slowly filing out of the bus, looking as if they hadn't slept in days.
When I stepped out into the fresh air, I squinted, almost wanting to go back into the dark bus. But the sunshine woke me up fully and I felt a little bit of energy returning.
To get in, an attendant simply pulled out, what I think was an ID card, and the guards let us in.
When we got inside, I looked all around; slightly stunned. The room was just so much nicer than I’d expected. I'd expected grey walls and hard floors. Instead, I found myself standing in a room with plush carpet and crystal chandeliers gilded with gold, hanging above my head. On one side of the room there was a row of cushioned seats. On the other a small stage-like platform with red curtains. Just in front of the stage there was a row of cylinder shaped pedestals, each a few feet high.
An attendant led us over to them and pressed a button that lowered them and told us each to step onto a certain one. So we had to stand on pedestals as if on display, while whoever else was coming got cushioned seats. But all the same, when it was my turn I stepped on to the stand and the attendant once more pressed a button that lifted the pedestal back to its original height.
>
By the time everyone had arrived, it was evident that I’d been right; they really did look like they were ‘important’ or of important rank. I could tell by the way they dressed, the way they walked and even the way they ate the little cookies available on tables to the side of the room. Watching them take little bites out of the frosted sugar cookies made me hungry. I made a mental note to eat all my dinner that night, no matter what my nerves were doing to me.
Hearing a noise behind me, I turned to see Challan walk out from behind the curtains. Immediately, the room fell silent and everyone hurried back to their seats. Challan stood, stiff and serious and I wondered if this personality would be her real one or simply another fake.
After she had begun her speech with her usual welcome, accompanied by a few words of gratitude for certain people’s ‘generous’ support, she went on to talk about how The Island Program would be continuing. She said that since they were the most important people willing to support The Island Program, they’d be getting to choose from the strongest and healthiest The Island Program had to offer. Then she said something that, though I didn’t yet understand, set off an alarm in my brain, telling me something wasn’t right.
“As you know,” she said. “Your support will support us in a much different way than regular people’s support. You have to set an example; show people there is still hope to get out. We simply have to make it seem as if the only thing we’re lacking for success is more support from them.”
Her words swam around in my mind, trying to find a place in all the information I had, where they fit in. I knew I should know exactly why they bothered me, but I just had no idea. I guess I was still missing a piece in the puzzle.
The process that began next was similar to the one I’d seen earlier. Everyone walked up and down the row of pedestals, examining us and every once in a while checking some things on small screens they carried with them.
“Looks healthy enough,” a man commented while looking at Vanissa. “How far is she going to make it?”
“We’re still not sure on everyone yet,” said Challan. “But I think a few of them will be going pretty far. We need to show the people there’s still hope.”
“I guess I’ll be her patron,” the man said. “It can’t hurt as long as she makes it far enough.”
I kept watching as each person picked an islander, and the whole time I tried to make sense of everything going on. But try as I might, I couldn’t figure it out. I tried to listen more carefully to what they were saying but none of it made sense. I was about to just give up, when someone chose the girl right next to me. As usual, they asked a few questions and spent a few moments examining her. But then something unexpected happened.
“How exactly are you going to choose who makes it the furthest?” the woman examining the girl asked.
“Well, we have to pick someone who looks convincing enough,” said Challan. “They have to look like the strongest or smartest one so it's believable, and not unnatural. We don’t know exactly yet, but here’s a map that shows an estimate.”
An attendant walked over carrying a large screen. When the attendant was showing it to the woman, it was at just the right angle for me to see what it showed. Very discreetly, I turned my head towards it. What it showed wasn’t at all what I’d expected. But it wasn’t completely unimaginable either. In fact, it was something I’d seen before. A wall, with a city on one side and stripes of color on the other—a stripe of red, then purple, then green, and last of all black. There were lines drawn from the wall and through the colors, all ending a different distance away from the end of the map. At the spot where each line ended, there was a picture of one of us.
And suddenly, all the pieces came together. Like a puzzle I’d been trying to complete but I’d been missing a piece. All the events that had been vital in figuring it out began to fall into place. The country of Paciscor, the wall, The Other Side, the test, the secret section, the maps, the cheering crowds…The Island Program. And the truth hit me so hard, all the air was sucked out of my lungs and I stumbled forward; nearly doubling over in shock.
15
This is what I’d figured out about the Island Program: Challan had said that the strongest, most capable people were chosen to try and make it through The Other Side. She had said they were given a choice either to go or to pay a price—all that was true. But here’s what wasn’t true: Eventually, Paciscor was completely surrounded by a treacherous wasteland, filled with deadly creatures and inescapable traps—every part of that wilderness, designed to kill anyone who entered it. They had decided the cause was that they were not alone in the world, as they'd assumed—there was another country and they were using creaticalls, (as people had begun calling any of the man-made creatures, wilderness, or weather), to trap the citizens of Paciscor inside. Their motives were probably simple—a way of avoiding future war, possibly. So they'd built walls around Paciscor, to keep the creaticalls out—once in a while, however, they still managed to get in. The area beyond the walls became known as The Other Side.
It was true that The Other side was treacherous and it was true that it was man-made. But it hadn’t been made by someone in the outside world. The Other side; all its dangers, were simply being controlled by someone inside the walls.
But, to keep people from growing suspicious and turning on the government, they made it seem as if they were making progress and still trying new ways to get out. So they had cameras in The Other Side to film people trying to escape. And when they made progress, it gave people hope. When they died it made people too afraid to try and escape themselves. So why not just use actors and not really kill anyone? Well, I guess maybe because the most realistic acting isn’t acting at all.
But I could guess that nearly every time they selected someone to go into The Other Side, the person chose to pay the price. And now I knew what that price was. It was us. If they didn’t go, they had to promise a certain amount of their future children, to the government. If they couldn't give their children or find someone else to go for them, then they'd be forced to go into The Other Side.
The reason for us growing on the island wasn’t hard to understand either. If we’d grown up in Paciscor, we’d have friends and people who cared about us. Then when we died people might begin to see how evil it really was. So they told people that we’d grow up on the island so we’d be stronger and more experienced in trying to survive. But they told the people that we’d have a choice once we were sixteen and that if we didn’t want to, we didn’t have to go into The Other Side. So people thought when they were giving their children to The Island Program that they would get to have a normal life once they turned sixteen. But it wasn’t true. We weren’t given a choice. They were simply going to put us into The Other Side and kill us once we got to a certain point.
And, so people wouldn’t get discouraged, they made it seem as if all they were missing was more donations to help them develop technology that might help in getting through The Other Side. And that explained earlier that day how people were choosing kids to be the patrons of. In other words, all their money would go to helping that particular person. And these people here were simply pretending to give donations to The Island Program to set an example. They actually knew exactly when each person was going to die.
I pushed myself up slowly; resting my hands on my knees. I was gasping; struggling to breathe at a normal rate. Undoubtedly, everyone in the room was staring at me, so I changed my gasp into heavy breathing as best I could, as if startled.
“Are you alright?” asked Vanissa from a few platforms down, probably giving me a chance to turn the attention away from myself.
I forced my shock aside for a moment and jerked myself into an upright position.
“Oh,” I managed. “I’m fine, I just tripped. I thought I was going to fall off the platform.”
As if my words had convinced everyone in the room, the tension relaxed and things went back to normal. But for me, the rest of the time was a blur.
The process repeated again and again and I hardly noticed when someone chose me. All I could think the whole time was: Priscila’s going to die. Kendall's going to die. So is Vanissa. So are Owen and Livia—so am I. But fortunately, by the time the attendant came over to help us down from the pedestals, I’d gotten past those kinds of thoughts and my brain was working double time to find a way out—a way out of this situation, way out of the watchful eye of cameras, and a way out of The Island Program.
At first I wasn’t sure of how to let Vanissa know of what I’d figured out, but then I realized that in the short walk from the building to the bus, there wouldn’t be cameras watching us. (At least I hoped there wouldn’t.) I’d have to find the perfect words though; somehow manage to let her know what I’d figured out and what we’d have to do about it. And I’d only have about a minute to do it.
I tried desperately to appear calm; the exact opposite of what I was. I only had one chance. That was all. If I somehow messed up and Vanissa didn’t understand there’d be no going back. Once we stepped onto the bus we’d never be free of the cameras again. So, hoping no one would notice, I walked straight by Vanissa and looked directly at her. And, to my relief she seemed to understand, because in a moment she’d joined me at the front of the line.
The minute we stepped out of the door, I turned to Vanissa and began talking to her in a rapid tone.
“Listen,” I said. “We have to get out. We’re going to die if we don’t. The price people paid so they wouldn’t have to go into The Other Side—it was us.”
She was looking at me; confused. “Britta, what do mean? I don't—"
“Their using us,” I said, cutting her off. I then spoke as hurriedly as I could, so I could give her all the information she needed in as little time as possible. “They are the ones who made The Other Side and control it. But the citizens don’t know that. So they’re making it seem like progress is being made and people are getting closer to the outside world, when really they have the exact time and place of our deaths planned out.” By that time I’d slowed so much everyone was passing us up, which gave us a little extra time. “Be ready. We’ll need to escape."
The Other Side (The Other Side Trilogy Book 1) Page 10
