Walled City (The Elabi Chronicles Book 1)

by Maressa Mortimer

  He hadn’t thought about it, but he suddenly sees that to the people of Elabi, there is nothing beyond their city-state. His mind is left spinning and Gax focusses on his cleaning with a vengeance. When he has almost finished the Young Adult section (which only contains educational books, or books with a moral lesson), the manager stomps past. Grabus stops and looks at Gax with an enigmatic look, making Gax squirm. “You are different,” the manager concludes after a few moments. “You are different and I can’t say as I’m pleased. I hope you learn to settle down quickly as I don’t want hassle in my shop and people who stick out like a sore thumb, well, they stick out.” He chuckles at his own humour, gives Gax another hard stare, then stomps off to the front. Gax stares at his shaking hands, feeling vulnerable by this sign of weakness. After all his Special Forces training he is left with the shakes!

  How is he different? His cloth moves very slowly over the shelf, going in little circles, just like his mind. Gax feels down and desperately misses his team. “I have no one to talk to,” he whispers very softly, self pity growing with each little circular movement, “not my team, not even my family, not a single friend.” For a moment the girl, dimple in her chin, dark sparkling eyes, comes to mind, but he doesn’t even know her name. He can feel the self-pity then and he knows from past experiences that he needs to step in right now, or it will take over his mind for a long time. Gax forces himself to inhale through his nose, exhale via his mouth. “Always be ready to give an answer, Girt yourself with the word of truth, be vigilant,” he recites under his breath, feeling the pressure ease off his chest little by little.

  Gax decides he needs a plan, as he obviously can’t ask Grabus or Inritia what makes him different. He comes to the conclusion that the only way to find the answer is to observe. He will watch Inritia, the manager, the other people in the gym, at the shop. His confidence returns with each deep breath and when Gax gets to the next shelf, he is convinced that his plan will help him to be more invisible than ever. He executes it straightaway. From where he is dusting he can see Inritia near the counter. There is one customer, an older lady and Gax watches intently. Inritia doesn’t look at the lady, there is no conversation, she looks bored, her fingers are tapping impatiently on the counter while the lady connects her card to the reader. Inritia barely raises her chin, neither does the lady before walking out of the shop. As soon as the woman has paid, Inritia raises her chin, just, and leans against the wall, studying her nails.

  Gax thinks about what he has just seen. What shop assistant is like that, he wonders. Surely customer service is important? He thinks back to the incident of the day before, when the manager told the older man that he couldn’t have the book. No other book was recommended, no support given, nothing. Gax realises that the people he saw yesterday morning on their way to their jobs were not in a hurry either. None looked happy, or eager. Gax has to admit that dusting shelves and putting books straight isn’t his dream job either, but he does put all his energy into it. He wants to make sure he does a good job. Is that what makes him different? The girl at the gymnasium wants to be a medical technician. Will she do her work half heartedly, picking at her nails all day? Grabus is clearly proud to be an Umbo as well as the manager, but even he doesn’t walk fast, or move like a typical manager, as far as Gax can tell. He thinks of his older sister’s manager at home, bustling about, straightening things up, smiling at customers, encouraging staff. Gax senses the lack of enthusiasm, and puts it in a corner of his mind to mull over, determined to carry on observing, learning from people around him. “I have been too keen to start the operation,” he mutters, “and not spend enough time observing, checking out the lay of the land. I need to blend in more, and just sit back and watch. But then, time is of the essence. I feel so torn. If only I could spend some time with the team, ask for advice.” Gax pulls a face as soon as he recognises he is back to where he began, feeling lonely with self-pity knocking at the door of his heart.

  Gax watches and takes notes for the rest of the day. Especially late in the afternoon when a small group of teenagers comes in. Gax watches them, straightening books on an extra messy shelf. The teenagers talk together in short, clipped sentences, not looking at each other at all. They go to the Teenage section and after only a few moments walk to the counter with their books. They don’t look at Inritia at all, or raise their chin at her and Gax notices that she does the same. They pay with coins, take the receipt and walk out of the shop. Gax is stunned. All this without making eye contact, or saying anything to the shop assistant and she hasn’t said a word to them either.

  Why is there no interaction with customers? He turns this question over and over in his head. If it’s an old person Inritia will at least raise her chin a little, but Gax notices that she doesn’t do it for the smartly dressed woman that buys some cards and other little things from the table he tidied yesterday. Or for the man that seems to be the manager’s age. Why ever not? Gax himself has raised his chin and smiled at every customer that has walked past him. Now that he’s watching people more closely, he notices that only one man raises his chin to him while most walk past, seeing through him as if he doesn’t exist, and a few gave him an odd look. Is greeting them, smiling at them marking him as different? If so, does he want to be different? Is blending in even an option, Gax asks himself.

  Chapter 10

  Gax is relieved when it’s time to go home. He raises his chin at Inritia and Grabus. Inritia hardly raises her chin at all, Grabus is a little more forthcoming, although his eyes are still suspicious. Gax takes a deep breath when he gets outside in an attempt to ease his tension. “Do I really want to be like them, though?” He wonders about it whilst walking through the city streets that are starting to feel familiar. When he gets to the gate he smiles to see that the grumpy guards of this morning are no longer there.

  After his dinner at home Gax sits down with his diary, his favourite music playing in the background. He writes down what happened this morning, then the comments from the manager. He puts his pencil down and thinks about it all. He remembers the teenagers and people in the street. Gax purposefully steers his thoughts away from his family and friends at home as the contrast is too painful. He asks Yulra the time, and is pleased when he realises it’s time to go to the gymnasium for his workout. “I’m looking forward to my workout, Yulra,” he says, although his mind’s eye doesn’t see the weights and machines.

  Gax doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to the dry, dusty heat, or the dirt on his bare feet. He is glad when he gets to the gymnasium, its doors opening quietly once he punches in the code. Gax picks up headphones and soon finds himself slaving away, working up a sweat. In the middle of a battle with the machine over who will be strongest, Gax suddenly catches himself looking at his big biceps with pride. Somehow he finds himself wondering whether the girl with the dimpled chin will be impressed. He blushes, having a quick glance round, but everyone is engrossed in their own workouts, too busy to notice him. Gax remembers the young man in the shop, and his huge, bulky muscles. He pulls a face. No, big muscles aren’t going to impress the girl, as he is by no means the bulkiest guy around the city.

  He keeps a careful eye on the large timer, as he wants to arrive in the cool down room at just the right time. If she finishes before him, she’ll be off and he will have missed his chance.

  In the cooling down room the girl smiles up at him and raises her chin. Gax raises his chin, delighted to see an empty space next to her. He puts his bag down and starts the cool down, stretching his arms and shoulders. “Did your day go alright,” the girl asks him quietly, without looking at him and Gax nods, explaining that he enjoys getting familiar with the range of books in the shop. The girl smiles, “Yes, it is interesting to read about Elabi, or to read a story set in a place you recognise,” she says. Gax agrees, although secretly he has always loved stories set in exotic places. Reading about unknown cities, or adventures set in hot steaming jungles. Isn’t that part of the reason for reading, he muses, th
e fact that you expand your horizons, learning what you can’t go and see for yourself.

  “It does make you look at those places in a different light,” he agrees with the girl, “and I find that the next time I see that place, I look at it through the book.”

  The girl nods, then says, looking straight at him, flashing with her eyes, “I love reading about the hills and the sea because on the way to where I live, I can see both at the same time. How long do you walk to the gymnasium?” she continues, still maintaining strong eye contact. Gax tells her that it takes about ten minutes. The girl nods, and says “It takes me about five minutes on the main road, then another ten on the side road. The side road is very pretty and peaceful.” Again she flashes her eyes, raises her eyebrows quickly, then grabs her bag, raises her chin at him and she’s gone. Gax is left on the floor and he makes sure he focusses his eyes on his feet whilst stretching his legs. After a bit he looks round at the others in the cooling room. The young man next to him averts his eyes when he notices Gax looking at him, so Gax gives his right leg one more tug, then grabs his bag and forces his feet to walk calmly out of the cooling down room.

  Gax leaves the gymnasium, looking as natural as possible, making sure he swings his arms in a relaxed way, his face smooth and neutral. His heart is beating wildly and his legs just itch for a good run. “My first connection,” he breathes happily, feeling somehow validated, as if he has just received the stamp of approval. Soon he spots the tiny turn off, more a path than a road and Gax leaves the main road, resisting the urge to look round to see if anyone is looking. That would look suspicious of course, so he turns off as if he knows exactly where he is going. The narrow path soon twists and turns, leaving the main road out of sight. Gax is glad, it makes him feel less exposed. The path goes steeply downhill, the loose gravel and sand making his sandals slip every now and again.

  Gax stops and looks back. There is no sign of the road and in the distance in front of him he can see the dark blue water of the sea. He follows the water with his eyes, past the lighthouse, where the river merges, and it becomes unclear which is which. He looks behind him, to see if he can spot the hills, but there’s just the hillside and the path. Gax walks on, wondering how much further it is.

  “Glad you found it!” Her clear voice jolts him out of his thoughts. He smiles back at the girl, her dark coloured eyes shining and twinkling and thanks her for her clear instructions. The girl is standing next to the path and she beckons him with her head, turning round, leaving the path behind. Gax follows her through the long grass tickling his feet. He tries not to shudder, convinced he can feel creepy crawlies walking over his bare feet and touching his toes. The girl walks fast and Gax has to take deep breaths to keep up without panting. He quickly glances round, yes, the hills as well as the sea are visible now. It’s a spectacular view. If only he had his phone with its camera. The girl stops abruptly, making Gax blink in surprise.

  Just past her is a very small stone tower with an opening just beyond the girl. The entrance is a little overgrown, but in the fading light Gax can see a golden statue just inside. They slide past the large bushes, and then Gax can see what the statue is. It’s a large wolf, its mouth half opened in a snarl. Gax is impressed as he has seen a lot of wolves, usually in enclosures, but still majestic, eager and sleek. “That’s amazing,” he says to the girl, but before he can elaborate, she nods, only half looking at the golden wolf.

  “It’s a mythological creature,” she says, “a bit like some of the wild animals we used to get in the hills. They try to talk and reason, but they just produce whining, grumbling noises, or howl like a toddler that’s too tired for words. This creature here was even worse, apparently. Of course, I have never read about it, but I remember my grandfather telling us stories about what these animals would do, how they would gang up, then attack with their faces tightly pressed together, so they would eat their prey in one bite, which really was just one mouthful each. Terrifying. In the end, the council decided that these stories and myths were too closely connected with Beliefs, so they were discouraged. I don’t think many people now know the stories of these creatures. Most of the statues and temples were destroyed but this one was overlooked. It reminds me of my grandfather, which I know is weird and I probably shouldn’t think like that, but well…”

  Gax has been listening almost open mouthed. Mythical creature, hunting together and…what? He almost opens his mouth to put her straight and tell her all he knows about the wolf, how they hunt in packs, but that’s as far as it goes. He changes his mind though, for if this is seen as a mythical creature, how would he explain that he knows exactly what it is and that he’s actually seen one? Instead he nods again, then says, “It looks amazing and I love the little tower.”

  She smiles happily and Gax is pleased he’s obviously said the right thing. “What is your name?” he asks, as he can’t keep calling her Girl with the Dimple. She hesitates a split second, then tells him her name is Caecilia Reizio. “That’s a lovely name,” Gax says and seeing her stunned look, quickly adds, “my name is Gax, Gax Mallius.” Caecilia nods, still looking a little confused and asks him what makes a name lovely? Gax swallows. Has he just broken another taboo, been different again? “Um…” he stutters, “um…it means that it sounds good, you know, feels good in your ear, rolls off your tongue smoothly, that sort of thing. Not like…um…my manager for example, his name is Grabus, but the guttural is so strong and grating, it doesn’t flow. So that’s not a lovely name, see?”

  Caecilia giggles, “I love the way you speak,” she says, “maybe your way of speaking can be lovely?” Gax blushes but he laughs along with her, a tight feeling cramping under in his stomach. His accent! Did he forget to keep it lilting, rising at the end? They explore the deserted little tower, cobwebs hanging from jutting stones and Caecilia warns him to stay out of the corners in case a snake should have curled up in there. Gax loves the terracotta tower, however faded and the irregular bricks inside give the building real charm. Standing in the door opening, he looks across the now almost dark countryside, the hilltops just black lines against the fading light, while the lighthouse sends it’s long beams across the dark waters.

  They sit on the threshold and Caecilia asks, “How old are you?” Gax tells her he is twenty-one, with a bit of pride in his voice. He had loved his birthday and felt he was a proper adult, more so than when he turned eighteen. Twenty-one felt good. His mind drifts to his party, his mum looking so proud, his older sister teasing him, his dad giving him a proper strong man hug like only dads can do. His friends had been there and even his team had been complete that night. “Hello, Elabi calling to man cave,” says the clear voice right next to him and he jumps. Caecilia laughs, her laugh cheerful and clear, reminding Gax of crystal clear water being poured in a glass. “No idea where you’d gone,” she giggles and he feels his face glowing again. “When was your birthday?” Gax has to actually double check in his mind, so much has happened since his birthday, it feels so much longer ago!

  “Three weeks ago yesterday,” he says, almost drifting off into the memories again. Caecilia keeps him grounded though.

  “You’re not on the Nuptialem List then?” Gax looks blank, what list is that? Linu never mentioned that? “How did you manage to stay off, all this time?” Caecilia looks at him, half impressed, half doubtful. Before Gax has to formulate some answer she continues, “My friend Macia is on there already, she won’t be 21 for another five moons, but she’s not only entered the list, she’s found a match as well. He is 21 next moon, but prepared to wait for her. I have seen him, he works in the hospital, so I came across him when I did my Practical test. His name isn’t lovely either,” she ends with a giggle and Gax snorts.

  “Anyway,” Caecilia continues, more serious now, “Macia is just waiting for confirmation of their match. I don’t want to register yet, but I don’t think my father would allow me to wait past my birthday.” Gax tries to make a sympathetic noise and blinks when Caecilia hops up, and sa
ys, “I need to go, it’s getting dark. Will you know your way back? Do you want to meet again tomorrow after our workouts?” Gax grins, feeling elated and almost says that he would love to, then changes the wording, as ‘love’ itself seems a taboo word, so he tells her that it’s a wonderful idea.

  He stumbles home in the dark, Caecilia having disappeared into the dark night. Going uphill is hard work, but at least the heat of the day has disappeared, leaving a balmy night behind. He finds himself grinning madly, like the Cheshire cat although he has seen no cats in Elabi yet. He is thrilled, playing the evening round and round in his head, like a scratched record. Caecilia…

  Chapter 11

  Fifday is the last day of the working week and the shop is slightly busier than usual. Gax is glad. He is trying to stay in Grabus’ good graces and more customers means more books to put straight and shelves to restock. Near the end of the morning it is calmer and Inritia calls him over. “I will need your help at the till,” she tells him, “Fifday is usually busy as many of the older folk get the day off to increase their productivity during the week.” Gax nods, not sure that he likes her tone of voice, but pleased to be promoted from dusting shelves. “It’s not that easy,” Inritia warns him. “You see, this is what you do…”She shows him the till system, how to scan books, which button to press for the total amount, how to do the city cards, or cash payments.