“Is it as terrible as they say?” Recycling was this waste plant’s specialty. Vasura was one of the biggest facilities and took care of the proper disposal of Ginecea City’s waste. “I heard the stench reaches the high heavens.”
The nurse reacted to her words and gave her a piercing stare. “The smell and the toxic vapors can be fatal inside the chamber.”
Marie wasn’t sure if she had just been chastised for what she had said and didn’t try to further the conversation. Besides, she had already heard all that was to hear about waste plant’s inner works.
Still, Zena continued, “That’s why we keep kids out of it and we have one-month shifts for the adults. It doesn’t happen often, but when the smell wafts toward the central hub—”
Marie didn’t want to keep talking about the recycling center. She’d have to worry in three years. Now, she had a lot on her plate already. “What’s the central hub?”
“It’s one of the main places where people gather more often.”
“Like a central plaza?”
“Exactly like that. Anyway, what was I saying before you interrupted me?”
“About smells wafting.”
“Oh, yes. When it happens, it’s terrible.” The woman walked to the door and waited for her there. “You’ll like the fields.”
Marie slid her sandals on and silently followed the nurse outside. Once at the door, she looked back at the oppressive, stifled barrack and was glad she didn’t have to stay there a moment longer. The sun shining outside blinded her for a moment, but the breeze blowing her hair out of her face and neck was pleasurable. Day-lit, Vasura was even more imposing than she had thought the night before. Acres and acres of the walled compound lay before her eyes. From the relative height of the barrack’s landing, she could see a whole world was contained by the gray barricade. Streets divided Vasura in rectangular spaces occupied by hundreds of colorful containers, not gray buildings as she had mistakenly seen in the dim, nocturnal light.
“I’ll give you the tour as we walk to the fields.” Zena pointed at buildings as they went and explained to her what she was looking at.
Not an easy task since, apart from the colors, everything looked the same to her. When Marie complained about it, the woman answered by pointing at the blocks of colors and said, “It’s actually easier than you think. Everything painted in white is either an infirmary or a hospital. Pink is for cafeterias. Blue for resting places. Green is for the dormitories. Then you have the houses for the families, but they’re in a different place, far away from the central hub.” Finally, she walked directly toward one of the pink buildings, a cafeteria, and tapped on the corrugated metal wall. “Do you see this?”
Marie couldn’t see anything beside the woman’s big hand.
Zena frowned, then moved her hand by the side and a drawing was revealed.
A rectangular black frame contained several symbols. “What are they for?” She touched one of the symbols, a triangle with a circle inside.
“This cafeteria belongs to a specific tribe, but everybody can eat there.”
Marie let the information sink in. “And the other three symbols?”
“Political orientation, religious affiliation, and type of food served. This cafeteria caters to vegetarians.”
“Political orientation and religious affiliation? What are you talking about?” As far as she knew, there was only one of each on Ginecea and she had never had any interest in politics. She wouldn’t be eligible to vote until her twenty-first birthday, and even then her decisional power would be minimal. By law, fathered women had to elect a representative for every ten thousand of them. In turn, the elected fathered woman would vote for all of them.
The nurse’s lips curved in an enigmatic smile. “Freedom of expression is welcome here.”
Marie wondered about that last statement, but then a bright color caught her attention. “What are the purple buildings for?”
“Gambling. But don’t even think about that. Minors aren’t allowed inside.” Zena gave her a stern look.
“Gambling? But what would you gamble with?” As far as she knew, wasted women didn’t earn salaries. Or so she had been told countless times at the Institute. “Don’t go complaining about how little you earn as a fathered woman, when there are people who have to work all day long for nothing at all.” It had been one of Madame Carla’s favorite refrains.
Zena laughed. “Time out.”
“Time out of what?”
“Gamblers try their luck to get out of the recycling month.” Zena finally looked away. “But as I told you, do not walk close to the purple buildings. Bad people tend to gravitate there and you don’t have to get out of anything for another three years.” As she finished talking, a worker came out of one those buildings.
“Workers have gambling places too?” Marie was still surprised by seeing men freely walking among the women.
“They’re the same places.” The nurse was walking faster now.
She had to adjust her pace to keep up with the woman. “What do you mean? And can you slow down?” Already out of breath and unaccustomed to feeling so weak, she paused for a moment and crouched on the ground.
“Have you already forgotten what I said about opening your mind?”
Marie thought Zena sounded like a broken record. She was getting tired of all the warnings the woman was imparting to her. “And?”
“Men and women live together here.” The nurse turned and stepped back to her side. “We don’t have separate quarters.”
“What?” For a moment she forgot about the throbbing pain and her lack of stamina. “You must be kidding.”
“No. It’s the truth. Once you live in a waste plant, you aren’t a fathered woman anymore.”
To Marie’s ears, the woman’s words sounded both blatant and obscure, but she didn’t have time to ask her to explain what she meant because a cart came by and they climbed on the running board jutting from it.
“It’s a long way to the fields and you aren’t in any condition to walk any faster.” Zena showed her where to put her hands and then told the driver to go.
The rest of the way, Marie kept her eyes opened and took the sight in. She could see a color pattern in the clothes worn by the people walking by.
“Everything and everybody is color coded at Vasura.” Zena seemed to have read her thoughts because she provided the answer without Marie having to ask the question. “It makes life easier for everybody.”
The ride lasted for several minutes, and they passed quite a few neighborhoods, some of them better kept than others. Some of the barracks were smaller, and they were normally the better-kept buildings.
Zena pointed at those smaller barracks. “Families.”
Marie saw a woman coming out of one of them and then a man followed her outside holding a small boy in his arms. Her eyes widened and she turned toward the nurse who smiled, amused, and mouthed, “Told you to open your mind.” Finally, the cart stopped and they jumped down.
“Okay, here we are.” Still smiling at Marie’s reaction to the unorthodox domestic scene, Zena pointed at a vast expanse of cultivated fields starting from behind a gate and stretching as far as the eye could see. The gate was only decorative since it stood by itself without a fence explaining its presence. The words “Goddess of Vasura’s Fields” were painted in neat letters at the top of the arch over the wooden gate.
The inscription sounded like a bad joke, but Marie’s ability of feeling offended was dwindling by now. She couldn’t become red anytime she came upon something out of the ordinary.
“Let’s go.” Zena nudged her across the gate and they walked a short distance toward an orange barrack almost hidden by thick vegetation. She walked up the steps leading to a screened door and rapped on the metal. “Valery? I brought you the new recruit. Are you there?”
A hoarse voice responded, “Where would I be if not waiting for you to finally show up?”
Zena entered the barrack with Marie in tow.
“How was your day?” She smiled at the woman sitting behind a desk.
Marie couldn’t see a lot of the woman’s face because the barrack was dark from the vegetation obstructing the two small windows and a white puff of smoke shrouded her. Marie coughed.
“You brought me another delicate violet.” Valery stomped the cigarette’s butt in the ashtray on the desk.
“She’s one tough girl.” Zena patted Marie’s healthy arm. “As you know, looks can be deceiving.”
“We’ll see about that.” Valery pushed the chair she was sitting on out of the way with a strident sound of wheels dragging on the linoleum floor and then walked to meet Zena. “You can leave her now. You’re done with the babysitting duty for today.”
“It was easier than usual, actually. So, this is Marie—”
“You’re late and I don’t care if the new doctor said you weren’t able to work. You’ll start a double shift, starting now” was the field manager’s curt welcome. “See you next time, Zena.”
“Try to get on Valery’s good side.” The nurse winked at Marie and then left with, “She isn’t as bad as she looks.”
Marie immediately missed her. An imposing middle-aged woman with long, red braids was looking back at her with mild distaste. She was already tired of Vasura. “What do you need me to do?”
“Go with Nora. She’ll tell you everything.” Valery, who hadn’t thought necessary to present herself to Marie, whistled with both fingers in her mouth, her face angled to one of the two windows. A girl Marie’s age came running inside. “Nora, she’s yours.”
“Yes, sirra.” The girl, a petite thing, dark, with sleek hair tied in a long ponytail, saluted Valery, waited for the field boss to give her permission to leave and then faced Marie with a genuine smile. “Come with me.”
Marie wanted to ask about the “yes, sirra” bit, but refrained. It had sounded archaic and ludicrous, but things were obviously different at Vasura, and Nora’s smile was nice enough to stir her thoughts in another direction. Once outside of the smoky place, her lungs cleared of the smelly nicotine and she faced the girl. “Hi, Nora. I’m—”
“Marie. I know! I was so excited someone my age was finally coming.” Nora took her hands in hers and then kissed her on both cheeks. “I’ve been waiting for you for so long! It’s so nice you’re here.” A big hug followed. Her head stood just under Marie’s chin.
That startled her more than anything else. “Nice meeting you too.” She managed to move away from the girl without appearing too brusque.
Nora must have felt her reluctance though. “I’m sorry, but I hoped you’d be here at the beginning of the shift, and I’ve almost missed you altogether since mine is ending in half an hour… but I can stay longer to keep you company if you want—”
Marie stopped the rambling with a smile. “I don’t want to keep you here longer than necessary.”
“Oh, no, it would be my pleasure. Not that I have anything better to do anyway.” The girl finally stepped back and gave her some space. “I’ve some work for you.”
“Okay.” For some reason, while Zena’s affections had felt right, Nora’s were upsetting.
“Today, we’ll keep it simple. You’ll look around to get an idea of what you’ll do and then we’ll go back to the dormitories.” Nora seemed to bounce at every step, a blur of dark hair and orange shirt.
“But the field boss said—” Marie could barely keep the same pace, but, meanwhile, they had walked a good distance and were now standing before another orange barrack.
“Valery said to give you double shift, right?” Nora knocked on the door of the barrack and entered when none answered.
Marie nodded and followed her inside. Unlike the field boss’s office, this barrack was airy and bright. It was also full of low tables laden with small pots containing equally small plants in several stages of growth. “Is this a nursery?”
“Yes, and you’ll double shift here for the remaining of the day.” The girl turned on one of the lights hanging over the tables and illuminated one of the pots.
“Doing what?” She liked the place immensely already.
“We’ve got some planting to do. There’re a few pots that need to be replaced. Stuff like that.” Nora waved her small hand in the air in a vague gesture. Then, she threw a big, green apron and a pair of green rubber gloves at Marie. “Be careful not to get soil on your branding.”
Marie’s eyes went to the girl’s naked arm where the letters and the numbers covered the skin of her slender forearm. The girl caught her looking and she turned at the last second.
“I got it only a few months ago and it was so painful.” She said it as if talking about getting her ears pierced.
Marie was happy the girl was eager to talk. “Did you come recently too?”
“Oh, no! I was born here. Natives get their brand when they turn fifteen. It’s a rite of passage for us and we get our tribe’s symbol right away, since we’re already part of our parent’s tribe.”
Nora stated the last part with a matter-of-fact shrug and Marie would’ve asked more, but the girl started shoving pots under her nose and put her to work. She focused on the small tasks Nora gave her to stop thinking about the pain in her arm. When she raised her head from the table several hours later, she saw it was dark outside and strong illumination had replaced the sun over the fields.
“Bright, steady light. The way I like it. Not those terrible pulsating things…” Nora was looking outside as well.
Marie was going to ask what she was talking about and then remembered how the streetlamps had pulsated when she had arrived, but Nora was talking again. “We force the crops to grow at double speed. This way, Vasurians can’t go hungry.”
“Vasurians?” Marie had to ask this time.
“What do you prefer to be called from now on, a Vasurian or a wasted woman?” the girl asked, for once in a serious tone.
“Well, if you put it that way, I’d like to be a Vasurian.” And finally, for the first time since she had left Redfarm, Marie felt the moment deserved a true smile.
“Exactly.” Nora laughed.
She wasn’t ready for a laugh, but the girl’s enthusiasm was good to her. Her arm sent her a new wave of pain and she grimaced.
“Is it still very painful?” Nora pointed at the gruesome patch of red, mangled skin and sleek ointment Marie had been trying very hard not to get in contact with anything.
“Yes, very.” Her eyes went to the girl’s branded arm, the name of the waste plant and the three numbers exposed for everybody to see. “What’s this?” Her finger shot for the symbol following the numbers, but stopped before she touched the girl’s arm. Her numbers and letters were of the same length as hers. She had noticed earlier. The only difference was the symbol.
“My tribe’s symbol, of course.” Nora looked at her with big eyes. “I told you.”
“Your tribe?” Marie tilted her head to better look at the sign resembling a circle cut in half by a barrette.
“Yes, the tribe I was born in has a ‘theta’ as its symbol. You’ll have one too.” The girl turned her forearm to better show it.
“I’ll have one?” Suddenly, Mala’s words about seeing her again echoed in her mind and she shivered.
“As soon as a tribe decides to adopt you, of course. But don’t worry. You’ll be part of a tribe in no time. You don’t seem a loner at all.” The girl smiled in reassurance, misunderstanding Marie’s reaction.
“Vasura is divided in tribes?” Slowly, several pieces started clicking into their rightful place.
“Yes.” Nora’s head bobbed in assent.
“And you were born here.” She hesitated, not sure how to ask what she meant to ask without offending her by being crude. But then she realized she had nothing to ask.
Still, when Nora said it, she inwardly gasped at the girl’s nonchalance. “Yes, my mom and dad belong to the same tribe. Maybe you’ll be accepted in my tribe!” She took Marie’s hands in hers and started dancing around i
n circles.
All the while, Marie’s mind churned with all the questions she had but couldn’t utter for fear of being indecent. But first and foremost, Mom and dad? Did she just call a man… dad? One last circle and her branded arm accidentally made contact with something. Unwanted tears sprung to her eyes.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Nora let go of her immediately, her hands covering her mouth.
“I know. It isn’t your fault.” She wiped her tears and tried to even her ragged breathing. “Do you think my shift can be cut a little bit shorter?” The desire to be alone was more demanding than the physical pain.
“Yeah, sure. Valery only barks. She isn’t going to check on you anyway. Let’s go to the communal dormitories.” The girl switched off the main light but left on the ones warming some of the pots, then gestured for Marie to follow her outside.
They walked for a good fifteen minutes in the warm night, nocturnal animals crying far away and storms of mosquitoes flying under the lamps.
“It is always so warm here?” Marie finally asked when the silence had become uncomfortable.
Nora, who had said nothing the whole time, smiled broadly, two delightful dimples coloring her face. “It’s cold now.”
“Oh—” Marie was going to say she liked some heat, but the girl interrupted her.
“Wait! I’m sure you must be hungry.”
Her stomach growled and reminded her she hadn’t eaten anything in a while.
“Let’s go grab something.” The girl made a U-turn on her heel and directed her to the opposite direction. “The closest cafeteria is around that block.” She pointed her chin ahead where several pink barracks stood in the middle of what looked like a well-manicured garden, complete with benches and a central area with a structure that resembled a fountain.
In a matter of minutes, they went in and out of the cafeteria, which inside just looked like any other cafeterias she had seen. Nora had ordered for her a big sandwich and a bottle of water and slowed her pace to permit Marie to eat on the go.
A few minutes later, dinner already a thing of the past, Nora stopped by a light-blue building and pointed at the place with a grand gesture of her hands. “You’ll sleep at the communal dormitory until you’re accepted in a tribe, then you’ll move there.” She saw Marie’s hesitation and paused on the stoop before knocking at the door. “Yes?”
Marie's Journey (Ginecean Chronicles) Page 15
