by Jodie Kobe
Chapter twelve
V I V I A N
The lights in the white hallway have dimmed to a dull glow. My hands slip the glasses I’m holding onto my face and I switch them on the same way I’ve seen Rian do.
So they’re going to show me a map of this building and I’m somehow supposed to find a way around? The last time I had put them on, the map the glasses had given me looked too confusing to follow. I’ll have to figure out how to use these. If I’m going to live here, I might as well learn the new technology, right?
Once again, the vision in my left eye goes dark and I wait for the screen to light up. When it does, I cringe involuntarily as the bright light blinds my eye for a second. Either I’m imagining it or it’s real, but I think I’m getting a headache already.
Okay. Let’s figure this out.
It’s surprisingly easy to navigate through the screen in the glasses. I don’t know how it does it but it acts like my eye is a computer mouse. I can scroll through the map just by thinking about it and moving my eye around.
Fascinating.
A fat red dot marks my location on the electronic map on the glasses. I notice other dots but they’re not as emphasized. Some move around but most of them stay still, surrounded by squares I assume are bedrooms.
So everyone did receive trackers.
They had to in order to be marked on these maps.
But how do I find a specific person? Like Welds or Janelle?
Maybe….
I stare at the dot marking my location on the map and wait for something to pop up. Possibly my name or a picture. Instead of getting any of those, a search bar appears.
At least I think it’s a search bar.
“Uh,” I say aloud. Is it expecting me to type something in? Not knowing how to pull a keyboard up, I just say the name of the person I’m looking for. “Welds.”
To my surprise, the bar disappears and shows me the map of the facility again. A few of the red dots have turned green. These must be the Welds.
But who is the real Welds I’m looking for? I try staring at the screen again, wanting the same search bar to pop up. Nothing happens.
I let out a frustrated grunt and start walking, having no destination in mind.
Most of the green dots that mark people named Welds are located somewhere behind me, presumably somewhere in their rooms, sleeping.
Taking one more look at the map on the lens, I pull the glasses off and I receive another dance from the white spots. I shut my eyes and rub my left eye, trying to get the blobs out of my vision.
I massage my temples and continue walking, trying to figure out an alternative way to get to Welds. Maybe I can ask someone?
There are many doors around me. I could just knock on one and ask for help. But there is a chance they might not know who Welds is…
I slide forward on the tile with my socks. The only pair of shoes I have are the flats. They were given to me by Addison on the day of Mr. Welds’ dinner. I left them in my room but I’m not planning on wearing them anytime soon. I’m fine with the socks—
“Ms. Clancy.”
The voice startles me from my thoughts and I look up to see Janelle speed-walking toward me. Even from here I can hear the clatter of her shoes. I freeze and watch her. She doesn’t look angry, which is a relief.
“Ms. Clancy,” she repeats once she reaches me. “Why aren’t you asleep?”
“I'm—uh—not tired,” I say.
“And you decide to run around in the middle of the night?”
“No. I’m looking for someone. How did you know I was here?”
Janelle scoffs. “Because this hallway is obviously not monitored 24/7. They told me to talk to you once they saw you here. I was watching along with them.”
I look up at the ceiling, trying to search for cameras. I should have known. Welds had said there are cameras planted around the entire building to supervise everyone. So does anyone get any privacy these days?
“Could you tell me where Welds is?”
Janelle gives me a strange look. “Be specific. I don’t quite know which Welds you are talking about.”
I try remembering what Welds’ first name is but instead, I say, “That one guy. Welds. Jack Welds’ brother.”
“Russell Welds?”
I nod. “Probably.”
“He’s speaking with Mr. Welds but he’s available. Their conversation can be interrupted. Is whatever you want to tell them worth their time, though?”
It’s worth my time but I don’t know about theirs. I shrug.
“Very well, then,” Janelle says, “You can briefly talk to them but after that, I’ll give you a sleeping pill and you’ll head straight to bed.”
She sounds like a mother right now.
Nonetheless, I agree with her plan and she leads me to a door. How she knows which doors hold what, I’ll never know. Just like a millions of doors around here, this door is plain white with no labels. She pulls it open and voices from the room flood my ears.
“...it’s misplaced and there is no way to find it.” Mr. Welds is speaking. As Janelle and I enter this new room, I see there are only two people inside (excluding me and Janelle).
There are two white couches placed across from each other in the middle of the room. Right between the couches, there is a small glass table, holding two white mugs of an unknown liquid.
On each of the four walls, there is a picture of a white blob of art inside a white frame. I admire it for a few seconds. That’s all the room has. Two couches, a table, and picture frames. There’s a lot of extra space left.
Mr. Welds is seated on one of the couches. Across from him on the other one, sits his brother, the regular Welds. They look like they’re having an amiable conversation.
Mr. Welds sees me with Janelle and stops the discussion he's having with his brother. A soft smile appears on his face and he asks me, “Ah, Ms. Clancy. What are you doing up so late?”
Janelle, who joins my side after closing the door, clasps her hands behind her back and gives Mr. Welds a respectful nod.
I shoot right into a short explanation. “I couldn’t sleep and I had a few things on my mind so I figured I might finish them.”
Mr. Welds chuckles. “You’re planning on staying up the whole night trying to complete your to-do list?”
I fiddle with my thumbs and answer, “I guess so.” It sounds more like a question.
“So what did you come here for?” Mr. Welds asks. His brother, Welds, has been silent so far.
I get to the point. “Are there any jobs available?”
Welds takes a sip from the mug on the table while Mr. Welds replies with, “There are. We have already selected one for you. But of course we were waiting until you settled in before we actually assigned it to you. Since you’re so eager to start, I’ll tell Mr. Callum to take you there tomorrow. Will that be all right?”
“What will I be doing?”
Mr. Welds says, “Transferring and organizing boxes. Is that all right with you?”
Just to be sure, I say, “I’ll be moving around, right?”
Mr. Welds nods, then shrug.
I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but I nod back. “Alright. Thanks, I guess.”
Mr. Welds chuckles again and picks up his mug. Before taking a swig, he asks me, “Would you like some sleep medicine?”
I wave his offer away and Janelle escorts me out the door. Mr. Welds and Welds continue their discussion as Janelle shuts the door behind us.
