by James Holler
While John was down at the stream fishing, Katie and Hailey were working on a project. Using straight saplings, about two inches across, they laid out a rectangle on the ground. Working with some clam shells and one of their empty containers, they carried dirt to fill the area inside the rectangle. After filling it to the top they walked off, carrying their supplies with them.
Fifteen minutes later, they returned with the container full of flowers; roots and all. There were several types and colors and they began transplanting them with care. Once planted, they used a gourd to water each plant. "That's beautiful," said Hailey, admiring their handiwork. "I know. I wonder what John will think," said Katie. "He will probably think it's silly," said Hailey, anticipating a smart remark from John.
While they were still enjoying the appearance of their new flowerbed, John walked up on their well-worn path. "What is that? That looks pretty good," he said, after laughing. "Do you really think so, or are you just kidding?" Katie asked. "No, really. That looks really good for such a quick job. I wasn't gone that long," said John, as he placed several fish he had caught next to the fire.
Hailey and Katie were still fussing with their new flowers, straightening each one till it looked just right. John readied the fish for cooking, then said, "I'm going to go check my traps. I'll be right back," he said, then took off jogging back toward the direction of the cabin. In a very short time he came running back with a small mammal in his hand. It looked a little like a guinea pig with long legs and was about the size of a rabbit. "More meat. We can have this with the fish," he said, holding up his catch, as he walked toward the stream with his knife in his other hand.
As Katie turned the fish over, Hailey prepared another stick for John's catch. Minutes later, he returned with the freshly-skinned animal. They had eaten several of these small animals since John had discovered that he could trap them. His traps were made of sticks and were baited with fruit. He usually set about four traps and caught one every few days. The meat tasted pretty good, and after eating fish for months, more variety was welcome.
Once they had eaten, they sat quietly for a while, almost seeming sedated. "I'm really tired," said Hailey. "Me too," said Katie. "It's still a couple of hours till dark," said John. "I don't care. I'm going to bed," Hailey said, as she stood up and walked to the hut. Without even taking care of their evening chores, Katie and John followed her. None of them spoke, and as if they hadn't slept in days, they were out almost as soon as they hit the blanket.
Before she opened her eyes, Katie could feel a breeze. It was rare to feel any type of breeze inside the hut. She was lying flat on her back even though she almost never slept that way. Nothing felt right, and as she opened her eyes she was instantly confused because above her was blue sky. How could I be outside, she wondered.
She looked to her left and saw Hailey next to her, completely naked. What's going on, wondered Katie. She looked to her right, and saw John there, also naked. Rolling over to her side, she raised up on one elbow and what she saw astounded her. Just beyond John were nine people, who were equally spaced. They were all flat on their backs, naked and asleep. Sitting up, she quickly looked in Hailey's direction, and saw the same number of people there. In a clearing at the edge of the jungle, Katie was the only one in the group who was awake. There were voices coming from behind her, but she couldn't see anyone because of the trees.
Katie positioned herself very close to John's ear. Simultaneously, she held her hand over his mouth, and whispered, "It's me, Katie." Startled, John jerked awake, as she pointed to his right. Together they woke Hailey, who also had a look of fear and confusion on her face. The three of them quickly headed for the nearest cover.
"What in the hell is going on, and who are all of those people?" asked John, in a loud whisper, looking right at Katie. "I don't know. They were there when I woke up," said Katie. Even though they were hidden from view, they could see the rest of the group from their hiding place. They counted eighteen people; twelve women and six men. All of the women appeared to be pregnant, and had short hair, just like Hailey, Katie, and John. Two of the women looked Caucasian, but the rest of the men and women appeared to be of a wide variety of ethnicities.
"What are we going to do?" asked Hailey, whispering. "I don't know. But I think we should stay put for now," said John, also whispering. Hearing voices, they all crouched a little lower, finally getting into a prone position on the ground. Two men who had clothes on and normal hair emerged from the trees. Their clothes looked like they were made from the same material as the blanket from the cabin.
The taller of the two men said something, but they couldn't make it out. Just as the man spoke, one of the sleeping men woke up, then shook two women near him. They huddled together, clutching each other, then one by one, the rest of this group of helpless, naked people gained consciousness. In groups of three they sat, not sure what to do, while the men talked to them. As one man talked, the other looked around as if he was looking for something. "I'm pretty sure they know we're gone. Let's move back some, till we know what's going on," said John.
The three of them inched their way deeper into the vegetation until it was a struggle to see the clearing. Finally, the whole group of frightened people stood up and followed the two men into the trees. "Let's follow them," said John. "What if they want to harm us?" asked Katie. "We can see what happens to the other people, and that will let us know what to do," he responded.
As the last person entered the trees, the three of them made their way in that direction. Once they reached the place where the group entered, they came to a well beaten path. John got on his hands and knees, and crawled up to the trail. He could see the white skin of one of the Caucasian women, standing out in contrast to the vegetation around her. John motioned for Hailey and Katie to join him and they waited for the group to get farther down the path. Just as John started to stand up, he saw one of the two men with normal hair walk past the white woman, heading in their direction.
"Here comes one of 'em. Get back," John whispered. Easing their way back into deeper vegetation, they just got settled in when they saw the man walk out of the trees, into the clearing. Turning in their direction, he yelled, "I know you are in there. You don't have anything. We want to help you, so follow the trail to our village."
They remained motionless and silent. "Come on out, and I'll take you there now. Hello, I know you are in there. Come on out," he said, trying one more time. After a few minutes, he returned to join the rest of the group. This time they waited much longer, then once again, they worked their way toward the path. Seeing a piece of dead wood about the size of a baseball bat, John picked it up and held it in his hand like a club, as they snuck forward.
"Let me go up ahead, just in case something happens. Stay back about 30 yards or so. If anything happens, run like hell," said John. "We're not going anywhere without you," said Hailey, emphatically. "OK," said John, knowing that there wasn't any use in arguing, since Hailey was just as strong willed as he was. After a walk of about fifteen minutes, they saw smoke through an opening between some trees, and stopped. "Maybe we should get off the path, so they won't see us coming," said Hailey. Moving off the path, they continued toward where they had seen the smoke. Seeing that they were nearing another clearing, what they saw next defied what they believed about this place. It was a village with log type cabins, similar to what people built in the 19th century. All of the people they saw had on the same type of gray colored, one piece clothing, and normal hair. Many of the women had long hair that came just past their shoulders. Of the people who they could see, there were many races represented.
As a group of people with short hair walked out from between two cabins, John counted eighteen of them. "Those are the people we were with," said John. "Now what?" asked Hailey. The three of them stood there trying to decide what to do. "Think about it. Someone brought us here. We're naked. Where are we going to go? Let's just join them," said Katie. "She's right," said Hailey. "At least let me g
o in and get you some clothes, and come back," said John. "No, we're going in together," said Hailey. "Damn you, woman," said John with a slight grin.
They walked in single file, till they reached the edge of the tiny settlement. John stopped and dropped his club, then took Hailey and Katie by the hand. They walked forward together, till two people standing nearby noticed them. One of the two pointed, then the other ran to a cabin and went inside. Right away, a man emerged and walked toward them. "Welcome, my name is William. Come with me," the man said as he neared them.
They walked together between two rows of cabins, which had two more rows of cabins behind them. As they passed, people stopped what they were doing to watch them go by. They continued until they passed the last two cabins, and finally reached a place where the path took a sharp left turn.
After a long hike, they could see seven more cabins. William took them to the last one, opened the door, and motioned for them to enter. Inside were three single sized beds, each with a blanket identical to the one they had been sleeping on back in their own hut. Also inside was a small table with three benches next to it.
On the table were clothes like William was wearing, which were gray in color, and made of the same type of fabric that the blankets were made of. They were one piece, jump suit type outfits. William handed one to Katie, one to Hailey, and then one to John. Once they had them on, they found that they fit as if they had been tailored for them. They had two sets of strings at the top front that could be tied to secure them.
"Wow, this is nice. Something clean to wear," said Hailey, breaking the silence they had maintained since arriving. "Where are we?" asked John. "This is your cabin," said William. "No. What is this village called?" asked John. "This place is called E-3," said William. "Is there an E-1, and E-2?" asked John. "Probably," said William, in a matter-of-fact way.
"Why don't you have short hair like us?" asked Hailey. "I'm a caretaker, and you are a modified. All modifieds have short hair," said William. "I have to go now. Someone will return soon," William said as he walked out the door. "Why didn't they just bring us here in the first place? Nothing about this place makes any sense," said John. "If I remember correctly, you are the one who said, "'It is what it is. We might as well make the best of it,'" said Katie. "I don't care anymore. I'm tired of playing this game," said John.
"Did you hear what he called us? He called us modifieds," said Hailey. "The group we woke up with, are just like us," said Katie. "And the women are pregnant too," said Hailey. Focused on the anger he felt, John was only half listening. Something had changed in him, and they could see it in his eyes, and on his face.
The women continued to discuss their current situation, and what it meant. John slowly walked over to one of the beds and sat on the edge, staring down at the floor, and said nothing. After sitting motionless for more than half an hour, he stood up, then paced from one side of the cabin to the other, like a caged animal. "Are you all right?" asked Hailey. "No," said John, in and angry tone. "What's wrong?" asked Katie. "Nothing," said John. "Maybe we should go for a walk or something," said Hailey. "I can't do this anymore," said John.
Hailey and Katie were concerned because they had never seen John act like this. Hailey walked over and stood right in front of him, lifting his face up, so he would be looking at her, and not the floor. "It will be OK," said Hailey, as she kissed him gently on the cheek. His expression remained unchanged as she put her arms around him, squeezing him as she put her head against his chest.
He stared at the wall, with his arms hanging at his side. Katie took his right hand with her left, and said, "Come on, we need you. You are the one who is always trying to pick us up." She looked into his eyes, and it was as if John wasn't there. "Let's go get some fresh air," said Katie, trying to lead John by the hand. With a little prodding, they were eventually able to get him out the door.
They stood outside the cabin checking out their new surroundings for a while. They found that each cabin had a fire pit, and a cooking pot. "I'm getting thirsty. Let's go see if we can find some water," said Hailey. The three of them walked back toward the village, and as it came into site, they could see three people walking toward them. Two men were carrying a container and a woman with them had a basket. "I'm Rebecca. We have food and water for you," the woman with the basket said, as they neared. In the basket were eggs, and two loaves of bread.
"Good, eggs. You have chickens?" asked Hailey." "Yes," responded Rebecca, looking puzzled. "You don't have to leave your cabin. We will bring what you need to you," said one of the men. "We don't want to be moochers. We should probably help with the chores," said Katie. "We are the caretakers," said the second of the two men, sounding slightly offended. "What are we supposed to do?" asked Hailey.
"You are here to give birth. Modifieds don't work," said Rebecca. "What happens after we give birth? Do you take care of the babies too?" asked Katie. "If the babies are caretakers, then we take care of them. If they are modifieds, then we don't," said Rebecca.
"What?" both Hailey and Katie said in unison, with looks of surprise on their faces. "What do you mean, you don't?" asked Hailey. "If a baby is meant to be a caretaker, then it will stay here. If it is meant to be a Modified, then it will not stay here," said Rebecca. "Where do they go, if they don't stay here?" asked Katie. "Those are enough questions. We can get in trouble for talking too long to you," said the older of the two men. "I have one more question. What happens to us after the babies are born?" asked John. "No more questions," said the older man.
As they walked back to their cabin with Rebecca and the two men, John, Hailey, and Katie said nothing else. They were each trying to digest the disturbing information that they had just been given. Because their predicament seemed dire, the walk back went quickly, as they were each lost in their own thoughts.
John noticed something that made the whole situation seem much worse. The path from the village to the cabins was well worn. It had been used many times. What happened to the other modifieds that had used it? How many had there been, he wondered. The two men set the container down. It contained a smaller container of water and a change of clothes. They placed it next to the entrance of the cabin. I'm not letting them have my baby, thought Hailey, as she watched the men. Rebecca entered the cabin and set the basket on the table. "I'll bring more food tomorrow," she said, looking over her shoulder, as she and the two men started back.
"We've got to get out of here," said Hailey, looking at John. "I'm not going anywhere. Where are you going to go?" asked John. "I don't know, but we can't stay here," said Hailey. "She's right. We can't stay here," said Katie. "You can run if you want, but I'm going to try to learn more and come up with a plan," said John. "I don't care what you say, I'm leaving tonight. Are you with me, Katie?" asked Hailey. Katie nodded. "Go ahead. I'm staying here for now," said John. "You coward," snapped Hailey, fuming.
John's mood had changed, and he seemed focused, and no longer depressed. As they argued with the door open, they noticed the other people coming, along with caretakers carrying food and water. One man in the group was talking loudly, and was obviously upset. They waited until the caretakers left, then went outside to meet their new neighbors.
They spent about an hour with introductions, questions, and answers. Their new neighbors were from all parts of the world. The man who had been so upset, was from Japan, and his name was Isamu. He had found out just enough information to realize that he didn't like any part of what was planned for them. He, like Hailey and Katie, wanted to leave as soon as possible. He had been surviving with a woman from Russia, and another from China. They all spoke English, at various skill levels.
John, Hailey, and Katie shared what they knew, and learned a few things that they didn't know. From a Malaysian woman they found out that when new modifieds come to the village, a man called Enoch comes to the village to let the caretakers know they have arrived. Someone asked who Enoch was, and they were told that he was a third level modified. They also found out that eve
ryone in this group was a first level modified.
Emotions were running high, and all of the women, and most of the men, wanted to leave as a group, or fight when it came time for anyone to take any of the babies. After much discussion, everyone agreed that they would leave after dark and take their chances. Isamu asked for a show of hands of those who planned to leave that night. Each person looked around, as one by one, hands were raised, some more enthusiastically than others. Everyone but John eventually raised their hand, leaving him as the lone dissenter. "Stay here then," said Isamu, acting a little perturbed.
John was remarkably cool, and confident. "Let me ask you something. Did you notice how well-worn the path is, from the village to these cabins?" asked John. "So," responded Isamu. "Think about it. Do you think that all of the people before us gave up their children willingly?" asked John.
Isamu took a moment to think about what John had just said. "What do you suggest then?" asked Isamu. "I don't have a plan yet. We have time to come up with one though. None of the women are due to deliver for at least a couple of months," said John.
"Maybe we should wait," one woman said. "I still want to go," said another. After back and forth arguments, which lasted for hours, six people decided to leave that night. While debates were still going on, John, Hailey, and Katie agreed to wait at least a week.
After dark, they all assembled and wished those who were leaving well. Hailey and Katie went into their cabin, as John stayed out and talked some more. When he finally joined them, they were enjoying some of the bread from their basket. By this time, they were all very hungry and ate one entire loaf of bread and part of another. It had been a very long time since any of them had tasted bread. "How are we supposed to start a fire?" asked Katie, holding up one of the eggs. "I guess we can find out tomorrow when they bring more food," said Hailey.
