by Wenner, Jody
"What?" His expression changes.
"She's okay, but she fell and sprained her ankle pretty bad. She'll be laid up for awhile."
"She's so damn clumsy sometimes. I have no idea why they decided to make her a runner."
"Not sure."
"I bet you are just pissed they didn't make Bekka one."
I stay quiet, unsure of how to respond.
Alex takes a swig from his drink and says, "I personally am glad the bitch is gone."
I look at him, shaking my head from side to side slowly. "I think that's enough," I say.
"I know. I know. You think she’s the greatest, but you don't know, Zane. Not like I do."
I remind myself to stay calm. "I understand something happened between you two, but it's none of my business and she's gone so we don't need to disrespect her."
"Glad of it, too."
We sit quietly nursing our drinks for a couple of minutes and I see another woman come in. This girl I recognize. A runner named Harlow. I've worked with her a few times. A very cute girl, but I know nothing about her. She's in her second or third year, but she was all business the few times we ran together, or maybe just miserable. I see her sit down a few tables away, alone.
"I just think," Alex continues, "she messed with my head. I don't get it. You know her well. What do you think?"
"I really don't know, Alex. But I'd really like to just drop it." My head starts buzzing a little and I'm way past the point of wanting to keep thinking about Bekka and Alex together. I decide it's time to cut out before things get out of hand. I stand up.
"This is bothering you, isn't it?" Alex says, standing up so we are face to face. "I just wanted to get some insight, you know, man to man."
"Another time maybe. I gotta go get ready for work."
"Yeah, well, that's the thing. I don't really have another time. I'm shipping out in a few days. Just tell me one thing, okay?" He pushes his chair back and gets right up into my space. "Was there something going on with you two?"
I sigh. "If there was, that would be my business."
"You think you’re pretty tough, don't ya?" His voice gets louder and people in the bar start to look over at us. Alex puffs his chest. I can see Harlow out of the corner of my eye, watching.
"Never said that, Alex," I say, attempting to keep my tone even and calm.
"I think you do. I think it probably really bugs you that Bekka decided to get with me after you left. I'm sure you think you can take me down, but I'd like to see ya try."
I stay grounded to the spot I'm standing, even though Alex has his face pressed up against mine, his chest tight in a dramatic display. He's taller than me and since he’s been training, he's almost as big as I am. I say calmly, "I'm not gonna fight you. It would be a waste of time."
"Why is that? I know you want to, I can see it in your eyes. You think you're better than me. Always have. You're just too much of a wuss, just like everyone says."
"I don't see how fighting over a girl who is gone is going change anything. And you are an asshole who isn't going to change no matter what happens here, so I don't see the point. If you want to get your junkie kicks, you can do that on the battlefield. Now I've got to go to work." I push in my chair and walk out.
Chapter 20
Bekka
I'm nervous about the job but excited to actually have some kind of purpose, even if it is just in a food packing plant. This might be a great way to get some friends and start doing some real undercover research. I want to have something good to report back to Jameson the next time I meet with him, show him I'm smarter than he thinks.
The fastest way to get to The Food Bar puts me directly in the path of my homeless friend. I was hoping he had moved, but I see his pile of things in the same spot as I walk nearer. I would like to avoid him, but if I plan to make this trip everyday, and be on time, I need to go the quickest route. Plus, what are the odds he'll remember me. I'd imagine tons of people walk past him every day.
As I approach, I see he isn't there, but the duffle bag and other things I think belong to him are still scattered around. I wonder where he is and why he would have left his things, but I don't stop to find out. I don't think I want to know that badly. Besides, I can't be late, especially after my big declaration about being a morning person.
Once I'm about a block from the factory, I see black smoke filtering out of the chimney near the top of the tall building. I see a few people on the streets migrate toward a side door, which is probably the one I need to enter as well. I start to feel apprehensive. I hate being vulnerable. Hopefully, I will figure out how everything operates soon and things will be fine, maybe even good. Maybe I was meant to be a food packer.
I inhale a big gulp of dry air and head through the door. Once inside, I'm not sure what I should do. I know I'm supposed to talk to Frankie, but I don't know where to find her. Or who I should ask. It's so loud; people and machine noises bounce off the high brick walls in all directions. Workers walk past and around me. Everyone is occupied or otherwise unconcerned by my presence.
Someone comes in the door behind me practically slamming into my back.
"Excuse me," he says somewhat unpleasantly. I contemplate asking him for help, but he pushes past me without stopping. I step to the side, away from the door and stand awkwardly, watching and waiting nervously for a clue as to what I should do next.
There is a huge piece of machinery in the middle of the floor and around the outside of it people mulling and shuffling about. Pretty much everybody is wearing dirty work clothes and I start to feel out of place in my light gray running pants and light yellow t-shirt. I make a note to wear some jeans and a black shirt tomorrow, if I make it through today.
Everyone has on big earmuff type things, which I am currently very jealous about. The noise of the machinery is close to deafening. At the far wall is a window with someone in a fancy suit peering down at the whole operation, obviously the supervisors. Their environment looks bright and sterile compared to the things happening outside of the glass. I wonder if I need to somehow find my way to that office, when a woman maybe a few years older than me approaches. She's wearing a black stocking cap with just a bit of dark brown hair poking from it. She has a round,smooth face, a clean dark t-shirt on, and dirty blue jeans. She smiles at me and some of my tension fades.
"Are you Tyler?" she asks.
"Yes."
"I'm Frankie." She extends her hand to me.
"Hi," is all I can think to say as I shake her hand.
"Follow me."
We head up a set of stairs that open up to the lower space from which we'd just come. The big conveyor system below is feeding everything up and into stations situated all around this level of the building.
"Good thing you have a ponytail, otherwise you would need a hair net. That's why I wear the hat," she says.
"Isn't it warm?" I ask, because it feels like I have entered an inferno. The whole place feels like one of those days when the winds blow heat at you with strong bursts. I can see now it's coming from huge exhaust fans that are built into the walls. They hum in tune with the rest of the contraptions running and I'm having to yell so Frankie can hear me.
"I'm used to it. I rarely go anywhere now without my hat." We stop in front of an empty spot at the conveyor belt. Next to it, on the floor, is a pile of boxes. "So, here is where you will work. We call it the 'boxing ring.' Clever, huh?" she says, dryly. "Your job is simply to box up the finished product. We put six rows of four in each box and they go to the market that way."
"Okay," I say, pretty confident I can handle that. "Then what?"
"Then, you close and seal the boxes and place them on this outer belt which carries then to the loading zone for delivery. It's pretty simple, but don't be fooled. This belt goes fast. The trick is to keep up with it."
"What if I can't?" I ask nervously.
"There is someone else down the row who will pick up your slack to a certain extent, but not without some grum
bling. If you get really backed up, you will have to push the emergency shutdown button, here." She points to a red switch on the side. "The whole belt will stop, giving you a chance to catch up, but you will get marked. Too many of those will get you docked. So don't let that happen." She glances in the direction of the glass window where the Suits are hovering and watching.
"Docked?"
"Money taken from your pay." She looks at me quizzically. "Your first job?"
"Yes."
She nods. "Well, I'm in the next station over so if you have questions, just let me know."
"Okay, thanks."
Zane
Surprised Alex just let me walk out of there, I make my way home for something to eat. Reluctantly, I get back into uniform, ready to head back down the tunnel. It's the last thing I want to do right now, but at least there's no way it can go as bad as last night, so I feel slightly more calm than normal. I'm glad to have something besides Alex to focus on at least. I can't tell if the guy just likes to get a rise out of me, or if he really does care about Bek. Either way, I despise him. If ever there was a time I would have enjoyed fighting, it might have been tonight. Still, I'm happy I was able to walk away.
When I get to the access point, I'm a little shocked to see Harlow standing in full gear, ready to go.
"Hi," I say.
"Hey. It's Zane, right? Didn't I see you at The Tap tonight?"
"Yeah."
"I've never seen you there before," she says.
"First time. You go there often?"
"I go before almost every shift and have a good stiff drink. It helps relax me down here," she says, getting in and glancing down.
"Not a fan?" I ask.
"Not even close," she says, disappearing into the abyss.
I follow and before long we're walking back through the same route Evy and I did last night. Probably because the work wasn't accomplished due to the fall. I note again how much calmer I am myself tonight and realize maybe Harlow is on to something with this drink before tunnel run routine. We've only just barely gone a short distance when she slows and squeezes along side me.
"So, I couldn't help but notice that you seemed to be arguing with that guy at the bar earlier. It's not my business but I just wanted to say I was impressed." Her voice is low and soft.
"Why?"
"Because you walked away. Do you know how many fights I've seen in that place?" She pauses, then added, "Over a girl, right? It usually is."
I feel myself go hot. I don't want that to be what it was over, but when you boil it down, it's the truth. "I guess," I say sheepishly, happy she can’t see me blushing. "But that guy and I went to school together and we never really got along. This was just a catalyst for him to start something with me."
"I'm so sick of Junkies," Harlow says in disgust. Taken completely aback by her declaration, I want to talk more about it. It's almost like she read a line straight out of my journal. But we arrive at the checkpoint, so instead of any more conversation, I stand in the dark for the next several hours alone with my thoughts.
Chapter 21
Bekka
I set my backpack down on the floor next to the boxes and start pulling the wrapped foodbars, from the belt and place them one by one as instructed into the carton, seal it, and set the carton on the outgoing belt. The bars are a plant protein bar which comes in a variety of flavors and colors. I've seen this brand at the store before, but it's not one we had in the North, so I haven't tried it. I'm hoping nobody asks me about them. I make a note to go out and get some tonight so I know what they taste like.
The scent of cardboard and oil clogs my nose as I work. Frankie was right, it's pretty simple, but these blasted bars are coming down the line pretty quickly and if you misstep on the sealing, the bars start piling up before you can grab another box from the stack.
The repetition starts to wear on me after a short time and when I check the clock, I'm shocked to see only an hour has passed. It's going to be a long day.
Just when I think I can't take it anymore, my nose still tickling, my ears ringing from the noise, and my arms rubbery, Frankie comes toward me from her work station a few feet away.
"Break time. Come on. I'm supposed to have you fill out some paperwork for Rhonda when we're done too."
"Do we just leave the belt?"
"Yeah, but push this button to divert the product." She hits the yellow button on the side of the machine and the belt moves slightly, angling the bars toward another station down the line. I grab my bag from the floor and follow Frankie out.
We head back down the stairs and out the door. There are several people sitting around in a small outdoor space connected to the building. There are a couple of rotting picnic tables but they are full already. Frankie leads us to an open spot of dirt and we sit.
I take out my own foodbar from my backpack and start nibbling on it. "I see this in a whole new light," I say, examining the bar.
"Yeah," Frankie says. "It's a good diet plan." She sips from her water bottle instead. "Where'd you go to school?" she asks.
Rules and protocols scroll through my head. "Where did you go?" I ask back casually.
"Randolph."
"Ah, no wonder I've never seen you. I went to Arlington."
"Oh, you're from the West District?"
"Yes," I say.
"Cool. That's a nice area. What do your parents do?"
"They're in medical."
"No wonder."
I think I've passed the test, but I don't want to push my luck, so I change the subject. "What do people do for fun on this side of town? I just got my own apartment over here and I want to go out."
"Yeah? I can show you around some. This weekend?"
"That would be great!"
After the break is over, I head back to Rhonda's office and fill out the paperwork while she sits eating lunch at her desk. Every once in a while she looks down on the papers I'm filling out, which makes me even more nervous than I already am. The fact that I'm breaking a lot of laws is constantly on my mind. It doesn't help that I understand from my notes that South Sacto's army is created from its prison population. If I'm caught as a spy, I would be sent straight to the front lines, fighting against my own people.
I shudder at the possibility, but I hand the completed forms back to Rhonda anyway. She scans them over and I stand trying to act casual. She looks up finally and smiles. "Okay. First day going okay?"
"Yes," I say.
"Good. Well, welcome aboard, Tyler. Now get back on the line."
"Okay. Thanks."
I take my position again, dropping my pack on the floor and I push the button to fire the conveyor back up. Soon, I'm packing protein bars in rows and there is no end in sight. I realize as I try to relax that I have to go to the restroom, but I'm not sure if I can divert the belt again and I don't even know where the restroom is located. I glance over at Frankie's station, but she has big earmuffs on and isn't looking in my direction.
I decide to hold it and soon the uncomfortable feeling subsides. I work faster to catch up from the distraction but soon my arms and shoulders are aching. I've never worked out my upper body this much before in my life. My legs are used to doing the brunt of the work, but here they are just standing still while my arms do the heavy lifting. Life feels pretty unfair to me suddenly.
Zane
The thought of going back underground doesn't make me happy, but at least I'm headed to a meeting instead of work tonight. Since I've never been to this meeting location before, I decide to go a little early to give myself some extra time to find it. I check the map one last time, shove it in my pocket and head down. It's actually starting to feel more and more normal to be weaving inside these mucky ratholes, and I'm shocked how accustom I’m becoming to being surrounded by total blackness.
I'm in a tunnel I've never been in before and it feels like I've gone a pretty good distance when I come to the ladder. I climb out and find that I'm in a rocky area. Big boulders are spikin
g out all around me. The rush of the river is louder than I've heard it. I carefully maneuver around the rocks, which are slightly damp from spray. When I come to a clearing, I see Frankie sitting with her back propped up against a large rock. I see lights twinkling in the other direction. South Sacto. My mind immediately pictures Bekka somewhere over there.
"Hi. Not sure if you remember me. I'm Zane. I guess I'm a bit early."
"Hi, Zane. Of course I remember you. Have a seat."
"Thanks. So, that's your city over there, huh?"
"Yep. Home sweet home," she says sarcastically.
"What's it like?"
"I have nothing to compare it to but from what I've heard from your Northern friends, it sounds like they are pretty similar."
"Seems weird then, doesn't it?" I say.
"What's that?"
"That we should be separated."
"Yeah, I have often wondered what happened to cause our ancestors to divide us. Trapping us inside high fences."
"Maybe the war isn’t really about the water, maybe it’s about keeping us in?" I say, sort of startled that this is the first time the question has entered my brain.
"We were taught in school that if you leave, the dry earth will zap you dead before you get twenty miles away. Probably a safeguard. Chain-link fences aren’t gonna keep people in if they really want out, but that first thing might." Frankie says with a rough edge to her voice.
"I suppose maybe we would see people wandering around outside the fences if it weren't true," I say.
"The guards out there could stop people who got close enough," she says quickly.
I laugh. "I guess you've given this some thought."
"Just a little," then she laughs too.
Fulton appears from behind the same rocks I did a few minutes earlier.
"Hey," he says.
I nod at him as he plunks himself down on a mid-sized rock.
"How ya doing, Frankie?" he asks.
