Wilkes stood. “I don’t believe in it, but I won’t stop you from what you want to believe. Nor can I. Enjoy your shut-eye while you can.” He stood and squeezed her shoulder.
“Back off,” she spat at him. Again, he’d made a creepy gesture, and it set her off this time. But then, she imagined, too late, that it was possible he really hadn’t meant it that way. A vindictive smile came across his face.
Weren’t these things taken care of in the 1980s? She wondered. Or was it the 1990s? Men couldn’t treat women this way. Except maybe this was reversed. He was the minority and therefore revered. Did that mean there were no standards of behavior for him? On second thought, she couldn’t remember it being that way for women. What a bizarre turn.
“Twenty-four more hours. I guess you’ll be getting a lot of sleep.”
Her face fell. No sunrise in the morning. She’d be released just as evening fell, tomorrow.
“It’s my husband’s car, by the way,” she added, to the lieutenant’s surprise.
“His name,” Wilkes asked.
“Adam Minton,” she answered, hoping they could find nothing truly interesting from her ex-boyfriend’s name. Hopefully, there would be so many with his name it couldn’t provide them anything helpful. She also hoped and prayed they wouldn’t ask for a date of birth. She knew giving Milt’s name could lead to a person whose scientific discoveries might make them suspicious and want to search the Envo more closely. She felt as if she were skating on thin ice.
“I’ll check into that,” Wilkes said, calling for Jobeth to come and get Tabitha to be escorted once again to her cell.
Tabitha resigned to stop trying to figure this place out and get some more sleep. That is, if Potato woman didn’t want to talk. If she did, it might, in its own way, even help her figure this place out. She was off her rocker, but seemed to know things, or see things. The woman certainly had something to offer.
Back at the cell, Potato woman was humming. Tabitha quickly changed into the smock that Pauline had brought her.
“Excuse me, mam. What’s your name?” Tabitha called through the cell bars.
“Don’t you worry about it. Ellie May’s gonna sing you a song.”
“No! Shut up!” Miss Dolly screamed from across from them, and she seemed especially angry. She obviously was in no mood for Potato woman’s antics tonight.
Where did the name Ellie May come from? It sounded like a singer’s name. Maybe this was part of Potato woman’s identity in the past. The woman ignored Miss Dolly, and turned to look at Tabitha purposefully through the cell bars, while starting to sing, eyes wide.
Momma’s baby was born dead
Momma went way out of her head.
The baby boy wasn’t gonna last.
Momma later had a girl instead.
“I said shut up!” Dolly called again. Tabitha almost couldn’t blame her, but now her curiosity was piqued.
“What was the mother’s name?” Tabitha asked Ellie desperately, a shiver running down her spine.
“I don’t know.”
“No. You’re wrong.” She had to be playing on Tabitha’s worst fear. Of course, that was it. Could she read people? Tabitha was still undecided about these powers the woman seemed to have.
“I’m either wrong or right. Hey, did you eat the potato? It’ll take ya’ to another world. Would you believe I’m in the wrong decade? I belong in the sixties. I’m either wrong or right. Which is truly reality? Which do you wanna believe? I know you got some knowledge, too. You know you’re here for a reason. Everything happens for a reason.”
“What are you talking about?”
The woman would not speak anymore, but only sat there rocking and humming in an eerie way that sort of disturbed Tabitha, almost as much as the song the woman had sung.
“Stop messing with me!” Tabitha turned away from the woman as well.
Time travel via potato. The woman was truly whacked. And the song? Coincidence. That and Tabitha’s guilty conscience. Turning to face the wall, she decided the woman was crazy and not worth considering any longer. She’d already given her enough attention.
Chapter 7
Sweet Freedom
“Just a turn of the doorknob, and there lies freedom.”- Emily Dickinson
At 6 p.m. the next evening, Marisel unlocked the cell door and handed Tabitha her belongings. Tabitha kissed her son’s picture and put it back in her back pocket. She took back the t-shirt she had changed out of, noticing that it had been laundered. Outside, they got into the officer’s car for her return to the Envo.
“Which way is the city? You know, the shops, Galaxy Lane, Millenium Road?” Tabitha asked.
“Take a left up there at the flashing light. Wait until it says go. Then, merge into the lane to the right. That street will get you there. I know you’re not from here, but try not to stick out. There are people in the city who will try to take advantage of you.”
“Oh, I’m not a tourist. I’ve been here before. This is all feeling like dejavu. Except the air is a different color. That kind of feeling. It’s just a shade different.”
“Okay. You’ve been talking to the potato woman.” Marasel chuckled. “You artsy types are all alike. Just be careful what you say. I mean, you got to see what it’s like to wait out that mandatory observation.”
Tabitha had to agree she would have rather skipped it.
“Yes, I did speak to the Potato woman. And what about Miss Dolly?”
“Oh, Tabitha, her real name is Dorene. You know, Potato woman makes up alternate names for everyone in there. I think I’ve been called Miss Daisy at one point or another.” She laughed again.
Tabitha would have stayed to chat with Marasel, as she found her to be most pleasant, but she knew the questions would come and she didn’t feel up to the lies at the time being.
“Is there a lake nearby?” Tabitha asked.
“Well, sort of. Go straight down this road, and, it’s not a lake, actually, but a river. If that works for you.”
Tabitha nodded. “Thank you. I’ll only be here a little while longer.”
“Okay. Be careful.” Marasel smiled and waved her goodbye.
Wanting to be back home and knowing she’d never be here again both played on Tabitha’s mind. For even if she and Milt decided to come back to 2047, it could be drastically different. She knew that now. Curiosity won out. She drove down the road to the place where it met the river. A beautiful view. By the compass in the Envo, she seemed to think that was where the sun would rise in the morning. The water moved in choppy waves, and trees swayed in the breeze. The building next to the street glowed a bright green. Maybe it was solar? Darkness was coming on. She wondered if the glow would last all night. Hopefully, she could be back here to see sunrise in the morning. She ducked in the seat and cleaned off with one of the wipes, changing her shirt surreptitiously.
There was a smell coming from the river that she couldn’t identify. Something she’d never noticed in the rivers back home. Or maybe this was a future development. It was definitely not progress. Or was it the result of progress? What could be wrong with this world? Bad potatoes, bad river water. An imbalance in the population. She wondered if the city was as ominous as it used to be. Still, she had marveled at the carnival atmosphere. She was forgetting her and Milt’s experiences with Elise, because certainly that was merely a lesson. They had to learn not to hold on to anything or anyone that they ran into here. Well, it was all just like a movie. That’s how she would look at it.
Driving into the city, she found an open spot for parking alongside the buildings. Sure that she could afford no parking garage, she took it. On exiting the car, she noticed a sign for fee payment. Oh no. “Chip required.” Just my luck, she thought, and kept right on. Maybe they stopped charging at night; at least she hoped.
She saw two women with strollers that seemed to push themselves. What an accomplishment! She peered into them, but couldn’t tell if the ba
bies were boys or girls. They’d most likely be girls. She smiled at the women and didn’t ask the questions that were on her lips. She’d just gotten here, after all. One of the women pushed a button on the stroller and it stopped. A mother would have to be sure to keep up with the stroller. Maybe the stroller had a remote as well? Of course, they would have thought of that.
Tabitha smelled wonderful foods coming from trucks, from shops and restaurants she passed. It made her want to eat, but luckily, she’d had a small meal before leaving the police station, bar one sad looking potato. No money, no eating. She likely would not be staying here for too long. The temperature had dropped just a little, and she was glad she had brought a jacket. Not that it would truly qualify as cold, but Tabitha always tended to be affected by the slightest drop in temperature.
There was a playground across the street. In fact, it could have been the very playground where she and Milt had met Elise. She briefly wondered where Elise might be now. How drastically this world could have changed from the 2047 of before. Did Elise even exist? How many countless facets of society could have been different now? Elise’s parents might have never met. She crossed Washington Street when the clipped voice told her to. That part hadn’t changed much. The name Washington Street didn’t seem familiar, but the surroundings sure did.
The playground had a tall, locked fence around it. Certainly, someone could have climbed it. It might be hard to do with small children, though. A sign read, “Present working chip for admittance.” Paying for a playground? Well, then, it was almost certain there was no free library around here. Tabitha looked around. There was a hair salon close by. A few parents lounged on a bench at the playground with their children despite the oncoming dark. Tabitha backed up into a man that was passing by. No, on closer inspection, the passerby was a woman. Good thing I didn’t say anything, Tabitha thought.
Fashion seemed to have rolled back again, and long, bright shirts were once again common. Yet, no one seemed to have any print on their shirts, which were baggy and seemed to hide a person’s form. Okay, I’ll stick out like a sore thumb again. Shouldn’t those parents be heading home with their children?
The sky darkened with every minute, and street lights were turning on. She saw two women head across the street to some food trucks. There were picnic tables around. It looked like a family area.
One of the women she saw had yellow skin that looked as if someone had painted her. There were no brushstrokes, but her skin glowed like a sunshine yellow. How was that possible? She stared back at Tabitha. Aha. Maybe I look as funny to her as she does to me.
A nice smelling mist sprayed out from what had appeared to be a streetlight. Moments later, it had dissipated, but the smell remained. Interesting idea, Tabitha thought.
Up the road a way Tabitha saw a sign for Galaxy Lane. She’d been here before as well. There was the Breakfast and Smoke Shop. Tabitha remembered from their prior travels that smoking was outlawed in the outdoors and was only allowed inside certain shops or buildings. A line twisted down the road, leading to the door. That was just as she had remembered it from last time.
Briefly, she peeked in the window, looking for a familiar face. Some she wouldn’t remember, but Elise or the girl with angel wings would forever stand out in her mind. No one looked familiar. There was a young man with skin of blue, again, looking as if someone had painted him that color without any sign of brushstrokes. Tabitha thought of the types of body modification they had seen when they previously travelled to 2047. Maybe this was the new fad instead.
Wouldn’t it be rare to see a man around here? Well, he was the first one she had seen beside Lt. Wilkes. With blue skin, at that. Yet, the yellow person she’d seen earlier was a woman. Curious, indeed.
There was a sign up ahead that read “Pring’s Avenue, next turn.” On moving closer, its message was read aloud to her. Now that wasn’t here before, was it? But of course, it had to be named after Stephen Pring, the foot-soldier turned general who bombed his own country and ended the war and brought about a union of the states again. At any cost. She shook her head.
It was a little difficult getting through and processing all of this without having someone to talk to. She hoped for a friendly soul like Elise to show up for her again, yet she knew she’d have to be so careful what information she gave away about herself. Would Elise be friendly if she ran into her this time? Would she react differently since Milt was not with Tabitha? Was Elise even alive now? So many variables could have changed. It made her feel uneasy to think of it.
Hands in pocket, she forged her way forward down Galaxy Lane, not knowing what might await. Walking under the overpass, she saw the Electronics Haven ahead. A group of people loitered under the overpass. They appeared to be homeless. There was another person of blue pallor and a young woman of orange pallor. They started to look less strange to her. Could she be getting used to them? Sort of like you’d get used to seeing someone with tats all up and down their arms. Interesting that two of them were here with the homeless population. Did it signify difficulty getting a job or some sort of penchant for living outside of society?
“So, the Second Civil War happened. Stephen Pring still was an important part of it. Maybe he didn’t bomb us, but did something else.” Tabitha’s words went out to the wind, and the people under the overpass paid her no mind. Would people here be impressed to know she’d once met Stephen Pring? It didn’t matter. She truly hoped that in this future, he wasn’t responsible for bringing about any horrors that might have destroyed an entire state.
She stepped into the Electronics Haven. Glancing across the street, she could see the Body Modification Center. A sign read “Color Pills on Sale. Show your true colors and stand up against the status quo.” It sounded a little anarchist, but to each his own. So this was a new type of body modification. She almost preferred the animal humans they had seen the first time they visited 2047.
Inside Electronics Haven, she saw a button that could be attached to the skin. “Never get hunger pains again,” it claimed.
“Wear that, and you’ll never need to go on a diet.” A young man approached.
“Oh. Why is that?” she asked.
“The chip inside is linked to your home computer, which will stop you from enjoying certain foods. So when you eat, you won’t eat the fattening foods that tend to make you lose willpower.”
Tabitha broke a smile. “Continue.”
“You can set it to stop you right at the point you get to your daily recommended fat and calorie intake allowance. You won’t want to take another bite. And, at the end of the day, it can activate your relaxation center when you have maintained your goals. Without any link to food or drink.”
Hmm. Too good to be true. Had to be. It sounded like another simulation of a drug. “So, it simulates certain sensations?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s totally safe.”
“Hey, I’m sure you can tell I’d like to lose a few pounds, but I don’t have the money for that sort of thing.”
“Money?”
“Come on. Surely you’ve heard of money?”
“Oh, I’ve heard the word. It’s just an outmoded concept. Everyone deals in chip payment now. Don’t you?”
“I’m sorry. I’m from somewhere else. Just visiting. You won’t get a commitment from me today.”
“So, where are you from that you still deal with money? May I ask?” He moved closer to her, curious and a little too interested for her liking. Did he realize he was prying?
“Sorry. I’ve got to go.” She noticed the Angelas in the back. There were males as well, but she couldn’t see what they were called. Packaged android companions ready for activation. So, that hadn’t changed.
Technology still appeared to be a thriving business. Those doomsday naysayers worrying about Y2K were evidently wrong. Computers would be our downfall, they said; they can’t handle the change from 1999 to 2000. Grids would be shut down. People would be forced to merely sur
vive, and society would collapse. That’s what the worst of them said, anyhow. Milt was not at all worried; it seemed he was right. Still, many people in town were, and she hoped they wouldn’t be going crazy. Tabitha did know a friend who was stocked up and would be willing to share if it came to that.
She exited and decided to look around in the Body Modification Center. It was still right next to a 24 hour coffee shop. Nice. Only, Tabitha had no money for coffee. She had, however, lucked out when Marasel let her have a cup of coffee before leaving the station. At least there might be one sympathetic soul here in the new 2047.
In order to get there, she would have to get to the other side of the street, and an escalator lead up to the overpass walkway, so she decided to get on rather than crossing the street. Many people boarded it, all women and girls. None seemed afraid to be out here as the evening arrived. Crime appeared to not be a concern.
The street was full of passing cars. Hover cars landed on rooftops or glided and descended to the street, apparently when a rooftop was full. It was interesting to see a hover car descend and park on a street. Tabitha took note that she should not descend and park with too many people around to witness. The sky started lighting up with more streetlights. This was when the hustle and bustle of a busy street took on an almost beautiful glow. Tabitha actually regretted getting up to her destination, the overpass walkway. Could she stop and stare? People seemed to be moving so quickly. They’d seen it all before; she hadn’t.
Slowly, she walked to the other end, taking in the tall buildings and moving cars. There were no remaining Christmas decorations here, and she wondered about the existence of a faith community here. How different could it be? Once she got to the end, she realized the Body Modification Center had two stories. The top story was for the Medical Branch. Did this place also handle plastic surgery? It seemed believable. Looking up at a parking garage on the roof, she decided to head down the escalator and start at the bottom, just introducing herself slowly to whatever body modification might be in this strange world.
Undercurrents in Time Page 6
