Michelle rolls her eyes, “All of us know that there’s no way of escaping. Miranda’s just too optimistic.”
Harry argues, “Then how do you explain their disappearance?”
“I don’t have any proof that they ever existed.”
Harry opens his mouth like he wants to say something more, but closes. Michelle lips turn up in a tiny smile of triumph. Harry just bites the inside of his cheek.
Michelle changes the topic, “So, what’s your name?”
“Claire.” I say between sips of water.
Harry nods, “Great, and your Complex number?”
“274.”
“Here, we don’t use our Complex numbers. We go on simply your name.”
I ask, “But don’t you get confused between the people with the same names?”
Michelle shrugs, “Kind-of, but you’ll get used to it.”
How are you supposed to remember everyone’s name? Until I was sent here, the only girls’ names I knew were the names of my three roommates.
Harry adds, “Also, as you can probably tell, boys and girls mix together here.”
I search his face, trying to tell if he’s kidding. It’s dangerous for males and females to mix together. They mixed in the Unknown and there were several problems. But Tooth…
Michelle seems to know what I’m thinking, “About what the Heads said, it’s not true. Men and women have just as many arguments together than separate. There’s no point in staying split apart.”
Tooth seemed to be okay. He didn’t try to hurt me and he didn’t seem too quarrelsome. In fact, he saved my life. When I failed to save his. Guilt sinks into me, whisking my thoughts away from the present.
Does he blame me for his death?
Michelle seems to be saying something to me. I blink a couple times before asking, “What?”
Michelle repeats, “Do you feel any pain?”
“No, I actually feel…” I trail off, trying to think of a way to explain it.
“Weightless?” Harry suggests.
“Yeah, I don’t know why. I had some bad pain earlier, but it’s disappeared.”
Harry nods, “Actually, it hasn’t permanently disappeared. We’ve given you a type of medicine that numbs the pain and will help you heal. That’s what the tubes are for.”
I glance at the wires and cords entering into my wrist. They’re helping me? Is this some type of technology from the Heads? If it is, does that mean that these people work for the Heads? I need to be careful of what I say around them. They seem sincere and sympathetic, but they might try to catch me for being disloyal. They might be undercover Officials.
Harry apologizes, “I’m sorry for having to pump sedative into you and for tying your hands down. I couldn’t let you take out those tubes. They’re helping you to heal and you need them to survive.”
Michelle seems to catch the disbelief in my expression. She says, “You’re suffering from lack of nutrients, dehydration, slight blood loss, and other small problems. Not to mention the traces of Ecru blood in your body.”
“Ecru?” I ask. The word is foreign on my tongue.
Harry answers, “Those creatures that you were with? I believe what you call them are the Things?”
YOU ARE READING
274 (Complex Series, #4)
Science Fiction-fourth book in the Complex series- Claire, known to most people only by her Complex number as 274, has always obeyed the Official's rules. You have to, unless you want to be sent away to the Unknown. Until, she meets Marie and everything changes. ...
