But I don't have time to dwell on this strange attractive pull I have towards Tyler, nor does he have time to tell his truth – because a huge chorus of screams from inside the coffee shop alarms us.
Tyler immediately makes for the door and in a confusion of noise and chaos we watch as he's sucked out by some unseen force. I look from Kade to Troy and Kelly, all standing open mouthed and mute.
And then – WOOSH!
......
The last thing I recall seeing is Kade's outstretched arms trying to grab hold of me. But the force of the suction was too powerful and I was sucked into a black hole that gave way to flashing lights and beams, like I was in some kind of out of control dark-ride at a theme park.
Eventually the invisible force lessened and I found my feet; and now I'm here.
......
This room is a square empty space with low-level lighting. Tyler and I can only just about see each other; and the strange thing is, although we've been here for about an hour now, our eyes haven't become accustomed to the low-light.
I'm crouched down, taking deep breaths to try and control the claustrophobia that is beginning to claw at me. Tyler is pacing the room, "Fight it Tanya, we'll be released in fifteen minutes," he says, trying hard to control his own anxieties.
"Released into what?" I ask.
Tyler stops and crouches to my level, "You heard what that voice told us, Tanya."
"Tell me again, my head was racing and I couldn't take it all in."
He stands up, "They're implementing their Marginal-Solutions-Strategy, using Chicago as their test city. Given that you and I are transgender, we shall be released into what he referred to as a 'Grade-3-Margin' – what that will be, what it will look like, we'll find out real soon." He sighs and slaps the wall, "I sure hope it's better than this box."
"What do you think it'll be?" I ask, desperately wanting some kind of reassurance.
He pauses a moment before continuing, "I guess it's gonna be some kind of ghetto where people who they deem lesser than them will have to live, cut off from the rest of society, with less rights."
"Like a prison?" I ask.
"I really don't know Tanya; to be fair, I should be asking you, yourself and Kade must have more intelligence about their MSS than myself."
And he's right, we do, or rather 'I' do given Kade isn't with me. The truth is, I never believed it would actually happen, I thought us good guys would win – I was wrong.
I don't want to think about this new world that Tyler and I are about to be taken into, let alone talk about it.
But, I suppose I must. I stand up, "You're right, I do have an insight."
Tyler stops pacing, "So share it with me Tanya, lessen the burden of all the ugly scenarios that are going through my head right now?"
I breathe in, exhale, begin, "I believe we will be allowed to move freely within our designated areas, have adequate accommodation and all our requirements for daily-living will be provided."
Tyler interrupts, "Already that sounds a whole lot better than what I've been imagining," he. Says, the relief in his voice, evident.
......
I don't tell him that we will only be allowed one 50 minute visit a month with a chosen loved one or family member; will not be allowed to vote in elections, not be allowed marry, nor be employed in the medical industries, teaching, or any employment that has any kind of authority.
No, I keep this all to myself as the male voice booms back inside the box – "Tyler and Tanya, from henceforth you shall be named: T1 and T2. Both of you look upwards to receive your respective branding before you are released into your Grade-3-Margin."
Instinctively we both look to the roof of the box and are momentarily blinded by a harsh light that stings our foreheads. It lasts mere seconds; when I look at Tyler I see 'T1' in bold black letters are emblazoned on his forehead. I touch my forehead, my fingers tracing the slightly raised letter and numeral 'T2.'
Tyler and I swap glances, but we've no time for words as the man's voice booms again, "Please stand facing the East wall and ready yourselves for release."
We do as instructed, and I instinctively drop my head, already I feel a kind of misplaced shame for what is seared onto my forehead. When I take a furtive glance at Tyler, I note his head is also lowered.
I hear a rumble accompanied by a tremor in the floor of the box. Then a scraping sound from in front as the steel wall begins to rise, flooding the box with light. We both remain standing still as city sounds surround us: traffic, honking horns, sirens, the pounding footfall of thousands of people pounding Chicago's pavements; sounds that are familiarly reassuring.
Tentatively, I lift my head – and I see the city unchanged. The voice speaks once more, "T1. and T2, You may now leave your holding box."
Tyler turns to me as we walk forward, "Tanya, we are free," a wide smile on his face.
But as we walk forward I see the smile on Tyler's face flicker, waver and eventually wane. He turns to me, "Why are they all looking at us?"
The traffic halts and people vacate their vehicles to join the thronging crowds that have stopped to stare at us. Wanting to avoid their mass-gaze, I look behind and see Tyler and I are in the east-side of the city – the streets of which are deserted, like they've been hit by some kind of apocalypse.
I look forward to the growing crowd in front of us and look upwards; eventually my eyes settle on the edge of the glass rim many metres above us. We are separated by a gargantuan glass wall; and thousands of people stare at us like we are odd-fish put in our rightful aquarium.
Tyler and I have been put in what this new power assumes is 'our place.'
All I can hope is – we survive it.
