SILVER EYES (GXG)

Chapter 21: Messages

After that day, the security measures at the border multiplied. We received orders to station more officers at the gates to prevent another incident like that one from happening again. Heather, well, she didn't take kindly to it. To her, this surge of new personnel seemed like a glaring testament to her failure. And now she was more disciplined than ever, almost as if she felt the need to overcompensate for the guilt she was quietly nursing. I, too, felt guilty. I couldn't shake off the memory of what Laura had told me about the people with white tags. And dam it! I was struggling to stay focused and today it was an important one; I had to send the message that Erik had repaired. We had decided to meet in his apartment so he could give me the repeater that would transmit the signal beyond the border.

As I traveled in the transit capsule, I couldn't help but feel the nerves taking over my body as time passed. However, everything changed when I saw Erik waiting for me at the station. He seemed to be extremely calm, with his gaze lost on the horizon, and wearing his elegant black coat making him look more handsome than ever.

After our meeting, he walked me to his apartment, and he was really excited because I hadn't seen it yet since I had crossed the border. He lived in a high-tech building with a sleek and minimalist design.

"That's not really your style, is it?" I commented as my gaze roamed down the building's corridor. It felt oddly mundane, almost resembling a hospital hallway.

"They assigned me here, I didn't have much choice," Erik replied, turning the key to open his apartment door. The interior adhered to the same aesthetic as the building—grey, silver, and white dominated the color palette. The furniture was compact and impeccably arranged. Although the dining room wasn't very big, Erik had managed to infuse it with a personal touch that made it cozy. A multi-colored striped blanket, which appeared to be hand-sewn, adorned the white sofa. In the corners of the room, he had placed flowers and plants, and a large, partially painted painting on an easel depicted snow-capped mountains with deer on a rocky precipice.

"Did you paint this?" I asked, amazed at this new talent I had no idea he had.

"I'm learning, just trying to keep my head occupied," he answered.

"You miss music, right?" I asked him. Erik was a music lover and used to play the violin very well. But in the Reg society, not everyone was allowed to do so. Music was highly restricted.

"I do. Very much so." He answered showing some sadness in his eyes. "But, speaking of that... I have something to show you" He said and then he guided me to a room at the end of the corridor. "Are you ready?"

"Sure!" I said, extremely curious. He opened the door, and I was shocked to see a beautiful handmade wooden violin displayed on a lectern in the center of the room. Next to it, there was a music stand with a sheet of music. The floor was carpeted with a thick rug, and the walls were lined with soundproofing material. Erik had built himself a soundproof room and his own violin to play. I looked at him with excitement and saw his eyes sparkle as he witnessed my reaction. It seemed as though he had allowed me into his personal sanctuary, where he could do what he loved most – play music, and he was emotional about sharing it with someone else.

"This is amazing!" I exclaimed, filled with excitement.

"Yeah, it took me a while to set everything up, but it was definitely worth it," he replied.

"Absolutely!" I agreed.

"And do you see this?" He said, taking the music sheet from the stand. "This is our letter to Michael, translated into music."

"Are you kidding me? Is that how we're going to send it?" I asked.

"Yeah, Michael and I created this music code. If he gets to listen to it, he'll know it's from us. If someone else intercepts it, they'll just think it's a song," he explained.