Unplugged: The Hidden World (#2, Unplugged Trilogy)

Chapter Nine

"I don't know what to do with that girl," my mother sighs. Once we reach the restroom, we each take turns freshening up. I do so somewhat reluctantly, eyeing the dirt caked into the floor and ceiling. After removing the jacket bound around my thigh, I sprinkle some cold water onto my skin. It stings at first, but soon grows numb again. I throw the messy jacket over my shoulder. Once all of us are finished, we meet in front of the bathroom door.

"Let's search for gasoline, then we'll worry about food, water, and any other provisions," my mother states. We nod in agreement and begin to travel down the dark aisles, searching for car supplies. On the second to the last aisle, we come upon a fairly large stock of gasoline. Matthew volunteers to fill up the car while my mother, Ariel and I search for water and food rations. I find myself hoping that they haven't all been picked over.

Splitting apart from my mom, I walk carefully through towering shelves of useless items. Colorful games, toys, and clothes bombard me on all directions. It occurs to me that the majority of people who lived in this time period must have had lots of extra money lying around. In the city, you were only paid the amount that would allow you to squeeze by another week. You were lucky to be able to buy anything vital for yourself, let alone items for your own entertainment. I continue to scan through aisles when I see something that makes me pause in the middle of my next footstep. A long shelf ahead of me is stocked with books of all shapes and sizes.

I've never physically seen a book, only heard about them in our electronic textbooks at school. But these bundles of bound paper, these are different. Entranced, I rush forward and pick one up. The cover of this particular book is black and leathery, slightly indented in several places. I flip through to a random page, rubbing my fingertips against the soft, silky paper. Its texture reminds me of the letter I received from my mother all those fateful weeks ago. The smell reminds me of my grandmother's bedroom.

"Enna!" My mother shouts a few aisles over, temporarily ripping me out of my trance. Absentmindedly, I stash the thick book securely under my arm.

"Yeah?"

"We've found food. Lots of it!" I limp quickly towards the sound of my mother's voice, and soon I come upon numerous stacks of canned food and bottled water. My mom holds up a can of vegetables, squinting her eyes to read the label on it.

"It says the expiration date was half a year ago, but it should be fine." I nod, struggling to suppress the bile that rises in my throat. At this point, I should be glad I haven't starved yet. I bend down and grab a water bottle, voraciously guzzling down its contents. My throat burns angrily upon contact of the water. We spend the next several moments piling canned food and bottled water into a shopping cart that Ariel had rolled over. The warm building begins to grow darker and colder as the sun makes its way towards the horizon. Matthew still hadn't returned from filling up the car yet.

"Do you think we could sleep here? Just for the night?" My mother asks. In all of our constant motion, I hadn't remembered her exhaustion. Due to our recent ordeal with the border security, her nap had been cut short.

"Of course," I reply, curving my lips into a small grin. "You've been so helpful. Thank you." She smiles in reply then sends Ariel to search for blankets and pillows.

"What's that?" She asks suddenly, noticing the thick book tucked under my arm.

"It's a book I found," I reply quickly, pulling it out.