Binary

Chapter 1

Part 1

My world crashed today.

Not like a car crash, though. No, something far smaller and far more devastating. My life, my home, my entire being crashed as I knew it. Like a computer.

Probably because it is a computer.

I was born in Binarii eighteen years ago, and a lot has changed since then. It wouldn't be so strange if that change hadn't occurred in all of six short days. At that thought, my hand instinctively went to the small patch that had been placed over the bloody cut I had received. Received when my memory chip was cut out. It burned, even through the medi-patch. As I pulled my fingers away, scarlet glinted in the dim light of the rattling transport car.  

"Stop poking at it" snapped the dark haired boy sitting next to me. "It'll only make it worse"

I flashed a sneer at him, reminding him to fuck off. I ceased my fidgeting, though. But I could hardly help it. The small, tube-like car was starting to feel cramped. I felt it jostle again, and heard the wince as the redhead bumped her sprained ankle. The sub-train looked and sounded like it hadn't run in decades. At least, the luggage car did, as that was where we were all stowed away.

We. I wondered again how many people were on this damn thing with me. The luggage car had no lights, so for all I knew, there were hundreds of people in this car with me. What with the way we'd been treated so far, it would hardly surprise me.

I wished I knew more than the names of the three people clustered near me.

It struck me for the first time that we were all truly in the same boat. Ripped from our lives, our homes, our families, sent on a journey that a week ago would have seemed impossible. It all felt so surreal, so fantastic, like it had been torn right out of one of Ben's action comics.

Ben. My thoughts went to him and I let out a small sigh. I wondered if he was alright. Perhaps I would never know. For all I did know, this long, cramped trip might very well be one way. A one way train I never intended to board.

"Alright, Wanda?"

Rob's voice startled me. I had forgotten I wasn't alone. I gave him a grim smile and a quick nod, if only to put him at ease. I was not alright. None of were are.

The sound of my name rang in my ears. Wanda. I shook my head. Wanda was the girl who'd woken up six days ago to a cloudy morning and secure in the knowledge that life was good. That girl couldn't be me. And if she wasn't, then I had no idea who I was anymore.

There was a squeal of metals grinding together, and the journey came to an end.

A hatch was opened, a bright light illuminating the car. Hands reached in to pull us out, one by one. Nameless faces, faceless men surrounded us, swarming like bees. I took a shaky step.

The first step of a life that was all too new.

The last step of a life I would never know again.