Christina and I spend the rest of what we assume the ‘day’ roaming the halls. We pick up food wherever we find it. I follow Christina’s advice, saving half of my food for later in the day. It sits in the sleeve of my long-sleeved shirt, my hand holding it tightly closed.
My stomach rumbles the whole day, getting worse with each passing hour. My muscles ache from my multiple sprints since in the Unknown. Bruises and scratches litter my skin from the various attacks.
I’m beginning to look just like everyone else in the Unknown.
Christina and I are silent most of the day, too scared or exhausted for conversation. As we are lying down for rest at night, I catch a tear tracing its way down Christina’s cheek.
I ask, “What’s wrong?”
Everything’s wrong. We’re starving, exhausted, aching, dying. This is the Unknown.
Christina’s voice wavers, “I was just thinking…sometimes you can tell when someone’s about to disappear. Like that little girl in that corner today, she was so sick, so weak, she was going to last long. But, Grace…she didn’t look or act like that. Grace was strong and optimistic, well, as optimistic as you can be in the Unknown.”
She pauses. I don’t know if she’s waiting for me to say something. Keeping my mouth closed, I simply wait for her to continue.
She says, “I’m just thinking how I might disappear any day now. Just like Grace, I’ve been here for about the same amount of time.” Her voice cracks, “I’m so terrified. What even happens at your disappearance? Death? Do you go somewhere else, somewhere more terrible?”
I know I should reassure her, but I don’t know how. I don’t know anything more about the Unknown and disappearances than she does. She probably knows more. What should I say?
“I’m…I’m terrified too…”
Christina nods, another tear dancing across her cheek, “I just…I wish I could go back in time and stay in the Complex. I thought that everything was so horrible when I was there. I didn’t think it could get any worse…this proves exactly how wrong I was.”
I respond, “I think that’s just part of, I don’t know, our mindset or something. We always think we have it the worse, that what we are going through is more horrible than anyone else has experienced. But, in reality, it’s really not that bad.”
Christina stares at me, “In other words, we’re all pessimists.”
I shrug, “I guess. There are a few people, though, who are able to break free and simply…live.”
Christina sighs, “I wish I could, but…it’s not really working for me. Look at me, crying in self-pity when everyone else in the Unknown is going through the exact same thing.”
She laughs to herself, “I guess that’s exactly what you’re talking about, right?”
I simply smile in response.
Christina sits up, “That’s another thing about us. We always want to believe that we’re different or special. When really…we’re just like everyone else.”
I counter, “Maybe not, we are in the Unknown. That means we’re different from most people.”
She grins, “I guess...what did you do to get sent here?”
I recount my story to her, unbraiding my hair and running from Officials.
At the end, I ask, “What about you?”
She smiles, “I was talking to someone besides my roommate at Free Hour, we were both sent to the Unknown. The other girl, she was actually Grace.”
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. ...
