"Here, Holland," Tanner says over the loud buzzing in the atrium. He hands me a plate of food, and I accept it with sudden hunger.
When I finished my video recording session just moments ago, Tanner waited for me outside the doorway so he could show me the way to dinner. He said Stephen would probably be finished later, and now I want later to be now.
I glance at my tray with disdain, piles of textures with different colors separated on the plate. I thought Enhancement Project food was weird, and I didn't expect it to get any weirder. I'm clearly wrong.
Tanner sits down on the floor next to me and places his tray near his folded legs. Fitting into our surroundings, we form our own Camp in the middle of the atrium. "Enjoy."
"Thanks," I say, setting down my own tray next to his. I try not to look too disgusted as the small portion of food releases a thin cloud of steam into the air. It's the oddest thing I've ever seen.
"Why is it letting off smoke?" I ask.
" 'Cuz it's hot," Tanner says with a mouthful of the food. He laughs a little, mistaking my flatness for humor. "I keep forgetting you haven't seen food like this. But try it. It's really good."
"You sure?" I glance at him and back at my tray. I pick at the brown section of food before tasting a piece.
I shrug. It's not horrible.
Tanner laughs again, and I shrug again, this time with a half-grin, "So do you think Stephen will be done soon?" I ask, referring to the sessions.
"Soon," Tanner says, chewing on his food and swallowing, "Don't worry about it. He'll be fine. Eat up."
I make a face at the food. Instead of eating, I search the room for Stephen. I scan every visible ledge and floor space. Not one person resembles him. I receive side glances and a few persistent stares, but nothing worthy of my full attention. I don't blame the onlookers though; no one else here is wearing a black jacket in a room of white shirts except for me.
I shrug off the peering eyes. If it were me, I'd be staring, too.
Tanner and I continue to eat, and I finally spot Stephen, clad in his own black jacket. My body relaxes a little, but Stephen doesn't walk towards Tanner and I. Instead, two guards dressed like Screeners guide Stephen up a ladder to the higher floor in the room. I feel my mouth slide open, and I reach to tap Tanner's arm and ask him what the Screeners are doing. Suddenly someone says, "Miss Renner."
I jerk my head towards the voice. Two red helmets appear in my face. I visibly jump. "Yes?" I manage to splutter.
"If you would come with us, please, for the ceremony," the Screener says evenly.
I glance at Tanner, and he nods. My stomach refuses to settle, but I rise from my seat anyways. Every cell in my body protests. What other option do I have?
The two Screeners wait for me to stand, already positioning themselves in some sort of a formation. The one Screener leads the way while the other follows in my wake. As we parade across the atrium, we don't go unnoticed. It's hard to miss red Screeners in any setting anywhere. I watch the crowd, meeting their curious stares and glances.
It's easy to tell who recently arrived at Pod 14. The people who keep their eyes trained on the Screeners are the newbies like me. I don't blame them, mostly because I agree with them. How can I trust the Screeners who control everything in the country? To us, red means danger no matter where we are.
I lock eyes with a brown-haired girl my age. I nod subtly to her. I can tell she's afraid of the Screeners. The brushburned scab on her face explains everything I need to know.
I finally reach the tall ladder, glad to be out of the direct spotlight. I climb after the first Screener, reminded vaguely of my apartment's fire escape. No sunrises will welcome me at the top though, and the view below isn't filled with buildings.
I reach the landing with a bit of anxiety as I step off the final rung. Two Screeners stand to the side, their hands clasped near their stomachs. My eyes instinctively jump to Stephen's, ensuring his safety. His gaze brightens at the sight of me, unafraid.
Commander Liad's voice suddenly bursts throughout the room, "Attention all citizens. Please welcome two newcomers to our Camps, Holland and Stephen!"
After a few seconds of clapping, the lights shut off and drench us in darkness without warning. I grab onto the platform's railing in a panic. The light returns, blinding our backsides but allowing the faces in the crowd to be semi-lit. I claw my way closer to Stephen's side, using the railing as a loose guide.
"What's going on?" Stephen frantically whispers to me.
"I don't know--" I begin, but I'm cut off by our own voices playing from the loudspeakers.
"My name is Stephen Moore."
"My name is Holland Renner."
The next part blares out in unison. "I'm eighteen years old."
"What the heck?" I mumble, turning to face the light behind me. Both of our videos appear on the newly-visible screen. They stretch high above the platform, larger than life.
I turn back to the audience, spotting a dozen smaller screens around the perimeter of the room. Then I scan the faces of the audience members. All the citizens are silently immersed in the video feeds, anxious to hear our stories.
My pre-recorded voice announces another phrase. "I wasn't screened."
The crowd's mood becomes confused. As Stephen and I share our experiences involving the Enhancement Project, I feel the air in the room change. I can't tell if it morphs into shock or disbelief or sorrow, but it's heavy with feeling.
As Stephen finishes his final words in his video, a massive spotlight flashes into our faces, blinding us. The videos shut off, replacing themselves with Commander Liad's voice.
"Stephen and Holland's stories aren't easy to hear," Liad's voice says, "but they're our reason to fight faster, stronger, and better. We've successfully demonstrated what a full-out protest looks like in Grand Rapids, but we're still waiting for the right moment to strike ever harder. That moment is coming soon."
He pauses to let his message sink into the crowd. "That moment is coming soon thanks to Holland and Stephen. We've all chosen a plan to act upon, and the government will be crippled because of it. So in 24 hours, government officials will be here to reclaim Holland and Stephen."
It takes me a second to process the declaration. "W-What? This can't be happening!" I yell out, but it's too late. The crowd can't hear or see me. Lights flash off, and my emotions descend into blind, fearful panic. I spin around in the darkness as Liad continue to speak and distract the Camp members from the violent truth.
Blood pulses in my ears and clogs my mind. I feel hands on my shoulders, pulling at me. Cold adrenaline shifts me into self-defense mode. But the Screeners are too strong, too advanced. A sharp object pricks me in the blackness, and I scream out again, resisting the hands around me. Stars flash around me, morphing into numbers. 400's flicker in front of my eyes until I sedated by the people I trusted the most.
-- -- -- -- --
Clouded with fog, I wake up smiling at my surroundings. Cream-colored walls materialize, and I feel relieved for no reason. A doctor arrives through a doorway, speaking as he walks to my bed, "Hi there, Holland, how are you feeling?"
My brain refocuses, and I stretch out my limbs beneath the bed sheets. "I'm good."
"That's really great," the man says, "And can you tell me your name?"
"400."
The man gives me a fiercely confused look.
"I mean Holland," I say. His expression smacks me back into full consciousness.
"And how many fingers am I holding up?"
My eyes catch onto his right hand with long fingers extended. "Five," I dismiss, "but why am I here? Where is everyone?"
"Don't worry, you're fine," he says, "After your video-viewing in the atrium, we had to perform a small operation."
"Oper--"
"It's all fine," the doctor says, "I'll have your friend Tanner come in and talk to you soon. He'll re-explain everything."
"Explain wh--"
"It's all fine, don't worry," he says, "Not all confusion is bad."
He pauses to smile at me, "But this next part is very important, Holland. What is the last event you remember?"
I stop for a moment, searching my mind for the answer for my own benefit, not his. Was it dinner with Tanner? Changing clothing? No, no, it was...
"Being on stage," I answer, "I remember the lights shutting off and turning back on."
"Good, very good," the doctor says. He turns towards the door before glancing back at me. "So do you want to see Tanner?"
-- -- -- -- --
stuff just got very suspicious... comment your conspiracy theories.
the word "displayed" showed up in the chapter, as selected. and i actually updated this week lol. sorry for irregular update pattern.
BUT OMG ENHANCEMENT RANKED SCIFI #17 TODAY OMG OMG OMG OMG! as a reward, i made this chapter 50% longer than i normally would have! yayness!
Question: Choose a phrase: uncover the truth, the half-truth, or the false truth.
Follow-up Question: Choose a familiar face: Peyton, Stephen, or Commander Liad.