\t's the Fields. I’ve seen some in holograms in our Teachings, but they never looked like this.
Rows of towering leafy green. Natural color bursts everywhere. I can't even see where the Fields end. They are continuous, stretching on forever.
I realize I've stopped moving. just standing in front of the door. Dana is several steps ahead of me. I jog to catch up to her. There aren't very many people in sight here. Shouts ring out from inside the Fields. I catch glimpses of limbs, flashes of gray, in between the rows.
Dana smiles, "Corn. It's ground up and used in the crackers and bread as part of the base. We have a huge amount of it because everyone in the Complex, all the Officials, and us in the Unknown eat it every day. So, as we walk this way, you will see corn in different stages of growth. The farther we walk, the younger the corn gets, we plant it at different times so that we always have corn that's ready to pick. The Fields is the Pros that has the most workers, because it's such a big operation. They have to set out the Planters, test the water consistency in the soil, test the chemicals in it, send out soil loosing bugs, and pick all the corn by hand."
"By hand?" I ask, "Don't they have some type of technology to pick it for you?"
"Oh, I'm sure they do, but why would the Heads waste money and technology on us? If we can slave away to get it done, why would they help?"
The rows of corn gets smaller the farther we walk. It is now about as high as my knees whereas before it was practically double my height.
"We also have other crops like wheat, sugar cane, and cotton. Then we have a small garden, that we will arrive at in a minute or so, that is for the Windsors' meals."
The rows of corn cut off, and reveal a patch of ground with short little rows of green.
Dana cuts through the row, "Careful not to squash anything." She shouts over her shoulder. Dirt clings to the bottoms of my shoes.
I pick my way through vines and leaves, and follow Dana to a small building. She pulls open a door and all I can see is darkness inside.
"Go quickly," Dana commands, "We don't want the mushrooms to see too much light."
My eyes adjust as I shuffle in the small room.
Dana reaches my side, "This is kind-of like when I snuck out at night, remember? I suppose you never did get to since Brinn backed out." Dana voice comes out strong and hard like I remember it. It's not like that light, bubbly tone she's been using in the halls of the Unknown.
I detect a bit of resistance, conflict running through her words. "Actually," I whisper back, "we did. And we got another girl involved and went to the boys' Complex."
"You got Kate involved?" Dana's voice is full of disbelief, "I would have thought she was completely loyal."
"No, it was a girl from a different room."
"Just wait until Miranda hears about this."
"She already did."
"Really, what did she say?"
"She didn't believe a word I said."
Dana doesn't respond for a couple of seconds. "I never told her." She whispers into the darkness, as if ashamed. "I never told her of what Brinn and I did. I thought I might get Brinn caught. Although, maybe secretly, I wanted her caught, so we could be free together in the Unknown. I thought maybe, she was loyal, since she didn't want to sneak out anymore. I thought she might hate it here and then hate me. I bet that's why Miranda doesn't believe you, because I never said anything..." Dana trails off into the darkness.
Just to keep Brinn safe, she didn't say a single word.
Dana continues, taking back up that light tone, "We better get the mushrooms before J. has my head." She giggles, but it's fake.
Dana bends over and begins picking silhouettes of mushrooms. "These are mushrooms. I think they are horrid, but apparently Ellen absolutely loves these things fried up. She has them about three or four times a week so we have a lot growing. They are rather difficult though, they like the darkness and humidity."
Dana shoves the door back open and we squint out into the light. I examine the mushrooms as we walk back along the Fields. Dirty white stalks with half a circle plopped on top. They look disgusting. I wouldn't even want to try putting one in your mouth.
We enter back into the rushing hallways. Dana is quiet, like she's contemplating what I said back in the mushroom shed. I still can't believe that she kept quiet about it all this time. I wonder what she told Miranda when Miranda asked she got sent to the Unknown for.
My shoes leave a small trail of dirt behind me. I feel guilty but, after then I realize the floor is covered with a fine layer of the dirt and dust. It's not perfectly immaculate like the Complex. We curve down the hall and burst through the kitchen doors.
J. turns around. "Dana. There you are. Didn't you get my Notice?"
Dana turns red and guiltily checks her Notice, "I guess, but I didn't see it. Sorry, what does it say?"
J. shrugs, "Don't apologize to me, save it for Miranda. She sent an urgent message for you to get yourself and this Rivie Piper down to her office as quick as your legs can carry you. And that was," J. checks her Notice, "ten minutes ago."
Dana shoves the mushrooms into J.'s hands, grabs my wrist, and hauls me out of the room.
She pushes through the crowd, striding quickly, her face twisted in anxiety and guilt. She mutters, "I should have checked it, I should have, this is the third time now, not good. Oh, why does Miranda have to be mad at me again?"
I push away my shaking hands to my sides. I can't be in trouble already, can I? I’ve barely done anything since I got here.
I check my Notice. The screen is blank. Is it something I did, or is it something that Dana did? If it was only Dana, Miranda wouldn’t have told me to come too.
Dana yanks me around a corner, and presses her Notice strap into a scanner. I make a note to myself to ask what it is scanning. I check my own Notice strap, nothing there. Dana tugs me into the room and I find myself face to face with a pacing Miranda.
The door slides shut behind Dana as she pleads, "Miranda, I'm sorry, we were out by the Fields, and you know how loud it is. It was a far way to walk. What’s so urgent?”
Miranda brushes her hair back behind her ears. "We just got a couple people back from the Ecru."
Dana asks, "What does that have to do with us?"
"Sorry Dana, it has nothing to do with you. But, it has everything to do with Piper."
My heart starts beating faster. What is it? Did the rebellious Officials somehow give themselves away? Does Miranda know that I'm working with them? Did they try to send their message, and somehow get caught?
"Dana, you are dismissed. Go back to the Kitchens."
Dana looks back and forth in between Miranda and me. Her mouth opens like she doesn't know what to say. "But, Miranda, will-"
"Piper will not be hurt, now leave." Miranda says.
Dana doesn't leave. "Miranda, there's something I need to tell you, about why I was sent here, I actually-"
Miranda interrupts, "It can wait. Leave, Dana, you are beginning to cross a line."
Dana shuts her mouth, but then asks, "Will I be seeing Piper for Late Meal?"
Miranda's eyes flare at Dana's question but she coldly answers, "You might, you might not. I will send a Notice if you need to come and meet her. Leave now."
I don't like the way she says if. I bite my lip, my heart beating even faster. I've only known Miranda for less than a day now. What is she really like?
Dana bites her lip, glares at Miranda, and strides out of the room. As she walks through the doorway she calls out without looking back, "I'll see you at Late Meal, Piper."
Then the door closes shut behind her, leaving me stuck with a raging Miranda/
Miranda shifts her attention to me. She calmly says, "So, as I was saying before, we just got two new people from the Ecru. I suppose you don't know who the Ecru are?"
"Actually," I say, feeling defiant, "I do. They are extremely pale, have sharp teeth, and are, well, creepy. The Heads lock kids in there who are disobedient."
Miranda's eyes widen as I rattle off information that a normal Rivie wouldn't know. After I finish, she recovers and nods, "Right, so after kids are done with their punishment, the Officials send them here, through the same type of rooms that you arrived in, for us to nurse back to health. They are normally in a shocked state, often unconscious or in a sort-of trance. We normally call people who have been in with the Ecru, an Eeke."
"I don't see what that has to do with me."
"It has everything to do with you. You see, the new Eekes are a boy and girl. That's not that uncommon for the Heads to put boys and girls together with the Ecru. In fact, it normally causes even more trauma on the kids, due to the fear the Heads have created between genders."
I stare blankly at Miranda, wondering how this involves me.
She continues, “The boy is unconscious and the girl is…almost on a trance. Like I said, that's not uncommon for Ecru victims."
She pauses, "Now, let me change subjects for a second. Your little story of how you got here, I'm not sure whether I believe, has been bothering me. I can't stop thinking about it because some things add up and others completely go against each other. I guessing some of it's true and some is completely made up."
She watches my reaction to her opinion. I force my face to stay emotionless.
She narrows her eyes and continues, "Now, I've been thinking about it, going over the story line in my head. Is it true that the first girl's name was Brinn?" She asks.
I nervously nod my head. I have no idea what this has to do with the Eekes. How could it be connected?
I had made sure not to mention Josh's name.
"May I ask what the boy's name was?"
"Josh." I force it through my throat. It seems important. Besides, I can’t give her the opportunity to catch me in a lie.
Miranda's face clears of all emotions. No anger, no confusion, no frustration. "Okay, now let's go back to the previous topic of discussion. The boy and the girl, we have no idea who they might be. The Officials give us no information whatsoever about the incoming Eekes. They are both in too deep of trauma to respond to our questions. We need to know what they have done, just in case they are dangerous to us."
I nod again. I still don't know what I have done.
"So, naturally, we look for clues on whom these kids might be. The only clue we have is from the girl in the trance. She keeps on saying two names. Would you like to guess who they might be?"
I don't respond. I don't want to know.
Miranda looks right into my eyes and says, "Brinn and Josh."