Brinn hisses, “Do you see anything?”
“No,” I look at Piper, “You?”
She shakes her head.
Brinn bites her lip, “I think we should leave.”
Piper nods, “There’s nothing here.”
We peek out from the side of the building to see if anyone’s coming. The village seems to be entirely empty.
I slip out from behind the building and begin walking in the direction of the Toilet building. I try to keep the confusion and worry off my face. Brinn struggles to do the same.
Just when we are about to reach the door, James walks out of a building and spots us. He says, “I’s can’t a-seem ta a-find yer friends anywhere. Do ya know where they be?”
Piper offers, “We can look for them if you’re too busy. When we find them we’ll just head back to the building where we are staying.”
James nods, “Oh, thank you, that’d be a-great. I’s got a couple people ta a-fix up.”
I say, “It’s no problem.”
James bows his head in thanks one last time before disappearing into one of the sleeping buildings.
My shoulders sag after he leaves. There’s nothing I want to do less than go looking for Bridget and Canton. I really don’t want to have to listen to Bridget accusing us of things that aren’t even true.
Piper apologizes, “I’m sorry, it’s the first thing that popped into my head. Besides, we need to do ‘helpful’ things to impress the leaders of this village and win their trust.”
“Who do you think is the leader here?” I ask.
Piper shrugs, “Either Spara or Nikolas, maybe even both of them are leaders. I think James is pretty powerful, or at least liked by a lot of people.”
Brinn frowns, “If Spara’s in charge here…”
I finish her sentence, “Then we have even less of a chance of being able to stay in the village.”
Piper asks, “If Spara is arguing against us, then Nikolas is probably arguing for us, right?”
Brinn says, “I guess, otherwise they wouldn’t be having an argument. What side do you think James is on?”
I say, “I’m guessing ours. He seems nice enough when he’s around us.”
“Who do you think is winning the argument?”
Her question is met with silence.
I finally say, “I think it all depends on who’s in charge.”
Brinn whispers, “I’m really enjoying this conversation and everything, but I really need to use the Toilets.”
Piper and I laugh and we continue walking to the Toilets. Once we reach the door, Piper enters the code again into the door. It slides open and we enter.
After we use the restrooms and regroup outside, Piper says, “Okay, now the fun task of finding Bridget and Canton.”
Brinn and I both roll our eyes.
Brinn asks, “How are we supposed to find her? We have no idea where she stormed off to. Do we just look in all the buildings?”
I shrug, “Unless she knew the code, she wouldn’t have been able to get in the buildings.”
Piper suggests, “I think we should look everywhere in the village that’s not inside a building, and then look in the buildings. It’s probably more likely that they’re outside than inside.”
Brinn says, “Then, let’s start at the front of the village and then just follow the fence around the perimeter, first.”
We agree and begin walking. The fence is only as big as it needs to be. Piper and I help Brinn limp around and together we can just squeeze through the spaces in between the buildings and the fence.
By the time we are halfway around, we have seen nothing. The grass in this area isn’t as trampled down as it is in the center of the village and brushes the tops of my knees.
We are just turning the corner to go around the third side when a high-pitched voice calls out, “Stop or we’s a-goin’ ta a-killya!”
Giggles float out from behind the nearest building. Rose pops out from behind the building, wielding a small twig fiercely, “I’s be a-stayin’ still if I’s were ya.”
Another little girl peeks her head out from behind the building. She has light, light wispy blonde hair that falls to her chin.
Rose sends a look at the girl, “Well, a-come on Marrielle, we’s a-need ta attack!”
“I’s don’t a-know, my mama a-said that if I’s ever a-see strangers, I shouldn’t a-talk to them. I’s should a-run away!”
“Yer mom already a-saw these young-uns.”
Concern is still plastered over Marrielle’s face, “I’s don’t a-know…”
Rose’s shoulders slump, “Fine. I’ll a-do it myself.”
Rose turns back to face us, “I’s be a-wantin’ ta a-see yer hands.”
We obediently put our hands outward. A smile tugs at my lips. I’m thankful for the distraction. At least I get to delay looking for Bridget and Canton for a little while.
Rose points the twig at us, “I’s be a-havin’ a knife and I’s a-know how to use it!”
Piper feigns worry, “What are we going to do? Can we escape? Please don’t hurt us.”
Marrielle whispers from the side of the building, “Ya talk weird.”
Piper grins and says, “I’ve been told that by Rose too.”
Rose giggles and Marrielle cracks a smile.
Marielle asks, “Why’s do ya a-talk like that?”
Rose gravely whispers, “They’s be a-from the Com-plux-es.”
“What’d those be?”
Rose shrugs, “I’s don’t a-know.”
Rose turns back to address us, “If ya say one more word, I’s be a-drivin’ this knife a-right through yer throat.”
I start to say, “But what if…”
Rose runs at me with the twig. Rose isn’t tall enough to reach my neck. Instead, she lightly slides the twig across my shirt over my stomach.
I pretend to be hurt. I bend over and begin to moan.
Rose and Marrielle burst into giggles.
Marrielle takes a couple steps away from the building and says, “Can I a-try?”
Rose gingerly hands Marrielle the twig, “Ya be a-careful with this. It’d be a weapon, ya know.”
Marrielle laughs, “I’s will.”
Marrielle charges Piper, ‘slicing’ Piper’s knee open. Piper grips her knee and cries dramatically out.
From inside the village, a voice calls out, “Marrielle? Rose? Does that be ya? What’d be ya doin’?”
Rose becomes serious and whispers to Marrielle, “It’s Arrie. We’s a-need ta a-hide. She’s a-goin’ ta a-make us do chores.”
Marrielle doesn’t wait for Rose. She scrambles away, running alongside the fence. Rose sprints after her.
Arrie appears at the side of the building, holding the hand of one of the smallest children I’ve ever seen. She says, “Oh, hello young-uns. Did ya see Rose and Marrielle a-run through here? I’s a-thought I a-heard them.”
We share at glance. As much as I want to play along with Rose and help them hide, we can’t lie to Arrie. We’ve already been caught once for lying and I’d rather not risk it again.
I point in the direction Rose and Marrielle ran, “They ran that way.”
Arrie grins, “Thanks. It be impossible ta a-keep up with them young-uns.”
Arrie follows the fence away from us, chasing after Rose and Marrielle.
When she disappears from view, Brinn sighs, “They are the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Piper smiles, “I know,” her expression turns slightly sad, “we would have never been able to act like that when we were little kids. Do you think we were even allowed to play at all?”
What was my childhood like? I’m sure it wasn’t full of giggles and playfulness, like Rose and Marrielle’s childhood obviously are. Was it the same dreary identicalness and rules of the Complex? Was I allowed to play in Complex A? Did Ellen take away that memory from me?
How many of my memories have really been stolen from Ellen? Are there entire chunks of my life that I have no idea exist? Is there any way to get those memories back or are they permanently gone?
Brinn sighs, “I suppose we have to go continue finding Bridget and Canton now.”
We walk the entire perimeter of the fence. They aren’t hidden behind any buildings or anywhere else in the village outside of the buildings.
Piper presses her lips together, “I guess we are going to have to start checking in buildings now.”
Brinn suggests, “Maybe we should check in our sleeping building first. They might have gone back and are waiting for us there.”
We agree and stride back over to the building. Piper punches in the code and the door slides open.
Bridget and Canton are inside. Bridget’s face shows obvious disgust when she sees us enter. Canton sends her a warning look.
Bridget settles with just glaring coldly at us. I bite my tongue and help Brinn limp the rest of the way in the room. The door slides shut behind us and deafening silence fills the room.
Brinn looks at Canton. They were the only two people who weren’t directly involved in the argument.
Brinn addresses Canton, “We looked into the fingerprint scanners. There’s an outline for the door on the inside of the building, but on the outside, you can’t see the crack for the door. That means the door leads somewhere.”
Bridget mutters, “Oh, so now you’re going off and investigating things without everyone?”
Nobody responds to her. I struggle to keep myself from pointing out that she was the one who ran away.
Canton states, “What I want to know is, whose fingerprint is needed to open it?”
Piper shrugs, “They might be dead.”
Canton seems to be thinking aloud, “But…if this village was prepared for someone but never lived it…then the scanner might not be programmed for anyone at all. Any fingerprint might open it.”
Brinn looks at him doubtfully, “What’s the point of having a fingerprint scanner if any fingerprint can open it?”
Canton explains, “They meant for it to be programmed, but they might not have gotten around to it. Maybe they died of the Disease. I’m not saying this is true, I’m just saying that it’s a possibility.”
Piper walks over to the scanner, “Let’s see if it works, then.”
She presses her pointer finger to the scanner. Nothing happens. No green bar. No door opening.
Canton strides over and studies the scanner for a second. He presses something on the top and explains, “You have to turn it on.”
Piper blushes and Bridget snickers.
Canton motions to Piper, “Try it now.”
Piper pushes her finger on to the scanner. This time a green bar appears, sliding up and down over Piper’s finger. The whole scanner flashes green and the door slowly glides open.