The Last Red

Chapter 2: Him

After work, I reach the Hygiene Area and stand in line to schedule a shower. It's time to renew my fading tan. 

I have re-apply the lotion every other day to keep the shade fully consistent.

A fancy screen lights up as I approach the wall to scan my wrist.

"Waiting time is fifty-five minutes," Omnia announces.

"Schedule a shower in 80 minutes," I say a command, as taught.

"Shower number 67 is scheduled at 8:54 ante meridiem."

"Finish session," I step away just as a commotion breaks out in the line next to mine.

"Didn't you see me, bro? I was in the line first," a skinny girl pushes a buffed guy that just cut her line.

"I said...back off," he leers over her.

A robot guard steps in. "No fighting allowed." His hand emits blue light. We all know what that means - someone's going to get electroshocked.

"You blind?" the girl argues, "He cut the line!"

I know that voice...

I approach them just as the robot sends an electric shock through her body and she crumbles onto the floor.

"You good?" I crouch to help her up. 

As she turns, I realize I do know her indeed, but can't connect the dots - she's yet another skinny inmate girl with olive-skin and deep brown eyes.

"Hey," she takes my hand to get up. "I know youu," she smirks. "Kylie, innit?"

"Kayla," I correct her, forcing a smile. In the block, you cannot pay someone a bigger compliment than remembering their face, so I should pretend to be proud. 

"It's been ages, girl! You been avoidin' me or what?" she lifts an eyebrow that I now notice is slit down the middle. Now I know who she is - Karly the Jaws.

She earned herself the nickname for biting other inmates' body parts at various occasions.

She gave myself a real hard time in a boxing match a few years back. It's one of only two times I've had to check in the Health&Wellness Area.

"If you had your a*s kicked like I did, you'd avoid me, too."

She laughs. "Don't know about that, you look pretty filled out now. We should do a rematch."

Hell no. Boxing's not my sport of choice - high risk of getting wounded and exposed. Cuts aren't friends with darkening lotions.

"Let her take a raincheck on that one," my friend Kory steps in. She works in the IT Textile department and is one of the oldest inmates at 23.  "Kayla's got a practice with me today."

"Yes!" I exhale in relief, grateful for her lie. 

"Sure," Karly shrugs but I can tell she's a little upset. "We'll reschedule. Ten days from now sound good?"

I won't be here by then. "Perfect."

"Thanks," I whisper to my friend as Karly-the-Jaws leaves.

"Did it for myself," she nudges me playfully. "Can't have my break-out-crew in a coma so close to the big day." Kory's escaping with us - she's also ranked near the bottom.

"Keet told me," she adds seeing my frown.

I sigh in frustration. "I didn't expect the invite this soon..."

"Yeah?" she chuckles. "Wait till you hear the bad news."

I give her a puzzled stare.

"You're not the only one with a party comin' up," she nervously licks her plump lips. "I got scheduled last night. Finally."

I gasp.

"How many days left?"

She comes closer, lowering her voice. "We gotta be out in four."

Oh God... I shut my eyes in desperation. "We need to get Kriss on the team. Like now."

He's the only one we know with access to the motherboard."

"About that," she pulls me aside. "Wouldn't it be smarter to leave at night? That way when Kriss delays the automatic recharge, robots won't be able to charge manually if there's no Sun."

I shake my head. "They have Solar generators with stored power all over the place. Besides, robots can see in pitch black. We can't."

"Fine," she says sternly. "But if we get killed, it's on you."

I sigh, tightening my jaw. "I need to head to the Gym if I wanna catch this shower," I can't deal with this right now.

"Aight. By the way, Kay," she grabs my upper-arm. "I'm glad we're finally leavin'."

I wouldn't be so categorical.

"It's... under way," sounds more like it.

I rush to the Physique Area, half-walking, half being-pushed by the crowd going in my direction.

All Block hallways are one-way only. It's a maze one needs to memorize if they want to reach places in time. I, for one, made sure that I know where every corridor leads. Because once I found out about the DNA analysis at the Screening, I knew I had to plot my escape.

And I needed allies to make it work. 

Each of them has a role to play:

Keet's mixing up chemicals for a little bomb that'll create an explosion to make a hole in the thick wall of the Showering Area - our easiest way out;

Kory's stealing a blade from a fabric cutting machine in her Department so we can extract the chips from under our skin;

and Kriss should help us by modifying a part of the robot code.

But I have another friend - Kent - who's being kept in the dark, whose role is singularly the most useful one, but he doesn't even know I'm gonna use him to my advantage.

I've done many things I'm not proud of over the years, trying to guard my secret, but manipulating Kent is one I regret the most. Because his brilliant-minded-self isn't escaping with us - he'll stay here and endure any punishment he might get.

Escaping the Block isn't the biggest problem, though - what happens after is. The Wild's a very dangerous place if you don't know where to go. That's why I have to train. I need to stay fit now more than ever.

I enter the female dressing room area to change, waving my wrist on the Reception part of the wall. A vacant locker lights up sending two beeps. I walk to it and use my microchip for it to open. Immediately, there's a clean pair of workout clothes presented.

I change and place all my belongings inside, then head to Workout Hall #2.

The sliding door admits me to its emptiness - it's the only practice hall void of machines. There's only weights, ropes, wall ladders, balls, and mats. It's the least crowded too - people got too used to being told what to do every second of the day that they lost their creativity. I can't blame them - when you have no purpose in life, staying alone with your thoughts is the scariest thing there is. 

Luckily, or should I say unluckily, I have a mission beyond this block - I have to return to the Wild. Going back doesn't thrill me, but it is a way to stay alive. To be free. And living anywhere is better than dying. Or worse, getting strapped and becoming a test subject. I bet they'd be very intrigued to find out how it is that I'm not mixed. I know I am.

I jog in a circle to warm up.

"Would you like me to play Running through the Cold?" Omnia suggests. 

"Oh, that'd be perfect," I stick two tiny silicon dots on my earlobes. Omnia's full of good ideas - the device customizes itself based on the user. She knows each of us better than anyone. Maybe even ourselves.

The song starts and I increase my pace, feeling cold conditioned air blow against my face. I run until sweat drops off me. I love the feeling. I always have - if I close my eyes, I can imagine being free again. Running across red sands.

People come and go as I switch to ball training to work on my core - I might not attend the Ability Screening, but I'll need all the stamina after we escape. God knows how much we'll have to run before we reach relative safety.

As I place a big grey ball in front of the mirrors, I notice a guy staring at me.

We're now the only two people in the entire gymnasium - it happens only so often.

Our eyes lock in the mirror as I do my prepping stretches.

"You dropped one," he picks an ear-piece off the floor, then hands it to me.

"That ain't mine," I turn away.

But he keeps staring at me, his eyes narrowed.

I hate being observed - it makes me feel at unease of being busted.

I turn to face him. "I'm not interested in a conversation."

"Straight to the core," he chuckles, his eyes glistening in amusement. "What are you interested in, then?" 

"Silence," I say with a stiff smile. With only four days left here, I don't have time to make new friends. 

He bites his lip and I notice he doesn't have the perfect teeth most people have in the Block - people raised on nutrient pills.

"Huh," I squint a little looking at his mouth. 

"You were a rogue once, weren't you?"

He clenches his jaw a little, seeming alarmed. "What makes you say that?"

"Your teeth," I state as if it was a given.

"Aww, well look at you, full of compliments and shit..."

I chuckle, now realizing I'm enjoying myself. No, this is all just unnecessary distraction.

"Look, as fun as you sound," I get off my ball, "I ain't one for fun." 

I bend down to pick up my sweatshirt off the floor, but when I straighten, he's frowning - staring intently at my scalp.

Crap.

Is my hair showing? 

My hand runs to my head to check the status of my scalp. Should I have worn a wig after all?

No, it's still smooth.

"What're you lookin' at?" I ask aggressively out of fear.

He meets my eyes, then shakes his head a little. "Sorry," he takes a step back. "I'mma let you enjoy the silence." 

I watch his toned tattooed back as he goes towards the exit.

From this far, I can only decipher the biggest one -  We make our own destiny - letters inked in black circling a sketch of a beetle.

The glass door slides close behind him and I nervously bite my lip, staring at my own reflection in the mirror. 

Should I let this go? 

What if he knows - what if he's on his way to report me?

My heart beats in my ears. I can't let this happen. Not so close to the escape day.

I run after him.

I install myself at the opposite wall of the men's lockerroom, waiting for him to get out. I don't even pick up my stuff from the female locker - I might miss him leave.

A few people go in and out, and then in a few minutes, his handsome self walks out.

Go-time. 

I keep a safe distance in the hallway. Well, as distant as I can get without losing him in the crowd - which, to be honest, is only a few steps behind.

I don't even have a plan of what I'll do if he does turn out to be going to the guards, but... I need to be sure. I can always offer him a place on our escape team. Maybe he's ranked low as well?

Chances are on my side.

I lose sight of him as he gets behind a corner, so I rush to catch up.

"Pardon," I now push my way through, "Excuse me," I rush, then suddenly collide with someone...

Shit. 

It's him.

"Ahem," I scratch my neck, playing to be cold as ice. "You're in my way."

A corner of his full lips curls and I can tell he's having fun. "You sure it's not the other way around?"

Busted. 

I frown, pretending to have just recognized him. "Aren't you that boy from the Gymnasium?" 

He tilts his head in irony. "No, you must've confused me with someone."

"Uh, yes," I nod, "happens all the time," I stretch my lips. "I'll be out of your way, then."

I try to slide past him, but he grabs my upper arm at the last moment. I look up to meet his eyes, and now he's staring intently at mine.

Did he notice my lenses? 

I swallow hard. "What?!"

He squints, biting his lower lip in deep thought. "Nothing. You're free to go, rogue girl," he lets go of me.

I obviously need to hurry up for that shower. Not attending a scheduled public privilege gets you a 3-day ban on using it. And my fading tan definitely cannot afford it.