Walking the Ruins

Potatoes and words

Next morning, I set out for the village early. I move to the edge of the forest that borders the fields. Then I wait for Steve and Jenny to appear.

Waiting... I have done so much waiting, recently, hidden in the bushes, my eyes preying on the events in the village and at the bunker's entrance. I am sick of it.

The village awakens. The early risers leave their houses, walking to the village well, fetching water. Some workers make their way to the fields. Jenny and Steve are not among them.

The people on the fields tackle the weeds and loosen the ground, slowly and methodically. Dangerous work, and even more dangerous to watch it—it can easily bore you to death. But I try to be patient.

My style seems to be waiting, watching, and doing nothing. 

Gritting my teeth as I see Jan and his thugs enter the village to fill their baskets. 

Hating them as they leave again.

Finally, Steve and Jenny emerge from the house where they spent the night. They approach the fields, in the company of the two women that introduced them to their work yesterday, and who now assign them to a place somewhat below my position. They start talking.

I move along the forest's edge, protected from sight by the undergrowth. As I approach them, I can hear fragments of their conversation. They seem to talk about the work. The women point out plants to be pulled, and they explain something about the soil. I hear potatoes being mentioned.

Finally, Steve and Jenny start working, hardly fifty paces away from me.

One of the women moves away, while the other stays close and also begins to work the soil. In thoughts, I implore her to go elsewhere, but she's not receptive to my unspoken supplications.

I make myself comfortable in the bushes. I will wait, however long it takes. I want to talk to Steve and Jenny.

Nothing much happens until noon when a bell starts tolling from the village. The woman rises and says some words to Steve and Jenny. She nods at them, then turns and strolls off.

She's not the only one heading for the village. About half of the workers from the field are joining her, unhurriedly making a beeline for one of the buildings. From earlier observations, I know that they are getting their lunch now. Then they will return to the fields, where they will sit with their companions and share the food.

The closest villagers are now at least twice as far away from me as my friends. It's now or never!

I place my spear and my bow on the ground. Then I enter the field, walking quickly towards Jenny and Steve. I feel exposed and naked. But so far no one seems to take notice of me. Maybe they are too dulled to notice.

"Steve, Jenny?" I whisper urgently as I approach them. They raise their heads and look at me.

They don't smile. Their faces are blank. They don't say a word.

No fucking reaction.

"Hey, come on. Let's get away from here," I say, still in a whisper, fear or excitement constricting my chest. I look at them, willing them to show some kind of reaction.

"Leona," Steve says finally, rising slowly.

"Yes," I confirm, and some of my fear is washed away by the relief of hearing his voice confirming my presence, acknowledging my person. He remembers. Steve is still in there, in his head.

"Come, we have to get away from here," I say.

He looks at me, gulping, but his face is still devoid of any emotion.

"Leona," Jenny echoes. There is nothing in her features that I can read.

"We ... have to work here." Steve gestures at the ground. His face is serious. His words are slow, distinct.

I reach out and grab Steve by his shoulders. "They've chipped you." I shake him. "Jan has implanted a chip in your brains. It takes away your feelings. It makes you obey." I shake him, but he just looks at me, lips slightly parted.

"Jan," Jenny says. "He's the president. Yes, we obey him."

"No!" I say, more loudly than I should. I look around. One of the villagers has risen, his face towards us, mouth agape.

"We have to get Jan," Jenny says. "He'll be able to help you." She rises, too, and slowly turns towards the village.

"No!" I repeat.

"Hey!" Jenny shouts, nearly at the same time.

Some of the villagers rise and start to walk towards us.

I grab Steve's sleeve, pulling him towards the forest. He stumbles, then resists my efforts.

"Here!" he shouts, turning his head towards the village.

I let go of him. "Steve. Jenny," I shout, not caring if the others hear me.

Their backs are towards me now. They've turned away from me. Turned away from their former life. 

They are Jan's.

The villagers are approaching us. Slowly. Some carry their tools like weapons. A horde of zombies. Yet their faces are not marred or disfigured. Rather, they are calm, almost beautiful.  

"Steve," I say again. The word is not much more than a whisper this time. 

He doesn't move. 

Tears blur my eyes. I wipe them away, just in time to see a villager raise his rake to bring it down on me.

I turn and run. At the edge of the forest, I grab my spear and my bow and dash into the woods.