The Color of Knowledge

Chapter Thirteen (pt. 2)

Ivy awoke with the sun in her eyes. The air smelled fresh and cool. She was not outside, she could tell, but she was not exactly inside, either. Dirt walls and a steel ceiling surrounded her. It was a cot she lay on and two empty cots were on either side. Then she remembered. They had made it. She had been right all along. There was another society, and she had found it.

"Finally awake, I see," said a boy who appeared in the doorway. It was the same boy from the night before. He had the same orange-brown hair, but Ivy was able to notice more about him now that she was able to concentrate. He was taller than she was and he looked to have millions of tiny freckles scattered across his face that were the same color as his hair. They reminded Ivy of stars in the night sky. She remembered having asked him for water right before she had fainted.

Water. Ivy was unable to speak. She looked around and found three glasses of the heavenly liquid next to her cot and drained them in an instant.

"Who are you?" she asked after an unflattering burp.

The boy laughed. "I'm Keegan. After you wash up I can take you to my father. The others you arrived with are having breakfast with him now. Everything you need is through there," he finished, pointing to another door across the room. He left without another word.

Food was all Ivy could think about as she got ready. Instead of the usual plainclothes she was used to and had arrived in, a new set of clothes were laid out for her. They were of the past—blue jeans and a black tee shirt that had Nirvana in yellow print across the front. She put them on.

Keegan returned to lead Ivy to his father. "I'm glad the clothes fit. I couldn't really tell what size you were."

"I love them," she said, feeling the soft fabric of the shirt and the coarseness of the blue jeans. "Thank you."

They traveled down winding passageways with dirt walls illuminated by floodlights and a ray of sunlight every fifty feet.

"Where is everyone?" Ivy expected to see at least one other person besides the boy.

"Life in Subsolaneus doesn't start until mid morning."

"Subso what?"

"Subsolaneus." They rounded a corner to face two massive mahogany doors. They had identical carvings, both intricate and unique. There were two suns, one on each door, behind which was a vast expanse of what looked to be water. He led her through them. Within the chamber was a large bed, a desk, and in the middle sat a round table where Zari and Yani were seated next to an older man.

"Welcome, Ivy," the older man said, rising from the table to greet her. "You must be starved. Here, sit."

Ivy sat in front of the array of food and Keegan took the seat next to her. She didn't touch the food. Yani and Zari looked as though they had already finished their breakfast. Tired dream-like stares were plastered upon their faces.

"Your friends here have told me all about you and your journey. You are safe here, Ivy. My name is Linus Exum."

It took a moment for the information to sink in. Linus Exum. "You're from The Society. The first to be exiled. But how—"

"In due time," said Linus, nodding. "First, eat."

Ivy looked at the breakfast food once more. She took in the colors of each dish before starting. She ate faster than usual. The food pooled into her mouth without thought. It was a pleasure to eat natural food uninhibited in unnatural ways. It was not until she finally paused to wash down some of her food that she remembered she had questions that were in dire need of answers.