I Am A11

Chapter 8

B35

Grandma looks at me. 37 cries. I look at 32. At least I'll have 32. I give my family quick goodbyes, not knowing when I'll see them again.

I take 32's hand and we walk to the stage together.

As we stand side by side on the stage, I scan the crowd for Grandma. Instead, my eyes find Y24.

His face is white and his eyes are wide as well. I can't stand to look at him, it makes me so sad. So I look everywhere else. Anywhere else. But everywhere I look makes me sad.

I have no idea where I'll be going next.

I don't know when I'll see Central Square again.

So I look at the people.

But my eyes find Y.

I tell myself to look away.

I can't.

So I look at him. Face white, hair jet black, eyes green-blue.

But then I hear the woman say "Thank you. You are dissmissed."

And everyone walks away.

But Y stands there, eyes locked on mine.

An officer comes by and hurries him along. They have the same hair, same skin tone. He must be higher up in the system.

"Follow me." The woman has lost her somewhat cheerful voice, taking snappy, clipped tones.

We walk. Vendors and customers gawk at us. They whisper back and forth. I hear a man say "A lost bloodline! How rare!" Another calls out to a young man, but he ignores the older man and continues walking.

I feel as if I am in a freak parade.

People stare and gawk and don't bother with concealing their gossip.

But I hold my head high and hold 32's hand as if we are only walking to school.

Except we are not.

I think about where we might be going. I think that maybe we'll be given apartments on 62nd Street. It's the most run down part of town. It's squished right up by the border.

As we're walking down the road, I am sure the woman will lead us right, to 62nd street- but she leads us left.

32 and I exchange an uneasy glance.

We walk what seems for hours, miles, but are only minutes, feet.

Our group stops in front of a mansion. A mansion. For real. With terraces and a huge lawn and three stories plus an attic.

Whispering spreads across the group, but 32 and I only exchange a look. I can't beleive this, I think, there's NO way. As I open my mouth to speak, the woman snaps at us. Snaps, actually snaps her fingers at us and says, "You will remain silent until you have been told otherwise, understand?" We all nod, sensing that this woman should not be messed with.

"You will live here. You will get job assignments. You will continue to follow government orders. You are never permitted inside a government building without prior notice and appointment. You will call the library to request books. You will, essentially, continue your daily life.

"Am I understood?" she barks at us.

We all nod, even though the rules she has placed on us seem far from our "daily lives".

But I will obey the rules, even if they seem childish and insignificant and worthless. Because Grandma would want me to stay safe from their watchful eyes.

"You will not acknowledge members of your previous clans as if you know them. You are only to leave the house for school, work, and to receive resources from the distribution centers. Any other outing must be pre-approved and attended to by government officials and law enforcement.

"You will now receive your job assignments. Step forward and take the folder when your number is called. P12, P13, P17, K07, J24, J09, H46, G12, F06, F05, C01."

As the numbers are called, each person steps forward. I notice they look like me. All chocolate eyes and fair hair. I wonder how I never saw this before. 

"S24, R24, Q75, P90, N63, M76, L37, J87, G36, F99, D45, C91, C32, B32, and B35 will all attend school. You will walk to your job assignment immediately after school. Here are your job assignments. S24 and R24 will work with P12. Q75 will work with P13. P90 will work with K07, M76 with P17, L37 and G36 will work with J24. F99 will work with J09. D45 works with H46, C91 works with G12. C32 works with F06. B32 works with F05, and B35 will work with C01."

I look at my work partner, C01. She doesn't look happy, but I think her unpleasantness is directed at this woman, not me. Her hair is the same wavy blonde as mine, but her eyes shimmer with bright green anger.

"N63 and J87 are too young to work, so B35 and C01 will watch them on school afternoons.

"I will now give you your new numbers. Your old numbers are irrelevant, they don't matter, you are different now. 

"B35- you are A11."