Evalene's Number: The Number Series Page 20

  Evalene’s jaw dropped. In basic school, she and her classmates had watched a program on other nations. As they watched blurry footage of a people shooting at each other in a countryside, falling and dying on both sides, a voice had narrated the scene. “Out of just a few countries left after the bombing, Eden is the only country that isn’t plagued by war and disease. These other nations constantly fight over their place in the world and their possessions. Each day is a struggle to survive.” But Hofyn wasn’t like that, at least not so far. And now Olive was saying it wasn’t the only one?

  Evalene was distracted from Olive’s conversation by the city. She held back a gasp as they drew closer. The towers were built out of an unusual clear metal, allowing light to pour into every corner of the city, which was made up of layers. People walked along avenues in the sky as well as on the ground. As they reached the paved road into the city, near enough now to get a better picture, it looked like glass, but it couldn’t be. The translucent paths in the sky from one building to the next appeared so fragile from this vantage point on the ground, some so high up they looked like the neck of a wine glass, yet they held up under the weight of multiple cars as well as people, all crossing from one building to the next above them. The cars made box-shaped shadows on the ground below, and tinier ant-sized shadows indicated people.

  Not a single citizen looked down out of fear; all strode confidently towards their goals. All the women in Hofyn wore pants. It made sense with those paths. But the thought of traveling those dizzying heights without anything to block her view was enough to cause panic without the added concern of passersby looking up her dress. She wished she’d worn her leggings today.

  The city came to life as they moved further into it. A sidewalk began on the next street, which widened to allow for more traffic. Surrounded by strangely designed stores with harsh music blaring out onto the street, Evalene watched strangers push past them on both sides, all confident like high Numbers, but wearing the strangest mix of bright colors and patterns, with sheer cut outs, or beading, or feathers on their clothing. Something felt off about them, but Evalene couldn’t put her finger on it.

  Unusually short cars, barely large enough to hold two people, lined both sides of the street, rocketing past them on silent engines, slowing and swerving around each other. Soft whooshing sounds and conversation filled the air until a honk startled her. Jeremiah let Olive go ahead, staying next to Evalene as she took it all in. “The city can be a bit much your first time. I remember when I came here a few years back. You’ll get used to it.”

  Evalene nodded, blinking. A roar sounded in the sky above, growing louder like thunder. She flinched and looked up in time to glimpse a huge machine between two skyscrapers above them as it flew past. Its huge shadow passed over them in an instant. “Was that –?”

  “A plane,” Jeremiah confirmed, smiling openly at her now. They’d stopped moving, but he didn’t seem to mind.

  She swallowed, clearing her throat, trying not to appear as shocked as she felt. “It looked like it was going to crash into the city!”

  “They do fly pretty low when they’re landing, but they don’t hit anything,” he reassured her with a calm shake of his head, resuming their walk. “The airstrip is just on the other side of Hofyn.”

  Evalene nodded again, wide-eyed. Olive danced back towards them. “Come on, I know the perfect place to start!” She waved for them to follow, and took off again. The deeper into the city they went, the taller the buildings became until Evalene thought if it wasn’t for the glass architecture allowing sunlight to filter down to the street, they’d be walking in deep shadows. Advertisements covered every wall that wasn’t clear, as well as every sign post, bench, and bus that passed. New Skin! Why look your age if you don’t have to?

  Olive stopped at a storefront with human-sized dolls in the window wearing vivid colors and pants, even on the women. She disappeared inside. When they caught up, Jeremiah held open the door for Evalene to go inside first.

  The fluorescent lights in the store lit up any nook and cranny that the sun didn’t. As they crossed the threshold, a bell chimed, alerting the rest of the store to their arrival. Joy swelled up in Evalene at the simple fact that she was shopping. She hadn’t gone out to buy clothes or anything else, besides household supplies for Daeva, since her mother died.

  She reached out to touch a bright yellow pantsuit made of leather. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a woman march towards her. Evalene tore her hands off the material, wishing they hadn’t come in. She kept her eyes on the ground and felt her shoulders hunch forward.

  “My, my, what a beautiful dress!” the woman chirped. “Welcome to my store! Are we here for a special occasion? Or just browsing?”

  Evalene waited for Jeremiah to answer as the higher Number, but he didn’t speak. She risked a glance at the shopkeeper and found the woman was smiling kindly, waiting for her to answer. Evalene said the first thing that came to her mind, half-whispering, “Pants?”

  “Oh, creative freedom, I love it!” the woman exclaimed, whirling towards the closest rack. “So many different styles and colors to choose from – where to even start?” Evalene found herself hustled into a dressing room as the shopkeeper hung over a dozen full outfits on the wall inside, including shoes, leaving with a breezy, “Get started with those – don’t worry, I can bring more!” The door swung shut.

  Overwhelmed, Evalene touched the fabrics hanging on the wall. She didn’t know where to start. She passed over the rougher materials and the ones with strange straps that didn’t make sense, pulling the softest out from under the rest. She tried it on and immediately fell in love. The pantsuit was a soft material that rippled around her like a dress but accentuated her legs instead of hiding them, making her feel daring. The sleeveless top was attached, making the whole outfit one piece, and it had a modest turtleneck for a neckline. Best of all, it was purple. She’d never worn purple in her entire life.

  Next, Evalene tried on the different shoes, finding that the second pair of sandals were just her size. The woman had a talent for guessing correctly. She ignored the rest of the options on the wall, tucking the necklace from her father underneath the top and stepping out of the dressing room still wearing the outfit and sandals. She held her old boots and Olive’s dress in her hand. A huge mirror stretched from floor to ceiling directly outside her dressing room. She barely recognized the girl in the mirror. Brown hair hung daringly around her shoulders, covering the left side of neck completely and framing her face. She’d transformed into a different person in the purple pantsuit. The blue scarf wasn’t even needed – the neckline of the pantsuit rose halfway up her neck, covering her tattoo on its own. She pulled the scarf off. It felt like another step towards freedom.

  She smiled at the stranger in the mirror. Olive stopped flipping through hangers, coming over to the mirror to swoon over the outfit. “Oh Evie, it’s perfect!”

  Jeremiah pointed towards Evalene from where he stood by the register talking to the shopkeeper. She replied, and he nodded, handing a few pieces of paper to her before he came over to join the girls.

  “Doesn’t she look amazing?” Olive asked him, grinning between the two of them.

  “It looks good on you. You’ll fit right in,” Jeremiah agreed, although Evalene wished Olive hadn’t prompted him so she could know if he meant it.

  Pulling out all the coins she had left, Evalene asked, “How much is it?”

  “I took care of it,” Jeremiah told her. “Hofyn uses paper currency, so coins from Eden aren’t always accepted, but you can pay me back later.”

  Evalene took a deep breath, wanting to push until she found out the cost, but not wanting to argue in front of the shopkeeper. If she couldn’t afford to pay him back, she would have to return it.

  “Oh wow, I’m late for my appointment!” Olive said, distracting her as she hugged Evalene and waved to Jeremiah, hurrying towards the exit. The bell chimed as she opened the door. “I’m sorry I can’t s
tay, but I’ll meet you back at camp!” And with that she was gone. Very subtle. Leaving her alone with Jeremiah. Evalene kept her eyes lowered, avoiding his gaze.

  The shopkeeper rounded the counter, holding a plastic bag for Evalene to put her dress and boots inside. She walked with them to the front door. Jeremiah held it open again, but before Evalene could pass through, the shopkeeper stopped her with a hand on her arm, whispering confidentially, “I hope I’m not being too forward, but where did you go for your New Skin? I’ve been looking everywhere for a place that can do a BioGrade as nicely as yours!”

  Evalene glanced at the woman and then Jeremiah, confused. “I’m sorry?”

  “Psshh, no need to be coy with me!” the shopkeeper chuckled. “I passed my 150th birthday a few years back myself.” Evalene stared at the woman who still grasped her arm, studying her face. Her skin was nearly wrinkle-free, her dark hair didn’t show a single gray, and her teeth were white and straight. She couldn’t possibly be over 40, much less over a hundred.

  Jeremiah subtly nodded. Was that a hint to go along with the fantasy? “Congratulations, that’s… an accomplishment,” Evalene stuttered, “but I’m… I’m only 18.”

  “That’s not possible!” The woman shook her head so violently that she shook Evalene’s arm a little as well. “I saw wisdom in your eyes the moment you walked in the door. You can pretend with me,” she winked, “but I know better.”

  Jeremiah cleared his throat, finally jumping in. “Actually, Evie is from Eden. Most of the population has never heard of BioGrading. You know how strained the political relationships are there.” He shrugged. “If anyone does use it, it’s a well-kept secret.”

  “You’re kidding.” The woman gasped, turning to Evalene. “You’re only 18-years-old?” At Evalene’s nod, she sung out, “Oh bless your heart, sweet thing. I’ve heard about what goes on in that God-forsaken country. Shameful. Treating people like that. It’s inhuman!” She pulled Evalene into her arms, squeezing her in an emotional hug.

  Smothered in the woman’s sweater, Evalene just nodded. Thankfully, that was enough to satisfy her. “You two have a wonderful day. You take her to see everything, you hear?” The shopkeeper shook a finger at Jeremiah as she moved to begin tidying up the dressing room. “Come back anytime!” she hollered after them as Jeremiah led the way outside, the bell chiming again as they left.

  “A hundred and fifty?” Evalene waited until the door closed and they’d walked a dozen feet down the block before she spoke. “That’s almost as old as World War III, can you imagine?”

  But Jeremiah grinned at her, watching her face as he said, “It’s true.”

  “You’re kidding!” Evalene stopped where she stood in the middle of the sidewalk, forcing people to go around them.

  “No, she’s probably even older than that but won’t admit it.” Jeremiah stopped too. “Most of the people on the island are her age or older. When the scientists here realized the chemical warfare made most women sterile, they threw all their energy into ‘living forever.’ BioGrading is done by almost everyone.”

  “BioGrading,” Evalene repeated, ignoring the sound of another plane going past.

  “Sorry, yes,” Jeremiah gestured to the advertisements she’d noticed earlier but hadn’t paid any attention. “Biological Upgrading. It’s a bit like the old-world botox.”

  When Evalene shook her head, not recognizing the term, he scratched his neck again, searching for the right explanation. “It’s something to do with cloning. They can replicate just about any organ now, except the brain.” He shrugged. “It’s expensive, but most people say it’s worth it. Right now, life expectancy is a few hundred years.”

  He began walking again, and Evalene jumped to keep up. “That’s crazy!”

  “I know,” Jeremiah smiled as he agreed. “The scientists who created BioGrading say life could go on forever in theory if they could find a way to clone the brain. But once dementia sets in, no amount of new skin or organs can save anyone.”

  Suddenly the strangeness Evalene hadn’t been able to pinpoint earlier hit her. Every single person who passed them was young. She didn’t spot a single gray hair in the crowd. They paid for biological enhancements?

  “Why didn’t she ask Olive how old she was?” Evalene asked.

  Jeremiah chuckled. “Olive is pretty well known around here. She’s sort of a prodigy, one of the few children to have been born on Hofyn. That’s why she left for her appointment with the fertility clinic.” He pointed to the left, towards the heart of the city, where the buildings were so tall they were lost in the clouds. “She goes there at least once a week for tests. The fertility issue is also a huge part of why they’re so welcoming to our refugees, because I think they hope we’ll bring some new blood and somehow resolve the problem.”

  He stopped outside a building that Evalene guessed to be a restaurant, since it had dozens of tables and chairs with place settings neatly made up, but the entire inside wall was an enormous tank filled with water, sand, coral, and multi-colored fish swimming about, as if you were sitting in the middle of an ocean. “This would be a fun place to work. Want to start here?” Jeremiah asked. “Or we could visit some of the nearby clothing stores or hotels if you’d prefer to apply there—”

  Evalene forced herself to cut in and ask, “Luc said there are teams set up to help people find jobs here. Why are you helping me?

  Rubbing the stubble on his jaw, the rough hairs against Jeremiah’s fingers made a chafing sound. “That’s true,” he admitted, “but it’s my fault that you’re tangled up with revolutionaries instead of on your way to the FreeLands. When Olive asked, I thought it was a good idea.”

  Evalene felt her shoulders hunch at the reminder. That’s right, it wasn’t his idea. It was Olive’s attempt at matchmaking. He was just being kind. She cleared her throat, wishing she hadn’t said anything, and dropped the subject, gesturing to the fish diner. “This will work.”

  They sat at a vacant table and Jeremiah picked up a miniature computer resting on the table, showing her how to create an account, typing her answers to questions on the keyboard and using other buttons she didn’t understand. White spots danced in front of her eyes and she tried to hide her anxiety. She’d never used a computer in her life.

  “Okay Hiccups,” he said when her breath hitched a third time and she didn’t catch it in time to hide the peep. He winked at her. “Deep breaths. Try to relax.”

  The corners of Evalene’s mouth twitched. She tried to follow his advice, taking a few shallow, shaky breaths. It took the two of them nearly an hour to fill out that first application, listing Jeremiah as her reference and the camp as her temporary address. But once it was turned in she breathed a sigh of relief. This was possible. Hard, but possible.

  After that, they walked in and out of store after store, faster each time. Hotels, gift shops, restaurants, and anything else she showed a hint of interest in, he took her inside for an application. Each time they left, he reminded her of a street marker or another easy way to find the business, so she could find her way back in the future. That more than anything else caused the pressure building in her chest.

  “Alright.” He stopped on a street corner under another blaring advertisement. A sing-song voice in the background sang a jingle reminding people they weren’t getting any younger. “Let’s take a break. I’m sure all these places would love to hire you. They all know Eden refugees are hard workers. You won’t have a problem getting a job. But what do you want to do for work?”

  Evalene bit her lip and shrugged. She didn’t have any talents or skills besides low Number jobs. “This is fine. I’ll do anything.”

  “Evie,” he raised an eyebrow at her, crossing his arms, “I can’t help you if don’t at least try. Just tell me some things that you enjoy doing. Anything.”

  She glanced around them for inspiration. The men and women walking by scared her. All so confident, so certain of themselves. The clothing was bizarre. She knew how to sew, a lit
tle bit. Maybe she would enjoy working with clothes? She studied the woman walking by specifically. One wore a pantsuit covered in feathers that formed wings on her shoulders, all of which swayed in the wind as she walked. Another wore a similar costume with stripes instead of feathers, but the outfit ended in shorts, with a half skirt attached to the back, making it look like a jumper from the front, and a dress from the back. A third woman strode by going the other way in a creamy sheer ensemble with sequins making a wild pattern across it, so see-through that the sequins only just barely covered her up. Averting her eyes, Evalene shook her head at the idea. Not fashion.

  Jeremiah waited. He wasn’t going to budge without an answer. Back home, there was only one thing Evalene truly enjoyed, and she knew it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. But she didn’t know what else to say. “I like to read…” she finally told the sidewalk.

  When he didn’t say anything, she risked looking up at him, expecting disappointment. But he had a small smile on his face. “Come with me.” He waited for traffic to pass before crossing the street, waving for her to follow. He kept a brisk pace, and they walked side by side, taking twists and turns until Evalene was completely lost. The thought of navigating this city on her own was daunting.

  When she didn’t keep up, Jeremiah slowed and tugged at her hand. She felt a flutter at the warmth. Her whole hand tingled and the heat spread up her arm. But he didn’t hold on, simply got her attention to turn down a different street and let go as if it was nothing. She wiggled her fingers to shake off the feeling.

  They walked until blisters began to form on her feet from the new sandals. The bag holding her dress and boots grew heavier. Jeremiah offered to hold it, but she politely declined. When they rounded a corner on a quieter street, he stopped so abruptly she almost ran into him. The building was made of that same shiny clear metal, so much like a mirror that she could see her reflection in the exterior. Instead of a tall, angled roof, they’d built the top of the building completely flat and cultivated a garden on top, the tallest plants peeking out above the edge. The lettering across the doorway read Hofyn Library.