CHAPTER THREE

The next morning, I stood before the mirror, using cornstarch tinted with cocoa to hide a scratch on my cheek, evidence of my romp in the woods. I’d French braided my hair twice, since the first time my hand shook, loosening the braid. I couldn’t stop my thoughts from whirring. Luckily a sighting hadn’t hit the news like I’d expected, which meant I’d imagined things. The fact the stranger knew so much about me scared me to my core. Theories that the EA was testing my loyalty ricocheted through me. Would I arrive today to a disciplinary hearing instead of a meeting with my Compliment? Would videos of me disobeying the law multiple times scroll over the screens from their blue-eyed plant?

My stomach pinched as I imagined Elle’s brother, Landon there. I could already see his mischievous crooked smile before the interrogation started. But still, it wasn’t like I couldn’t go. My absence would look suspicious, especially if I’d been seen last night. No. I had to pretend all was perfectly fine. If not, the EA might think I’d defected to the Emancipated Society and demote Dad from his pristine EA job as a scientist to something menial.

I readjusted the watch on my wrist once again. Oddly, my DOD hadn’t registered much of a change, surprising since I’d broken the law, only slept two hours, and hid Blue Eyes’ warning inside my bra, of all places. When I couldn’t sleep after returning home, I spent the rest of the night investigating every province for a guy matching his description. And as I suspected, the very few I found weren’t in my net circles and ineligible as a match for me. It wasn’t a secret the EA wanted to purge blue eyes from future generations, saying they had a proclivity to disease and illness, but seriously, this guy had to live somewhere. Where’d he come from? And how had he kept hidden from the population classification? He couldn’t be from the zombie zone. Could he?

“You ready?” Mom beamed at me with her chipper smile.

Startled, I dropped my toothbrush into the sink. “I think so.”

Mom put her hands on my shoulders. “It’ll be fine, just like we rehearsed.”

I knew what her implication of “ready” meant. She’d explained everything to me in detail several times. That I’d go to the EA building on 6^th Street. Check in. Plug in my watch next to my name and wait to be called. Once my Compliment arrived, the meeting would start. But like she’d explained, typically, one’s Compliment came early. I’d hoped so. If not, I’d most likely lose a year each minute I had to wait.

She slowly smoothed a stray hair into place, her eyes losing focus. She chuckled, the kind that said she was hiding something. Having been born before DOD watches were invented and Advice Meetings a norm, Mom had never had this experience. Just turning thirty-eight herself, I wondered what advice she would have given if she had the chance.

“Why don’t you get to be a Compliment?” I asked.

Mom sucked in a quick breath and froze for a moment. “Let’s save the questions for after your meeting, okay?”

I turned around to face her, determined. “But shouldn’t you and everyone else that’s thirty-eight be advising yourselves? To be better people, better parents? To perfect our society?”

Mom stared at me for a moment, her eyes glassy. “You’d think so, but… sometimes it’s wise to work on one set of problems at a time.”

“So my generation is the problem?”

“No, I didn’t say that—”

“Well, if your generation did things so perfect, why are all the kids messed up?”

“Abby.” Mom tilted her head, sliding into serious mode. “That’s not what I mean, and you know it. I trust the EA has a handle on this and we don’t need to advise the future. Life was much different after The Attack, something I’m so glad you never had to experience.” She absentmindedly rubbed at the horrible scar on her forearm—evidence of her immunity against the virus that wiped out the world—evidence she wasn’t part of The Chosen.

After the outbreak had occurred, The Chosen—consisting of friends and family of the Brighton’s—were given an oral antidote and ushered into safety. Once the supply ran out, only healthy individuals that promised to contribute to society were allowed, that was if they survived the inoculation. Luckily, I’d acquired antibodies to the virus from my mom. She’d only been given a chance because Dad convinced someone in the government that she’d be an excellent addition.

She pressed her lips together. “I know it’s easy to take that for granted and try to work around the system…I get it that you might want to rebel a little.”

“Rebel?” I snorted. “We have computers and the technology to keep track of things and…” I sighed in frustration. “You should feel cheated you’re not part of the process. I mean, why wait? Our lives could be refined into something better than we have now.”

Mom’s eyes glistened and she pulled me into a hug. “You’re a dreamer just like your father… I think things are pretty perfect.”

I rolled my eyes. “Come on, I’m serious.”

“No, honey.” She let me go and clasped her hands around mine. “These are good questions, ones I’m sure your father can answer, and why I’m so proud of you.”

I smirked. Whenever I asked deep questions, she’d launch into a tirade of how smart I was. “You’re not going to cry, are you?”

“Of course not.” She wiped at her cheek and walked into the hall. “Okay, maybe a little. But we should go or you’ll keep your Compliment waiting.”

I shook my head and followed. I’d almost forgotten about what was about to happen. Maybe Mom was right. Maybe asking Dad was a better idea, if he came home at a decent hour.

Date: 2015-02-03; view: 660