In Due Time

Chapter 2: Two O’clock

Adela reaches her destination around, at what she guesses, 2 o’ clock. She knows exactly where she’s going. Back home. This is the place they lived before the dusty half collapsed building they were forced to relocate to when the compound came looking for the unchipped to start the compound work. Just a small loft above a corner store they used to frequent. A small but private place. Not somewhere they would think anyone, especially a woman all alone, to be hiding.

She creeps through the small opened window that leads into the basement. The dirt and dust fly around like a tornado as she falls to the cement floor. She stands to brush herself off and quickly ascends the stairs, not wanting to waste anymore of her time. She has to scout a way past the guards. To the old bakery that Jillian used to own. It’s on the opposite side of my street and about 5 maybe 6 buildings down.

Sometimes they toss expired food and only the bravest are lucky enough to snag some. The patrols are out bad tonight. Leaving no road unarmed. It took so long just to get a few blocks over. They definitely are still searching for someone.

“Xander, why?” Still confused. “f**k you”, she says aloud. When she reaches the top of the stairs she notices a slight movement in the corner of her eye. Had she come in a second later she would have missed it. Had she not been fond of the place she never would have noticed.

“Hello?”, she whispers as the red on her chest darkens from anxiety. “It’s ok, you can come out. I’m not chipped.” Adela bends down. Waiting nervously. Finally, after a whole minute a hand half the size of hers fills her palm.

A child? Many thoughts race through her head.

I can not care for a child, she screams this in her head. I don’t have time to find food for myself let alone feed another mouth. Also how has a child survived out here? What if she’s not alone?

Adela stands up quickly at the thought of a worried mother or father coming at her from behind. She turns her back to the brick wall and faces the doorway. “Are you alone here?”Adela mumbles as her eyes look for signs and clues of an adult laying around.

The girl is clearly small for her age. She has to be 12 or 13 but looks 8 at the oldest. She repeats herself, louder this time, “Are you alone here?”

The fearful girl doesn’t speak , only points. The bathroom door is closed. Adela realizes as she gets closer the smell gets worse. She doesn’t want to open the door and face the truth. She knows what she will find and what she will have to do now. She holds her breath and turns the knob as she hears the child winces behind her.

Xander wakes up in a cold sweat. It’s around 2 pm and he’s hungry for the first time since he arrived. The food trays are full so he indulges a little. Trying to build his strength up. The ants had started to help themselves to the moldy sandwich . The apple was half rotten now. He managed to eat what he could and thankfully had a cup of cold broth and some water to wash it all down.

The guard came about 30 minutes later. The sun wasn’t up yet but he knew it was his time. They had no time to waste. The guard entered his cell. “Stand up son.” The last word worked his nerves to the endings and his ears turned red. “Time to be assigned.” Xander didn’t know how you were assigned or what the options even were. But he was ready.

As he began to lead him out of the cell Xander felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, something wasn’t right. Suddenly, his feet flew from underneath him. His body began to fly backwards as the heels of his feet were dragging into the dirt floor. He felt himself being spun around and BAM! His face met the wall with a mighty force. A loud groan escaped his mouth.

“Don’t try any funny stuff. You know you're chipped now so we can end your life at the push of a button.” Xander palms started to sweat as he thought about what he really had gotten himself into it. Realizing the severity of the situation he closes his eyes. “Yes..sir.”

The halls of the compound are huge. Going up 4 stories, with many cells on each side. Way too many to count. They seem to go on forever. “How will I find her in this mess?” He says to himself. As he finishes his thought another worker falls at his feet.

“Please sir, I need a doctor. A fever. It’s been 2 days!” The man shouts. He’s crawling helplessly. With dark circles around his eyes they look sunken in. The sweat has soaked through his clothing. He clearly has the virus. He shouldn’t be here.

Xander backs away from the man slowly. The guard yanks his cuffs hard. “No funny stuff.” He straightens his back and move his neck to one side to release the tension. “Yes sir” , he mocks.

Quickly Xander realizes the virus is in the compound. He wonders why they built this place to keep the virus out and keep everyone safe but that’s clearly not happening. If others knew they would shut this place down and maybe we could rebuild our lives here.

“That door boy.” The guard points to the left to another set of tall French doors. The gold knobs almost glowing shining so brightly. He opens the door and pushes Xander in.

“Sit.” He’s shoved down onto the first bench. The room is grand. The furniture is barely filling it. A row of 6 chairs sit behind what can be described as a long judges stand. 3 rows of pew like seats along the furthest wall. Closest to the stand. Small symbols line the ceiling. He counts about 35 or so seats for prisoners.

As Xander raises his hands to wipe dirt from his swollen eye someone else is sat down beside him. One by one familiar faces line the seats around him. A few unknown. He recognized Jillian right away. The bakery owner. They lock eyes and she nods at him as if to say hello. Xander mouths, “Did you see Adela?” Another nod.

It’s worse than she imagined. The poor woman’s body had begun to decay and bugs and flies were covering her and the walls. She thinks of the time it took for this to happen. How long has this kid been by herself? She thinks to herself as she pushes the door closed. The girl has her back turned and is whimpering. Holding onto a doll. Or what’s left of one. No head, and missing an arm but still offering comfort to a helpless child.

She hugs the girl from behind. Feeling her pain as she jumps at the touch. Being alone in this world is no life for a young girl like her. She has to protect her now. “What’s your name sweetheart?” The child turns to face her. She opens her mouth but no words come out. Has she lost her voice? Adela thinks. Is she mute?

Some children whose parents didn’t get the chip were no longer allowed to go to school and therefore had no education unless it was offered at home. A lot of kids went without and the social decline began. No longer able to read or write or visit friends, the children suffered tremendously. She wonders if this is the case.

“I’m going to go get us something to eat. The bakery down the road may be accessible once night comes.” Adela reassures her. The girl's eyes get big. “No bakery” , the statement was soft but fierce.

She walks over to the other side of the room and kicks the rug from its place on the floor. She grabs the small nic in the wood board and removes it.

Adela looks into the hole in the floor. Her heart starts pounding. She hasn’t seen this much food in one place in at least a year. Her eyes filled with tears. “Wow.” Adela can’t comprehend what she's seeing. There’s enough food in there to last for months.

“Mia” the girl peeps softly.

Adela turns around to face the girl. “Hi Mia, I’m Adela. Why don’t we sit down and eat something and you tell me about yourself? Does that sound nice?”

“Ok” , Mia whispers as she sits with her legs crossed near the window. She stares at the closed bathroom door and bites into her stale pop tart. Adela sits in her line of view to distract her. “So how long have you been here, do you know?” Mia clears her throat and wiggles into the floor. “Uh, like 7 months now. But I’ve been alone for 4.” Adela holds her hand to her heart, “4 weeks?” Mia looks down before answering, “no 4 months.”

Jillian nods towards the front of the room. Xander sees the wood door has opened and people are starting to come in and stand behind the judges seats. Their long black coats look cult-like. He eyes each one of them intently as they take their spots behind in chairs.

The second man raises his hand. Pointing at his wrist.

“The chip is not to harm you. You’ll see this way of life is not one to run from. The point of this meeting is to assign you to a job so you can make enough money and gain experience for the new world.”

He looks around, taking in the different expressions of the audience.

A guard walks forward from the door where we entered and instructs us to stand by lifting his hands up in a snappy motion. He walks to the right and stops in front of the first chair. “You’re up!” ,he yells, spitting in the man's face. The man stands , whipping his face and makes his way in front of the grand table.

“State your name.” The man furthest to the right begins. With his mouth covered by a mask, it’s hard to hear him in this big room.

“Liam Cann”

“Your honor!” The guard yells in his ear.

“Your honor” Liam repeats.

“Ok Liam, are you ready to start our program?”

Liam looks around as if someone is going to answer for him.

“Uhh. Areee therrree oootthheeerr ooppttiioonnss?” He stuttered bravely.

“Well you can’t stay here forever, and you can’t be reintroduced to society if you're going to be a problem.”

The judges eyes look like daggers at Liam.

“Yes sir, I’m ready.”

“Trash duty!”

The guard grabs Liam by the arm and pulls him across the room out of the side door.

He comes back a few seconds later.

“Nexttt!”

Adela stares at Mias dirty face. Her long hair matted from improper care. Adela's ears perk at the sound of trucks driving by. “Shhh.” She stands to watch them pass by. They turn toward her old place. “Wow, again?” She whispers. Mia taps Adela on her shoulder. “Dad”, she mutters as she holds her hands out. The crumpled picture has obviously been through some things. Cut in half and faded but still visible. The man is in his early 30’s. Around the same age as Mia's mother she assumed.

“Do you know where he is?” Adela asks. “Nope.” The statement is dull. Nonchalant. “Alright. Maybe we can find him.” Adela pours hope into her response. “Compen” Mia makes a box with her hands in the air. “Compen” she repeats. “Do you mean Compound?” Adela asks. Mia shakes her head up and down. Adela flips the picture over. She can barely make the words out . Something like, 2020- Liam Conn an.. Adela assumed it said “and” but it’s ripped down the middle. And hard to read.

“I'm actually looking for my husband. I think he was taken to the compound too. My mother is also there. I can’t make any promises but if I can help them I can try and help your dad. In due time, ok?” Mia smiles for the first time in what Adela imagines is a long time. Mia takes the picture from Adelas hands and hugs it tight to her chest.