Aberrant (8 page)

She smiled all the same. "Mom suggested that after the
council meeting I show you around. Take you to the dining hall and make sure
you're comfortable with your room. If you need anything, just let me know,
okay?"

I nodded faintly. "Thanks, Jacqueline." I was
surprised by her hospitality. I followed her down the stairs as we stepped
outside. Buildings lined the street around me. I craned my neck up to see the
tallest point, grimacing from the position. I was in a real city! A smile lit
up my face. I could only dreamt such things, as they'd existed in novels I'd
read. We'd learned long ago all the cities had been destroyed and left in
ruins. Outlaws scavenged what remained though nothing was inhabitable. Clearly
they were wrong.

"Don't worry, I won't leave you on your own just yet,"
Jacqueline told me reassuringly as she patted my back. She must have seen the
look on my face as I tried memorizing every detail while she led me down the
street. I found it overwhelming.

I couldn't help but laugh nervously. Was it that obvious? "Thanks."
I smiled, following her down the block and to the right to another street with
rows of houses attached. Two buildings over, we walked up and inside a large
white structure made of stone. Situated outside were columns that reminded me
of older architecture. Clearly, this building was from a lifetime ago, but had
been restored.

Once inside, the marble floor echoed with each step Jacqueline
and I took. The ceiling looked impossible to reach. Yet, a mural had been
painted on it. I opened my mouth to ask how of its creation when I heard the
slight creak of the wooden doors in front of us. Rebecca gestured me in,
"I see you met my daughter, Jacqueline." My eyes widened, though I
tried to hide my surprise. "Yes, Olivia. She was our second born, and the
government required us to give her up."

"How is she here?" I didn't hesitate to ask,
feeling utterly confused.

Rebecca led me to an empty seat around the table beside her.
"Please, sit," she stated. "I know you have a lot of questions
and the council has plenty of answers." She told me nine members made up
the council, including four men and five women, one of whom was Rebecca.

"Is that why I'm here?" I doubted they brought me
in to feed me answers.

Rebecca smiled. "Always a wise young girl. No, we're
here to make sure you understand the rules and agree to follow them. If you
choose not to, the choice is yours and you may leave. Of course, should you
choose to leave, you will be escorted out of Haven and will have to find your
way to the next town. You will be allowed to take only that which you brought
with you."

I didn't ask where the next town was. I hadn't seen anything
between the tunnel and town. I had no intention of leaving – I just got here. "The
rules?" I asked, glancing from Rebecca to the other council members.

A male sitting across from me spoke up. An older gentleman,
with gold-kissed skin and dark brown eyes, he spoke with a slight accent I’d
never heard before. "Your marriage to Joshua Warren is not recognized
here. We don't believe the government should choose who you spend the rest of your
life with, or anyone else for that matter." This wasn't news to me. Rebecca
had told me as much earlier before I showered and changed.

Rebecca spoke up, "Landon wants you to understand your
place in Haven. You and Joshua will spend some time apart from now on. We
believe it's important for you to fit in, make friends and adjust to society. That's
not to say you can't visit one another, but sleepovers are absolutely forbidden."
She stared at me pointedly.

"I understand." I nodded, unsure I really had. But
I did get the general idea – make friends with other people and I'll stay out
of trouble. I glanced at Landon, the gentleman who had spoken to me just
moments ago. "Why isn't Joshua part of this meeting?"

Rebecca smiled. "He's resting. When he's had enough
sleep, we’ll present the same rules to him as well. We thought it best to
separate you both, so you could make a decision on your own."

"Olivia," Landon began. "There is much for
you to learn about our town and your own history. Jacqueline will provide you
with several texts we expect you to read before the next time we convene."

I nodded faintly. "When will that be?"

Rebecca spoke up, "Two weeks from today. We feel that
gives you adequate time to get caught up on your history lessons." It felt
too much like school, but I didn't object.

"Can I ask questions now, or do I have to wait two
weeks?" I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. I hated having everyone’s eyes
on me.

A wiry gray-haired woman tilted her head slightly, curious
as to my question, "Go ahead and ask us dear."

"Jacqueline is your daughter, Rebecca. Taken by the
government and raised by another family, right? How did she end up here?"
I was confused, to say the least.

Rebecca had a distant look on her face. "My daughter,
Jacqueline, was taken by the government. In Genesis, the government expects you
to give up any children you may conceive after the first." She laughed as
she said the word 'conceive'. "Jacqueline was a beauty. I didn't want to
give her up, but knew I had no choice in the matter. So, I arranged for her to
be given to a family deserving of her, people who would teach her where she came
from and who she really was. When Jacqueline was merely three, there was an
uprising." She paused for a moment, "The government, in an attempt to
control those who lived in that town, raided the village and slaughtered
hundreds."

Landon spoke up, "They were making a point. I was the
last of the rebel alliance left, and I found Jacqueline still alive, though
injured, in a fire at her home." He paused, eyeing Rebecca before
continuing, "I rescued her and carried her for days before finding a place
to hide. We stayed a few months at an old gas station after I patched her up,
and then with enough food and water we hitched a ride here."

I wondered how far the journey was, but didn't ask. I
nodded, mouth agape.

Rebecca glanced at me. "Any more questions?"

"Yes," I nodded adamantly. "You are the
council for the rebel alliance?"

A young woman with short blonde hair spoke up. "We've
never been asked that before. I'm Alexia," she introduced herself. Was she
serious? Did the people not question those in power? I was still awaiting an
answer when Rebecca offered an explanation. "We are merely the council for
the town of Haven. Other cities have their own council. Those towns are at
least five hundred miles from here," she answered. "Yes, many of us
are members of the rebel alliance. It goes without saying that if you are here,
the government classifies you as a rebel," she informed me. "Many
seek refuge at our city. We try to stay off the radar from the government, but at
times their drones search the skies for towns with people."

"You mean they have airplanes?" I'd read about
such things in a history book during the fourth world war, but had never seen
one.

"Yes," Rebecca nodded. "They're drones,
non-manned planes. It makes it safer and easier for the government to control a
computer instead of a person," she informed me. "In answer to your
question, we are a small part of the rebel alliance. If you remember the
tunnels and the other passageways, there are two other cities not far from us. Our
system includes three cities working to infiltrate and communicate within the
government towns of Genesis."

"Communicate within the government towns? You mean when
it's time for The Day of the Chosen, this is how you smuggle out children?"
I guessed.

Rebecca's smile was slight. "Sort of. It's a lot more
complicated than it sounds." She assured me, "I promise you the other
towns nearby are all allies."

I wondered briefly what that meant. Did towns exist that
weren't full of allies? I had thought for years only the government cities and
outlaws existed. Just yesterday I had learned of the rebel alliance. Now, I
felt more confused than ever.

"I know it's a lot of information. That’s why we're
trying to ease you into our community. To better understand how we live and
function," Rebecca explained.

"So, you still communicate with Genesis? I mean you're
here, but normally, you're not?" I ran a hand across my forehead, trying
to make sense of the information. I didn't understand how she could be in two
cities at once. Clearly she wasn't at Genesis for the time being, but it
concerned me how she could disappear without anyone noticing. "How is my
mother?" I was afraid to ask, terrified of the answer, but I couldn't live
not knowing the truth.

"It's difficult communicating with the groups inside
the city walls, but I will relay to your mother that you're well."

"She’s still alive?” I felt my heart leap that she
hadn’t been put to death by the Governor. That was a thought I hadn’t wanted to
face, but knew she could be tried and convicted of treason.

Rebecca nodded faintly. “As of this moment your mother is a
free woman. Governor Craynor can’t do anything with her. She can't bear any more
children naturally and is too old for their tests to give them any answers.”

I felt my heart lurch. “Is that what they wanted, to
experiment on me?" The air sucked from my lungs as the room sweltered and
spun chaotically.

“We’re not entirely sure what they wanted with you, Olivia,”
Rebecca clarified. “It’s possible they wanted to silence you, but, of course,
the entire town saw your arrest. And let’s face it, the government isn’t one to
admit they’ve been wrong all along.”

“Wrong?” I repeated, trying my best to focus as sweat
dripped down my forehead.

“They’ve convinced the population the only way to have
children is through a lottery. Your mother would have shown Genesis another
way. It would have meant an uprising," Rebecca explained. "Governor
Craynor was rash in his decision to arrest both you and your mother. I believe
his advisors knew that after the fact, and it’s why they released your mother
from custody. Under one condition…" she paused, staring at me wanting me
to absorb the information.

“Which is?” I hung onto her every word.

“You never return to Genesis. If you do, she will have to
turn you over to the government.”

I hadn't expected that from Rebecca. Maybe I should have. I
knew I couldn't return home again. I'd escaped prison, and my homecoming would
put others in the rebel alliance in danger. I wasn't going to have anyone's
blood on my hands. I smirked to hide my pain. “Guess it’s good for me I don’t
plan on returning home.”

Rebecca gave me a reassuring look. "Jacqueline will
take you to the dining hall and then back to your room to rest."

“I have one more question,” I glanced at the members of the
council.

Rebecca nodded. “Go ahead with it, dear.”

 “Why did you help me escape?” It was an honest question, one
that had nagged me since she handed over the skeleton key. I knew I was married
to Joshua, but that was a weak excuse from what I’d already experienced. We’d only
been married for a few hours, and according to Rebecca our marriage wasn’t
legal anyway.

Rebecca sighed and clasped her hands together. “Do you
realize how important you are, Olivia?” I didn’t answer her. I understood the
significance of why the government wanted me, but not the rebel alliance. “Olivia,”
she paused. “You can change the entire world in the blink of an eye. You’re the
last woman in Cabal capable of conceiving, and likely the last woman on earth who
will naturally have a child. The rebel alliance knows of your mother and your
birth from eighteen years ago, but many towns consider it merely a myth. Seeing
you would be,” she hesitated, feeling the weight of the words. “It would be
more than just a miracle. It would bring about an uprising. It would change the
world we live in and would offer hope to a generation completely unaware of the
idea.”

“People don’t fight when they’re happy,” I reminded Rebecca.
“Those in Genesis have it good. They have jobs, food, shelter, clothing. No one
complains.”

“No one complains until they have to give up a child.” She stared
at me through harsh eyes. “Don’t think it was easy for me to hand over
Jacqueline.”

“I’m sorry, I hadn’t meant…” I stalled and shook my head,
not intending to offend her or anyone else on the council. “I just think people
have it mostly good back home. They won’t care if I can have kids without
winning the lottery,” I paused thinking it over. “Or maybe they will care, grow
jealous and agree with the government in killing me.”

Alexia raised an eye. “Are you mocking us?”

“No.” I quickly shook my head. “What if I don’t want
children?” I knew I’d just thrown the obvious back in the face of those risking
their lives to save me, but it should have been my decision, not theirs!

Rebecca spoke up once again. “We're confident you'll change
your mind in time.”

Landon cut Rebecca off. "Olivia, your freedom comes at
a cost. Bringing you here puts Haven at risk," he told me. "We're
willing to take that risk if you're willing to accept your fate. You may stay
in Haven, but please know in three years’ time we expect you to choose a
husband, a partner, to have a child with."

"What about Joshua?" I asked, astounded by this
turn of events. Why didn’t I see this coming? They didn't rescue me from prison
and offer me a home without wanting something in return. I was naive for
thinking otherwise.

Landon sighed. "We prefer you choose someone else. Someone
not matched to you by the government. You see, Olivia, accepting your marriage
and having a child with Joshua would only further solidify what they're
fighting for. We disagree with the way they select one’s fate."

"But you can certainly decide mine," I muttered,
appalled by the suggestion.

Landon stared at me, eyes narrowing. "We are letting
you choose who you wish to marry," he reminded me. "If you can't make
the decision then yes, we will pick a husband for you."