THEY — Chapter 19 — Voices
This is chapter 19 of my book “THEY”. If you are finding it for the first time, please begin with Chapter 1 (or check the INDEX )! When you’re done, check out more of my stories on my MEDIUM profile: Caralynn Scott — Medium
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CHAPTER 19 — Voices
Just before lunch, as the crowd began to move, preparing to gather food and find a place to eat, Jennic quietly left the cubical she had been studying in and headed toward the main foyer and the meeting rooms. Others, milling about in the common space, took no notice of her.
One of the larger of the small spaces, room number eight was arranged with a semi-circle of comfortable chairs recessed in the floor. In all, the room could accommodate about twelve people. A holo-projection stage rose from the floor at the open end of the arc of seats.
Jennic had been in this space before as it had been used for a variety of purposes; smaller group project, discussions, small classes, and to communicate with white coats outside the facility. She had never been as apprehensive as she was this time, however.
As she approached the door Jennic checked behind her to ensure no-one was close and that those who were in the hall were not watching her enter. She opened the entrance a crack and peaked inside. Fenlow and Relyn were already there, as were three other people who she had not met formally. She slipped through the door as quietly as possible, opening it only far enough to squeeze in, then took a seat across from Fenlow and beside Relyn. Moments later, Laybo entered the same way and chose the seat on the opposite side of her.
“Just a few more minutes.” Fenlow said quietly. Nobody made a sound.
Jennic looked around the room at the figures before her. The person sitting next to Fenlow had a bulky frame, but a gentle face. They reminder her of a dumpling with eyes and a happy smile. The one next to them was diminutive and a little squirrelly. They squirmed uncomfortably wringing their hands and constantly looked around the room as if following some wayward imaginary insect.
The last person, sitting next to them was tall and thin and had hair growing from their chin — something Jennic had heard could happen, but had never really seen before. Facial hair had been bred out of humanity along with other distinctive sexual characteristics long ago. There were many at the facility who displayed some forms of repressed characteristics, but this was the first time she had seen facial hair. There was not much of it and although Jennic recognized the face, she had not noticed the fur from a distance. It was clearly visible now that they were closer.
The door opened one more time and the last individual arrived. There was nothing particularly distinctive about them except that they wore a broad belt around their waist that cinched their tunic tightly. Jennic thought it must be uncomfortable to squeeze your middle like that. Perhaps it was forcing things upward and downward, because their upper and lower body seemed disproportionately larger, like an hourglass.
Jennic recognized all of their faces, having seen them from across the lecture hall or at the other end of the cafeteria, but she had never really tried to meet any of them, let alone get to know their names. Why was that? She had never been terribly social, but in these circumstances, she almost regretted getting to know more people now that they were here, together, likely facing the same fate. It occurred to her that Fenlow likely knew them all. He was much more open about talking to new people than she was.
“Good. We’re all here now. We can begin.” Fenlow stated succinctly, seemingly uninterested in introducing everyone. I guess if I want to get to know any of these others, I will have to do it on my own at some later time, Jennic thought.
“Good morning.” a voice came from everywhere and yet nowhere at the same time. It felt rather disturbingly like the person speaking was inside Jennic’s head. “This meeting will be short and to the point. There is no need for you to know our names, or why we are taking an interest in you, but you should know that we are all at significant risk simply by communicating like this, though we recognize the greater part of that risk is on you.
“It is sufficient for you to know that we are a part of a small group who care about you, and people like you, just the way you are.
“Your government, the facility staff and society would have you believe you are broken, but we do not believe that to be the case. We believe you are the natural reaction of nature bringing balance to what our human hands have unbalanced, and we want to help you remain the way you are most comfortable being — the way you are — the way nature intends you to be.
“We have been made aware that the facility has decided each of you should be processed — that is to say you are to be sterilized and sent to the camps.” The voice paused with dramatic effect prompting a gasp from dumpling and hourglass. The small group looked at each other, the fear clearly seen in their eyes, but they did not look any more surprised than when Jennic had entered the room. They all must have known what was coming as they studied each other closely now with nervous concern.
Jennic did not know specifically what the voice meant by “Sterilized”, but the textbook definition “made free from bacteria or other living organisms” sprang to mind. She did not like the idea of that. She was a living organism. Was the voice implying the white coats intended to destroy them? No, that could not have been the case; The voice had also mentioned sending them to the camps, and it sounded like they would be alive when they got there. There had to be some other meaning to the word. And what were these “camps” anyway? After all this time in the facility, she was still no clearer on what, or where, they were.
A partial answer to those questions, however, came quickly; “The camps are a place where they take people like yourselves to hide you from the world’s general population.” The voice continued, “Our government has decided they cannot allow you to roam free, subverting the beliefs of the common people. They believe it would be destabilizing to their control and cause anarchy among the population.
“This facility is only a bridge, a façade meant to placate families into believing the government has your best interests in mind and to allow your relatives to grieve you before you are gone, so they will miss you less, believing they have done the right thing for everyone by sending you away. They hope in that way to minimize the effect of your disappearance.
“By sending you to the camps, they ease their consciences because they do not have to spill blood to remove you from existence. But we want their consciences to feel the full burden of what they are doing, and to change your fate.
“Please understand, the camps are not like the facility. They are unpleasant places to be. The facility will seem like paradise compared to what you will face there. I know this is troubling, but we know each of you who have been gathered here have the strength to overcome.
“There is a group of us on the outside who have been working hard to change your fate. We call ourselves The Network. We have been quietly lobbying government, and we have been involved in other… shall we say ‘covert’ means of accomplishing our goals. Unfortunately, at this point we are unable to stop your transfer. However, we do believe we can help you avoid surgical alteration and keep you whole, as you are. We also have a plan being developed which will ultimately bring you to safety, and possibly even expose the injustices of your treatment to blind humanity. That will take more time, however. For now, we want to prepare you for the days ahead.”
At this point, another voice began to speak. “At some point in the coming days, each of you will be removed from the facility population.” There was a familiarity to this voice, though Jennic could not place it. No-one else gave any indication they knew who it was, but Jennic was sure she knew this person. “We know you have seen this before. What you do not know is that you will be taken to a place where you will be prepared for surgery designed to remove any physical sexual characteristics you have developed. I know this is shocking, unnecessary, and disturbing, but you must go. You must act as surprised as you would be if you knew nothing. We know that this will be difficult, and we know that in telling you this we may be introducing even greater fear. But we want to assure you, in the end you will be safe. You must trust us. When the time comes, do not resist more than generally complaining about your treatment. If you complain too much or resist too vehemently, we may not be able to guarantee your safety.”
It seemed easy for disembodied voices to reassure her and the others that they would be safe when they could not be traced. How did she even know this was not a ruse by the facility to make the process easier — to encourage the ‘guests’ to go quietly? Still, she trusted Fenlow, and that voice sounded so familiar. She could clearly hear that it had been altered, but the tone and the inflections were so familiar to her. She instinctively felt she could trust whoever they were.
“You will be provided with further instructions following your removal from the population. You must follow these instructions meticulously. Not following them will put every one of us, and our entire plan, at risk. We wish we could be there in person to comfort you as you go through this, but we hope you will be ‘cocooned’ by the words we speak.”
Suddenly it was clear to Jennic who the voice was. Of course! That odd turn of phrase and the use of the word ‘cocooned’ had given it away to her. Navlin was letting her know they were the one speaking — directly to their caterpillar, their butterfly; Jennic. No-one else in the room had spoken to Jennic’s parents, so on-one else would have recognized the voice. The reference to a cocoon would have been lost on them, but it was a clear message from Navlin to Jennic that she was safe, and that they were looking out for her. This changed everything. She wanted to jump for joy and tell everyone that they could trust these voices because she knew who one of them was! But the disembodied voices had disguised themselves for a reason, and Jennic could not disclose their secret without knowing it was absolutely safe to do so.
The first voice returned to conclude, “This is all we have to communicate to you for now.” Was all that they said, and the one-sided conversation ended as abruptly as it had begun.
The eight scared individuals in the room looked at each other, and then began to rise quietly. One by one they stood and left the room with as much stealth as they had when they entered.
