Marked
Chapter 17

There was something about a big crowd gathering to eat that reminded Rachel of the compound.

Lounging around the many tables were people of all shapes, colors and sizes, all engrossed in the mundane details of their lives and she was struck by how ordinary they were.

A little like the people of the compound, except some were rounder and the people of the compound had never sat like quite like that--with shoulders relaxed and no visible weapons in sight.

“Right this way Rachel.” Debra said, interrupting her thoughts. “As soon as we get your physical done, you can come back here for some food. Everyone’s just finishing up lunch now but we’ll have something ready for you when you return.”

Rachel nodded, distracted by the laughs and easy banter of the crowd around her. She felt like an outsider looking in through a window into an unfamiliar world- one that she thought she’d never get a chance to experience.

More food than she had ever seen in her lifetime before littered the many tables.

Could all of that really be just for them?

There was enough food there to feed the compound for months.

Debra touched Rachel’s arm and she allowed her to lead her to the opposite end of the cafeteria where they exited swiftly through a set of doors.

On the other side and down a winding labyrinth of halls the hospital, with several cubicles separated by glass walls.

“Put this on and wait here. This test will be crucial in determining where you will be placed, as will the others so be sure to try your best.” Debra said as she handed her a fresh paper gown. “Someone will be with you shortly and good luck, honey.”

Rachel clutched the gown to her chest and scanned the room.

The walls were a salmon color and a single, glass wall lay in front of her which had retracted to let them through. The cot she sat on was hard but smooth and felt cool to the touch.

Rachel didn’t undress- not with the clear glass door giving the passers-by a free glimpse of her body.

Instead, she sat down and patiently waited.

A woman arrived a few minutes later and shot her a small smile. “Hello,” She glanced down at the thin, electronic item in her hands, “Miss Wilson. My name is Latrice and I’m going to be doing your physical today. Now sit up and take a deep breath for me.”

Latrice studied Rachel’s lungs and body and did a measurement of her height and weight.

She analyzed her eyes, ears and throat with a light and then made her get on a machine with a black rubber beneath her feet.

When Latrice pressed a button, the rubber began to move and Rachel started jogging in sync to the machine.

Gradually, Latrice began to raise the speed until Rachel was running and gasping for air

Her side ached and her lungs felt near exploding but she did not give up. With Debra’s words ringing in her ear, she pushed herself, wanting to prove her strength.

After recording how many push ups Rachel could do, which wasn’t many, Latrice explained to her that after each beeping noise she was to run from wall to wall.

Between laps, an electronic television lit up with names and numbers next to them caught Rachel’s attention.

“What’s that?” Rachel asked.

“Oh that’s the leader board. The record for this test is two hundred laps but you do as many as you can manage, honey.”

The record was two hundred and Rachel did two hundred and two.

By the end, she was exhausted and covered in sweat.

The woman finally told Rachel she was free to go and that tomorrow she would come back to the simulation room for her next test.

After giving her directions to the showers and handing her a clean change of clothes, the woman left Rachel alone once more.

Grateful that she had been provided with the chance to shower, she made a beeline before anyone came looking for her. Rachel stepped into a long room lined along it’s perimeter with individual, rectangular showers. No one else was around and each stall lay silent and still.

She tried to push open one of the doors but it didn’t budge so she mimicked the action she’d seen everyone do around her.

One quick swipe of the fingertip to the door and the glass slid away. As soon as she stepped in, she felt vulnerable and naked. But once she ran the water, a light came on overhead, illuminating her stall and the glass door in front of her became pitch black.

Hot water had been non-existent back in the compound and unless you were willing to wait in a long line to boil some, showers were a quick in an out ordeal.

But here, rich, hot water poured down her body in clear ribbons. Steam rose around her and caressed her skin in wispy tendrils.

For a moment, she allowed her mind to go numb with the feeling of the water.

But all too soon, she had to step out and face this brand new society she never knew existed. She dressed- a pair of jeans and a blue pull-over sweater a little too big for her body. With so little food to be shared among hundreds at the compound, Rachel had always been thin but these past few weeks had hollowed her out and made her ribs protruded more than ever.

She sat on one of the cool, metal benches and found a brush and some other toiletries in cubicles placed strategically across from the showers.

She accidentally swiped her finger across the cool black, metal and a mirror materialized.

Surprised by her reflection, she took a long, hard look at herself.

She knew she wasn’t exceptionally beautiful- had never been like some of the other girls in the compound- the ones like Mira and Mila who dolled themselves up every day.

But today, for some reason, she wanted to look nice when she was reunited with her friends during dinner.

When she had taken enough time to herself, she stepped out of the shower room and immediately found Tom waiting outside for her.

She frowned, a little freaked out by it.

Did these people know every little thing she did?

“Hiya! You look like a real human now,” Tom said, shooting her a playful grin.

Rachel tried to smile back but she was sure it looked more like a grimace.

“How long have you been out here?” She asked.

“Oh, not for long. Your finger print let Debra know you’d exited the shower so she thought you’d be wrapping it up here pretty soon. Been here ten minutes, twiddling my thumbs.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Rachel said, feeling unnerved.

The thought of being monitored by the things her fingertips made her feel uncomfortable..

“No problem. Let’s just get you to the mess hall so we can fatten you up some.”

“Okay.”

“So is it true?” Tom asked a few moments later. He side-eyed her as if she held a secret that he was eager to uncover.

“What is?”

“That you lived out in the wild for years?” He replied.

“Um, yeah, I suppose. I’ve lived my entire life inside a mountain.”

Tom let out a low whistle. “Wow, I don’t know how you could’ve done it. How did you survive?”

“We just did,” Rachel replied.

Something about the way he seemed awed rubbed her the wrong way. But then again, looking around her, it was clear that these people had never wanted for anything. In some ways, they were just like the poachers and the privileged city people.

“Foods that way,” Tom said, pointing to a buffet line against the right hand corner of the room

Rachel nodded and smiled a little. “Thank you.”

With a kind, departing salute, he left her to her own devices.

She followed the scent of meat and fresh bread to the tables, gathering a plate for herself.

It felt wrong to pile her plate high with food like the others, so she took only enough to satisfy her.

There was no need to be wasteful.

Once she had her food, she stood alone and looked around, wondering what to do next.

Just then, someone crashed into her right side and she gasped, trying her best not to drop her food.

“Rachel!” Simone’s voice bounced around in her head before it clicked.

Immediately, her arms opened up, inviting her best friend in.

“I’m so happy to see you. I was so so worried when we couldn’t replace you. Juan kept saying that they had killed you.”

“No,” Rachel said as Simone squeezed her tight. “They just held me a little longer. Something about me not passing the simulation.”

Simone pulled back and her nose crinkled.

“I hated those damn simulations and I’m so glad I never have to do them again.”

“Me too!”

“Come on, let’s sit down. I’ll introduce you to some new friends.”

Rachel followed Simone down a row of tables until her eyes found Juan and Hector sitting at a table with two other people.

One of them she recognized as Tom and the other was a girl who shared an uncanny resemblance with Tom.

“Hey guys, look who’s here.” Simone announced. The others looked up and Juan jumped up from his chair, wiping his greasy fingers on his pants before wrapping Rachel in a bear hug.

“St. Rachel, never thought I’d say this but boy am I glad to see your scrawny butt!”

Rachel let out a laugh and allowed herself to hug him back.

After everything they had all gone through together, she could easily forgive him for trying to grope her back on the mountain.

When Juan was done hugging her, Hector patted the spot next to him and Rachel set her tray down, looping her legs over the seat.

“As promised, here we all are.” He said to her.

“Thank God.” She sighed.

“You cleaned up nice.” He said, gesturing to her hair and probably the bit of lipstick she’d put on.

“Thank you.”

Rachel briefly smiled at him and looked away, afraid if she looked at him too long she’d start blushing.

“Hi,” She said to the girl.

“My name’s Pippa.” The girl replied, stretching a hand out to Rachel.

Rachel shook it.

“I’m Tom’s sister. So glad they finally let you out, we have so much to show you guys.”

Rachel nodded and shoved a piece of bread into her mouth.

It was fluffy and buttery, like nothing she’d ever tasted before.

She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to literally moan at the taste.

“Drill sucked today,” Juan grumbled around a mouthful of food. “They made us do laps like dogs until we couldn’t move anymore.”

“That’s what you get for being a soldier,” Simone teased. “Life is so much better for us weaklings. My day was spent cooking and baking and playing chess with Pippa.”

“What about you, Rachel? Where did your placement test put you?” Pippa asked.

Rachel looked at the others. “Um, I haven’t taken it yet. Just the physical.”

“You’ll probably end up cooking with us girls,” Pippa said, taking a sip from her glass.

The way she said it made it sound like that’s all women were good for.

Rachel frowned and thought about this.

Though staying here cooking and baking and playing chess seemed appealing, aside from the fact that she hated the kitchen, she realized something in her wouldn’t allow her to sit idly by.

“We’ll see.” Rachel said. “Though I’d really like to be a soldier.”

“St. Rachel, I could literally break you in half with one hand. You’re too small for that.”

“My size didn’t really make a difference when I gave you a bloody nose back at the compound.” She teased.

Hector nearly spat water and Juan frowned.

“Touché.”

She may not have been the fastest or the strongest but she might as well have been the most determined.

She’d make the soldier ranks from pure stubbornness if that’s what it took but she would fight for a world where people like her could be free.

A world where no mark existed.