Numbers

Chapter Four

2017-05-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

It’s been about a week since my procedure and I’m finally starting to feel like myself again. My arm is healing and Evelynn said I should be getting my stitches removed soon. Every night since though I have been having very vivid dreams. I can’t tell if they are memories or if they are just dreams. Everyone of them have seemed so real. Sitting in the cafeteria now I can almost still feel the sand of the beach from my first dream.

Aaron waves his hand in front of my face as I sit and stare into space. “Hello? What are you thinking about Dani?” I look up not even realizing I had been spacing.

“I was thinking about this dream I had. Can The Society erase your memories?” I look at him expecting me to tell me no right away, instead he looks at me with surprise. “Yes they can. Do you think you are remembering something?” I tell Aaron about my dreams and how real they feel and how I remember bits and pieces of some of them

He looks at me puzzled. Most of the time when your memories have been messed with they don’t come back. Then I think about how the dreams started the night that we turned my tracking software off. We must of fried something else during it. I stop talking about it and Aaron and I sit in silence for a little bit. Not soon after Willow comes and sits down next to Aaron immediately grabbing a hold of his arm and pressing herself against him.

I roll my eyes at her clingy-ness. She begins talking about the jobs they have to do today. She has white blonde hair that flows down past her waist. She has piercing grey eyes that look at me warmly. Lately she has been very nice to me. She has been coming around more and more just to hang out and talk. I must have been imagining her dislike of me at first. I would even begin to say that we are becoming friends. I start to feel guilty, I am falling for my friend’s boyfriend. I have been hoping what I had been feeling was just a crush, but over the past few days these feelings have been getting stronger and stronger.

We all get up and walk over to the area of the mountain where we are to meet with Evelynn. When we enter the large control room Aaron’s hand brushes mine. My heart rate spikes and my stomach flips. I pull my hand away and tuck my arms against my chest. I don’t want to like Aaron. Not while he is with Willow.

Evelynn is already sitting at a long table with several other older people. I have only met a couple of these people, but they all smile at me. We all sit down and look at each other. Evelynn clears her throat and stands up. “As you all know The Society has been trying to find young Danielle. Their pursuit has been endless, and they almost found their way into the mountain. We have come up with a plan utilizing Danielle. We want you Dani, to infiltrate The Society.”

Whispers rise in the group of people. I look around startled by the request. How am I supposed to go into the society. They want to kill me. I start to protest but Evelynn interrupts me telling us the plan. Both Aaron and I are fugitives who are wanted by the society. We are supposed to go out and get caught and infiltrate the society. WE. ARE. SUPPOSED. TO. GET CAUGHT. My heart stops with fear. Tears threaten to spill out of my eyes. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to stop the society. I just want to live my life like normal. I want to go to college like a normal girl.

I look over and see Willow, she looks at me and mirrors my fear. We are supposed to get caught by the society, then try to gather as much information as we can, then Willow and Evelynn are supposed to come and help us get out. Aaron reaches over and gently rubs my shoulder as support. I can’t tell whether or not he is afraid. He will go without questioning Evelynn. She saved him, he will always be loyal to her. After the meeting is finished I stand up and walk out of the room in a trance. THis can’t be happening. Evelynn saved me and I will do what she says, but how? How am I supposed to do this.

I make it to my room in a fog. Finally I let myself cry. I’m being a baby, but I can’t help it. All my life I have lived with my life handed to me. The Society chooses everything, who you will marry, what schools you attend, what you have for a job, absolutely everything. They do it in a way that you won’t see it. They make everything seem like your choice. Everyone knows though, that it isn’t your decision. It’s all a ploy to keep citizens happy. Make them think you are living a life of your own when really it’s not. The perfect way to keep everyone complacent. Up until my numbers went haywire my life was exactly what I wanted. I was going to school to be an engineer, I only had days until I met my SoulMate, and soon I would be moving for job position. Life was perfect until The Society fucked everything up and made a mistake with my Numbers.

Sitting staring at the ground a pair of feet appear in my vision. I look up to meet Willows eyes. She smiles at me grimly. “I get to leave the mountain finally. I’m sorry it’s at expense to your life.” She looks down and sits next to me reaching out to hold my hand. Her soft thumb strokes the top of my hand. Her hand slowly moves up and touches my Numbers. She runs her fingers down my faint scar then traces the small little zeros under my skin.

I remember the past few days the way we all got along so well. A few days ago Willow and I had went to the T.V. room together and we sat for two hours and watched movies. I had never seen the two movies before but she had. We sat on the couch together her legs curled up beneath her. She looked so beautiful the way she laughed at parts. Her skin wrinkled around her eyes when she smiles, the way she would tilt her head back and let her teeth show as she laughed. We were becoming closer than I ever thought we would. My favorite part of that day is when something important would happen in the movie she would watch me to see my reaction.

I look at Willow now with the sadness in her eyes and I wish so bad that we could go back to that day. I turn her hand over and intertwine my fingers in hers and lay my head on her shoulder. “I’m glad your getting to leave the mountain, even if it’s at my expense.” She reaches up and pats my head. “ Dani, You are my only real friend, and I’m sorry this is happening.”

After Willow leaves I feel a little better about my mission. I am doing something that will finally get her out of this place even if it’s for a little bit. I am helping her do something that she has wanted for her whole life. To see the outside. Soon enough I am composed enough to get showered and get ready to leave with Aaron on a mission that might end my life.

Walking out of my room I see Aaron down the hall. I pick up my pace to meet him. He smiles at me “Are you ready for our excursion?” He asks my this like it isn’t my life on the line. Grabbing my hand he looks deep into my eyes

“It will be okay Dani, I will take care of you. I promise.”

“How? What if we get separated? How will you protect me then?”

“Dani, I can’t tell the future. What I can tell you is I care about you and I will do everything in my power to not let anything happen to you.”

With that sentence I see him, I mean really see him. That energy between us is back and I starve to take in everything about him. My eyes examine every part of his face. The way his eyes are hard but shine with tenderness. The sharp turn of his jawline, the way it squares out his face. His stubble that runs across his cheeks and chin. I find myself lifting my hand to touch the sharp hair on his cheek. My hands meet his face and he leans into it. Sparks ignite at the touch. Why? Why am I so drawn to this boy?

I turn away and walk to Evelynn’s office. My heart rate races by proximity of Aaron, and at the thought of what lies ahead. Aaron and I have to go out into the world and get caught by The Society. How any of that is supposed to happen is beyond me. I guess that’s why Evelynn called us down here before we left. Evelynn greets us with a smile and a hug. She reminds me of mom. Her compassion and caring mixed with her stubbornness and leadership.

We are debriefed on our job and sent to entrance of the mountain. I stop and turn around taking in the enormity of this place. I gaze down to everyone getting dinner ready in the large grey cafeteria. The rows and rows of rooms for everyone seeking safety from the society. This place is one of few that I could call home, and I want to remember it. Even if everything goes terribly wrong I will still stay loyal to this place.

Evelynn reminds us once more of our task, then scoops me up into a big hug. Just as she is about to release me she whispers in my ear “I’m sorry i’m putting you in danger, but we can change the world.” With that she turns and hugs Aaron. Those few words set something inside of me on a track I never thought I would go. Change the world rumbles on in my head and I see all of the good and the bad in the world I live in now.

The seat of the car hugs my back in an almost comforting way, where the seat belt holds me in the car like a prison. I’m confident yet terrified in this whole plan. Aaron drives down the side of the mountain next to me. I can see in his body that he is just as worried as I am. His jaw is set in a fine line, his eyes hard focused on the road. Anxiety hangs thick in the air.

We drive down the steep road to what seems like our demise. The farther down the mountain we go the farther my heart sinks into my stomach. I look over to Aaron he meets my eyes and smiles. I breathe out and he reaches for my hand. We stay that way all the way down the mountain, holding on to each other for strength. Once we reach the bottom of the mountain we turn onto the road that leads us to the gas station where Aaron picked me several days before.

I think back to that day. It was sunny and beautiful, the mountains in the background rose up to meet the clear blue sky. Aaron interrupted me putting gas into my car to save my life. I was afraid and alone. My mom had been taken away, I didn’t know where I was going or who I could trust. Then Aaron appeared out of the blue with no warning and changed my course for the better. He smiled at me, his eyes begged me to trust him. The sun was at his back going down giving a warm glow as he outstretched his hand to me.

We park and Aaron turns to me. “This is where we first met, it seems kind of poetic we start our next journey in this spot as well.” Leaning down he takes my face in his hands and inches me close to him. His eyes search deep into mine, his breath warm on my lips. His lips stop just inches from mine waiting for me to close the gap. I do with anticipation. I lean forward into his kiss, the seat belt digging into my hips and shoulder. My body twisted to the side to meet his eager embrace. His hands move from my face down my shoulder and arms. One of his hands stop at the top of my hip, the other moving to release my seat belt buckle. I lean farther into Aaron moving across the center console. Putting my knees on the bottom cushion I lean into his chest, his hands run up and down my hips. As we kiss it feels like electricity sparks between us at each point of contact. My heart beats faster and faster with each second that his lips are on mine.

Our kiss leaves me breathless as I sit back on my feet. My heart slows as the world around me comes back into focus. A soft wow escapes my throat and Aaron turns to me. Smiling he too whispers wow. I look down at my wrist where my Numbers lie beneath my skin. Who needs a countdown, when you can find something like this all on your own. After a moment my heart breaks a little when Aaron looks down and mouths Willows name. In the heat of the moment we both forgot about her, my friend his girlfriend. I am both sad that I just hurt my friend and what I can’t have.

Aaron looks up at me and puts his hand on my knee, sparks shoot up from his touch. Just as he is about to say something our doors are thrown open. Two men at each door pull us out of the car. There is about ten men surrounding us all dressed in all black with bullet proof vests. The men that pulls us out of the car have large guns strapped to their back, while all the other men have theirs out ready to shoot us on site. I look at Aaron one last time before they put a black out hood over my face and throw me into the back of a cargo van.

Chapter Three

2017-05-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

Evelynn grabs my wrist and begins examining my flashing Numbers. Panic rises inside my chest. I feel my head swim, they are trying to find me. I thought that I was safe. I was wrong. She starts telling me I need to remove my Numbers. I look down at her large scar on her arm and true sorrow really overcomes me.

I won’t be a member of society anymore. There is no going back from this. After a few minutes of thought I tell Evelynn no. I will not take away any chance for me to see my mom again. I touch my wrist where my Numbers lie underneath my flesh flashing. I don’t know what else to do. Lost in thought I faintly hear the door open. Aaron walks in his mouth is set and his eyes determined.

“ I have an idea Evelynn.”

“What would that be Aaron?” I notice Willow has followed Aaron into the room. She looks around annoyed.

“Why do we have to help her? We can just give her to the society. Maybe they will let some of us off the hook.” Evelynn looks at her daughter in shock.

“Willow! Do not ever speak of giving up one of our own again. That is not how I raised you, and certainly not how our entity works. Aaron what is your idea?” She looks at her daughter with complete disappointment.

“I think I can figure out a way to disable the tracking software in her chip. It will be difficult, but that means that if this all gets sorted out she can live in society again. It also means that we can use her on the outside since some of us can’t go outside anymore.”

Aaron explains that he can hook me up to their computer and override the tracking software that is built into the Numbers chip. I will be able to live a normal life again. If this nightmare ever ends. Willow rolls her eyes. She must really not like me. I don’t know why I have barely said a word to her. She seemed like she was trying to be a friend when she walked me up to introduced myself.

Soon I am sat in a room with a giant computer and a bunch of sterile tools. My stomach rumbles with hunger and anxiety as I wait for Evelynn and Aaron to join me. After what seems like an eternity they walk in with blank faces. Evelynn washes her hands at the sink on the wall by me, while Aaron boots up the computer. After washing her hands she walks over to me and picks up a scalpel. “I’m sorry we don’t have anything to take the pain away.” She looks at me with pain in her eyes as she cut a slit into my arm right above where my Numbers show.

Pain screams through my arm as she cuts into me. Tears well up in my eyes and spill down my cheeks. I have never experienced pain like this. The society almost completely rid the country of sickness, and it really takes a lot to hurt yourself now. Evelynn then picks up a needle with a long power cord attached to it. She tells me that she’s sorry and this will hurt worse, but I can’t make out the words. Everything is blurred under the pain. When I think it can’t get any worse she inserts the needle and begins to dig around for the connection port for my chip. My throat is raw from screaming, when the electricity begins to shoot through my body. My chip and whatever Aaron is doing is electrocuting me from the inside. My vision swims and all my muscles contract. This is what it feels like to die. I dive in and out of consciousness but my screams continue.

Finally the pain ends, and I am left with a buzzing inside my head. I look over to Evelynn who also has tears in her eyes. I then look down at my wrist where many tiny little stitches bind my skin together. My Numbers shine brightly underneath them, they are now at zero. I look up to Aaron whose mouth is set in a line. He looks upset, I hope he didn’t mess up.

“It was success. I disabled the tracking software, and I set your Numbers to zero. Everyone will think you’ve met your match.” He pauses and looks down. Pain flashes across his eyes. He hated hurting me.

“Thank you both for helping me. Though I am very tired. Can someone help me to my room?” Aaron stands up fast and walks over to me. He offers to take me then helps me out of my chair. Slowly we walk back up to my room my feet dragging behind me. We reach my room and Aaron opens the door for me. I flop down on my bed the weight of the procedure falling down on me. Aaron follows me in and helps me take my shoes off. He helps me lay in bed and then covers me up.

Soon I drift off into a black world behind my eyelids. I dream of my mom. The way she smiled at me when I was doing something I loved. The way she frowned when I did something stupid. She had always been my rock. She was beautiful and strong, made me do anything I had set my mind to. The dream started out with a memory. One where she and I went to the lake and played in the water and sand all day.

I was little five or six and my mom had to have been around 26. She was beautiful with her long golden hair and her brightly colored bathing suit. She sat and watched me with the biggest smile across her face. She was so happy that I was there. I was her saving grace.

We played until the sun when down. I ran around and splashed in the water. It was an amazing day. Just when the sun is almost gone several men approach us. All of them are dressed in black with bullet proof vests on and have large guns strapped to their backs. This part of the memory I don’t remember. One of the men approach my mom and she pushes me behind her.

I can hear her begging to leave me alone, that I am little and haven’t done anything wrong. She starts to cry. This I remember as if it were happening all over again now. I remember that it was one of the only times I have seen my mom cry. But why don’t I remember the men. As the dream goes on I hold on to my mom’s hand as she bargains with the men. Finally they come to an agreement. One of the men in the back turn and walk toward me. He has a weird look of disgust as he walks toward me. He then pulls out a syringe and shoves it into my arm and pushes the liquid inside of me.

I wake up in bed sweat covering me sticking my hair to my face. Pain shoots through my arms threatening to make me pass out. I sit up looking around. Was that really a memory or just a weird pain induced nightmare? I slowly go to stand up, testing my legs not trusting them at the moment. I make my way to my bathroom when I notice my door is open a crack.

Willow stands just outside my door speaking to someone on the phone in a hushed voice. “She is asleep right now… I thought you would be able to find her faster… My mom was able to turn off the transmitter because you weren’t fast enough… Now you have to come up with a new plan, and you better not get me caught…” She presses the end button and I rush into the bathroom and shut the door.

I turn on the sink and wash my face. What did she mean by that? Was she with The Society? Couldn’t she just tell them where I am? I step out of the bathroom and she is in my room on my bed. “Hey how are you feeling? Can I get you anything?” She smiles at me and sounds sincere. Moving over she makes room for me to lie down on my bed. I walk over and sit by her. “I am okay. I had a nightmare so I just went to wash my face. I was sweating bad.” She frowns and then stands up. I glance at her wrist looking for her Numbers. She doesn’t have any sign of ever having one.

“Did you grow up in here Willow?” I ask her trying to not seem to nosy.

“Yeah I did. I have never left the mountain. My mom left The Society when she was 16. She was pregnant with me. Her and my dad had gotten together against The Society’s rules. She found this place and had me. Back then there was an older man that was fronting the Entity. He helped raise me and my mom. He was like my grandpa.” She looks down at her wrist and I see what might be longing. After a minute she walks out of my room and closes the door.

I sit on my bed and think about everything that had just happened. She was talking to someone on the phone about a plan. She had never left the mountain. And there was someone running the Entity before Evelynn. There was something weird about the way Willow looked at her wrist too. It looked like she was sad that she wasn’t a part of The Society. My arm starts to throb making my head spin so I lay down trying to get a little more rest.

I sleep for what feels like days and when I wake up Evelynn is sitting in the chair across from my bed. I roll over and sit up to look at her. She smiles and greets me. She wanted to come check to see how I have been healing and to change my bandage. I then find out that I had only been asleep for a few hours since Willow had checked on me. She then walks over and puts her hand out for me to give her my arm.

She moves and examines the wound before slowly pulling off the dirty bandage and replacing it with a fresh one. The second my arm hits the air pain zips through my arm down my back. Who knew such a small thing could hurt so bad. It subsides as soon as the new bandage is placed, but it doesn’t stop the memory of the pain. Evelynn then tells me that I need to rest for a bit longer but in an hour she will have Aaron bring up a meal for me. I didn’t get to eat dinner but I hadn’t even thought about it since my Numbers went haywire.

My stomach starts to rumble so I ask if I can have my meal sent up now. Evelynn complies and within minutes Aaron knocks on my door twice and enters the room. He walks over eyes glued to the ground and he sets the food on the bed next to me. I thank him expecting him to leave but he stands there with a twisted guilt-ridden face.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would hurt you that bad. If I had known I wouldn’t have done the procedure.” He looks at me and all I see in his face is pure disappointment in himself. I move the tray to the table by me and gesture him to come sit on the bed with me.

“I am okay. Aaron, I’m glad you did it. I don’t want The Society to be able to follow my every move. Yes it hurt but it was worth it.” I look down at his Numbers and I slowly lift my hand to touch the skin that covers his chip. Goosebumps ripple up his arm and his breath catches. “Where is your SoulMate?” I whisper.

His eyes burn a hole in my hand. I can feel his heartbeat underneath his skin. “I don’t have one. That’s why I am here. I was born with a zeroed out Number.” My heart drops but speeds up at the same time. We are equals. We are both mistakes. He raises his opposite hand and covers mine. This time it’s my turn to get goosebumps. My heart does flips as he raises his head and looks straight into my eyes. His face just inches away from mine. The pain in his eye melt away and I see a beautiful vulnerability.

He closes the space and our noses touch. I can feel the intensity in his touch on my hand. I push closer to him and our foreheads press together. We sit there like that hand on hand, nose to nose, forehead to forehead. Both of us not wanting to go further, both of us wanting much much more. I’m the one to break contact first. I sit back looking down. Shaking my head I tell him sorry. His eyes show me that I have broken a wall inside of him. “I’m not sorry. I could tell from the second I saw you at the gas station that I wanted to kiss you.”

Stunned I sit and look at him. “I don’t know you. I don’t know why this just happened, but it shouldn’t have. We haven’t even taken the time to build a connection.” I know in my words that it’s wrong as I say it. I too have known that I felt an instant attraction to this boy that met me at the gas station. I am just too afraid to love outside of The Society’s rule. Aaron gets up to leave, but before he does he leans down and presses a hand to my shoulder. My arm tingles with his touch. He leaves and I go over to eat my long awaited dinner.

A few days have passed since my procedure and I am finally starting to adjust to life inside the mountain. Aaron tries to hang around as much as he can when he isn’t working. I have learned so much about him in the past few days. When he was born The Society took him just like they do with all newborns, but when he returned he was given back with his Numbers already zeroed out. His parents fought for an answer but nobody would give them any answers.

When he was about 7 his parents were trying to get answers once again when The Society’s army came into his house and shot his parents right in front of him. He ran and ran until he ran into Evelynn. She had been on her way to his house to speak with his parents when she found him. She took him into the mountain and showed him the way of the Entity.

Every time Aaron told me a piece of his story my heart broke for him. I understand the pain in his eyes now and a part of me wishes I didn’t. I don’t complain when he hangs around me anymore. With each moment that passes between us the feeling in pit of my stomach grows. I have never been in love but I think I might be getting there.

Chapter Two

2017-05-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

Things get thrown into my bag as I rush to leave. I have to get out of here. My legs carry me out of my room. 100 dollars flutter from my hand to the front desk along with my key to the room. I jump in my car and put the keys in the ignition, turning it on. Throwing the car in reverse I peel out of the parking lot. Back onto the interstate I go, my heart in my throat. They can’t find me. They can’t. Determined to get a good chunk of distance between me and the Society I weave in and out of traffic.

Twenty minutes into driving I notice a large SUV speeding up behind me. Their lights are bright and blinding making it hard for me to concentrate. I swerve and almost hit the car in the lane next to me. I speed up and merge into the next lane to get to a lane that my pursuers can’t get to. The SUV also speeds up so they are right next to me. Panic rises inside me. I’m blocked in, nowhere to go. The SUV starts to careen toward my car side swiping me. I get knocked into the car next to me. The car behind me swerves into my attackers as I slam on my breaks.

With the sound of screeching metal they get hit into the wall of the interstate. This gives me enough time to drive around the stopped cars and merge back into the traffic. After a good five minutes I can tell that my stalkers are no longer on my tail. As I pull of the interstate I see a sign for a used car lot. I pull into the car lot taking in all of the available options. After about 30 minutes and 2,000 dollars I drive off in a older prius. One good thing to come from this is I get drive a car that I have wanted for a long time. Slowly I ease back on the interstate in my cute baby blue prius and drive to god knows where.

I have been driving for hours when I finally see the sign for Fort Collins Colorado. I have no idea where I am supposed to go, all I know is I have to go to colorado. I would be stopping soon to find somewhere to call my mom, but I can’t do that now. I am on my own. Closing my eyes I take a deep breathe and focus. Where would mom want me to go. I let my breath out and my eyes fall to my gas gage. I need to stop and fill up. Stopping to get gas is terrifying. I don't know where I am and I don't know who here is in the society. Cautiously I look around taking in my surroundings. The mountains. I have never seen such an amazing beauty in my life. I had been to frantic to get away that I never saw the true beauty of what I had been driving in to. I lean against my car and begin to cry.

“Dani?” I jump at my name and turn right into the person who addressed me. Stumbling back I reach for my car door to flee. “Dani don’t run. I’m here to help you.” I grasp for my car handle behind me, but I can’t seem to find it. “I don’t know who you’re talking about but that’s not my name.”

“It’s okay Dani I swear I’m on your side. Your mom sent me.” My heart sinks as butterflies rise up in my stomach. “What do you mean my mom sent you?” The boy talking to me gestures to the inside of my car and we get in. Adjusting from side to side I take my helper in. His eyes shimmer and I can see the sadness in his eyes. He knows what happened. His fingers fidget with the hem of his shirt, and he lets out a sigh readying himself to tell me what I have to face. He begins to tell me what I already know, and a lot of information I didn’t know.

My mom is most likely dead and the society is ready to kill me to. Apparently The Society can't control everyone's Numbers and sometimes they slip up. My number apparently was programmed wrong. Mom had known the entire time and was trying to find a way to fix it before my Number had hit zero and the society realized their mistake. I had no soulmate. They made a mistake. I sit back into my seat and feel the weight of what truly is happening sink in. Before I know it hot tears roll down my cheeks.

When The Society messes up like with me they eliminate the threat. They don’t want us citizens finding out that they are flawed. There has always been entities trying to disband the society, but they have always found a way to stop the rebels before anything too bad happened. There is a new rising though. One filled with mistakes like me. My mom had found them and been in contact with them, trying to figure out a way to save me before The Society found out.

My new confidant looks at me waiting for me to say something. “ You never told me your name.” That’s the only thing on my mind? I internally smack myself upside my head. This boy just told me that my mother's likely dead, I am a mistake with no soul mate, and I am on the run like several others, and all I can think to say is asking him about his name. I. Am. An. Idiot. The boy smiles “I’m Aaron! I know this is a lot to process but it will be okay. You can join us, we will protect you.” Smiling I agree, though the smile doesn’t reach my eyes. I have never felt betrayal and pain like this. My entire government has lied to me. I don’t feel like a citizen anymore. How can they make a mistake like this? I follow Aaron’s directions into the mountains.

We drive along the mountain on one of those roads you see cars careening off in T.V. shows. This is the first time I have ever seen the mountains, nevertheless driven up the side of one. My stomach does flips every time I have to turn with the mountain. We finally stop at on the side of the road and Aaron tells me to get out. Doing what he says we walk over to the side of the mountain. I watch as he takes out his cell phone and types a passcode into it. The ground starts to vibrate as the side of the mountain dissolves into an opening the size of a door.

What am I getting myself into. Aaron walks forward into the doorway then stops to turn around to see if I’m following him. Sure, why not follow some strange boy into a weird dissolving mountain to my death? Sounds like a great Idea mom, thanks for getting me into this. I follow my strange friend into a cement entry way that hollows out into a large open cafeteria looking room.
We are greeted two women both armed with guns. The first to approach us was an older woman who looked about mid 40’s. She was beautiful with long auburn hair and slate grey eyes. Her eyes even though they were beautiful they were haunted. You could see the pain she had endured. I looked down not wanting to stare for too long. My eyes grazed over her the top of her wrist. Where her Numbers should have been was replaced with a large keloid scar. I fight the urge to look down at my Numbers just then. Looking up I stare into the eyes of this woman, she has been through hell, and she is just like me. A mistake.

She greets me with a smile, “Hello Danielle, I am Evelynn. I am the one in charge of this little entity. We will keep you safe.” I know she means the words she says, and I do feel safe. She reminds me of my mom. I send a prayer to whoever is listening, “Please don’t let her be dead.” Evelynn walks me into the cafeteria room explaining that this is the main meeting hall. Every morning everyone gathers in this area to have breakfast and talk about what the day will bring. She talks with authority swinging about her gun as if it's an extension of her arm itself.

The other woman that walked up with Evelynn has remained quiet but has attached herself to the side of Aaron. She walks pressed up against his arm holding his hand. We all follow Evelynn around until we stop at a hall with several doors on each side.

“ Willow my darling, come here and show Danielle to her room. Danielle, this is willow my daughter. She is the one that you can go to with any questions. She will show you everything in your room and help you find some clothes you can change into.”

I follow Willow down the hall and to the left to a jet black door with a silver 10 on the front. I open it and the heavy metal door scrapes across the ground. Willow follows me in then shuts the door. She shows me around my fairly large room. This is way bigger than my college dorm. I have a comfortable looking full size bed, a wardrobe, and a large bookshelf full of books. To right of the door there is a bathroom with a shower toilet and sink. How they have plumbing inside a freaking mountain I have no idea. Willow explains all of my amenities and then tells me to take a shower, and when I get out I will have fresh clothes.

I can’t think of anything to say so I nod and walk into the bathroom and turn on the shower. Sitting on the toilet I place my head in my hands and allow myself to absorb everything that has happened. After my shower I walk out into my sleeping quarters, nicely folded there are two piles of new clothes on my bed. One pile of shirts and a pile of pants, all black and my exact size. I remove my towel and shimmy on my fresh clothes. The door opens as I am just pulling my shirt over my head. It’s Aaron.

I pull my shirt down as quick as I can and turn around. Aaron’s face is beet red with embarrassment, “I… I’m sorry. I should have knocked. I didn’t think.”

“It’s okay, this is all so weird. Did you need something?”

“ Uh, yeah I was just coming to let you know everyone is starting to gather for dinner.” He scratches the back of his head looking down. I take this time to really examine this boy in my room.

He has a beautiful olive tone to his skin something my pale ass strives for. He lives in a mountain but his hair looks like it’s well kept. They must have a Hair stylist down here or something. His hair is is long on top with a nice fade down the sides. He has it slicked back, but it doesn’t look shiny. I would love to run my hand through his hair. His body is strong but lean and he has several tattoos on his arms. I look at his wrist to see the glowing green of his Numbers. They are zeroed out, which means he has already met his match. My heart falls a little. Aaron has a match, and I never will.

His eyes shine a bright blue. They show me that he has been through to much, that he is determined to do something about it. As I look at him my heart flutters a bit in attraction. Kids are allowed to have crushes and date before they meet their match but once they hit zero that is to stop. I know I shouldn’t feel this way but I do. “Oh, I will be right down.” I answer and he turns away just like that. For a moment I wonder how he has looked at me. What did he see in my eyes?

Down stairs back in the Cafeteria people are starting to gather. The rumble of voices begin to rise, there is anticipation in the air. I try to stay in the back and keep away from the attention. After about five minutes a hush comes over the crowd and Evelynn enters. She is as beautiful as ever and enters the room with certainty and confidence. Something every woman strives for she has with such ease.

“Good Evening everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful day. As you know we have had some interaction with the society today, I just wanted to let you know we have it under control. No one should be worried! In fact we should celebrate! Today we had a beautiful young woman join us from the outside! Danielle, Please come join me and introduce yourself.”

This cannot be happening. I feel the heat rise up into my cheeks. I can’t believe she wants me to stand up in front of all these people. Slowly I feel like self rise and gravitate toward Evelynn. After a few steps I feel a hand touch my elbow. Willow smiles at me and whispers to me “It will be okay, I’m here with you.” We walk together up to meet her mother. Once we reach the front Evelynn smiles at me eager for me to talk.

I turn to face the crowd. At least forty people stare back at me with amused looks. I begin to tell them my name, how old I am, and why I am on the run. I half except them to reply Hi Dani in drone like voices, like in an AA meeting. They all whisper to each other about me all while my stomach is doing flips. I scan the crowd some have Numbers some don’t. I glance down at mine 4 days 6 hours and 33 minutes. My mind wonders why it reset in the first place. As I’m looking down at my wrist My numbers flash on and off twice then set to zero.

I stop talking and look up at Evelynn and show her what just happened. Calmly she dismisses everyone to eat and takes my hand. She leads me into a white operating room where she begins to explain that they are trying to tamper with my Numbers to find where I am.

Chapter Two Sneak Peek

2017-05-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

My mom is most likely dead and the society is ready to kill me to. Apparently The Society can't control everyone's Numbers and sometimes they slip up. There has always been entities trying to disband the society, but they have always found a way to stop the rebels before anything too bad happened. There is a new rising though. One filled with mistakes like me. My mom had found them and been in contact with them, trying to figure out a way to save me before The Society found out.

Chapter One

2017-05-14T23:42:00.000-07:00

*buzz buzz buzz*

My phone vibrates next to my head signaling me it’s time to wake up. ” Today’s the day” I whisper to myself. Sitting up in bed I stare down at the Numbers counting down on my wrist. Only 8 hours left. My stomach knots as I get out of bed and get ready for my first day of college. We are prepared our whole lives for the day that our numbers stop counting down, but I can’t help to feel scared. No amount of coaching can help me through today. Today is the day I meet my soulmate.

They say the second you meet them you just know and you instantly fall in love, but what if I don’t like him? What if he’s not what I imagined? I’ve been dreaming about him for years. Hes tall, has beautiful blue eyes, and thick black hair. He looks at me smiling and you can see the love he has for me. He would love to live in sweatpants, and loves metal music like me. When he would hug me I would come up to his chest and my ear will be able to rest right over his heart. His arms would be strong but not muscular and they would encircle me and make me feel safe and warm. But that is my dream I don’t know what he looks like. Or even his name. What if he can’t handle me or doesn’t like the way I look? These thoughts fly through my mind as I try to tame my hair. I know I’m supposed to dress up on a day as special as today but I don’t want to. I don’t even want to leave my dorm room. I want to lie around in sweat pants all day but it would be terrible to miss my first day.

After a lot of procrastination I decide I won’t dress up and I slide into my skinny jeans and shrug on a black T-shirt. Why should I try to make a good impression, he should just see how I normally am. Soon I am out my door heading to my first class. I can’t pay attention, I just keep staring at my wrist. Hours pass and my classes go by in a blur. It’s almost time. Just one more hour. I call my mom almost on the verge of tears. She answers in very excited tone,

” Hi mom” I choke out.

” Hi baby how are you holding up? Are you excited?”

” No I’m not excited, I’m barely holding it together. Can I just ignore the numbers and hide in bed?” I wipe at the corner of my eyes, tears are threatening to leak out.

” No sweetie you have to do this. It’s part of growing up, but it will be alright no matter how it goes. I promise.” I sigh. It has to be alright.

” Alright mom. I love you, talk to you later.”

The thing about the numbers is you don’t know anything but a time you don’t know how or where it will happen, you don’t even know what will happen. Like I said before almost everyone falls in love right away, but there has been a few horror stories where people turned out to hate their soul mates. I’m afraid that that will be what happens to me. Getting up I head to the cafeteria. It’s 5 pm, I have 5 minutes left. Trying to ignore the numbers on my wrist I get my meal and sit down alone at a table. I don’t look at them but I can still see the numbers in my head. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…. 0. I look around to see if anyone notices me. Nothing happens no one comes up to me or even glances in my direction, I’m invisible. I stand up and throw my leftovers away and grab my backpack. As I’m looking down I notice my wrist. My numbers have reset. They now read 5 days 6 hours and 42 minutes. What is going on no one’s ever had this happen before. Panicked I run into the bathroom and call my mom.

” Hi baby!” She answered excited to hear about my meeting.

”Mom something’s wrongs.”

“What? What is going on Danielle?” Her voice is thick with worry.

“Mom my Numbers reset. They hit zero and then nothing happened. When I looked down again the Numbers reset to 5 days and 6 hours. What do I do? Should we call on the Society?” I spit it all out in a rush my voice echoing off the cold bathroom walls.

“Danielle, you cannot call on the society. You need to get in your car right now and you need to leave campus. I know it is the first day of College but you aren’t safe anymore.” Her voice is urgent. I can feel her fear through the phone.

“What do you mean I’m in trouble mom? It must just be a fluke I probably just need to get my Number reset and they can run a diagnostic on it. This must have happened before.”

“Dani listen to me now. The Society doesn’t make mistakes. And if they do make a mistake they don’t let it be a mistake for long.They take their mistakes or rule breakers and no one ever sees them again.”

“What do you mean mom I really don’t understand? What rule breakers? Mom I am scared where do I go?”

“Rule breakers are the people that don’t go along with their pairing. They choose someone else. It happens but the society doesn’t let be seen. They have people everywhere for things like that to be corrected. Right now you are something that needs to be corrected in the Society's eyes. I love you Dani, we will figure it out, but right now you need to go to your room. You need to pack some clothes, long sleeves, and necessities enough for several days. As soon as you get packed you need to get in your car and fill up your tank and get money out of the atm. I will put 2,000 in your account you need to take it all out and then throw your credit card and phone in the trash. You will have to use pay phones or public phones to contact me, but I will try my best to direct you where you should go.” I can hear the tears streaming down her face and the hitch in her voice. My stomach starts to turn, but I can’t be sick I have to stay strong.

“Okay mom. I love you so much. But where do I go?”

“ I want you to head to colorado. When you get into Nebraska I want you to stop in a gas station and call me from their phone I will give you more instructions then.”

“Okay mom.” Tears are now falling down my face and leaving pools on my shirt.

“It will be okay Danielle. I love you too, so much. And Dani?”

“ Yeah mom?”

“Don’t forget tampons.” She laughs knowing that I probably would forget if she didn’t say something. I laugh with her knowing truly I can do this.

“ I won’t mom. I love you. Good bye.”

I end the call and shove my phone in my back pocket. Slowly I take a couple deep breaths and wipe away the tears of saying goodbye to my mom. Grabbing my bag I walk out of the bathroom, head high. Nothing is going to make me break, especially not a boy. Getting to the dorm i start to pack things into my favorite backpack. Several shirts and pants later I’m all packed, ready to start my life on the road. Quickly I also pull on a hoodie to hide my arm.

I take one more look around at the life I am about to leave behind, ready to do whatever it takes to not let the Society erase me. Getting to my car doesn’t take long, and before I know it I’m almost to the interstate heading toward Nebraska. The conversation between me and my mom passes through my mind. Why would the Society not tell us that people would break their pairing? I have never heard of anyone breaking. How does my mom know all of this any way? My car races across the bridge leaving behind school and my life, as all this new information races in my mind.

Where do they take the ones that do this? How do we not know about them or hear about them ever? I pull my sleeve up a bit and look at my Number, time is ticking down but I don’t know to what. My car starts to slide into the next lane and the car next to me lays on their horn. Snapping out of my head I swerve back into my lane swearing “ Shit Danielle, pay attention or the Society won’t have to worry about you.” I pull off the interstate in a small town called Millard to find a gas station. Quickly I find a Kum and Go and I pull into a stall to fill up my tank and pull money out of an ATM.

Walking into the gas station I realize I’m hungry and I don’t know when I might be able to get a real meal again. Stocking up on some snacks goes on my to do list as I head into the bathroom for a pee break. Candy, chips, beef jerky, two bottles of water, and a soda gets set on the counter. Then I walk over to the ATM and slide my card. Just like mom said there is 2,000 dollars in my account. My card goes into the trash after I pull the cash from the machine. After, I pay for the snacks and fill up my tank. Almost forgetting I run back inside and ask if I can use the phone.

My home number gets punched into the phone. After two rings the phone goes silent and the dial tone comes screaming in my ear. That’s funny I think as I dial mom’s cell. This time the phone rings and rings, it doesn’t go to voicemail or anything, it just rings. My stomach starts to do flips, something isn’t right. I hang up and walk back out to my car, and my phone starts to buzz, still tucked in my back pocket. “Fuck I forgot to throw this out with my card.” I pull it out and look to see who it is. The caller ID pops up and says mom. I slide the answer option and put the phone up to my ear.

“Hello mom?! I’m sorry I didn’t throw my phone out yet. I just tried calling you I’m at a gas station in Millard.”

“Danielle, you need to come back to your dorm the Society is waiting for you we know about the mistake.” A deep male voice speaks on the other end.

“What? Who is this? Where is my mom?”

“Your mom is fine Dani, she is here with us, would you like to speak with her?”

“Yes put her on now.”

“Dani, do not come back. I will be fine. I love you keep running.” Her voice is quick and panicked.

“I’m sorry Danielle. Your mom is wrong, if you run we can find you no matter where you go. It would be better for both of you to come back. You have an hour to get back or we will be after you.”

The phone beeps off. Angered I throw my phone at the wall as hard as I can. Leaving my phone on the cement I get in my car and drive off.. Mom told me to keep going, so i'm going to. Back on the interstate I head toward Colorado. I have no clue where I am going, or what I will do when I get there, but I will be okay. I just have to keep going. I can’t worry about my mom. She wouldn’t want me to.

Thank god I peed in Millard or else I would definitely be doing the potty dance by now. It’s been about 4 hours, and I feel like I’m dying. I need to pull off and find some place to sleep. Finally after some driving around I find a cheapo motel. I park my car and walk inside. The front desk is cluttered and the man behind it looks really put out that I walked in.

“Hello, I would like a room.” The man huffs, hands me a key hard, then walks away. “Check out is at noon.” He says just before he’s out of range. Feeling slightly annoyed I turn. Looking down at my key card I see I’m in room 110. My eyes scan the doors trying to find where to go. The hundreds are to the right so I head that way. Finding my room I scan my key card and step into my room for the night. The slight scent of mold fits well in the 1970’s room. The shag carpeting and the velvet flower patterned chair in the corner look like they have been there since the place opened. The bed on the other hand looks newer, and smells a little more fresh. My two bags thud onto the ground as I sit on the bed. The down comforter is soft under my hands and the bed holds firm underneath me. This place is cheap but I think it will get me at least a decent night's sleep.

I pull my bag on the bed with me and unload its contents. Five shirts, Three pairs of skinny jeans, one pair of fabric shorts, two sets of PJs, six pairs of underwear, and two extra bras. As I reach in to grab my bathroom bag the box of tampons falls out. The memory of my mom’s laugh when she told me to bring these floats through my mind. Tears fall down my cheeks as I allow myself time to think of my mom. I’m so afraid of what might happen to her. If something happens to me mom’s sacrifice would be for nothing. My number glows up at me as I tug at my sleeve.

A little piece of metal just under my skin that's programmed to count down the days until we meet our pair. Just after a baby is born they are taken for the pairing. There they are tested for genetic illnesses, other things such as aptitude. The Society has special computers, and machines to tell you everything, from the babies race to the genetic predispositions that the baby will have growing up. They take this information and match he or she with another baby born in the same time frame.

After they have paired the babies a Society Member will insert the babies Number. The Society then programs the date and time of the meeting for the pair. Some times they will make it right away when the child is young or they make it later in life. The Society has an algorithm for it all. School explains it all as you grow up; the Society’s history, their plan with the pairing, and how it happens. This is all so we have grow up without sickness, pain or destruction.

We have been taught our whole lives that this is what we need for a better world. I have always thought that this is exactly the way it should be. No one has ever shown that the pairing doesn't work. Sure there are the people who don’t like one another at first, or end up hating each other for while, but no one has ever broken a pairing. None that the Society ever let us see that is.

I caress my wrist feeling the plate underneath my arm. Why do I have to be a mistake? Why couldn’t everything go as planned? I could be getting to know my soulmate right now, but I’m running for my life instead. Frustrated I flop back onto the pillows and think of my dream boy. His dark hair, how soft it is. His pink lips how they look when they say my name. Thinking of someone I may never have just upsets me more so I sit up and pull out my pajamas. Quickly I change and put my clothes back in my bag and pull out some beef jerky.

After swallowing the last bite of my “dinner” I crawl underneath the covers. What a day it has been. As I drift off to sleep I think of my mom. I think of her laugh and how she seemed to know things that no one else did. A deep sleep overcomes me as I hold on to the thought that my mom is strong and knows how to handle herself.

Hours later I wake to the sound of the phone on the wall screaming at me. I pull myself out of bed and answer the phone half asleep.

“Hello”

“Danielle we know where you are and we are coming.” The phone clicks off. The room spins. They know where I am and they are coming for me.