I walked through the streets of Go-Sci City, I felt out of place here and the people around me knew it too. Even in my best clothes I was still not as well dressed as any of the people strolling through the streets, even the children. Though; there were few younger than ten to be seen anywhere these days. I headed to the glass structure my boss had directed me too, I fully anticipated that the guard at the door would stop me but to my surprise he just glanced at me, barely turning his head.
"Project Arkadia Central Enquiries, how may I direct your call?" the woman sat behind a glossy white reception desk chimed into the headset she wore. She clicked a key on the phone and turned to me with her fake smile. Although she didn't seem particularly unhappy nobody smiled like that, and meant it. "Welcome, sir." She sang, her voice was intriguing, I smiled at her. "How may I help you?"
"I'm Bellamy Blake, I'm here for a job interview. "
'Of course, Mr. Blake.' She stood. 'Please, follow me.'
I followed her to a lobby where she pressed the call button for the elevator, one off the walls was all glass and outside there was a stream of water that seemed to flow upwards into a column that climbed higher than I could see from where we stood. The girl poked me leaned in close.
"Don't let them see your fascination" She whispered. "Keep your head, don't be intimidated. Speak with confidence."
I looked at her with bewilderment.
"You don't remember me do you?" She snickered. The elevator slide open and instantly her demeanour changed again. "Right this way, sir." She sauntered forward and turned to face the front of the lift. I looked her up and down. There was no way this girl knew me, all my friends were from Factory Station. I could count on one hand how many times I'd been to the City.
"Have we met?" I asked, sounding more shocked than I had intended.
"No, sir." She sounded, once again, in that melodic tone. "I don't believe so."
The elevator stopped and she stepped out. We were in smaller lobby, and again the left wall was glass and I could see the top of the column that was out of view downstairs, it was a hollow tube the was seemingly floating, bottomless and full of large white and orange fish. I remembered what she had said and fixed my gaze on the door in front of me.
She pressed her finger against a touchscreen panel next to the door.
"Commander Shumway, Mr. Blake is here for his 3 pm appointment."
"Thank you." A man's voice replied. "I'll just be a moment."
See turned to me and whispered, "Stand tall. Be confident, but polite. And fix your hair."
Again her voice and posture reverted back to what it was a few moments ago. She handed me a card with VISITOR in bold letters across the back.
"This card will take the elevator back to the main lobby." She trilled. "It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Blake. I wish you all the best for your interview."
She disappeared behind the sliding door of the lift before I could think. I examined the card on my hand and found a slip of paper hidden under it that read "5.30 at the fountain" which I quickly shoved it into my pocket and then fixed my hair, like she said.
A man shuffled from the room a few moments later, his shoulders slumped and his eyes were wide. I straightened myself up, suddenly aware of the girls advice… or warnings? I didn't really know what to think after I saw how shaken the guy before me was.
"Mr. Blake. Please come in." Commander Shumway -I assumed- said, inviting me inside with a polite gesture.
"Now, lets get right to it, shall we?" He took a seat behind his desk and I sat myself in the chair across from him. Not waiting to be a offered a seat showed confidence…. Right?
"So you work in manufacturing heavy machinery in Factory Station currently, is that right?" He continued.
"No sir, that is where I started but now I work security in the same factory." I replied.
"And what are your duties there?"
"We see to the security of the mechanics and engineers, and the products they build and I frequently man the transport of machinery to farm station-"
"Ah, so you have seen combat then?"
"Yes, sir there have been occasions where our transports were attacked, but my team and I have yet to lose a shipment."
"Impressive." He smiled. "Tell me, Bellamy. May I call you, Bellamy?"
I was shocked that he was so well mannered, Go-Sci citizens aren't known to treat people from outlying stations like this.
"Of course." I smiled.
"What do you know about Project Arkadia, Bellamy?"
"I know that it is an Elite research facility that are seeking ways the repair the damage to the planet." I replied.
"Oh yes, and so much more. I can see here that we have several references that have spoken very highly of you. You know that if you are successful you will have to leave Factory Station."
"Yes sir, I am aware."
"And who will you be leaving behind?" He asked.
"No one, sir. My mother recently passed. But she is a large part of why I am doing this, she believed greatly in the project and I know it would make her proud to see me on the security team there." I lied, it was far easier than I thought it be. The Commander seemed pleased with my answer.
"You have no other family." He probed. My throat clenched… he knew. But how much did he know?
"Not living. My father died when I was very young and my sister contracted the virus when she was 16 and…"
"Ah, well I can see why you are so keen to join us." He shuffled through his papers avoiding eye contact. No one ever wanted to talk about the virus. "Are you aware that one of the projects is to develop a vaccine for the Virus?"
"Yes sir, all the more reason to serve there." I forced a smile.
"That will be all for now, Mr. Blake. You are a very promising candidate, but I can't give any guarantees at this point." He stood and approached me from around the table offering his hand for me to shake.
"I understand. Thank you, very much for your time Commander Shumway."
"And you, Bellamy." He smiled politely. "May we meet again."
The formal words weren't often spoken in Factory Station, it was what you said to your grandparents as the grew near the end of their days and you didn't know if they may be your last words or not. It was what I said to my mother before I was deployed on a transport mission. It was what I said the my sister when the guards at the hospital dragged her away.
"May we meet again." I said. The words tasted like ash, they were words that should be so casually spoken and never falsely.
I swiped the card and the elevator started down I remembered how the girls attitude changed in the elevator and wondered if the lifts were monitored; so I maintained my composure. But the moment the doors opened I rushed forward and exited the building as quickly as I could. Through the flashes of Octavia's face that rushed to the forefront of mind and the memory of her screaming my name as they pulled her away, I searched for a place that I could hideaway until I could pull myself together.
I finally slumped down into the steps the descended into a quiet park. And let the horrors of that day wash over me. In the year since they took her I'd learned that pushing these thoughts away just made it worse, besides that, this was the cross I had to bare for my stupidity. I shouldn't have taken her to the hospital... but she was in so much pain the swelling wasn't going down and mom had spent the last of our credits on painkillers for her. But they were gone now, and I had no idea where Mom was.
"It was a broken ankle!" My mother screamed. "You took took here there for a broken bone! You stupid boy! It could've been fixed here! How could you!?" She wailed.
"She was in agony Mom! What was I supposed to do!? You were nowhere to be found!" I screamed. My throat was raw from screaming, even now the memory made it burn.
"I was getting the medicine she needed!" She had yelled and thrown the small brown bottle at me. "She's your sister, Bellamy. Your responsibility."
AN: This story was conceived late night as I struggled with writers block for my other 100 story "Above Ground". First person isn't my normal style and it was 4am when I finished this so it is crude, please review and let me know if this concept intrigues you as I am not sure yet if this something I will continue or it will remain a simple imagine. Also I love to hear your guesses as t who the mystery girl is, because I haven't quite decided myself!