Please feel free to stick pins into whichever character you dislike the most. I know I do.
Prolouge/1
The bright lights flickered on and off erratically, the harsh glare stinging Cray’s eyes. It had been snowing for nine days now and still showed no signs of stopping. The city’s main source of power had been overloaded within the first few days of the blizzard and had stopped working, so now the building was running from its own backup generator. All the elevators and ‘non-essential’ floors had been turned off and shut down. Although it meant that pretty much all lessons had been cancelled until the snow subsided, it also meant that he had to climb up some fifty flights of stairs just to get back to his room after he’d been to the lunch hall.
When he finally reached the thirty-second floor the flickering stopped, though he wasn’t sure if that was because it was one of the only recreational floors that had been left open, the only floor with anything to do inside. Cray pushed open the heavy door and was surprised to see how empty it was. A few hard working students were sat at the desks, using their precious free time to cram for the coming exams. He peeked though the door to the projection room and there was a lone couple watching old romantic films. He shook his head in amazement, unable to understand why the place was so very empty.
He was about to give up and head back upstairs to see who he could find when he noticed her, the girl sat alone at the video booths. She had her knees pulled up to her chest and hugged her legs as she watched the show. Cray recognised the program as one he used to watch on TV when he was much younger, before direct feeding was introduced. It was about two birds and they would fly around the world showing children all the different places that there were. He took a set of headphones from the rack and went over to go and join her.
She didn’t seem to notice when he sat down next to her, bright eyes fixated on the screen as Minnie, a fat brown bird with a pink ribbon, hopped about talking about Tokyo, or at least how it was many many years in the past. Cray could remember his 5th Gens telling him about how it had been an old program when they had been young and it did indeed show its age. The main noticeable difference between then and now were that the sky was a pure, warm blue, and the clouds that hung in it were made of a delicate, white, fluff.
It was strange that he’d never noticed her before. He’d pretty much spent his whole life living in the school and had come to learn everyone’s face. Guiltily he wondered if it was because of her looks. Not that she was ugly, just more plain looking than anything else. Her dark blonde hair ran down to her shoulders and Cray was saw he saw a flash of the barcode tattooed under her ear as she tucked a stray lock of hair behind it, her round grey eyes dancing with child-like delight as she watched the show. How long had she been here? Cray wondered. She could be an exchange student from one of the many other schools like this dotted across the globe, or perhaps her parents had only recently sent her, hoping for her to be enrolled before she was deemed to old too join.
“Can I help you?” She asked, pausing the program to look up at him. Cray realised that he had been staring at her whilst he had been thinking and cursed himself inwardly.
“Sorry, it’s just that I don’t recognise you and I’ve been here long enough to know who everyone is. It’s so strange, I must have seen you around sometime.”
“Probably not.” She said, removing her headphones “I only come down here when it’s empty like this.” She held out a hand and smiled. “Name’s Winina, though most people call me Wires.”
“Cray.” He told her, shaking her hand. “So how long have you been here then?”
“Since I was eleven so I guess that makes it five years.”
“Fourteen, my parents sent me here when I was three years old.” Her mouth gaped open in surprise but before she could reply they were both plunged into darkness. The sliver of light that seeped out through the doors grew wider as someone pushed them open, and Cray could see the erratic movements of a handheld torch.
“Sorry folks,” the voice called out, “looks like this floor’s closed too. Try not to trip over anything on your way out.”
“Where are we supposed to go now?” Wires asked, tripping over her own feet as she scuttled along. Cray grabbed her hand and helped her navigate her way through the thick blackness.
“Well we might as well head back up to the dorms.” They stumbled through the doors and into the yellow light. He tugged on her arm and began to pull her up the stairs. “C’mon! Let’s see where everyone is!”
When they reached the sixty-third floor it became painfully clear why the recreational floor had been all but deserted, someone had organised a party and now the whole place was buzzing with the chatter of excited people. Cray looked around quickly and waved to a few people he knew, but when he turned to invite Wires, she had already vanished up the stairs.
Floor sixty-four was quiet. Pretty much all of the noise that Cray could hear was filtering through from the floor below. Wires was talking to someone he didn’t know, and he would have gone and spoken to her when she was done but he heard an all too familiar loud brash voice.
“Hey! What are you doing up here? All the fun’s downstairs!” He turned around to see the bleach blonde hair and straight white teeth that were his friend Zane.”
“I was just about to talk to someone.” When he turned back Wires had gone, vanished into one of the many doors that lined the corridor.
“Yes. Because this place is jumping with excitement.” Zane drawled sarcastically and grabbed his shoulder. “Come back down, I assure you, you’ll have more fun than if you stayed up here.” Cray sighed in agreement and followed him down the stairs. He glanced back up through the corridor and wondered; if it had taken him five years to first notice her, would it be another five years before he saw her again?
The snow stopped falling three weeks after it had begun and Cray didn’t see Wires at all through that time. He’d thought about going up to her floor to see if he could find her, but had never managed to pluck up the courage to go and have a look. None of his friends seemed to know who she was either, not even Zane who’s claim to fame was that he’d hit on every girl in the school.
“She could be lying, you know, just visiting a friend or a relative or something.”
“She could always be a spy from the HPM.” Seb suggested.
“Yeah right, and what would pure humans want with our school?” Zane droned and stuffed a forkful of food into his mouth. “Have you seen her in class at all?” Cray shook his head;
“I reckon she’s a year or two below us.” He sighed and stared at his plate of processed mush. Last year his parents had managed to get hold of a real potato and had sent him it for his birthday. Cray could still remember how wonderful it tasted, and the cultured lump of orange starch-substitute made him feel ill more than anything else.
He leaned back on his chair and let his thoughts drift away, though it wasn’t long before something snapped him back. He was looking at the dining hall upside down, but over the back of his chair Cray was sure he could see Wires.
She certainly didn’t look to happy as she shuffled along with Camille and the rest of her group of other rich trendsetters. They’d all dressed similarly that day, and Wires stuck out like a sore thumb, her black vest top refusing to blend in with their pastel pink blouses. Camille waved and the group drifted the table, Zane’s face lighting up with glee.
“Hey guys, can we sit with you?” She smiled sweetly and flicked a lock of hair back over her shoulder. “Have any of you ever met Winina before? We only discovered her the other day, isn’t it strange?” They sat down and Camille kept jabbering on, Cray phased out her annoyingly sickly sugary voice and watched Wires out of the corner of his eye. She was silent, staring at her hands as people spoke across her,like she was paralysed around too many people.
“Her parents are Canis and Linna Springwell, can you believe it? I didn’t even think that they had any children!” Camille exclaimed and colour flushed into Wires’ pale face. Zane’s jaw dropped and he stared at the poor embarrassed girl.
“You’re a Springwell! But they’re like one of the most powerful families around, they’re on par with the president for god’s sake!”
“They’re my parent but...” She spoke slowly, her face burning up even more now that all the attention was focused on her. “I would never call myself a Springwell. I lived with my Grandma until she died.” An awkward silence settled over everyone. Even Cray couldn’t believe it, his 2nd Gens looked just as old as his parents did, and there was no way they’d be dying any time soon.
“What did she die of?” Zane asked, the only one brave enough to ask the question that they were all thinking.
“Liver failure, old age. Then we were sent back to my parents and I ended up here within the same week.” That didn’t help calm the situation at all. Old age had long become a thing of that past, something used to scare young children with, and that was thank to Professor Andrews and the research that he had done those centuries ago. Sometimes people died when they decided that they’d become tired of life, but even that didn’t happen very often. Cray had no idea what to say to someone who’d been bereaved, though Wires didn’t seem to noticed the awkwardness of the conversation, to her this was just as bad as any other. She was saved from any further embarrassment when there was a loud beep; she glanced down at her pager and smiled apologetically.
“I’m sorry, but it looks like I’ve got to go.” She scrambled to her feet, clearly glad for the unexpected interruption. Once she’d left the table she ran out of the hall and darted down the stairs. Cray couldn’t help but wonder where she was going, most the floors between the hall and the basements were admin, and were rarely, if ever, visited by students. So why had she been in such a rush?
He saw her again a few hours later; she was sat on the stairs weary eyed, crumpled letter clutched in her trembling hand. Cray sat down next to her and she passed it to him, though once he’d read it he couldn’t understand why she was so very upset.
Ho Ho and Hum.
Ah, how ya’ doing Wires? Not much has been happening here, it’s been boring as hell for the past few months. God, I really wish that there were something to do, guess it’s my own fault for running away. Except I really couldn’t stand the thought of having to leave your dear pig alone. Lately Klee’s been playing up, I think he misses you, that or he’s worried about getting my cold.
Viruses, ack! I’ve been full of them lately and it’s very very annoying. Really, you wouldn’t believe it. Unfortunately it’s what happens when you live out in the snow like me. Stupid colds...
I’ve not really said much have I? Just been rambling like I always do, oh well. It’s only twenty three days until your graduation isn’t it? (although, Cray realises, it really wasn't) I still don’t understand why you let them send you, if it were me I would have left as soon as I’d arrived. I guess you must be more patient. Or obedient. Or stupid. You could be both, who knows. Take care of yourself and remember, Keep your eyes open for Angels!
Peace out sis!
Tanner
“It’s my brother Tan.” She told him quietly. “I don’t hear from him very often, and as you can see, he never really says anything of any value.”
“You miss him don’t you?” She nodded and leaned forwards, letter slipping from her hand and drifting down the stairs.
“He was meant to come here too, but he ran away with our pet pig, and I think he said he joined a circus.” She hiccupped and smiled a little. “So typical of Tan.” Cary could see that she was desperately trying to hold back tears.
“C’mon. I’ll take you back to your room.” He picked up the letter and slipped it into his pocked to give her later when she’d calmed down, before walking up with her.
By the time they reached her floor her tears had subsided away and Cray had even managed to make her laugh, though he could barely contain his jealousy when he saw where her room was. Wires was lucky enough to have on in the corner of the floor, and for some reason the headmister refused to block up the windows in those rooms. It meant that those lucky enough to get one they could see out across the snow covered city day or night.
“Thank you.” She smiled and rubbed her eyes. “I feel a lot better from talking to you.” Cray nodded and felt his stomach twist. He knew that this was probably the only time he’d get to speak to her for months, and he really couldn’t let a change like this slip away.
“Maybe you’d like to hang out with us sometime, I mean, Zane’s not as bad as he seems, and Cammy and the others are really nice once you get to know them.” Wires started giggling which only flustered him even more.
“Of course! I’d love to!”
“Really?” The answer had completely thrown him, he’d set himself up to except a negative reaction. “Great! I’ll come up and see you later okay?” She smiled and nodded, and then clicked her door shut. Cray watched it for a while before a wide grin spread across his face and he skipped down the stairs. Outside the weather might be freezing, but inside he felt so nice and warm. It was good.
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