Village E3: Survival of the Human Spirit (15 page)

After the caretakers walked out of
sight, everyone gathered. One by one, the women who had stayed inside the
cabins to ask the questions, shared the answers. Of the seven questions asked,
five were answered. They now knew that babies were taken on the second night
after birth. Being taken, doesn't mean that they die. The babies who are taken,
become modifieds. Not a single modified has ever escaped E-3. They didn't come
directly here, because they had to pass observation.

The new information started a flurry
of conversations, with a whole new list of questions that they wanted answers
to. The first question for tomorrow....What happens if you don't pass
observation? The plan worked better than expected, and gave the entire group a
sense of direction and purpose.

Over the next few weeks, they asked
questions, got answers, and learned a great deal about this place. Most in the
group were feeling much better about their future here. Although there was
still a lot they didn't know, many weren't as resistant to what was going to
happen as they once were. They learned that each
group of three people would only produce four children. Each level of
modification meant a different village, with more privileges and
enlightenments. They had to pass observation at each level, and the fifth level
of modification meant complete acceptance.

There were even some in the group who
had embraced the idea of further modifications. They were mostly pleased with
their enhanced physical abilities and wondered what other improvements might
come. Being happy with what she knew now, Katie refused to ask any more
questions, and Hailey had similar feelings. During their discussions, it became
apparent that John and Isamu were the only ones
who still had serious misgivings about this whole system of progressive
modifications.

After their last meeting, it had been
decided by the majority of the group that more questions wouldn't be necessary.
They had determined that there was nothing to fear now.

John and Isamu had become close,
partly because they both still felt like captives. They agreed to continue gathering
information and try to resist. They had spent
enough time in Isamu's cabin, that John had gotten to know Olga and Isamu's other cabin mate, Li Jing. Even though
they were both quiet, Olga was a little more outgoing than Li Jing, but much
quieter than Hailey or Katie. Li Jing was quick
to smile and laugh, and was very polite.

Isamu motioned for John to come over
to his cabin. "We only have a short time left. The women will give birth
soon, so we need to come up with a plan," said Isamu. "I'm not going
to just let them have the babies," said John. "When it is time, I
will stand with you, and you can stand with me," said Isamu. "You got
it," said John, extending his hand. "In the meantime, let's go see
how far we can walk toward the village," said Isamu.

The two casually began to make their
way down the path toward the village. It is a walk they had made before, and
each time they were met by men, who had talked them into going back to their
cabins. "Let's see if they will physically stop us," said John. Isamu
nodded in agreement. As usual, two men met them on the path.

"Do you need anything? We will
bring you food or water, if you need it," said the older man. "No,
we're just going for a walk," said John, stepping to the side, and trying
to walk around him. "Modifieds should stay at their cabins," said the
younger man. As they tried to stop John, Isamu walked the other way. The
younger man whistled, and a group of eight young men, who were all large in
size and stature, came running.

Isamu turned and walked back to where
John was. "Let's go back," he said. "Well, that was
interesting," said John, as they calmly walked back in the direction of
their cabins. "Just for the heck of it, let's walk the other
direction," said John. As they neared the cabins they didn't stop, but
kept walking toward the direction of the dense vegetation that lie just ahead. Without
even discussing it, they both knew they were testing whether they were free to
move away from their cabins in that direction. Without a path to follow, it was
slow going, and they were soon both starting to work up a sweat.

After a couple hundred yards, they each
started to get a mild headache, but neither knew the other felt it too. "I
think I'm getting a little dehydrated," said John. "Me too,"
Isamu agreed. The farther they walked, the worse the pain in their heads got.
"My head hurts," said John. "Mine also. Do you want to go
back?" asked Isamu. "Let's go a little farther," said John. The
greater distance they got from the cabins, the greater pain they experienced in
their heads. Eventually, it was unbearable. "You ever hear of an invisible
dog fence?" asked John. "Yes. Now we know how the dogs feel,"
said Isamu.

Eventually, it was time for the first
woman to give birth. Karla started to have serious labor pains, and almost
immediately, Rebecca and two other women caretakers showed up. "How did
you know?" asked Karla. "No time for questions now. It's time to have
a baby," said Rebecca as she placed several blankets, which she brought
with her, on the floor.

The caretakers helped Karla out of
her clothes and onto the blankets. From a small container, Rebecca poured some
liquid into a cup. "Here, drink this," she said, holding Karla's head
up. "Everyone leave, please," said Rebecca. All of the others knew by
now, and were all
gathered around Karla's cabin. Waiting for the sounds of birth, they expected
to hear Karla screaming in pain, or the wail of a baby's first cry. They heard
nothing, and in a matter of only fifteen or twenty minutes, Rebecca came out
with the two other women. She was carrying a blanket, held at the corners, like
a bag. "You can go in now," said Rebecca.

Karla's cabin mates went in first,
and spent about an hour holding and looking at the baby. Next, the residents of
each of the other cabins entered, three at a time. When it came time for
Hailey, Katie, and John to go in, John stood back, as Hailey and Katie oohed
and aahed over the baby and took turns holding it. "What is her
name?" asked Katie, as she carefully handed the baby back to Karla.
"Katrina," said Karla, smiling, as she held her new baby girl close
to her face. "I don't want to let her go," said Karla.

The reality of the situation was
starting to set in. She would be first to experience losing her baby. She had
thought about it already, but until now, she didn't know how hard it would be.
Her expression began to change, as Katie knelt next to the bed where Karla was
holding the baby. "It will be OK," said Katie, trying her best to
comfort Karla. "It's not OK. It will never be OK again," said Karla.
"We better let her rest," said John. Seeing that Katie was getting
upset, Hailey put an arm around her, as they made their way out of the cabin.

After everyone had visited Karla and
her new daughter, John and Isamu got together between two cabins. "We have
two days," said John. "What are we going to do?" asked Isamu.
"I guess stay awake all night, and see what we can do. I'm bringing my
knife. You can bring yours if you want," said John.

The two days passed quickly, and on
the evening of the second day, John and Isamu met at John's cabin. Before
leaving, John told Hailey and Katie that he was going to stay up for a while
with Isamu at his fire pit. Knowing how close they were, Hailey and Katie
didn't object.

John held the knife from his cabin
under his arm, as he and Isamu walked toward Isamu's cabin. He placed it on the
ground next to Isamu's fire pit. Isamu retrieved his own knife from his cabin.

Once darkness came, and everyone else
was inside, John and Isamu moved to the fire pit at Karla's cabin. They added
wood, until the fire had healthy flames again. "Now we wait," said
Isamu. "We have to keep each other awake," said John. They nervously
looked in all directions, not knowing what they were looking for, with their
two knives close at hand. As the night wore on, battling the urge to sleep,
they both stood and walked around. Back and forth they went, in front of the
cabin, adding wood to the fire when necessary.

Waking up to the unexpected wasn't a
shock anymore. The next morning, as John slowly opened his eyes, he found that
the side of his face was flat against the ground. As he lifted his head, bits
of grass and dirt stuck to his cheek. Looking up, he saw Isamu not far away,
sitting on the ground, looking a bit groggy.

The door to Karla's cabin was open,
and people from other cabins were going in. "The baby is gone," John
heard somebody say. Not a single person was really surprised, but most of them
were still at least mildly upset. Even though it
was expected, it still seemed wrong. Everything about this place seemed wrong.
Just days before, most of them were enveloped in the bliss of willful denial,
but reality dealt them a cold slap to the face this morning. Before, they hadn't
wanted answers, but now they needed them; little Katrina was gone.
Inconsolable, Karla sat on the edge of her bed. The group who was gathered were
facing the reality that this drama would be played out thirteen more times.

In the meantime, John and Isamu had
compared notes about what happened during the night. Both of them had lost
consciousness suddenly, while standing. Both remembered having pain, and then
remembered nothing after that.

"Now what?" asked John.
"I don't know," said Isamu, staring at the ground. John could see
that the wheels were turning in Isamu's head, and wondered what he was thinking.
"I'm ready to try anything," said John. "We are the only two
that will try to stand against them," said Isamu. "Probably so,"
said John. "I have an idea. I will meet you at your cabin in about an hour or so," said Isamu.

As John and Isamu separated, people
started approaching them. "We need to do something," one person said.
"I don't want to give up my baby," said another. "It's a little
late to come up with a plan now. We will talk about it later," said John.
He didn't have a plan, and was hoping that Isamu did.

What can we do? They have control
over us,
thought
John, as he walked to his own cabin, where Hailey and Katie were. He looked at
how big their bellies were, and knew it would be their turn to give birth soon.
He walked over to the table where they were sitting. "Karla's baby is
gone," John said softly. "How is she?" asked Hailey. "Not
very good," he said. "I wish there was something we could do,"
said Katie. "Isamu and I are trying to come up with something," said
John.

Still at the table, John heard
Isamu's knock at the door. "I'll be back," he said. Standing up, he
bent down and softly kissed Hailey, and then Katie. "Let's go," said
Isamu, as John opened the door. "What's up?" asked John. "I'm
going to try to get all the way to the village. I just want you to watch, in
case I don't make it," said Isamu. "I'll go with you," said
John. "No, if I don't make it, you will be the only one left," said
Isamu. John knew that Isamu was right, but wanted badly to go with him. He had
been wanting to do something dramatic like this for
a long time, and felt cheated that Isamu was going, and not him. "OK, but
if anything goes wrong, I'm coming," said John.

They walked until they were near the
point at which caretakers usually came to stop them. Stopping, they stepped off
the path and Isamu extended his hand to John. "You have been a good
friend," said Isamu, as they shook hands. "You too," said John.
"From here, I'm going to run as fast as I can, until they stop me,"
said Isamu. As if at the starting line of a track meet, Isamu leaned forward
for a few seconds, then sprinted in the direction of the village. He stayed off
the path, so he wouldn't be seen as easily.

As he neared the first cabins, four
men rounded a corner to meet him, but Isamu didn't slow down at all. Like
football players on a goal line stand, the caretakers confronted him. Just
before the moment of impact, Isamu reached into his sleeve, pulled out a knife
and thrust it into the mid-section of the caretaker nearest to him.
Where
did that come from,
wondered John. The men immediately backed off, and the
one who had been stabbed pulled his clothes off
enough to inspect his wound. The indestructible fabric had saved him from
having serious injuries. The caretakers surrounded Isamu, who turned quickly,
trying to keep them from taking him.

John couldn't stand to just watch, so
he sprinted toward them to help Isamu. As he ran, he saw Isamu suddenly fall
over and hit the ground. As the caretakers turned their attention to him, with
no warning he was overwhelmed by pain and fell forward, tumbling to a sudden
stop.

When John came to, he was still on
the path. He looked to the area where he had seen Isamu last, but he was gone,
along with the caretakers who were trying to subdue him. John got to his feet
and walked in the direction of the village. In less than ten feet, the pain
started.
The invisible fence,
he thought.
How was Isamu able to get
so far,
wondered John.

Not knowing what else to do, John
returned to Isamu's cabin. The door was open, and he could see Olga sitting at
the table. "Is Isamu around?" he asked. "I thought he was with
you," said Olga. "We got separated," said John, not sure what
else to say.
Should I tell her now,
he wondered. "I'll go see if I
can find him," said John, knowing there was nothing he could do.

John spent the rest of the day
walking up the path to the village until he reached the area where pain began.
He looked, hoping to see some sign of Isamu, even yelling out his name a few
times. Finally, he walked back home and told Hailey and Katie what had
happened. They agreed to go with him to tell Olga and
Li Jing.

Before John even finished speaking, Olga
interrupted. "This is your fault. You put ideas in his head," she said,
fighting back tears. Li Jing sat staring at the floor. "He isn't coming
back, is he?" she said, looking up. "I don't know," said John.
"What are we going to do? It will be our time soon. He should be
here," said Olga. "You can stay with us," said Katie. "Yes,
you can stay with us," said Hailey. As darkness approached, the group
carried Olga's and Li Jing's beds to their cabin. John said little the rest of
the day, feeling profound guilt and sadness, and wondering if he would ever see
his friend again. The women spent the evening talking about what child birth
would be like and speculating on what would happen to their children.