Page 21

A New Normal

TOMOE

I had needed some air. The buzzing tavern room was closing in on me, my tolerance for my new environment wavering. I’d arrived at The Compound early this morning, having taken advantage of sunrise to make my final five-mile trek here. There’d been soldiers on patrol on the borders of their lands, letting me pass through after checking my belongings and questioning me several times.

They seemed unsure in their orders, constantly looking at one another, double checking with their comrades out of the corner of their eyes. So much for safety . While they’d appeared new to their positions, they were far from untrained. Eyes had been on me through each checkpoint all the way to the front door.

Walking toward the gates with confidence, I demanded to speak with the person behind the only name my vision had provided. Prescott. He towered over me, deciding not to take a seat as he questioned me in some cookie-cutter intake room.

His face was kind, intentions seeming honest. Fidgeted a lot, but for the most part, put together. I sat through a million questions before he pointed me toward a place to stay, stating he’d check in with me a week from now to figure out a job.

So I spent the day exploring. Taking in the beauty of what Prescott and his people had built, the different cultures reflected throughout the infrastructure and overall design. Outside of these walls was an ugly, cruel world. Yet the people inside were filled with smiles, joy brightening their faces as they went through their daily responsibilities. Moving with calm purpose, very different from the hustle you saw even when traveling throughout Transient Nation.

Evening came, and I found myself following the crowd. Not wanting to miss out on the bustle of the night, the familiar feeling of inclusiveness in a group activity sending thrills throughout my body. It was Thursday, according to someone gathered along the street. And I guess Thursdays around here were a call to the weekend.

A tavern had been far down my list of where I’d expected to end my night. Was pushing my limits of being in an enclosed space with people I didn’t know, but the excitement in the air fed my curiosity until the room felt so small, I could no longer take it.

The people. The music. The musky scent filtering through the air. The stickiness of the floor beneath my shoes. It’d been too much. I wasn’t ready to leave—just needed a second. Stepping out onto the steps, I practically gasped at the relief from the cool evening air.

My head swiveled at the familiar skunky sweet scent filtering in through my nostrils. A girl around my age stood at the bottom of the steps, staring up at me. Large curls framed her pointed face, bouncing as she took in my appearance, mirroring my own movements.

The sight of her jean shorts and cropped top were still jarring, though I too now sported clean, normal clothes. I kept myself still under her gaze, though every bit of me wanted to squirm, feeling exposed without the layers I’d grown accustomed to.

A wild grin pulled across her smooth brown skin. “You look like you could use a pick-me-up.”