Page 2

Chapter two

Nora

They pulled into the Tyra gang’s trading area, the only place Nora was allowed to trade her scrap in. A flag on top of a pole matched the colors she had on her dash, the only bright spots on the dilapidated buildings all around.

Scavenging was not in fashion; there were easier ways to make money nowadays by staying close to town rather than searching through the depleted resources like Nora did, especially with metal not getting much money. But Nora was fine with the scraps. It gave her and Tilly their freedom.

The line to trade in the scavenge was not long, and the man at the front was her usual contact, Max. It was still early, so he seemed half asleep as they pulled up. She stopped the hover next to him and gave a friendly wave as she got out.

“Hey Nora.” Max leaned in, his wrinkled, weathered skin, dusty clothes, and hard eyes on display as he glanced over what they had with a flat expression.

“Got some different stuff,” Nora said in an upbeat voice as she unloaded the metal scrap next to him. She forced herself to meet Max’s eyes. “Including . . .”

Tilly held up the box of doorknobs helpfully while Nora showed him the old magazine she had been holding back.

Max turned the magazine over, his eyes widening at the yellowed print. “Well look at this. This is worth more than any of the rest of that metal.”

“Got lucky finding it.”

“You sure did.” He rubbed his whiskered chin as he examined the magazine again, then glanced at the box Tilly still held up. He stood back up and walked to his wooden post, motioning them to follow. “Alright, got the price for you.”

“Okay, great,” Nora said, voice strained. It seemed like Max made up the prices he gave her on the spot most days, but he had been decent to her, unlike the majority of the men she had met.

Nora eyed the amount as he started putting the coins in her outstretched hands, relieved it seemed to be a bit more than normal. She couldn’t haggle; there was one price and she always took it. She didn’t ever want to make waves. Especially not with Tilly, who stood there next to her, watching every move as the dust swirled around them both. The coins Max handed her were small metal circles, made out of the brass and copper that people like her turned in regularly. The amount was not a lot, not really, but enough that Nora could figure out the rest.

“You about done living out there? Not good for kids to be all alone.” Max tilted his head toward Tilly, who was lining the metal doorknobs up on Max’s counter as she took them out of the box.

Nora hastily pocketed the amount, putting it in a zippered pouch on the other side from her gun. “Naw, better to do our own thing.” She swallowed and then added, fast, “Were you able to find those cables I needed?”

“Yeah, I did. Almost forgot.” Max frowned and went back to his station before bringing out a pair of long cables.

Nora reached for them with a genuine grin before Max pulled them away, just out of her reach. The cables dangled in the air, catching the light on their metal ends as Nora’s hand closed around air instead.

He wagged them in front of her face, now trailing them on the ground and stirring up some dust. “But first. What are you needing all these parts for?” Suspicion coated his tone. “What are you up to out there in the desert?”

A sharp shiver ran down Nora’s spine. They were needed to replace a few on Simon that were too rusted to properly clean. She avoided Max’s eyes and instead walked toward Tilly by the counter. “Just fixing some things. Living on our own means I gotta repair everything I can myself.”

Max frowned but didn’t say anything as he handed the cables over. “Better not be something dangerous you gonna bring back to town on me.”

She forced her voice to sound nonchalant while coiling the cables fast around her arm. “Nothing like that. Just finding some things scavenging and wanting to fix them up.”

“Uh huh.” His next words came out like a whip crack. “You didn’t find any of those war weapons or robots did you?” Max asked, his eyes narrowed. “Because some of these parts you’ve been asking me to find . . .”

Nora’s ears turned red as she looked him in the face, forcing herself to meet his eyes head-on. “Shit, Max, I’m not dumb enough to do that. Besides, I know that one of those would be worth way more in parts than anything else.”

Max backed down again, shaking his head. “Alright. Yeah. That’s true. None of my business I guess then. As long as you keep bringing good stuff in. You’re better than the raiders we send out.”

Nora’s gut unclenched. “I’m more motivated.”

“I bet that’s true.”

“Thanks Max. C’mon Tilly.” She waved the cables in the air as she walked back to the hover. “Thanks again. Be back in a week.”

Tilly echoed a thank you a second later.

Max just waved behind him, carrying the metal and magazine to the post he manned.

Nora helped Tilly into her seat and restarted the hover. The cables from Max lay coiled on the hover’s floor next to her. She sighed as she pulled away, glancing at those cables.

Once they were out of Max’s sight, she leaned forward and rested her head on the steering wheel. Stupid. That was stupid. She should have known Max would start asking at some point about what she was doing with how many parts she was needing to replace on Simon or had to try to find a workaround for. I’ll just need to not ask Max for anything anymore.

“Why did we stop, Mama?” Tilly asked.

Nora startled and collected herself, shifting in her seat. “Got lost in thought. Sorry.” She patted her pants. The coins felt just as reassuring in her right pocket as the gun did in her left.

Nora drove the hover away from the Tyra’s gang’s trading area. She relaxed further as they passed a large lake, the separation between the slums and the merchant district. Not only was the merchant district cleaner, with refuse not lining the streets, but there was also electricity from the nuclear power plant that still worked on the lake. Switches that turned on without the need for batteries and grief. Hot water and plumbing too. Steam was already rising from the power plant, adding to the haze. It was the one source of power that Mars allowed them. The humans running Mars claimed the restrictions were to let the Earth recover properly.

On the other side of the lake they reached the merchant corridor, where Nora spent the money on more syntho-gas for the hover and some spices for home. She also sprang for another solar array. Those were hard to find, and it was still half cracked, but Nora worked a deal where the solar AC got the parts it needed in addition to the array for over half the money they got from Max today.

Nora scanned the crowd carefully as they moved, keeping her eyes and ears open the whole time and ignoring Tilly’s chatter. It was safe here if they stuck by the merchant corridor, but . . . Nora shifted in her seat, her hands still tense on the wheel. Her eyes kept wanting to stray down the road that would take them to where she used to live, in a different time. A time before she had Tilly to take care of and had allowed other people to control her life.

“Can we visit Anna now?” Tilly asked, unaware of Nora’s unease. The haze had cleared up a bit once they got into town. They had stripped off their outer jumpsuits so they were now cooler and relatively dust free. All the taller buildings here made it so the dust didn’t have much space to swirl and get lifted into the air.

Nora nodded, Max’s comments still on her mind. She forced herself to focus on Tilly’s question. Early enough we can still say hi to Anna for a bit . “Yeah. Got everything we could. Can spend a bit of time there today before we head back.”

She parked the hover to the side of a small store marked Bakery Delights, close but not blocking any access. She didn’t want to take up spots in front for actual customers.

Tilly was almost vibrating from excitement and jumped out of the hover the moment it stopped.

Nora waved her down. “One second, lemme just lock up.” She put the jammer, a metal bar that locked the steering wheel so it couldn’t be turned, on the hover for good measure as she exited. She pulled up on the lock, checking to make sure it was tight before she covered her purchases with a tarp. “Okay, all ready.”

After being given the go-ahead, Tilly didn’t need to be told twice. Nora watched her run into Anna’s shop as she followed.

Nora walked a few steps behind Tilly and inhaled deeply as she crossed the threshold into the simple wooden shop. Other than the cigarette smell that always lingered, the scent of bread and cookies filled the air, making Nora’s mouth water.

Anna was fixing a display behind the counter, her back to the door, as they entered. Nora broke out into a wide smile as she glanced around the bakery. Her smile widened even more to see it was just Anna at the front counter and not her husband too.

“Hey Anna! Missed you,” Nora said as she walked up.

Anna turned, her brown hair pulled into a messy ponytail and a bakery apron stretched over her pregnant belly. Her professional face morphed into a grin when she saw it was Nora. Tilly ran up and took her attention away though, and Anna listened to the little girl talk a mile a minute.

“How you doing, Nory?” Came Anna’s strained voice when Tilly finally took a breath.

“Doing alright. Been left alone. Had a hard time getting enough scrap to be worth coming in for the gas price, though.” Nora was careful of Anna’s belly as she gave her a gentle hug from the side. She’s gotten much bigger than the last time I was here.

Anna frowned. “I told you, you can come anytime and stay by us instead of out there. I can get you a job here on the strip.”

Nora internally shuddered at the words. “You know those jobs can dry up fast, and then I’ll be in a worse position. Can’t trust just anyone; better to rely on myself.”

The words hung in the air. Nora softened them by reaching for Anna’s hand. “But thanks for the offer.”

“Yeah . . . I just worry about you.”

“Best thing for me and Tilly is to be far away. I wish you would come with me. Life is a lot better living freer than you can in town. Tilly is happier than I ever remember being at her age.”

Anna frowned and glanced away. “You’re right. I just . . .”

Nora looked at Anna warily, her eyes narrowing on her tired face, and changed the subject. “How you doing, really? This baby is growing big fast.”

Anna forced a smile. “Same old, same old.” She then offered a red and yellow candy to Tilly, who was eyeing all the baked goods lined up on the counter. “Here, Tilly. Got a few pieces of candy still just for you.”

“Oh thank you! Can I feel?” Tilly asked, pointing to Anna’s stomach. She put the candy in her mouth.

Anna walked around the counter toward Tilly, hips sashaying as she moved. “Yeah, baby is a lot stronger than last time you came in a few weeks ago.”

Nora watched Tilly pat Anna’s stomach. “You five months along now?”

“Just about. Wish it were more. Would be closer to being done.”

Nora turned to Tilly. “Tilly, you go play a minute in the back. I hear some other kids there. I'll keep an eye on you through the window.”

“Do I have to?” Tilly looked up at Nora with scared eyes, her hand still on Anna’s stomach.

Nora made a shooing motion. “Go on. You need to learn how to play with others. It can’t just be me and you cooped up all the time. It’s safe here with the shops all surrounding the playground.”

Finally, with a lot of pushing, Tilly went and Nora sank into a chair.

Anna leaned over the tile counter heavily, letting the tough expression she had fall off her face. “I’m exhausted.”

Nora peered closely at Anna’s face and the dark circles under her eyes. “Damn Anna, you do look tired. That’s not good for the baby either. Are you getting to rest at all?”

Anna shook her head absently.

Nora frowned and sighed. “You want to talk about it?”

Anna shook her head again.

She didn’t want to push Anna if she didn’t want to talk. “Any news or gossip?” Nora watched her friend carefully. We’re better off in the desert, living how we want.

Anna pushed herself back up off the counter. “I’ve been too tired to go out much. Gotta man the front desk here. We just got a new shipment of supplies from Mars though. All sorts of different things. You came on a good day.”

“Well, that’s a positive at least. Spent all my money on fixing that damn solar AC again and getting another array. Can’t afford to get much else.” Nora frowned. “Syntho-gas price was even up.”

“Yeah, they had to shut down making it for a few weeks. Ran out of supplies. But then they got a drop from Mars with what was missing.”

“Kinda crazy that the Mars colony knows what we need like that. Don’t you ever—”

Anna waved off her concerns. “I don’t mind. At least someone cares out there.”

“Guess so.”

Nora listened while Anna filled her in on the latest gossip and Nora shared the latest finds she had gotten at the mall. She didn’t tell her about Simon, though. It was on the tip of her tongue, but she refrained. Don’t know if he will even turn on yet. Too soon to say anything.

Besides, owning an android was technically illegal. Any advanced technology was beyond basic electricity. Not that there was a jail or any sort of order anyways here to enforce laws. If anything, someone would just try to take him from me for themselves.

Shifting in her seat as she pushed down her guilty thoughts, Nora sipped some water and nibbled on a pastry as Anna moved away to serve a customer. Soon, though, Nora got lost in thought about what she was doing with Simon herself. She stiffened when she saw Paul, Anna’s husband, come in from the back, baking sheet in hand, just as Anna settled back in across from her again.

Balancing the tray against his large frame one-handed, Paul barked at them, “You’re taking too long chatting, Anna. These cakes won’t bake themselves.”

“Hey Paul,” Nora said, giving a small wave and forcing her lips to turn upward.

Paul glowered. “Nora.”

Anna put on a placating smile. “I’ll be one second, Paul. You know I never get to see Nora.”

“Her own fault for living so damn far out. There are plenty of men willing to take in her and her daughter.”

Nora’s ears turned red, embarrassed. After grabbing her bag on the counter, she stood up. “I’ll get going, Paul. Let me just call for Tilly.” In an upbeat tone she added, wagging the bag, “It’s not all talk between us either, I bought some stuff for later.”

She went to the back to get Tilly and overheard Anna say softly, “I can talk with my friend a bit. I’ll still get the work done.”

Nora exited before she could hear Paul’s reply. Inwardly she seethed. Can’t even give her a break when she’s pregnant.

She didn’t have to walk far to find Tilly, who was idly rocking her legs on a worn metal swing next to some kids. Seeing Paul reaffirmed that it was better to be out on her own in the desert. The only way to be alright here in town for a woman was to be under the protection of a male. No way would Nora want to live like Anna did. She wanted to live life on her own terms. Trade-offs for everything.

Tilly’s face lit up when she saw Nora coming to collect her. When they went back through the shop to say goodbye, Nora whispered to Anna as she hugged her close, “You know where to find me if you ever . . .”

But Anna just frowned and shook her head. “I’ll see you next week? Paul’s just grumpy because a big order got canceled.”

Always an excuse . “Mhm. We’ll go check out the drop now. Hopefully it’s full of good stuff.”

Nora and Tilly waved Anna off at the door and promised to stop by in another week or so.

“You have fun?” Nora asked Tilly, unjamming the hover and steering it back on the marked dirt road. She idled it over some hard-packed soil while she rechecked the items they’d bought earlier under the tarp.

Tilly sat with her arms crossed and eyes glued to the hover’s floor. “No. The other kids didn’t share the sand toys with me. They’re mean.”

“I’m sorry, Tilly.” Nora sighed. Even kids that young can’t act nice. She sat back in her seat and drummed her hands on the steering wheel. “Let’s stop in the little schoolhouse on the way back and see what projects they’re working on. The nice man who works there may have a few sack dolls we can bring home like last time, and some more chalk we can buy.”

“Okay. Can we check the board before we go?” Tilly crossed her hands together in plea.

“Yeah, might as well, we’ll be right there in front of it anyways to get our share of the drop.” Nora huffed in dismay. Nothing good comes from looking though. To Tilly she said, “Let’s not linger.” She turned the hovercraft down the central lane to the main square. “The drop always has good stuff, we can’t miss that.”

Nora drove the hover up carefully to the lit up bulletin area, a technological wonder in comparison to their everyday life. Around the bulletin board was actually the safest part of town. None of the gangs would allow any fighting to come near here, knowing that if they did they might disrupt the shipment drops they depended on.

The board stood tall, erected by the successful Mars colony, and served as the central way for information to be exchanged. The LED screen displayed pictures as clear as real life. It made Nora feel even grubbier to be near, next to the clean Martian sky and nature scenes that showed when an active message was not being broadcasted.

Nora left the hover by the armed guards, close to the drop, to walk up and check. Even with the area more protected, she locked the ignition and kept her gaze on the hover. There, underneath the massive bulletin board, was an automatic dispenser connected to a cargo transport. It was the most modern technology in the town.

It was also the only part of Mars either her or Tilly got to touch.

Both Tilly and Nora scanned their hands at the automated check-in, their fingerprints verifying the numbers they’d been assigned and that they had not received a portion from the drop yet. The scan also took a picture of the both of them for good measure, showing a history of them over the years. The items in her drop box had gotten notably better and started including things like baby supplies once Tilly was born.

After a moment, two parcels ejected down a chute from the large container behind the table. Nora took them from the table and walked away, tucking one under each arm.

“Can I peek?” Tilly asked, pulling on her sleeve, making it hard to balance it all.

Nora shook her head. “Once we get out of town. I don’t want others to see what we got.”

“Okay,” Tilly said after they got back into the hover. “Now let’s look at the board.”

“Alright.” Nora took the hover and moved it across the front of the area slowly, past the gigantic LED screen that showcased the latest lottery winners and their new lives on Mars, where it seemed like they lived in a world as full of luxury as the Earth was devoid of it.

Tilly ooh’d and ahh’d, but Nora didn’t even look at the display, focusing only on the traffic ahead as she drove out of the town.

By the time Nora got home, she was sweaty and tired. Both her and Tilly’s drops from Mars had new fabrics and medicine in them. She turned over the fabric gratefully. I needed to make new clothes . She’d dropped the armful of goods on the counter next to the table, basic pain pills and antiseptic ointment for cuts spilling out of the bag. Anna was right, it was a good one.

Tilly came in a second later, holding a sewn doll that the man at the schoolhouse had given her. Nora was happy he was there; he reminded her so much of her father that it hurt in a bittersweet way. Her own father had passed away long ago. She shook her head to get rid of the nostalgia, her thoughts fuzzy after having stayed up late last night to work on Simon.

Speaking of Simon . . . Nora walked from the counter to the floor and uncovered the android. “Can’t forget about you.” She looked down at him speculatively.

She took out the cables from Max and replaced the connectors to the battery before leaning over to plug Simon back into the solar cell. The red charging dot lit back up, flashing more rapidly than before. Nora watched it blink, transfixed a bit with how tired she was. She shook her head again to wake herself up. At least the new cables should help it go faster . Disappointment still coated her tongue seeing that red light, even though she knew she’d interrupted the charge earlier by unplugging him.

“Should turn on soon, I hope,” she tapped him on the shoulder while she crouched next to him on the floor.

Tatertot wound around her legs, purring, clearly happy she was back as well. Nora scratched him behind his ears. “Hey, Tater.”

Slowly, she got back up to cook the vegetables she got from town, along with some eggs the chickens laid earlier.

Tilly was playing with the battery-operated radio trying to pick up her programs, the sound filtering back to Nora in the kitchen from the next room. Some generous souls, somewhere, still put kids shows on the airwaves. There were still pockets of goodness out there, like the schoolhouse on the edge of town.

And Anna.

Nora walked into the living room carrying the metal plate of food, setting it down on the floor. “Tilly girl, here’s your plate. You can eat in front of the radio while listening. I’m spent and I just want to eat in the kitchen.”

“But they’re gonna rescue the princess tonight.” Tilly’s little face lit up in excitement. She was hugging her new sack doll, the others she loved lined up next to her on the sofa that Nora had restuffed and sewn covers for.

“You can fill me in later. My head is hurting, and I gotta get the solar AC back in place. I don’t want to run the generator again.”

“Aw, alright.” Tilly took her plate.

Nora went back to the kitchen where she stood to eat her meal at the kitchen table. She stared at Simon’s red light as she ate, shifting her feet. So much I still gotta do before I can sit down.

It was after Nora finished fixing the solar AC and connected the battery to it that she finally sat for a minute. Her body felt like a limp noodle in the small wooden chair at the table, watching another red light as the AC charged up.

Tatertot chose that moment to come to the table. He climbed up, circling for pets, and Nora broke off some of her ration bar to give to him as well. She pet him under the chin. “What did you do all day? Sleep? Must be nice.” Tatertot blinked his big amber eyes back. “You missed us, huh?”

The chimes of the radio show rang from the next room. Nora stopped petting the cat and glanced idly out the window at the dust rolling in. It looks like there might be rain tonight. Their water supplies were okay, but a good rain would be more than welcome.

Movement in the corner of her eye startled her, making her turn away from the window. It was followed by a humanoid voice that had only a touch of flatness to it. “What year is this?”