I get
ready for the festival then Rev and I head out to the town square. Rev watches
as all the kids and pregnant women and voluntaries go into a library. “Why do
the kids go that way?” Rev asks as she
points at the kids. “They are too young to enjoy the festival. The festival is
all about letting go and having fun. It is our time to let loose without worry.
The pregnant can’t drink so they watch over the kids.” I explain to Rev and she
tilts her head. “So they protect the kids and pregnant women from the drunks.”
I smile at her. “Yes pretty much.” She scrunches her nose. “Well that one I can
agree with.” We both laugh. They scan our wristbands so we can get into the
area. The bonfire is already lit up and people are eating and drinking already.
“Is that deep fried ice cream?” I smile at Rev. “Yes it is!” We both run over
there. “So let me get this straight they don’t let you eat these things all the
time except for here?” I laugh, “Of course if we always had these things we
would be fat. It’s super unhealthy to eat this kind of food.” The servers walk
about with drinks on their trays.
“So
what kind of drinks do we have here?” Rev asks as she grab one off the tray. I
start to wander around to all the different food stands. I get a taco and some
food that was once called southern comfort. I grab a cranberry and vodka and go
to find somewhere to sit and eat. Rev walks up with fried ice-cream and a mug
of beer in her hand. We cheer our drinks
and then eat and drink up. The music starts and people begin dancing around the
fire. I get up to dance with them while Rev goes to grab more to drink. I think
I am 3 drinks in. I feel so light and free, I am dancing around the fire. I
love the way the flames’ warmth feels on my skin. I see Ron walking around with
the tray of drinks, he looks so cute and I just want to talk to him. I walk up
to grab another drink. I smile at Ron as I reach for a drink. “Don’t drink it
Ava. Go to the bush and pretend to drop your drink but DO NOT drink this round.
Do your hear me?” Ron whispers to me. I am lost why doesn’t he want me to have
fun. “Ron why?” He looks around. “Please just trust me. You and your friend
need to get out of here. I know you don’t have a barcode. If they figure it
out… I can’t help you. Just don’t drink it and find your friend. I’ll find you
in a bit to get you out of here.” Ron hurries away. I start to look for Rev as she
runs right up to me. “Don’t drink that. There is a roofy in there.” She throws
the drink down. “What is a roofy? Ron just told me not to drink anymore and
that we need to get out of here.” She looks around. “Roofy is a drug that puts
you to sleep. Where did Ron take off to? I had a bad feeling about this. Let’s
just leave.” I shake my head. “We can’t. No one is allowed to leave until the
switch is over. That is why our wristband is used to check us in. They tell the
wellness checkers if anyone is not
accounted for. If someone’s missing, the wellness checkers will go looking for
them.” Rev takes a deep breath. “Okay… Well we have to do something. Wait
didn’t you say you didn’t make it the whole time last year?” I nod yes. My mom made
me promise not to tell anyone about last year. It could’ve got all of us in a
lot of trouble. “Well what happened exactly?” Rev asks me. She motions with her
hand up for me to hurry with my story. I sigh, but my mom did send Rev to help
me. “I had two drinks and I couldn’t even finish the second one I just started
throwing up uncontrollably. So my mom convinced one of the Wellness checkers to
sneak us out. Since our wristbands were scanned in, no one came looking for
us.” Rev looks around and I see her
mouth drop, so I follow her eyes to see what she’s looking at.
I see
people starting to drop. They are just hitting the floor, I don’t understand
what’s happening. I step forward to go help one of them when Rev grabs me.
“Don’t, they are okay I promise. The drug is just making them go to sleep.” I see Ron running up to us. “You have to go
now.” He grabs me by the hand with Rev right behind us. He puts scientist
wristbands on us. We are able walk past the wellness checkers. I look back at
the peoples bodies just hitting the floor. Rev says they are sleeping but some
look dead. Ron take us back to the visiting center. “Pack your stuff fast.” He
tells us as he looks around. We run to our room. Packing what little we have.
“Why is he helping us?” Rev demanding an answer from me. “How am I supposed to
know?” I throw on my back pack and run back outside. Rev pulls out the metal
handle on him. “Why are you helping us?” He stops moving. “What is that and why
are your pointing it at me?” I think Rev just remember to us the word gun as
she calls it means nothing. “It’s a gun. Oh good grief. How come these
wristbands got us out?” She puts the gun away. “The festival is where the
scientists test on the people.” WHAT! The scientists test on us? “If you’re a
scientist why do you work at the visiting center?” He stares at her. Anyone
from Timetopia would already know that answer. “He has to. The scientists have
to work at every job in the community to truly understand how important our
system is. So as they come up with new things for our community they will know
what the community needs.” I explain to her. “Look, we don’t have time for
this. We got orders from the coming Five to not only give the normal virus and test
the people who we gave them to last year, but to also take extra blood and test
everyone’s DNA. With you both not having barcodes I feel like it wouldn’t be a
good idea for them to have your DNA.” Rev smiles. “Thank you, but you’re right
so we need to get out of the city.” Rev tells him. I am in shock they give virse
at the festival. “You can’t leave until the roads open up in 2 days, but I have
a friend outside of the city past the stream. He is just like you with no
barcode.” Wait, there is someone else without a barcode? “How far past the
stream?” Rev asked. “I’m not sure, I have never been to his house, but I have a
barcode so he won’t let me go. I can be tracked, but if you tell him I sent you
he will help you.” Rev looks at me, I nod yes. We start heading toward the forest.
I see wellness checkers not too far behind us. “Just get to his house and you
will be fine.” Ron walks toward the wellness checkers as we sneak away. I
wonder if I will ever see him again.
Story getting more intense!
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