4522 {The Number Series}

9

Wind ripped through my hair as we drove. For the first time since I was little I was awake and my hair was not required to be in a ponytail. It was the first time I was up and about while not in my uniform. I shivered. The only thing I did have on was the white nightgown and it wasn't thick enough to keep me warm in the chilly air.

Archer held me a little closer as we tried to use each others body heat as we went. The Officer noticed us shivering and handed us a rough green blanket to throw around our shoulders. It was made of an itchy material that was nothing like the silk like fabric either of us were used to.

"4522," the Officer called over the wind. "Do you know what a name is from reading your books?"

"Yes," I smiled.

"We do not use numbers where I live," he said. "We have to come up with something to call you two."

"Remi and Archer," I said confidently. It felt so wonderful to say it out loud. "That's who we really are."

"I see," he looked at both of us. "What a coincidence that you picked those names. I know which book you got that from."

"It's my favorite," I said. "I've read it a few times."

"Interesting," he said. "I am Macallister."

Macallister. It was a strange thing to sound out on the tongue.

"Normally we have a ceremony of naming where everyone give you the name they think fits you best. Usually you get to leave a few suggestions but normally it's not up to you. It officially makes you one of us.." He smiled. "In this case, I think they will make an exception considering you picked something a little too fitting all on your own."

"You don't get to decide if we get to keep it or not?" Archer questioned.

"No, I'm sorry," he said. "I am not low in ranking of our system but I am not at the top which those few will be the ones who give the permission."

"Why do you have a system here if you hate the system we just came form?" I questioned. "What is the point of government?"

"We have a government because without it people would run wild and everything would be chaotic. Where we just came from is doing it wrong which makes it seem like order is a bad thing." Macallister said. "There's a difference between keeping everyone safe and brainwashing us all."

"I suppose," I said.

"Trust me," he said. "You will understand soon."

 "How soon?" Archer asked. "This wind is going to be the death of us pretty soon."

"Not soon enough that your nose isn't going to be frozen before we get there," he laughed. "We'll reach our destination around morning. In the mean time you two should just lay down in the truck bed and get some rest. It's a big event and you want to make the most out of it all."

We laid down side by side with the itchy blanket draped over us.

"Good Night," I said to Archer as we rode along.

"Good Night," he said back.

*

*

A huge bump made me smack my head on the floor of the truck. I gasped.

"Damn it!" Macallister yelled before banging on the window of the truck. "Could you at least take it a little easier, Hawkins, the others are not chasing us."

He huffed before sitting back down next to us. I looked around to see that it was morning. "Are we there?"

"Almost," he said. "We have to get through some pretty rough terrain first."

"Why would you guys build here?" Archer asked.

"Because it's hard for the others to reach it. The cars in the city would never be able to make it out this far and even if they made one that held that much gas it could never the climb before it would get stuck."

"The cars do not hold enough gas to leave the city?"

"Not really," he said. "And that was done purposefully. Even if you fill up you car on the outskirts you wouldn't make it out very far. That's why all of the gas stations are located near the center. You would never make it before they caught on to what you are trying to do. Besides, not many residents have the luxury to have been given a car."

"There's a reason for everything, isn't there?" I interrupted.

"There is always a reason for everything; it just depends on whether or not it is meant to hurt or help."

I sat in silence from that point on as we bounced around uncontrollably. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought I would get out of the city and yet here I found myself in the woods in the back of a large truck that never seemed to give up. It was a strange feeling to be somewhere else. Unlike the city the trees were the only things tall enough to reach for the sky instead of huge skyscrapers filled with people. I could spot different animals as they ran from us which is something I had never seen before. Everything was so green instead of cold and white.

This is beautiful. I thought to myself. I might have seen pictures of trees, flowers, and animals but it was entirely different to be surrounded by them and the fresh air. My computer pad could have never given me what I was getting in that moment. 

"Isn't it beyond anything you could have ever imagined?" Archer said softly next to me. 

"Yes, it's like a whole other world."

"One without boarders and rules."

"And without informs," Macallister cut in. "When we reach home the first thing we'll do is give you something to wear. Speaking of home, we're here."

I looked around at a bunch of weird and mismatched little buildings. Most were made of clay but some were made of wood. Others looked like doors that led down into the ground.

"What is all of this?" Archer asked.

"It's where people live," Macallister explained. "The ones that go underground connect different parts of where we are to each other so we can travel safely between areas. It's also where we store things like food."

The trucks slowed to a stop. I recognized a few of the other students that had been with us in our "special" class that I didn't know the numbers of. I shrugged it off. It didn't matter about their numbers now since they wouldn't have them soon anyway.

"Let's go," Macallister gestured for us to climb out and follow him. "We have much to do."