Read Online Migration by Daniel David - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Daniel David
Tags: Sci Fi & Fantasy
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colour from their cheeks.
“Come on,” said Sarah, “we don't want to be the last in line.”
They continued their walk towards the sheen of the doors and bright white of the building and when they reached it, joined the crowds of people meeting friends and chaperones, or wandering about looking lost in it all.
Beyond the doors was the vast, echoing Welcome Atrium with a giant screen that flashed names and times and helpful notices. Underneath the screen was a long counter with bright red numbers and half a dozen officials smiling at the people who were now forming lines in front of them. Sarah started to head towards them, but then spotted Abe and Hadya standing out of the fray and waving wildly at them.
“Been trying to get you,” said Abe, “you’re offline.”
“Oh, sorry,” Sarah tapped her pocket, “I was so distracted I forgot to connect. Anyway, here we are.”
“Come on,” Hadya gently steered her shoulder. “Let’s get you swiped in.”
The clerk beneath the big red five was very sweet and helpful. Not much older than Zoe, perhaps only in his first year of service, he was bored and awkward in equal measure, with a small collection of freshly squeezed spots clustered around his mouth. Benjamin – probably not his real name – swiped Sarah's thumb and told her what a beautiful day it was, that there were no delays and she could go straight through.
Beyond the counter was a gentle flight of steps that swept in an arc across the far end of the Atrium. They walked up in their tiny group, two Hollers, mother and daughter, and stopped at the top, in front of another set of massive glass doors. Only the Migrant and their chaperone could go beyond this point and a small number of Drones stood discretely at the sides of the concourse to make sure this was so.
Sarah put her arms around Zoe, enveloping her in as much of her body as she could, feeling the fit of her skin, the gentle heat that emanated from her head and neck onto her cheek, breathing in the smell of her. Underneath the shampoo and body spray, the coconut and the rose petals, Sarah could still recognise the warm scent of Zoe, which she knew from when she first held her, tiny and helpless.
“I love you,” she said, and kissed her firmly on the mouth.
“I love you too, Mum.” Zoe could barely speak, and her chin shook uncontrollably as her words squeezed out.
“I'll see you tonight,” Sarah reassured her and wiped a tiny tear from Zoe's cheek.
“I’ll see you soon,” said Abe. “Don’t worry.”
As she approached the door it opened for her and inside a girl, a woman really, somewhere in her twenties, sat at another counter waiting for her.
“This is Sarah,” said Hadya, “2095-F-METRO009-CLA-286153”
“Scan please,” said the woman automatically.
Sarah placed her hand on the scanner. It felt warm and there were little streaks and prints of grease from those that had come through before her.
“OK. Green corridor, Room 71 please.”
They set off past the counter and headed down the wide corridor with a large green screen floating high above it. Hadya, of course, new exactly where she was going, but let Sarah look for the corridor and count the numbers anyway.
When they reached Room 71, Sarah knocked lightly and was called in by a woman’s voice. Hadya followed and flickered slightly as she re-cast from the corridor to the room.
Room 71 was a small box room with no windows. It contained a simple high back chair and a screen on a thin metal stand. It smelt of cleaning products and new furniture.
“Hi Sarah, I’m Melanie,” said the young woman, again in her mid-twenties, who was dressed in a crisp white utility suit. She handed her a small plastic cup that contained a sip of dark green syrup.
“Just like before,” she said, “if you can take this it’ll help with our final calibration, which should take about ten minutes, then we'll do a final upload and you’re all done.”
She glanced at
“Come on,” said Sarah, “we don't want to be the last in line.”
They continued their walk towards the sheen of the doors and bright white of the building and when they reached it, joined the crowds of people meeting friends and chaperones, or wandering about looking lost in it all.
Beyond the doors was the vast, echoing Welcome Atrium with a giant screen that flashed names and times and helpful notices. Underneath the screen was a long counter with bright red numbers and half a dozen officials smiling at the people who were now forming lines in front of them. Sarah started to head towards them, but then spotted Abe and Hadya standing out of the fray and waving wildly at them.
“Been trying to get you,” said Abe, “you’re offline.”
“Oh, sorry,” Sarah tapped her pocket, “I was so distracted I forgot to connect. Anyway, here we are.”
“Come on,” Hadya gently steered her shoulder. “Let’s get you swiped in.”
The clerk beneath the big red five was very sweet and helpful. Not much older than Zoe, perhaps only in his first year of service, he was bored and awkward in equal measure, with a small collection of freshly squeezed spots clustered around his mouth. Benjamin – probably not his real name – swiped Sarah's thumb and told her what a beautiful day it was, that there were no delays and she could go straight through.
Beyond the counter was a gentle flight of steps that swept in an arc across the far end of the Atrium. They walked up in their tiny group, two Hollers, mother and daughter, and stopped at the top, in front of another set of massive glass doors. Only the Migrant and their chaperone could go beyond this point and a small number of Drones stood discretely at the sides of the concourse to make sure this was so.
Sarah put her arms around Zoe, enveloping her in as much of her body as she could, feeling the fit of her skin, the gentle heat that emanated from her head and neck onto her cheek, breathing in the smell of her. Underneath the shampoo and body spray, the coconut and the rose petals, Sarah could still recognise the warm scent of Zoe, which she knew from when she first held her, tiny and helpless.
“I love you,” she said, and kissed her firmly on the mouth.
“I love you too, Mum.” Zoe could barely speak, and her chin shook uncontrollably as her words squeezed out.
“I'll see you tonight,” Sarah reassured her and wiped a tiny tear from Zoe's cheek.
“I’ll see you soon,” said Abe. “Don’t worry.”
As she approached the door it opened for her and inside a girl, a woman really, somewhere in her twenties, sat at another counter waiting for her.
“This is Sarah,” said Hadya, “2095-F-METRO009-CLA-286153”
“Scan please,” said the woman automatically.
Sarah placed her hand on the scanner. It felt warm and there were little streaks and prints of grease from those that had come through before her.
“OK. Green corridor, Room 71 please.”
They set off past the counter and headed down the wide corridor with a large green screen floating high above it. Hadya, of course, new exactly where she was going, but let Sarah look for the corridor and count the numbers anyway.
When they reached Room 71, Sarah knocked lightly and was called in by a woman’s voice. Hadya followed and flickered slightly as she re-cast from the corridor to the room.
Room 71 was a small box room with no windows. It contained a simple high back chair and a screen on a thin metal stand. It smelt of cleaning products and new furniture.
“Hi Sarah, I’m Melanie,” said the young woman, again in her mid-twenties, who was dressed in a crisp white utility suit. She handed her a small plastic cup that contained a sip of dark green syrup.
“Just like before,” she said, “if you can take this it’ll help with our final calibration, which should take about ten minutes, then we'll do a final upload and you’re all done.”
She glanced at
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