The Infinite

It was still dark outside, and I was waiting patiently with the crowd as the train clock chimed five before six. I had my hood pulled tight around my face as the winds ripped through the station. No one was allowed to show their face outside their home or work, so it was convenient for us waiting down here. The rules to keep hoods in place during transit was an initiative to try and prevent other classes from bullying one another. It worked… most of the time. Then there were rogues, people who dealt in slimy business deals that often ended in the local constables coming to break up a fight or deal gone wrong. Nonetheless, the presence of constables did not stop people from continuing to work outside the system, history proved that would never change.

My family was never inherently poor, but we were never wealthy either. Even now, alone, I was still middle class at best. Those who were above the working class, metaphorically and physically, took private hovermobiles. When I was much younger, I laughed and danced below them dreaming I could be up there one day. Unfortunately, no such thing ever happened.

I tolerated my parents when they were around, they worked hard and provided for my brothers and me. Their time eventually came though, and the rovers permanently removed them. The one thing the new parliament assumed would fix all problems, removal of persons older than 65. It seemed cruel to many when these acts started, but it was hard to fight evidence that proved the system was working.

Regardless, it remained that the oldest child cared for younger siblings until all reached the age of 21. At this time, any resident could choose to reside on their own. My brothers turned 21 just two years apart and both saw fit to leave the second they could. I didn’t stop them, or even try. We said goodbyes, and my brothers each gave me their adult crypto identities so I could later find them if desired. Little chips with code had been engraved into our being at 11 and updated at adulthood. Ten years to the day and I haven’t reached out, but they have not contacted me either.

I liked being alone, I enjoyed my work, as hard as it was to deal with elites sometimes, and I kept to myself. The clock chimed six and right on time the train pulled up. I entered one of the middle carts and took a seat closest to the door. Although we were all covered, I did find myself sneaking sidelong glances at everyone who boarded.

Our robes and hoods helped to identify what class job we had. Mine, purple and silver, meant I worked for second tier, the elites. No royalty or politicians, but those who had authority elsewhere like businesses and schools. First tier had blue and gold for those who did work directly with the highest council members: public figures. Below me were those in yellow and green, they assisted scientists and botanists who worked continuously on our eco systems. Some old enough to be a part of the original group who started working towards saving Mother Earth. Then the lowest, brown and black. They were members of the trades, people who did most of the manual work required to keep the cities clean and running.

Five after six and the train began to shift forward. Each cart took mark of who entered, thanks to our crypto identities. Each individual train cart would then break apart and be self-guided in the direction of all necessary stops. Our cart broke left and we continued on towards familiar buildings, stopping occasionally at their basements to let people off. Eventually it stopped at my workplace, The School for Secondary Education. I walked across the platform to the school’s business entrance. I greeted the door guard with a casual bow without stopping. I knew my boss would have a full plate today preparing for the orientation.

Most lower-class families did not send their children to school and so it was the elites and on rare occasions public figures we tried to impress and encourage to send their children to school for training and education.

I walked in the door of our office and immediately removed my hood.

“Good morning Adrina, and how are you today?”

Marcus was my boss, and thankfully he seemed in a good mood today.

“I’m well. Excited to meet the new batch of students.”

“You and me both; I just wish it wasn’t with the watchful eyes of their parents.”

“Don’t worry, we’re always over-prepared for this.”

“You’re quite the optimist Addie.”

That was his nickname for me. My parents and brothers had never called me anything but Adrina, it was nice to have familiarity with someone.

“Someone has to keep this place feeling lively.” I laughed out loud as he glanced around at the other still dark offices. Many of the other coordinators for upper level grades did not seem to be as energetic or active as the two of us.

We bustled around for about two hours before anyone else showed up for work and by the time they did, we were prepared for the newcomers’ arrival. Both Marcus and I rode up the elevator shaft in silence with our hoods pulled tight. When we reached the hoverpad there were about five or six mobiles waiting for us. Everyone started to pile out and as I’d done for almost 7 years before, I bowed ever so slightly before removing my hood. It was polite to let everyone know who we were. They were trusting us with their assets, their kin, and revealing ourselves was best representative of trust.

As I was removing my hood and scanning around the crowd, I was suddenly drawn to one woman in particular. She was not in any form of colors I’d known before and she did not wear robes of similar materials. Instead she appeared to be wearing something much too light and airy for our brisk autumn days and it was like she glowed from the inside. Her daughter, about a foot shorter, was wearing similar robes and it was then that I realized they neither had hoods to match. I scanned near them, but no man was present either as an escort, husband, or partner. Interesting.

As soon as I had noticed the two, I checked myself and smiled brightly at the others. Marcus always took lead and so he began explaining the usual orientation schedule to everyone. I had the pleasure of handing out the beginning days schedule and taking note of people’s names along the way.

When I reached the woman and her daughter, instead of the cold glare expected from elites, she smiled with a sort of maturity and grace that seemed all too familiar but also strange. It was like my brain had an itch I just couldn’t scratch. I checked their names, Athena and Adonia. Again, there was that itch, a sort of urge in the back of my mind telling me to dive deeper. I ignored it while Marcus continued to talk.

Soon after his initial speech, we entered the elevator as a group and began towards the first level, dormitories. It was in the elevator that I noticed a glimmer of light coming from Athena’s robes. I tried to look closer without being suspicious and that’s when the heart shaped locket fell loose from the folds of her clothes. It caught me full on and suddenly as if the floor disappeared, I felt like I was falling down the shaft with no end. I began to scream.

“Addie, Addie, Adrina!” I opened my eyes and Marcus was standing next to me, attempting to get my attention by yelling my name and nudging my side.

I was clearly still standing in the elevator and hadn’t moved an inch. But the feeling, I felt so cold and yet when I looked back at the two strangers, they both just looked concerned.

“I’m okay Marcus, thank you. I just thought I saw a bug.”

“That was quite a scream for a bug my dear.” One of the fellows who was with his son exclaimed.

I apologized to everyone with us, turned to Marcus and excused myself to the ladies’ room and informed them I would meet them back at the dormitories in a few short minutes. Marcus just nodded, let me off the elevator, and closed the doors as he watched me with a stern yet caring face.

I ran towards the nearest bathroom once the doors were shut and no one could see me. I looked myself over in the mirror. I was sweating but felt so cold like there was a piece of ice stuck to my spine. I splashed some water on my face and was beginning to slow my breaths when I heard a female voice.

“Are you okay?”

I whipped around, completely startled and confused as to why I didn’t hear her enter the room. It was Athena, the mother of Adonia and the wearer of the necklace. I didn’t dare look below her neck. I wanted to avoid a repeat of whatever happened moments before.

“I’m perfectly fine, thanks for asking. Like I said before, just thought I saw a bug in the elevator with us. I have quite an irrational fear of insects.” I tried to laugh with nonchalance.

“Adrina do you recognize me?”

She asked the question with such calm and certainty I almost felt like answering yes, but thought it was the wrong thing to say. I’d never seen this woman in my life. Sure, we had files on all new students and their parents, but photos usually weren’t provided unless they were public figures to begin with.

“No, I don’t believe we’ve met before.”

She sighed and looked at the ground before meeting my gaze and taking a step forward again.

“I know that’s what your mind wants to say, but what does your soul say? Did you feel even the slightest chance that you know me, your being knows me from another time?”

I was completely perplexed. This woman couldn’t have been more than a few years older than me, but even at the age of thirty-five I knew I wasn’t losing my memory yet. But what she said about my soul, my being just felt right.

“Listen, I apologize for what happened earlier. Really, I wasn’t screaming at you, I mean at anyone, it was just awkward, and I’d appreciate if we could return to the group.”

We continued to meet gazes for what felt like ten minutes before she reached around her neck and pulled a gold chain from her robes. The heart shaped locket appeared, this time I wasn’t falling.

“It is I who should apologize.” I continued to look at her with such confusion, but she continued before I could think of something to say.

“My name is Athena of Time and I am here to teach you about the Infinite.”

As if the day couldn’t get any weirder, Adonia ran in and looked to her mother before looking at me and looking back to her mother.

“We need to leave now; they know we are here.”

Athena just nodded and looked back to me. I still didn’t understand why these two seemed to be so uninterested in the school’s orientation, and wanting to speak with me, someone they’d never met.

Athena and Adonia clasped hands and looked at me. It was then like an illusion, they both appeared to age, like they were suddenly older than they were when they first arrived. Impossible!

“Adrina, I’m quite sorry we didn’t get more time to explain, but you’re coming with us.”

I was about to protest, stand my ground and demand an explanation, but that’s when the world and time drifted away from me. It was that falling sensation all over again.