Escaping Elysia

Chapter 3 - Like The Wind Turbines

Evita

As I get on the train the next morning some of the other passengers stare at me, and I see the recognition in their eyes as they identify me as the girl from the news last night. A few smile, but I turn my back on them and look out the window. I don't deserve their praise. I grip the metal pole as we speed toward the city. The memory of the gun, cold and hard in my hand, comes back unbidden. I shudder and let go, holding onto the cloth strap instead. Outside, fields of corn, wheat, and soybeans fly by. Around me, the other people on the train have gone back to staring at their screens, engrossed in the technology. A woman sitting down rests her wrist on her pregnant belly, and swipes a page forward on the book her phone is projecting. The man next to her, whose suit is tailored to fit his body perfectly, is speaking in quick, angry tones into his earpiece.

The guy next to me though, young, with the beginnings of a beard, looks out the window like I do. We're passing the wind farms now. The tall, white turbines protrude into the sky like straight, orderly soldiers. The wind is strong today and their blades spin, the repetitive motion mesmerizing me.

"Admiring the turbines?" he asks, meeting my eyes in our reflection in the window. "You know, they used to be able to power most of the city on their own."

I smile and nod, not wanting to be rude. I've learned all about the wind farms in school. They were one of the first things to be established in the rebuilding. We needed power to build, but we couldn't burn oil or use nuclear power, of course. Any type of non-renewable energy had already been strictly prohibited. With the wind energy, we were able to build more quickly than the other cities. Some claim these farms are the reason the rebuilders chose Sanzha as the capitol.

"Yeah," the guy continues. "They sure are impressive."

We pass the base of a turbine that sits particularly close to the road. For a brief moment its shadow envelops us, and I wonder if there is anything more powerful than this. "They're beautiful."

The guy's eyebrows knit together. "Huh, beautiful. Never thought of them like that before."

Soon the wind farm is a small dot behind us, and the buildings downtown loom closer. The Environmental Impact Agency towers above the rest, it's circular structure reaching forty stories into the sky. I feel the guy watching me, but continue to gaze out the window as we enter the city. My stomach churns. Soon we'll be passing by the campus.

"I'm Leo," he says, smiling wide. I look at him, taking in his light brown hair and handsome jaw. His clothes are neat and professional, but upon closer inspection the fabric is worn thin in some places, and a seam or two have come loose. He waits expectantly. I could tell him my name, but why bother? I need to keep my focus on the only thing that matters: getting a job in soil fertility research. With everything that happened yesterday, I don't need any new unnecessary attachments in my life, even momentary ones.

"This is my stop," I reply, as the train slows in front of the EIA. His face falls, his brows coming together, confused. I don't look back as I exit the train.

The wind drags my hair across my face, tickling my nose, and I pull it into a messy ponytail.

My heels click on the sidewalk as I approach the EIA. No matter how many times I come here, there's always a moment when it's presence and power take my breath away. The building is a ring, like a doughnut that has been stretched upwards, leaving a hole in the center for the courtyard and more garden beds. The walls are made out of glass that send rays of sunlight bouncing off in all directions, but only the bottom two floors, the lobby and cafeteria, are transparent. People scan their phones as they enter the building, on their way to the stairs and elevators. Upstairs, some enjoy a breakfast and coffee, preferring to use their daily drink allowance to get some caffeine in early. I'd rather pop a caffeine pill and save my coffee for the afternoon slump.