Monochromatic

You’ve heard of genetically modified food? Well, I am a genetically modified human. I have the perfect features, the perfect characteristics, the perfect genetics. It goes on and on. Humans have been scientifically evolved to the point where there is no flaw in the genetic genome at all. The results? Complete harmony and peace. Or so it would seem.
I lived in the middle of a clean neighborhood. White complexes, green grass. My house is a square building with glass walls surrounding the second story and plants surrounding the first. The furniture is functional, simple, and boring. Everything done in monochromatic colors. We’re not allowed anything that could evoke any creativity, imagination, or distraction. These things could upend our constant goal of uniformity. We are focused on only furthering our evolution to further wipe away our blemished and blood-stained past. 1000 years had passed since the last Great Floods destroyed land and we were able to engineer self-sustaining islands. To further keep us calm we were contained on different islands throughout the Pacific Ocean. In a way, The Floods gave everyone a common goal to work together and, once we all saw what we could accomplish, we came to our senses and never went back.
Since, there has been no war, no battles, nothing so much as a disagreement. And if there a disagreement, those involved are given lower class jobs with minimal contact to avoid a future transgression. I sighed, taking a sip of tea from my delicate mug and stared out my back-glass door. Grass sloped gently upwards until it was met by a line of trees going parallel to the backyards on my street. The sky was grey and overcast and I hoped secretly it would rain. Rain was the one thing that wasn’t controlled by anyone and could come and go as it pleased. It was literally a force of nature in this quietly organized place. The smell of it made me shiver and a sensation rolled down my back. It refreshed me and I looked forward to this one small enjoyment that couldn’t be taken away from me.
I walked briskly towards a building that looked similar to my house, but 10x bigger. All that glass reflected the dark overcast day and I shivered, thinking of how my emotions were constantly being uploaded and downloaded into that very building. Everyone’s was. I unconsciously rubbed my left hand over the back of my arm where the clear sticker transmitter was located that tracked my heart, stress, oxygen levels, and created an algorithm with those variables to draw conclusions of my emotions.
I went inside and walked across the shiny marble floors, passed the check in desk and wait with a group of others at the bank of chrome elevators. No one speaks, or looks at each other, or makes a sound. We all watched the lighted number above the door until they sprung open. Then we all filed inside and again watch the number as it grows to our respective floors. This was life. Waiting and waiting and waiting. Being quiet. So quiet I could hear my heart beating in my ears and feel my skin stretch across my skin. The silence unbearable I let out a sigh. 8 pairs of eyes darted in my direction and just as quickly flickered back to the changing numbers. I stifled a second sigh.
My department was on the 5th floor. I walked the length of the building and then took a seat at my cubicle. I worked to monitor the emotions of those inhabiting the island. All 20,000 of us. Their transmitters uploaded to my computer in real time and any emotion above a three would be flagged and sent to another department filled with Screeners, who investigate it. It was very time consuming but satisfying work. Eventually, lunch time came and I rolled my chair back and stretched. My gaze swept the room as a babble of murmurs broke out. It had started to drizzle outside. Little droplets hit the walls and slid down. Though I heard those around me complaining softly about the inconvenience I had a little pep in my step as I walked through the halls. I knew exactly where I was headed. There was an observatory deck on my floor. It was reserved for sunny days but I knew they kept it unlocked and I knew I would have it all to myself to enjoy the rain.
The door opened swiftly and I sneaked out onto the terrace. I was met with the invigorating smell of rain and wet dirt. I breathed deeply looking at the view of endless trees, plants, and shrubbery. The terrace was quite large. the terrace and rows and rows of soil with plants taller than me stretching towards the sky and dripping with water. There were seating arrangements spaced out around and I started towards the nearest one when I realized I wasn’t alone. There was someone hidden in the foliage! I gazed between the thick leaves and was met with light brown eyes, they were so expressive! I stepped back a little too quickly and stumbled before I caught myself on a chair.
“Are you alright?” A man said as he emerged and I could see him fully.
“Why are you hiding out here?” I asked, a little caught off guard by his sudden appearance. He walked to the railing and gazed out at the view I had been appreciating moments before, standing tall in the softly falling rain. His suit was stark white, and cut a striking figure against the darkened sky.
“I didn’t mean to. I was enjoying the rain” He said
“Yes, the rain,” I began, “It’s so- “
“refreshing” He finished for me
“Yes, yes exactly.” I agreed
“What’s your name?” He asked me.
“Laney, and yours?”
“I’m called Marcus.”
“So, you like the rain?” He asked. I was taken aback by his inquiry. My defenses automatically went up but I decided to go against my instincts.
“It’s one of my favorite things to experience.” I said.
“Mine as well. It chops up the monotony of the day, don’t you think?” I was super suspicious now. I had heard stories about people pretending to get close to someone to see if they were defective. I worried I was defective constantly. I made sure to keep a healthy distance between us and glanced around, making sure we weren’t being watched.
“I agree.” We were trained to be formal and polite almost to a fault so as not to cause any form of confrontation. “I also find satisfaction in my work.”
“I work in artificial insemination” He offered. That explained the white suit. The whiter the color the more important the wearers job was.
“Arguably the most satisfying job of all.” I said to him.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////
That night I ate dinner in silence. I slowly cut up my baked salmon, dipped it in a sauce and speared a bit of asparagus. Normally, it tasted bland but tonight I felt I could feel the flavor tingle on my tongue and glide down my throat. Uncomfortable for some reason, I quickly ate the rest. As I lay in bed that night I thought of Marcus. I couldn’t recall the last time I had had such a personal and meaningful conversation with someone. Marcus had seemed completely at ease, but then again, so did everyone. But not everyone spoke like he did. He was less mechanical. Less hard and angular. Even his features seemed softened and relaxed. I fall asleep, with thoughts of marcus dancing in my mind.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////
In the morning I woke early and sat in bed for a long time and thought. Eventually, I got up as the sun rose and made my bed, making sure to tuck the edges in. I spent the day listening to harp compositions and painting. Of course painting wasn’t allowed as it envoked great feelings. I had only been able to read of the great painters of the past. I tried to imitate a few, but without seeing the real thing I would never know. I listened to the soft stroke of my brush against the canvas and watched as the paint swirled down the drain when I washed my hands of the paint. Meeting Marcus brought an awareness about myself I hadn’t had before. I looked up and really studied myself for the first time in a long time. I barely recognized the girl who looked back at me. Shiny silver hair, slate grey eyes and alabaster skin. I couldn’t look at myself without also recognizing my glaring disparities.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Monday morning it rained again, and although I searched for Marcus on the terrace he was no where to be found. After lunch, against my better judgement, I volunteered to deliver a sheaf of paper to his department. I had never been to his floor, for no one went anywhere without a purpose. We were not encouraged to wonder around in fear that it would slow down work production. I felt the little whoosh in my stomach as the elevator surged upwards. Instead of a wide-open space divided into little cubicles, his floor seemed to be a series of rooms and doors. I was shocked to feel my heart sink as I realized the chances of running into him were slim. I wanted to know more about the man in the rain.
I was told by the front desk to go straight through the big silver doors and turn right. I thanked her kindly but when I passed through the door and saw the directory pointing me left for artificial insemination I somehow found myself wandering halls I had absolutely no business in wandering. Before I knew it I stood in front of another receptionist and told her I was here to see Marcus.
“Your name?” the receptionist asked. She had a slim figure and braided hair gathered into a neat bun at the top of her mocha colored skin. She seemed to look disapprovingly down her nose at me. I swallowed nervously and tried to look innocent.
“Laney,” I suddenly remembered the papers in my hand and added hastily, “I have papers for him.” That seemed to appppease her and she excused herself for a moment, presumably to go get Marcus. I gazed around the room, silver walls were accented by black and white colored photos of the different stages of pregnancy. I had never seen a pregnant woman. They weren’t unheard of, obviously. But once the woman was inseminated she was spirited away.
“What are you doing here?” Marus had arrived with the receptionist right behind him. She sat and made herself busy, but I knew she was listening. His face was neutral, with no sign of recognition, but I was determined to speak to him again.
“I was asked to deliver these papers to you.” He raised his eyebrows and as I handed him the papers our hands touched and a spark rushed through me. Any kind of physical contact was stritctly prohibited, except of course if it was accidental. But this didn’t seem accidental, it seemed right. He looked at the papers and his eyebrows raised further.
“Yes” he cleared his throat, “yes these came at a most opportune time, if you would please?”
He led me down a short hallway to my left. We were still within sight of his secretary of course but it gave us a bit of privacy.
“Why are you really here, Laney?” He said my name with such familiarity I was taken aback for a moment.
“I’m sorry, I just-I” I stuttered, “I wanted to talk.”
“Laney, there are rules, you of all people should know that.” He said (almost sardonically) in reference to my job of monitoring people.
“You’re right, I’m sorry to have put you in such a compromising situation.” I made to rush passed him, but he lightly touched my arm to stop me and there was that spark again.
“Laney, wait.” He looked down and seemed to make a decision about something. He cast his eyes lower and met mine, letting his guard down and showing so much emotion in his eyes it took my breath away. He looked somewhere between desperate and excited. “Meet me. After work. On the terrace.”
I dared not speak, for fear I would embarrass myself. I nodded once and turned, making sure my expression was carefully composed. I walked past the receptionist and didn’t breathe until I was hidden away safely in the elevator. Only there is when I allowed myself to smile.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
That night I stayed late for work. My colleagues commended me for my hard work ethic and I felt slightly guilty under all their praising smiles. I worked diligently and only glanced at the clock once or twice before the end of the day. Soon, the time to meet Marcus came and went. I was so unsure. This was breaking all the rules set in place to protect me, and all for someone I didn’t even know anything about. Could I trust him? I still wasn’t sure he wasn’t a Watcher. Eventually, what made me get up from my desk and walk to the terrace was remembering the look in his eyes earlier. Desperate hope. I knew what that felt like. And I didn’t want to feel alone anymore.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
I swiped my transmitter and the swish of the door let in a ton of cold air. It was dark and still smelled damp from the earlier rain. I walked to the edge and looked out. Crickets. They were loud. Suddenly, I felt eyes on my back. I turned and let my eyes adjust to the darkness. I walked closer towards the tall fronds and could see a pair of light brown eyes staring back at me
“Laney.” His voice was deep and rough. I smiled, somehow put at ease and reassured by his presence and voice.
“Marcus.” I said. The plants rustled and I saw his pale hand reach out to me in the moonlight. I looked at it for a long time before taking it and letting him pull me deeper into the rooftop forest.
“I thought you wouldn’t come.” He whispered to me. I chose to ignore his comment and instead asked,
“So, this is where you spend your time?”
“Yes, people rarely come up here.” He pulled me deeper into the shadow and there we shared our stories. He told me how he was raised on another island in the first Sector, which was the most prestigious living quarters available besides our own. He was an emotional child and therefore was taken from his family at a young age and reformed. I told him I had a simple life with parents and two siblings. I had no emotional problems when I was younger but once I began work to monitor others emotions I became much more aware of my own.
He was easy to talk to and our conversations flowed seamlessly into the next. We spoke of inconsequential things that stood out to us in our lives. And these conversations were as exciting as when we spoke of our own great thoughts, dreams, ambitions, and opinions. Each night we stayed longer than the last and laughed harder than we had before. On the fourth night we talked even longer and when he laughed for the first time about a simple thing I said he startled me so much because I had never heard such a sound before. I loved how free he seemed to be with me.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
It became harder to focus at work because I would be longing to see Marcus. On one of these days I decided to solve the problem of our transmitters recording our heightened emotions from our time spent together. It was pure luck we hadn’t been flagged yet. I came up with the idea of cutting and pasting a normal day with regular transmitter ratings onto mine and Marcus’ current timeline so the transmitters aren’t set off. The first time I did this I was shocked to see the physical proof of my own happiness and what it looked like on my screen. There were so many colors and different wavelengths. It was so completely ununiform. So…me. For once in my life I identified with what I saw in front of me.
///////////////////////////////////////////////
Later that same day as I was on auto-pilot I suddenly got a very dangerous thought. I wanted to show Marcus my house. We would have to be super careful, but I was willing to risk it. Before Marcus, everything in my life seemed blurry and now everything was in sharp focus. I couldn’t wait to tell him my plan.
//////////////////////////////////////////////
He met me on the corner of my street right before dusk. We drew no attention as I took him the back way and entered my apartment through my backyard. Now I was not only blindly excited, I was anxious. We held hands as we slipped between the shadowy plants that surrounded/enveloped my home. Once inside I lit only a few candles and led him straight to my paintings. While I rummaged through them he looked around thoughtfully. My back was turned when I heard a soft gasp, a small click, and then beautiful classical music begin to play. The sound of the violins intertwined and caressed the sound of the pianos. I turned to smile at him but he had tears in his eyes.
“My mother would play this music to calm me when I was a baby.” Marcus explained. I walked to him and held him. We held each other so close I felt his racing heartbeat through his shirt and it dawned on me that feeling a heartbeat felt so different from reading its wavelengths on a computer screen. We laid down and cuddled on the floor for hours, communicating only through touch and glances. It was the single most wholly passionate and absolute moment of my existence. And when the music finished we came together in a way that was more flawless and heartrending than any song we could ever hope to hear.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
The morning after I felt exhilarated. I woke up with so much energy, stretched and turned over, only to find Marcus already awake and staring at me. He smiled softly and I returned the smile with a sleepy little groan. We leaned into one another and breathed deeply. No words were said. Just soft touches and lengthy glances. It was a perfect morning. The most perfect morning I had ever had.
Soon we had breakfast warm and ready. We set at my kitchen table and reminisced about the weeks we had spent with one another. It was risky, but Marcus stayed the whole weekend. I didn’t know how long this could last but I wanted our perfect bubble of life we created to last forever. Soon, Monday morning dawned and I began to get dressed for work. Marcus was behind me, lounging on the couch and looking at me with a now familiar look. I decided to ignore him. He grew tired of this and sat up, wrapping a blanket around himself. “What are you doing?” Marcus asked lazily. I glanced behind me and felt myself flush.
“Getting ready for work.” He frowned slightly and came up to me, gently taking the clothes from my hands and gathered me into his arms.
“Laney, we should discuss what’s going to happen next.” I looked up at Marcus and let out a breath I hadn’t known I had been holding all weekend.
“I guess you’re right.” I replied. We walked to the couch and sat in silence for a few minutes.
“We’re not going to be able to keep doing this.” Marcus said suddenly. I immediately didn’t like where this conversation was headed.
“Wait, what do you mean?” I asked. He stood up abruptly and stared hard out the windows.
” We’ll have to leave, as soon as possible. We’ve already wasted so much time.” I looked at him and I could feel my eyes fill with tears. I fought to hold them back.
“You mean, leave the island? Leave everyone and everything we know?” But he didn’t hear me. He was already planning, talking about escapes, how to get through the gates and off the island. But I hardly heard him. My thoughts were going a million miles per hour and I just couldn’t keep up with them. I hadn’t thought to escape all weekend and now that it was dropped into my lap with no warning, I didn’t know if I wanted to leave or not. I didn’t want to trade being controlled by the people on the island for being controlled by Marcus. While he continued to talk I got up from the couch and started getting ready for my work day again. Soon, he turned and realized I wasn’t listening.
“Laney?” he asked, confused, “What’s wrong?” I turned to him calmly. I didn’t know how to handle this but I tried my best to keep a level head.
“I don’t want to go.” As soon as the last word left my lips Marcus looked as if I had struck him in the face.
” And why on earth not?!” He asked incredulously. I answered equally as incredulous,
“You’re asking me to leave everything I’ve ever known, everyone I’ve ever known and go where!? Do what, for the rest of our lives?” He looked hurt and casted his eyes down.
“I’ve been thinking of this for a very long time, Laney. I didn’t just come up with this. I have a plan. I have connections.” He looked at me wistfully.
“And now I have you too.” He reached for me but I backed away, unsure.
“Is that what this was, you wanted someone to go with you so you wouldn’t be alone? You wouldn’t have to go through this alone and be afraid? Am I just someone to share the blame with when you get caught? Well you put your faith in the wrong one. Get out! Out!”
It seemed a huge chasm had suddenly opened up between us right there in my living room. My voice left a sharp ringing in my ears followed by a loud silence. Marcus swallowed several times before he finally said. “I am leaving, Laney. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but soon. It might seem crazy to you but I can’t keep living in the shadows like this my whole life.”
//////////////////////////////////////////////////
I hadn’t seen Marcus in three weeks. And not because I wanted it that way. Hours after our argument I regretted my harsh words, but his receptionist said he had been cleared for a day off and she didn’t now when he would be back.
I tried throwing myself into my work and ignoring the endless deep ache his absence had left in me. Strangely, my heightened emotion made it easier than ever to be blank and monotone. I ate, slept, went to work and hoped with time I would be able to see the purpose of my life here on the island. But, I just fell deeper into my depression. Would it be so bad to leave this place? At least I would have something to look forward to, to live for, to strive for every day. And most importantly I would be with Marcus. But whenever the thought of running away with Marcus came into my head I just fell into deeper despair. Of course, he wouldn’t want me back after the things I had said during our fight. Maybe, if I had been able to contact him sooner, I could have salvaged our relationship. But now too much time had passed and my cruel words had had time to fester and rot in his thoughts.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
I was walking back to my work building after my second failed attempt at contacting Marcus, when I was approached by one of my colleagues. Miranda was one of the many people I routinely tried to avoid and as fate would have it today she was unavoidable. As soon as her beady eyes gazed at me she zeroed in and made a B line in my direction.
“Laney!” she said triumphantly, “They’re you are!” I tried to hide my discomfort and wipe my face of all emotion.
“Hello, Miranda. How are you?” I asked politely, completely lacking any curiosity in how she was currently doing
. “Fine, fine.” Miranda said briskly, just as she clamped her bony hands onto my arm and whipped me in the other direction from where I was headed.
“You must have forgotten, we are scheduled for our bi-annual check-up this afternoon. Everyone in our sector is already there.” I sighed internally and then said,
“It must have slipped my mind, thank you for waiting behind.” She finally let go of my arm and brushed her own clothes so they were more presentable.
“Yes, you’re welcome.” On the walk to the doctors building, which was in the 2nd floor of our work building, she kept up a polite mode of conversation and I interacted the same, but on auto- pilot. My mind was elsewhere, wondering where Marcus was at this very moment, if he had already left, if he was thinking of me….
//////////////////////////////////////////////////
“Next!” The mans deep voice resonated through me and brought me out of my deep thoughts. I was in the waiting room. Miranda had gone before me, which I had suggested so I could be alone with my thoughts. I stood and walked briskly through the door he held open for me, thanking him as I did and noting that his name tag read Zac. His slate grey eyes stood out sharply from his onyx skin and smooth bald head. Zac led me down a series of white hallways with silver floors and ceilings. We finally stopped and he used his I.D. tag to open a clear sliding door. “Please, take a seat.” Zac said. I did so, hopping up slightly onto the reclined chair. He walked to a wall and pressed a hidden button and it lit up. A dark silhouette glowed and showed current vital signs, oxygen levels, and stress levels. He examined the wall briefly and then turned to me. He used a small circular instrument to scan my pulse points. Then, he took a blood sample. Then he took it again. When he paused, I looked down and saw his face scrunched up in confusion. “Is everything all right?” I asked tentatively. He wheeled back and shuffled through some things he had on a small table nearby. Then, he stood up abruptly. “Please, wait here.” He left the room, and I couldn’t help but notice he scanned the door after he left the room, locking me inside. He was back almost as soon as he left, accompanied by a young woman. She had a round face and a bright smile. When she walked in she brought the smell of lavender with her and her nametag read Vicki. I sat up straighter when they entered the room and looked at them expectantly.
” Laney,” the woman started “, we have some very troubling news for you.” I swallowed and felt the blood rush out of my face and my neck get tense. And waited. Zac spoke next “Laney, you’re pregnant.” I felt the room spin.
I turned in disbelief to the silhouette on the wall, only to notice that now there was a second heart beat beating in my stomach. I looked down at my real stomach and clutched it protectively.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes Laney, very sure.” Vicki said. She and Zac glanced at each other and then back at me before she continued.
“We know this is a shock for you, but we’ve dealt with this before and we’re going to help you.” Slowly, as she spoke I relaxed. But I was still in a heightened since of awareness and could detect the forcefulness of her smile and the way Zac barely seemed to be breathing. I shielded my stomach more protectively. I took all this in in a single moment.
“Please, don’t be frightened. The procedure will take only a few minutes and it’s virtually painless.” Vicki said, and then glanced meaningfully at Zac. He immediately turned to the table at his side where there were multiple sharp tools and other assorted doctor instruments. Zac came to me and shoved a small clear plastic cup with a little black pill in it into my hands. The pill looked pitch black against all the white in the room. Vicki continued speaking.
“It’s the most efficient solution. Your body is not designed to carry a baby to full term, and even if you did, it wouldn’t survive in our world for very long. Your putting yourself in danger the longer you wait.” I hesitated, trying to think fast, to come up with a good enough excuse. I was just contemplating pretending to faint when she said suddenly,
“There’s no escape, Laney. Just take the pill.” Her smile was gone, replaced by a horrible glare. Zac stood behind her and offered no help. Suddenly, I realized she had mentioned other women who had been in this situation. But I had never known a woman who was pregnant. Not in the last 1000 years. And I definitely had never heard of a pregnant woman getting rid of her baby. My heart hammered out of control and I stilled myself. Finally, I popped the pill into my mouth and suddenly, there was a commotion in the hall. Immediately, Vicki swiped her card on the door and exited the room. Almost as soon as she did there was a second commotion and a thump. Then, the sound of a body sliding down the wall. Next, the door swiped open and Marcus was standing before me. Zac screamed “Hey!” and took a large step towards Marcus. Marcus caught the punch Zac threw him and threw his own, hitting the man in the stomach. Zac teetered, and Marcus swiped his feet out from under him. Zac took Marcus down with him. They grappled for a moment on the floor, and Zac got Marcus into a head lock. He struggled and I looked around desperately for a weapon to help him. Then, Marcus reached his left arm up towards the small table and clutched for something. Then, he jabbed Zac in the neck with a syringe. Slowly, Zac’s body went limp. Marcus inhaled loudly and spluttered while I rushed to help him up. But before I could even ask if he was okay he yelled and gripped me so hard it hurt.
“Did you take it?! Did you take the pill??!!” Scared of all the chaos and violence I had just witnessed I rushed to assure him.
“No, no, no. “I said, shaking my head violently. I opened my mouth and raised my tongue to show him where I had hidden the pill. After, I stepped back and spit it out and wiped my mouth. Then we embraced.
“Marcus, what’s going on? Where have you been?” He took me at arm’s length and looked deeply into my eyes.
“It’s not important now. What I need to know is, will you come with me?” I nodded, while tears streamed down my face. Marcus quickly took hold of my arm and pulled me with him to the door. He raised his other hand and spoke into a device attached to his wrist.
“Lights!” He said. Suddenly, the room and the hallway beyond was plunged into darkness.
“How did you do that?” Marcus looked back at me, breathing hard and bleeding from a cut on his lip. “You’re not the only one who wants to escape this place.” He said dramatically. He used his key card to unlock the door. It glowed and slid open for us. We dived into the hallway. I quickly stumbled over something soft and warm that groaned and must have been Vicki.
“Careful!” Marcus whispered, pulling me back and away from the door. We crept silently through the halls. Our breathing sounded too loud and close in the pitch dark. After what felt like an eternity I heard voices. I sped up, wanting to be where light was, but Marcus pulled me back quickly, just as flash lights bobbed around the corner. He hid us in a small gap in the wall and shielded my body with his. As soon as they passed we were up and headed the way they had come from.
“Faster, Laney, it won’t be long before they discover the nurses and that you’re gone.” We raced as quickly and quietly through the hallways as we could and soon found the door Marcus wanted. Light hit my eyes and I had no time to adjust as we bounded across the open field. The sun was beginning to set, so we had some cover. Soon, we had made it to the barriers that surrounded the whole island and kept everyone contained. Marcus brought us right up to the 40ft fences and drew me with him behind one of the huge pillars. He glanced around, and then brought his wrist to his mouth again. “Gate!” He whispered into it. The gate continued to buzz with electricity. As the moments ticked on and we waited and nothing happened a white panic rose in the back of my throat. “Gate!” Marcus yelled louder into his wrist, “Gate! Gate!” Nothing happened. And then we heard it. Sirens. And raised voices. We looked back the way we had come and saw a flood of guards racing across the open lawn towards us. My eyes were huge as I looked back at Marcus. My breathing uneven, sweat pouring down my back, at deaths door I looked at the man I had risked it all for. The man that had risked everything for me. “Laney, Laney I’m sorry!” Tears fell from Marcus’ eyes. I saw the fear in him and it made me forget my own. I fought to keep the tremble out of my voice. “I love you! I love you! Shh Shh! I love you.” He griped me tightly, they were almost upon us. “I love you both.” He said, his arms enveloping me and our growing baby.

And then the gate swung open.