She’d watched the pickup rolling along the fields adjacent to hers, the amber sunlight glinting off its windshield. It had crawled along, perhaps because the dirt trail was rough and bumpy, or maybe because the driver didn’t want to draw attention to his renegade act. No one was permitted out that far. Nevertheless, the truck had still kicked up enough dust to be noticed by someone with a careful eye.
Likewise, Eva knew she shouldn’t be this far from the farmhouse; she was in violation of the rules herself. But this was an extenuating circumstance; someone was up to no good and it was that farmer, Alex.
As she moved through her own fields, she halted her advance at his name. How did she know it? From before? She supposed it was from before the implant set her mind right. As if in response to her inquiry, Eva could almost hear a voice in her head.
It’s okay that you know his name, Eva. You know it because you’re both part of Community. You just aren’t allowed to remember much else; nothing about your past, nothing about your family. Community is your family. Community is your past, present and future. Now, just forget about the farmer and go back to work.
She brushed off the thought and the voice, then moved closer to the pickup truck. Two hundred feet away now. She paid careful attention not to stir the vegetation too much, as it might reveal her position. She’d brought the flare gun from her own pickup truck, which she’d left out on the dirt path, a good eighty yards behind. Should this rise to an emergent level, she would fire a flare into the sky and if all went according to plan, Isaac or the other farmers would come running to her aid. Hopefully, in time. This Alex could be a lunatic, for all she knew. What the hell was he doing all the way out here, anyway?
As she drew nearer, Eva witnessed Alex lower the tailgate and remove a tarp-covered thing from the bed of the pickup. Then she saw that the thing, bound with rope, had boots protruding from the end of the tarp.
Dear God, did he kill somebody!
She gripped the fare gun tighter, wondering if she should fire. She raised it overhead, but hesitated. She needed to uncover this mystery. Whose body was that? It might very well be Isaac, for all she knew. Jesus, what if it was him? Then what? Would the other farmers still heed her call for help, without Isaac to organize them? What if Alex had supplanted Isaac and now the farmers answered to him? What if everyone except Eva was in on it.
Damnit, Eva, that’s paranoid! Get a grip!
Sneaking from her spot and making a roundabout approach, in order to keep from sight, Eva eventually emerged from the greenery at the tailgate of Alex’s pickup truck. She figured it had taken her close to ten minutes to do so and in that time, Alex had been digging. Occasionally, he’d stop and look around, and when he did, she stopped and waited for him to resume. Eva looked back from where she’d come and realized that she had crossed over into Alex’s field. Another dereliction of duty. Under no circumstances where farmers allowed to leave their plots without authorization.
If you’re going to break one rule, might as well get your money’s worth and break a couple.
She stooped low and rounded the driver’s side rear tire, crab-crawling to the driver’s door. Alex was very close. He was in a full bio suit.
What the hell’s going on?
A gust of wind tore through the field, scrambling organic debris across the path. Eva squinted as she was pelted with dirt and strands of broken grass, bits of twigs. She used the auditory cover provided by the howling wind to lift the handle and open the door. She reached inside, intending to take the keys, which would leave Alex stranded out here. She would return to her own pickup, then head back to find Isaac and inform him of Alex’s malicious deed. The keys were not in the ignition.
“I know you’re there,” called Alex, his back still turned away.
Eva froze. His voice was muffled from the suit’s helmet, but she’d heard it loud enough to be certain of what he said. She emerged from behind the open driver’s side door, the flare gun held at arm’s length.
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“Who is that?” she demanded, pointing with her off hand. “Who did you kill?”
Alex turned to her, drove the shovel’s blade into the ground and leaned on the handle. “I didn’t kill anyone.”
“Liar. Why are you burying them?”
“Because he’s dead. That doesn’t mean I killed him.”
The wind streaked across the field, pressing the crops into a slant. The clouds had moved in. It looked like rain was at hand.
Eva inched closer, keeping the flare gun aimed at Alex. “Who is it?”
Alex hesitated.
“Who is it!”
“A stranger.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You don’t know him,” he insisted. He frowned. “I mean…you do, but you don’t. It’s weird.”
“You think you’re buying time, playing games with me?” she snarled. “Think you’ll lull me into letting my guard down – then make a move?”
“No, Eva.”
Her eyes narrowed. “How do you know my name?”
Alex stepped closer. “I think we’ve known each other for a while.”
“Stop!” She jerked the flare gun out, poking the air before her. “Quit bullshitting and tell me the truth.”
Alex halted. “I know you. You know me. We’ve just forgotten.” He tapped his finger against his temple. “And that thing in your head is helping you to forget.”
Unconsciously, Eva had brought her own finger to her right temple. She touched the tiny bump there.
He extended his hands out to his sides. “This place wants us to forget.”
What was he talking about?
Alex looked at her. “I’ll show you the man, but…” he said, pointing behind him. “…it’s going to be a shock. It was for me. You won’t believe your eyes at first.”
Eva circled him, keeping about ten feet between them. She walked backward while directing the flare gun at his chest.
“I’ll move away if it makes you more comfortable,” he said.
“Don’t move! You’re not going anywhere.”
She drew to the edge of the burial hole and looked inside. Her eyes grew wide and her lips parted. She lowered the flare gun. It was impossible. Was she hallucinating? The man was diseased, but even through the infection marring his face, she could see that it was Alex, but older. He was frail. Alex was thin, but sturdy.
“It’s going to rain,” said Alex.
The site of the man thrust her into a dreamlike state. She knew the world was strange – that it had been for years. But this felt more bizarre than anything she’d seen. It had her shell-shocked.
“It’s going to rain,” he said, again.
It took a moment for his statement to register. Then, she snapped out of it. “I know.”
“And you know what usually precedes the rain…”
Eva realized she’d been turned away from Alex for too long. She snapped her head toward him. He was where he’d been before. He had a chance to attack when she’d lowered her weapon but hadn’t.
She gestured to the grave. “What is this? How-”
“I’ll explain. Let’s get in the truck. Seeds are coming.”
“I’m not getting in the truck with you.”
A powerful gale brought the wail of Community’s siren, warning of an impending storm. “We have to take shelter,” insisted Alex. “If we’re impaled by seeds…”
Eva stared at Alex, turned to look back over the lip of the grave, then back at Alex. “Who is that man and why does he look just like you? Tell me.”
“I will,” said Alex. “But first I need to fill the hole.” He motioned toward Community. “That siren means we all have to report to Main House bunker. If we don’t-”
“I know,” she cut him off. “We get sent to quarantine.”
“I’ll finish what I’m doing, then meet you there. But you can’t tell anyone. Okay?”
Eva nodded. Then, she reconsidered, a dull, painful tingling in her head. Why should she do what he wanted? He’d killed someone - this was an emergent situation. She raised the flare gun and pointed it at Alex.
“Eva?” He cocked his head and stared with increasing worry.
The gun was aimed at Alex and she held it there, enjoying his discomfort. Her finger pressed gently on the trigger. She smiled, then extended her arm upward and fired.