Chapter 12

Log. 22675.g

Finally. It has been a few months, but we did it. The most annoying part was disabling the GPS and all other self-sabotage programs. After that, it was, eh, simple. Well, as it’s said, I am the idea-person. It's amazing to see how they work as a team. In the beginning there was a lot of prejudice against the Programmer, but it’s wonderful to see organic and artificial humans working together, as equals.

After a few drinks, Bobbie seemed to forget about the secret in the boot, and started asking Séra — who was also a bit drunk, against physician’s orders — about mechanics and batteries. It didn’t take long before they were designing wind turbines to attach to the car. Ganen had to admit, it was a hard conversation to follow, but Séra would always pause and explain something when she noticed a very confused face.

When Séra asked how Bobbie had trained or studied for being able to create such an amazing bike, the Mailer told them she had grown up with the Mail Bikers, surrounded by the most amazing motorcycles, and so she learnt from the best. The main Post Offices had their own forges and labs, so it was easy to get the parts.

— My parents tried to ship me away as a baby. — Bobbie said. — The Bikers found me in a box with no return address, so they decided to keep me and raise me.

— Oi, those are some nasty parents, eh. — Séra wanted to get her bandages off. They were scratching.

— Ah, well, I guess it happens. — The Biker shrugged. — I couldn’t care less, really. How ‘bout yours?

— Parents? — Séra confirmed. — I don’t remember much of them, they died of an illness when I was young. My aunt pretty much raised me by herself.

— Oh, I’m sorry. Is it a sore subject? — Bobbie was hesitant.

— Nah, don’t ya worry about it.

— So, what do you know about Tree City? — Ganen changed the subject; Bobbie might have not noticed, but Ganen heard the discomfort in Séra’s voice. — We don’t get many bikers around there.

— I don’t know much, because, with all due respect, you guys refuse to cut down trees and make some roads! — Bobbie laughed, she was having a lot of fun with those two. She had always struggled with making friends outside the Mail system, never being in one place for long, but she wanted to know Ganen and Séra better.

— You’re more than welcome to visit, if you want. — Ganen raised her brows.

— I’d love to visit! —She got some pen and paper from her bag, and wrote some coordinates. — Do you have a map? I can mark where you’ll generally find me. — Her thin black eyes sparkled with excitement.

— It’s in the car, I’ll get it. — Séra got up and walked to the door; thinking about her parents brought up some memories, and contrary to Ganen, she didn’t know if she wanted to remember. Some fresh air would be good.

She sat on the passenger's seat and looked at the night sky. Stars blinked throughout the dark blue and the path of the Sun and the Moon was even brighter. It had a different name in the past, something related to milk, which was really funny. Séra imagined a ginormous baby crawling in the sky while their bottle was dripping.

After a deep breath, she got the map and went back inside. Her body was still sore and she was quite aware they would need longer pauses to rest, but she was eager to continue her conversation.

Log. 20657.s

We did it! In the end, we didn't even need a distraction. A hysterical person entered the hospital and we were able to paralyse a Robot Physician. We turned it off right away and stuck it in the caravan. It's so much easier when we can press a button! Especially when we know where the button is! It‘s been decades since I’d done something so scary and exciting!

Now we have to figure out how to break into this thing.

Bobbie ended up spending the night in the girls’ house, and wasn’t the first to wake up. She rubbed her eyes a few times and slowly recognized Ganen’s and Séra’s voices from the kitchen. She got out of bed and adjusted her t-shirt; her pants were nowhere to be found, and she didn’t really care. The perfume of coffee was the only important thing at that moment.

— You’re awake. — Ganen was the first to notice her. — Sit down, Séra is making wildberry pancakes. It’s a rare sight!

— Are berries hard to find? — Bobbie yawned.

— Not around here, so we’ve got a lot of them! — Séra flipped one in the air. — How do you like yours?

— Ahn… cooked?

— Okay! — Séra laughed; it was indeed bad having them raw.

Ganen poured some coffee for the three of them and mentioned Ahda wanted to give them a “thank you” basket for how they helped finding the cure for the grain water wasting, and that would probably cover the resources they would need for a while.

— I’d like to stop by Tara’s place before leaving, so we can say goodbye to them and Esha. — Séra added.

— Are you okay with leaving her with Tara and Ery?

— Yah, they’re good people. And I think she’ll be safer here than on the road with us.

Bobbie had heard the little girl’s story and, in the end, it wasn’t so different from hers — except for the whole almost getting killed part — and it was good to know she had also found a family for herself.

— I myself have to leave today. — Bobbie said. — There are a lot of letters to distribute.

— Oh! Are you going south? — Ganen bit her pancake.

— Yeah, and I think I might just personally deliver your letter to your aunt. — The Biker smiled. — I quite like the region. The plains are sooo good for riding! And some of the craters are large enough for a few spins.

Ganen looked a bit worried, even Séra stopped flipping pancakes and glanced at Bobbie. The Biker laughed, said it was easy; she’d been doing things like that since she was a child, so she had plenty of experience.

Breakfast was delicious and fun, Ganen and Séra promised to stop by the southern Post Office on their way back, to which Bobbie would look forward to.

— And if I’m not there, just wait a bit. — She grabbed a blue pin in the shape of an envelope from her bag and gave it to the couple. — Show them this if the Bikers give you any trouble. They’ll know it’s mine.

If they weren’t still hurting, they could have left together, but Séra needed a little more rest before hitting the road. They waved goodbye until Bobbie was out of sight, then walked slowly to Tara’s house.

Log. 20512.l

We agreed that stealing a Robot Physician would be ideal.

Bobbie knew it was safer to ride with the visor down, but she loved the wind on her face, the green perfume of summer leaves, the landscape flying by her side. When she was on her bike, the world was hers to enjoy, and she felt free. A bird whose long wings could take her above the clouds to soar through the sky.

There was nothing better than sleeping below the stars, being awoken by the gentle morning sun, and enjoying the delicate dew drops on colourful petals. She liked meeting people — old and new — and seeing their smiles as they received their letters.

So when the farms started popping up around the fields, excitement filled her chest. She lowered the speed of her bike and stopped in front of a large wood and stone house. There wasn’t a Post Office in Mini Forest, so the Mail Bikers had to stop at each farm for their letters. Bobbie was one of the few who didn’t hate that area, so she knew the people quite well.

There was an old lady, Soña, who had the hairiest guinea pigs in the region, and her farm was famous for it. She always had many letters from her children, cousins, and siblings, and she would invite Bobbie for tea every time.

On her next stop, there was a child who would wait for her by the farm gate. A little boy, no older than 6 or 7, and he was excited to show her his first guinea pig: it had long wavy and rebel fur.

— Like your hair! — He pointed at Bobbie. — My mum said we can dye her fur blue, like your hair too! And I’ll name her Bluebie.

— That sounds adorable. — Bobbie laughed. — I used some indigo and henna to dye my hair, just test it first, to be sure it won’t give her any allergies.

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— Okay! — He smiled, and his two front teeth were missing. The Mail Biker imagined if they would have grown by the next time she stopped there.

After the Mini Forest, there was a much bigger forest, and people had found it quite difficult to live there. If one was persistent, they could find a few people, mostly small families, who lived amongst the trees, but those would prefer to live unperturbed. It was a difficult path to go on foot or by vehicle, but Bobbie’s bike was designed for any terrain, and she ventured amongst the trees with no problem.

The travel rations were nutritious, but barely palatable, so when the biscuits Soña gave her were over, Bobbie stopped by a river to bathe and fish. The Mailers had trained her to be good at winging it, so it wasn’t hard improvising a fishing rod with some thread and a stick.

Even though unseasoned fish would taste better than the travel rations, Bobbie used to stock some seasonings in her bag — basil, rosemary, oregano, and salt — so her food was usually edible. Sometimes, it was even good! Not as good as Séra’s pancakes, though.

As the plains got closer, flowers started popping up more often, and she was forced to stop her bike, lay down on the grass, and smell the sweet little petals. Some people hated it, but she loved it. At night, myrtles opened their tiny white flowers and the air was thick with their fragrance. Bobbie could build a house there, and she would live happily ever after.

However, there was work to do, so she couldn’t laze around for more than a day. Back on her bike, she rode through the plains until craters started to change the landscape. It was said those holes on the ground were a result of the fight between the Sun and the Moon, when fiery chunks of the Sun fell and scorched the world.

Bobbie didn’t know whether the story was true or folklore, but she loved those craters nonetheless. They made cool ramps for radical manoeuvres. She liked riding in circles inside them until she could ride the walls of dirt and rock; the momentum would bring her out of it and back to the grass, then she would go to the next.

Eventually, someone from the Underground City would show up and get her letters, then she was free to ride back to the south Post Office. Bobbie wasn’t sure where the entrance to the city was, no outsider knew, and since she had to wait anyway…

— Time to find a large crater!

Some of them were large enough to make small lakes, they had fishes and frogs, a whole ecosystem. Some had moss and grass, insects, birds and rodents scattering around, and some were burnt so deep there was only burnt earth. Those were the ones Bobbie liked the most, and her eyes glistened when she found one much larger than she expected.

With a smile, she fastened her helmet, put down the visor, and sped her bike. Before she started, though, she thought it would be safer to leave her things behind — it wasn’t like anyone would show up and rob her — and she didn’t want her bags to open and let loose all her belongings and letters.

Once prepared, she sped up her bike and rode down the hole. The first spin was slow and careful, a test. The second was faster, the third had a flair and the fourth was full of little flourishes. There was no one to see, but she imagined Ganen and Séra would enjoy her show.

Thinking of them made her smile, Bobbie wanted to see the girls again, get to know them better and spend more time together. They were fun to be around. The Machine was terrifying, though, there was no way of being sure that thing wouldn’t just wake up one day and destroy the world, but she wanted to believe Ganen was right, the thing was broken and wouldn’t suddenly turn on.

And then her front wheel met a bump. Time seemed to slow down for a moment and Bobbie saw the edge of the crater too close for comfort. She had enough time to look back at the now unearthed rock before her bike crashed and the world disappeared before her eyes.

Log. 20508.o

I still can't believe it, the Robot Physicians, the ones who should help us! It’s almost impossible to break into the network they use, because it’s an array network. It’d be possible to access some files, but ideally, it would be better to get one of the Physicians.

It had been about a week since Bobbie had left, and Séra was feeling up to driving again. She had fixed and reinforced the hasp in the boot, so that no one could break it, and Ganen’s arm was healing well, although the scar would probably be a bit gnarly.

Ahda had given them the thank-you basket, with enough food, drinks and water for about a week or two, depending on how they would ration it, now all that was left was saying their goodbyes. At the hospital, Ganen asked if they could take some penicillin for the trip — in case they had another situation — and Myra herself gave her a few flasks.

— We can make more on demand. — she explained. — And if it wasn’t for you, all of us would still be sick, so take as many as you need.

In their idle time, Séra also managed to attach a mini-cooling box into the car, so they could conserve the penicillin for longer and also have some fresh food and cold water every now and then. It would certainly make their trip more pleasant.

And when the sun rose on their last day in Bridge City, Séra and Ganen drove to Tara’s house for their goodbyes. The family had prepared a special lunch for them, and Esha had some trouble hiding her sad face while they were eating.

— Where are you two going now? — Tara asked.

— We’re headed south, so we’ll probably stop by Mini Forest for a day or two to rest, then continue. — Séra answered between mouthfuls.

— Are you coming back? — Esha whispered, her eyes almost didn’t reach Ganen’s.

— I believe so. Would you like us to stop by for a visit? — the woman answered with a soft, friendly tone.

Ensha nodded a few times, but there was still some sadness in her eyes.

After lunch, while Ery did the dishes, Séra asked Tara how the girl was doing, and her heart ached knowing that the kid was a bit insecure with both of them leaving. Ganen and her had talked about taking Esha along, but it would make their journey much more difficult. Besides, she was safer in Bridge City than in the middle of nowhere.

As they were about to leave, Esha held Ganen’s hand for a second and gave her a small, shiny crystal.

— What is this? — Ganen kneeled in front of her and asked with a sweet smile.

— It’s a present. Uhm, my mum, not Mrs. Tara and not the Immortal Mum, my real mum, she gave it to me when I was younger. It, uhm, it protects you. And I thought it was broken, because the Immortal hurt me, but then you two saved me, so I think it still works. — She looked into Ganen’s eyes and let out the shyest of smiles. — It’ll protect you.

— I’m sure it will. — Ganen hugged Esha and felt the girl’s little arms around her. — Thank you, Esha. If there is any problem, you can send us a letter, okay? It’s a bit expensive, but maybe if you talk to Bobbie she can give you a discount. — Ganen winked. — It’ll take a while for us to come back, but when we do, we’ll be sure to stop by, alright?

— Alright. — Esha nodded a few times, and her smile seemed real for the first time. — Thank you for saving me.

— Don’t worry about it, no child should go through something like that.

Esha hugged both Ganen and Séra one last time, and waved them goodbye until she couldn’t see the car anymore. It was Yigor who got her back in the house, when the boy asked if she wanted to play with the wooden cars and trucks. She nodded and Tara didn’t remind them of their homework; they could do it later that day.

They left in the afternoon, and once the city was far enough, Ganen plugged her music device into the car, and Séra smiled as they drove with lively old melodies. Ganen’s arm was still painful, but Séra’s cuts were mostly healed — and so were her guts.

They checked the map in order to follow Bobbie’s trail, and headed south. They wanted to stop by Mini Forest to talk to Ennath; in all honesty, Ganen wanted to see the mini-llamas once again. They were so adorable and fluffy, she even wondered if they could have one — a pet was much easier to care for than a young human.

The night came quicker than they expected, so Séra put up the tent whilst Ganen was fixing something to eat. She thought of how that whole experience was almost mystical. She had left her home more than two years ago without a date to return; at first, her goals were clear in her mind, she needed to escape her fate, but now, as she looked at Séra, there were more things Ganen wanted for her future than she could have anticipated.

— Whatcha looking at, love? — Séra sounded happy to have Ganen’s attention. — Is the tent crooked?

— Not at all, hun. — Ganen looked back to the food, she was embarrassed for being caught. — I like watching you work, that’s all. I want to remember every single thing.

— Every single thing sounds like a lot. — She hammered the last peg into the ground and looked at her job. It was good.

—It isn’t nearly enough, honey. — Ganen saw her lover walking towards her and closed her eyes in delight as she was hugged. — I love you so much.

— I love ya too. — Séra kissed her cheek. — And whatever you’re cooking smells amazing!

— I’m making a stew-soup-kind of thing. With the things that would spoil first. I hope it tastes as good as it smells.

— It’s usually how it works, ain’t it? — She got a bit confused.

— Have you ever eaten a flower? — Ganen got the pot out of the fire and set it on the floor. She had a curious and funny look as she waited for an answer.

— Not really. — Séra didn’t know what she was getting at.

— They don’t usually taste good.

Séra laughed and Ganen couldn’t help but laugh along; she was a child when she had a mouthful of tuberose. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. The dinner, however, was delicious; the meat chunks melted in their mouths and the vegetables still had a crunch to them.

They laid on the ground for a bit after eating, and the night was silent, the stars were their only company. Careful with her arm, Ganen rested on Séra’s chest and took a long breath, it was good being on the road again, without the fear of people finding the Machine — or being poisoned.

— Let’s clean up here, lock the car, and sleep in the tent? — Séra brought her back to reality.

— Yeah, let’s do that. I think the tent is more comfortable than the ground anyway. — Ganen’s laugh was interrupted by a long yawn.

— Go to the tent, I’ll lock the car and be right there with ya. — She gave her lover a tender kiss and pulled her up.

Log. 20465.k.b

We need to find out why. Perhaps, if we find out the reason, we will be able to fix it! Sometimes it’s a system failure. If so... they call me a dreamer, but I think it might be possible! Who knows, even people’s memories might be there, somewhere...

Ganen’s eyes were closed, but her mind never stopped. Séra and her were old in her dreams, living in Tree City and walking around the tree-paths, then she looked around and couldn’t recognize anything. The trees, ever so familiar, were different and distorted, the sky was strange and the stars were not the ones she was used to.

She started looking for Séra, but the people didn’t have faces, their voices were unknown and their words, incomprehensible. Panic filled her chest and she started to scream, people grabbed her arms and tied her to a bed, she had no idea what was happening, where she was or who they were, until someone held her hand and called her “love”.

Ganen remembered one person, in the past, who would call her “love”, but it wasn’t the same person from the dream. She didn’t recognise those brown eyes, the freckles she used to know so well, or the dirty blonde hair around that face.

She woke up drenched in sweat, her heart was beating so fast it could jump out of her chest. At first, all around her was darkness and her panic grew until her eyes got used to the dim light. She saw Séra sleeping peacefully by her side and took a sigh of relief.

Biting her lip and trying her best not to cry, she laid down beside her lover once more and hugged her.

— I don’t want to forget you. — she whispered with tears in her eyes to the dead of night.