Eve held Charlotte’s arm as they walked past a particular black alley, she trembled and kept her mouth shut with closed tight lips.

Even if she doesn’t say anything, she’s still scared of what happened to her.

Charlotte shook her head in her mind and maintained a steady pace. Three streets away from the place of their first encounter, Charlotte entered a familiar one and crossed it like nothing.

“A-are we okay here?” Eve whispered, her grasp tighter than before and smaller than ever.

“Yeah, don’t worry. I’m here anyway so nothing bad’s gonna happen.” Charlotte grabbed the tight hand on her right sleeve with her left and moved it to her right. 

The held hand calmed Eve considerably as she stopped trembling. She still appeared to be a small and lost animal. Charlotte arrived at the old sign with a crossed-out dog and went the handle with her free hand. She frowned when she realized the handle didn’t move, the door wasn’t open.

Is he out, or…?

She closed her eyes and saw inside the room. The old man wasn’t alone, another man was standing in the middle of the room and had a big overcoat over himself. The old man wasn’t behind the counter, he stood on the window without reflection and gave the coated man his back.

Charlotte opened her eyes and looked around. They stood alone in the street, or bright black alley. She walked to the left side of the door and let her weight on the wall.

“W-what are we doing?” Eve rested her body in the wall as well, their hands still connected.

“We’re waiting, I hope it doesn’t take too long. We can just talk or wait in silence, what do you think?”

“U-uhm, okay. We’re waiting… What’re we waiting?” Eve’s fingers moved and tightened her grip, her voice soft and cracking.

“I wonder? For the door to open, I guess. I want to change something inside. It’s the best place I know.” Charlotte looked at the sky, the sun was going down already but they still had some hours before dusk arrived.

“What’re you changing?”

“You’ll know once inside. Hey, what’s that concert about? A live one?” Charlotte kept her voice to themselves.

“O-oh! That, well, of course!” Eve started with a loud voice but stopped when Charlotte shook her head and put a finger on her lips. “It’s always live with concerts, right? Or isn’t it like that outside?”

“No, the popular ones are like that but most of them are shows done before and the staff prepares them to a new audience. It’s like an old show being repeated with different colors, I guess.”

“That’s, weird, no? And people still go to see that?”

“Well, most people are bored, and they are for those with enough time and energy to spend. Nothing wrong, but not something that can be done here, I guess.”

“Yeah, we need to keep vigilant of anything that happens or something like, what happened to me would happen to anyone.”

“Yeah…” Charlotte looked at the door and then back at Eve.

“How different is it here from the, uhm, outside?”

“I thought it was much better before. Now, I see it isn’t. The biggest difference is the indifference of the people in here, ah, and the lack of police. From what I see, you described it just right before.” She looked at the girl and smiled.

“Huh? I did? When?”

“Just now, we just need to be vigilant enough and mostly nothing will happen to us.”

“Oh, that. It’s better on the outside if one can be without care, huh.”

“Yeah, I thought the same, not anymore.”

“Why?”

“You know, I was kidnapped before coming here near my place. I never thought it could happen, never paid enough attention until then.”

“Sorry.” Eve looked down at her feet with a face about to cry.

“Why?”

“Well, I made you remember that. You’re here because of that, no?”

Charlotte remained in silence for a while and the place turned darker as time went by.

“Sigh, don’t worry. I’m glad I met someone like you. It’s best than being alone in an unknown place full of strangers without knowing what to do.”

Eve turned her face to Charlotte and saw a smile in her face pointed at her, the eyes on that face shone like stars, Eve thought.

“You’re welcome…” and smiled.

*Click

Charlotte turned her head at the sound and saw a man walk out of the door. He also looked at her and nodded. Charlotte did the same without much thought and tore her body from the wall, Eve followed her actions and followed her inside.

“Hello there and thanks for waiting, ladies.” The old man stood behind the counter, his eyes shone for a moment as he eyed them.

Right, he can do that.

“Hel-“

“Hey! Can’t you tell apart from a boy and a girl?! Even if he’s slim and small, he’s still a boy! Can your clients right!”

The man raised a brow and looked at Eve for a moment, then back at Charlotte.

“Leave it be, it’s not important.” Charlotte caressed Eve’s hand and kept her sight to the man.

“Eh? Why? He should be respectful!”

“She’s right, you know. You should at least tell her.” The man said as a wicked smile appeared in his face.

Charlotte sighed and looked at the lost expression her friend had and shook her head.

“Yeah, well. I’m a girl so he’s not wrong. Now, on to business.”

“Eh? Uh, wait, what?! No, you’re a boy, right?! Hey! Answer me!” Eve put a hand on her shoulders and shook her.

“Yeah yeah, I’ll talk to you later, please.” Charlotte tore herself from her grip and left the shocked girl beside the door. “I need to know some things.”

“I change money, I don’t answer the questions of little girls.” 

“Then answer this at least. Where can I get my money changed apart from this place?” Charlotte produced four bills from her pocket, each of 500 gers.

“… That’s an interesting way. Ask me what you want, I’ll see if I can answer.”

“Yeah, I need a new ID.”

“Missy there knows, everyone in the city does. What else?”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“Really?” Charlotte looked at Eve and then back to the man. “Are there something I’m missing?”

“You’re not from the city, I see. That’s a problem then. They ask for blood, your blood and in the place, to keep tabs on you. They search the international DNA database to see who you are and if you’re safe to stay in the city.”

“I thought this was a lone place without connections with the outside.”

“No, it’s not. That’s what the outsiders are told and what the normal populace, like missy there, believe. This city is heavily guarded, kept in check by all the big powers out there. This is their, how to call it… Yeah, experimental garden.”

“What if I don’t appear in that database?”

“You’re a ghost then. And you won’t get an ID from them. There are two ways for them to give you one. First, you’re clean, or almost clean in the outside; or you’ve lived all your life in this hole and they’ll know that.”

“Is there no other option?”

“Not legally.”

“Sure, tell me.”

“Hiro!” Eve grabbed Charlotte from her shoulders and turned her around. “What you’re doing is not right! Sure, this is a criminal city, but you’re not one of them!”

“Calm down, I’m doing this because I got no other way, or are you telling me to hand myself over to the police?”

“No, but there must be other ways!”

“And that’s what I’m trying.” Eve opened and closed her mouth a few times and Charlotte tapped on her hands still holding her shoulders. “Don’t worry.”

Charlotte moved her head back to the man and smiled at him. “Mind to tell me? Mister?”

“Call me Mayne, miss Hiro.” He opened the door behind him and went inside.

Charlotte stood in her place, her head on the door but her body pointed Eve. She turned to her and sighed.

“I need space, you know?” Her grip loosened and Charlotte took a step back. “You’re stronger than you seem, my shoulders hurt.”

“… I’m sorry. Is that true? You’re a girl?”

“Yeah, but don’t tell anyone, please?”

“But I saw your body, it isn’t like a girl’s.” Eve left her left arm fall to the side and hugged it with her right hand.

“You only saw me topless.” She shrugged as she turned to the door Mayne went in.

“But it wasn’t a girl’s body! At all…”

“A little trick of mine, don’t mind it.”

“But…”

“C’mon, there are things you don’t want others finding out, right? An unrequired love, someone you secretly hate or something like that. It’s the same for me. Just don’t go telling others about it. Alright?”

“… Why did you lie to me?” Tears threatened to come out of her eyes and her face contorted as she held them.

“I never said I was a boy, right?” Charlotte walked to her and cleaned up the corners of her eyes. She smiled and patted her head. “I won’t change the way I treat you, and I hope you won’t change your attitude, please?”

“… Promise?”

“Of course!”

“Is it over?” The man startled both of them, Eve jumped with a blush and Charlotte turned sharply.

“Sorry to bring drama to your little place. Tell me.”

“Heh, it’s refreshing to see something like that once in a while. Here, take this.” Mayne walked to her and stretched his right hand.

She stretched her left and received a paper, she brought it closer to her face first and then down to her pocket.

“Not gonna read it?” He asked with his eyebrows raised, his face full of surprise.

“I don’t know this place good enough and it won’t tell me anything regardless.” She shook her head and brought her right hand up with the palm opened to the side.

Mayne saw her action and imitated her, shaking hands.

Charlotte closed her eyes and opened them after a few seconds. “Thanks, how much’s it?”

“This’s around a thousand, you want the other changed or want to make a deposit.”

“Changed. Big ones.”

“Alright.” He went through the door again.

Once they were out of the exchanging house, Charlotte stretched her arms and breathed out. “That place makes me tense.”

Eve didn’t answer, she kept her sights to the ground, her hands constantly tightening and loosening. “Why did you do that?” She said as they went out of the alley, the sky already purple.

“Hmm? What?” Charlotte walked without turning her head.

“Your gender.”

“It’s easier, no? Women are more vulnerable, at least most people think that way. I don’t think so, but those who think so will come looking for trouble. Just let it be.”

“I see…”

“C’mon! Don’t be so down for it! Be happy!” Charlotte tried to encourage her, but it was never her forte. “I’m gonna give you something to eat, whatever you want!”

“… Thanks.” A strange grin surfaced in her face. “I know of this place I’ve always wanted to try, but it’s expensive. If you want to make me happy, then that’s the way.”

Charlotte paused in her feet for a moment as her face froze with the smile she had. “You’re… Alright, I already said it, so be it.”

“Yes!”

Eve led her to one of the skyscrapers in the city some streets away. Charlotte didn’t manage to count quickly enough how many floors it had, but counted more than fifty before entering. Eve walked to a board which listed the places of the building and stared at it for some minutes.

Charlotte stood beside her and looked around. There were shops of all kind. Is this a mall? Whoa. 

“Ok, I found it, let’s go.” Eve came to her side, held her hand and dragged her to the closest elevator.

“I never thought there was a mall in here.”

“I know, the building looks like any other around, huh.”

“No, I mean, in the city.”

“Really? Hey, we’re not barbarians.” Eve frowned at her and then laughed. “What do you think people do all day? There’s a lot of people, so professions come and go, stores, bartenders, doctors, sellers and buyers. Ah, right, there’s also the need to create things, I think everything is done in the city. If not, we’d be wearing rags all around, no?”

“You’re right.”

“Don’t look at me like that!”

Charlotte had her eyes wide open, staring at Eve. Her legs forgot their way and her mind didn’t remind them.

“I’m not some kind of stupid girl who knows nothing! Stop staring at me like that!”

“Y-yeah, sorry. You really surprised me, huh.”

“Hmph!” Eve grumbled under her nose but her hand never let go of Charlotte’s.

They walked out of the elevator in the 59th floor. Eve ran to the windows to see the city. “Whoa, it’s big! I can see everyone from here!”

Charlotte was right behind her, and agreed that it was certainly not a sight one saw every day. “You can come to see it whenever you want, no?”

“No.” Eve rested her forehead and her hands on the window. “If you don’t buy anything, they’ll get you to pay the entrance once you’re out. That happens after the floor, uhm, 30? I think. And each floor after that’s more expensive. I dunno who designed it so don’t bother.”

“That’s… Interesting?”

“Yep! This way!”

Charlotte turned her head to the window, it looked like a walled city, the space between the skyscrapers were holes in the walls, from which one could see the outside, or the others walls. At least the sky was prettier than in the street. In the streets was an innumerable amount of people, she couldn’t tell apart one head from the other, it was just a mass. The building surrounding them all were different but the similar at the same time, they were skyscrapers. She couldn’t see much green, and only now she realized it. This is the best expression of technology? Heh… How dull.

“C’mon!”

“Yeah,” she walked fast to her friend who only turned around to call her and continued to the store they were to eat in, “I was just looking through the window, such a sight is hard to come by.”

“Yep! It’s here!” Eve turned back and extended her right hand to the side, almost hitting a woman who kept on walking without saying anything else. She had her left on her hips and her feet were more than 20 cm from each other.

“Sock’s Candy? A peculiar name, I admit.”

“And their food’s the best!”

“Really?”

“That’s what everyone says!”

They entered the store and sat in an empty table, of which the store had plenty. Soon afterwards, a girl wearing very tight black shorts and an apparently glued white blouse on her approached them with the menu in her hand. She giggled when she saw how Charlotte kept staring at her. She bowed before them and left the menu on the table.

“Hold up your hand when you’re ready to order.”

“Oh, yeah. Uhm, did you paint your body?”

“… Excuse me?” The waitress tilted her head stiffly with a frozen smile.

“Hiro?”

“Ah, sorry. It’s just, a friend once did that and showed me something similar, so I just went and blurted it out when I thought about it… Sorry.” Her voice lowered after each word until it was nothing more than a whisper, she saw how the girl changed from solid cold to a red, steaming blush.

“I-if you’ll excuse me. P-please have a, p-pleasant dinner.” The girl walked slowly and mechanically.

Charlotte saw some kind of device in the lower part of her back, where the shorts started and tore her eyes away from the girl.

“Why did you tell her that!” Eve whispered furiously.

“Sorry! I couldn’t stop once I found what bugged me about her shirt!” Charlotte whispered in the same way.

“But that’s not something one should tell a girl!”

“Sorry! I just couldn’t help myself!”

“Sigh, at least you behave as a proper boy.”

Charlotte smiled wryly at those words and didn’t deny it.

After a while of being admonished by Eve, Charlotte gave up on her answers and looked at the menu, her mind froze. A single dish is 100FC?! And it’s the cheapest!? What did I get myself into!

Eve saw her expression changing and looked at the menu as well, her expression no different afterwards. “T-this…”

“It’s ok, I promised, right? Ask for whatever. I’ll eat, huh, the same.”

They ordered the same dish after talking for a while. The total, 360 FC. Charlotte felt like crying. It was some kind of exotic meat with a particular sauce brought from somewhere, Charlotte didn’t pay attention to the explanation. She just wanted to be out of that black gobbling hole. Her eyes died while she ate.

“At least this is delish…”

“Yeah.” Eve had to admit that it tasted pretty impressive, though she didn’t know that much about food.

Once they ate their portions, Charlotte paid and went out of the floor without running but fast enough for the little people to look at them in wonder.

“I’m never coming here again.” Was first thing Charlotte said when they arrived at the street again.

“Heheh, sorry! I truly enjoyed it!” Eve hugged Charlotte’s arm to herself. Even if she was taller than her, the difference wasn’t that big and she felt comfortable like that.

“Such stupid rules.” Charlotte saw the sky and realized they forgot something really important, the time. “We gotta hurry to your house, no?”

“Huh?” Eve came out of her dream and saw Charlotte’s face looking at the sky. She turned her head and realized. “It’s past 8, huh.”

“Yeah, it’s dangerous to wander around now, no? Let’s go back fast.”

Charlotte walked as fast as she could with Eve at her side. They slowed down after they hurried for more than ten minutes, they were already near he house. Suddenly, three men wearing coats came out of a corner and approached them.