67/33: Maryn's Tale

Maryn tore into her sandwich, her tastebuds stinging with the flavor. Pastrami, cucumber, and mustard may have seemed like a psychopathic combination to some, but it did the job, it made her feel alive. Her coworkers gave her strange looks. They didn’t understand. Sure, they knew that beyond the walls that shielded The Haven from the rest of the world, there were people, children who would kill for a bite of Maryn’s disgusting sandwich—and who probably had, but they didn’t see the utter despair on the faces of those children who didn’t make it, those who were left to the outside…

There were tests for these things, blood tests that were meant to be foolproof, yet Maryn was still paid to conduct interviews. Her superiors said she was meant to root out anomalies, those who could trick the test. Maryn sometimes thought that the boss just wanted the infected to suffer a little more than they already had. Maryn’s interrogations often made them weep, but she didn’t pity the infected, not usually, at least. They were the reason that mankind had to hide underground and eventually make a mass exodus for The Haven. People used to travel, they used to explore wide-open spaces, now those places belonged to the infected, and Maryn was supposed to be grateful to have been born on the right side of The Haven’s whitewashed walls.

Maryn’s watch beeped, alerting her that lunch was over. She let out a hiss and dropped her half-eaten sandwich on the table. Her coworkers could complain all they wanted, she was the best at her job, and no force would convince the boss to let her go. He wouldn’t so much as reprimand her.

Maryn’s office was simple, just as she liked it. It had smooth white walls, faded grey carpet, and a low ceiling. In the center of the room was the cheap wooden table, where her tablet was currently resting, with a metal chair on either side. On the table was the room’s crowning glory, a lovely glass pitcher, and a single tall cup. Maryn filled the cup in preparation for her next interview and inspected her soft pink blazer and white blouse for noticeable mustard stains. Thankfully there were none. After she ran out of busy work, Maryn checked her calendar and watch to make sure she hadn’t mixed up times or dates. As usual, she was punctual, the interviewee was late again.

Maryn tapped her manicured nails against the table. This would affect her schedule. For his disrespect, she hoped he was infected. Then the door opened, and a dirty teenage boy stumbled into the room.

“You’re late.” Maryn tapped the screen of her tablet a few times. She wasn’t recording anything, but he certainly didn’t have to know that.

“I’m sorry. I ran into some of the infected.” He sank into the chair across from Maryn. He was a gangly kid with dark hair and heavy brows. He was covered in sweat, and his clothes were torn and dirty.

“I see.” Maryn tried not to wrinkle her nose at the boy’s odor. “This is why The Haven exists, for the 33 percent of us humans who weren’t infected. Assuming you truly are one of us…”

The boy’s eyes only flittered away from her for a moment before he met her gaze with severity.

“I am.”

Maryn pushed the glass of water towards him. “We’ll see. Name?”

The boy showed no interest in the water. “Gaige Friar.”

Of course, Maryn already knew the boy’s name. She was a professional, after all. She’d read his file, but the less he thought she knew, the better. A last name was rather rare for an outsider. His parents must have possessed an unusually high amount of pride in their heritage. “Age?”

“Seventeen.”

“And how would you describe yourself?”

Gaige shrugged. “Normal.”

Maryn tilted her head. “What would you classify as normal?”

“I don’t know, unable to survive in the world?” Gaige was silent for a moment, there was something on his mind, but he wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to say. Maryn nodded encouragingly so Gaige continued. “I’ve always wanted to have powers like the infected, but I can’t. I have friends who look out for me, but they can’t protect me forever.”

Maryn smirked a little at the boy’s admiration for the infected, even though the creatures out there were the reason he couldn’t survive outside of the Haven. “Powers…” She pretended to write on her tablet again. “You should know that I’m the best in my field. If you do have any unnatural abilities I will find out. I always do.”

“Of course.”

“When did you first realize that you did not have the same abilities as the infected?”

“That’s a trick question.” Gaige looked down at the table, then back up at Maryn. “To have powers you have to catch the illness, and I never did.”

“Are you sure?”

“Certain.”

“Well, we still need to run a blood test to ensure that you are clean, and I must be certain that your loyalty is to the Haven.”

“Of course.” Gaige ran his fingers along the smooth surface of the glass. “I met some amazing people out there, but you are my kind. I understand that. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“Wonderful, that’s what we like to hear.” Maryn turned off her tablet. “Aaand… I think that’s it.”

Gaige’s eyes widened in excitement and confusion. “Really? I was expecting…”

“You must be relieved. It’s a wonder you survived so long living amongst those monstrosities.”

“Monstrosities?” Gaige shook his head.” Y-you don’t know what you’re talking about. They’re not all power-hungry. Some are good people. My friends—”

“There are no good ones.” Maryn’s voice softened. “Your so-called friends…lied to you.”

“They stood by me!”

“They were only protecting you for their amusement. Or maybe they wanted to infect you and make you an abomination just like them.”

“Shut up!” Gaige stood, toppling his chair over. In that moment of peak anger, the glass, which had stood so perfectly before moved ever so slightly in Maryn’s direction.

“But, of course, you already are like them. Aren’t you, Mr. Friar?”

Gaige looked at the glass in horror. “I-I shook the table. I caught it with my knee standing up.”

“The table isn’t moving,” Maryn said pleasantly.

“Please, that can’t count.”

“Oh, it does.” Maryn pushed the glass back towards Gaige with her index finger.

“I-I’m so weak.” Tears began streaming down Gaige’s cheeks. “That’s the strongest it’s ever been. I can’t fend for myself out there.”

“Thank goodness for your friends.”

Gaige’s tears were running into his mouth and snot was dripping from his nose. His face was all puffed up and red. The little tantrum wasn’t doing much to make Maryn feel for him. He looked at her with his wet, pink eyes and rasped, “I’m a burden.” His voice grew to a shout. “Xander can fly, but he doesn’t because he’s afraid to leave me behind! Leslie’s been stabbed protecting me! I can’t do this to them!”

Maryn pressed the security button located just under her desk. “We have another aggressive infected. Please escort him to the back gate.”

“I won’t go! My telekinesis might be weak, but I can fight you with my bare hands.”

“Mr. Friar, I have a taser.”

Gaige struggled pointlessly as security dragged him away. It was sad, really, the way the infected couldn’t control themselves. Maryn wished she could go back. She wished that she could salvage what those in the Haven were so disgusted by. She mourned the potential that she was allowing to go wasted. She stood up and left her office. Maybe it wasn’t too late, but surely by this point, someone had already thrown away her sandwich.