About Sisterland (37 page)

Constance’s spirits leapt. Here was the best of all possible worlds! “Thank you, Patience. I’m grateful. You’ve no idea how much this means to me.”

“We’ll expect a lot from you in return.”

“I’ll do my best for the Silent Revolution. Is there anything you want me to do now?”

“Not yet. You’ll be told when the time comes. Wait here for five minutes. We shouldn’t arrive at Shaperhaus together.”

Constance watched the retreat of the straight spine and precise steps.

Unexpectedly, Patience doubled back.

“I presume you’ll be at the Memoryday ceremony in three days’ time? For Honour’s sake?”

Constance nodded.

“Make sure your seat is near the steps to the stage. They have more space round them. It’ll be full to capacity, and a babyfused sister shouldn’t risk being caught in the crush.”

So even Patience had a soft spot for babies! “I’d need a priority pass for one of those places.”

“So ask the Shaper Mother. Do it for your baby. Public events can be unpredictable beasts.”

Chapter 31

That night, Constance went to Harper’s eat-easy. Graffiti that was now a familiar sight was printed on the wall outside.

We will not be SILENCED

Beside it, a removal spray in her hand, was Serenity. She pouted, as red as the paint.

“That slogan’s springing up all over town, sister. I’ve tried scrubbing it with every cleaning product on the market, but it’s impossible to budge. They even painted it on a wall in the Sistercentral grounds. Hard to believe, with all those scrutineers. But my other saw it with her own eyes. Back looking for calcium soup?”

“I didn’t order it in advance.”

“As it happens, I did. I knew you’d be back. Anyone who tastes our rice squares always comes back for more.”

They went inside, where Constance hovered by the counter, trying to make conversation so that Harper would hear her, until Serenity said, “I’d take the weight off my feet, in your condition. Swollen ankles are no joke. I know all about them in my line of business.”

Constance sat with a view of the kitchen hatch. She thought she could detect the back of Harper’s head, but it was impossible to tell with a hood. How hot it must be for men in kitchens. Yet they weren’t permitted to unhood. No allowances were made for working environments.

After eating, she lingered, until Serenity hinted about closing time. Outside, Constance waited at the back of the office building where she and Harper had spoken a few days previously. It was an uncomfortable wait, her tolerance levels compromised by babyfusion. Her feet were throbbing, her armpits itched and her hairline was slick with perspiration. By the time Harper arrived, she ached all over.

“I heard you talking in the easy.”

“I hoped you would.”

“You look different.”

“Because I’m babyfused? I seem to be ballooning.”

“No, because of the skin.”

“You don’t like me in it? I was wearing it the last time we met, but you didn’t mention it.”

“It makes you remote.”

“I’m still me under it, Harper. You look different, too, in that hood. But I try to see past it.”

“A skin masks a woman’s face. It’s a copy of what lies beneath, but it hides something essential.”

“Fair point. But I wear it to guard against environmental damage and not to cover my face.”

“Though it does.”

“Though it does,” she conceded. “Look, let’s not waste time. Those women I mentioned. The ones who don’t like the way Sisterland is run. They belong to a group called the Silenced. They’re planning a Silent Revolution – for a different kind of Sisterland.”

His eyes became twin torches. “They’ll help me to escape?”

“Something better than that. At least, I think it’s better. You’ll be able to stay in Sisterland, and live with me and our baby. If you want to, I mean. You can look after the baby while I work – they want me to play some kind of figurehead role. It’s because of Silence, my other. Those details don’t matter, though. What matters, Harper, is there’s a movement to replace the Nine. And it wants change. Conditions will improve. For men. For everyone.”

“The Nine won’t go quietly.”

“True. But there’s a chance it will happen. We have to hope.”

“What else will they change? Will they do away with hoods and skins? With matingplace and Hutchtown? Will they pay men for their work?”

“Maybe. I only know what I’ve been promised: that we can be together. That’s how it used to be, in PS days. You didn’t know, did you? Women have hidden that from men. We used to live together, and raise our children. Would you like that?”

“We’d live together in my forest?”

Her pleasure in the deal offered by Patience was checked. She hadn’t factored in how attached he was to his forest. “We have to live in Harmony, Harper – your forest’s a long way from here. You see, the new regime will expect speeches from me. I’ll have to appear at rallies, and so on. That’s the price we’re obliged to pay. I know you love your forest – I know living away from it would be a sacrifice. But surely who we’re with matters more than where we are. This allows us to be together. With our child. Wouldn’t that be enough for you, Harper?”

At first, he said nothing. Then he pushed back his hood, and his eyes fastened on hers. “I’ve forgotten what a tree looks like.” His voice was desolate.

“I don’t understand.”

“The Hutchtown Mother. To keep me under control, she’s had things taken away from me.”

“What things?”

“My mind picture of trees. I know the names, and I know they matter to me, but I can’t call up the images any more. Constance, I’m a forester, and I don’t know what a tree looks like. They say, ‘It’s dangerous to remember too much’ but they’re lying. It’s dangerous to remember too little.”

“You’ll remember them again one day. The memory will break through. It won’t stay smothered.”

“The man I work with in the easy says there are trees in Harmony. But if I’ve seen them, I don’t recognise them for what they are. I don’t connect with them.”

“We have some trees in the city, along boulevards and avenues. They’re small – we use them for decoration. And there are beautiful trees in the grounds of Sistercentral – not that you can go in there, I’m afraid. When you see a forest again, you’ll remember trees.”

“I hope so.”

“Concentrate on afterwards. When we’re allowed to be together. I live near the riverbank, it has a few trees. Not many. But it’s peaceful there. You can see frogs, and fish, and all sorts of insects. Well, maybe not all sorts – many are extinct. But some still survive. We could build a good life, Harper. If everything goes according to plan.”

He took her hand between both of his. Turning it over, he kissed it on the inner wrist against the pulse point. “If, Constance, if. You’re not free here, any more than I am. And how free will you be with this new group of women? Using you as a figurehead because of something your other did – that’s another control. Another untruth. I don’t like the sound of it.”

“I know it’s not ideal. They say I’ll be part of an elite. That sets warning bells ringing for me, too. But what alternative do we have? Trying to escape is riskier. I can’t go yet, I’m babyfused. Even if we wait till after the baby, Outsideland is a total unknown. At least Sisterland is knowable. And we can be together.”

“We could be together in Outsideland.”

“They’re not offering to help you escape. This is the deal. I become some kind of figurehead, they let me be with you. And we raise our baby together. Think of it, Harper! That’s an amazing prospect! You can teach our child about the forest, and the creatures living there. Perhaps the three of us might be able to visit there one day. How about it? Isn’t it worth a try, at least?”

“I guess so.” In a rush, he said, “Don’t get in any deeper than you have to, Constance. Not for me, not for anybody. This is dangerous.”

Constance filled her chest with oxygen. “I didn’t want to tell you, but things are unsafe for me anyway. I don’t fancy my chances after I become a source. The Shaper Mother’s protecting me, but she won’t be able to keep me out of harm’s way for much longer. Not now, when I won’t spy on the Silenced for them.” She laid her hands on either side of his face. “The truth is, I don’t have anything to lose by accepting this deal. But I have you to gain, Harper.”

He tilted her chin, drawing her face closer, mouth fastening on mouth. And possibilities glimmered.

When they drew apart, he said, “All we do is talk about me. How are you feeling? How’s our baby?”

“It wants me to eat all the time, and then it gives me heartburn.”

He laughed, low in his throat, and the love she felt for him caught at her. She pressed herself close to him, feeling his body heat against her through the coarse material of his clothing. She longed to believe the Silenced would succeed against the Nine, and she could be with Harper. But she didn’t know if she truly could believe it. It had to be an act of faith. For now, she’d have to make herself believe. It would keep her putting one foot in front of the other.

As they prepared to separate, he asked when they could be together again.

“Not till after Memoryday. Will you have the day off? Most of the easies are closing.”

“I’ll be in Hutchtown. Out of sight, out of mind. That’s how your sisters like men.”

“Not me. I’ll be thinking about you. Always. I suppose the Silenced might try to make an impact at one or other of the events. It’ll be too good an opportunity to pass up.”

“Keep your head down, Constance. You don’t owe them anything.”

“But I do, Harper. I owe them for you – for what they’re promising to do for you.”

With an abruptness she wasn’t expecting, he stepped back, pulling up his hood. She knew, without being told, that he resented his dependence on her to free him.

“If this revolution of theirs fails, there’ll be
discontinuations, Constance. Stay on the sidelines for as long as you can.” He backed away, into the darkness.

“Wait! Harper! You’re frightening me! I’m not one of the leaders.”

His voice floated behind him. “You’re a symbol. Nothing’s more dangerous than that.”

Chapter 32

On Memoryday, Constance was struck by an unusual ambience. Something had taken hold of Harmony and shaken it out of its customary detachment. Girlplace was closed, matingplace was closed, Shaperhaus was closed – everyone except essential workers had the day off. But that wasn’t the reason. Nor was it the uplifting music and images coming from public entscreens. Nor even the promise of a general moe-release that evening. It was difficult to pinpoint its origins, but a live current was running through the city.

Constance walked about, observing the holiday
atmosphere. Except it was more than that. It was febrile.

“Sister, you’re advised to make your way indoors as soon as possible.” A peer, holding a small mesh bowl over her lower face, spoke to Constance.

“Is something wrong?”

“A moe factory was infiltrated last night by subversives. A rash of moes was released any which way. A clean-up operation was activated at once, but traces of moe remain in the atmosphere. All sorts of moes, all mixed up. It’s causing sisters to be excitable. Unpredictable.”

“I don’t feel as if I’m absorbing any moes.” The hybrid blend had worn off quickly – here was further proof that she was growing immune to artificial moes.

“Maybe not. The unauthorised release was interrupted. But better safe than sorry.”

“Has the rally been called off?”

“I don’t have any information on that. It would certainly
be a shame if the Silenced stopped the rally. It’s the
Memoryday highlight.”

There was a burst of high-pitched laughter from a group of sisters further along the street. Another sister ran across the road to join them, darting in front of a peer vehicle which swerved to avoid her. Its horn blared.

The peer talking to Constance clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Jay-walking – how irresponsible!”

She started towards the group. Constance watched as they argued with the peer. Were they mocking her? She’d never seen a peer faced down before. A snatch of the obedience song drifted back.

Don’t fight, do right!

Don’t wallow, follow!

Don’t delay, obey!

But it was being sung with derision.

The sound of rubber on concrete made her look in the other direction, as the peer vehicle reversed. Peers were emptying out, all holding white mesh receptacles over their noses, and the singing stopped. The women were persuaded to disperse.

Constance turned her steps towards the rally. Breaking into a moe factory was quite a coup for the Silenced. She wondered whether it had been Patience’s idea, or Goodwill’s, and if it was part of a plan to disrupt Memoryday. But her sandals pinched, distracting her. Her feet were spreading outwards under the weight of babyfusion. Soon, she’d be unable to fit into any of her footwear. Roll on the tenth week, when she’d be allowed time off on full pay, and could pad about barefoot in the oneser. Imagine if the Silent Revolution had the vision to allow space in the world for fathers to live with babyfused women, and help them through it.