I looked at all four white walls surrounding me, a table paired with two chairs all in white was positioned neatly in the middle of the room. Currently, I was an alien with my pink midi dress since the woman who was sitting on one of the chairs also wore something bleached.

"Sit down, " said the woman.

I broke out from my stupor and walked to the table, taking the empty seat facing her. I smiled, yet she didn't return even the slightest curve on her lips. Alas, the void in her expression gave more space to my unease.

"So" —she looked at the clipboard in her hand for a moment—"Charis, right?" she inquired. Once she pulled her eyes to my face, I was locked in her stare. It went on for what felt to me longer than anything deemed usual.

"Yes, " I replied with confidence. At least I thought I did. Fear was the least of my problems here; my Alfie was utmost importance. I refused to let dread get the better of me.

"I see..." The stolid face woman idly muttered. She kept jotting down something on the clipboard which I couldn't see.

I pressed my lips, trying to avoid my mouth from slipping any information or anything at all that could make me look suspicious. Luckily the room temperature was low, or I would already be sweating from the heat of anxiety.

"Do you know why you are here, CHARIS?" She emphasised the latter. Unknown to me why.

Feigning oblivious, I shook my head. What else could I do?

Mute loomed over us for a while until the woman finally spoke, "Well. . . It stated here, it has something to do with a pod that—"

Won over by anxiety, I interjected. "My pod hadn't emerge yet."

Suddenly the woman smirked, but it wasn't the kind of smile that would make you happy. Instead, it sent a chill down my spine, and I baffled how on mother nature a smile could do such a thing.

"Are you sure it didn't just walk away?" she bellowed.

The curve on her lips disappeared for a mere second before a roar of laughter erupted from her mouth. It was so hoarse that the whole room felt like it was vibrating.

Regardless, I contemplated whether staying quiet or snickering would make me look upright. The situation was so complicated that even showing emotion worried me.

"Do you think that's possible Charis?" The woman asked. She continued to chuckle as she briskly wrote more things on the clipboard.

It had come to the point of even the cold couldn't hold back sweats from materialising on my palm. I gripped on my dress skirt under the table to wipe off the dampness. For some reason, I had the feeling the inquisitor was on to me.

"No... That's not possible, " I replied. My voice came out hush as if even it was afraid of the interrogation.

At the time, silence had become an enemy; there was something behind it, the lurking unknown. My wristwatch continued to make a clicking sound as the second passed, and I nervously watched the woman shuffling on her tab.

"I'm afraid we are forced to cut your field trip short Charis. Our representative will meet you tomorrow at the big city and escort you back home, " she concluded.

She didn't have to tell me what she meant by the 'escort'; it was something I had no choice but to follow. What was left of my options was putting on a calm face to mask my frantic heartbeat.

"You may go, " she dismissed.

***

On my way back to the bus, I saw some pod men on a stretcher. Looking at them reminded me more of the impending danger. My seat was in the middle of the row, so I was afraid of any unwanted watchers. So I had to wait for a better time to message my mother.

As I continued watching them brought into the facility one by one, Alatha suddenly spoke.

"They are dying, " she muttered.

I opened my mouth to speak, but my mind couldn't think straight. I was lost for words.

"That's the only reason they are brought to HEROIN. Their organs, especially their sperm will be extracted before they die."

The girl who sat on the row ahead of our seat turned around to face us. "Mine came back fertile, and I decided to try to conceive right away next year, " she said excitedly.

I caught some of the other girls faces veering crestfallen, including Alatha. Another harsh reality about the pod men was that they were mostly barrenness. It was also the reason why the earth's population didn't rapidly thrive.

"Good for you... You should already think of a name, " Alatha sneered.

Luckily the girl ignored her and turned around. The awkward predicament ended without a brawl.

Albeit worrying about my problem, I couldn't neglect the woe on my friend's face. "It's going to be okay. You can always adopt, right?"

"Yes, or if your pod turn out fertile, I can help you raise your daughter, " she said with a warm smile.

Daze settled in me after hearing what Alatha said, but Alfie's matter took up my mind again, so I chose to forget it. My lips pressed to end conversing. A mess of thoughts began to line-in, but a sudden nudge on my arm called for my attention.

"What was Amy doing in your house yesterday?" she muttered while glancing at Amy who was sitting a few rows in front.

"I left my phone in her car, so she stopped by to return it, " I explained.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Is that all?"

I somehow felt uncomfortable by the way she was staring, so I just nodded. Since she stopped prying, I started gaping at the scenery outside as the bus move.

We passed a vast windmill power plant which consumed hundreds of acres land. Some more deserted small city which was covered by vines was visible along the way. Then a town which looked like it was used to be a harbour port unfolded in the distance. There were boats and ships converted into homes which looked remarkable.

The sun was almost setting down when a giant statue of a woman holding a torch came into view. Every girl started poking their heads out from the window and pointed to it in awe.

"The magnificent Lady Liberty, " our chaperone announced.

There were people visibly working below the statue and it was strangely painted a darker green shade up to its knee. A bridge or some kind was under construction to link the city and the land where the statue was located.

"During the old days, they offer boat rides to go there, but since the harbour depth had decreased, they decide to make a bridge. The exhibit is still close sadly."

That information, although indirectly, gave a perspective of the effect of climate change to a whole new level. And we bare witness to its reality.

Only about a quarter of the immense concrete jungle before us started to reflect life with lights, while the rest was submerged slowly into the darkness.

I looked up to a sizeable meniphic floating near a high building that was airing a video. It played a clip of a beautiful woman closing her lights and going to work using a bicycle.

"Save the earth, save a life." The narrator repeated several times as the video shuffled.

***

After a long day on the road, we finally settled at the hotel. Each room occupied three, and we got to choose our roommates. So long story short, I was lying on a big queen size bed with Alatha, and Amy was bouncing on her single bed with glee.

The room was posh; the wall was painted ivory, the duvets were primrose pink, and every other furniture were nearly under the same tone. Only the painting and the flatscreen television hung on the wall made out a dark colour.

"This room is nice," Alatha started.

"Yeah, " I replied, eyes stuck on my phone with the time shown on it.

The abundance of worry had taken over my mind and I just couldn't wait any longer. Although the hotel was state of the art, it wasn't occupied with a private bathroom. Probably water wasn't a crisis faced only by our small town, but also here.

I was about to excuse myself but Alatha beat me to it, "I'll be off to the showers. You girls wanna come with?"

"Nope. The bed is too comfy. I'll rather stink," Amy replied.

"I need to call my mom first. You go on ahead, " I informed.

Since the talk between Alatha and me at the cafe, I couldn't get off my worry if she were to know about Alfie. Time was at stake, so when I heard the door clicked shut, I took out my phone and didn't waste time typing the message for my mother.

Ma, HEROIN will come tomorrow. What are we going to do? How are we going to hide him?

I only managed to click the send button before I sensed something looming behind me. When I turned around my sight engulfed Alatha instantly. But she suddenly bent down to get something on the floor.

With inscrutable on her face, she stated, "I dropped my towel."

Did she see my message?

To be continued...

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