The Merge by Grace Walker

Author:Grace Walker [Walker, Grace]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: The Merge
ISBN: 9781836430513
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
Published: 2025-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Everything in the apartment is muted: the walls are painted nutmeg, the tables and chairs made from plain blond wood; the carpet is cream. ‘The soft tones allow you to acclimatise more easily,’ Nathan explained when we questioned the bland decor. ‘It would be a nuisance to have to wear your sunglasses all the time, wouldn’t it?’

It’s bright colours we find difficult. Reds, oranges and pinks are the most challenging, their vibrancy causing our eyes to water and our head to pound. Some days, even the plum col­our of Nathan’s tunic has us reaching for our sunglasses.

He sits beside us on the oatmeal-coloured sofa, his feet resting on the matching footstool. His shoes are still on, dirtying the fabric. He’s looking out of the windows. They’re floor-to-ceiling, offering a panoramic view of the complex. There’s the occasional pulse of brightness from the overcast sky as it struggles to block out the sun. ‘How are you feeling today, Laurie-Amelia?’

We try to respond to Nathan, but our mouth remains shut. Please don’t, Amelia. Please don’t respond on my behalf. I can’t stand you speaking for me.

Speak to him yourself, then. Tell him how you feel.

Our mouth opens, but no sound follows.

I can’t. I don’t know how.

‘I saw Noah-Lucas and Lara-Jay this morning,’ Nathan says, lowering his feet and leaving scuff marks on the foot­stool. We’ll scrub them clean later if we have the energy. ‘They’re both doing really well. We walked around the grounds. Right up to the lake and back. It was beautiful. So cold the grass crunched underfoot. Even the cobwebs were covered in frost.’

We consider the dirt, the imprint of their travels. Regret rumbles through us. How we wish we’d been on that walk, or even caught a glimpse of it. We lose hours staring out of the windows, observing the goings-on in The Village, searching for someone we know. We’ve never managed it. We watch unfamiliar Combines, trying to decipher what’s different about them. Why they’ve been allowed out.

As nice as the apartment is, with its spacious rooms and high ceilings, it still feels confining. Suffocating. We yearn for fresh air, for the simple joy of wandering outside, feeling the earth beneath our feet. We daydream about being bare­foot, feeling dew-kissed grass between our toes, the gentle sun warming our face.

The head-talk is all that keeps us sane. If we didn’t have each other to talk to, the silence, the seclusion, would be insufferable.

‘Noah-Lucas is desperate to see you,’ Nathan continues. ‘They’re dying to know you’re okay. I tell them you’re doing well, but they’re reluctant to believe me.’

I don’t blame them. We must be the only ones they haven’t seen.

We try to voice this thought but, again, no words form. We sigh loudly and rest our head against the sofa cushion. Go on then. Speak for me.

‘Are we the only one from our group who hasn’t been out­side yet?’

Nathan considers our question. He’s careful with the infor­mation he shares. For whatever reason, he’s reluctant to speak about the others.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.