Utility Part VIII

 

Bailey had taken to literally biting her tongue in order to stop the questions. She thought them all perfectly reasonable, and relative to her and her husband’s safety.

She listened to Gilby walk and talk. He pointed out three areas located in different quadrants of the subdivision. He then stopped the group.

“Alright everyone, we are going to pause here will I give you some details on the library, and supply caches. But before I get into all that, any questions?” Gilby’s eyes were trained at her.

The tour within the confines of the Prism subdivision had taken her past a community library created within an abandoned home, an entire cul-de-sac of homes that was simply now devoted to various types of outfitting and supplies, and a makeshift church converted from an elementary school.

Bailey despised her own silence, and felt Andy’s mental pleading.

After a few seconds of silence Gilby seemed pleased. “Well then. To start, in order to take any needed item from the supply caches, you need a voucher. There are five kinds of vouchers, all with different point values. You will learn more from your Prism Assigned Area Leader- or “PAAL”, while we get to know you, as a community.”

Bailey now recalled the nametag Clark was wearing when she woke. She didn’t speak, but shot Andy a look while rolling her eyes. He nodded, as if he accepted her answer. However, if he shared her concern, he didn’t voice this to Gilby through a question.

Gilby powered through, with the same bureaucratic zest he displayed when Bailey joined the tour an hour ago. “For now, as you and the Prism community get acquainted just know that supplies are not free. You earn what you need by providing services you perform in exchange for those goods. For those that are perhaps less astute, you can collect and build up smaller vouchers and cash them in for larger value supplies. ”

“What if I need a gun, or another type of weapon?” Bailey heard her ask before she could stop herself.

Apologetically, she heard Andy blurt out, “Gilby, there’s no need to answer that!” Andy punctuated the sentence with a nervous giggle, poorly camouflaged in amicable laughter.

Gilby thought for a moment, at first it seemed he wouldn’t respond, but after pursing his lips he reconsidered. “Weapons are reserved for only class 2 citizens and above. If you have more questions about your class designation, or what is skill sets are needed to achieve a new designation, please consult your PAAL.”

“Sure will.” Bailey pulled the knife she had taken off Clark to the back of her belt, and immediately tugged her shirt tail over it.

“Alright,” Gilby said, clapping his hands together, “Now who has inquiries about the library?”

Diminutively, Mrs. Scallion raised a mature hand. “You mean we can check out books?”

“Why that’s right ma’am.” Gilby exclaimed, “Prism encourages empowerment through self-instruction. We’ve rounded up over 7,000 textbooks, manuals, how-to guides and religious study reads for your own learning needs!” The widened smile on Gilby’s face told volumes of his stance on the library. “Alright. I trust there are no other questions about the community benefits. So we’ll be trucking right along.”

Gilby strutted down the sidewalk, arms in half circles like some out of place mall walker. As they neared a large greenbelt Bailey was certain she heard a distinctive hungry growl.

She jogged ahead of Gilby to check it out.

A zombie. She had to admit she was actually excited about the prospect, and she felt her legs kicking faster as she neared the greenbelt.