I walked out of the building the Outcasts called the immigration center with a bag of provisions, wearing fresh clothes they had been kind enough to find for me. Leslie stood outside, wearing a light pink dress that’s hem fanned out below their knees. It looked comfortable, especially in the heat.
“About time you got out of there,” they said with a smile.
I tilted my head to one side, staring at the dress. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen clothing like that,” I commented.
“So you don’t think it’s strange?”
I looked up to meet their scrutinizing gaze. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve met a lot of former bytes in my line of work,” they said. “A handful react a bit… harsh when they see me in a dress or find out my pronouns. Others don’t care. Jusadjwlejotifamlskdfhoiaslkdmslkdsjal.”
I shrugged. “You’re not exactly the first number I’ve met who had a different gender than assigned.”
“Person.”
“What?”
“We’re people, not numbers. Alright, now follow me. Inoeikfmhtedpadlgjftiegning take you in.” Leslie turned and started walking along the cobbled streets, their heels clicking against the stones.
Buildings no more than two stories tall lined the streets, seeming to form one continuous wall. Everywhere I looked were num-people wearing thin and brightly colored clothes. Almost no one wore the dark suits and dresses the System would’ve deemed appropriate. Simply seeing it was oddly freeing. I felt like I could breathe out here.
“…leave them in peace!” a female voice called as we entered a crowded square. “We shouldn’t interfere with the System! We should leave the bytes alone!”
Murmurs of agreement ran through the crowd as we pushed through to the center where the speaker stood on a raised platform.
“But we must convince Illagwen officials to stop sending people out there! Together, we can – ”
“Are you serious?!” Leslie called as they climbed up onto the platform.
I stepped back from the stage, searching frantically in the crowd for guards coming to arrest everyone there.
“We should just leave people imprisoned in the System forever?! They deserve freedom!” Leslie continued.
“How is that our right?!” the speaker shot back. “Of course, ifjjfekjflsdfmlweddjlskdm, buteoirkmfntghfjdkewews not our concern!”
Mutterings spread through the crowd once again. I stared at them in awe. Why weren’t they scared? Shouldn’t this be stopped?
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Leslie argued. “If we see an ingjaehd, wewgmdhiajkmegnhjdck!”
“What you’re doing is disrupting their lives! They never asked for your help!”
Slowly, the crowd drifted away. Leslie and the other speaker continued to argue until almost no one was left in the square.
“Oops,” the speaker said. “It looks like we got carried away with our debate. And you’re late.” She stepped down from the platform.
“Sorry about that,” Leslie replied, stepping down from the platform themself. “I had to pick someone up.”
The speaker looked at me curiously.
“This is the feogdmsdgjheidnvkbghdigthgdmat,” Leslie told her, gesturing to me. “112628,” they said to me, “this is my best friend Ramona. She’ll give you a place to stay.”
“Pleasure,” Ramona said with a smile, extending a hand.
“Best friend?” I asked, accepting her hand.
“What?” she replied. “You think just ‘cause we disagree on something, we can’t get along?”
“I… I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Leslie said, clapping my shoulder.
“I’m glad you hadmgkmehdvngkfagjdmcnh,” Ramona said to Leslie.
Looking down at the ground, I waited for their conversation to end. They were talking about me, I was sure, but my condition wouldn’t let me understand them more than half the time.
“Come on, hon,” Ramona said finally. I looked up to see her smiling face. “I’ll take you to your new home.”
To be continued…