Reached (Matched, #3)

by Ally Condie

The Pilot is a man who pushed a stone and washed away in the water. It is a woman who crossed the river and looked to the sky. The Pilot is old and young and has eyes of every color and hair of every shade; lives in deserts, islands, forests, mountains, and plains.

morning, the sun comes up and turns the earth red, and I think: This could be the day when everything changes. Maybe today the Society will fall.

Three Officials walk up to the door of a little house at sunset.

see the circle-shaped insignia sewn on the right pocket of the youngest Official’s uniform. The circle is bright red and looks like a drop of blood. I smile and he does, too. Because the Official: is me.

the past, the Official Ceremony was a big occasion at City Hall.

stood there with four others, all of us in new white uniforms. The head Official pinned the insignia on my pocket: the red circle representing the Medical Department.

Hall, we all committed to the Society and pledged to achieve our Society-designated potential.

I’m not really an Official. I mean, I am, but my true loyalt...

She’s got her head down like she’s hoping we won’t notice her. Her parents follow behind, all three of them heading toward the nearest air-train stop. It’s the fifteenth, so the Match Banquet is tonight.

Society doesn’t talk about it much, but things are harder in the Border Provinces.

Everything here in Camas Province is kind of dirty and worn out.

mother holds out the baby for us to see. “Seven ...

That’s why we’re here. Welcoming Day celebrations are always held a week ...

eyes are closed, but we know from our data that the color is deep b...

“According to the data, we’re missing an older sibling,” the second in command, Official Lei, says in her gentle voice. “Did you want him to be present for the ceremony?” “He was tired after dinner,”

Since the little boy is just over two years old—nearly perfect spacing between siblings—he’s not required to be in attendance.

“Ory,” Official Brewer repeats. “And for his middle name?” “Burton,”

The parents come closer to the port to see the baby’s name: ORY BURTON FARNSWORTH.

he leads an ideal life, the Society plans to use the same bar code to mark his tissue preservation sample at his Final Celebration.

Official Brewer looks at me. “Official Carrow,” he says, “it’s time for the tablet.” My turn. “We have to give the tablet in front of the port,”

These tablets are round and made up of what looks like three tiny pie wedges: one-third blue, one-third green, and one-third red.

The disease-proofing tablet looks childish and colorful. They always remind me of the paint palettes on our screens back in First School.

Society gives the tablet to all babies to keep them safe from illness and infection.

“Would you mind opening his mouth for me?” I ask the baby’s mother. When she tries to open his mouth, the baby turns his head, looking for food and trying to suck.

“Ory Burton Farnsworth,” Official Brewer says, “we welcome you to the Society.” “Thank you,”

Sometimes I wonder if she’s part of the rebellion, too, and knows what I’m doing—replacing the disease-proofing tablets with the ones the Rising gave to me. Almost every child born in the Provinces within the past two years has had one of the Rising immunizations instead of the Society’s.

Thanks to the Rising, this baby won’t only be immune to most illnesses. He’ll also be immune to the red tablet, so the Society can’t take his memories. Someone did this for me when I was a baby. They did the same for Ky. And, probably, for Cassia.

Years ago, the Rising infiltrated the dispensaries where the Society makes the d...

Our tablets include everything the Society uses, plus the immunity to the red tablet, plus something more.

They had to choose only some of us, based on who they thought might turn out to be useful to them later. Now they finally have enough for everyone. The Rising is for everyone.

Another family with a daughter wearing Banquet attire hurries down the street. They’re late, and the mother is not happy. “I told you again and again—”

“When do you next see your Match?” Official Lei asks me. “I don’t know,” I say. “The Society hasn’t scheduled our next port-to-port communication.”

Official Lei is a little older than I am: at least twenty-one, because she’s celebrated her Marriage Contract.

The Society doesn’t like us to get too specific when we talk about our work assignments with others.

Cassia’s aware that I’m an Official, but she doesn’t know exactly what I

Everyone knows about the medics because they can diagnose and help people. There are also surgics who operate, pharmics who make medicines, nurses who assist,

Or, if we become Officials, we’re often asked to serve on Committees, which is what I do.

According to the Society, this assignment is one of the most important ones an Official can have.

then I realize she’s asking about Cassia’s dress. “She chose green,” I say. “She looked beautiful.”

“Contact the medics on the port,”

The mother looks up at us, her face ashen. She still holds the baby. The older child lying on the bed doesn’t move at all.

red mark in between his shoulder blades and I feel a rush of pity and exultation. This is it. The Rising said it would look like this.

The most telltale sign of the live Plague virus is one or more small red marks on the back of the patient.

“He’s breathing,” Official Brewer says. “His pulse is fine,” Official Lei says. “The medics will be here soon,” I tell the mother.

“Can’t you do something for him?” she asks. “Medicine, treatment . . .” “I’m sorry,” Official Brewer says. “We need to get to the medical center before we can do anything more.”

Once the Rising comes to power, we’ll all be able to choose.

she knew that was coming. I think she was surprised by how it felt.

Cassia, I’m in love with you and I want you. So, what will it take for you to feel the same? A whole new world?

When I see him next, I’ll kiss him first. He’ll pull me so close that the poems I keep underneath my shirt, near my heart,

He will tell me where he has been. I will tell him where I want to go.