After The Fires | Book 2 | The Trials Ahead

by Greene, Kellee L.

  “Oh, my dear,” Keeper Marie hissed. “You can’t do this to me.”

  I bit my tongue. The numbness from my teeth depressing into the soft flesh trickled down the back of my throat, making my neck tingle.

  “All the other Keepers and their girls are watching us,” Keeper Marie said. “We need you to pull it together.”

  Steph didn’t respond.

  Keeper Marie hesitated before she raised her hand. Ivy and Farmer Watson shuddered at the unexpectedly sharp sound of the crack of her palm against Steph’s cheek.

  “This will not be tolerated, Farmer!” Keeper Marie’s voice awkwardly shifted an octave higher than usual.

  Steph’s eyes moved to meet Keeper Marie. “Go away. I’m tired.”

  Keeper Marie gasped. She got to her feet and nearly tipped over. She pressed her palm to her chest and pretended to catch her breath.

  “Do I need to get a Watcher in here?” Keeper Marie asked.

  “No,” I said, stepping forward. “That’s not necessary.”

  Keeper Marie looked stunned as I blocked her view of Steph. Her eyes narrowed, and I looked down at my feet, waiting for her hand to smack me.

  “She’ll be better tomorrow,” I said, swallowing hard. I was offering her something I didn’t know if I’d be able to give her. “The other Keepers won’t suspect a thing.”

  Keeper Marie huffed. “After her stunt today—”

  “She just needs rest. You know that. It’s been hard for her,” I said.

  “It’s been a hard day of work for us,” Keeper Marie said.

  I wanted to remind her she hadn’t lifted a finger, but I kept the thought to myself. “Of course, just give her time. You’ll see.”

  “Hmm,” Keeper Marie said. “Fine. I hope you’re right. Evening Blessings, ladies. I’ll see all of you in the morning.”

  “Blessings,” I replied.

  Ivy echoed me, and Farmer Watson blinked twice to give Keeper Marie her Blessings too.

  Keeper Marie’s eyelids fluttered before she turned on her heel and stormed out of the cabin with a huff. My shoulders relaxed at the sound of the door closing.

  “Wow. What were you thinking?” Ivy asked.

  “I have no idea,” I said. “I just didn’t want her to get a Watcher. A beating isn’t going to help Steph.”

  “I can’t be here anymore,” Steph muttered without blinking. “I need to get sent back there. They brought me here before I was completely healed.”

  I bit back my frown. “You know as well as I do, they aren’t going to send you back.”

  “Well, they will when they see I wasn’t ready,” Steph said. Her eyes brightened slightly. “You don’t know what it’s like there.”

  “I know it’s been some time since I’ve been there—”

  “Shh!” Ivy scolded.

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s been some time, but I doubt it’s changed that much.”

  “It’s glorious,” Steph said.

  “Did you even go outside the clinic?” I asked.

  Steph shook her head. “I was confined to my room, but I had a window. And the medics and nurses were so kind. Anything I wanted I could have.”

  “Well, not anything if they wouldn’t let you leave,” I mumbled.

  “Everything in the city was different.” Steph sat up as a smile curled onto her face. “I saw a patch of grass. Everything was clean. I didn’t hear coughing or sneezing.” She turned and looked down her nose at me. “People there showered.”

  “You do know we’d shower every day too if they let us,” I said, crossing my arms.

  Steph’s shoulders dropped with her exhale. “I got a shower every day. Well, maybe not the first couple of days. Those were kind of a blur.”

  “What happened?” I asked as the back of my throat dried, stopping me from asking what she knew about Watcher Brody. Would she have seen where he’d gone or if he’d been punished?

  Steph grimaced. “They took me out of the farms, but I can’t really remember how. I woke up in the room the next day. Everyone was dressed in white. There were at least six people around the bed… I think some were in black… Watchers, maybe. They injected me with something, and I fell asleep. How long was I gone?”

  “Too long,” I said.

  “You didn’t keep track?” Steph asked.

  I shook my head. “Sorry. You know it’s impossible to keep track of time here.”

  “You could have counted the days,” Steph said, crossing her arms.

  “I didn’t think to,” I said.

  “Well, it doesn’t really matter, I suppose. They shouldn’t have brought me back before I was ready, though,” Steph said. “I don’t know how they expect me to work in these conditions.”

  “The same way they expect any of us to do it. We don’t have a choice. If we don’t work, we’re whipped,” I said, showing her the scars on the back of my arm. “You know all this.”

  Steph shook her head. “It’s different for me. I’ve been through so much. I’m traumatized.”

  I wanted to tell her we were all traumatized, but she would have just let us know how much worse it was for her. Everything was always worse for Steph.

  I sat next to her, clasping my hands together. My fingers squeezed so tightly my entire hand was numb.

  “Steph,” I said gently as though I were afraid speaking too loudly would cause her to panic. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Remember, we’re all here because we’ve done something wrong. We have to pay the price.”

  “You sound ridiculous,” Steph said, getting to her feet. She walked without trouble to the window. “We all know how unfair this is. I didn’t even do anything that bad.”

  “Steph, no! This is forbidden,” Ivy said.

  The color left Steph’s face and her shoulders rounded. Her eyes focused on something outside.

  “Well, it’s true.” Steph’s voice was feather-soft. “We’re all punished the same for doing different wrongs. It’s not fair.”

  My heart pounded. I had done something terrible. If anyone deserved to be on the farms for life, it was me, and here I was, the one trying to find a way to escape.

  “I’m going to be before we get in trouble,” Ivy said, covering her ears. “Glad you’re okay, Steph. We were worried about you.”

  Steph ignored her.

  Farmer Watson and Ivy both crawled into their beds and turned their backs to us. They were afraid of what would happen if anyone heard us. We could be punished for what we’ve already said, and we’d be reminded that The Mother would hear us. She’d be so disappointed and displeased.

  “You know,” Steph said. “They told me how lucky I was to be alive.”

  “I’m glad you’re okay too,” I said.

  Steph turned and met my eyes for the first time since she was back. “I wish they would have just let me die rather than bringing me back here.”

  3

  Steph had made it through the first morning of work. It was a half-assed effort, but she’d made it.

  Whenever our paths crossed, she told me something she thought was absolutely incredible about the city. It was never anything that impressed me much, but it did annoy me. I didn’t want to feel jealous, so I didn’t allow myself to feel anything but anger at the things she told me.

  Several times I’d been tempted to either tell Steph about what Hawk and I were planning or to tell her to shut the hell up. But I was too afraid to do either.

  If she found out what we were planning, she wouldn’t keep her mouth shut. Maybe a time would come when I could tell Steph, but that time wasn’t now.

  “The people in the city wear the same necklace you got from The Supreme Lord,” Steph said.

  “It’s just a religious symbol.” I shrugged.

  “I hope I get one soon,” Steph said with wide, hopeful eyes. “You should have seen my room, Cory. You wouldn’t have even believed it.”

  I bit my lip at the sound of my name. Steph was becoming more and more careless as
the day went on.

  “It felt at least ten degrees cooler in there too,” Steph said. “Everything is just so much better there. Peaceful. Absolute bliss. I wish I wouldn’t have been such a stupid, careless teenager.”

  I wished that about myself too.

  Steph set down her bucket and pressed her finger to her lower back. She winced as she leaned forward.

  “The pain is unreal,” Steph said. “Could you get Keeper Marie?”

  I didn’t have to. She was already on her way over.

  “What’s going on here,” Keeper Marie growled. “Get back to work, Farmers!”

  I turned and walked away slowly. I wanted to be able to listen for as long as I could.

  “The pain is so severe,” Steph said with a heavy sniff. “I’m stiff and sore. I need medicine.”

  Keeper Marie clicked her tongue. “I’m sorry, Farmer Ripley, but I’ve been told all your tests came back perfectly. You’ve been cleared to work, and that’s final. If you needed medicine, they would have given it to me to administer to you, and my dear, they didn’t.”

  “They told me I was lucky to be alive,” Steph whined. “I almost died. You know that, right?”

  “You watch your mouth!” Keeper Marie snapped.

  “I lost tons of blood.” Steph’s voice cracked. I could tell she was crying, even though her voice was fading more and more with each step I took. “They must have told you that.”

  I dumped my water quickly so I could head back toward them. I kept my eyes down, which helped me focus on their words.

  “The only reason they took you in was because of how much blood you lost,” Keeper Marie said, pointing a finger at her. “Otherwise, you would have been left here to heal. I would have been tasked with taking care of you. That’s my job as your Keeper. To keep you well enough to continue your work.”

  “Then listen to me when I tell you I’m not well,” Steph said.

  Keeper Marie grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. Steph’s body flopped around like a dying fish.

  “This has to stop. Pull it together. You know you can’t go back there,” Keeper Marie said.

  “I need medicine,” Steph said between her tears.

  Keeper Marie stopped shaking her and covered her mouth with her hand. “If you don’t start listening, I’m going to have to do something about it, and I feel bad for you, I really do. I saw you that night. I know it was bad, but I have a job to do.”

  Steph dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands. Her sobs shook her shoulders.

  “Please, stand up, Farmer Ripley,” Keeper Marie said. “Everyone is looking at us.”

  Steph didn’t move. Keeper Marie smiled and waved at another Keeper in the distance.

  “If you get up, I’ll put a message in for the medic that treated you and see about getting you medicine,” Keeper Marie said. “Maybe they forgot to mention you’ll need extra care and rest.”

  Keeper Marie didn’t believe the words. She was just desperate for Steph to get back to work. Keeper Marie cared more about what the others thought of her.

  Steph grimaced. She pressed her hands to her back, and she worked to get back to her feet. Either she was in pain, or she was an excellent actress. After having seen her get out of the bed and walk to the window last night, I had a feeling it was the latter.

  Desperation made people do crazy things. That was something I was learning over the last few weeks.

  Steph picked up her bucket with a shaky hand. Her shoulders were hunched forward as she slowly forced herself back to work.

  It wouldn’t change anything if I told her, but I was worried about Steph. Keeper Marie wasn’t going to be easy on her for long. Steph was lucky she’d hadn’t gotten worse. Next time she wouldn’t be as lucky.

  “I hate this place,” Steph muttered as she stumbled by me.

  My eyes darted around the area. “We all do.”

  “You don’t even know what you’re missing,” Steph said. “It’s been years since you’ve been there.”

  “Steph,” I said, trying to keep myself calm. “You were inside one room.”

  “It was enough!” Steph shouted.

  Everyone in the vicinity turned toward us. I put my head down and walked away from her. The last thing I wanted was to get whipped over a conversation of who hated being on the farms more.

  For the rest of the day, a Watcher followed me. Steph, however, wasn’t followed, but Keeper Marie kept her eyes on both of us. Of course, they somehow thought I was the problem.

  The next few days followed the same pattern. On the third day, when Steph found out from Keeper Marie there was no medicine coming for her, things got worse.

  Keeper Marie waited to tell her after the workday. It wasn’t so much that she wanted to tell her, Steph had asked every night where the medicine was, and each night the question was more and more hostile.

  “How am I supposed to keep working in this much pain?” Steph asked, her eyes raised slightly.

  I stayed by my bed, but I was frightened. Her tone wasn’t something that I heard on the farms… ever. At least I couldn’t remember a time that I had. The last person who’d probably even gotten close to speaking that way to someone above them was probably me.

  Keeper Marie grabbed Steph by the wrist and squeezed. “This is pain. That little ache in your back is nothing to what you’ll experience if you don’t stop this nonsense.”

  Steph tried to pull her hand free, but Keeper Marie jerked her closer. Her stunned eyes were wide as she met Keeper Marie’s furious gaze.

  “I’m done taking it easy on you, Farmer Ripley,” Keeper Marie hissed as she pushed Steph down on the bed. “There will be no more special treatment for you. Break the rules again, and you will face the consequences, do you understand?”

  Tears rolled down Steph’s cheeks. Keeper Marie’s shoulders softened, but only for a second before they tensed up toward her ears again.

  “Do you understand?” Keeper Marie asked, leaning closer to Steph with each word. “I’m not leaving without your response.”

  “I understand,” Steph said.

  Keeper Marie straightened her clothing and pushed her shoulders back. She blinked slowly and stared at the door.

  “Night Blessings.” Keeper Marie cleared her throat and left us.

  The room was so silent I’d heard my heart beating. I didn’t know what to say to Steph. Ivy must not have known either, as she didn’t say a word before crawling into bed.

  Steph laid down and turned her back to me. I could tell by the movement of her shoulders she wasn’t sleeping.

  I exhaled loudly and kicked my boots off. I crawled into bed and watched the hypnotic movements of her body rising and falling with her breaths.

  My eyes popped open at the first hint of sunlight through the window. Ivy and Farmer Watson were both up making their beds.

  Steph hadn’t moved out of the position she’d been in when I’d fallen asleep. Ivy crossed her arms and shook her head.

  “She won’t get up,” Ivy said.

  “Steph,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “It’s morning. Get up. Keeper Marie will be here soon.”

  Steph groaned. “Shut the hell up and leave me alone.”

  The back of my throat dried, making it hard to swallow. It wasn’t going to be a good day.

  4

  I paced the floor, tapping my bottom lip with my finger as my eyes frequently darted toward the door. Steph wasn’t listening to reason. Ivy tried to convince her. I tried to convince her. And Farmer Watson pleaded with her eyes, but Steph wouldn’t get out of bed.

  “Keeper Marie is going to lose it,” Ivy said, shaking her head. “I can’t be any part of this. I don’t want to get whipped. Last time my wound got infected, and I don’t want to deal with that happening again.”

  I nodded my understanding. Infection was something everyone on the farms had dealt with at least once.

  “I don’t think there is anything we can do,” I said, sighing heavily. I
crouched down next to Steph’s bed and kept my voice pillowy soft. “Steph, please. Listen to me. Refusing to get up isn’t going to work. You’re just going to end up in the pit or something worse. Let’s just work together to figure out a plan, okay?”

  “What part of shut the hell up didn’t you understand?” Steph asked under her breath. “Worry about yourself. All of this is your fault.”

  “My fault?” I asked, stomping my foot as I stood.

  Steph didn’t turn. There was no variation in her tone as she spoke flatly. “Meeting those stupid guys and the tree circle. All this started with you.”

  “I didn’t make those Watchers do what they did,” I said firmly. “And I sure as hell didn’t want them to take you. I went looking for you. I got you help!”

  Farmer Watson covered her mouth with her hand. Her eyes bulged out of her head.

  “What are you two talking about?” Ivy asked.

  I waved my hand at them. I could explain later, but I probably wouldn’t.

  “You got me help,” Steph snorted. “I wouldn’t have needed help if it hadn’t been for you.”

  “Steph, you know that isn’t true,” I said, fighting back anger. “I didn’t have anything to do with those Watchers. Watcher Bly tripped you. He was going to pick you no matter what.”

  “Ha,” Steph said, shifting her weight slightly. “He picked me because I’m your cabin mate. He knew we were friends or whatever you call it.”

  I exhaled. Before I could add anything, there was a sound at the door. I bounced back toward my bed and looked down, even though the short breaths that were hitting me made it difficult to keep my head tilted.

  “Oh, dear Mother,” Keeper Marie said, coming into the room with her hand on her chest. “Not this again.”

  I didn’t look up, but I could tell that Keeper Marie was looking at us. I could feel the moment her eyes landed on me.

  “I’ve had it,” Keeper Marie said.

  I peeked upward. Keeper Marie placed her hands on Steph and rolled her out of the bed.

  Steph landed on the floor with a loud thud. Her blank expression barely changed.

  “Stand up,” Keeper Marie shouted.