Father sits back in his chair. "There has been a wall and armed guards keeping us all inside the United Cities' border for 150 years."
"You've never left the country?"
"Nope."
"What about you, Brock? You are a mayor with a seal."
"I've never left the country. I've thought about it, but Chantilly likes what we have here."
"That makes one of us," I mutter as I keep reading the details of the Complex Law.
Brock holds up a cookie. "Did Complex Catering make these?"
Mother's jaw drops. "No, of course not. I have never bought a single thing from Complex Catering, or Complex Clothing Design, or Complex Cleaning Supplies. I know who makes that stuff with no choice in the matter, and no pay. I hired the best cook in the city for a reason."
My father interrupts, "Anyway, Maxine has agreed to wear a hidden camera, and take video of everything that goes on in the complex. She'll get the death doctor, the medicated food, the factory workers, the severely disabled being buried, and much more. I think the United Cities would be outraged if they knew what really goes on in there. The parents of taken children are probably already upset, and the video will bring thousands more to our cause."
Greggory shakes his head. "The general populace doesn't feel sympathy for people with health problems anymore. We're out of practice."
Mother looks at Greggory and points to Avra. "Have your feelings of sympathy come back since you've met Elira and her friends, Greggory?"
My brother looks at me, then Avra, who smiles weakly at him, and then down at his hands. "Well—yes."
Mother nods. "Good, because we need you to figure out a way to sneak the video onto the airwaves at your work once it's ready."
Greggory pushes away from the table. "What? I will get fired. This is my first job, and I like it. My boss will smear my name into the dirt. I'll never get a job again." His hand drifts to the pocket with his first paycheck in it.
Mother looks at my brother with all seriousness. "I will pay you ten years worth of wages if you do this, Greggory. I think once the complex revolution starts, you will be surprised how many people will want to hire you."
"My boss will be disgusted with me. I like him. I hate to betray his trust."
I understand where Greggory is coming from, but we need him if we are going to save Shasta and Bryon. I turn to my brother. "Could you scoot over a little bit, Greggory? My healing toes need a little bit of room to stretch."
He looks at me, and I know what he is thinking about.
I whisper so only he can hear, "Don't you want to make a difference in people's lives?"
Greggory looks at me with a straight face. "I will think about it."
My mother smiles at him, "After the world knows what is going on in the complex, we need a politician to propose disbanding the Complex Law." She looks at Brock pointedly. "That's where you come in, Brock."
"Do you know that my wife yelled at me for an hour before I left to come here? She does not want me to risk my reputation for this cause."
My father looks at Brock questioningly. "Did she read the report that came with the ult—"
"Yes Father, she did. She—still cares about the social structure that this country is built upon more than what that report says."
Mother bites her lip and shakes her head. "That is the saddest thing I've heard all day."
Father takes a deep breath. "Brock, she is in the minority. Most people don't like sending their children to the Complex of Undesirables nor their aging parents to the Complex for the Elderly. We can vote to disband the law if you write it up."
"I don't know about that. The only people who complain to me about the Complex Law are psycho-extremists. If the complex video doesn't stir the majority of people to action, proposing a law change will be committing political suicide."
Greggory scratches his head. "Wait, did you just say that the—"
Father opens his eyes wide and shakes his head. "Not now, Greggory."
Mother takes Brock's hand. "I'm asking you to look beyond your personal aspirations and help us save lives, Brock. Can you imagine your sweet sister here dying at your age from overwork and under-stimulus?"
Brock squirms in his seat for a while. "If the video brings the revolutionary awakening you think it will, I will consider it. If no one cares, I won't do it."
My mother doesn't seem concerned at all. "Oh, the video will work. I promise you. Great, it's all settled. Maxine is meeting me here in a week. I will have a camera ready for her by then. She'll need two weeks to video everything, we'll need a week to compile the perfect mix of footage, so in one month, our revolutionary video will be on the air. Can you be ready in a month, Greggory?"
Greggory lets out a long breath. "Uh, well, yeah, if it all really comes together."
Brock looks at a calendar that he pulls from his briefcase. "But, the election is in a month. I thought I wasn't supposed to do anything until I'm elected, which still may not happen."
Mother leans sideways to look at Brock's full calendar. "You're right. We'll air it the week after you're elected, so five weeks."
Brock shakes his head. "Wow, I can't believe we're even considering this."
Mother places a hand on Brock's arm. "Imagine a better world for your children, Brock. You can make that happen."
Brock rubs his eyes. "I don't know if I really believe that this is better..."
I stand up and walk around the table to kiss Brock on the forehead. "I guarantee you, it is always better to give people more freedom."
Chapter 17
"Elira, can you hear that?"
My eyes are closed but I can hear a beautiful sound coming from upstairs. "Yes, that's my mother playing the piano," I say as I lift my head off Garth's shoulder.
"It's so—peaceful."
I open my eyes and look at Garth's serene face. "It is. Would you like to go upstairs to hear her play?"
Garth opens his blue eyes for just a second. "No. I can hear it just fine right here." He guides my head back to his shoulder. We both shut our eyes and enjoy the music.
I snuggle into his side. I'm feeling as cozy and peaceful as I've felt since moving out of the complex. "Garth, have you ever heard of a date?"
"It's a day on the calendar."
I laugh into his shoulder, but I don't open my eyes. "No, Maxine told me about this thing she sometimes goes on called a date."
"Yeah, what is it?"
"It's an activity a girl and a boy do to get to know each other better."
Garth speaks into my hair, "So, it's like what we're doing right now."
"No. I think the boy and girl get more privacy than this."
"Hmm."
"Hey, Garth. Want to go visit Mom and Dad today?" Jefrey asks loudly from behind us.
Yeah, I'm sure people on dates are supposed to get more privacy than this.
Garth doesn't open his eyes. "No. Not today."
"Why do you get to decide everything for both of us?"
Garth opens his eyes. "I don't."
When I open my eyes and sit up, Jefrey is sitting across from us in an armchair. "Let's count the ways, shall we? You decided we should leave the complex, you took the girl we both liked, you won't let us go to Mom and Dad's when I want to go. Remind me why I should like you again?"
Garth sits up and takes his arm back from around my shoulders. "Jefrey, I'm sorry you haven't gotten your way lately. That doesn't mean that I'm trying to ruin your life."
"Let's go to Mom and Dad's then. I think everyone in the basement could use a break from you and Elira's mushiness." I blush with embarrassment.
"Huh, let's ask. Hey, Rocky, are Elira and I bothering you?"
Rocky
looks over from the computer desk. "Nope."
"Scott, Avra, are you bothered by Elira and me cuddling on the couch?"
Avra is sitting on Scott's lap at the table, feeding him truffles that she and Freda made this morning.
"Uh, no," Scott says with his mouth full.
"Nope," Avra answers cheerfully.
Garth shrugs at Jefrey. "I think you're imagining things, brother."
"I can't take this anymore." Jefrey stands up and leaves the room. We hear him slam the door to the boys' room.
"Garth, what are we going to do about him?"
"Do we have to do something?"
"He's miserable watching us be happy. We can't separate ourselves from him. It makes me feel kind of bad for him."
"He needs to get over it, but I know what you mean. I'd be mad if I were him, too."
Rocky speaks up from the computer desk, "If he had stayed in the complex like he wanted, he would be medicated and over Elira by now."
That reminds me of a story that Rocky promised to tell us. "Hey, Rocky, how did the complex's medicine feel, by the way?"
Rocky swivels around in his desk chair and stretches his arms. "It felt... numbing."
"Avra was totally different on it than you were. Why?"
"I think it was because I knew what they were doing to me and I fought it. The other people thought the medicine was helping them and took it gladly."
Avra and Scott come over and join us on the couches. Avra pipes in, "It was definitely numbing. I didn't believe Elira knew what she was talking about until I'd had some normal food for a couple of meals."
"Where were you when they took you away for those days, Rocky?" I ask.
"On administration inspection day they put me in a tiny closet-style room with a cot and a desk. I'd been in that room a couple of times before. I used to be a troublemaker." Rocky pauses and winks at me. "This time they didn't feed me my evening—dinner. The next morning, they brought in a blueish tray and set it on the desk. I knew what was in it, so I didn't even touch it."
"I bet they loved that."
"Yeah, Mentor Briggs came in after a half an hour and pulled the top off the tray to tempt me with the smell. It didn't tempt me at all. An hour later, Mentor Briggs and Mentor Jim came in and tied me to the cot. The ties were tight. I still have rope burns." Rocky shows us red marks on his arms.
"About an hour later, Doctor James came in with a big syringe and injected me with numbing water, as I called it." Rocky mindlessly rubs a spot on his arm. "They came back in an hour and showed me four pictures. They were of beautiful women, handsome men, delicious desserts, and math problems. They asked which picture I liked the best. I knew it was some kind of test so I told them I liked the chocolate cream pie picture the best. They didn't believe me. Mentor Briggs punched me in the stomach and left."
"A few hours later Doctor James came in and injected me with numbing water again. They showed me the same pictures and asked which one I liked the best. I knew the women and the desserts were the wrong choices for their test, so I said I liked the men best. Mentor Briggs called me a liar and punched me again. I was pretty uncomfortable at this point. I had to pee, I was hungry, thirsty, my rope burns hurt, my bruised stomach hurt, and I was losing to the numbing water. It would have been so much easier to just give in to it. The third time Doctor James injected me I stopped caring. I peed myself and the answer they were looking for was obviously the math problem. So I told them it was my favorite picture. Doctor James looked at me for a minute and said to Mentor Briggs, "I can't tell if he means it, or if he said it out of process of elimination.""
Avra scrunches up her eyebrows, "I became obsessed with desserts on the pink trays. Why did they say that was the wrong answer for you?"
"I think the medicine is supposed to make girls like desserts and boys like homework."
Ernestine's voice bursts out from behind me, making me jump. "Sexist monsters."
"Anyway, the next day I was famished. I ate all three blue trays they gave me. That night they became confident that I was a zombie and started talking about secret things in front of me. Mentor Briggs and Mentor Jim said they would put us all on blue trays if they could. They said we should start working earlier too so we won't cause them as much trouble. When they let me out, Mentor Briggs punched me one last time in the gut and whispered, ‘This was your last warning, dissident. One more strike and you'll be sleeping in the hill."
I remember what Rocky looked like when I talked to him on the phone right after this. It makes me cringe. "It makes me sick to think of everyone in the complex 10 and up on medicated trays. Poor Shasta and Tessa."
Rocky looks at his hands. "And Bryon."
Ernestine clears her throat. "That's why we had the meeting yesterday. We have to stop this unnecessary cruelty."
We all look at each other. Yes. Yes, we do.
Chapter 18
I know this has to be a dream because Shasta and Tessa are here in the great room laughing and drinking fruit punch with Avra, Garth and me. I hope it's not though. "How did you guys get out?" I ask them.
"You got us out, silly."
"I did?"
"Yeah. You marched right in the glass dorm and hauled us out, knocking down mentors along the way."
"Happy Birthday, Elira!"
"Shasta, what's a birthday?"
"Honey, it's Mom. It's your birthday!"
I sit up in bed confused and disoriented. "Where did Shasta go? Why am I in bed?"
"You must have been dreaming of Shasta, darling. But now that you're awake we can celebrate your special day!"
I really don't understand what my mother is trying to say. "I thought my birthday was on December 31st like everyone else in my dorm. Today is..." I look at the calendar on my wall. "June 19th."
"I remember the day I gave birth to you very clearly, Elira. It was definitely a hot, sunny June 19th."
"So we all get pie or cookies today?"
"Um, cake actually. Is that okay?"
"Yeah. It sounds good."
"You've never had cake before?"
"Not that I can remember, but maybe I have and didn't know what it was called."
Avra rolls over and rubs her eyes. "Freda and I made you the biggest, most beautiful cake in the world yesterday."
"Avra, shhh. Don't give away all the surprises."
I am fully awake now. Apparently, this birthday thing is a big deal to my mom. I better get up and enjoy all the time and effort she has put into this—day? I slide out of bed and face my mom. She shakes her head and motions to get back in. "No, no. Get back in bed. I am going to bring you breakfast in bed. I just came to find out what you would like the most for your birthday breakfast."
"Oh." I climb back in bed and think about what would be easiest to eat in bed without spilling on my covers. "I would like bacon, eggs, and toast."
"Okay, what do you want to drink?"
"Uh, I don't want to spill."
"Don't be silly. If you spill, I'll change your bedding."
"Okay, I want orange juice then."
"Perfect. I had a feeling you'd say bacon, so Freda is cooking that right now. Eggs and toast will be quick. I'll be back in 15 minutes. Enjoy being 17 until I get back!"
I smile at my mom as she leaves. "Avra, did she just say I'm 17?"
"Yep."
"But I didn't think I was 17 until it was time to switch dorms."
"I'm guessing we all have different birthdays, but we've always celebrated together right as we were about to switch dorms."
"So I wonder if you're older or younger than me."
"Yeah. Which makes me also wonder if you're older or younger than Garth."
Which would I prefer? I don
't know. I don't think it matters. "Huh, yeah. I wonder if his mom told him what his special day of birth is."
Avra starts bouncing on the bed. "I'll ask my parents which day is my birthday when I meet with them tomorrow."
"I'm back!"
Mother comes in with a big wooden tray with little legs holding my birthday breakfast on top. It won't be as easy to spill as I thought. There is a little card on the tray addressed to me. I open it and pull two things out, a stiff card and a folded letter on lined paper.
"I'll leave you alone to enjoy your notes. Happy Birthday, Elira."
"Thank you, Mom."
I pick up the card first. It is from my mother.
Happy Birthday, Elira!
This may be the first June 19th birthday you remember celebrating, but I have celebrated on this day every year since you turned one. You've always been beautiful and sweet. I have realized since you came back that you have surpassed my expectations for inner and outer beauty. You care about people and you find joy in the simple things. It is a delight to be in your presence. I knew if I asked you what you wanted for your birthday you would say you have everything you need. I would like to give you something you want though. I asked Ernestine and your friends if they had any ideas on what you would like, and they said they've heard you talking about dates. Would you like to go on a date with Garth for your birthday? I'm guessing the answer is yes, so I've arranged a magical first date for the two of you tonight for dinner. I hope you aren't too old to enjoy cake and ice cream with your parents after lunch. We've missed celebrating with you the last 14 years. This will be a birthday for all of us to remember.
I love you,
Mom
I wipe a tear as I giggle with excitement. I'm going on a date with Garth today! My mom loves me and cares about my wants and needs. That is a precious gift that I have lived without and love so much now. I open the folded piece of paper and smile when I see that it is from Garth.
Elira,
Do you miss passing notes to each other through the grate at the complex? I realize as I write this, that I do. I still have the notes you wrote me on discarded homework paper. I know I told you we had to flush them, but I couldn't make myself do it. I shoved them down my jumpsuit the night we left. Now we can write more.
The Complex Law: Young Adult Dystopian Page-Turner (The Complex Trilogy Book 2) Page 13