“Leisel tricked us into it so she could discredit Jack. But don’t tell. Everyone thinks our marriage is a big love story,” I said.
“You mean it isn’t a love story?” Crystal asked, confused. “I see the way Jack looks at you. He never looked at Leisel like that.”
Her confession surprised me. I didn’t really think Jack was attracted to me.
“No, we aren’t together like that,” I shook my head in denial. “Like every bourge I’ve ever met, he likes the finer things in life. And I’m… well, I’m just me. An urchin,” I said honestly.
“I think you’re wrong - on both counts,” Crystal replied.
“So things went okay at the party last night?” I asked changing the subject.
“Mr. West was really upset when I showed up with a black eye,” she said. “He likes me to look pretty when I sing at public events. He demanded to know who gave it to me, so I told him truthfully. He talked about sending his own guards down here to have a word with Madi. I’m sorry. I should’ve lied. I didn’t expect him to take any action.”
“You had to tell the truth. If you lied, then you would be implicating someone who didn’t deserve punishment,” I reassured her. “Just remember, if they do show up act like you know nothing. We came to work this morning and Madi didn’t.”
“Oh good! It’s just the two of you here. I had an epiphany last night,” Di interrupted, marching right past us and into the laundry room.
Crystal and I looked at each other confused before we decided to follow her in.
“Anyone here?” Di called out to the empty room. No one answered. “You know, I think I would’ve messed my pants if someone answered back,” she laughed nervously. “I was thinking last night if we keep this place running ourselves, it might be quite a while before they notice Madi is missing.”
“It might work,” I said.
Madi’s scanner was still sitting on the desk, so we scanned in. As we did, a few more workers came into the room and lined up behind us. No one seemed to notice Madi wasn’t at her desk. Crystal went to the sink and I went over and grabbed a cart of dirty laundry and started my day. Di did the same. A few minutes later, Kai came in. I could tell by the look on his face that he wondered where Madi was and I held my breath for a moment waiting for him to ask, but he didn’t question it. He scanned in and went to see Di.
“There are some carts over there for you to take up,” Di told him. “Drop those off and pick up the dirty ones for us to work on today.”
Kai did as she told him. We worked for a few hours before a pair of Domers came strolling into the room. They didn’t belong down here. I assumed they were the ones being sent by West on Crystal’s behalf.
“We’re looking for Supervisor Madi,” one of them called out to the room at large. No one answered. They walked further into the room. “I expect to be answered,” they both raised their firearms.
“We haven’t seen our Supervisor all morning,” Di spoke up.
“Who let you in this morning?” he demanded.
“The place was already opened when I got here. Guess she had somewhere else to be,” Di replied.
“Any chance you know where that might be?” the other guard spoke.
“No, sir,” Di said.
“Does anyone here know?” he called out to the room again.
I watched the confused looks on everyone’s face. I put the same confused look on my face. The guards turned and went back to her desk. I saw them rummage through her things and checking her calendar. One of them picked up her communicator and gave the other guard a puzzled look. All guards and supervisors had their communicator with them at all times. I had forgotten about that. The guard holding the device typed a message into it. They were probably letting Madi know she was wanted for questioning. I was relieved when they left.
I had some hand washing to give to Crystal and made my way over to the sink.
“Do you think that was West’s guards?” I asked.
“Probably,” she responded. “I don’t know for sure.”
I still felt sorry for Crystal. As bad as my situation was, at least I had some freedom. But she was a slave every single minute of her life. During the day, she worked here under the supervision of a malicious woman, and at night she belonged to a man old enough to be her grandfather. It wasn’t lost on me that if I hadn’t met Leisel on that fateful night, I may have ended up just like Crystal and Summer. I think I preferred my death sentence.
“How long have you… belonged to West?” I asked as sensitively as I could.
“Two years,” she shrugged. I remembered she told me she was fourteen years old.
“You were only twelve when you were sent upstairs?” I asked incredulously. Even I could hear the revulsion in my voice and felt badly for conveying that feeling.
“I know,” she hung her head in embarrassment.
“I didn’t mean it the way it sounded, Crystal. I know it’s not your fault. Was Madi the one who sent you up there the first time?” Crystal nodded. “Then I’m glad I killed her. The Pit is a better place without her,” I said and meant every word.
“The Pit is a better place with you in it, Sunny. I’m going to do everything I can to help you and Jack,” Crystal said with conviction, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Someone needs to save us and you’re the first person who’s ever stepped up.”
“Crystal you said something last night,” I began, but she cut me off.
“People need to know what I know!” she said. “And you need to get them ready.”
“Crystal, you’re scaring me. Just tell me what you know,” I begged.
Just then the bong bongs sounded announcing the beginning of the lunch break. Workers came in with the food and water cart and set up in their usual spot near Madi’s desk. Everyone stopped working and lined up to get their rations.
“We need to finish this conversation!” I told Crystal as we joined the cue.
“Finish what conversation?” Di asked as she came to stand behind me in the line- up.
“Nothing important,” I shrugged it off.
“Those guards that were here today looked official. Any idea where they came from?” Di asked.
“We think Mr. West sent them because of Crystal’s eye. She didn’t look very pretty singing for the bourge last night. They want to have a word with Madi,” I informed her.
“Malcolm West?” Di asked in shock.
“Crystal’s owner,” I confirmed.
Di gave Crystal a look of understanding. “I owe you a big apology. I had you pegged all wrong, sweetie.”
“Most people do,” Crystal said defiantly.
“Well I expect they’ll be back when they don’t hear from her,” Di said.
“I think you’re right,” I agreed.
We halted our conversation as we collected our food and water and then returned to our stations to eat. The laundry room was every bit as hot as it was every day and I was relieved Madi wasn’t there to stop me from drinking water. I gulped the liquid down and felt the moisture quench my parched tongue and throat. If I wasn’t worried about the guards coming back, I would be tempted to take off my vest and hat and let my skin breathe.
“Madi’s not here today. You can go to Crystal’s sink any time you want,” Di suggested.
“I hadn’t thought of that,” I said happily. There were definitely perks without a supervisor around.
“What is it you’re wearing that makes you so hot?” Di asked, looking at my chest.
“Believe it or not, it’s a bulletproof vest,” I laughed. “It puts weight on my frame and makes me look less like Sunny O’Donnell.”
“Well, down here Sunny O’Donnell is a hero. You might want to start looking like yourself again,” she informed me. “I told a few people how you saved Crystal last night. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Di, you weren’t supposed to tell anyone!” I exclaimed. Now the news would be all over, just as Jack predicted it would be.
“Why n
ot? It’s about time someone stood up to the ogres like Madi. That woman was a mean, nasty piece of work. Good riddance I say.”
“But I killed her,” I whispered. Was it only me who understood the gravity of that act? “And I didn’t mean too.”
Someone announced the lunch break was over and we all returned our empty containers to the cart and went back to work. It nagged at me that Di had told people about my actions. Heroes weren’t murderers, so what would people think of me now? I hoped it wouldn’t impact on the plan Jack and I were trying to implement. If people thought badly of me, maybe they would stop showing up.
It was almost the end of the day when the doors burst open and in came the two Domers who were there earlier.
“Has anyone seen Supervisor Madi today?” they demanded.
“No sir. She hasn’t been in today,” Di spoke up.
“When was the last time anyone saw her?” he asked.
“Last night,” I spoke up. If anyone was going to be questioned, it should be me.
“At what time?” the guard came closer to me.
“About six-thirty. We finished late last night,” I said truthfully.
“Was she here when you left for the day?” he continued to question me.
“Yes,” I lied. I was beginning to get a little nervous.
“Were you the last one to leave?” he asked.
“We both were,” Di intervened.
“I’ll need both your names,” he said.
“My name is Diamond Murphy,” she said.
“Autumn Jones,” I replied.
The guard recorded our names on his communicator and then left without any further questions. Now they had my false name. How long before they figured out Autumn Jones was an imposter?
I spent the rest of the afternoon nervously looking over my shoulder at the doors, but no more guards came bursting through. A few times I went to Crystal’s sink to get a drink and put cold water on the back of my neck. I hoped no one else in the laundry noticed, but the cool refreshing liquid was too tempting to ignore. Madi’s absence in the laundry room was turning out to be a luxury.
The bong bongs tolled the end of the workday and for once I wasn’t struggling to finish my cart of laundry on time. It was all done. Crystal and Di were finished too. Maybe things did run smoother without a supervisor.
“I’ll be seeing you tonight,” Di said as we walked out the door. “I’m going to bring my lazy husband with me.”
“I’ll see you tonight then,” I responded. She walked away leaving Crystal and me alone. “I wish I could see you tonight too,” I told her.
“I’ll see what I can do,” she smiled and gave me a hug.
And then she was gone, running down the stairs without waiting to walk with me.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The apartment was empty when I arrived and I took the opportunity to get out of the vest for a while. I could feel the heat from the laundry room radiating off my skin. I wet one of the towels and put it on the back of my neck. It felt refreshingly cool. I splashed cold water on my face and soon my body temperature came down. I put my t-shirt back on just before Jack came through the door. He smiled when he saw me.
“I was worried about you today. How did it go?” he asked.
“A couple of Domers came looking for Madi and I talked to them,” I informed him.
“Guards from the Dome?” he asked confused. “Why were they there?”
“Crystal’s owner didn’t like her having a black eye and wanted to talk to the person who gave it to her. They asked when I had seen her last and I told them truthfully. They wanted my name,” I told him.
“And you gave them Autumn Jones, right?” he asked. I threw him a sarcastic look. He ignored it. “That was unexpected. I’m hoping your alias checks out okay. I didn’t have a lot of time in that storage room.” He sat down heavily in the chair. I could tell he was thinking hard about the information he made up on Autumn and Ben Jones.
“And you were right this morning about people talking. Di said she told a few people about what happened last night,” I said.
“I know. It was the main topic of conversation in the mines today. You’re inspiring a lot of people!” he said brightly. “It was good day today. We finally have only Liberty guards in our section so we were able to do some training. A lot more people have joined us.”
“Di said she and her husband were coming, so I managed to find two more people to join,” I said in mocked triumph.
“Wow, two people. You were busy,” Jack said. “Speaking of tonight, I’m starving. I’m even looking forward to eating that grey muck you call dinner.”
His reference to our food down here conjured up the image of Jack the bourge from my conversation with Crystal yesterday. Jack really did prefer the finer things that only the Dome could offer him. I couldn’t imagine him ever being attracted to an urchin like me.
“You’re such a bourge,” I said almost under my breath.
“What was that comment for?” he asked, taken aback.
“Nothing,” I said. I went into the bedroom and put the vest back on. “Ready.”
Jack was already standing by the door waiting for me. We left together and headed for the common room. He didn’t hold my hand or put his arm around me this time. I wondered if my comment had made him angry.
Despite being early, the room was already packed. The guard at the door greeted us in his usual manner and we cued up with everyone else. We collected our food and went in search of a table. David Chavez was there with his wife and asked us to join them.
“I’m not sure if you’ve met my wife, Terra,” he said.
“Pleased to meet you,” Jack said, extending his hand to her. She took it.
“I’m Sunny,” I said, taking the seat next to her.
“I know,” she smiled.
“How far along are you?” I asked, looking at her large round tummy.
“I’m due any day. And the little one is getting heavy, so he can come out any time!” she grimaced.
“You’re hoping for a boy?” I asked with mild interest. I wasn’t sure why anyone would want to bring a baby into this Pit, but I kept that to myself.
“A boy would be… easier,” she said awkwardly. “I was never sent upstairs, but…” she trailed off, looking from me to Jack. I understood what she meant. She never wanted to see a daughter abused by the bourge. I looked at Jack to see his reaction and noted he was looking uncomfortable. “Although, I’m glad it worked out for the two of you,” she rushed to clarify. “It’s just that your love story is very rare.”
If only she knew the truth, I thought to myself.
“Don’t be so sure that girls have it rougher than boys,” a man said, eavesdropping on our conversation. He pulled up a chair and joined us. “They killed my son a few years ago. He got a job working in the sewers, but it made him so sick to his stomach he couldn’t keep up with the workload. They beat him more times than I care to say before they killed him. He was only twelve years old. I hope they all rot in hell,” he said bitterly, his cheeks wet with tears.
The woman at the table next to us pushed her chair back and gave the man a sympathetic pat on the back.
“I lost my husband five years ago when the guards beat him to a pulp. He was working the diamond mines and accidently broke three picks in one day - as if that was a crime punishable by death!” she spat. “I’ve remarried now.” She turned to look at the man she was sitting with. “I had to remarry if I wanted a place to live. No offence to you, lover,” she said to the man fondly. He gave her a smile.
I felt someone put their hand on my shoulder and looked up to see an unfamiliar face.
“I heard how you handled that supervisor,” she said. “God bless you.”
Jack flashed me his best I told you so smile and I gave him my best sardonic smile back. He was always so smug when he was right.
“It’s about time something was being done,” the man who joined us agreed, tears still glist
ening in his eyes.
“We all have scars,” a woman behind me said. Her voice was familiar. I turned to find Summer’s parents standing there. “Right now my baby is in the hands of that monster we call a President.”
“Mrs. Nazeem!” I said affectionately, jumping up to hug the woman. “I miss Summer too,” I whispered in her ear.
“I know you do. You’ve always been a good friend to her,” she hugged me back.
“I’d do anything to help her. You know that,” I assured her.
“You are doing something, Sunset,” she said. She took off my hat and let my hair fall around my shoulders. “Who knew the little girl who was always trying to hide her beautiful hair would one day be the person to lead us? Your mother would be so proud of you.”
I blushed at the compliment, but knew she couldn’t be more wrong. I wasn’t the leader in all of this. Jack was.
Before I could respond, I heard a commotion at the door and I turned to see Crystal coming into the room carrying a guitar. Her eye was still badly swollen and starting to turn black with bruising. She had a sad smile on her face as she grabbed a chair and went to the front of the room.
People were pouring into the room behind her until it became so crowded it was standing room only. And yet more people remained out in the hallway, standing on tiptoes to get a glimpse of her. I felt the familiar feel of Jack’s hand at the small of my back as he came to stand beside me. He had a puzzled expression on his face.
“Hi, I’m Crystal,” she introduced herself.
A few cheers went up around the room.
“Now I know her!” Jack whispered in my ear. “She’s Malcolm West’s mistress. She’s a really good singer.”
“I know,” I said.
Crystal propped a leg up on the chair and rested her guitar on it. She strummed a few chords.
“Like most of you, my life down here hasn’t been all that great,” she began. “I’ve lost people I loved. I’ve been used in ways I never imagined possible. And I’ve been beaten,” she said, pointing to her swollen face. I saw a few people wiping tears from their eyes. “Yet I wake up every morning and willingly go to work for a woman who beats me and I allow myself to be the lover of a man I detest. And not once have I ever done anything about it.” Her voice was getting husky and she stopped to clear her throat. I could feel the tears welling up in my own eyes.
Sunset Rising Page 27