“You’re happy this morning.” June’s voice startles me. I lift my head and see that she’s propped up on one elbow, facing me. “I take it you had fun with Sully and his friends?”
I try to keep from grinning, but it’s an effort. “Yeah, it was okay.” That much is true. The time we spent with his friends was, at best, okay. They were awful, but being near Sully and spending time alone with him, that part was nothing short of magical.
“Sully looked handsome and you looked so pretty,” she says then yawns. “I was hoping you two had a good time. What were his friends like?”
I hesitate for a moment, reluctant to tell her the unfiltered truth. Doing so would lead to a discussion about the vast differences between the people of Washington Central, and the people of GenPop, us. I’m not sure if I’m ready to shatter her idyllic image of this place just yet. “Well, how do I put this,” I buy myself some time by saying. “They weren’t exactly my kind of people.” Satisfied that my response was as diplomatic as it could possibly be, I look to her to gauge her response.
“Hmm,” she says and purses her lips. Her expression reminds me of one my father used to make when his mind was working to solve a problem, or when I’d tell him I was fine when in fact I wasn’t. “Not your kind of people,” she repeats. “Sounds like a fancy way of saying you thought they were jerks.”
Laughter spills from me unexpectedly. I cannot stop myself. “Oh June!” I say between gasps. “I can’t trick you. That’s exactly what they were: jerks!” I continue laughing until my stomach muscles ache.
“I don’t know why you bother trying. I know you too well, better than you give me credit for.” She sits up with a self-assured smirk. “And I also know why Sully got himself all polished and sparkly last night?”
My laughter ends abruptly. “You do?”
“Well of course I do!” She stands slowly and makes her way toward the bathroom.
Tense seconds pass as I wait for June to elaborate.
“I saw the way he was looking at you, the way he was all goofy and nervous. I’ve never seen him like that before.” She grabs a towel from a small rack inside the bathroom then pokes her head out. “Honestly, it wasn’t a very attractive side of him.” She disappears inside again. “I was a little sad at first. I don’t know if you know this, but I kinda have some feelings for Sully.”
“No! Really?” I feign surprise.
“I know, no one would’ve known. I really kept it to myself. I didn’t even tell Riley.”
“Wow, I’m speechless,” I say and hope I sound believable.
“It’s no big deal, really. I like being around him and think he’s cute.” She’s framed by the doorway, and somehow looks taller and more grown up than when she went in. “But he obviously likes you.” She folds her arms across her chest. “I guess it’s just as well. He’s pretty old.”
“Old?” I widen my eyes and part my lips as if offended. “He’s only a year or two older than me, and I’m not old!”
June giggles. “I don’t know, Avery. You’re kind of old. And seeing the two of you dressed all fancy, you looked like a couple of old parents.”
“Old parents!” I twist and retrieve my pillow before launching it at her.
“Hey!” She dodges my assault. “I guess the truth hurts!” She laughs and throws my pillow back at me.
“I’ll show you a truth that hurts!” I lunge from the bed playfully and she slams the door in my face.
I laugh and flop backward onto the bed and wait until it’s my turn in the bathroom. When June finishes, I shower and dress and wait to be summoned to the cafeteria. And like clockwork, the television screen lights and a woman’s face fills it instructing us that it’s time to eat.
We make our way into the hallway and my stomach continues to tremble nervously, especially when Sully appears in the doorway to his room. He sees me and a warm smile lights his features. With Jericho just a few steps behind him, he makes his way toward me as Oliver and Riley file out of their room.
“I had a lot of fun last night,” Sully says in an affectionate tone.
“Fun with what?” Will’s voice echoes before I can reply that I had fun too.
I turn and look over my shoulder. Will is shutting his door and clearly overhead Sully’s comment. Swallowing hard, I say, “We went to see some of Sully’s old friends from Washington Central.”
Will cocks his head to one side and narrows his eyes. The hard press of his gaze is a clap of thunder that causes me to jerk. “Oh, really? Just the two of you?” His words are like icy rain as they cascade from him, penetrating my skin and chilling my bones. I didn’t want him to find out like this. I wanted to speak to him alone.
“Yeah,” I answer and feel the color drain from my complexion.
“That’s interesting, now isn’t it,” Will practically spits. His tone has gone from cold to venomous. He suspects something happened. I feel guilty because he’s right. Something did happen. But now’s not the time or place to discuss it.
“It wasn’t like that,” I attempt to squash his suspicions.
As soon as the words leave my mouth, Sully’s head whips in my direction. His brows dip and a brief flash of misery scrawls across his face. He looks as if I’ve just slapped him. Remorse lances my heart. I’m not ashamed of what happened between us, and I certainly didn’t want to hurt him. I’m trying to protect the feelings of anyone and everyone who stands to get hurt—namely, Will, and possibly June—a feat that is turning out to be as complicated as juggling swords.
“Yeah, there’s nothing interesting at all,” Sully adds snippily and looks between Will and me. He brushes past me and walks ahead. I open my mouth to speak to Will but as my lips part, Sarah and her brother bound from their room.
“Hey guys!” she greets us exuberantly.
“Oh, hey Sarah,” Will says and falls into step with her, but not before looking over his shoulder and levelling a hostile gaze my way. I shake my head and bite the inside of my lip to keep from shouting at him that he’s being a baby.
“What’s his problem?” June whispers.
Riley and Oliver are near. I withhold what I want to say and simply shrug. We make our way toward the cafeteria, but before we’re there, I decide that I cannot wait another moment. I can’t breathe knowing Sully is upset. I need to talk to him. Will and Sarah are far ahead of us while Oliver, Tom, June and Riley lag way behind. Sully and Jericho are only a few steps away. I catch up to him and tug his arm. He turns toward me, “What?” His expression is hard.
I glance at Jericho. “Do you mind giving us a second?” I ask apologetically.
A slow smile stretches across Jericho’s pleasant face. He looks between the two of us and says, “Take your time,” then strolls ahead.
When he’s out of earshot, I inhale deeply. Sully still smells of soap and spice and mint, and I want nothing more than to stay here and breathe him in all day long. I lean toward him, my heart thundering in my ears, and say, “It was something.”
His features soften. “What was something?” he asks coyly.
“Last night, it meant something,” I shift my weight from one leg to the next. “Actually, it meant a lot to me.” I feel my cheeks warm. “I just don’t want anyone to know yet.” I fidget and bite the skin near my thumbnail.
“Yet?” Sully’s russet eyes undulate with hope. “As in, we’re going to let people know that we’re, you know.” He leaves his sentence unfinished.
“Yes,” I reply and lock eyes with him.
He smiles and my speeding heartbeat splutters. “Well okay then. As long as I know what happened last night meant half as much to you as it did to me then I’m fine with keeping it quiet for now.”
I remember the kiss. I can almost feel it, feel the soft skin of his lips pressed to mine. My gaze reflexively travels to his mouth before returning to his eyes. He watches me in a way that makes my scalp shrink and tingle. He leans toward me, as if he may brush his lips to mine, but in my periphery I see June.
/>
“June’s coming,” I mumble and take a step backward.
Sully looks over his left shoulder then his right. “June bug!” he overcompensates in the enthusiasm department.
“Sully,” she clips her head coldly and passes him.
Once she’s gone, he frowns and says, “What was that about?”
Sighing, I shake my head. “That’s a conversation for another time.”
He regards me curiously.
“It’s another reason that I want to keep things between us quiet.” I resume following the curve of the tunnel toward the cafeteria.
Sully doesn’t comment further. He simply walks alongside me, his arm brushing against my shoulder every so often in a way that makes my skin tingle with pinpricks of joy. That sensation continues until we grab trays and are served food. He points to a table where June, Riley, Oliver and the others are already sitting, but as I’m walking toward it, I spot the girl I saw being escorted out of Washington Central last night. I pause, and Sully continues to the table, leaving me behind.
Without thinking, I approach the girl. Locks of brown hair tumble across her forehead, and the nearer I get, the better able I am to see that her eyes are puffy and red-rimmed as if she spent the night crying. I stand, practically hovering over her and clutching my tray, and guess I look as strange as I feel, but she doesn’t bother to look up at me. Her gaze is fixed, pinned to the nasty mash piled on her plate.
I clear my throat loudly then say, “Mind if I sit here.” I point to the seat opposite her.
The girl bobs her shoulders in answer.
“I’m sorry, was that a yes or a no?” I try to be playful.
She nods. “Sit if you like.” Her voice is weary and reed-thin.
I slide the chair out and sit in it, lowering my tray and watching her. “I’m Avery.”
The girl lifts her chin and glances at me fleetingly before checking over my shoulder. Her face transforms from dejected to terrified in the space of a breath.
“What is it?” I ask and twist to look over my shoulder. I immediately notice what she saw. The guards are staring in our direction, watching us as they nervously finger their weapons. I can’t be sure, but to me, they look as if they’re uncomfortable. The twitchiness with which they move and their anxious expressions reek of what can only be described as guilt.
I return my attention to the girl. “What’s your name?” I ask.
“Anise,” she replies.
“Look, Anise, I know it’s none of my business, but I was in Washington Central last night, and I saw you.”
Her eyes widen and her mouth contorts to a painful frown. “W-what?” she asks breathlessly. Color seeps from her pores.
I glance behind me again, to the guards. A growing sense of urgency crackles in the air. I can’t pinpoint what’s causing it, just that the energy of the room has shifted.
Swallowing hard against the lump of dread gathering in my throat, I cut to the chase and ask, “Why were you being escorted by the guards last night?”
Her brows link, and an anguished expression torments her features. Her gaze flickers from my face to the guards. “I-I can’t say,” she whispers tremulously.
“Did you break a law or do something wrong?” I feel eyes boring into the back of my head, and the rising pressure I feel mounts further.
Anise’s eyes dart wildly. “Please, lower your voice,” she begs. “They’ll hear you.” She rubs her forehead then shoves a hand through her hair. “Just go, okay.” Her voice tightens, the threat of tears choking her.
“Who? Who’ll hear?” I decide to act on the awareness whispering up my spine. “The guards? Is that who you don’t want to hear?”
“Yes,” she closes her eyes and answers. The single word is so laden with pain I clutch my chest in sympathy.
“Why does it matter? If you did something wrong, they already know. People will know anyway,” I say a bit louder.
“Please stop.” The strain in her voice is palpable. “I don’t want them to hear.”
I hate myself for what I’m doing. But there’s more to her story than what she’s divulging. Warning raises the fine hairs on my body. My hackles are raised. I operate on instinct alone. “Hear what they already know?” My voice rises further. “They already know what happened.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Anise blurts out finally. “I just had to do my duty for New Washington.” Her nose runs and tears overflow her lashes, spilling down her cheeks. Her body trembles visibly. Wiping the fluid from her upper lip with the back of her hand, she says, “I turned sixteen last week. I’m an adult now. It’s what I had to do.”
Thoughts in my brain scramble. My eyes search the room, search the faces of so many people, so many female children who’ve yet to turn sixteen. A few girls who sit nearby are looking at us. There’s an emptiness to their gazes, but a small flame still flickers. I return my attention to Anise and see that she shares the same hollowness. And in that moment, I realize that if she’s going to say what in my gut I suspect she’s going to say, I won’t be able to suppress the tempestuous rise of fury gurgling in my core. “What does that mean? How did you do your duty?”
“President Sullivan wanted to see me.”
Her words are a fist to my stomach. Cold centers in my chest and slowly diffuses down the length of my limbs.
“I’m an adult now so he wanted to meet with me, just like he meets with many of the girls when they become women.” She shakes so hard her hair quivers around her head. Her eyes and nose pour.
Bile rises in the back of my throat. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” I grind out each word. “He summons young girls from General Population and uses them for—”
“Shh!” She squeezes her eyes shut. “I didn’t say anything. We had to swear not to tell a soul or our families would be punished.” Her eyes snap open and she blinks rapidly several times. Her breathing becomes short and shallow as panic permeates her entire demeanor.
A tumultuous surge of rage shoots through the very center of my being as the realization of what New Washington truly is crystallizes. The ugly truth of what the future holds for my sister and Riley makes me tremble with rage. “Say it,” I hiss. “I want to know what you were brought there for.” My voice is loud and filled with fury.
“Please be quiet,” Anise pleads. Her gaze whipsaws from me to the guards then back to me.
“Tell me, or I’m going to shout it,” I growl between my teeth.
“Sex, okay!” she whispers. “He brings us for sex.” Shame burns her cheeks a crimson stain and sobs beset her. “He isn’t married. We’re obligated as female residents of New Washington.”
Unable to stop myself, I spring to my feet and spin. Sully spots me immediately. Our eyes lock and I can tell by his expression he knows something is terribly wrong. He’s at my side within seconds.
Bitterness sears the back of my throat as I speak. “This girl was brought to your father for sex last night, and she’s not the first. She’s one of countless others from what I understand.” I am fairly shouting, my insides wound so tightly that at any given moment, I will snap.
My loud voice catches the attention of the guards. They approach our table.
“What’s the problem here?” one of them barks.
I recognize his face. I saw him last night. He was one of the men escorting her back to GenPop. I wonder whether he has a daughter, whether he’d be okay with the President forcing himself on her. “You! You’re my problem! You drag young girls off in the middle of the night to be raped by the President!” I yell, and a tangible stir rouses the room to life.
Where moments earlier, a low hum drifted, a buzz now dominates. People lean in and question girls at their tables. Discussions have begun, questioning the validity of my claim. Like lightning, a flash of energy streaks through the room when the angry roar of a male rumbles. I look in the direction of the sound and see a man on his feet. Wrath burns in the depths of his black eyes. A commotion foll
ows, howling through the small space with gale force.
“Everyone needs to calm down now!” a guard hollers. Four stand alongside him, looking uneasy, and guilty as any men I’ve ever seen.
A plate hurls through the air and hits the guard in the back of the head. People are on their feet, yelling at the same time.
“This is what you guys do!” I scream at the guards.
The press of five hateful gazes bears down on me. They raise their crossbows, but have more than just me in their crosshairs. They’ve effectively lost control of the entire room, and judging from the shocked expressions on their faces, they’re as aware of it as I am.
Strident voices ring out. More objects are heaved—cups, plates, trays and food. The entire room has erupted in chaos as parents and loved ones learn of their daughters’ predicaments. Learning that their young girls were or will be dragged out of their rooms for the perverse pleasure of their President has catapulted the room into a state of outrage.
Seizing the opportunity, I step up onto a chair. “Everyone, please!” My voice tolls like a bell, ringing out with clarity and calm I do not feel. The chaos calms. People are listening to me. “We have to figure out what to do now, where to go from here. Things need to change. We have to stand together to make that happen.”
Shouts of agreement echo. “All women of New Washington must be protected—” I start, but am cut off by the patter of booted feet and a booming voice.
My words are interrupted by a swarm of armed guards spilling into the room. Clad in all black, they are a dark tide of terror. “Everyone down or we’ll shoot!” one demands.
The Underground City (Book 3): Planet Urth, no. 3 Page 21