With the weight of the world on my shoulders I walk back home. Time has slipped away. The sun has set a long time ago. My stomach is protesting the fact that I have skipped lunch and dinner.
Some shadows stand in front of our house. What are they doing there?
“Hello? Can I help you?”
They turn, look at me, and run away.
What were they doing by my house? The answer is answered as I reach the front door.
Big red letters have been painted all over the front of our humble home. I swallow hard. Every word is more painful than the one before and I force myself to stop reading. My eyes glaze over in tears as I open the red covered front door. Before closing it, Mom comes running for me.
“Oh thank goodness,” she says. Her arms wrap around my body.
“Sorry, I should have told you guys where I was,” I start, understanding her worries.
Her arms crush me. Making it impossible for me to tell them about the letters outside.
Dad steps in, his eyes linger on mine. “It’s ok dear, I think you needed some time to understand what is going on?” he says, “your mom is just having a hard time seeing her little girl in the middle of this mess.”
And what a mess it is.
His tone breaks my heart. As I look up and see them both standing there my mask drops. I fall into their arms and sob. I sob until there is no more water in my body to cry out. Then I feel the famine, realizing I have not eaten anything for hours and they usher me to the small kitchen table.
Mom trembles as she places a plate in front of me with a small amount of food. I feel guilt rise as I notice their plates have even less on them. They still sacrifice so much for me.
Chapter 12
My bedroom is my shelter from the outside world. The still unopened bag lays in the corner. I might as well get it unpacked. Maybe then the memories from the palace will stop haunting me. Maybe then all this horror will disappear. Maybe then life will return back to normal.
While unzipping the bag my stomach turns. It was really only a day ago. Yet so much has happened since. Yet another lifetime ago. It is odd how much can change in the course of a few hours, weeks, months. How I am still standing amazes me. How can anyone handle all of this?
I am only human.
There is just not enough in me to survive so much. But still, here I stand. Somehow I have managed all this, and I am still alive. So much has been lost. So much to mourn. Yet, unpacking the items help me remember how close I came to death.
The few personal items I brought to the palace find their original spots in my room. The many outfits the palace provided me look completely out of character here. Yet I hang them up carefully. The small box filled with spare contacts makes my eyes water. They have caused me so much stress, yet they have offered me a strange sense of comfort and strength.
The high heels, on the bottom of my bag, make me sigh. There is absolutely no use in contacts, pencil skirts and dresses, let alone high heels. Still parting with them seems silly. They find a nice spot in the bottom of my small, falling apart, closet. The contacts I leave on my nightstand. There is no real reason for it. Maybe because they represent a person stronger than me. A person who had a prince show interest in her. An Elite.
When the bag is empty I grab one handle, tipping the bag while pulling it up. Something falls out. The piece of paper first catches a little wind from the cracks in the wall, but then falls right at my feet. It looks like it was ripped from a book or something and I grab it to throw in the trash. I stop moving as the ink pressing through the piece catches my attention. The bag lands on the floor with a thump. With both hands I open the note, almost scared it will shatter. It is written in quick movements. Clearly the person writing it was in a hurry. I scan the words.
Mera,
Contact Steve when you can, I think you need us, and we need you here at HR.
Tell him: Buttercup Flower.
Love,
Amber
Ps. I am sorry I never told you.
So many questions fill my mind. Steve? HR? They need me? I need them? And she says she is part of them? What does this all mean? My head is spinning and I have to sit down. I read the message again. My eyes linger on the phone number at the bottom of the note. How do I get to a phone? I don’t know what is going on, but somehow this message from Amber gives me hope. Maybe I am not alone?
I spend most of my night coming up with a plan to get to a phone. By the time the sun rises I have come up with a solid plan. Well, solid enough, at least.
I put on a pencil skirt and a pretty white blouse. They make me look very smart and important. I look at the heels at the bottom of my closet and curse while grabbing a pair, shoving them in my purse. There is just nothing good about these shoes.
Quickly I check everything in the purse, my contacts, the note, the heels. Ready to go.
“Mom, Dad? Will be back in a little while, going to stretch my legs!”
Dad nods at me from the kitchen table, Mom wishes me a good walk from upstairs. They really are the sweetest.
“Gil?” I say through the cracked kitchen window.
“She is not here, but come in.” Her mom leans back from the kitchen sink to see me and her face is welcoming. Relief hits me. There are at least two Elite in this world that do not hate me.
“Hi ma'am, how is work?” I ask while coming in. We usually do not really bother with small talk when I visit. But it is nice to have a normal conversation with someone who does not hate me.
“Oh it is wonderful! I have a buyer for the piece I have just finished, so there is nothing to complain about,” she replies.
“That is great,” my voice sincere. “Do you mind if I look for a hat in Gil’s room? The sun is kind of strong right now.”
Please do not catch my lie. Please do ask anything.
“Of course honey, go on up,” she says while pointing her chin to the stairs, hand still in the sink.
I give her a smile and take the stairs two steps at a time. I make my way through the familiar hallway and close the bedroom door behind me.
Quickly I start searching for the items needed to make this plan succeed. I open her closet and find a large hat and continue looking for her box of hair pieces. Gilanna has the most beautiful color hair, but she likes to add streaks of color once in a while. When I find the box I grab a few colors with small clips at the top. I should be able to put those in without too much trouble.
I twist the hairpieces and put them in my purse, then place the hat on my head and make my way downstairs, wave her mom goodbye and close the front door behind me.
First step of my plan is a success. I turn right, towards the region office. Passing the town square I look around. The weird feeling I had when we drove past here was valid. Even though life looks pretty normal it is obvious that life is not normal anymore at all. The guards might look harmless, but as I get closer the guns hanging from their waists become obvious. The Elite walk around the square with their head held high, and the humans do the complete opposite. They try not to look up at all, quickly making their way across the square. My heart hurts for them. They have even less hope left than I do.
The stores around the square look off to. The usual easy vibe is gone. Paying a bit more attention I realize some stores are not even open. That is odd. But the puzzle pieces come together quickly, the stores that are closed are all owned by humans. Another dagger hits my heart. Something must be done.
Walking past the stores, I glance behind me before stepping into the shadows of a small alley. Quickly my easy flats make way for my high heels. I take off the hat, bring my hair into a bun, and then pin the colored hair pieces into my hair. The large hat fits over the clips and my bun. This way only the colored streaks show, and my own hair is hidden. The contacts pop in easily and I stand up straight.
I am Elite.
Hopefully nobody will recognize me. With my head held high I walk out of the shadow, turn a corner and take the steps to the regio
n office.
Now the real scary part starts, find my way into an office to be able to reach a phone. I am sure others in town have phones, but I have no idea who or where. This is the only way.
The hall with the reception desk has chairs and sofas for people waiting. Coming here at noon pays off. Many of the workers are at lunch. The room is filled with people waiting for their appointment.
I maneuver the crowd and hide my face from the lady at the reception desk. She seems busy with the many people signing in. Quickly I scan the space. Long hallways come together in this hall and I pick the closest to me. My legs move with purpose, My shoulders straight.
I am Elite.
Every time a worker passes me, I catch my breath. They seem oblivious. My diversion seems good enough. My Elite mask is strong. They are not expecting any humans around here. I look through every little window at every office door and finally spot an empty room. The door isn’t locked, I am in luck. It opens swiftly and I make my way in. My hand finds the lock and I close the door behind me.
Minutes seem to pass. I tap my finger impatiently. How long should I wait? Perhaps I should just hang up. Nobody is going to answer.
“Hello,” I hear.
I almost drop the phone. What did Amber tell me to say? “Uh, hello, Uh, Buttercup flower?”
“Mera!?”
“Yes, who is this?” It feels rather silly to ask, he seems to know me.
“Steve,” he says, “I am glad Amber was able to slide you my number, and that you found it.”
“Yes, although to be completely honest, I have no clue who you are?” I reply.
“Listen, I will tell you everything, but I am afraid to ask who’s phone you are using now. I am not sure if it is safe.”
I nod, even though he cannot see me. That was not something I had thought about.
He continues, “I have a contact in Springlake, who wants to stay anonymous for now. But this contact has placed a portable phone for you at a hidden location.”
“Ok,” I reply, waiting.
“You should go to the old bakery called Winstons, at the back are garbage cans, no longer in use. You will find it in the left one.”
“Alright..,”
The beeping sound cuts my sentence. He was not kidding about wanting to hang up quickly.
Thankfully nobody seems to notice me walking out of the office. When the alley gives me cover, fresh air fills my lungs. I put the contacts back in their box, take off the hair pieces and put my hair back down. Then I take off the heels with a sigh of relief and replace them with my comfy shoes. Once everything is back to normal I make my way out of the alley.
Curiosity overcomes me, wondering who my contact is. Whoever he or she is knew the bakery is a good hiding place. The alley ends in a small shopping street that is, oddly, completely silent. All these little shops are run by humans and are now closed. As I continue walking the closed shops, and what they stand for, form a continuous reminder. It hurts to see how much damage has already been done. So many good humans lost their income. How do the Elite plan to continue their lifestyle without the humans? Standing in front of the bakery a image of rich Elite trying to make their own bread comes to mind. It is an image funny enough to pull out a small smile. Even though all of this is very hard on the humans, the Elite are really hurting themselves in the process. Where do the Elite expect to buy their bread now? No way they will do the slaving in the middle of the night themselves. They need the humans.
I check if the street is still deserted before jumping into the shadow next to the bakery. The garbage bins stand behind the building, just like Steve told me. As I pull the lid open a small box appears. I take the box with a nervous shiver. The tape comes off easily and my hand reaches in. The device is tiny, so much smaller than the phones I have used. I have never held a mobile phone before. Small towns like Springlake don’t really need them as much. Even the riches of the Elite don’t really have much use for them.
The phone is the size of my hand. Checking the sides and the back I realize, I really have no idea of how to use this. Perhaps there is a manual?
I check the box again. There, underneath some plastic, lies a charger and a note. The note tells me exactly how to use the device and I sigh in gratitude. The box itself has no indication of what was inside so I throw it back into the bin. I put the phone, the charger and the note in my purse and walk off. It feels strange, to carry such a powerful and expensive item. How did Steve pay for this?
My mind wants answers, but since I am still wearing Elite clothing, changing is a better option. I do not want to stand out. It’s better to put on some of my old clothing.
“Hello?” I say hesitantly.
“Password”
“Buttercup flower?”
“Hello Mera, good to hear you found your phone.” Steve replies.
“Yes, thank you for the note, I have never seen a phone like this,” I say, not sure what to say next.
Silence.
After getting changed at home I hiked up the hill close to the house. I now sit facing the town, making sure I can see if anyone comes up the trail. It also gives me a gorgeous view of the mountains and the water down below. Summer here is beautiful. If I were in a better situation it might encourage me to start painting or something. Just to capture the immense beauty.
“Mera, you must wonder who I am?” Steve finally says. He sounds a little older than me, but I can’t say for sure.
“Yes, I have no idea why Amber gave me your number. The note says we can help each other?” I say.
“True. I run the east office of HR. And I believe that you are in quite the predicament. I think we can help,” he says.
“She mentioned HR, what is that? and how do you think you can help me?” I reply getting more confused.
“HR stands for Human Rights. While you were at the palace you had to deal with the rebels. They are trying to fight the King into abdication. They use strong force. They use violence. We believe their methods and their goals will not work. Take away one king and another will just follow the same path. And we believe in equal rights. Which is why we also do not agree with their methods. Killing Elite will bring this country no peace.”
My heart leaps when he mentions a new king. That king will be Will.
My Will
I long for him more than any dreamer should. I want him to sit next to me and take in this stunning view. I want to feel his presence. My body shivers with the realization of how much I miss him. I force the ache and the thoughts away as I think about what Steve is saying. There is a third party in this whole mess.
“Why have I never heard of you guys?”
“Because we work under the radar. We do small movements without claiming them. The Princesses that were kidnapped? They wanted to kill them. We prevented that,” he says.
He lists a few more things they have apparently prevented or made less horrible. How can I know for sure if he can be trusted? Maybe I will never be able to, my trust in others has run low, but I do still trust Amber with my life. And she sent me to him, so perhaps he deserves a chance?
“So, what can we do for each other?”
“We want you to come to our east office, where I am calling you from. I know your job history and we want you to work here. It might also be helpful to get your insight on the palace,” he pauses, “and in return we will relocate you and your parents to a place where they will be safe.”
My heart leaps. I can get them out of here? They will be safe. But what about the rest of the people here? For a second I am split in half. Can I just leave everyone else here to fend for themselves while we go into hiding? But then the words written on our house come back to mind, and the looks people have been giving me and my choice becomes clear. My parents need to get out of here. Maybe I can even help those idiots that painted our house from my place at the HR office. Maybe I can do some good. Maybe I can clear my name.
“Yes, we will come.”
“Good.”
> He gives us twenty-four hours to pack whatever we want to bring. A van will come and pick us up. He does not tell me where we will be going and I do not ask. It feels like we are about to become part of a secret. Not knowing everything might be a good thing right now.
My parents are a bit unsure when I tell them everything. They stare at me from the kitchen table with eyes filled with worry. Confusion is painted all over their faces.
“But Mera, this is our home?” Dad points towards the walls to make his point.
“I know,” I say, not sure what to say next. I pause for a moment to think of our situation, it is rather dreary. They cannot stay here, there is no way they will make it without my income. I also really feel like I can be of some use at HR, and I really want to do something good. This is all my fault, after all. “I can’t force you to come, but I do not know how else we are going to survive here? There is no way we are going to be able to find any job, and the extra money we have saved will run out soon.”
My eyes beg for them to come. I cannot go without them. Mom nods first. She places her hand on my father’s and he slowly looks up to the both of us. He also knows this is the only way for our family to survive, and for us to stay together.
“Alright,” he sighs, “we will go.”
Chapter 13
Nothing will ever be the same and I am heartbroken for it. There is no time to mourn. Packing keeps me busy and helps me to pretend there are no feelings left to feel. Yet little emotions push through as memories get packed away. I touch the walls, trying to memorize every single inch of our house. I almost break down while tracing the carvings on the inside of my closet. For years my parents marked my growth by scratching into the wood.
Just keep breathing.
The memories hurt too much, so I push on. My mind reaches the front steps of the palace. Will’s home. Will, I miss him so much. It is strange how he haunts my thoughts. Even though we spent so little time together. Missing Aran was easy compared to the ache I feel now. I shake my head and force the thought of Will’s lips on mine away. If I let it, the thoughts of him will dissolve me.
I Am Elite (A Colors novel Book 1) Page 13