the agenda, but I don’t say so.
I’m too happy she came! I don’t know how she learned I was here, or why she came, but she did. I grab her hand. “I’m glad you changed your mind.”
Her frown doesn’t let up as Randolph begins his speech.
“On the north side of the wall there is a door. It’s an old door, one that’s not guarded or monitored in any way. It’s easy to open it and walk away, but you have to be careful. The high grass is all around, and it’s stopped many escapees in the past.”
He stops and scowls at me. I want to sink into the wall, but I force myself to stay straight and face him without shame.
“You’ll leave tonight. Don’t slow down. Don’t look back.”
So it is tonight. I found Jamie only to lose her again so quickly.
Isabel squeezes my hand this time. “She’s OK. And she’s got your food to last a few extra meals.”
I manage a smile of thanks at the meager words of comfort.
Randolph continues. “There are people on the outside who are willing to help you. You can meet Jesper near the falls. Walk straight out the doors and keep going. You’ll find the falls, and him there, eventually.”
The group is as mismatched as I could ever imagine. Isabel and I are the only women, but even she doesn’t stand out as much as I do, because I’m the only one who didn’t bring some sort of pack with supplies. Why didn’t Randolph tell me more? Warn me I wouldn’t have time to get anything together?
He gives a few more instructions, but I’m eager to leave now. I don’t have any food or water, but I know Isabel, and she’ll help me. We should find the falls and the man Jesper in a day or two, and from there I shouldn’t need Isabel’s help.
Randolph finishes and I am ready. Lesser City 4 is no longer my home, because once again, I am Free.
9
Seven of us in all leave the mechanic shop. We split up as we make our way to this alleged door to the outside.
Isabel’s warm hand clasps mine and I glance at her. “We’re in this together.”
Gratefulness washes over me. She doesn’t even want to leave, but she’s doing it for me. I nod as tears burn my eyes. “Together.”
Isabel and I stick together, and she pulls me to the far side of the dark building so we can stay out of sight of the guard tower. “The best way to get to that door is going back through the city.”
“It will take us hours to get back,” I say. “And then we have to make our way out of the city again.”
“It’s better than taking a chance at getting stuck in the high grass.”
She makes a good point. “OK. Maybe we can stop and get another pack of supplies for me.”
“No need. I brought enough for the both of us.”
I eye her small pack but take her word for it. “Why did you come, Isabel?”
“Someone has to keep you alive.”
“But why? You don’t really know me, and you definitely don’t owe me anything.”
She frowns as we walk toward the city, but she keeps her face straight ahead. “You remind me of someone I once knew.”
Silence falls between us as we finish our walk down the dim road. Her words play over in my mind—someone she once knew. She must be talking about herself. Again I wonder what her story is.
Once we reach the city, we make our way left and toward the north side of the wall. Cutting down dark alleys and finally past the waste dump, we reach the outskirts of the city. The wall is within sight, and Isabel was right. There’s a mostly clear path untouched by electro-grass.
I shudder just remembering lying in those currents.
Smells from the dump permeate the air. The mountains of refuse are huge and the reason hits me and sickens me at the same time. This is where they send the garbage from all the cities. They make these people—people like me—live in squalor.
Forcing my mind away from it so I can focus on escape, I turn back toward Isabel. A few others have already reached the door. Isabel holds out her arm, stopping me. She
I’m too happy she came! I don’t know how she learned I was here, or why she came, but she did. I grab her hand. “I’m glad you changed your mind.”
Her frown doesn’t let up as Randolph begins his speech.
“On the north side of the wall there is a door. It’s an old door, one that’s not guarded or monitored in any way. It’s easy to open it and walk away, but you have to be careful. The high grass is all around, and it’s stopped many escapees in the past.”
He stops and scowls at me. I want to sink into the wall, but I force myself to stay straight and face him without shame.
“You’ll leave tonight. Don’t slow down. Don’t look back.”
So it is tonight. I found Jamie only to lose her again so quickly.
Isabel squeezes my hand this time. “She’s OK. And she’s got your food to last a few extra meals.”
I manage a smile of thanks at the meager words of comfort.
Randolph continues. “There are people on the outside who are willing to help you. You can meet Jesper near the falls. Walk straight out the doors and keep going. You’ll find the falls, and him there, eventually.”
The group is as mismatched as I could ever imagine. Isabel and I are the only women, but even she doesn’t stand out as much as I do, because I’m the only one who didn’t bring some sort of pack with supplies. Why didn’t Randolph tell me more? Warn me I wouldn’t have time to get anything together?
He gives a few more instructions, but I’m eager to leave now. I don’t have any food or water, but I know Isabel, and she’ll help me. We should find the falls and the man Jesper in a day or two, and from there I shouldn’t need Isabel’s help.
Randolph finishes and I am ready. Lesser City 4 is no longer my home, because once again, I am Free.
9
Seven of us in all leave the mechanic shop. We split up as we make our way to this alleged door to the outside.
Isabel’s warm hand clasps mine and I glance at her. “We’re in this together.”
Gratefulness washes over me. She doesn’t even want to leave, but she’s doing it for me. I nod as tears burn my eyes. “Together.”
Isabel and I stick together, and she pulls me to the far side of the dark building so we can stay out of sight of the guard tower. “The best way to get to that door is going back through the city.”
“It will take us hours to get back,” I say. “And then we have to make our way out of the city again.”
“It’s better than taking a chance at getting stuck in the high grass.”
She makes a good point. “OK. Maybe we can stop and get another pack of supplies for me.”
“No need. I brought enough for the both of us.”
I eye her small pack but take her word for it. “Why did you come, Isabel?”
“Someone has to keep you alive.”
“But why? You don’t really know me, and you definitely don’t owe me anything.”
She frowns as we walk toward the city, but she keeps her face straight ahead. “You remind me of someone I once knew.”
Silence falls between us as we finish our walk down the dim road. Her words play over in my mind—someone she once knew. She must be talking about herself. Again I wonder what her story is.
Once we reach the city, we make our way left and toward the north side of the wall. Cutting down dark alleys and finally past the waste dump, we reach the outskirts of the city. The wall is within sight, and Isabel was right. There’s a mostly clear path untouched by electro-grass.
I shudder just remembering lying in those currents.
Smells from the dump permeate the air. The mountains of refuse are huge and the reason hits me and sickens me at the same time. This is where they send the garbage from all the cities. They make these people—people like me—live in squalor.
Forcing my mind away from it so I can focus on escape, I turn back toward Isabel. A few others have already reached the door. Isabel holds out her arm, stopping me. She
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