by Eliza Green
Workers dressed in jumpsuits of different colours packed the streets: green for the water purification plants, white for the farms and hospitals and royal-blue for the factories. Others wore the brown-tunic/black-trousers uniform of Essention.
She walked at a fast clip to the street heading north. Strangers traded greetings as easily as neighbours in Brookfield traded help. Their politeness soothed her. But it also frustrated her. It didn’t feel normal.
Half an hour later, she reached Essention’s large perimeter wall with cameras and guns on top. She passed by the network of large pipes on her left that carried fresh water to Essention’s refugees. Workers in green uniforms hurried about as their day drew to a close. Shiny metal orbs floated close to Anya among the criss-cross of pipes, checking for leaks or doing security sweeps.
If the rebels ever attacked, the easiest way would be to target the water supply. If Anya were in charge, she would send the large wolves to patrol. The mere sight of them would send anyone running for safety. But they never left Arcis.
The Monorail passed overhead. Anya walked underneath the girders towards a gap between two grey-bricked buildings in an area not covered by the orbs. She waited until the streets emptied a little before making a dash for the rear of the building.
She came to a stop in a concrete yard with a couple of garbage containers and not much else. She hoisted her bag on her back and climbed up on one of the containers that reached halfway up the wall’s height.
Her foot slipped and she stumbled to one knee. Pain shot through her and she bit her lip, drawing blood. But she powered through the pain. All she wanted was one quick look at the stretch of grass she imagined to be tucked between the inner and outer perimeter walls.
Her injured knee throbbed, causing her to shift her weight onto her other leg. She stretched on tiptoes, and took a peek. What she saw caused her stomach to clench. Anya returned to flat feet with a curse. There was no luscious strip of grass waiting for her; only mounds of garbage that had been piled up along the gap.
She slipped down from the container to the ground. Her knee continued to throb, but she ignored the pain. The space felt too tight. She needed some place to call her own. Maybe there was an access point to the strip of land. But her search turned up no gate or door to access the gap.
With a heavy heart and a sore knee, Anya returned to the street. She jogged to test out her knee, picking up speed when it felt better. Her lungs blazed with an exertion she missed. She tried to ignore the curious looks from the other residents.
At the top of the road, she headed left and climbed the steps to the Monorail. She boarded the train, cursing her weakness and her inability to do this on her own. There was only one place left to go.
16
She had told herself to stay away from Southwest. So much for her willpower.
She kept to the dividing wall and the shadowy cover it provided. Southwest felt different to the rest of Essention. It wasn’t just that the bungalows were similar to those in Brookfield; here, it felt like unseen eyes watched from the little houses.
There was no sign of Dom outside the factory. She tried the door. It opened to reveal a dark and quiet space. She crept towards the room where she’d found him the night before. The boxing bag was gone and the chain that had held the bag now had a large bunch of bananas in its hook. She saw no evidence he’d ever been there.
Light footsteps approached from behind her. A gentle tap on her shoulder froze her for a second. She turned and swung her raised fist. It hit something soft, but solid.
‘Relax, it’s just me.’ Dom steadied her fist. He wore the mandatory brown tunic she hated, but which looked good on him, over black cargo pants. Anya snatched her fist out of his hand and straightened her own tunic.
‘Don’t sneak up on me like that.’
‘You’re late. I didn’t think you were coming. I was about to leave.’
‘Yeah, sorry. I got sidetracked.’
She left out the part where she hadn’t planned to come. She gripped her bag with one hand.
‘I’m here now. So, more boxing?’
‘No. Someplace else I want to show you. Come with me.’ He grabbed her free hand and pulled her towards the exit.
Dom’s warm grip caught her off guard. She kept her hand in his until her cheeks burned. She eased it out. Dom glanced down at their parting hands. At least the night masked her blushes.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked, eager to get the focus off her.
They walked past the bungalows with the eyes, past the one with the pale-green door. She glanced at it but there were no lights on.
‘Just a little further.’
She hugged herself while she followed Dom. They reached the end of the street by the dividing wall for West. A laneway sat between the last house and the wall. The space opened up a little and Anya saw a steel gate.
‘We can access the land at back of the houses in West,’ said Dom.
Anya saw a lock on the gate. ‘Are we breaking in?’
He produced a key from his pocket and turned it in the lock. She followed Dom through, wondering how he got the key.
But her curiosity gave way to excitement when she saw the smooth running track. Her body shuddered with excitement at the thought of running properly again.
Dom dropped his bag on the ground and pulled off his tunic, resting it on top. Underneath, he wore a white T-shirt.
‘Just leave your stuff here, it’ll be safe.’
He pulled a water bottle from his bag. He already wore his running shoes.
‘Where did you get the key from?’ Anya dropped her bag to the ground.
‘Come on. Last one to the end is a loser.’ Dom jogged backwards, taunting her with a smile. He hooked a finger at her.
She sighed and pulled off her own tunic, then gave her red T-shirt a sharp tug at the end. She’d make him answer her questions later.
She took it easy at first; her knee still throbbed a little. But when Dom turned and sprinted ahead, it jolted something in her; something she thought she’d lost for good.
She ran faster and faster until she was on his heels. He seemed distracted, but in a good way—like exercise was his outlet too.
Her legs resisted at first, then burned. She ignored the ache in her lungs and gave in to the pleasure of exertion. She emptied her mind and concentrated on her breathing.
The track curved gently to the right. Dom dropped back slightly and set a more even running pace. Tall walls and foliage to their right marked the boundaries of the bungalows in West. The evening was still and warm. Anya concentrated on the rhythmic suck and release of air.
After the first kilometre, her rustiness kicked in, and her breaths shortened with every footfall. Dom also breathed hard, but not as hard as her.
He slowed. ‘You okay back there?’
‘Need to... Stop now. Not fit.’
He pulled up short just as Anya doubled over at the waist.
‘Not far to go now.’
She wheezed. ‘Where?’
‘There’s a park about a kilometre ahead.’
She drew in more oxygen and jogged again, this time slower.
‘Take your time. I’ll meet you at the end.’
He sprinted ahead. She jog-walked to the end.
The track stopped at another gate. An out of breath Dom drank from his water bottle. Then she remembered her own, still in her bag.
Dom used the same key to open the new gate. They entered the new space. Anya looked around at a children’s playground, complete with swing set, slide and miniature climbing wall. The place was deserted.
‘Are we supposed to be here?’
‘It’s fine.’ He shut the gate with a gentle click. ‘I didn’t steal the key, if that’s what you were thinking.’
Dom walked on. Anya spotted a steel structure off to one side and ran to it. She pressed the button and a stream of water appeared. Her mouth was inches from its glistening stream when Dom yanked her away.
‘Don’t drink that.’ He shook his water bottle at her and she grabbed it from him. Her mouth and throat fizzled as the ice-cold water slid down.
‘Why not?’
‘It’s contaminated. That’s why I brought clean water with me.’
Anya frowned. ‘But it’s in a kid’s play area.’
‘And I’m sure the engineers in North will fix it tomorrow.’
He walked over to one of the swings and sat down. Anya followed him and did the same, grateful for the chance to rest.
‘How often do you come out here?’ She lifted her legs and used her body to push the swing forward.
‘As much as possible. But it’s getting harder to be consistent.’
Dom didn’t use the swing the way she did. Instead, he leaned forward and rested his arms on his legs.
‘Why, because of the first floor?’
‘That. And I’m not always in the mood.’
Anya stopped swinging, remembering the conversation she’d overheard between Dom and the older man. ‘What’s the first floor like?’
‘It’s okay.’
‘But what do you do there?’
Dom hesitated. ‘You’re just going to have to find out for yourself.’
‘It would be easier if you just told me.’
‘And then you’d find some lame excuse to stay put on the ground floor.’
‘The first floor must be terrible if you won’t say.’
Dom smiled. ‘Let’s just say it’s all about timing.’
Timing?
‘Why do you care if I progress or not?’ Anya brushed the soles of her runners against the short grass.
‘I don’t know. I just do.’ He shrugged, keeping his gaze on the ground. ‘You underestimate yourself, and I hate to see you wasting your potential.’
‘I’m tired of people telling me what I do isn’t good enough.’
‘Well, maybe you need to be told.’
Anya swallowed her anger and looked at the water fountain where a bird had just landed. It dipped its beak in the water. Didn’t animals have built-in poison detectors?
The moonlight provided the only light in the playground. Anya didn’t need much to know Dom was staring at her.
‘Are we friends, Anya?’
She held his gaze for a moment before looking away.
‘I don’t know. Maybe. But you started hanging out with Sheila...’ She swallowed. ‘Truth is... I don’t know if I can trust you.’
Dom laughed gently. ‘I was thinking the same thing about you.’
Even though she’d said it first, his uncertainty cut her like a knife.
‘But there’s something honest about you that makes me think I can,’ he said.
A thrill coursed through her. She didn’t know why she cared so much.
But their fights brought her back to earth. Wasn’t friendship supposed to be easy? Dom looked more at ease with Sheila than her.
Anya steeled her insides to protect herself.
‘So where did you get the key from? Why did you bring me here?’
‘Charlie gave it to me. He manages the factory we were in last night.’ Anya recognised the name: the man who’d cut Dom’s hair. ‘This part of Essention belongs to a town called Annavale. The refugees found keys for the gates in the bungalows. Essention doesn’t seem to care if they use the running track and the playground. I brought you here because I wanted some place quiet where we could talk. The cameras don’t cover this section. Plus I thought that maybe I could teach you how to defend yourself.’
Anya snorted.
‘What’s so funny?’
She wound the loose chain from the seat next to her around her hand.
‘You saw how I handled Sheila. Do you think I need lessons?’
‘It can’t hurt to be ready. We’re just at the beginning of Arcis’ programme. I can’t predict what’s to come.’
Anya smirked. ‘You know I can box, right?’
‘Defence isn’t about attack—it’s about assessing the situation and getting out of a tight spot to prevent an attack.’
‘Are you talking about the wolves?’ She couldn’t think of another danger.
‘Not necessarily. The programme is designed to test us, to build up our skill levels. They could throw something bad at us at some point. I just want you to be ready.’
She wanted to say the two deaths on the ground floor had been bad enough. But mentioning it meant reliving it.
‘What if I try to leave? They can’t make me go through the programme if I don’t want to.’
‘You can’t leave.’
Dom grabbed her wrist and ran his finger along the spot where the hospital had implanted her chip. Her breath shortened and he released her. ‘Our chips are hardwired into us. If we leave, it will sever the connection between body and mind. It will kill us.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘I just do.’
She looked around. ‘But we’re out here now and nothing’s happening.’
He pointed at Essention’s high perimeter wall. ‘Yes, but we can’t venture past those walls while we participate in the programme.’
‘I don’t understand. Why are we locked in?’
‘The programme is important to Arcis and it has something to do with what’s on the ninth floor. We’re special. They don’t want us to leave.’
Dom’s brown eyes looked almost black in the moonlight. ‘Right now, you’re not in any danger. It’s safer to stick with the programme and do as you’re told.’
‘You sound like Jason. Did you know he wants to leave Essention, to check out the crop growth? I told him there’s nothing out there but the rebels.’ A ripple of anger surprised her. She reached for Dom’s water bottle, which he gave to her.
‘And you don’t trust the rebels?’
‘No.’ A knot tied up her stomach. ‘They killed my parents. I saw them.’
‘And you would never consider the possibility it might have been someone else?’
‘Like who?’ She wasn’t ready to consider an alternative.
‘Nothing. Forget it.’
Anya detected nervousness in Dom’s voice. What did he have to be worried about?
She drank some water. After, she said, ‘Can I ask you something?’
Dom’s gaze was so soft, she almost lost her nerve.
‘Shoot.’
‘How old are you?’
‘Seventeen.’
She smiled. ‘That answer may have worked when you had your dreadlocks, Dom Pavesi. But your short hair makes you look the age I think you are.’
‘And what age is that?’ The moonlight glinted in his eyes.
‘Older than the programme allows.’
Dom didn’t correct her.
‘I’m right?’
‘I never said that.’ He stood up and paced in front of her. He was nervous, which made her nervous. ‘Keep your assumptions private, okay?’
‘I promise.’ She hadn’t planned on telling anyone.
He covered his face and dragged his hands down, stretching the skin.
‘I don’t know what it is about you, Anya Macklin, but you make me want to tell you too much about myself.’
Delight tickled her stomach. She wanted to do the same. Although, truth be told, he hadn’t said all that much.
Dom composed himself fast. He stood in front of her, shook out his arms and stretched his neck from left to right. ‘Okay, enough shop talk. Time to learn something new.’ He held out his hand. ‘You game?’
She dropped the water bottle and took his hand. It felt rough and warm. His gaze was on her. Her heart thrummed as loud as it did when she ran.
He let go and turned her so he stood behind her.
‘Okay, say I sneak up behind you like I did in the factory tonight. Come at me like you did then.’
Electricity buzzed through her, and it wasn’t because of the challenge. She hesitated for a moment.
Calm down.
Her hands tight
ened into fists and she went to turn. Dom grabbed one wrist, then the other, and spun her so she faced him. He pinned her arms above her head. Anya wriggled beneath his strong grip but he was too strong. She waited for him to release her.
‘Okay, now let’s try that again, and think about what else you can use against me.’
This time she stepped forward before she turned. Dom grabbed her wrists too easily and spun her to face him again. She fought and lost against his powerful grip. What else could she use against him?
With his hands on hers, his body was open and vulnerable. She attacked him with her knee. He jumped out of the way before she made contact.
Dom let go of her wrists. ‘Better. But not all attacks will be the same. Want to try another?’
She smiled and nodded. What was it about combat that excited her? Or was it being alone with Dom that was exciting? She shook that last thought from her mind.
‘Turn around as before.’
One step and he was behind her again. He worked his arms around hers, pinning them to her side. Her body buzzed with anticipation. His soft breath tickled the side of her face. He smelled familiar; sweet and musky. She straightened up and cleared her mind.
Anya turned her body, but Dom gave her no room to move. She kicked out behind her, but hit only air. Dom pressed down on the back of her knee with his foot. She dropped to the grass and he straddled her.
‘Again.’ He straightened up, offering her his hand. Anya waved off his help and scrambled to her feet, brushing the grass off her trousers.
She heaved out a breath before turning back around.
He was close again, but a new hesitation slowed down his moves. And when he pinned her arms down by her sides, he wasn’t as close as before.
Did Dom and Sheila ever do this? She wriggled like a wildcat, but her actions only caused Dom to tighten his grip. The space between them vanished when Dom resorted to using his height and weight to keep her still. Let me go. Dom’s breath turned more rapid and uneven by her ear. Her pulse raced to match her own short, sharp breaths.
