by Jess Petosa
“Yes,” she answered quickly. Her pause in conversation had evoked some sort of emotion in him, and he had begun to slide toward her on the bench.
Ally had been so anxious for answers all day, and now she felt speechless when she was finally getting her chance. Her first instinct was to ask a question that would help her understand what Sabine had been about to tell her earlier, but she feared Luke wouldn’t answer. Plus, if he knew Sabine was talking about it, he might order her not to tell Ally.
She turned to face him. “The only Exceptionals I have ever known are the Guards, so you can understand why I might be a little amazed at this whole other world that exists inside the city. Even though I know that not every Exceptional is a Guard, it was hard to picture everyone within the walls in any other way. What was growing up here like?”
Luke’s smile faded slightly at her question. “In turn, we aren’t told much about Ordinarys and their lives outside of the City. We only know what… what we use them for. Ordinarys aren’t spoken of much during every day activities, unless one is needed for a chore or task.”
He seemed to be thinking carefully about his word choices. “You’ve met my father, and you know who he is, so you should know that my upbringing was much different than that of the other Exceptionals. I’m not really a great example of an average Exceptional in the City. We all start attending the Institute young so we can be assessed for our future potential. When I wasn’t in lessons, I was with my best friends, Pax and Maver, whom you have met. We mainly would watch movies or go to the Warehouse in City center.”
Ally raised her hand to stop him. She had seen movies in action but hadn’t heard him mention the place before. “Warehouse?”
Luke leaned back, resting his arms on the back of the bench. His fingers came close to touching Ally’s shoulder. “The Warehouse is a building where younger Exceptionals gather to play games and be together. Once an Exceptional turns eighteen, he or she is no longer allowed to go. We are required to focus on our higher level classes at that point.”
“And how old are you?” The thought popped into Ally’s head.
“I’ll be eighteen in two weeks.”
Ally smiled. “I am eighteen today.”
Luke perked up. “Really? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Were you planning on making me a cake?” She raised her eyebrow and he smiled.
Ally changed the subject. “So this Institute, what are you taking these classes for?”
Luke’s jaw tightened. “I already mentioned the assessments we receive when we are younger. Those results are combined with your scores through out school for the next several years. Once you enter high education you are put on a career path. It is more training than learning. For instance, Pax is being groomed to be a Guard. This means that his day is filled with lessons on shooting guns and disabling unruly civilians, or something similar.”
Ally gasped. “A Guard? But he doesn’t even fit the description!”
She watched as Luke’s face took on a grim appearance. “That doesn’t mean that he won’t once he has completed all of his training.
Ally felt sick. “And you? What are you being trained for?”
“To work in leadership, like my father.”
She could tell he wasn’t happy with the path he had been given. She took her gaze off his face and stared at the ground in front of her for a while. Despite being an Exceptional and growing up with more luxuries than Ally could have ever hoped to enjoy, in a way, Luke was a lot like her. He had still been a kid, he had still had friends, and he had still been forced to do things he wasn’t happy to do.
“Ally, were you ever told the stories about the days during the spread of the virus?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“My grandfather told me bits and pieces, but the elders were discouraged from talking too much about the old world. It has been long enough that many of the memories and stories have died off,” Ally responded.
He continued. “Somehow someone captured small pieces of that time on film and preserved it for the future to see. They show us the videos when we first get to the Institute so that we can see just what we came from. It was chaos. Many were infected, and only a little over half of the infected lived. They became what I am now, what we all call Exceptionals. They had to deal with not only the death of their friends and family and the possible destruction of their world, but with their newfound powers. Most experienced extra strength, outstanding hearing, and sight that rivaled that of any other creature on Earth. Some of the Exceptionals even experienced extra powers. One man found himself capable of creating fire in the palms of his hands, while another could create the ice that would put that flame out. One man could move objects with his mind, while another could transport himself a few feet at a time.”
“That doesn’t seem possible.” Ally had heard rumors of Exceptional Guards with abnormal powers, more abnormal than what they already were. She had never seen it for herself though.
“It shouldn’t be. But neither should our super strength, hearing, or eyesight. Exceptionals are even able to process information fasted than an Ordinary. I can read a whole book in an hour and remember everything.”
Ally didn’t take his statement as bragging, he didn’t seem proud of it.
“What happened to those Exceptionals, the ones with the extra powers?”
Luke looked up at the tree branch hanging just over their heads. “They still exist. In fact, 90% of Exceptionals have extra abilities, but most do not flaunt them openly. Many of these abilities are minor, like spouting a weak stream of water from the finger tips.”
That sounded pretty remarkable to Ally, but she let him continue.
“My father is one of those Exceptionals with an ability that makes him rise above the others. It is one of the reasons he is in the position he is in now. But my father likes power, and he’ll do anything to gather others with just as much power. To either make them friends or eliminate them.”
Ally shivered at the thought. “What about you? Do you have extra powers?”
“Nothing as great as my father’s abilities, and I’m glad. I don’t want to be power hungry like him, and I don’t want to be one of his tools,” he said as he stood and offered her his hand. “We should get back. Mazzi will be serving dinner soon.”
The sky had started to take on a golden twinge, signaling that the sun was starting to make its decent into the horizon. They walked back to his house in silence, his hand still grasping hers. There were less Exceptionals and Ordinarys on the street than before, and when they stepped into his house they were greeted with silence.
“I have to eat dinner with my father and mother tonight. Once a month my mother makes sure we are both under the same roof, and that all three of us eat in the same room.” He rolled his eyes. “I figure I might as well humor her. I’m going to go wash up, but you should head to the kitchen to eat with the others.”
Ally nodded and stepped away from him, hoping that she would find Sabine in the kitchen. She still wanted to hear more about Luke and his family from her. She had been afraid to ask Luke any more personal questions when they had been sitting on the bench. And once he had begun to talk about his father, his mood had soured considerably.
Sabine, Asher, and Flint were all standing by the counter when she entered the room. Mazzi was busy cooking, which she always seemed to be doing, and a sweet scent filled the air.
“It smells delicious in here,” Ally commented as she joined them.
“Where have you been?” Sabine put a hand on her hip and tried to look stern. It was a face her mother used a lot when she and Stosh were younger.
“On a walk with Luke.” She didn’t add anything further.
Sabine’s frown turned into a smile, Flint looked bored, and Asher looked somewhat amused. She had a feeling it would take a while to figure out the rhythm between these three but she was willing to try. She might spend the rest of her life in this house with them, and she wa
nted her friendships to count. Otherwise, it would be a long, lonely life.
Mazzi served them up four plates of glazed ham, cooked carrots, and a large helping of mashed potatoes. These were foods that Ally only had a few times a year, and here it seemed that they were being fed this well each day.
“Is the food always this good?” Ally said as they sat down.
“Always.” Asher popped a carrot into his mouth. “The Exceptionals believe in treating the Ordinarys inside the City a little bit better than the ones outside. We aren’t much use to them starved and miserable.”
Ally shot him a dirty look, but in a way he was correct. They were always fed back in the settlement, but the food was nothing compared to what she was eating for dinner. Their meat was always tough and fatty, and their carrots didn’t taste this good. She realized that Mazzi had put some sort of sauce on them as well, and in the settlement their food didn’t come with any extras.
“I finished my work list before dinner, so I think I’m going to turn in early. Mrs. Mathias had Flint and I running all over the City today,” Sabine said between bites of ham.
Ally nodded. “I wouldn’t mind turning in early, either. It’s been a long day.”
Her day had started off slow, but after her talk with Luke she felt as though she had been in the City for days. There were so many new things to remember, new people to meet, and emotions to work through. As she fell into bed later that night, her mind was racing with all of the information she had received today. Hadn’t she always dreamt of coming to the City? Her family had held her back, and she had been willing to stay in the settlement, but fate had intervened. She wanted to find a way to enjoy her time in the Mathias household, but a small part of her felt that there was something bigger behind her being here. That she didn’t quite know everything about her necessity to Luke, and why of all the Ordinarys, he had chosen her.
Chapter Six
As he laid in bed that night, Luke thought about how well Ally was starting to fit into his life already. He had expected she would be nervous and afraid, and maybe even reserved at first. The first night had been questionable, but then she warmed right up, willing to spend time with him and be around him without being disgusted. He would be disgusted with himself if the situation was reversed, but he hadn’t had a chance to tell her the truth yet, to really explain her purpose here. He had been fearful that Sabine or one of the other Ordinarys might break the news, but he had broken down and told them not to. He didn’t give out many orders when it came to their house workers, but he decided to make an exception for this.
He hadn’t believed it possible to become so captivated with a girl in such a short time. He had attended the Institute with hundreds of them, and many of them had found interest in him, but he knew it was most likely because of who his father was, and of who he might become one day. If he hadn’t known Pax and Maver since before he could walk, he might be tempted to forgo normal friendships as well. There was no one else he could trust.
The night before, when he had been called from dinner, his father had asked him some questions about the new “Ordinary” in their house. Had he talked to her about the contract? Had he made a decision on the specifics? How quickly would he progress to the desired result? Luke had tried to give his father answers, but he couldn’t think of much to say. He had finally excused himself and shut himself in his room, watching a few romance movies he had never bothered to pull off the shelf before. These feelings were new to him, and he hoped he could gain some wisdom from the old world.
Luke had felt better after his afternoon with Ally, but as he fell asleep that evening, he knew there were many things he still needed to tell her. Hopefully he would find the time to talk to her in the morning and explain more.
LUKE KNOCKED on Ally’s door just before breakfast. When she opened it, her dark hair was freshly washed and hanging in wet tendrils down her back and shoulders. She was wearing the standard muted gray that Ordinarys wore, and had already slipped into the black work shoes each Ordinary was provided.
“I thought we could spend some more time together today. I don’t have any lessons at the Institute, and no plans with Pax or Maver.”
She stepped into the hallway and closed the bedroom door behind her. “Oh, well, sure. I thought maybe you were coming to give me my work list.”
He laughed. “Did you want a work list?”
She shrugged. “It would make me feel more useful. I don’t want to sit around the house while the others run around doing work.”
He hadn’t thought about it that way, but he also didn’t like the idea of giving her chores to do. He didn’t want Ally to think he owned her, even if in a sense, he did. If he were ever to question the system that separated the Exceptionals from the Ordinary, it would be now.
“So, time together?”
She smiled. “Sure.”
They walked down the stairs and through the kitchen, passing through the glass double doors that led to the backyard. Luke’s mother used to spend hours outside during the warm weather, tending to the garden and keeping the area well maintained. Now it was Asher’s job to take care of the backyard, but it didn’t look as grand. A brick patio stretched out from the back of the house, covering a third of the backyard. The rest of the yard was a sprawling garden, with stone paths that swirled and looped around, sometimes meeting each other at a crossroads. There was also a fountain in the back corner, one that Luke had played in as a child.
“It’s beautiful.” Ally approached a large pot with roses growing in it. “We only have wild flowers back in the settlement, and our gardens are strictly for growing food. Did your mother do all of this?”
Luke nodded. “She used to spend most of her time out here, but recently she had been locked up in her office.”
“And why is that?” Ally stepped away from the roses and back toward him.
“I have no idea,” he answered honestly.
She turned and headed toward the end of the patio, twirling around as she stepped onto one of the dirt paths. “You wanted to talk?”
He followed behind her, watching as she spun and skipped through the garden. He could tell she was more alive outside, as if the fresh air and smell of flowers breathed life into her. She stopped when they got to the fountain and sat down on a bench directly across from it. He took a seat next to her and studied her for a moment.
“What?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.
“Nothing. I’ve just never met anyone quite like you,” he said.
“Is that a bad thing?”
He shook his head quickly. “No, not at all. All the Exceptionals in the City, and even Ordinarys, always seem to be in a rush. They always seem stressed, worried, and set on moving forward toward the next step in life. You seem so free, willing to pause and enjoy the moment.”
Ally laughed, her head tilting up toward the sky as she did. “I never thought I would find an Exceptional envious of my life.” She paused, her gaze meeting his again. “I almost volunteered to come to the city during the last gathering.”
“Really? Why?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I never felt as though there was a future for me in the settlement. I liked the City because it was an unknown. Others volunteered, and it must be great if they never returned after their five-year contract is up. Did you know that not one Ordinary has come back to our settlement since they started gathering volunteers?”
Luke tried to keep his expression steady. “That’s interesting. I never realized the City was such a big deal to those on the outside, but maybe it is because I grew up here. What was your settlement like?”
“You would laugh if you saw it after having lived here your whole life. The homes are much smaller than yours, and we live with one to two other families. The settlements used to be neighborhoods with multiple homes but some have crumpled to the ground. Because of this the placement of the homes is very sporadic, and they aren’t well maintained. We receive electricity from the City, but no ru
nning water. My brother and I spent most of our childhood in the woods, climbing trees and playing games. That is something I really miss from the settlement. Trees.”
Her cheeks turned a light pink.
“I shouldn’t talk about it so negatively though. It really is a great place to be. I loved the freedom I had, being able to escape into the woods if I needed to get away. The Ordinarys are great as well. We were like one big family, each of us bringing our talents and interests together to work and live as one.”
He could tell she was battling inwardly with which place was the right for her, The City or her settlement.
“What would you be doing today if you were still in the settlement?” he asked.
She bit her lower lip while she thought. “Hmm. It would be a workday, so I would be out in the woods, either gathering food or hunting. We are assigned our jobs at fourteen, and then trained for one or two years before really getting involved. My brother is a woodcutter, while my mother is a seamstress.”
“You’ve mentioned your brother before. Is that the boy I saw in the woods with you?” Luke thought back to the day he met Ally. It had been just two afternoons prior to this one.
She nodded. “Stosh. He is my twin brother; and my best friend.”
“And your father?” Luke had noticed she omitted him from their conversation.
“I don’t know who he is, and he doesn’t know who I am either. My mother said he was gone before she knew she was pregnant with my brother and me”
“That doesn’t seem fair.”
“It is what it is.”
“But doesn’t it make you mad?” Luke leaned toward her.
