Worlds Collide: Sunset Rising, Book Two

by McEachern, S. M.

  Gaia and I got out. Despite her obvious contempt for me, I was glad she was there so I didn’t feel so alone.

  “Thank you, sir. I’ll make sure she’s put to work right away,” Hazel said. She ducked her head, bowing to the man. Our driver didn’t even pay attention to her. He just climbed back behind the wheel and drove off. As soon as he was gone, Hazel’s manner changed. “So who do you belong to, princess?”

  One second she was the epitome of respect and the next she was looking at me as if I were something she detested. “Excuse me?”

  “You don’t make your bed here at night,” she said, flicking a thumb at the buildings behind her. “So who’re you sleeping with?”

  I openly stared at Hazel, confused. “Aren’t you from the Pit?”

  Gaia snorted. “There are no bourge supervisors out here so they have to pick from the urchin pool.”

  Hazel huffed indignantly. “I’ll have you know I earned my place of authority. I don’t get by on my back like you and this one.”

  The shock of her insult registered on my face and Gaia laughed. “There’re a ton of urchin lords out here.”

  “Urchin lords?” I echoed.

  “Urchins that turn bourge because they’re given a little power,” she sneered at Hazel, “over their own kind.”

  Hazel returned her sneer and then ignored her. “I asked you a question. Who’s your master?”

  Hazel crossed her arms, waiting for my answer. The way she acted, she could’ve easily passed for a bourge if it wasn’t for the dark glasses and the way she was dressed. Was she so high on her position of assumed authority she didn’t realize that she was still a slave? All she had to do was take a look around at where she was living—in a pen behind a huge fence with a chip in her throat that could kill her if she ever tried to leave.

  “Jack Kenner,” I said. She gave me an exasperated look and started tapping her foot. A truck loaded with women pulled out of the gates and caught my attention. An empty truck drove in to take its place and a new queue was formed. “Where are they going?” I asked, motioning toward the line.

  “Farm workers,” Gaia said.

  My spirits brightened. My mother always loved reading about nature. If she was out here, she would try to be picked for work on a farm.

  “Helloooo.” Hazel waved a hand in front of my face.

  “Can I work on the farm today?” I asked Hazel.

  “Why would you want to work on a farm?” Gaia asked.

  “My mom was Culled last spring and I’m hoping she made it out here. If she did, she’d want to be on a farm.”

  “I am going to take disciplinary action if you don’t answer my question,” Hazel said.

  I wondered what disciplinary action an urchin could give another urchin. “I already answered you.”

  She threw her hands up in the air. “That’s it, I’m reporting you.”

  “Why?” I asked in confusion.

  I looked to Gaia for help, but she just crossed her arms over her chest and pointedly stared at Hazel. “I know nothing,” she said.

  I had no idea what was going on, but one thing was painfully obvious—these two women did not like each other.

  “The heir isn’t out here,” Hazel said as if it were common knowledge. “I don’t know why you’re lying, but if you want to work on the farm, be my guest princess. I am going to report you.”

  I wasn’t sure what it meant to be reported. In the Pit, if a worker displeased her supervisor, she was beaten. But I was anxious to see if my mother was here and decided it was worth the trouble of being reported. Hazel walked away in disgust.

  “What’s her problem?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. Whore-envy?” Gaia shrugged. “Nobody likes a mistress, especially an urchin lord.”

  Her comment reminded me of how Summer and Crystal were treated by everyone in the Pit. They hadn’t been liked or trusted, either. I had to remember that my own kind might see me as a traitor.

  “What do you do here?” I asked.

  “Depends on what needs to be done, but its always one of the easier jobs of the day. One of the perks of being owned by an old, pompous, disgusting drunk,” she said. “You better get on the truck before it leaves without you. Good luck finding your mom.”

  “Thanks.”

  I hopped on the truck just before it pulled away. A few of the women gave me a curious look, but they didn’t speak to me. The truck turned around and drove back out through the gate.

  We were driven away from the corral, passing several large buildings spaced far apart. I could see animals grazing on green grass and fields of tall plants with people working between the rows.

  Eventually the truck turned into the driveway of one of the farms and came to a stop alongside a tiny building. A lone soldier standing guard at the entrance stuck his arm into a small shed and then waved us through. We didn’t go much farther before the truck stopped and let everyone off. Most people seemed to know where they were going, but I didn’t. I wandered around, looking for someone in charge.

  “You’re new here!” a girl exclaimed.

  She couldn’t have been more than fourteen. I thought only those Culled were out here, but now I wondered if the homeless were sent here, too. The idea made me think of my father. Should I dare to hope they sent out prisoners they no longer had a use for?

  “Yes I am,” I said.

  She linked her arm through mine and began to lead me toward a man who was shouting out orders.

  ”My name is Abby. My real name is Abrille, which is my family’s old way of saying April—the month I was born.”

  “I’m Sunny.”

  “You were named for your fiery hair. It looks just like a sunset,” Abby said with a smile.

  That took me by surprise. Did she know my name was Sunset or was she just making a comparison? Jack and I had been counting on the fact that no one out here knew we were traitors. If word got around, it wouldn’t take long for them to arrest us.

  “Have you been out here long?” I asked casually.

  “I just came outside this morning, silly. But I try to come out every morning.”

  “No, I didn’t mean outside the corral, I meant outside the Dome.”

  “I’ve lived my entire life inside the Dome,” she said. I shook my head. This conversation was going in a circle. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, “Ben!” The man she was leading me toward looked in our direction. “We have a new one.”

  He walked toward us with a pronounced limp. “Hi,” he said, shaking my hand.

  “I’m Sunny.”

  “Lord knows we can use the extra help today. We’re putting in a new field. Ploughed it out yesterday, but the magic soil has to be mixed in today. You can grab a tractor if you know how to use one or a rake if you don’t.”

  “Looks like I’ll be using a rake.”

  “That’s the spirit! Not many volunteer for that. Can you take her…um…sorry, I forget who you are.”

  “It would be my pleasure, Ben.” Abby linked her arm back through mine and pulled in the direction of the field. “That’s hard work you just volunteered to do.”

  “I like the exercise,” I said.

  “Okay, you asked for it!” She laughed and broke into a run.

  For a moment I watched her run ahead, a little perplexed by her behavior. I sprinted to catch up with her.

  “That’s one of the great things about being out here,” Abby exclaimed. “Wide open spaces and lots of air!” She threw her arms wide and turned around in a circle laughing. “I wish my family was here. It’s paradise! Maybe next time I come out, I’ll bring them with me.”

  I was beginning to wo
nder if she was a few trousers short of a full load. “It is pretty spectacular.”

  “You’ve probably never put in a full day’s work under the sun, so I’ll just let you know you’re in for a real treat.”

  At the mention of a full day’s work, I thought of Summer. If only she was out here to work with me today. I tried not to think too much about what she might be doing right now. It made my heart too heavy. I needed to think about finding a way to free her instead.

  “That’s the field,” she said, pointing at a huge area of land scarred by machines. “It doesn’t look like much now, but one day it’s going to be sprouting with life and we’re helping to make those plants. We’re like gods!”

  I looked at Abby with an indulgent smile. As Summer would say, she was a wackadoodle. But I liked her and no longer thought she posed a threat to my identity.

  She led me to a supply area, where rakes and other tools were kept. Small tractors were parked side by side.

  “What job are you going to do today?” I asked.

  “Oh, I’m not going to work. I only came for the food. I’ll see you later, Sunny.” She walked away.

  I raised my hand, about to call after her, worried that she was going to get herself into trouble. She couldn’t just wander around aimlessly and not get beaten for her laziness. But then I remembered it was urchin lords out here supervising our work. No one from the Pit would be cruel enough to hurt a sweet girl like Abby. I dropped my hand and watched her go.

  I eyed the rakes, noticing they came in different sizes. Was there some kind of criteria for which size I should use? Picking one up, I tested its weight. It seemed okay.

  “You should take a tractor before they’re all gone. Makes for an easier day,” said a woman. “First time I’ve seen you here.”

  “I’m Sunny,” I said, extending my hand to her. “I just came out of the Dome yesterday.”

  “I’m Opal,” she said, accepting my handshake. “If you don’t mind me saying so, you’re awfully young to be out here.”

  “Someone brought me with him.”

  She tilted her head slightly. “Do you mind me asking who?”

  There was no point in hiding who I was here with. If word of the heir’s arrival hadn’t already gotten around, it would soon. “Jack Kenner.”

  “The heir?” she asked in disbelief. I nodded. She looked alarmed. “So, is the president coming out soon?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  She put a hand on her chest and breathed out. “That’s a relief. I’m not saying things are good under General Powell, but I am saying they could be a lot worse.”

  Looking around the farm, I nodded. “It’s definitely not the Pit.”

  “No, it’s not,” she agreed. “I’ll see you later, Sunny.”

  “My mom was Culled last spring,” I said before she could leave. It got her attention and she turned back at me. “I’m hoping she made it out here alive.”

  “What’s her name?” Opal asked.

  “Lily O’Donnell.”

  She thought about it for a moment. “Sounds kind of familiar…I don’t know. One thing’s for sure, she doesn’t work on this farm.”

  My shoulders slumped at her answer, but I tried to shake off the disappointment. At least her name sounded familiar, which was encouraging. And there were lots of other farms out here. She could be at any one of them.

  “Thanks anyway. I’ll keep looking.” I returned my attention to the rakes.

  Opal hesitated and then walked back toward me. “I don’t mind showing you how to use the tractor. We take shifts so no one ends up raking all day.”

  I smiled, truly grateful she had decided to take me on as an apprentice. “Thanks. I’d really appreciate that.”

  For the next fifteen minutes, Opal gave me a crash course on how to operate the small tractor. She told me they could be equipped with different tools, but today it was fitted with a shovel so we could scoop magic soil and deposit it on the field. From there, it would be raked out to cover the field. When I asked what magic soil was, she said she had no idea. It was Doc’s concoction that worked with his magic seeds. The wheat we planted today would be ready to harvest in four weeks.

  The tractor wasn’t as easy as Opal made it look. Driving was difficult enough, but coordinating driving and operating the shovel at the same time was complicated. She did her best to get me started, but other farm workers were trying to get into her empty tractor and she had to leave.

  As I tried to coordinate my hands and feet, a man stepped in front of the tractor and pointed toward the field. “If you can’t drive it, get out and give it to someone who can.”

  Before I could react, I caught sight of Opal’s tractor quickly bearing down on him. He jumped and then turned and ran. She chased him right back onto the field and then pulled up alongside of me. “Don’t let anybody bully you. At some point, they had to learn too.”

  After several more failed attempts to the sarcastic cheers of the other workers, I actually managed to get a small shovelful. Triumphantly, I drove out onto the field and dumped it. Although several people scrambled to get out of my way, I didn’t actually run over anyone so I considered it a success. Returning to the mound, I scooped an even bigger shovelful and returned to the field to dump it. Opal gave me a thumbs up.

  After only a few trips, a horn sounded. The tractors came to a rest and the rakers walked off the field. It was lunchtime already. I had spent the entire morning just learning how to use the tractor and hadn’t accomplished much. In the Pit, I would’ve been in a lot of trouble for wasting so much time. But here, no one seemed to care. In fact, there weren’t many guards at all.

  I parked the tractor and walked with the others to where tables were set up under a stand of trees. Platters of food—real food, not scraps or leftovers—were lined up down the entire length of the tables. I picked up something big and red and stared at it.

  “That’s an apple,” the person next to me said. “It’s delicious.”

  I put one on my plate and then loaded it with other delectable-looking treats. There was no one here to ration it. People just helped themselves to whatever they wanted. I could almost imagine that this was a real farm instead of a labor camp. When my plate was full, I went looking for a place to sit.

  “Come and join us, Sunny,” Opal called. She was sitting under a tree with two other women.

  “You’re so young! What brings you out here?” one of the women asked.

  “Jack Kenner brought her with him,” Opal announced. She looked satisfied by their shocked expressions.

  One woman recovered quickly from the news, her initial look of shock transforming into a sneer. “And you’re sitting with us?”

  I hesitated, no longer sure if I should sit with them, but Opal still had an inviting smile.

  “Jack Kenner is out here? Why?” the other one asked, a note of fear in her voice.

  I sat down. “He’s replacing the tech guy, Dirk,” I said. Crossing my legs, I set my plate on my lap and extended my hand to the woman. “I’m Sunny.”

  “Ruby,” she replied absentmindedly, shaking my hand. “Are you sure that’s the only reason he’s out here? I mean, somebody as important as Jack Kenner might be here to get things ready for the president.”

  “He told me there’s a problem with the computers and he’s here to fix it,” I lied. The other woman was still looking at me with contempt. I tried to look sad for her benefit. “I never really wanted to be chosen for that kind of…work. My mom taught me how to color my hair black and wear loose clothes so no one would pick me. But I guess I’m lucky I got to come out with him. Never thought I’d feel the breeze on my face or see blue sky in my lifetime.”

  “Neither did any of us,�
�� Ruby said. “And we didn’t come out here on the arm of a good-looking man—we all thought we were going to be Culled. I still kiss the ground every morning when I wake up.”

  “She does,” Opal laughed.

  “As if you don’t,” the other woman said. She gave me a tight smile. “I’m Violet.” She extended her hand to me and I shook it.

  “Sunny’s looking for her mom—she’s hoping she escaped the Cull. What did you say her name was?” Opal asked.

  “Lilly O’Donnell.” I looked at the other two ladies, hoping to see some recognition on their faces.

  Violet shook her head. “Sorry. Doesn’t sound familiar. Did she come out with our group?” she asked Opal.

  “I’m pretty sure I know all the women from our group. When was she Culled?” Opal asked.

  “A few months ago.”

  “She would be new then,” Ruby said. “We don’t know all the new women yet. How did you like driving the tractor this morning?”

  “It was actually kind of fun,” I said. “It took me a long time to get the hang of it though. I’m surprised I didn’t get into trouble. But then again, there aren’t many guards around to crack the whip.”

  “It’s not like the Pit,” Opal said. “Guards are really only used to oversee crews working outside of the fence.”

  “So what’s to stop us from running away?” I asked.

  “Uh, that thing in our neck,” Violet said, pointing to her own throat.

  “Besides, who knows what’s out there,” Ruby said, sweeping a hand toward the mountains. “They had to put a wire fence around the corrals to keep the animals out. The bears are huge and they like the smell of food.”

  My eyes strayed to the mountains and for the first time since leaving the Dome, I wondered what was out there. Jack and I had seen animal tracks in the woods, so obviously there were creatures living on Earth. Were they friendly animals? Or man-eaters?

  “How are things in the Pit?” Opal asked.

  They all looked at me expectantly. I wasn’t prepared for the question. Should I be honest? I guess I could be…to a point. “Not good. There’s been fighting between the Pit and the Dome.”