Sunset Rising
Page 16
“So you’re saying I better get comfortable here because I’m not going anywhere else,” I stated flatly.
“Not unless you come up with an airtight plan to get out of here,” Di said, cocking an eyebrow at me, which made her statement more of a question. Why would she wonder if I had a plan to escape? Did she recognize me? No, she couldn’t have. She would’ve reported me. Harbouring a criminal in this place would be the violent death of her for sure. She knew that.
“Then you better show me how to iron these pants because I have no other place to go. I’ll try to keep Madi happy,” I said, putting the pants on the ironing board.
“Good luck with that!” Di said sarcastically. “The iron gets really hot if you set it too high and it will burn the clothes. That’s why I like to iron when the clothes are still damp – less chance of damaging them.” She showed me how to lay the pants on the board and began to run the iron over the material quickly, never stopping in one place. A washing machine started to buzz behind us. “That’ll be your second load. We need to get it out now because someone will be waiting for the machine.”
We left the pants and went back to the washing machine. Di told me to sort everything out myself and just watched to see if I did it right. I made a few mistakes, but she corrected me and I took note for the next time. I ended up with two more items to iron. We went back to the ironing board and she let me finish the pants. She was showing me how to iron a shirt when my third machine started to buzz. I went and got the clothes and began sorting them. I found a few more items to iron and went back to the ironing board. Di was still with me, showing me how to do everything. I wasn’t finished with my ironing when the first dryer signalled the load was done.
“Now we go to the folding station. This will take a bit of time to learn,” Di warned me.
I was feeling uncomfortable with the amount of multi-tasking I had to do. I still had ironing waiting to be finished, two more loads in the dryer, and now a load to be folded. The carts were stacking up too. Di took out a small board from under the counter. She placed it on the back of a t-shirt and began to fold the shirt around the board. When she was finished, she slipped the board out of the folded t-shirt and flipped the t-shirt upright. It was perfect. Now it was my turn to try. I was not nearly as fast or as good as Di. I tried again.
“You’ll need to master this quickly,” Di said, looking in the direction of Supervisor Madi. I understood. I tried harder.
“There - how’s that?” I presented my finished t-shirt.
“Not bad,” Di said after she made a few adjustments. “Try again with this one.” She handed me another shirt. I was feeling under pressure with all the work I had piling up. I was afraid of losing track and missing something. I folded the shirt like I was shown. “Better,” Di said.
It took me approximately fifteen minutes to fold the entire load. I was still very aware I had ironing and another load in the dryer that was about to finish. I went back to the ironing board and did what I could until the dryer signalled it was done. I left to go and fold it. Di was over at her station now getting some of her own work done. I realized I had taken up quite a bit of her time today.
I was halfway through folding my third load of laundry when the bong bongs sounded, signalling the end of the working day. With the lockdown this morning, we only had half a workday, although it felt like I put in a full day.
“You’ll need to finish up before you go. Kai’s is waiting to take the last of the carts upstairs. We’ll have a busy day tomorrow trying to catch up. Lockdowns might seem like a peaceful break while they’re happening, but the work keeps piling up and we have to stay on top of it,” Di sighed.
I tried to hurry my folding, but it didn’t work. I just wasn’t that adept yet. So I made myself slow down. Working late wasn’t part of my plan for this evening. I was really anxious to find my father and make sure he was okay. I was also hoping to catch Summer at the common room for dinner.
“Autumn, you need to concentrate or you’ll never finish,” Di said. She took the shirt from my hands and positioned the board in the center of the back. “Like this.” She showed me in slow motion. I tried again with the next shirt, pushing aside the panic rising up inside me.
Eventually the laundry was folded and I could get back to the ironing. Again, I found it slow going but I knew I had to get it right. Di was helping me every step of the way and I was truly grateful for her patience and kindness.
“Done!” Di exclaimed as I finished the last pair of pants. “Now, put the clothes in the proper cart. I know Kai wants to get home and eat something.”
Di showed me how to stack the clothes into the cart. I couldn’t believe how complicated it was to do laundry. I had a new appreciation for my old job in the kitchen.
“I’m sorry I’m so late Kai. I’ll try to be faster tomorrow,” I promised the boy.
“That’s okay, Miss Autumn. We always end up working late after a lockdown.” Kai took the remaining two carts and headed for the door.
“Now we can scan out. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Di said.
Supervisor Madi was waiting for us with the scanner in her hands.
“I expect tomorrow you’ll be able to pick up the pace,” she glared at me. “I don’t like having to stay here late waiting for a couple of urchins to finish their work.”
“Yes ma’am,” I said and I waved my hand across the scanner.
It felt good to get out of the heat in the laundry room. I went in the direction of the stairs, pulling the visor of my hat lower. There were not many people in the hallways anymore. I realized I must be over a half-hour later than usual. I quickened my stride and joined the few people on the stairs.
That’s when I saw her. Summer.
Chapter Fifteen
Summer looked directly at me and I could tell by her expression she recognized me right away. She looked terrified and dropped her gaze, refusing to look my way. I resisted the impulse to run down the stairs to meet her and instead waited for her to come up to me. Something must be wrong because she’s never ignored me before.
She gave me a sidelong glance when she reached the fourth level and walked down the hall in the opposite direction from me. I waited a moment then walked after her. I tried not to get too close in case someone was watching us. I saw her disappear into the common bath. I slowly walked in that direction and ducked inside to meet her.
“Sunny, what are you doing in the Pit?” Summer demanded the instant I stepped into the room.
“Looking for you,” I said softly. I went to her and wrapped my arms around her. “The whole reason I escaped was so I could see you, Dad, and Reyes.”
“Are you crazy? They’ll kill you if they find you,” Summer said desperately.
“They’re going to kill me anyway. At least now it’s on my terms. What happened to you? Why are you still going up to the Dome?” I asked, changing the subject.
“You know why, Sunny. Don’t make me say it,” she said in a defeated tone.
“But Jack told me he signed you up with some old guy that would fall asleep and you’d be sent home after the party,” I explained. “Why didn’t that happen?”
“Oh, its Jack now is it? Not Mr. Kenner or Mr. Almost President?” Summer asked sarcastically. She really wasn’t acting like herself. Her voice was laced with bitterness.
“We’re on the run together. Being on a first name basis saves time,” I said, trying to keep the sarcasm out of my own voice. “I want to know what happened to you.”
“Leisel happened to me. Jack may have signed me up with a deadbeat, but Leisel signed me up to be with her father!” she spat.
I stared at her dumbfounded. That was just wrong on so many levels. I couldn’t even begin to imagine old President Holt in a sexual capacity. It was disgusting. And the fact that his daughter signed up a girl for him…
“Leisel is the most evil person I’ve ever met,” I spit out.
“I’ve been at the Holt residence every night since the
bachelor party. The only reason why I get to come home during the day is that Mr. President, as he told me to call him when he gives me permission to speak, allows me to go to work in the kitchen every day. He feels that all urchins should be earning their keep. Imagine! Like I’m not earning my keep being his sex slave all night long. It’s revolting!” she shuddered in disgust. “And if that’s not enough, I have Leisel talking to me about you. Between acting like the heart-broken jilted bride in front of her father, she’s interrogating me to see if I’ve seen you and your husband down here.”
“So she didn’t tell her father that you and I are friends?” I asked warily. I was afraid for Summer, but as long as Holt didn’t know she meant something to me there was no reason for Summer to be drawn into my predicament.
“How could he? Leisel can’t tell him she knows who I am without risking admitting she knows who you are. Although given time, I’m sure she’ll come up with some story. She’s conniving that one,” Summer said bitterly.
“So Leisel told you what she did to Jack and me?” I asked.
“Every single detail. She’s quite proud of herself. And you should know she and her guard are lovers. He and some of his friends are watching me down here to see if I lead them to you,” she warned.
“That’s why you didn’t want to talk to me in the hallway. I’m so sorry I got you dragged into all of this. I’ve really made a mess of everything. If I could rewind the past few days, I’d do things so much differently. I’d just take getting fired and look for a new job,” I said apologetically. I hugged her again.
“Stop it! Just stop apologizing!” Summer said angrily. She gripped me by my shoulders pushing me away to look me in the eyes. “We didn’t ask to have bad things happen to us! Our only mistake was being born on the wrong side of the Dome.” She dropped her hands from my shoulders and looked at me sadly. “I’ve gotta go. Being late with President Holt is not an option.”
“Be careful Summer,” I pleaded, but my words sounded hollow and ineffectual even to my ears. What I really wanted to do was take her by the hand and find a hiding place for the two of us and keep her safe. But if she didn’t show up for President Holt, then she would be running for her life now too. There wasn’t a way out of this for either one of us.
“You’re the one who needs to be careful. Holt is turning the Dome upside down looking for you two. The only reason he hasn’t done a thorough search in the Pit yet is because it hasn’t occurred to him that Jack Kenner would find refuge down here. But he’ll figure it out soon enough. He won’t stop until he finds you,” she warned.
“Jack got us new chips,” I began, but Summer held her hand up to stop me.
“Don’t tell me. If I know anything about you, Leisel will find a way of getting the information out of me.” She pulled me toward her and hugged me tightly. “You’ve always been my best friend and you always will be. I love you Sunny,” she said softly. I felt the tears roll down her face. I knew what she was doing and it was too much.
“Don’t you say good-bye to me, Summer!” I said with conviction. “Holt is not going to win. We’ll see each other again.”
“Sure we will, Sunny. Just do me a favor and stay hidden.” She gave me a sad smile and kissed my cheek. Then she was gone out the door.
It was unbearable to think I would never see her again. I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like without her in it. It was her strength, her ability to take a bad situation and turn it into an adventure that enriched my life so much. But my effervescent friend was gone. The same monster that wanted me dead had enslaved her. There was no bright side to this adventure.
I rubbed the tears off my cheeks and left the bathroom. I saw a guard at the far end of the hall, but he was oblivious to me. I headed back to the stairs and descended the two flights to our apartment.
“Jack?” I called out when I entered the apartment. There was no answer. “Jack?” I called out a little louder, but still there was no answer. A nervous flutter was starting in the pit of my stomach as my mind raced to the conclusion that he had been captured today. I ran into the bedroom and found him on the mattress, flat on his back covered in coal dust. I faintly heard him snoring.
I breathed a sigh of relief. The thought of him being captured terrified me. Now that my best friend was lost to me, I felt so alone. The only person I really had left was my partner in crime.
“Jack wake-up,” I said as I sat down on the bed. He didn’t even stir. “Jack,” I gently shook his arm. With lightning reflexes, his hand came up and wrapped around my throat. For an instant I felt him starting to squeeze. “Jack!” I choked out. He dropped his hand.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that!” he snapped. I could tell he still wasn’t quite awake.
“They’ll stop serving dinner soon,” I warned him, massaging my neck. I would have to be more careful around him.
“I can’t decide what I need more - sleep or food,” he said, rubbing his eyes to force them open.
“Food,” I said. “You can sleep again later, but food is only served three times a day. Miss a meal and it will be a long time before the next one.”
“Hey, were you crying?” he asked when he saw my red eyes.
“I just saw Summer,” I said.
“Oh. Look if you want to beat me up again, then I’ll let you know right now I’m too tired to fend you off. Just go ahead and punch me,” he said, throwing his arms wide open on the bed to give me clear access to his stomach.
“Maybe after dinner,” I responded. “She told me she’s with President Holt. Leisel signed her up to be with her father after the bachelor party.”
Jack sat straight up in bed and gave me a look of surprise. He was fully awake now.
“Your friend Summer is within Leisel’s reach?” Jack asked. I nodded. “Then she’s got to be part of Leisel’s plan. What angle could she be using with her?”
I never thought about it that way, but I was beginning to learn that everything Leisel did had a motive behind it.
“She set-up Summer with the President the night of the bachelor party. She couldn’t have known then that we would escape and go into hiding,” I observed.
“You’re right,” Jack agreed. “Summer was part of her plan that night. How?”
“Probably as insurance to make sure I did what she wanted,” the realization hit me. “She threatened to tell on Summer for stealing food if I didn’t go along with her plan. If the threat hadn’t been enough to convince me, she probably would have paraded Summer out in front of me and threatened to do worse. Leisel kept saying how impressed she was that I stood up for my friend. She found my weakness.”
“And now that we’ve escaped, she’s keeping Summer close,” Jack finished.
“Well that and Holt likes Summer. He’s the one telling her to come to him every night. But when he’s not around, Leisel is going after her. She told me Leisel’s been interrogating her to see if she knows where I am. Leisel’s boyfriend is following her too,” I said.
“Does Holt know that you and Summer are friends?” he asked.
“Leisel can’t tell him without implicating herself. Summer says she’s playing the broken-hearted victim in front of her father,” I said.
“A little handicap like that isn’t going to slow her down. Are you sure that you and Summer weren’t seen talking today?” he asked.
“We didn’t speak to each other in public – we met in the bath room and no one else was in there. Summer’s aware she’s being watched. She also didn’t want to know where we’re hiding. She’s scared Leisel will get the information out of her. Oh, and she said that Holt hasn’t thought to look for you here in the Pit.”
“Why not?” he asked, confused.
“She said it hadn’t occurred to him that you would hide down here.”
“So his own prejudices are preventing him from making good decisions again,” Jack said in understanding. I gave him a curious look. I wasn’t sure I was following. “Holt would never be caught dead
down here and he thinks I’m every bit as prejudiced as he is. See, I told you he’d keep repeating his mistakes. At least it gives us a bit more time.” He gave me a weak smile. We both knew that eventually we would be caught and killed.
“Then let’s use the time we have left. Did you think about what I asked you? About teaching them how to defend themselves?” I asked.
“You’re asking me to do the impossible. First of all, Reyes is never going trust me so his friends never will either. Secondly, there is no place away from the eyes of the guards to teach them. Thirdly, it took me years to learn martial arts and I have maybe a few days at best before I’m caught,” he pointed out.
“So now I know why in 283 years your family still hasn’t won against the Holts,” I mused out loud. Jack gave me a blank stare. “You talk yourself out of every good plan. Sometimes you just need a starting point,” I said. I found it frustrating to want to do something to help my own people, but being told I couldn’t. If Jack didn’t want to help, I would find another way. “Never mind. Let’s go to dinner before there isn’t any left.”
“Sunny,” Jack began, but I walked out of the apartment. I was almost to the sixth level when he caught up. “That wasn’t a fair statement,” he said when he came up beside me.
“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” I cut him off. I didn’t need him to convince me my plan was a bad idea. I had already made up my mind. If people saw me as a hero, then I needed to live up to the title. I wanted my death at the hands of the President to at least inspire change.
At the risk of missing dinner, I decided to turn toward my father’s apartment. If he was still in bed, perhaps I could convince him to come and eat with us. I found Bron was in her usual spot.
“Sunny…” Bron began when she saw me. “I wanted to come and see you right away, but there were Domers down here,” she explained. She had a worried look on her face I didn’t like.