The Emperor's Concubine

by Killarney Sheffield

  Trembling, I scramble from the table and creep behind the screen. After donning my undergarments I yank the robe over my head and step out from my seclusion. The woman jerks a thumb to the door and I go back to the waiting room.

  The girls gather around whispering. “What is going to happen to us?” Ashley asks.

  “I don’t know.” I fix my gaze on the receptionist who speaks to an enforcer by the door. She squints at the group of concubines and then says something to the enforcer. He nods and opens the door leading to an exam room. After peeking around the door-jam he disappears inside. A few moments later he returns with a tablet and a long cord. Head down, he stalks past the door to the tunnel, turns and flattens himself against the wall.

  I chart his gaze to the camera blinking in the ceiling. From his spot in the corner it is possible he can’t be seen by it. Reaching up he removes the panel from the ceiling mount and sets it against the wall. He fumbles with the wires on the camera for a moment and then clamps the cord he carries to it and the other end to the tablet in his hand. He pauses for a moment to tap on the tablet and then arranges it against the wall with the panel.

  When he steps directly into the line of the camera and waves while looking at the tablet, I’m puzzled. Seemingly satisfied he returns to the receptionist and speaks to her for a moment. The receptionist answers and then they both hurry to the cluster of girls.

  “We don’t have much time. Hold out your wrists.”

  The concubines glance back and forth at each other. Trying to be brave, I stretch out my arm and motion for the others to do the same. Something tells me the enforcer and the receptionist are trying to help us. The woman grasps my wrist and wedges a finger under the metal tracking band. The enforcer reaches over with a pair of small metal cutters and snips it clean through. It falls to the floor with a metallic clink. I rub the calloused spot. For as long as I can remember the bracelet has been an everyday part of life, as normal as my hair, now I feel strangely bereft without it.

  Once all the girls are freed from their trackers the nurse speaks. “You must all come with me, quickly now.”

  “Where are we going?” A small brunette asks.

  “There is no time, the enforcers will be back in a few minutes.” With that the receptionist opens the door to the furthest exam room and beckons for us to follow.

  We hurry through the room, out a door at the far end and down a wide corridor. Every ten feet another corridor branches off the main one until after passing four we come to a T. The receptionist veers left and then opens a door a few feet down the hall. She ushers us into the room ahead of her.

  Against one wall are shelves stocked with rolls of white cloth. My nose wrinkles at the odd stench in the room. It’s a foul odor, much like the unwanted stash of custard Petie hid under his bed once to avoid eating it. It is then I realize the other girl’s stares are glued to a long metal table on which lies a white cloth wrapped object. The cloth conceals an unmoving human shape. In mute horror it occurs to me this is the room where the dead are prepared for disposal.

  A sob bubbles from one of the girls and another grasps her hand white lipped and stiff. It is obvious the rest of the concubines have come to the same conclusion. We are going to die.

  Ashley takes my hand, her fingers shaking and as icy as mine. “Did you have one of those things Dr. White gave me inside you too?”

  “Yes.” I do a quick head count. “Two other girls aren’t here.”

  Danika sniffles. “They left the medical facility just after you arrived.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe they weren’t wearing the insert.”

  A tablet with a long cord running from it to the camera in the ceiling is propped up against the wall. When I peered closer at it I discover the tablet displays a picture of the room, only in the picture it’s empty. It is then I realize the enforcer has tapped into the security system and is feeding an earlier loop of the empty room into the recording camera. Therefore, whoever is monitoring the camera feeds from the medical centre would see the waiting room full of concubines and the morgue empty.

  Six enforcers rush into the room. The door closes behind them with a thud and the click of the lock. One of the enforcers removes his helmet and I breathe a sigh of relief at the sight of Sol’s drawn face. He gives me a tight smile and then motions for the other enforcers to remove their head gear.

  “We are here to help you. In order for our escape plan to work you must all listen carefully and do exactly what you are told.”

  Someone raps on the outside of the door and we all freeze fearing discovery as Sol answers it with Taser drawn.

  Dr. White darts in and relocks the door. “Have you checked the connections?”

  “Yes, I patched the feeds into the cameras. No one will see anything other than the loop of the girls standing against the wall and an empty morgue.”

  Dr. White turns to us. “We have come to help you all escape.” A couple of the girls gasp while others break down sobbing, or stare open mouthed at Dr. White. He shushes them and holds up his hand to get their attention. “We only have a few minutes, maybe ten at the most.”

  On his cue two enforcers crank a handle on the wall by a large square. Little by little it eases open, exposing a chute. Covering my nose I fight to keep from gaging at the intense stench emitting from it. One of the enforcers climbs into the chute and then disappears.

  “Hurry now, get in. I know it smells and it is dark, but don’t be afraid.” Dr. White crooks a finger at the nearest girl. Instead of following his directions she turns a fearful gaze to me. Dr. White looks over her head. “She’s afraid. I know how brave you are Ocean, would you go first?”

  Even though I too am terrified, my desire to escape is greater than my fear of the unknown. Gathering every ounce of courage I can muster, I allow an enforcer to help me into the chute. The cold metal against my bare legs where my robe rides up to bunch beneath makes me shiver.

  Sol smiles at me in encouragement. “It will be all right, I promise. Just let go.”

  Taking a deep breath, I let go of the sides and find myself sliding faster and faster down the dark, foul smelling chute. My heart leaps in my chest and I fight the urge to scream in panic at the uncontrolled descent.. Squeezing my eyes shut in the blackness I tuck my arms to my body to keep them from banging the sides. It seems like I’m going to keep falling forever until a blast of cool air has me opening my eyes. A moment later a bright light blinds me. Before I can gather my wits, I land in a heap. When I open my mouth, I can’t seem to draw a breath.

  “Look out!”

  A rumbling comes from above and then I’m yanked to the side. I finally manage a gasping gulp of air. Something lands with a thud beside. A whoosh of breath follows. Scrambling to my knees, I blink to adjust to the light. Ashley rolls to the side and gets to her knees as another girl tumbles from the chute above with a screech.

  “Come on, get up.”

  The enforcer who had been first down the chute urges me to my feet. I look down. A decaying face stares up from a tattered shroud of white material. It is Mathias. A scream bursts from my mouth. In sheer panic I scramble backward. Everywhere I see them. They are all around me. Decaying corpses. They’re crunching and squishing beneath. Stumbling to my feet, I wipe my hands over and over on my robe. ”Oh my God, oh my God!” It’s a body. A dead person. I landed on dead people! My chest tightens.

  “Ocean, Ocean. Stop! It’s okay.”

  In mute horror I fixate on Sol as he clamours across the bodies. “They’re dead. Dead bodies!”

  He cradles my face, looking me in the eye with a calm gaze. “Ocean, get a hold of yourself. It’s all right.” Then he encompasses me in his arms, holding me against his chest. “I’m sorry. There wasn’t time to warn you. We had to move up our escape plans because of the Emperor finding out about the birth control devices.”

  Sobs wrack my body as I try to come to grips with the snapping and popping bones beneath our feet. I
go from being unable to draw a breath to hyperventilating. Sol’s hand strokes my hair as he murmurs soothing words I’m too shell shocked to comprehend. The warmth of his chest and encompassing arms begin to calm me little by little.

  “Ocean, we have to get moving,” he murmurs into my hair.

  With effort, I gather my wits and then step away with a sniffle, taking care to keep my eyes on his so as not to see the death around me. Unable to speak I nod.

  He brushes a lock of hair behind my ear and gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “Come on.”

  We cross the pile of corpses and I try not to think about the flesh and bones crunching beneath my feet. Covering my nose and mouth to keep from vomiting at the smell I look around. A metal chute juts out from the cement outer wall of Imram over a large pit. Four of the enforcers hack away with shovels at the far side of it, digging crude steps into the dark brown dirt. When they reach the top they climb over the sides and drop a rope of white material. One by one the twenty-nine girls are urged to climb the makeshift steps using the material to help them. When the final girl almost reaches the top, the last enforcer scurries up behind. Sol and I bring up the rear.

  Hands reach out to help us over the edge and I collapse on the ground. A chill makes its way up my spine and my hair flutters. For the first time, I became aware of a soft shushing broken only by a strange squawking. I gaze skyward. The sun is low on the horizon, thin wispy clouds drifting across it and the pale, orange-tinted sky. In one direction stretches the city walls as far as the eye can see, tall and formidable, topped by a white dome. In the other, a long hump of rocky dirt, studded here and there with clumps of yellow grass. A grey and white bird dips and soars on the breeze, its squawk breaking the stillness.

  Dr. White extends his hand to help me to my feet. “Come on, we need to put as much distance between us and the city as possible. It won’t take them long to figure out our escape route, if they haven’t already.”

  In single file, we follow Dr. White and the enforcers. The sharp rocks poke my feet through the thin soled shoes which are common in the city as we make our way across the uneven ground. As we climb the little rise, the shushing increases in volume. Grasping a tuft of the stiff grass, I claw my way to the top and then freeze at the sight. A massive expanse of blue undulates before my eyes. Sunlight glints off the waves where little white ridges form.

  In awed wonder, I stand before the spectacle. My heart quickens. Can it be? No, I can’t believe it, yet it is there, clear as anything. It takes a few seconds to find my tongue, but when I finally do my words tumble over each other in a breathless stream. “The ocean! Sol, it’s the ocean, isn’t it? Am I dreaming? Is it really here?” Emotion overwhelms me and suddenly I’m laughing like a crazy woman, giddy with awe. A gust of wind swirls my hair and impatient with its intrusion of the scene, I brush the fluttering tresses aside. The air has a fresh, crisp saltiness to it I can almost taste and I lift my chin, taking a deep breath to savor it. The wind whipping the white robe around my legs is cold, drawing little goose bumps along my flesh, but I relish it. My first taste of freedom is like nothing I have ever dreamed.

  Sol comes to stand beside me. I don’t have to look to know he’s there and in truth I can’t tear my gaze from the mass of blue before me. “It’s just like your eyes.”

  Dr. White interrupts my delight. “There is no time to sight-see, I’m afraid. Come on.” He slides to the edge of the cliff where an enforcer is standing and points. Down the side lies a long rope ladder. At the bottom, bobbing in the water, are two odd looking crafts. A couple of enforcers in them look up. “Don’t worry, they’re friends. They’re part of the Emperor’s fishing detail and are helping us escape.”

  He glances back over his shoulder at the city walls and then climbs over the edge, followed by the receptionist.

  Sol guides their progress and when they reached the ground below he hands the rope to me. “Your turn.”

  Dangling from the rope ladder above the churning water, my heart slams against my ribcage, sweat beading on my brow. “It’s so far down.”

  Sol grins. “You climb the ladder to your roof in the hubs all the time.”

  “This is much higher than that.”

  “Just don’t look down. Pretend you are climbing down from your roof.”

  “What if I fall?”

  “You won’t. Just pretend.”

  Closing my eyes for a moment I take a deep breath. “All right. I’m at my hub. On the roof.”

  “Down you go, Ocean. I’m right behind and Dr. White is waiting for us at the bottom.”

  When I open my eyes, Dr. White calls, “We have no time for therapy right now, Ocean, besides, it’s not my assignment anymore to discourage your defiance.”

  I smother a giggle. “That doesn’t mean I can’t give you a hard time.”

  “Just get down here, Number Two-twenty-three.”

  Offering up a weak grin, I shimmy onto the rope. “All right! You know, you are far too pushy for a psychiatrist.”

  “Psychologist.”

  “Whatever.” Gathering my courage in the face of his laughter, I ease down rung by swaying rung. No matter how strong the urge is to look down, I stare at the rock face in front of me. Before I know it hands on my waist guide me until my feet find purchase on a soft surface. Knees shaking I step away from the ladder on quivering legs and sit with a plop. Soft, damp sand brushes my fingertips. Grasping a handful I let it slip through my fingers, mesmerized by the feel of it. “Sand.” In wonder I look up into the psychologist’s eyes. “I can’t believe it is all here, all the things my father told me of. I wish he was here to see it all too.”

  He reaches down and squeezes my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Ocean. This is not how we planned it. Many more were supposed to escape with us, but the Emperor finding out about the birth control devices forced our hand before we were ready.” He helps me into one of the boats and goes to assist the other concubines descending the ladder.

  I look out over the water from my seat in the bottom of the craft. My new found freedom is tainted by the absence of my family. My freedom has come at a very costly price.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  The sinking of the sun beneath the horizon mesmerizes me as we speed across the water. The Emperor’s painted sky is nothing compared to the awesomeness of the real thing. Shivering, I tilt my face to the sky as the wind flutters my hair and robe around me. It’s cold out on the water, colder than I would ever have imagined. Life in Imram has always been a controlled twenty-two degrees Celsius. Teeth chattering I glance at Sol poised at the helm with the boat’s captain. His gaze flickers to me and he frowns before returning to his conversation.

  Things are strained between us, yet I can’t fully understand why. Sol said he could handle my being used by the Emperor, that me being a concubine would not change his feelings, yet it has... hasn’t it? It bothered him the Emperor likened my eyes to the ocean when he mounted me. Why? I haven’t done anything wrong. My joy at being free is tempered by his distance.

  I turn my attention from Sol and gaze up at the heavens changing to the dark blue hues of night. One by one, stars appear until the sky is studded with so many glistening dots of light it takes my breath away. “Have you ever seen anything like it, Ashley?”

  The girl beside me sighs between chattering teeth. “It puts the Imram sky to shame. I wish it was warmer, though.”

  Rubbing my arms, I nod.

  “Here.”

  I lower my gaze to find Sol holding out a silver tarp.

  “Wrap this around yourselves to keep the wind off you.” He gives me a small smile. “It is the best I can do, there was no time to bring supplies.”

  The thin crinkly tarp offers little warmth, but I fold it around myself, Ashley, Tracey and Danika. “Thanks.”

  With a nod he reaches over our heads with a second and third tarp, handing them to the dozen girls behind.

  The tarp keeps the bite of the wind off us and helps hold in our body heat.
Together we huddle under the stars, afraid and excited for what is to come.

  “Do you think there will be animals and trees across the sea?” Danika asks.

  Squinting into the darkness I shrug. “I don’t know. I hope so. Where are we going, Sol?”

  “We are not on the ocean. Well, not really.” He gestures to the man operating the boat. “Link says this is what they call a bay, it is essentially a large area where the sea has bitten a circular chunk out of the land. The water is salt like the sea but we aren’t in the open ocean so to speak. We are crossing to the other side where we will disembark on land.”

  Ashley leans forward excitement dancing in her eyes. “Why, and what is the land like?”

  Sol returns to Link’s side and speaks to him in a hushed tone for a moment.

  Link points out a couple dials on the controls and then approaches. After flicking on an acid charged flashlight, he crouches before us. “I understand you have some questions I might be able to answer.” With a smile he takes out his tablet and opens a blank page on it. With his control stick he draws a wiggly lined blob with a big bite shaped chunk taken out of one side. “Here is Imram.” He puts an ‘X’ on the edge of the blob on one side of the missing chunk. “We are traveling across the bay to here.” He puts another ‘X’ directly across from the other.

  “So we are not actually on the ocean?” I ask.

  “Well, it is the ocean, just not the big part of it.”

  “Have you seen the big part of it?”

  “Once, and it almost cost me my life. We are not supposed to go beyond the ten mile mark. The Emperor can track us even here, outside the city walls.”

  “Not anymore.” Danika extends her arm now free of the metal tracking bracelet.

  Link smiles. “Unfortunately, he can track our boats.”

  Excited, I press him with more questions. “Are there trees, plants and animals like my pa said?”