I’ve only been here once before. I was sixteen. My parents, Annabelle, and I were able to go to the Capitol to celebrate President Vincent’s inauguration.
I was younger then. Mother hadn’t walked out yet. And the entire world believed that everything would get better with the newly elected president who promised new technology, new entertainments, and new freedoms.
His promises, like everyone else’s, were lies.
Maybe life changed in the Capitol, but it didn’t change in any significant way in the villages except for the new appliances that were eventually provided in homes.
Nothing changed for me except I gradually lost my entire family. President Vincent is still in charge, and no one has dared to challenge him openly. If there’s anyonelike Father who tries in a small way, they don’t survive for long.
So I have none of the hope I had nine years ago when I was last at this outpost. I’m still in that numb daze where the edges of everything around me seem fuzzy.
Another guard stops me at the door, but after my explanation, he waves me in.
Inside is a front room with a middle-aged man sitting behind a long counter and several guards hanging around looking bored.
It all appears harmless and official, so I walk over to the counter, immediately self-conscious when it feels like the guards are staring at me as I do.
“Identification,” the man says bluntly.
I hand him my papers, which legally document my birth in the Central Cities, my parents, and my position as domestic help.
“Getting married?” he asks, eyeing me sharply.
“No.” One of the few other reasons one might visit the outpost is to update papers with a new marriage or a new work position. “I need to hire a motor to the Capitol.”
His eyebrows arch. “You have enough credits?”
“No.” I swallow hard. “I was hoping this might be enough to get me there.” I pull the ring out of my pocket and show it to him.
Despite his bored manner, his gaze sharpens even more. “Where did you get that?”
“I scavenged it. In that old indoor market to the east. Do you know which one I mean?”
“Yes. You found that there?”
“I did. On Friday.”
“Anything else there?”
“There might have been, but I didn’t have time to keep searching.”
“Let me see it.” He holds out his hand with the palm up.
It’s a risk. There’s a decent chance he’ll keep the ring and send me on my way with no hired motor. But I don’t have a choice. The group of guards is standing across the room, watching this conversation. If I argue, they can come over here and make me give up the ring.
They can search my bag and find the rest of the jewelry I’m hiding in there.
I hand him the ring without hesitation.
He studies it for a minute. Then reaches into a slot on the stand on the counter to pull out a form. Without a word, he fills out the form and hands it back to me. “Take this to the motor stand outside and give it to the driver when he arrives. You’ll need to wait on the bench. Someone else has reserved a motor to the Capitol this morning, so you’ll ride with him. Might be another hour or so before the driver arrives.”
“That’s fine,” I say, trying to hide my rush of relief. “Thank you very much for your help.”
He inclines his head very slightly as I accept the completed form.
I clutch it as I hurry out the main door and find the bench near the motor stand where I’m supposed to wait.
I’d rather make the drive by myself, but whoever else is traveling to the Capitol today must be from around here. Probably just a villager doing business there. If they ask me what I’m doing, I’ll say I’m visiting Annabelle. It’s true, and they have no way to know whether Lorraine has given me permission or not.
