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  He scoffed but didn’t say anything else on the topic. “Did you hear about the border rules they are putting in place now?”

  “Yeah, the Official mentioned it…I mean it’s for the best, isn’t it? Mr. Lieu wouldn’t have put them in place if it weren’t absolutely vit–”

  “Vital to the survival of this nation, yeah, I know.” He looked like he was struggling to hold back the eye roll. “Doesn’t all of this seem…I don’t know, a bit excessive?”

  I blinked taken aback, “Never doubt the Officials, trust me. In a week or less, all of this nonsense about rebellion will be gone.”

  He raised an eyebrow but dismissed the topic almost as quickly as it had begun. “Have you visited your mother yet?”

  “No, why?” My gaze fell on my phone; I hadn’t given her a second thought ever since the broadcast.

  “Well, I guess I just assumed that you would be worried about her.” He followed my gaze to my phone. “How about we go to this field of yours tomorrow, and you can check in on your mom, okay?”

  “Okay, thank you…Asher.” I smiled up at him, and he gave me a weak grin before leaving.

  Chapter Ten

  After I finished speaking to my mother, I got into my pajamas. It had been such a tiring and stressful day that I figured I would have no trouble falling asleep. With that small comfort in my mind, I drifted into a restless sleep. My dreams were filled with terrifying scenarios involving the Insiders and revolting Outsiders. What if those scary gang leaders somehow got into the city? He had called them Assassins.

  I tossed and turned in my sleep, nightmares filling every second of my dreams. I dreamt of my brother and what had happened to him. What he had done. Broken, bleeding silhouettes played across my visions. Screams. My mother’s body lying on the floor, crimson spilling from her.

  “Mom!” I screeched, but I couldn’t run. I looked down and saw people with navy clouds trying to drag me down, deeper into the dark waters. My strangled screams were lost in the sounds of gunshots. I watched as she was tortured, crying out for me, but I couldn’t reach her. I let out a shriek as the clouds began to cover her, her screams getting fainter and fainter-

  I woke up in a cold sweat; it was still dark outside. I checked my clock and sighed falling back onto my bed. It was one A.M. I reminded myself that none of it had been real, and drowsily walked over to the society’s handbook. Yes. We have a handbook. It states the rules—or the original ten at least—and the phone number of every citizen in the area. I searched the book for the name Asher, but I realized I would get nowhere if I didn’t have a last name. As I was about to flip the page, my gaze fell on a name that had been crossed out in red ink under the Outsider section. Griffin Chainbreaker. I didn’t remember crossing it out, and I wondered if an official had come to update it and I simply didn’t remember. They would cross out your name in black ink if you died, but never in red. I blinked in confusion, and out of curiosity, flipped to the back page of the book. In blood-red letters was the word Fugitive. Fear surging through me, I read down the list of every Fugitive that had ever lived. All of them were written in the same crimson letters and crossed out with black ink to signify death. All of them except the name, Griffin Chainbreaker.

  I fell backward to the floor, my heart pounding in my chest. It must have been a mistake, no Fugitive lived after the brand. After every Fugitive death, they would broadcast it, and tell us to cross out their names. Maybe I had just missed the broadcast…yeah, that had to be it! I quickly closed the book and set it back on the shelf.

  It must’ve been hours I was trying, but I could not fall asleep again. I was too scared; why had that one Fugitive’s name not been crossed out? Lieu never let Fugitives escape alive; they would never allow something that dangerous to happen. For the tenth time I tried to convince myself of that, and to just go back to sleep, but to no avail. I sat up in my bed and turned on my light after hours of useless attempts at rest. My eyes fell on the book sitting on my shelf. Defeated, I walked back over to the table and picked up the book. I brought it back over to my bed, flipping mindlessly through its pages until I got to the last remaining few: Outsiders and Fugitives. Despite my best efforts, I found myself studying the Fugitive page. At least a hundred names were all crossed out in black ink, all except Griffin Chainbreaker. I flipped to the next page and paused. In handwriting that was not from the Sentinels, was a bunch of information on this Griffin. I cautiously read it, scared of what I might find.

  He was born to an Outsider family because his father had married his mother then stole something. I sighed, shaking my head a little. I had always thought of it as selfish to do that to your spouse.

  I read on, my curiosity getting the best of me. Both of his parents were dead, he had been the eldest of six. Had. Three brothers and two sisters it looked like. I blinked, thinking of Violet’s words. Six kids, now that was a lot for such a low ranked Outsider family. I couldn’t imagine how all five of them could be dead, and it didn’t talk about him like he was too. He had become a Fugitive at as young as eight years old. I winced thinking of a boy that young, killing someone in cold blood. He had been sentenced to five years, then branded and shipped off to war. I blinked, he must have been caught before it got too serious, because, five years, though it was a lot for someone that young, wasn’t as bad as it could have been. My gaze fell on a chart I had never noticed before at the bottom of the page, it was once again written in the scrawly and messy handwriting that couldn’t have belonged to a Sentinel.

  Griffin Chainbreaker

  Date of Birth: 7/31/37

  Current Age: 21

  Age marked as Fugitive: 8

  Amount of jail time: 5 years

  Time served in the war: 3 years

  I paused in terror when it used the words’ current age, which meant that he was still alive, yet they implied that he was no longer serving at war. Then words I had never seen before, confirmed my suspicions.

  War Criminal: 16 years old

  This Fugitive was still alive, and he had become the first one ever to survive the brand and escape the war.

  Chapter Eleven

  I felt like I knew a secret that wasn’t meant to be known, one that could very well get me killed. I didn’t understand why my book had that extra section written in it. Had Mr. Lieu found out about the clouds? Had the fugitive found out about the clouds? I shuddered at the thought, and almost didn’t leave my house that morning, but I had promised Asher I’d meet him at the field. I didn’t feel safe and was sure that if I was confronted by the Sentinels I would crack under the pressure. Nonetheless, I made my way to the field despite my worries.

  I realized as I climbed up the hill towards the big tree that I always sit under when I came, that Asher hadn’t even asked where the field was. How on earth was he going to find it? After sitting there for fifteen minutes, I debated on going home just in case he was there, waiting for me. But then again, what if as I left he arrived? I sighed, feeling frustrated as I realized he hadn’t even given me time! He could have meant this evening, noon. Heck, he could have meant midnight! I picked myself up off of the grass, beginning to question just how compatible we were. I wasn’t a clean or order freak, but I at least needed someone who could focus for one second! Anger swelling in me, I began to trudge back down the hill. He hadn’t exactly stood me up, but it sure felt like it. How on earth had he expected to find the field and meet me without setting a time or even knowing where this place was? Feeling dumb, I began the path back to my apartment. I had homework to do anyway.

  I stuck my key in the door, but right as I went to turn it, the door creaked open. I blinked in shock, this had happened once before and it had ended up being Asher, but with the knowledge I now had about Griffin, I couldn’t help the fear that surged through my body. Someone had written the extra information in my book, someone had wanted me to know about this Fugitive that had survived, and someone has been in my apartment or is currently in my apartment.

  I crept inside
, my heart pounding in my chest. The door to my bedroom was wide open, and no one was there, so I continued to the kitchen grabbing a shoe. I wasn’t sure how much protection it would provide, but all the same, it made me feel safer.

  I entered the kitchen sure my heartbeat would give me away. The light was off, and the door was wide open, but considering the layout of it, there could still be someone hiding. Terror was coursing through me, and it was getting noticeably harder to breathe.

  Cold arms wrapped around me from behind, making me scream, drop my shoe, and throw a punch as hard as I could behind me. I heard several grunts in pain, as my fist met its target. I turned around, ready to punch again, but paused when I recognized my attacker.

  There standing in front of me with a bleeding nose was Asher. “What was that for?” He complained, clutching his nose.

  “You startled me,” I mumbled defensively. Then remembering my anger with him, crossed my arms.

  “That was the goal,” he winced, giving me a playful look. “Boy, you can punch.”

  I looked down, not wanting him to see my smile. “Is it broken?”

  “I don’t think so,” he crossed his eyes, trying to look at his nose. “Probably not, but could you get me a paper towel or something?” He pinched his nose, trying to stop the bleeding.

  I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a paper towel. I turned to give it to him, but right before I handed it to him, I heard a gigantic bang from somewhere next door. What I did next, was purely on accident and I am not proud. I kneed him in the gut.

  “Oi!” He crumbled, hands clutching his stomach. “Why are you doing this to me?” He pleaded, desperately.

  “I’m sorry, it’s just how I respond to being startled,” I mumbled, feeling slightly sorry for him.

  “Well then, stop being startled!” He grunted, his voice much higher than it had been before. He stood up wincing, and still guarding his stomach. I had to hold back a laugh as he awkwardly hunched over, one hand clutched over his stomach, and the other trying to shove the paper towel up his bleeding nose. “Why are you so on edge today?” His voice was shrill like a bird’s.

  “I–” Before I could answer a hard rapping sounded from my front door. I wasn’t startled this time, only confused. Who was knocking on my door with such urgency and force? A small voice in the back of my head reminded me of the information in my book that wasn’t supposed to be there.

  I cautiously peeked through the peephole, and almost passed out. There, right outside of my door was a Sentinel covered in what looked like blood. Panicking, I sprinted back into the kitchen where Asher stood bleeding and yanked him over to the broom closet.

  “Look, I will be made an Outsider if they see what I did.” I couldn’t breathe, my heart was racing in my chest. The look he gave me, took me by surprise, he almost looked…hopeful? “It was an accident, Asher! You have to hide.” The banging came again, except louder. I was getting more and more anxious and the Sentinel’s knocking shook the door. He bit his lip, looking torn. Frustration and terror overwhelmed me as the banging became more consistent, and despite how much worse things might get, I shoved him into the closet and slammed the door shut.

  When I opened the door, the Sentinel’s eyes were filled with fury. “What took so long for you to open the door, ma’am?” His usually composed manner was wild, he looked on the verge of insanity.

  “I…what was that noise?” I paused, forming something that wasn’t quite a lie. “I thought an Insider might be outside, so I was scared to open the door.”

  The Sentinel nodded slowly, “Smart plan, but let me assure you, you won’t have to worry about an Insider around you for quite a while.” He paused, obviously trying to hold back a smile. “It appears that your neighbor has been lying to you and your fellow citizens. Mr. Fellows was an Insider, and believe me, he will never be able to endanger you or your family ever again.” Mr. Fellows…where had I heard that name before? Then it clicked. Mr. Fellows had been the school’s math teacher for years. A pang of sadness hit me, I had been close to him, he had always been so nice. No. He was dangerous and unstable. He must have been faking it waiting to…um….Hurt me! Yeah, kill me and my mom.

  “Please state your name, rank, family members, and song.” The Sentinel’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

  I tried my best to steady my breathing. He didn’t know about the extra writing. “Tethys Victoria Cliffblazer, sir. Standard. Mindy Cliffblazer is my only living relative...my mother, sir.” I paused taking in a deep breath before singing my song, carefully keeping my breathing in check.

  “Have you met your intended partner?” He snapped, taking no effort to keep his voice calm.

  My smile faltered as I remembered Asher. I hoped he would stay quiet, accident or no accident, I had technically hurt someone in my rank, and I would have my rank stripped away and be thrown onto the streets as an Outsider to die. “Yes, sir.”

  “Your partner’s name, rank, nationality if different, and location.” He looked me up and down slowly, pausing. “Aren’t you quite young?”

  “I’m nineteen, sir.” I was calming down, and he gave me a small nod to proceed. “His name is Asher, he’s a Standard. I…I think he’s from Australia, and I…I don’t know where he lives, sir.”

  He tutted, looking down. “You need to find out last name, family members, his definite nationality, and where he lives, ma’am.” He dipped his head. “Until next time.”

  I closed the door, letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding in.

  “Can I come out now?” Asher’s muffled voice came down the hall.

  “Oh, right!” I ran to the closet and quickly opened the door. “Sorry….”

  “It’s okay,” he rolled his shoulders, stretching. “Not the first time I’ve been shoved into a broom closet.”

  “Really?” I blinked, in confusion.

  “It’s a long story.” He waved his hand, walking out of the closet.

  My gaze fell on his still bleeding nose, “You’re not…you’re not going to turn me in, right?” I was terrified of him leaving, of being an Outsider…Of being abandoned and hurt.

  He gave me a warm smile, that melted all of my fears away. “Of course not, Tethys. It was an accident.” He chuckled. “I’m not an Opulent.” He paused, his smile dwindling. “Just so you know…if you were to…if I was…” He went silent, struggling to speak. “If you did somehow become an Outsider I…I wouldn’t leave. I would stay,” he smiled. I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face, but I tried to conceal the real joy of his words inside. He didn’t know how much him staying meant to me, especially after my dad and my brother.

  “I’m guessing you heard the Sentinel…” I looked down.

  “My last name is Walker, I am from Sydney, Australia, and I live not far from the Outsider towns.” He sighed, “The air is not very clean, but my home is nice.” He gaze turned cold, melancholy filling his tone. “I…I had five siblings…none of them survived the smoke inhalation and polluted waters. My mom works as a Chanteuse and my father was just a Standard. He…he also didn’t make it.”

  “So, it’s just you and your mom?” I looked at him with understanding as he gave a small nod. “Hey, that’s okay.” I nudged him, trying to cheer him up. “One day we’re going to have a family of our own. Where no one can be sad.”

  He gave me a sympathetic smile as if he wished such a world existed, one where sadness was nothing but a dead memory.

  “Maybe.”

  Chapter Twelve

  I decided it would be best if Asher and I just ignored everything that had happened that morning and left to get coffee at a nearby cafe.

  “So,” he whistled looking around the streets. “What are you majoring in?” He gave me a little nudge with a smile. My gaze flickered to the pitch-black cloud above his head as I answered.

  “Astronomy.” I looked back at him and could tell he had noticed. He quickly looked down, some unreadable expression on his face. The cloud
above his head was constantly casting shadows around him, and a harsh reminder of how dangerous all of this could be. “What are you majoring in?”

  He didn’t reply, and I could tell he wasn’t very eager to answer. “Where is this cafe you were talking about?”

  I blinked, shaking off the sudden discomfort. “Oh, not far.” I sighed, feeling like the more he knew about me, the less I knew about him. “So, before your family…you know…what were they like?”

  He looked up at me surprised. “Well,” he paused, biting his lip in thought. “My siblings were all wild and loud.” He chuckled. “Very loud. I…” he paused as his smile dwindled. “I didn’t get to spend much time with them. The truth is I spent most of my days with my father.”

  I smiled, feeling a pang of jealousy. I had barely gotten to know my father before he up and left. “Were you two close?”

  He furrowed his brows, looking straight ahead. “No.”

  I blinked, taken aback by his answer. I decided not to press any further. “What was your house like?”

  “Small,” he paused as if trying to find the best words to describe it. “Extraordinarily loud,” he smiled, letting out a small chuckle. “We didn’t need much to be happy. As cheesy as it sounds, we only needed one another to get by.”

  I smiled, thinking of the days before my father left. “I get that.” Through the years, so many people I had considered lifelines had become strangers to me. I wanted to know Asher; I didn’t want him to be a stranger, too. “What was he like? Your father.”

  His expression went cold, a look he seemed to get every time I mentioned his father. “Ambitious, persistent...he never seemed to know when it was too much. Nothing was ever good enough for him.” He looked down a clear hatred in his tone.

  I gave him a weak smile, trying to find a way to change the topic. “What did you do for fun most days?”