Chapter 10: Allies Part 1

I don't get far.

I'm stopped immediately by a boy with a perplexed frown, like he's trying to decide if I'm really doing what he thinks. He steps out in front of me, his tall, stocky build blocking my way, especially as he hooks his hands to his hips.

"Don't even think about it," he shakes his head, his tousled red mane shaking.

"What?" I glance to the left to find Jeb reach the fight. I'm losing time. Whatever this guy's deal is, he's ruining my chance and it might be the only one I get. It's now or never and I can't do the latter. I have to keep going. I side step but he's right in front of me, shaking his head again.

"Whatever crazy-ass idea's running through your head," he crosses his arms over his broad chest, "don't. You'll be dead before you even try."

Looking back to the fight, Jeb is pointing back to the Castle, his yelling carrying on the wind toward us. But I'm on the ground. I've made it this far. I can't give up now. I have to at least try.

"I'm serious," his golden eyes narrow, "there's no point. You can't."

"Why not?"

"You just got here. It's too soon to die."

I'm frozen, caught off by his ability to speak so nonchalantly about my death. I want to ask him what he means but a thousand thoughts are racing through my head. And I'm still not ready to abort the fleeing plan. It's all I've got. I can't acclimate to this world. I won't. All I know, all that's familiar is out there, in the ruins. I need to get to them but my legs move won't move. They're useless blocks beneath me, pinning me to the ground.

"Fallon..." Jeb approaches with a curious frown, "how'd you make it all the way over here?"

"I was telling her about the digging," the boy motions to the trench, "we're just about to get some Senz so she can start."

Jeb's eyes flicker between us. Slowly, his head rolls into a nod of approval. "Very good. Sorry about the interlude. It's just the barbaric nature of your kind. Some aggression still lingers. We try to curb it, but, as you see," he indicates to the dispersing crowd, "it can resurface. Walker, is it?" he turns to the boy. "Explain the process and the Water Pole. And whatever else she needs to know."

Jeb glances between the two of us, offering up a plastic smile and then, cupping his hands behind his back, retreats for the portcullis. When he disappears behind it, Walker pulls something black hanging from his hip.

"I'm steaming today so you can use my Senz," he offers me what appears to be a set of black clams. "They're your hand shovels for digging. Come on," he shakes them, "we need to make this fast."

With a deep exhale, I slip them on and follow as he leads us toward the right bank of the trench.

"Each morning you'll grab a pair and - "

"Save it. I don't plan on being here long."

"Yeah, you and me both, sweetheart."

"I'm serious."

"Look," he spins, "it's either here or dead. Out there," he barely motions past the gate, "is not an option."

"For you."

The first real smile sweeps his lips as his face lights up with dimples I'm sure gets him anything he wants. He gestures to a giant metal pole in the center of the area that towers close to the same height as the Castle. "That's the Water Pole. You need a drink during the day... hell, just a break," he shrugs, "you got yourself a five, ten minute escape."

The plan was to get on the ground. And I've made it. Now all I have to do is let this guy go on and have him believe I'm listening. But once he leaves, I'm reverting to the original plan - fleeing at dismissal.

"Over here," Walker heads for the trenches, "you've got your digging. You're an Arrival so you'll be using your Senz," he indicates to the black hand-tools, "to dig out the gibb. Get's extremely monotonous, so heads up. Hey - you listening?"

"Yeah."

He raises a brow but continues walking, "when the gibb is dried, it's used to make walls. And that's what those," he indicates the silvery giant domes, "are for."

We stop in front of them - devices that look like hundred year old tortoise shells with all legs still attached. Four boys hold a handle as the dome hovers above the ground, steam escaping and pouring down on the light blue gibb below. The gibb slowly erodes back on itself, ultimately flattening into the large sheets of plum-black marble being carried around me.

"What are they?"

"They're Gollops," he hooks his hands on his hips. "Cooks the gibb into hard, flat sheets. Once they're ready, we have them transported upstairs. Now," he turns to me, "there are three basic jobs. Digging, using the Gollop - we call them Steamers - and Transporting. Most Arrivals stick to Digging but if it gets boring - and it will - you can always try your hand as a Steamer or in Transporting."

I nod.

"You'll be over here," he leads us back to the right curve of the trench lip. As we peer over, it's deeper than I realized. People are fully inside it, the small black clamps cusped in each hand as they claw into the light blue walls. Giant buckets sit between each person, a dispenser for all the gibb collected. "Just find whatever bucket's available, fill it and bring it to the Steamers. Keep going until dismissal."

Just leave so I can make another run for it.

"We good?"

I nod again, avoiding his eye.

"Seriously," he leans in, "don't even think about it. There's no point in getting yourself killed." His golden eyes shift between mine before he heads back for the Gollops and toward the middle of the lot.

I can still do it. At the end of this, when everyone's heading back inside, I can flee. It won't be as great a distraction as the fight was, but it's something. I climb down an unsteady ladder propped against the trench wall. Once I'm in, and the blue reaches above my head by a few feet, I look around.

I'm surrounded by two endless rows of people clawing at the powder blue substance on either side of the trough. A narrow space separates the lines but large metal buckets sit between each person, filled with the collected gibb. Everyone's shoulder to shoulder so I walk for a minute, finally spotting a few empty buckets up on the right.

Just a little while longer and you'll be out of here.

With another deep inhale I start clawing into the blue wall just like everyone else. I'm not really working - just biding my time. Waiting it out. Trying to decide the best course of action when the next opportunity arrives. I'll have to move further down the trench, getting myself as close to the gate as possible. I'll pretend to leave with everyone else, and then stay in here until they've all gone inside. I peek up, finding the point in the curving trough that's the shortest distance from the gate.

"Keep your head down."

It's a whisper from my left. I didn't even notice someone start working next to me but she's here - a beautiful Indian girl with luscious dark features. She's focused on digging and for a second, I wonder if I imagined it.

"Why?" I ask.

"Sshh... quiet."

"You're serious about that no socializing thing?"

"Not us," she flashes me a look, "them. They don't want us talking."

"Why?" I glance back toward the Castle, searching for Jeb but he's not there. I look back to the gate, searching for the guards - Yerza and Norpe - but find it abandoned like earlier. It's like we're out here alone.

"What're you thinking?" she whispers, risking another glance to me. "Didn't Walker tell you? It's suicide."

Think, girl, think. I might not be down here again. I might not get another chance.

"What will happen?" I ask.

"You'll be marked."

"As?"

"A run away," her voice is so soft, so quiet it could break, "and they'll take you."

I feel the blood drain from my face. "Take me where?"

She shrugs, "but you won't come back."

Chills race up my spine, freezing me as I quickly recalculate. We need to revolt. Revolt or escape. And right now, there doesn't seem to be a plan in gear for the first. None that I'm aware of at least. So it's back to the original plan - escape. Even if it's not right now.

"And we work out here all day?" I whisper. "Every day?"

She nods, focused on the wall.

"Just digging?"

"Sshh... we really can't talk," she gestures me to keep clawing the gibb. A moment goes by. "I'm Raj by the way."

I want to give her my name but Fallon still seems foreign. It's familiar, but not right, like it's missing something. Something essential.

"You're Fallon, right?" she keeps her voice quiet.

I snap toward her. "How do you know?"

"Everyone knows."

"What?"

"Later..." she motions to the wall again, "after Rebuilding."

That would mean I'd have to forgo my escape plan. But we're out here every day. I could do it tomorrow. I could flee tomorrow if it meant just one more day here. And if anything, I could learn the schedules better. Find out how we're being supervised if there are no Dofinikes around to see us.One day. I'll give it one day and I'm gone tomorrow.

I glance at Raj, so focused on not seeing me. "When?"

"Leisure Time."