The Voice of Reason

Chapter 11: The Name

I tried my best to stifle my tears. I wiped my eyes on the sleeve of my jacket and took slow, steady breaths. The crowd began to mumble even louder. Many began to stand up and stretch after the long and futile wait. A voice shouted out the question we were all thinking. "Well, why didn't she receive a sentiment?"

Phil quickly stepped in front of me and raised his hands to calm the crowd. "Now, now, everyone. This Allocation Ceremony clearly has not gone as anticipated. I have no answers as of the moment pertaining to what happened, but I will in due time perform a thorough investigation and look into it. As we all know, every ceremony is—"

A rock smashed into the floor just a few feet away from me. Shards of glass flew. I shrieked and scrambled away in the opposite direction. My brown boots lost their traction, sending me sprawling backwards and landing in a sitting position. Ow! I cringed at the impact. I immediately scrambled back onto my feet and cast my eyes around frantically, braced for the next threat.

"Who threw that?" Phil roared. His voice echoed through the cavern.

Many began pointing upwards and protesting defensively. A woman raised her voice above the crowd's. "No one threw the stone. It fell from the ceiling."

Everyone filed out of the dugouts. We all peered up at the dome-shaped ceiling. I was at least grateful there was a distraction to draw everyone's attention away from myself. I shivered. Cal approached me from the side during all of the commotion. She wrapped her arms around me. "It's okay," she whispered to me, holding me close. "Everything's going to be okay."

It took everything inside of me to hold back sobs that wanted to escape. "Let's get you home," Cal whispered to me. Cherry poked her head out from behind Cal. She came to my other side and held my hand in hers. I choked out a laugh and smiled at her innocent, caring expression.

We were the first ones to leave, but I couldn't have been happier to turn my back to that hideous room. Cal and Cherry walked me back to the Atrium. Instead of walking me to my own room, they took me to theirs. They soothed me and tucked me tightly into bed. It was as if I was the young child, and not Cherry. But I was grateful to not be alone.

Cherry came over to give me one last hug. She whispered her poem to me as she held her small arms wrapped around my waist. "May sleep come softly. May your bed be warm. May the morning come brightly, in whatever form." She giggled softly. "And now your part! May fate guide you gently through every storm."

Tear-stained eyes have a readiness to embrace sleep. They're heavy with the weight of emotion, and ready to stop feeling everything. I was asleep as soon as I closed my weary, tear-stained eyes.

. . .

I stared at the stone ground everywhere I walked the next day. I didn't want to see the probing glances everyone must surely be sending me. Imagining them was bad enough.

The three of us were the first to arrive at breakfast. We had gone there early to avoid the crowd. We ate quickly. Cal set Cherry loose to do as she pleased for the day in the Atrium. I sighed sadly as I watched Cherry bound away. I felt just a touch of jealousy that Cherry's playground was my war ground. But Cal and I had something more important to do: go to the Historical Center for answers.

We entered the heavy black doors. It felt way too soon to be back here, but I also wanted answers. We didn't see Phil in the main hall of the Historical Center. Therefore, Cal led the way confidently down the hallway and to his office. The door was cracked open, so we filed into the small room.

Phil stood up from his creaky, cushioned sofa the moment he saw us approaching. "It's good to see you two. I've been—"

"Yeah, yeah, we know; you've been expecting us. We get it! Now what answers do you have for us?" I arched my eyebrows at Cal in surprise. For being calmness, she seemed pretty worked-up. I sighed. I guess I now have that effect on people?