Year 6 (First Draft) #Wattys2016

-Chapter 9-

We finally get back to the alley just as the sun is starting to fade into darkness. I step out of the truck, every part of my body screaming in pain. I haven’t ever had to run like that. Not even while being chased on the streets.

  “Okay there Newbie?” Kane asks, his hand covering the wound on his arm.

  “Yeah,” I lie, unhooking my fanny-pack from around my waist. I toss it to Kane and he almost doesn’t catch it. Kane throws it up onto the top shelf, groaning from the effort.

  “You should get that checked out,” I say, motioning towards his arm. “It could get infected.”

  Kane nods, taking the lead. He pulls back the slab in front of the passage. I duck my head down and head in, trying to ignore the musty smell.

  I smell something cooking in the main room, and smile when I see two big round balls of dough on the kitchen counter. Even though the kitchen is on the wall opposite from where I just came through, I can tell what is being prepared. I used to have it a lot when I was little.

  Tomato sauce. Cheese. Meat. Onions. They call it pizza. It’s not a common food, but I heard it used to be, back when people had time to prepare meals.

  “Ever had pizza?” Felix asks nudging my shoulder.

   I nod. “Of course. But it’s been a long time.”

  Felix goes to join a group of about five boys who are sitting on the ground. I see that one of the boys is holding an LR-5 identical to mine.

  I begin to wonder how he was able to get his hands on one. Maybe he snuck his out like I did,

  The other three boys huddled around him, including Felix, have their heads thrown back, loud guffaws escaping them.

  I just shake my head.

  Amelia.

  I hadn’t even bothered to ask about her. I make a beeline for the hallway, twisting the handle on my bedroom door. Is she sleeping? Has she been taken care of? I don’t even bother to knock on the door and am shocked when I see a figure standing near the head of my bed.

  The figure whips around when they hear the door creak open and I cringe.

  “So you’re the one who took over my room,” Charlie laughs, pointing to Amelia’s box. “And your accomplice. I can’t leave for even a few days without them replacing me.”

  I sigh a sigh of relief when I see Amelia lying in her box.

  “We just spent the night in here, Amelia and I won’t be staying in this room, though. Kane said he’d find us a different place when you we liberated.”

  “Liberated?” Charlie asks.

  “Yes. Liberated,” I repeat wondering if he is just clarifying, checking to see if he heard me right.

  “You sure you’re from the streets?” He asks mockingly. “You sound more like an Academy dropout.”

  I wish. My dream had always been to make it to the Academy. Both of my parents went to the Academy and earned high salary jobs. My parents and I had never been hungry. We had never needed clothes or shelter. We had it all. My family and I had lived a good life, up until I missed my first Year Checkpoint. That’s when everything turned around. Dad lost his job. Mom’s hours were reduced. I was already considered a failure and I was only two years old. People shouldn’t be expected to be the same. We are all different, and forcing someone into something with impossible standards and high stakes will only hurt them.

  “Sorry if I said something I shouldn’t have,” Charlie says, bringing me back from my wayward thoughts.

  “You didn’t,” I say, feeling bad for making him think that.

  “Well, I’m gonna go steal some pizza toppings from the kitchen. Want to join me?” Charlie asks, standing. He heads towards the door and sticks his foot just outside of it, propping it open. He looks back at me, waiting for a response.

  “I’ll pass,” I say.

  I listen as the door creaks shut and slowly, the latch goes into place. Amelia lets out a small whine, reminding me of her small presence.

  I gently pull her out of her box, nestling her in the crook of my arm. Her fingers get caught in my long hair, but I ignore it, barely even noticing.

  Why did Year 6 have to ruin my life? I look down at Amelia. Her life is ruined and it is all because of what her mother did. I try not to dwell on the thought. I don’t want to become upset. I’m too tired for that.

  I rock Amelia back and forth, watching as her eyelids grow heavy again. If only I was as innocent as her, maybe then my thoughts wouldn’t keep me up. Maybe I could fall asleep listening to the night. Maybe, just maybe I could be happy again.

  I hear a knock on my door a half hour later, sitting up from my slouched position.

  Tom’s head sticks in the door, a cheesy smile playing at the corners of his lips.

  “Pizza’s ready,” He says before silently closing the door. The smell of garlic and tomato and exotic spices I am unfamiliar with float in from the hall. I hear Tom’s footsteps receding down the hall, and I decide to follow, the smells tempting me.

  I set Amelia back down carefully in her box. After what happened yesterday, I am going to take my chances with leaving her here in our room. Maybe then havoc won’t break out amongst my fellow Beggars.

  I make it out to the main area just as a big light brown saucer shaped pizza gets pulled out of small homemade oven. At least I think it is an oven. It’s hard to tell. It’s made out of so many pieces of junk materials, I can barely find a specific one and put a name to it.

  “Welcome Newbie,” Jack says, handing me a chipped plate. “Hope pizza isn’t to third class for you.”

  I brush off his comment, heading over the where another boy I haven’t met who looks to be no older than fifteen is trying to slice a pizza into equal pieces.

  He hands me a piece covered in what appears to be bacon, cheese and something gray that resembles a vegetable. I find a seat next to a small boy, the one who brought me a bottle for Amelia last night, and take a small bite of pizza. Flavor burst in my mouth and I feel hot tomato sauce on my cheek.

  “Hey Newbie,” Felix says taking a seat beside me.

  I just nod in recognition.

  “Quiet everybody!” Kane says, holding his hands up. “Tonight our dinner discussion is going to be a get-to-know-you activity. Everybody needs to share their reason for being on the streets. Which Year? What Crime?”

  My heart hammers. Do I really want to know anything about these people? What if I find out they are innocent? I can’t let myself think that.

  “I’ll go first,” I say, and soon memories fill me and I can’t stop the flow of words coming from my mouth.

A/N Enjoy! My exams have been going well so yay!