The Color of Knowledge

Chapter Fourteen (pt. 5)

"Ronaldo?" said Ivy, stepping back for a moment, her eyes burning from the sudden brightness. "Is that you?"

"Yes."

Ivy moved towards the door. "Good to see you." The rest followed. Milo limped along, aided by Zari.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting. Had to make sure no one knew you were here."

"It wasn't that bad."

Ronaldo chortled. "I know how bad it can get in there after a while. They locked me in there on my first day as part of some sick initiation. Worst was, there were a couple of bodies to keep me company."

Ivy saw a shiver run down Ronaldo's back.

"That's why you tried out for the Exploration Unit?"

"Yeah. Too bad I didn't make it, but glad you and Zari did."

"And look where it got us," said Zari.

Being led out of the Sanitation Unit building by Ronaldo was like touring a foreign place. There were so many machines and contraptions that would look complicated to a layperson. The only thing that stood out in particular was the heat and the stench of rotten food and general waste.

"My name is Keegan and this is my brother Milo," said Keegan, cutting his eyes at Ivy, who stared back.

"Nice to meet you," said Ronaldo. "From the other society, I guess."

"That's right."

"Where are you taking us?" Ivy asked.

"It's a surprise." Ronaldo opened the doors to the outside. The building was situated far from residential areas.

Though Ivy held contempt for the place, she felt oddly at home. The Society was deserted, however. It was darker than it should have been and there was no movement throughout.

"President Khamar has issued mandatory early curfews for everyone. We have to be in our homes by ten o'clock every night."

"How long were we in that room?" Ivy asked. "We got here at four."

"It's eleven now."

"That's not possible. We couldn't have been in there for more than a couple of hours," said Keegan.

"How big is this place?" Milo asked, wincing in pain. Dried blood was streaked down his leg, visible through his torn pant leg.

"I think you need a doctor," said Ivy. "That looks bad."

"You're so observant," said Zari. It was somewhat of a hike, and she had had to stop several times for a break, not accepting help from anyone else. She grunted under Milo's weight.

"We're almost there," said Ronaldo. They were led across the deserted square that was usually teeming with teenagers ready for good entertainment at Pulse Lounge.

The club itself was the only business that seemed to inhibit life. Light spilled through the cracks of its closed shutters and under the large wooden door. Whispers echoed off of the walls within. Ronaldo knocked and the whispering ceased.

"Who is it? We're closed."

"Ronaldo."

The door swung open to reveal the club's owner, Tom Tom, who looked a mixture of excited and fearful. Light splashed across the group's faces, making them squint. The room was full of people, but Ivy had to walk in before realizing who they were.

Everyone who had played a role in her life was there. Her parents and Spencer, Tima and her parents, Zari's younger sister Peyton, Nadia, Ronaldo, Terri and his twin brother Topher, and Principal Moore all stood within, gazing at her.

The tears came next. Not from Ivy, but from her parents. They rushed forward with Spencer in tow and brought her into a warm cocoon she did not want to escape from. Neither did her parents apparently, for it was a few minutes before they let go and only because of cries from Spencer that she was part of the family too.

Within that time, Zari and her sister had reunited while the rest took to staring at Keegan and Milo, whose leg was being looked at by Terri.

"I've told everyone here all about Subsolaneus," said Nadia, commanding the room.

Ivy stepped forward. "What happened to Alex?"

"No one knows how it happened," said Terri.

"What do you mean no one knows how it happened? Whose job is to figure that out?" Her fists were clenched.

A small cough emitted from Spencer made everyone jump.

"It's complicated," said Terri.

"I think we have a bigger problem here," said Keegan, his voice cold as he looked at Ivy. The group's eyes widened as if waiting for an explosion they did not want to miss.

Nothing came from Ivy. Instead, she took a seat at one of the nearby tables.

"What's been happening?" Zari asked.

"For one, after your descent, people were demanding answers and weren't satisfied with the ones President Khamar was giving. He left shortly after, with his son."

Ivy's ears perked up at the sound of this. What would be the harm of telling her parents that their son was alive? It would be the perfect revenge to counter the problems the President had caused her. Then she remembered. She was the only one to blame for her problems. She had brought everything upon herself. The only harm she would inflict would be on her parents.

"Everything went back to normal soon after," Nadia continued. "Everyone glad it wasn't themselves or their loved ones who were cast away, I guess."

Mr. and Mrs. Stone drew closer together.

"The other night, I overheard the President talking to the head of the Exploration Unit," said Topher. "They were talking about the air creatures and how time was running out and something about the old folk's home."

"By that time, Noah and I, with the help of Mr. Stone, had successfully excavated the home of the ivy plants," Tima interrupted. "But the President had them returned."

"The President was talking about killing people. I don't know how, but I do know the plan is to be carried out tomorrow."

"Today, you mean," said Tom Tom looking up from his watch. It was well past twelve in the morning and whatever was going to happen would happen within the next twenty-four hours.

"Nadia, have you spoken to Enzo about any of this?" Ivy asked.

"I don't trust him."

There it was, plain and simple. There were limited people to trust, and even limited time to act. A dubious silence circled the room as everyone thought. Even the young minds of Spencer and Peyton ticked away—trying to find a solution to a problem they could barely comprehend.

"I may have something," said Ivy after a while. So sudden and confident were the words that tears flowed from Mrs. Stone's eyes.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart," she cried, moving to hug her eldest daughter.

Ivy held her for a few seconds before breaking it up almost heartlessly.

They waited in angst for her words.