Pure - The Broken Society

CHAPTER TEN

"I have an announcement to make!" The dining hall falls silent to the sound of her piercing voice echoing off the steel walls. The clattering of metal utensils rebounds as people gently set them down on their makeshift plates.

"Thank you," she clears her throat, "Now as you all are aware, or at least should be, we have welcomed six new members into our Sectors this morning in a courtroom meeting. They gave rather convincing statements as to why they ran from their city and why we should let them in here," she gestured around the room. I feel eyes from all over the chamber glide their way to rest on our statues, some resentful, some sympathetic.

She continues, "I know that we do not all equally agree on their acceptance into society, and I am aware of the increase of danger we have put ourselves in by welcoming them into the pack. But I want you to remember this fact, here in the Sectors we accept all, whether or not they are born here or somewhere else, we are all one large family, where each person is as deserving as the next. So remember, the next time you find yourself judging the new members, remind yourself that we are all one body, one soul, and can only survive if we have each other. As said long ago, a house divided against itself cannot stand. We are one, and that is how we will rise," a warm smile takes hold of her lips as she scans the crowd one last time.

"To unity!" She punches the air, her body standing tall on the table.

"To unity!" The entire dining hall comes alive with sudden bellows, claps and whistles inundating my ears. I find myself craning my neck all around, my eyes not believing what they're seeing. Beauty, in its most purest form.

"To the defectors, welcome to the Sectors," the woman stares directly at our table that I now realize is centered in the wide space. She gives one last smile, one that reaches past her eyes, and steps off the table. Her leather jacket and perfectly straight brunette hair sinks as she steps off a chair, and disappears into the crowd of hollering men and women. Little children run wild, chasing one another and giggling the sweetest and most innocent laughs.

"This is savage," I hear Mia mutter as she glares at the standing figures all cheering for her, for all of us. The sight is strange and unfamiliar to the ways we've all grown accustomed to knowing.

"No," I say after a moment of awe, "This is beautiful."

***

We remained in the dining hall for another thirty minutes, the loud clamor never dying down. The room felt so alive, as if it had its own pair of lungs, breathing in the wonderful joy felt by the people sharing drinks and niceties with their friends.

Slowly, one by one, men and women got up from their tables and took their used utensils and plates over to a sanded down ledge, where behind contained the kitchen. The servers went around and wiped the empty tables with damp rags, threads hanging off the cloth for dear life.

"Becca and I should probably get going," I state, standing up and grabbing my plate.

"I could take her for the night," Quinn offers, his saddened eyes pleading for me to agree.

"Okay," a weak simper growing on my face. "I will see you guys tomorrow, sleep well," I stride to Becca, who rubs her groggy eyes, "I love you, Becca." I take her little body into a tight embrace, and I shortly do the same with Quinn, his body trembling slightly under my warm touch. The resentment and pain radiates from his skin, his overall demeanor appearing as one engulfed with betrayal.

"I love you, Quinn," I whisper, gently kissing his umber brown locks, and he just squeezes my shoulder blades harder before eventually pulling away.

I pivot on my heel, leaving the group with nothing except content, and of course my utensils. I scour the people left in the hall, searching for Gage, but his table is completely vacant. I let out a small sigh, kicking myself internally for not paying attention fully as to where my quarter is.

My feet involuntarily carry me out of the dining hall and out into the open. The skies glisten clearly with bright yellow stars, not a single cloud in sight for miles. A slight headwind rustles my hair, the air weaving through the leaves of the trees that grow over the ledge of the chasm. I take in a deep breath, my lungs feeling heavy for a moment with relief.

Faint voices chatter in the distance, an occasional person striding down the path as I walk slowly to find my way to my quarter. I watch intently for little things I remember seeing the first time I was led to my room. I jaunt down a long pathway, one I do recognize clearly. I turn one more corner and heave a breath of relief as I see the familiar row of a thousand doors; all lined in a row unevenly.

I put one foot forward, about to begin walking again when I'm violently slammed into the stone wall. A loud gasp then a low groan escapes my lips as a pain surges through my body like a lightning bolt zapping a tree.

"Look who I found," his voice is rich with pleasure and satisfaction. "It's the little bitch who was spying on me in the alley! Oh what a coincidence," He mocks. His cold dark eyes stare me down like a bull ready to kill.

My lips part, "W-what are you talking about?" I manage to croak through constricting breaths. I scrutinize his familiar face, the bruises around his eye and down to his jawline vibrantly visible in the moonlight. A wide range of brilliant blues and purples with subtle hints of green creating an ombré across his cheek. Small scars are sprinkled all over his neck and hands. I can't help but wonder what they are from.

"Don't play stupid, I know you were there, I saw you!" He accuses, pushing his forearm to my neck, restricting my breathing even more. His body is pinned flush against mine as the stone wall cuts deeper into my back. "You're the reason why I got caught, you're the reason why I have this," he leans close down to my face, showing his beat skin, his warm breath fanning across my face, and I can't help but tremble, my heart about to break free from its cage.

"Listen, I don't know wh-" I'm cut off as he grabs handfuls of my shirt, lifting me away from the wall only to slam me against it again.

"You think that lying will save your ass? Think again. I got dragged all the way to your headquarters by my feet only to be humiliated, whipped a thousand times over. And you have the audacity to pretend like the whole goddamn thing didn't happen?" He spat, his voice cold and hoarse. His pain is audible, and a small spike of sorrow begins to fester in my heart.

"I-"

"What they say about your kind is true...you're all lying, dirty, self-centered fools who only care about their own wellbeing." I wince at his words, the insults sending my stomach into cartwheels. "I can't believe they actually let you in. And your whole mommy act was a fad, everyone knows it. You have no idea the size of the target you put on your back for coming here. On all of our backs for that matter."

I gulp, the man showing no signs of letting go, so I try my hardest to appear unfazed by his thunderous remarks.

"If I were you," he begins to speak again, "I would leave...before someone tries to kill you... Have a good night, Madelynn," a grin takes hold of his cherry lips as he pushes off me, his eyes full of deviance and mischief. He turns his back to me and rounds a corner briskly, disappearing from sight. My body is stunned, as if in a trance.

What the hell was that?