The Fourth World: Chapter 6 Part 2

I walk quietly towards the Town Square, everyone around me following in my direction and echoing my silence. My eyes dart here and there in search of one target: Skylar. I haven’t seen him since this morning, since he was taken away, and I feel a rope tugging at my insides, wringing them tightly as if they were wet cloths. I hate not knowing where he is, nothing like this has ever happened to me or to anyone I know so how can I relate it to anything? How can I comfort myself? I have no idea what they’re doing to him, what the repercussions are.

“I heard about what happened.”

A tall figure appears on my right. I turn. It’s him again.

“You.” I wish I’d thought of something cleverer to say.

He chuckles, blue eyes shining.

“Yes, me. Sorry, Fourth time meeting each other I should probably introduce myself shouldn’t I? How very un-gentleman-like of me.” He offers an unrequited smile. I’m too worried to pass one back, but he doesn’t wipe it off his face.

He lets out his hand and says, “I’m Lucas.”

I know his name, Sky had told me, but I choose not to answer. He obviously knows my name, so I don’t bother telling him that either. I realize it’s probably not the best way to have a conversation with someone who reminds you of a fairytale character, but right now my brain is not intent on focusing on making good impressions.

“Where is he?” I finally say.

“I wouldn’t worry too much, they won’t do anything to him.”

“How could you say something like that?” It’s only after the words come out that I realize that dog’s snarl I heard was coming from me.

I feel people’s gazes prickling on the edge of my skin. I should lower my voice, soon the bells will ring and we will all have to remain completely silent for at least five minutes to remember our dead.

“Don’t bite my head off, drawer girl.” His voice is now hushed, but I can hear the laugh he wasn’t able to hold back.

I’m slightly annoyed. I have every right to be worried. My best friend just risked everything and is now in the hands of the government and I have no idea what’s happening, where they’re taking him, if I’ll ever see him again—

“I’m telling you not to worry because I know they won’t do anything, I’m not just saying that to make you feel better. They can’t do anything to him. Technically, he didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not a law he broke.” He pauses to look me in the eyes. He’s serious now, and I get a feeling inside me he’s telling the truth. “I didn’t say he didn’t put his whole life at risk. I didn’t say that the Authority won’t have him on a 24-hour watch, checking his every move and hoping they have a valid reason to punish him. I didn’t say he didn’t just do something very, extremely, stupid.”

“Are you done yet?”

“Sorry. When I said you didn’t have to worry you almost attacked me so I thought you wouldn’t mind hearing the truth.”

God, I hate not having comebacks.

“How do you know what he did anyways? Do words around this city really travel that fast?”

“I didn’t have to hear it from anyone. Judging by the look on your face I could tell that he’d actually done what Kole and him kept discussing.” He keeps his voice as calm as possible, making me feel bad about snapping so hard at him.

I think back to when we came out of the bomb shelter this morning. Sky’s and Kole’s conversation. I can hear Kole’s voice like the incessant ringing in your ears after a bomb has exploded nearby: You’re risking everything if you do this, we don’t know the consequences.

I walk towards the centre of the Square, hoping to get away from those thoughts, surrounded by people from all over Newbrook.

A soft tap on my shoulder makes my heart jump. I turn, and find myself facing Sky. Before I even know what to say my arms make their way around his neck and I pull him closer into a hug. I let out a huge breath I didn’t realize I was holding. My stomach feels so much lighter now, the rope getting looser.

When I finally let go I look at him intently. His mouth shapes to form a tiny smile, just a hint of one really, maybe trying to stop me from hating him for what he’d done.

I want to tell him how happy I am that he’s here, I want to strangle him for being so stupid, I want to hold his hand and never let go, fearing what he might do next.

But three bells stop me from saying anything, forcing everyone into silence.

We are all facing the front, the Town Hall. It’s a big white building which looms above us, raised from ground-level by a flight of stairs. A couple of Members stand by the pillars at the top of the stairs, their regal uniforms and straight postures resembling monarchs standing in front of their kingdom.

A man takes a step forward and the dongs of the bell stops ringing.

“People of Newbrook. First stage citizens, Second, Third, Completes. All of you who make our city, our world, whole. Today is a special day. A day dedicated to the people who we once loved, the people who were taken away from us. We give this day to them, to remember them and to show them that no matter where they are, they have always been a part of our society and always will be.”

I hear Skylar scoffing next to me. I turn to him and give him the deadliest glare on the menu. That definitely stops him.

I understand why Skylar hates this day. I think it’s safe to say that it’s actually his most-hated day of the year. I don’t know what to think. Maybe it’s better for him to spend the day loathing everything and everyone in the world than crying himself to sleep. What the Authority Member doesn’t say is that this day may be about remembering and honouring our dead, but not all of them. They do not mention any of the fallen soldiers who have died in the war. Sky’s father. All who violate the laws, all who go against the Authority are punished by being sent to war. We don’t know much about it, the Authority refuses to teach us of these violent actions, but we do know we have enemies.