Bliss

Chapter 7

Twenty minutes before her execution, Margo sat on a park bench surrounded by officers. She was surprised at the amount of Nonimplanted that came to watch her die. They were either incredibly morbid or curious. Neither was going to keep Margo alive.

Margo spotted Tess and Liv, her dormates, among the crowd. When Margo met Liv's eyes, Liv looked away. Tess, however, shot her a look of sympathy and sent a little wave. Margo was too tired to return it. She hadn't slept a wink.

An Implanted woman made a speech ten minutes before the execution, babbling on about "tranquility" and "prosperity," though Margo guessed the woman had no idea what those words meant.

Jael was noticeably absent, and Margo didn't know how to feel about that. Without a doubt, seeing Jael preaching to the Nonimplanted would make Margo want to punch her in the face. But wasn't this execution her decision? Shouldn't she be here to watch?

Margo forced her panicked feelings down her throat. She promised herself she wouldn't hyperventilate. She grounded her thoughts on the only thing that mattered: Kiori was safe.

She had to be.

Why would the Rebels try so hard to save her if they were planning on killing her anyway?

"Sorry Avrilyn," Margo whispered, tilting her head to the sky. It was a perfect shade of brown, matching the dismal atmosphere Crud was encased in.

Margo wondered if Avrilyn knew what was going on. She wondered if her friend even cared.

Now Margo would never fulfill her many promises to her friends. She told Luke she would let him borrow Rusty when she was Implanted. She told Molly she would get a motion tattoo with her once she got to Pure City.

She promised Avrilyn she wouldn't do anything reckless before the Implant.

Yet, there she was, sitting on a park bench while an Implanted gave a funeral speech. Funny how things turn out.

"Here I present Margo Ariella Loveridge," the woman announced.

Margo was forced to her feet. Instead of hanging her head like her whole conscience demanded, she held it high and met as many pairs of eyes in the crowd as she could. Hardly any of them could hold her stare.

"She will be executed because of failing to follow the Border rules, as well as retaliation and attempts of murder—"

The woman kept speaking, but Margo's mind swam at the fact she said "murder." She hadn't tried to murder anybody!

"I haven't—" she began.

An officer clamped a hand over her mouth. "Restrain yourself," he whispered, so softly Margo barely heard him. "You will be helped."

Margo's eyes widened. Help? Who was going to help her?

The officer didn't release his hand from her face until he was sure she would cooperate. He wouldn't look at her the rest of the time the woman spoke, even though Margo kept trying to get his attention.

He wore the same uniform as the others, though his hat dipped lower to cover his hair and eyes. Still, he looked much younger than the other officers. He scowled every time one of them glanced at Margo or whispered something about her that made the others snicker.

"This is why Miss Loveridge has the most severe punishment," continued the Implanted woman. She smiled knowingly at the crowd. "I hope to see you all Implanted very soon."

With that, she exited the stage and hopped into a hovercar, not bothering to watch the execution. Her fragile mind probably couldn't take it.

The officer that had shut Margo's mouth brushed his fingers against her arm, like some code she was supposed to figure out. He still wouldn't meet her eyes, even as he led her away from the park bench and to a chair behind a curtain.

Margo heard someone shout, "You're not gonna let us see?"

Others mumbled in agreement, some even leaving. Apparently all they cared about was seeing her die. Lovely.

"Any minute now," the officer muttered.

"What's that, Yaraghetti?" another officer asked.

"Nothing," he replied quickly—nervously.

Margo was forced into a steel seat, which reminded her of the Preimplantation days when they used something called an "electric chair." It rose shivers to her spine.

It's an injection, Margo reminded herself.

But it didn't change the fact that it would kill her.

Death is death, no matter what way it happens.

A woman dressed in white presented a small case. Inside was a small needle, but to Margo, it seemed huge. It would kill her.

"Roll up your sleeve, Miss Loveridge," the woman said.

"Don't make this difficult," another officer added.

Margo frantically grasped for a plan—something. Anything. Her eyes blurred with tears as she said, "No."

An eerie silence filled the park. The whispers of Nonimplanted were confused. They'd been waiting for gasps and screams, but instead they got a "No."

"Roll up her sleeve," the woman barked.

An officer reached for Margo, but she lashed out, kicking him in the groin. He fell to the ground while the other officers grabbed at Margo. She ran.

Nonimplanted gasps exploded as Margo rushed through the park. Bullets flew past her, followed by an army of angry officers.

This is it, Margo thought. I'm going to die.

Someone grabbed her arm, the freshly fixed one that hurt especially when someone grabbed it.

It was the officer—the one called Yaraghetti. The one who told her there was help.

"Jump on if you want to live," he said. He motioned to his back, and Margo hopped on. She figured he was her best chance of survival.

Turns out, he had rocketboots, shoes that enhanced your speed. They were a fad when Margo lived with her parents. Ivan wouldn't let her have them, saying they weren't for kids. He went out and bought some for himself a few days later.

"Hurry!" Margo screamed as more bullets flew past them.

"Ya think?" Yaraghetti shouted, shooting into speed.

Margo shrieked, clinging onto his neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist even tighter—and she swore she saw the officer blush. Or maybe it was the cold wind that pushed past them.

He muttered something, turning down the street of Margo's dorm.

"Wha—" Margo started.

Yaraghetti heaved her off his back and threw the dorm's door open.

"Finally!"

It was a wonderful voice. A voice Margo thought she'd never hear again. But sure enough, there she was.

Kiori!