Deprived

Chapter 34

"When in doubt, speak from the heart." Maize heard her nana's voice so clear it was as if she was sitting next to her.

She smoothed her hair back with the palm of her hand and was startled by her image in the walled mirror.

She picked up a mug off the table to get a closer look. She looked tired and beaten down. The stress of the last few days reddened her eyes and gathered in the bags below her eyes.

"You're on in five, four, three, two," Oscar said.

Maize gawked at the screens, the people were going about their business, but eventually, a few caught sight of her image on the jumbo screens. She took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her belly turned to stones.

"Speak from the heart, my child." Her nana's voice echoed in her head.

"I am Maize Leeland from the Village One. I am a Chosen now living in the Capitol. Those in my village will know who I am."

Enough with the introductions.

"I transitioned to the capital a few days ago, and as you know, I was bound to live out the rest of my life here, away from my family and friends. In a way, I was willing to do that, to find a cure to the virus, to bring change, but I didn't have much choice either."

She paused. Unsure. She needed to get to the point. President Aberdeen could bust in any minute.

"I have seen things inside this city that I must share with you."

Maize had most of the people's attention now, including the junkies and the drunks holding up the crusty shop walls.

"I'm not sure why no other Chosen has brought this to our attention. Maybe they were just scared. I'm only sixteen, and I'm no better than anyone. I'm just angrier, I think."

"What is this!" A guy shouted from the crowd. A huge guy towering over the rest of the crowd tapped the mouthy guy on the head and demanded that he shut up. And so he did.

"Go ahead, Princess. I knew your father. He was a good man. I always knew something was up with that place."

"Thank you, sir."

"Rick is the name." He said.

Maize repeated his name and smiled.

"If you knew there were no limitations in your own life, what would you do, what would you accomplish if you knew you had a greater chance of succeeding. I say this because we need to start dreaming again. Dreaming dreams so big that it would take a village, a land of people working together to see that dream come to pass. We have had a tough life. Our bodies have been sick most of our lives with no hope. We have lost loved ones." Maize blinked back the tears in her eyes.

"Yet you stayed devoted to your leader, President Aberdeen. But he has not been devoted to you. He has kept secret the answer to our bondage. The virus isn't real. It's only an invention created to keep us bound."

Maize slipped the necklace over her head and held it in her hand.

"I'll have to demonstrate because I don't have much time."

She took the pointy edge of the star pendant and dug it deep into the inside of her left forearm until it bled.

Ignoring the gasps from the crowd, she held her arm up high in the air. Hot blood flowed down her arm.

"Now." She said. "I am holding up my arm because I want you to look at it and see what happens." All eyes were fastened on her image on the jumbo screens.