Conform or Suffer: The Darkness of Beauty

Chapter 9 Kindness Rebels

Squad members and guards ran out in the storm.

A woman lifted a bullhorn to her painted lips. "You don't think we'd let you escape?"

The guard who helped Grew-Ella jumped a fence, climbed into a car with heavy snow chains on the tires, and sped in the opposite direction.

Dot rushed out of her delivery van. She ducked laser fire. White flakes of frozen water fell on her black hair, her tail swishing behind. Her eyes mirrored Quig's. She dragged Grew-Ella inside.

Ruby wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's waist. She drew a heart with her finger, which disappeared as her warm breath melted the frost on the window. "Thank you for coming for me. I have a medical exemption, and Vex signed it. He's a liar. Also, a foreman informed me they require me to marry someone who is an acceptable or broken elite. The government won't accept my royal title."

"We'll talk later." Dot sped through two parking lots and turned onto the main road, with mini-tanks in pursuit.

Four vehicles painted to resemble Dot's florist van merged into traffic. The drivers wore Kindness Rebel shirts.

"Ruby, a lot of planning went into rescuing you. I'll tell my brother. Quig might be livid that we didn't include him, but I think he has had too much to deal with. Vex still won't let him talk to Ida."

"Is she your oldest sister?" Ruby asked.

"While I sometimes call her that, no, Ida and Quig share a mom, just like I share a mom with my late brother Cutter. Trent is slaughtering my family members because Vex and Sean-Mack asked him to." Dot's tail drooped.

"Trent told me he is your father," Ruby said.

"No, he isn't." Dot tried not to lose control of her vehicle on the icy side street.

Ruby fluttered her hands in a comforting motion, but she stopped herself. "Why did you risk your lives for me?"

Dot sighed. "Ruby, I love you. Last night, I became a Kindness Rebel despite being acceptable because the squad kidnapped you. You don't need plastic surgery because you're my beautiful princess."

"But I'm only a village princess. I'm awkward and living at the hospital."

"No, you're the best princess. I adore the shape of your face because it belongs to you." Dot turned on her radio and spoke to Grew-Ella. "Your brother planted listening devices."

"Grew-Ella, why did your brother need a cheap ring? I thought Madd-Ox could recognize you even with the cosmetics," Dot said.

"Chase stole my brother's ring," Grew-Ella said.

"Your ex is a toad." Dot turned the volume up on her radio. "We've picked up their voices."

A foreman spoke. "Chase lied that Grew-Ella would come alone. I don't care who we arrest as long as someone is tossed in the workhouse."

"I discovered a listening device," a squad member said.

Dot turned the radio off. "Your ex is trying to trade you. We'll wait at The Salad Princess with you and force that abusive piece of garbage to give you your papers."

They pulled into the parking lot, climbed out, and stepped under a neon sign. The Salad Princess: Unacceptable Women Welcome. Open for 24 Hours.

Another sign flickered on and off. Owned and Operated by The West Virginia Commerce Department.

Gusts of wind stung Grew-Ella's eyes as she entered the mid-rise building. "He should be here."

"Chase is probably signing autographs for his fans," Ruby said. "I used to love beauty pageant plastic surgery shows until I met him."