Built on smoke and mirrors

Chapter 22

My feet caried me to the gates of campus. I looked out through the bars and frowned. I was trapped in here. I wanted out. But there was no way. 

I pulled on the bars as if they would budge and give way, but they stayed. Like a bird in a cage, I would stay. Singing a song that I no longer wished to sing. 

I wiped a tear from my face as I let out a shaky breath as I watched people pass under the street lights, unaware of me and my struggles. I wondered how many knew about the program and what they did with the trainees. I wondered if they cared. 

No Motherwealth citizens ever went onto campus. We were only visitors here and they didn't care to know us. They came to the shows and worked with us in the internships but it wasn't like they were dying to know who we were. Maybe they knew our fate and it was easier not to know us as people. 

I bit my tongue to stifle a scream as I pulled on the cold metal bars again. 

A figure met my eyes and stopped. He moved into the light and I saw Yuri. He waved from across the street and smiled. "Hey, Telvi!"  

Quickly, I brushed any stray tears from my face and waved to him. "Hey."

"Fancy seeing you here. Not many people make it to the gates at this time." 

"I was looking to get out. I need a breather, but I noticed the gate is locked."

He frowned as he ran across the street towards me. "Let me see what I can do," he said as he looked at the gate. He pulled out his round disk and a screen popped out in front of us. The screen shifted in and out of focus which cased Yuri to shake the disk. It slowly faded into focus again, allowing him to touch the screen in front of him. He pushed a few buttons until the gate buzzed. "Try now." 

I pushed the gate open and walked towards the other side. 

On the other side, I could breathe.

"Are you alright?" Yuri asked as he placed his hand on my shoulder.

I shook my head as I held tears back. 

"Want to go on a walk? That always helps and the weather tonight is beautiful. Summer is coming and it's only going to get warmer." 

I followed Yuri as he talked about the weather in the Captial. He shared how it was too hot for him but he managed. He shared about his childhood and how he used to go to a lake with his parents. 

I didn't open my mouth as he shared about his life. I wasn't sure if he noticed until he asked me a question about winter and Hell. 

He stopped to eye me. "What's on your mind?"

I shrugged. There was no way I would share what was truly stuck in it, but I did want to know what he knew about the training program. Did he know he was sending these kids to their end? "What made you want to recruit for the training program?"

He sighed as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I would like to call it patriotism, but at the end of the day, I was looking for a job and there was an opening." 

I nodded. 

"Are you interested in being a recruiter?" 

"Walter, no," I said a little too quickly. "I mean, I'm from the Commonwealth. I hardly doubt they will ask me to go out and work for them."

He shrugged. "I know some graduates stay after their contract is over. Irena, the figure skating coach, she's one of them." 

"But that's only one in a sea of people. What happens to the rest?"