Amber & Ice

Chapter 1: Some things never changed

{Author's note: Thank you for clicking on Amber & Ice! This is a rough draft of the story which I am now posting as Democracy is Dead! You're welcome to read on and try this version of the story too, but if you'd like to read the edited version instead, please head to my profile to find Democracy is Dead!}

London lay hidden beneath a layer of freshly fallen snow. Gone were the usual grey pavements, the black roads, the smudged glass walls. In their place, paths glittered; everything was clean and fresh and new. The air was icy, with a bite that hit you at the back of your throat and travelled all the way down to your stomach, but it was also peaceful. A hush had descended over the commuters as they forwent their usual frantic dash and instead treaded slowly across icy paths.

Across this picture of tranquillity skidded a girl. The landscape of London may have been transformed, but the transport system remained as unreliable as ever; some things never changed. The tube, for example, would never run on time - especially not when anything important was going on. As soon as you needed to go anywhere in a hurry, the whole system ground to a halt.

This was why Athena found herself dashing out of Charing Cross station at a pace definitely not compatible with the weather conditions. While seasoned commuters trod with care, grabbing hold of walls, bollards and strangers to keep themselves on their feet, Athena wobbled and slid across the icy pavements in a desperate attempt to reach Trafalgar Square before the result was announced. She could not be late. And she wouldn't have been, had the tube been able to run as it was supposed to, and had her snow boots afforded her an inch of grip. As she slipped across a main road she cursed the offending pink-and-white Christmas present with a vehemence which caused a few passers-by to stare at her in shock.

But really, what was the point of snow boots that didn't help you to keep your footing on ice? And why couldn't a city as large and important as London grit the pavements in the middle of January? Was it really too much to ask? Athena ought to organise a vote - or get Cress to, as her influence level was twice Athena's and people tended to pay attention whenever Cress suggested anything.

Athena made a mental note to mention it to her - if she made it to the result on time. If she missed it, she would have to wait out at least a week of Cress repeatedly telling her how important it was before she managed to get in a word of her own.

This was, as Cress kept reminding her, the culmination of four months of hard work - the first major vote since they had enrolled at The London University of Politics that autumn. Now, with the January snow coating the city, the result would be announced in Trafalgar Square.

Athena pulled her soft woollen hat further down over her ears, realising that the hair cut she had over the holidays wasn't going to help her keep her neck warm in such freezing temperatures. If she was being perfectly honest, pink wasn't really her colour; it did nothing for her chocolate brown hair or dove grey eyes. But it was this month's pop colour and everyone had voted on it. So the money her parents had given her for Christmas had duly been spent on a new pink jacket, winter essentials and a number of T-Shirts. Her mum had laughed at her when she had tried on outfit after outfit in the small shopping centre near to their house, but Athena knew how important the votes were. If the people chose pink, then she would wear pink. This month. Hopefully next month they would vote for green, or violet; colours that Athena knew she looked far better in.

Athena wobbled over a particularly icy patch of path, throwing her arms out on either side of her and making frantic windmill motions which earned her a few amused stares. She had to pause at the next road while bicycles streamed past; their snow tyres gripping firmly on the road surface. The patch of road in front of her suddenly glowed an angry red, while the teal strip across the pavement lit up. It was barely visible through the snow, but was just about light enough for Athena to see. As the bicycles came to a patient stop, Athena hurried across the road and turned the corner.