When the Sun Begins to Die

Chapter 17

Cadence P.O.V

When I wake up I notice that I am in my bed and Josh is with me. He's holding me close to him. I blush fairly darkly and feel the heat radiating off my face. Josh and I are cuddling.

I slip out of his grasp carefully and sigh. I can't let this go on. That would be like leading Josh on. I would never do that to him. He doesn't deserve to be treated like that.

I look around, seeing nothing that feels right. It is all so bland and colorless. Nothing truly belongs to me. This is not my home.

'Things with Josh are growing already. I can't let it go on anymore. I am going to stop it before the pain will be too much. It's for his own good.'

I quietly grab my bag, shoving all the contents inside rather sloppily. I am out the door and down the stairs in a few seconds. I know that I can't just open some secret hatch and escape. I have to talk to Mayor Greene.

I follow the small signs until reaching a building called City Hall. It looks like a normal office building to me. They probably couldn't do anything too fancy with it.

I walk into the building and see that no one is waiting to see anyone. That seems surprising to me. Surely someone would have questions about The Oasis.

I wait for a good five minutes before the man I wanted to see emerges from a door that was closed when I walked in. He sees me and throws on a charming smile that I still don't trust. Something just isn't right about him.

"Cadence, what brings you here to see me?" he asks.

Everything about him comes off as friendly. His blond hair is neatly combed, his shirt tucked in perfectly, he is clean and crisp and yet I still don't believe the illusion. He is not trustworthy.

"I want to leave and be home with my family when the sun explodes," I lie, using the only possible excuse I have to leave.

Mayor Greene laughs softly and shakes his head, patting my shoulder. "No one is allowed to leave, Cadence. This is your home now, we are your family. You are safe here."

I cringe from his touch, feeling his unusually cold hands. "I'm not going to have a baby. I won't. Kick me out. A child was the price of my ticket, but I refuse so kick me out," I say sternly.

"Two years is a long time. You don't have to get started right away. Besides, your hormone pills will run out eventually," he says with a smirk.

I feel my heart drop to my stomach. He knows that I am trying to transition yet he still won't let me leave.

I suddenly feel anger. He still wants me to have a child. He knows what that means and he still wants to put me through that. I ball up my fist and throw a hard punch at his face. It knocks the wind out of him for a moment before he regains himself.

Two guards emerged to make sure he was alright and glared at me. I glared back at them. I didn't care that I just punched the mayor. I'm hoping now I will get kicked out.

"Escort Ms. Buds back to her room," he says sternly.

They both grab me by the arms and drag me out of the building. I kick and thrash with all my body weight but it is no use.