Uglies: The Rusties

New Day

     Tally awoke, dazed and confused. Where was she? She wasn't in her dorm. She rubbed her eyes. Definitely not her dorm. The events of the day before came rushing back to her and she remembered that she was at Ryan's house. She smelled something good from downstairs. It must be breakfast time. She hadn't had breakfast in a house since she was a littlie. Uglies all ate in the dorm cafeterias. She padded downstairs, still in her pajamas. 

   "Hey, sleepyhead," Ryan said. "No breakfast for you until you're ready for the day."

    She saw that Ryan was fully dressed already. She had on a pair of faded jeans, a pink and white flannel shirt, and brown leather boots. Tally went back upstairs and pulled on a pair of ripped jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and worn boots similar to the ones Ryan was wearing. She ran a brush through her hair and brushed her teeth—it was weird actually brushing her teeth rather than chewing up a toothbrush pill—and went back downstairs when she was ready. 

   "Now that you're ready for your day, you can have breakfast," Ryan said matter-of-factly. She handed Tally a plate of toast with strawberries, scrambled eggs, and a glass of orange juice. Tally ate quickly, unaware of how hungry she actually was until she started eating. She finished her food in a matter of minutes. 

     "Someone was hungry," Ryan commented.

    Tally just nodded. When everyone was done at the breakfast table, Tally decided to ask what they were going to be doing today; everyone—even Ryan's mom—seemed to have on work clothes. 

    "So, what are we doing today, Ryan?" Tally asked. 

    "We're taking the horse's out for a ride, then cleaning out the barn, stacking hay, and bringing in new shipments of oats."

    "Huh?" Tally asked, confused.

    She had never even so much as touched a horse. They didn't have horses in her city. As far as she knew, horses had gone extinct centuries ago. She had also never cleaned a barn or organized horse food. She never had to work. Only middle pretties worked, and there was no pay for it. They just helped out; kept the city safe, turned people pretty, or worked in the factories. 

    "You've never ridden a horse before?" Ryan asked. 

   Tally slowly shook her head, slightly embarassed. Ryan asked like she should know how to do these kinds of things. But Tally was a city kid from three centuries into the future. How should she know the ways of the Rusties other than what she learned?

   "Well, Tally, looks like we're going to have to delay our ride," Ryan said solemnly. 

   "What?" Tally asked nervously. "Why?"

    "Because you're going to get some riding lessons."