Trapped | The Trapped Trilogy Book 1

Two (Part 1)

Two (Part 1)

The next day we aren't tapping on the wall. Instead, we're working on the lights in the Main Government Building in the Dame's Dome. Through the windows, I can see the simulated sunrise.

We had each been assigned to a certain area with so many hallways to do. So we're all scattered along the inside of the building.

Today is the day that the girls who turned thirteen in the past six months start their jobs. This happens twice a year, so every job gets new workers on the same day. It's amazing how things don't get too chaotic.

Most of us, who have worked for two years or more consistently, get a younger girl to mentor for the next six months. It seems like a long time, but it's well needed. Some of the jobs we do as Mechaneers are actually pretty hard to pick up on when you finally get your hands on them, in comparison with running through simulations in our training. Some of them are even life or death situations. So you can see why we have this time for training.

And lucky me, I get to mentor one of the girls.

That's sarcasm, of course.

"Don't forget to-"

"Nad!" I say, aggravated. She keeps talking and ruining my concentration. I need my concentration. "I've got this. Please stop telling me what I should and shouldn't do."

The poor girl looks like I just slapped her across the face or something.

I sigh and rub the bridge of my nose. "Look, Nad, you're thirteen right? In six months, you'll be able to do all of this yourself. But for now... just watch. Please."

"I'm sorry... it's just... It's my first day."

I look at her. She's staring at the ground, drawing circles on it with her bright green shoes.

"I know," I sigh. "Look, I didn't mean to sound so harsh, and I still don't, but all of your jabbering has gotten me pushed back by thirty minutes."

She nods sadly and draws another circle on the ground.

I feel like I need to do something...

I smile slowly as I get an idea. "Looks like you're going to have to help me."

Her eyes light up and a smile spreads across her face. She jumps ahead to the next ladder, taking off the cover of the long light. I walk her through the process, and she actually works faster than I do. We're finished long before our shift is up.

"Hey, Nad?" I tell her slowly. "You can't tell anyone I let you help today. You have a week until your hands-on training starts. I'll get in trouble if they find out I let you work on stuff early, okay?"

She nods, and thanks me.

"This was the best birthday present ever," She whispers and smiles.

"Good," I say.

"Can we start on another hallway?" She shouts as she skips a little farther down the hall.

I start to laugh and tell her that we're actually done for the day, but it catches in my throat as I hear voices echo down the hall. No one is supposed to be here until the sunrise simulation is over with-which is in about two hours from now.

I motion for Nad to be quiet and wave her back over to me.

"Act like you're observing," I tell her as I climb up on the ladder, and remove the cover of the light to hand it to her. The light flickers out, and I stick my head up into the open area, touching some of the wires as if I am in the process of fixing them.