The Land Before Tomorrow

Chapter 7

I had to find someone and tell them, but I didn't know who. I asked the lady at the city hall if there were any authorities I could talk to, and she directed me to a building down the block. That was when I realized that I couldn't tell them anything because they would kill me. So, I went the way I remembered trying to get back to Akmondeza. The problem was, I didn't know which way to go. 

But then I figured it out. 

I followed the rivers of red. It flowed in the direction of Akmondeza. It was horrible. A river flowing full and bountiful with blood. I followed the river for what seemed like forever. Eventually, I found the doors. I stayed there for about a day and this is how it went...

I found some rocks in the burnt, ashen land, and I hid behind them. It seemed that Underground cars came through the doors every thirty minutes. At night they came out every hour. Since it was dark, I was able to sneak in the doors at around midnight. I crept along the walls until I got to the main doors. There were guards there standing by the entrance so I had to get past them. I snuck in under one of the slow-moving Underground cars. Once I was back in, the first thing I went to do was find Carter.  

I looked through his ground-level bedroom window, to see that he was home. I quietly rapped on his window, he looked at me and looked very confused, but he opened it. I quickly climbed in. "I have so many questions..." he said. "I know, and you will get to ask them, but let's keep quiet, okay?" 

"Okay." 

"What are some of your questions?" 

"Why are you here? I thought you were supposed to be in your new life."

"I got in the limo that was waiting for me at the gates, and the driver took us to a city called Norquelle. He took us to a dark, old, brick building which was very different compared to all the other buildings there. We went in and got in a line, and they took them into a bright white room one by one. I saw a puddle of red on the ground, then I realized what was happening. Carter, the raffle doesn't give people a new life. They take people out of Akmondeza, and they kill them." 

"No... No way..." 

"Yes, way. And I got back in by waiting outside the gates for a day and sneaking in at night." 

"No..."

"Yes." 

"No... I don't believe you." 

"What?"

"I don't believe you. Akmondeza is a safe place with everything we need. The Overground is the bad guys. And by the way, what in Ramsay's name are you wearing?" I looked down at my clothes only to realize I was still wearing the multi-colored t-shirt and ripped jeans with my hair up. "I- uh... I had to run around Norquelle to find out where I was... and I had to blend in. You should see it up there! It is amazing!" I didn't even explain to him about the rivers of red or the sad looks on the guard's faces. "When I got back I didn't know where to go or who I could talk to besides you. I need your help to form an alliance against Akmondeza, and spread the word."

"No." 

"No?"

"No." 

"What do you mean no? Everyone in Akmondeza, their lives are in danger! And you're just going to tell me 'No.' when you get the first chance to save them?! You want to be a guard- which means your job is to keep people here safe- and now you know they aren't safe and you're going to refuse to help me?! Them?!" 

"Yep." I can't believe it. What an il-bred, inferior... Bad person! I can't believe him! What am I going to do now?!

All I have left to do is get back out.