Aelburn (WATTY'S 2020)

.eleven.°°

"So it's true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love."
E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly, (Gadfly Saga, #1)

December 25th, 2199
Waelum Household

WILLOW

Alice made dinner for the eight of us that night as we discussed our plans for escaping from Gardenia without a hitch. Chris, the man who had shot me in the leg, had taken Talia's word and sat as far as he could away from me but every once in awhile when my eyes would flick to his face, I'd fine his on me, studying me intently to the point of being uncomfortable. He seemed like he wanted to say something but, with Talia beside him, he knew to keep his mouth shut. Jai and Aeraf sat on either side of me, Lavender and Lucas at the heads of the table and Ridge across from Jai next to Talia and Chris. Alice stood at the sink, scrubbing at a pan as chicken sizzled behind her and she had a small, sad smile on her lips that made my heartache every time I looked at her.

"So," Ridge started, popping a grape into his mouth. "I'm thinking you go back the way you came."

"I've already told you that won't work." Jai sighed, holding his forehead as he leaned against the table.

"Yeah, definitely not." Lucas chimed in, eyeing Chris.

"Well, why not?"

"Yarrow got us in." I said, chewing on my lip. "You know there's plenty of tunnels underground. I don't want to take the chance of choosing the wrong one."

"Well, we can't exactly take the chance of just waltzing through the front gates." Lucas looked to me. "There's camera's everywhere on the main road. We'd be shot faster than you can say run."

"What about the other side of town?" Lavender piped up. "Away from the Science Building?"

"They have patrols for eight miles along that road," Ridge said, his elbow resting on his propped up knee. "Plus, it leads to Ontario. You think, Gardenia is crazy?"

"Ontario isn't that bad." Lavender frowned. "We've visited the sewers plenty."

"They hold public executions every hour on the hour, twenty-four hours, seven days a week, 365 days of the year." Chris' harsh tone made me stiffen and Lavender visibly jump. "The sewers may be nice but the town is garbage even by Aelburnian standards. You'd be executed there just for your skin color alone."

"That's...awful." Lavender frowned, looking to her hands.

"Racist lot, they are. You're fixing for most of you to be killed if you even try to go towards Ontario." Chris continued and Jai winced when Chris' cold eyes landed on him before turning to me.

"So then what are our options?"

"The way you came in." Ridge said again and Jai sighed, annoyance obvious as he raked his fingers through his hair.

"I already told you, that's not possible."

"We find Yarrow and then it's possible."

"How the hell are we supposed to find him?" Jai snapped and Ridge set his jaw. "Last time I saw him, he was bleeding out on the floor because of you. We know he escaped but there's not a single chance in hell that we'll manage to find him."