the green thought

Part 4

Ch 3

Tuesday April 15th 4031, Emerly

Spencer was right, after Francine got home and finished dinner mom's tracker started beeping wildly. Francine held me as Spencer did CPR, her heart had stopped. Not five minutes later they took her away on a stretcher before leaving one spoke staring at me "blessed be the Royals" a sob caught in my chest, Francine dismissed them "blessed be the loyal" she spat, slamming the door behind them. That night I cried and cried falling asleep in Francine's arms. When dad got home the next day he just held me. He kept saying exactly where she was and she was getting stronger every day but we still couldn't visit. I had missed my appointment with Oliver, I felt terrible. Spencer and Francine went. They brought my present with them, it was a small jar of cream cheese-it was his favorite. Today was my last day at the debt building. I had been a janitor there for two years since dropping out of school but I was finally being promoted. Emerly the secretary sounded so much better than janitor.

It was my first time being there in daylight, having the graveyard shift one gets used to being alone. The floor was alive with people rushing everywhere I went. I walked briskly to the locker room. I scanned the lock and started piling everything into my old school bag. I wanted to be twenty minutes early for my new boss at nine and it was seven thirty now. I rushed over to my very own desk and shoved the junk out of sight and doubled back. I had to see her one last time. Mrs. Keller had helped me get this job in the first place, it would be wrong not to have a proper goodbye. The hard thing was getting to the right floor, the debt building was split in two, the top forty floors were for anyone paying back a debt.

It didn't really matter how, you could run on a treadmill and sell the energy or simply work it off in community service. Up here were mostly offices that coordinated the workload and scheduled the amending wards then sent people on their way. But Mrs. Keller worked on floor eighteen, an amending floor. The thought sent shivers down my spine. Mom had gone somewhere in those first sixty floors, selling herself for me. She wouldn't see her home again, mom could never leave the complex because of what she had done here. Tears pricked my eyes as I walked. No one paid me any mind. No one ever wanted to be in a debt building, let alone amending. I counted my paces to the elevator eighty seven. What an awful number, I stood to the side as debt collectors stepped off all with their morning coffees. I couldn't remember the last time I'd had some.

A debt collector motioned a boy younger than me to enter the elevator. When he didn't move a nearby case worker hustled him inside. He was in cuffs, I gulped backing into the corner. The case worker whispered a question in his ear as I pressed floor 18. The boy looked away rolling his eyes. "What floor Jackass?!" I screamed, jumping back against the railing. The boy's expression instantly changed, he looked around the man watching me. I squeezed my eyes shut gripping the railing. "Look what you did, she's terrified."someone accused, It was the boy who spoke. When I opened my eyes he was pointing at me and glaring up at him. The case worker shrugged off his comment asking again "which floor?" The boy gave me an apologetic smile "eighteen, she already pushed the button. No need to lift a fat finger." The man swung back handed, my hands flew up to my mouth. Angry red fingers appeared across his face but the boy just sighed letting his head thud against the wall. "I know eight year olds that hit harder than that, see?" he pointed at a small black bruise right between his eyes.

The man went to take another swing when the elevator doors opened. I sprinted past them. "Someone escort this idiot to his amending!" I heard the man yell behind me, I was already at reception waiting when a man behind the desk ran towards them. After a brief exchange the case worker threw his hands up in anger walking back into the elevator. I breathed Deeply leaning against the counter. The thin man motioned the boy into a chair and walked around. "Can I help you miss" I pointed to the boy "aren't you already?" He gave me a tight smile "no he's already booked just waiting for the room to open up, can I help you?" I relaxed my shoulders "yes I'm looking for Mrs. Keller, she runs this department I believe." He nodded checking his watch. "You're in luck that boy over there is waiting for her as well. I assume you're not here to amend?" I shook my head furiously " no no just wanted a quick word." he sat in a swivel chair "just follow him when he's called. I'm sure she won't mind." I nodded slowly "thank you sir. Blessed be the Royals." Eyes focused on a computer, he droned "blessed be the loyal."