Dignity's Worth

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three

The officers had started taking statements. Meanwhile food was being arranged for the girls in the police station itself, since recording everybody's statement was going to take all day, and probably the entire night. The media had come into the picture, with newspapers for the next day being re-printed and cameramen swarming Tokentown Police Station.

Alex didn't let any of the photographers come near the girls, which is to say he tried his level best to keep them off the entire block, because there were about three to four hundred girls there.

The press made full use of its authority and did so in a good way. There was nothing else on the news all day, all other programmes were either cancelled or put on hold. A movement had started against all the injustice and the crime going on in the city for decades. It was probably the first time since Roberto Roberti's assassination that such a mass rebellion had been seen in the people. Everyone was taking to the streets with flags and banners and posters, and the state had to send some more police force to keep everyone in control.

Shops were ransacked, theatres were burnt, and public property was destroyed for no apparent reason. Every time there was a riot in the city, there were people who took unnecessary advantage of the situation to do all these things.

But things were considerably under control by late in Tokentown Police Station, where over a hundred girls had recorded their statements. Alex was monitoring all of this, making sure that the violence in the city didn't reach anywhere near them.

He was however, worried about his wife back home. Dark clouds had started to cover the sky. He couldn't imagine what it would be like for her to watch the news. He stayed where he was for another half an hour, after which he grew too impatient to control himself.

"I need to get Emily out," said he to Newt, "I'll bring her to the colony. Things are much quieter there."

"I'll come with you." came the reply, "I'll call some more guys here for help. Paul could be in-charge."

"Don't come with me, go to my parents. Tell them I'm coming. Have a comfortable bed and some food arranged for Emily, she's going to want to rest for a while."

"Alright."

They both went off in different directions, with Alex calling for a taxi the moment he left the street.

He reached his house in about quarter of an hour, by which time it had started pouring heavily. He got out of the taxi, having paid the driver earlier, and ran to his house.

Upon arriving at his doorstep, he knocked furiously.

The door was opened half a minute later.

"Dora," he said, looking at the panicked expression on the maid's face, "what's the matter?"

"She- she hasn't come out of her room since the afternoon."

There was no need for anyone to say another word. Alex rushed upstairs, his heart beating faster and faster with every step he ascended. He could feel the adrenaline rush through him already, and he could feel something ominous approaching.

"Emily!" he cried, pounding on the door.

There was no answer.

"Emily!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. But to no effect.

"Emily!" he shouted again, and this time he moved back and kicked the door lock with all his strength.

It broke immediately.

Alex pushed the door open just as the clouds thundered loudly.

And he was not prepared for what he saw next.