3 Hours

Chapter 6

At 11 o’clock sharp, Lucia reappears at my door.

“You ready?”

“I think so.”

“We’re going to go through the library balcony. We’ll have to climb down the wall and walk on foot to the city. Just getting there’ll easily take an hour, so assume closer to 3 hours as a round trip, just to be safe. I don’t like the idea of getting caught. We have to be up at 7 tomorrow for the learning sessions and it’s 11 now, so that leaves...3 hours. 3 hours in the city. Then we’ll head back.”

“Alright.”

She pushes the door to the library open, shutting it quietly behind us. We shimmy out of the window, and before I know it, my feet touch lightly down onto solid earth.
We walk for what seems like hours, lights of the city on the horizon. As we enter, I see more variation than I’ve seen in my life. People stare at us, some recognizing Lucia and waving.

“Friends of yours?”

“No, enemies of our Fathers. He doesn’t have very many friends in the city.”

"Oh." Is all I can say. I didn’t realize we were so hated.

“The people are angry, he’s not allowing them to grow. Sure, they’ll survive, but they won’t thrive.”

We walk further into the city. I look up at the buildings, lights dancing in windows and graffiti painted on every available surface.

“Where exactly are we going?” I ask, watching people glare at us, their heads swiveling as we pass. It’s a far cry from the people that waved on the outskirts of the city.

“A place I know. We’re almost there.” She pulls me along quickly. “Here we are!”

She raps on the door in a strange pattern and calls “It’s Lucia!”

The door slides open, creaking slightly on its hinges. A boy stands there, looking down at me suspiciously.

“Who’s this?”

“She’s my sister, she’s not going to do anything to compromise us.”

“You sure? You two don’t look at all alike.”

“You know we’re adopted, don’t be a jerk.”

“Alrighty, no need to fuss.” There’s no humor in his eyes, no tilt in his mouth. “Come on.”

We follow him in.