The City of 100 Walls

Chapter 1

         It was always ridiculously hot in the metal workshop that Valerie spent most of her days in. She hated the uncomfortable heat and the steam that made it feel like an awful smelling sauna. Today was no different and walking out into the chilly fall air felt fantastic. She had yet to put her jacket on but once she had cooled down enough for her work tank top to be too cold, she would. The narrow streets were crowded and somewhere in the distance, she could hear the screaming of a crowd that had no doubt gathered around another brawl between a soldier and some of the commoners. Valerie sighed. Just another day in the “world’s most perfect city”.

         Her house was no more than a ten-minute walk from the workshop, which made it so much easier to carry the “borrowed” tools back to her house for her own projects. The government had really been cracking down on regulations of anything that could be used for metalworking to make swords. It was kind of ridiculous considering that the soldiers all carried guns and yet they still felt the need to remove any potential weapons. It was disgraceful and oppressive in Valerie’s opinion but who was she to speak of it. Everyone knows that past the 30th circle the people do not actually have a voice in the government’s actions and those prissy stuck-ups would never understand the need to carry a weapon, even just to defend oneself.

         The metalworker gave a tight smile and a small wave to Callen as he and two other soldiers walked in the opposite direction at a brisk pace, likely heading to go deal with whatever disturbance was currently happening. Callen’s eyes caught hers for a moment and he gave a polite nod of respect to her without slowing his pace. Poor boy. He hated his job and yet it was his only option unless he wanted to be forced to move to an outer circle. Valerie tried to ignore the pity in her heart for him as she continued on her way, not even flinching when a few gunshots sounded almost alarmingly close. It was sad how used to these things she had become.

         There was barely a pause as she unlocked the door to the run-down house and she gave a final glare to the ancient-looking wall the cast its shadow upon her now that it was the later hours of the day. She hated those walls. The slam of her door probably knocked off some of the faded red paint from it, but Valerie did not care. She had work to do.