Chapter 1
THE COMMUNITY BY-LAWS FOR THOSE TURNED IN
I. The youngest a person can be turned in is the age of twelve.
II. All persons must be turned in with a full medical evaluation from a Community registered doctor.
III. All persons over the age of eighteen turning themselves into the Community must specify where funds will be sent. Upon completion of the transfer of funds, the person then must turn themselves in to the Distribution Center.
IV. Those in debt have the right to request a transfer to a new household or unit. However, this will result in a fine added to their debt.
V. If a person in debt is returned to the Distribution Center due to poor performance, a fine will be added to their debt.
VI. Upon being assigned to a household/unit, a trial period will take place for ninety days. If the household/unit returns the person in debt to the Distribution Center before ninety days, the household/unit is subject to a fine.
VII. All persons in debt who can no longer work in a classified skill set will be classified as Medical Waste.
VIII. All persons with the classification of delinquent will immediately be classified as Medical Waste.
Evie sat on the hard chair and glared at the large glass plaque across from her. She could read the words easily, though each line only made her angrier. The words stretched far across the wall, ready for anyone who entered the building. Along with the words etched into the glass, she could clearly see her reflection. Her long brown hair was fashioned in a simple braid that fell down her back. Her full lips were a pale pink with only basic chap-stick to keep them from getting chapped. The only real color on her face were the bright blue eyes she inherited from her father.
If it were at all possible, Evie would break the plaque into pieces. Or better yet, she’d watch this entire building burn to the ground with a huge smile on her face. She’d hated this building from the moment she’d stepped into it.
Evie could remember walking into the Distribution Center with her mother and older brother Ryder. Their father had left them behind for another woman, leaving her mother alone to care for two children. Unfortunately, he took all their money with him, leaving them nothing to live on. Her mother, Emily, filled Ryder’s face with kisses while tears ran down her face. She made so many promises to the young boy. Promises of paying off the debt soon so he could be free and they could be a family again. Promises to get a job and reunite all of them again. Evie watched with tears in her eyes as her brother was escorted away into the building.
But as soon as the Community had handed Emily that fateful check, her eyes seemed to change. Evie never did find out how much money her mother received for Ryder, but whatever amount that had been given her was enough to turn her mother into the greedy woman she was today. As soon as Emily’s eyes landed on the check, her eyes went wide and a sickening smile spread across her face.
Evie knew then that, soon enough, she would be turned in as well.
And she was right. On her twelfth birthday, her mother took Evie to the doctor for the medical evaluation. As soon as she received the paperwork, she forced Evie to go to the Distribution Center.
Her mother did not look back once. Not even while Evie was screaming and crying for her while case workers dragged her deeper inside. At the time, her mother was pregnant with Evie’s twin brother and sister, thanks to her current lover. Emily had left her screaming child behind while patting her large pregnant belly. Evie had no doubt that she was counting down the days until they could be turned in as well.
With the memory fading, Evie hadn't even realized she had walked over to the plaque and was raising her fist up, ready to punch a hole right through it. She didn’t care about the glass shards that would dig into her fist, but rather about getting revenge for herself and her siblings. A loud voice over the intercom brought her back to reality.
“Number six-seven-seven-five, report to office twelve for your assignment.”
Huffing, she grabbed the large black backpack she had left on the chair beside her. That was another way the Community degraded those turned in. By taking away their birth names and turning them into numbers. Upon completion of their training, they are assigned numbers and are only referred to as such. Evie wondered if they hoped that those in debt would forget their real identities and simply dissolve into numbers. But she wouldn’t allow herself to be completely degraded like that.
Evie flipped the strap of her bag over her shoulder and made her way down the hall. She had been waiting for about three hours for her case worker to finally call her into his office. It was difficult for her to keep a scowl off her face as she walked down the hall. Her head was pounding, her eyes felt heavy from exhaustion, and her stomach churned in hungry discomfort. Eating was not allowed while waiting to be summoned into her case worker’s office.
It had been years since Evie had been in Marcos’s office, but she knew where to go. He had been her case worker ever since she was turned in. The middle-aged, obese man had always treated her the same way she assumed he treated everyone else in debt: like the dirt beneath his feet. Evie knocked on his office door and entered before he even had the chance to acknowledge the sound.
Marcos glared up at Evie from his desk. “I did not give you permission to enter.”
Evie closed the door, refusing to shrink away from his glare. “You paged me. I figured that was permission enough.”
He huffed when Evie took the seat across from him. She couldn’t deny that it felt good to stand up to someone in the Community who looked down on her, especially knowing there was nothing he could do about it. As soon as she was turned in, Evie’s life was owned by the Community. Any physical harm to her would result in him paying the price they had attached to her. After all, Evie was now Community property, and if you broke Community property, you had to pay for it.
She sat and watched Marcos’s large fingers work over the keyboard. The man had a hard time typing at his desk with his large stomach in the way. His chair seemed way too small for him and looked as if it could break at any moment. Evie knew he already had her new household assignment. He was forcing her to wait, wanting to watch her squirm. Unfortunately for him, that wasn't working. Evie had long ago learned to be patient. This man, however, was arrogant and thought all his cases were beneath him, although Marcos was hardly a high-standing member of the Community.
She calmly waited until Marcos finally opened a folder on his desk.
“I see you asked for your contract to be transferred to the Laborer’s Unit.”
“Yes, sir.”
While the Community wouldn't have allowed her to become a laborer, Evie could have gotten a spot in Sanitation and Paperwork for the unit. She hoped for the opportunity to work in the unit so she could see her older brother more often than once a week. Ryder had been lucky to get a position in the Laborer’s Unit. The food was better, and they received their own special housing. Anyone in the Domestic’s Unit, however, was not so lucky. All of their meals and housing were determined by the ones who owned their contract.
Marcos smirked at her. “There are no positions open. And even if there were, you’re much too low on the waiting list for a transfer.”
Evie didn’t give him the satisfaction of showing her disappointment. She knew she would not get a position near her brother, but Evie couldn't deny that she hoped to have some good luck for once. Like her, many other women in debt had family in the different units across the Community. Of course, they would all try to get a position in the same unit as their loved ones. Evie couldn't help but wonder if the waiting list was real or if the Community just randomly chose women to fill those spots. A sick way of giving them false hope.
“You are being assigned to one of the highest members of the Community. You will be in the service of Elias Huntley and his wife, Sara. Have you ever heard of them?”
“I have not,” she said back, glaring at him from across the desk.
Marcos released a loud and obnoxious grunt while sitting back in his seat, the chair groaning under his weight.
“Elias Huntley is one of the most powerful members of the Community. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if he finally gets a place on the council within the next couple of years. But seeing as you’ve only been in the service of one person after your training, I shouldn’t have been surprised you haven’t heard of him.”
Evie gritted her teeth, her eyes threatening to spill tears. She had been in the service of Oscar Hillard for seven years. He had treated her more like a daughter than someone in his service due to debt. When he lost his battle to cancer, she was heartbroken.
Marcos leaned forward and resumed typing at his keyboard, the seat groaning again as he moved forward. His obesity disgusted Evie, as it easily gave away the fact that the man wasted so much money on food. Miscellaneous candy wrappers scattered the desk and filled the trash can next to him on the floor. Candy, like many other small luxuries, was expensive. It was all money she believed that could go to better things. To help others in need, even. But Marcos didn’t care for other people. No, Evie bet that he enjoyed spending his money on himself. Perhaps if he had a wife, he would learn to care for someone other than himself, but no woman in the Community would be attracted to him with his oily hair, greasy skin, and arrogant attitude.
“As usual, you will have every Sunday off. They already have a cook, so you will be doing whatever other chores and tasks they assign to you.”
Evie listened and tried to ignore the annoying clicking of the keyboard. She knew he wasn’t actually doing anything behind his computer screen. He simply wanted to look busy and important. Evie longed to tell him how stupid he looked to her. This man was a Community worker, not a high member of society. But Marcos believed in his delusion that he was just as important and well-known as they were.
After a few more minutes, Marcos finally raised his head to look at her. “Do you have your identification card?”
“Yes.”
He nodded and stood, grabbing two black bracelets off his desk. “Hold out your arms.” Evie did as she was told, and Marcos secured a black band around each of her wrists. The cold metal inside of the bracelet made her shiver. “They’ve been programmed to new remotes. Mr. and Mrs. Huntley will each have one.”
Evie didn’t miss the loss of her previous electric shock bracelets. The short time she had them removed had felt like a blessing. Mr. Hillard had never used his remote, either. Not once did he force her to feel the pain that many others in debt had suffered from. She doubted that her new household would be as merciful.
She never understood why a new assignment meant new bracelets. Her previous ones were much smaller than the new ones on her wrists. These were much larger. The thick black bands covered most of her wrists, hiding the silver lining inside. They pressed tightly against her skin, only giving enough slack for her to bend her wrists to work.
Marcos slouched back against his chair, and Evie was amazed that it hadn’t collapsed under his weight. “You have thirty minutes to make your purchases. I’ll meet you in the lobby and take you to your new assignment.”
Evie was silent for a moment before gaining the courage to ask her desired question. “Sir, may I please know how much debt I have yet to pay off?”
Marcos snorted. He simply leaned forward in his chair and returned to typing away on his keyboard. His eyes did not leave the screen.
“You have a long way to go. The Community will let you know when your debt is paid.”
Evie gritted her teeth in frustration while grabbing her bag before leaving to go do her shopping. On the rare visits to the Distribution Center, she had always tried to find out how much debt was left under her name. But not once had anyone who worked in the building answered that question.
The Distribution Center had a large store for those in debt to get their necessities. She grabbed a small basket and walked inside. Immediately, she went to the aisles holding what she needed. She already had two pairs of slacks and two basic black shirts inside her backpack. There was no need for her to get more personal clothing. Her assignment would probably provide a professional uniform for her to wear. She proceeded to seek out other needed supplies, flying through the aisles at record speed while she strolled along. A toothbrush, toothpaste, alarm clock, socks, tampons, and so on. It was always her goal to get enough supplies to last her for a while. She had been there many times over the years, nearly holding a map of the store inside her head from memory.
As Evie made her way to check out, she couldn't help but cast a longing look at the food section. Of course, the Community would tempt them to add to their debt by placing expensive treats in front of them. Lines of several different candy bars seemed to be presenting themselves to her. Without thinking, her feet led her to the candy, and her hand slowly reached for the largest chocolate bar. Her mouth watered as she imagined how the smooth chocolate would taste on her tongue. As soon as her fingers touched the bar, she could almost feel a jolt inside her chest. She withdrew her hand and took a step back.
‘It’s not worth it. Don’t add onto your debt. It’s not worth it,’ she told herself before forcing her feet towards the register.
Evie’s favorite meal as a child was a cheeseburger with a large strawberry milkshake. She could almost remember the taste of the juicy ground beef with cheddar cheese along with the sweetness of the strawberry shake. The cherry on top was always saved for last. Evie longed to have such a meal again, but she felt obligated to save every penny and work to save her older brother and younger siblings. Indulging would only prolong all of their suffering.
Evie’s items were charged to her identification card and bagged up. As her card was swiped through the machine, she winced. The disappearing dollars felt heavy on her heart, a ghostly reminder of her servitude. After another thirty-minute wait in the lobby, Marcos came shuffling out of the hallway, gesturing for her to follow him. Evie walked behind him while he breathed heavily and stomped outside to the car.
As soon as she took a step out of the Distribution Center, Evie took a deep breath. This was the first time she had been outside since leaving Mr. Hillard’s house. There was a slight chill in the air from the wind, and the sky was a depressing gray. Evie couldn’t remember a single day in her life where the sun was beautiful and shining all day. She believed the Community was cursed with dull weather, an invisible darkness seeping out from every crevice of its windowpanes and doorframes that sucked out all the life around its towering structure.
A sudden movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention.
She turned to see a large white van open and several men climbing outside. Within seconds of the van door opening, Evie heard the screams and wailing of a young woman. Evie watched in dismay as two men dragged a crying teenager out of the Distribution Center and threw her into the vehicle. As soon as the door closed, Evie could read the words on the side of the van.
HARMONY GROUP
Evie shuddered as the vehicle pulled away from the curb. To the Community, they were the Harmony Group. Those in charge of keeping the peace. To everyone in debt, they were the Harvesters. Those who would easily harvest anyone in debt to send to Medical Waste. Although they were established to keep the peace, everyone in debt knew that they would easily snatch up unwitting figures to toss into their snares. With or without a reason.
“Six-seven-seven-five, let’s go!”
Evie jumped at the sound of Marcos’s voice and quickly went over to the impossibly black Community car. Evie sat in the back while Marcos heaved himself into the driver's seat. She could have sworn the car shifted as he sat down.
She silently looked through the foggy window at the houses they drove past. The Distribution Center was seated at the very center of the Community, surrounded by several tall businesses and skyscrapers. Evie had not once entered any of those buildings, though. She never had a reason to. The next area they drove through was the Marketplace Unit. The towering structures held several stores for designer clothes and gourmet restaurants. Mr. Hillard, during her time working for him, had never wasted his time or money on such expensive food and clothing.
When they exited the area, Evie saw the many grocery stores she used to shop at for Mr. Hillard. She wondered if she would continue to shop there for her new assignment. Harmony Group vans and men on motorbikes could be seen randomly patrolling the streets. Motorbikes were a rare vehicle in the Community. It was known that only those in the Harmony Group used them for their patrols.
Soon enough, they passed through the large gates of the Community Board Unit. Evie remembered how Oscar Hillard would complain about this horrible place. He and Evie were under the same belief that such large and expensive houses were nothing but a waste of money. She smiled at the memory. The houses were massive, surrounded by private fences and beautiful flower beds. Many individuals could be seen working outside.
The house Marcos parked in front of was by far the largest in the unit. The front yard had a tall black fence all around it with beautiful flowers along the walk path. Evie thought it was a waste of blossoms, as they couldn’t make the house look any less intimidating. Tall brick walls loomed over her when she stepped out of the car. The large structure oozed luxury and superiority. The black roof atop it contrasted deeply against the light gray clouds in the sky.
Just looking at it sent a chill down her spine.
Marcos trudged down the path as Evie wordlessly followed behind, staring at the concrete beneath her feet. Out of the corner of her eye, Evie could have sworn she saw movement from one of the large windows. Was someone watching her? It was possible. Perhaps one of the Huntleys. She shrugged the feeling off while Marcos rang the doorbell to the house.
When the door opened, Evie lowered her eyes to the ground.
“This way,” a sharp feminine voice snapped.
Throughout her training, Evie was taught to never look up to anyone while in service. They were to keep their eyes to the ground until given permission to raise them. Evie had to be on her guard. Oscar Hillard was far more lenient with such standards. She immediately knew that this household would be starkly different.
Evie obediently followed Marcos into what she assumed was a sitting room. She was not allowed to raise her head, but the carpet she walked on was a dark red color, and she could scarcely see the lining of the ivory walls. The faint smell of cigarette smoke gave away that someone smoked in the house. She stood in the middle of the room, holding her bags tightly in her hands, refusing to let them fall to the floor.
The feminine voice was the first to speak out of the three of them. “This is it? This is the only one you have available?”
Evie clenched her fists in anger, pressing her lips tightly together.
“Y-yes, Mrs. Huntley,” Marcos sputtered, clearly trying to be respectful. “This is number six-seven-seven-five. She has had extensive training. She is trained in domestics, cooking, financing, gardening, and musical entertainment for you and any guests you may have. More specifically, the piano.”
The woman scoffed, and Evie felt shame color her cheeks.
“I don’t want any of these mutts touching our grand piano. My husband handles our finances. And how is a girl this skinny supposed to be fit for manual labor?”
Evie bit her tongue and fought the urge to snap at the woman. “Maybe if everyone in debt was given a decent meal, we wouldn’t look so damn thin!” she thought bitterly.
“Yes, madam. She is fit for domestic labor. She served her former assignment very well.”
“Then why is she here and not with them?”
“Her former charge was Oscar Hillard. He passed away from cancer.”
“Oh,” Mrs. Huntley paused. “Well, I don’t want her. Send her back.”
Evie felt like she was going to be sick. Being sent back meant a large fine being added onto her debt.
“I’m sorry, madam, but your husband has already signed her contract. She must stay for at least ninety days, or you and your husband will face a fine. It’s Community policy.” There was a puff of air and Evie could smell cigarette smoke.
“That will not be an issue. Charge us. I don’t care. Send her back and send us someone not as scrawny.” She did not bother to try and hide the disgust in her voice.
“Your husband is the one who signed the contract. He is the only one that can send her back. Just give her a chance, Mrs. Huntley. If you aren’t satisfied after ninety days, your husband can send her back. Then there would be no penalty against you.”
Evie knew that if Mrs. Huntley pushed the issue, she could very well have her sent back. She was quite surprised Marcos was even pushing for Mrs. Huntley to give her a chance. Perhaps he wasn’t as cold-hearted as she thought.
An aggravated sigh escaped the woman’s lips. “Whatever. Expect a call soon. I’ll be speaking to my husband.”
“Thank you, madam. Here are the remotes for you and your husband. Six-seven-seven-five is very obedient, so I doubt you’ll ever need to use them.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Mrs. Huntley retorted flatly.
Evie still didn’t look up, but she could hear the shuffling and heavy breathing of Marcos walking away. He had been dismissed. She flinched when the front door opened and closed. The transaction had been completed. She was now under the charge of this household.
Her eyes were on the floor, but Evie watched the expensive black heels as they circled her atop the plush carpet. Evie knew the woman was looking for flaws. Anything that could be used to convince her husband to send Evie back to the Distribution Center.
The woman finally stopped her assessment of Evie and stood in front of her. “Look at me.”
Evie raised her eyes and looked at the woman she would now serve. Sara Huntley was a beautiful woman. Her brown eyes and eyebrows stood in contrast to her expertly dyed blonde hair, but she wore it very well. Her tailored black skirt and blouse fit her slim body perfectly. Evie had no doubt this was a woman who would settle for nothing less than the best quality clothing.
Evie also took the quick opportunity to get a good look at the room. It was filled with beautiful paintings and a large red velvet couch. The accent tables neatly organized around the space looked to be made of mahogany with glass tops. The lamps appeared to be crystal, and they gave off a comfortable light. There was no doubt that everything else in the house would be just as nice and, most likely, expensive.
Mrs. Huntley gave Evie another head to toe look over before speaking. “So, I’m stuck with you for ninety days. Or until I speak to my husband and ask him to get you out of this house.”
Evie swallowed and tried to find the correct way to address the arrogant woman.
“Yes, madam. I’m sorry.”
Mrs. Huntley rolled her eyes and dropped down on the velvet couch. “Well, you know your manners. While you’re here, you will address me as madam. I’ll give you one week. If you don’t do things to my satisfaction, I’ll be speaking to my husband and you will be gone.”
Evie nodded and released the breath she was holding in. She was relieved the woman would at least give her time to prove herself.
Mrs. Huntley continued, “Mary is another in debt who works in my house. You will report to her and she will give you directions for your everyday tasks. You will also follow any directions my husband and I give you. Do you understand?”
“Yes, madam.”
Mrs. Huntley stubbed out her cigarette in the cut glass ashtray on the small side table beside her before shaking out another from a slim case. The chain-smoking didn’t surprise Evie; most higher members of the Community had the habit. It was an easy way to broadcast their wealth as cigarettes were expensive and often rare to find.
“Mary is in the kitchen down the hall. You’ll begin tomorrow morning. Now, get going.”
Evie didn’t hesitate. Her hands ached from holding her bags for so long. She turned to leave, but Mrs. Huntley’s voice stopped her.
“I almost forgot. What should I call you?”
Evie turned and looked back into Mrs. Huntley’s arrogant face.
“Madam, my number is—”
“I’m not going to remember your fucking number,” Mrs. Huntley snapped, waving a dismissive hand. “We need a name for you.”
Evie swallowed. “Madam, my birth name is—”
The woman interrupted, offering a cruel smile, “Dog.”
Evie blinked as Mrs. Huntley stood and puffed smoke into her face. She felt that the woman was enjoying the feeling of being able to degrade her. She tried not to cringe from the look of pleasure spreading over the woman’s expression.
“I’m going to call you Dog.” Evie’s hands began to shake, her blood boiling as Mrs. Huntley laughed. “That’s all you are here. My little errand Dog.”
Without warning, Evie felt a sudden sting of electricity in her wrists. She cried out in pain and dropped to her knees, clenching her jaw. It lasted only seconds, but to Evie, it felt like an eternity.
Mrs. Huntley smirked down at her as she pocketed the remotes.
“A reminder of the pain you will receive if I am not satisfied with your work. Now, get to the kitchen.”
Evie’s eyes burned with tears as she grabbed her bags and rushed out of the room. The last time she felt this low was when her mother had turned her in.
She shook the anger away, making her way to a hallway door. The mouth-watering smell of roasted chicken told Evie that this was the kitchen’s entrance. She dropped one of her bags to knock on the door.
“Come on in!” a voice called from inside.
Evie picked up her bag and entered. The room was large with several top-of-the-line pots and pans hanging from hooks in the ceiling. The countertops were made of marble and held a large gas stove. Next to the stove were double stacked ovens that emanated the smell of roasted chicken.
Then, she saw the figure of an older woman bent over the stove. The woman looked up and gave Evie a smile.
“Welcome. Please, take a seat.”
The older woman had kind eyes, a full figure and almond skin. Her dark hair, that held streaks of gray, was tied in a tight bun atop her head. On her wrists were the same black bracelets Evie wore. She finished stirring a large pot before bringing a glass of water over and placed in on a small wooden dining table.
Evie returned the smile and walked over to the table. She placed her bags on the floor and took a seat, flexing her aching hands to ease the pain from carrying her things for so long.
“I’m Mary.” The woman extended her hand and Evie shook it.
“Pleasure to meet you. I’m Evie, but Mrs. Huntley wants me to be called Dog.”
Mary rolled her eyes, curling her lips in disgust. “Why am I not surprised? That woman will do anything to make herself feel better than everyone else.”
Evie sipped her water while Mary returned to the stove. “At least I'm not alone here. She seems nice enough,” she thought. She hoped they would get along during her servitude at the house.
“I’m going to call you Evie in this room. Outside of it, I'll have to call you Dog, as Mrs. Huntley wishes. Once I'm finished with this, I'll take you to your room. We begin work at six in the morning every day, except your day off. Which day do you get?”
“Sundays,” Evie replied.
Mary nodded and continued. “As I was saying, we begin at six. We both have breakfast, and by seven, it’s all hands-on deck. Mr. Huntley takes his breakfast in his study; he practically lives there. Mrs. Huntley, however, won't be up until about nine. I have a schedule lined up for cleaning tasks for the week. You will need to tend to the flowers up front and the garden in the back every day unless the weather is bad. Mrs. Huntley has gatherings just about every other weekend, so be prepared for plenty of guests. You have four uniforms in your room. One of them is a little nicer for those events.”
The entire time Mary spoke, she was either stirring pots or chopping vegetables and looking into her oven. Evie’s stomach rumbled at the smell of Mary’s cooking, but the older woman didn’t seem to notice. Or perhaps she didn’t care.
“We eat lunch at eleven, and dinner is at seven. Mealtimes can change if Mrs. Huntley is having company over, which happens a lot. That woman likes to show off her husband’s money.”
Evie finished her water and looked back to Mary. “When is your day off?”
“I don’t have one. Don’t need one. Sunday is my easy day. I just cook and clean up the kitchen,” Mary said simply, sitting down at the table across from Evie.
“You don’t have anyone you want to go see? Family to visit?” Evie knew it wasn’t her business, but if she could help another person in debt see family, she would do it.
Mary smiled and shook her head. “No. I have my son, but I won’t be able to see him. He’s working for the Community as an engineer.”
“Your son was able to become an engineer? How was that possible?” Evie was flabbergasted.
Mary’s smile didn’t falter at her question. “I turned myself in. All the money went to his education. He has to work for the Community for a while as an engineer to finish paying off his education. Thankfully, they provide housing for Community engineers. But once the tuition is paid off, he’ll be free to work for himself and have a good life.”
It was a sudden rush of emotions for her. Evie felt her eyes shimmer and couldn't stop tears from filling her eyes. It felt like a miracle to see a mother who would make such a sacrifice for her child. After she was turned in, Evie was told by many others in debt about how their parents turned them in for the money they’d get in return. Hardly anyone she had spoken to had parents who truly loved them.
Mary looked quite shocked at the sudden look on Evie’s face. “Are you alright?”
Evie quickly brushed away her tears with her fingers, sniffling. “I’m alright. Sorry, I just don’t see mothers like you often.”
Mary raised a brow. “And what kind of mother am I?”
“One that actually loves her child.”
It was silent for a long moment, and Evie felt her chest tighten and her heart pound faster. She felt an instant respect for the woman before her. To Evie, Mary was the mother she longed to have. A strong, selfless woman who would do anything to see to her child's future.
Mary cleared her throat, and Evie could almost swear she saw small tears in the older woman’s eyes, which had grown glossy and red. Mary rose to her feet. “Come on. I’ll show you your room. You can have dinner at seven. We begin working together tomorrow.”
The woman did a final quick check on the dinner that was still cooking before leaving the room with Evie trailing behind, bags in hand. As she followed Mary, Evie couldn’t help but admire the house. It still felt cold to her, but the furnishings were beautiful. Everything was elegant and placed perfectly in whatever spot it occupied. Never before had Evie seen such expensive decorations and furnishings.
“Just a warning, Mrs. Huntley is a perfectionist. Every painting, vase, and furnishing is in its place for a reason, in her eyes. She will know if it’s out of place, so be careful when cleaning. Otherwise, she’s going to have you squirming on the floor thanks to those damn bracelets. And God help you if something gets broken.”
Evie shuddered. She guessed that Mrs. Huntley would enjoy watching her scream in pain while she called the Distribution Center to send her back into the system. The value of the broken item would probably be added onto her debt as well.
Mary led Evie up an elegant set of stairs. The cream walls were decorated with many beautiful paintings, and the second floor of the house was no exception. However, upon reaching the third set of stairs, the decor of the house changed. The final set was a simple wooden staircase. Upon climbing to the third floor, the walls were bare, with the ivory paint slowly fading away. Evie assumed that no guests entered this floor of the house.
“That room is mine,” Mary said, gesturing to a door along the left side of the hall. “That other one is our bathroom that we’ll share” She made another gesture to a door on the opposite side of the hall.
She led Evie to the end of the hall and opened the last door to reveal another set of wooden stairs. This set looked old and worn. The nails were rusted over and the wood was slightly warped. The white paint even looked to be peeling away from the walls.
“Our rooms are the same size, but unfortunately, yours is up in the attic. I’m sorry, but it’s going to get hot up there in the summer. It gets pretty cold at night too.”
Evie gave her a small smile. “It’s okay. I can deal with it.”
Mary grinned in return and began to make her way down the hall. “Get yourself settled and come down for dinner a little later.”
Before Mary completely disappeared around the corner, Evie couldn’t stop the words from blurting out her mouth, “Thank you for being so kind.”
Mary stopped and turned to look back at Evie with a brow raised. “You seem surprised. Were you expecting me to act like a total bitch to you?”
“I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve never shared a household with someone else in debt before. You could have been a bitch to me if you wanted to. But thank you for being so nice. It feels good knowing I’m not alone here,” Evie said, her expression full of sincere gratitude.
Mary paused and slowly walked back to stand in front of Evie. “The way I see it, we're both in debt. We both have a long way to go before we even get a taste of freedom. Now, I'm not saying that if you mess up, I won’t report you. Because I will. I won’t risk my neck for you. But hopefully, you aren’t that dumb. So, if you work with me, I’ll work with you. We can at least try to make our time together not miserable. Deal?”
Evie nodded, and Mary’s eyes flashed with appreciation.
“Good. Now, go get situated. I’ll see you later for dinner.”
Mary vanished around the corner and Evie sighed. She made her way up the stairs, closing the door behind her. The steps were quite steep, and Evie had already begun to dread going up and down them every day. As soon as she reached the top and looked around, she let loose a loud groan.
The room was old with a musty smell, like mildew and dusty newspapers.
There was a small window against the wall, but Evie doubted it would give her much relief from the summer heat. She had hope that it would at least give her some fresh air when needed. The bed provided by the Huntleys was small with simple white sheets, a thin gray blanket, and a flat pillow. Her new assignment was courteous enough to provide a small table for her alarm clock. She would have to keep her personal clothes in her bag on the floor, though, as there was no dresser or closet in the small room.
Her uniforms hung on a small hook against the wall. Black pants with a white blouse. The uniform that was designated for the Huntleys’ social gatherings was a knee-length black dress with long sleeves and a white apron.
Evie dropped her bag on the bed and went over to open the window. A small rush of air entered. She hoped the room’s smell would clear out within a couple of hours, though it would most likely take much longer than that. Everything appeared old and unused.
With another sigh, Evie dropped onto the small bed and groaned in frustration. The bed was hard and worn, with a lumpy mattress that was less than comfortable. Evie felt like she should have known better. In what world would anyone in the Community care about the comfort of those in debt? Especially Mrs. Huntley. Evie was sure the woman was probably as terrible of a person as her mother was. She would find out soon enough.
Her eyes scanned the room and finally rested on a small crucifix above the door. Evie rolled her eyes. She had no idea how anyone was to believe in God in a place like this. Or at least, if there was one, then he was certainly turning a blind eye to this world and its suffering.
No. As far as Evie was concerned, there was no God.
