to hide in my room.
My desire to leave the home had diminished over the years, partly because I didn’t know what I was missing out on, and partly because I was simply too busy to have time for such trivial things.
“I’d like for you to accompany us,” Cyler announced. I gaped at him.
“I’m sure the Walker has chores to complete, Cy. Plus, Walkers aren’t allowed. The sudden freedom might be overwhelming for the poor thing,” Jules said in a cooing tone. Her broad smile was threatening as she straightened her floor-length, grey dress so that it hugged her small chest more.
“Nonsense,” Cyler began. “I think it would be enjoyable to see the province from her perspective.” He held out his arm for me to take, ending the conversation. But before walking towards him, I eyed Mistress Stonewell and Josiah suspiciously.
“Oh good grief, girl” Linda groaned. “Just accompany Master Black on the tour. He’s our guest, and we must oblige whatever requests he has, regardless of how peculiar they are.” Linda mumbled the last bit of her statement, but still, Cyler grinned.
After hearing Mistress Stonewell provide approval, I closed the distance between us and politely gripped his arm. The close contact made me self-conscious, and I patted my messy hair and my stained dress. I felt dirty in comparison to my prim companions for the day. Using my free hand, I attempted to smooth my wild curls, but Cyler grabbed it.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered. His acute awareness of me despite our brief knowledge of one another was unnerving. I glanced at Josiah to gauge his reaction to our close contact, but he appeared to be unaware of my presence and wholly absorbed in the task of guiding Mistress Black to the transport. Seeing them so comfortable together brought out the stark differences between us. Where she was refined and poised, I was a clumsy and out of place mess.
“I think I’m very much going to enjoy this,” Cyler continued while easing me into the transport and onto the seat directly next to him. Although I desperately tried to avoid contact, our thighs touched, and the heat radiating off of him made me squirm.
We started our drive, and Josiah pointed out various landmarks, most of which I had only read about or occasionally seen on television. The skyscrapers made of steel and glass kissed the clouds, while men wearing trousers and ties walked the streets below their towering presence. Bright screens of advertisements flashed annoyingly on every corner, and I found myself in awe of all the lights and sounds.
Occasionally, Cyler would ask me questions about my opinions on different buildings or sights, but mostly we remained in quiet awe of everything while Josiah and Jules flirted shamelessly with one another. After an hour or so of torturous flirting and aimless driving, Cyler made an odd request:
“I’d like to see the Walker Zones now.”
Josiah and Jules threw annoyed expressions at him.
“It isn’t common for higher-ranking individuals to explore the Walker Zones,” Jules said. She seemed uncomfortable and outwardly embarrassed by his request.
“I’d like to see the people we could be welcoming into Dormas. I’d also like to see their current conditions.”
Josiah wordlessly nodded his head in agreement and began programming a new destination for the dashboard. We rode in suffocating silence and palpable tension. Jules folded her arms and scowled like a toddler that didn’t get her way. She occasionally huffed in discontent, and I found her behavior to echo the childishness and naivety of her young age.
Outside, our surroundings gradually became less clean. Less pristine. Instead of the polished people gliding confidently on the sidewalk, Walkers migrated the streets with their shoulders slumped wearing torn clothing. The stark differences between the Walker Zones and the rest of Galla were harsh and intimidating.
The dirt, grime, and filth felt like smog in my lungs. Children ran barefoot on the sidewalk, and vendors sold various second-hand items that appeared to be either broken or old. Although I once lived in the Walker Zones as a child with my parents, I didn’t remember the overall helplessness of it all. Memories of my parents were few and far between, but I never remembered feeling unsafe or unhappy.
Walkers watched our transport as it hovered the streets slowly. Cyler wordlessly observed the conditions of the Walkers with a distinct expression of trepidation. His mouth dipped into a fierce frown the deeper we traveled into the Zone. Unlike the present city center of Galla, there were no skyscrapers