table is covered with bags. To my left I see clothes in different sizes. It’s all black and I can’t stop staring at the clothes. It’s the first time ever that I’ve seen black clothes.
“Get your size, get dressed quickly. Move it,” Ethan whispers. He moves to the larger sizes and I move down the line to the smaller ones.
“If you haven’t’ figured it out yet, get a set of clothes that will fit you. It will be best if you blend in on the other side,” Aaron gives the instruction as I grab my size and follow Ethan to the dressing rooms. Everyone rushes for the clothes and I’m relieved to be out of the way.
The clothes are plain; a black t-shirt that has no collar, black jeans and not surprising, a black jacket. The Dissolute must hate color.
I dress quickly and tuck my mother’s photo in the back pocket of my jeans. There’s a tight pull in my chest as I bundle my clothes together and walk out to the front.
“Um … what should I do with these?” I look to Aaron, holding my clothes tightly. It’s the last items I have that are my own, and I hope we get to take it with us.
“Throw it in there.”
He looks up from a clipboard and points to a bin with a pen. A pile of clothes lies at the bottom of the bin, and I hesitate.
“Just throw it in. You won’t need it where we’re going. Here’s your bag. I packed your portion of food and a first aid kit,” Ethan says, as if none of this matters to him. How can this be so easy for him?
I throw in the clothes and watch my shirt land at the bottom. I didn’t even get to wear it a full day. I take the backpack from Ethan and shrug it on. He reaches for my hair, but stops an inch from touching me. I freeze, and stare at him. He looks handsome in the black clothes, it suits him. I flush at the direction my thoughts are heading in and drop my eyes to the floor, scared that he might be able to see what I’m thinking.
“You’ll have to take those clips out of your hair. They don’t have luxuries like hairclips where we’re going.”
My eyes dart back up as he mentions my mother’s clips. It’s all I have of my mother now, the clips and the photo. How can Ethan be so calm about all of this? He draws his hand back and starts to adjust the straps on his backpack. I stand, watching him. I’m sad to be leaving the only place that’s ever been my home. Fear knots in my stomach. I wish I could be as calm as Ethan is.
“Oh.” It’s a lame word, but it’s all I can manage. He must think I’m an idiot!
I take out the clips and tuck them in the jacket’s pocket, hoping he doesn’t tell me to throw them in the bin. I untie and smooth my hair out, and then retie it again.
“Listen up,” Aaron calls out. Everyone is dressed in black now. The color doesn’t suit Ruth’s small posture, and it makes Mr. Demetrius look older. “Once you are on the other side of the boundary marker don’t forget why you are there. Be the Courageous Crusaders you have been chosen to be. Spread the word and recruit people to be Virtuous.” Not once does Aaron make eye contact with anyone.
~*~
Chapter Two
It’s a long way to walk to the boundary marker. I don’t think I’ve ever done so much walking in my entire life! I might die of exhaustion before we even reach the boundary marker. I’d go down in history as the only person who didn’t even make it out the gates, how embarrassing would that be. Then again, I wouldn’t know, I’d be dead. What am I thinking? It’s the fear, it’s driving me insane!
I shake my head and take a deep breath to try and calm my frail nerves. Ruth hasn’t stopped crying, and it’s not helping. Her sniffling is wreaking havoc with my nerves.
I look up, trying hard to focus on anything else but the people around me. Their tension is making the air stuffy and hard to breathe in. The dome shines clearly above us at this time of the day, when the sun starts to set on the outside. There are times you can almost pretend the dome isn’t there. Sometimes