Sunset Rising

I could feel his muscles under my hand, caught where it was in the crook of his arm. He stood up straighter as he walked across the room and steered me toward the main doors. He had the confident swagger of someone who knew he was the most important person in the room. I heard a few men shouting out “Good for you Jack!” and “She’s a looker!” They all clapped as we left the room. I had never felt so humiliated in all my life.

Jack remained silent as he escorted me to the elevator and pressed the “Up” button. The doors opened, and we stepped in. He pressed the button for the eighth floor. The small elevator seemed awkwardly quiet and intimate after the bustle of the party. I was very aware that my hand was still trapped in the crook of his arm. I stared at the floor. Although I wanted to break the contact, he hadn’t given me permission.

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped out into an opulent hall. The floor was covered with a plush carpet, which I found difficult to walk on in high heels. The walls were off-white except for one long wall that was painted deep red. A few large flowering plants stood against the red wall with a long mirror in between. My reflection shocked me, dressed as I was in a silk gown and on the arm of Jack Ke

He noticed me looking in the mirror. “You’re really pretty.” He didn’t say it like a compliment, more like a fact.

I looked away from my reflection when Jack straightened his arm and pressed his hand against the small of my back, urging me to keep walking. I was grateful not to have to hold his arm anymore.

As we left the elevator lobby, we passed a picture hanging on the wall. Bold strokes of red and yellow sometimes blended together to make gold. The colors were set against a dark background, making them appear even more striking.

“What is it?” I asked, staring, fascinated.

“It’s an abstract of a sunset.”

I looked at a lock of my own hair and compared its color to the painting. Where the red and yellow mixed, I could see the resemblance to my hair. Reyes’s words came back to me: Did you ever wonder how she knew what a sunset looked like? Was this the picture my mother was thinking of when she named me? Had she been here on this same floor, chosen by some drunken bourge to entertain him? It was a sickening thought.

“Was it something I said?” Jack asked.

I shook my head. “No. Not you. Something someone else said.”

Jack looked around. “There’s no one else here.”

“Sorry. I meant a different conversation.” My cheeks flushed red.

“Well, don’t let me interrupt.”

I felt so stupid.

Four different hallways led away from the elevator lobby, and he turned right. We walked for quite a distance before he stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall and passed his hand over the sca

“Oh, Jack! You did it!” Leisel said. She threw her arms around him and hugged him close. I felt awkward and out of place standing there witnessing their intimacy.

“You know I’d do anything for you, darling,” he said.

I turned my head away when I realized he was going to kiss her, but not before I saw some of the kiss. Something about the way he was holding her, about the way he kissed her, didn’t seem right. They were almost stiff and polite with each other, but maybe that was just the way of the bourge.

After a moment, Leisel turned to me. “Look at you, Su

“Not as breathtaking as you, my love.” He kissed her again. “I’m going to go read. You girls have a nice evening.” Jack headed toward another room and closed the door behind him.

“He’s probably had too much wine. He’ll go and sleep it off. I ordered us some food. I assumed you would be starving after working all night.”

I was starving. My last meal had been over twenty-four hours ago.

“Can I take off my shoes?” I asked. I really didn’t think I could take another step in them.

“Yes, of course. You poor thing, working in those all night, your feet must be killing you.”

They were. I gladly slipped them off. The carpet was thick and cushiony against my aching feet.

I followed Leisel into the living room. A large sofa and two smaller chairs were grouped around a low table. Plates of food sat out, and my mouth watered at the sight and smell. I prayed my stomach wouldn’t start making noises again. It was so quiet in there.

Leisel picked up a small remote and pointed it at a television hanging on the wall. Soft music began to play. I hadn’t seen the television at first, and I was surprised by it. No one in the Pit owned a television. They were only in the common rooms. But I guessed I shouldn’t have been surprised. Jack and Leisel were privileged.

“Please make yourself comfortable,” she said, waving me toward the sofa. She walked over to a small table and poured two drinks. She sniffed the contents of one glass while handing me the other. “Blackberry wine—my favourite! Why should the men get to have all the fun tonight? No one threw me a big party, and I’m getting married, too. Cheers!” She clinked her glass against mine and then raised it to her lips, so I did the same. I had never tasted wine before, and it burned going down my throat. I almost choked.

Leisel made an appreciative noise as she savoured the taste of the wine. “Blackberries grow best in the Dome. They respond well to our artificial light. There are other berries too, but blackberries grow big and juicy and make the best wine.”

I nodded. I had no idea what to say or even why I was there for that matter.

The food looked so good, and my stomach was so empty.

“Oh, I’m being rude. Please help yourself.” Leisel gestured toward the food. She’d either read my mind, or my hunger was obvious.

There was no fork, so I assumed it was okay to pick it up with my fingers. I had never eaten food like this before. The only things on the plate I recognized were the vegetables because I’ve peeled so many working in the kitchen. I chose an orange wedge of something and popped it in my mouth. It was delicious.

“I wasn’t sure what you like to eat so I just ordered some things that pair well with the wine.”

“Thank you. It’s delicious.” I wasn’t sure what she meant about pairing food with wine. Food was food.

I followed the orange wedge with a bite of bread and then picked up something that looked like meat. I didn’t like it as much. Leisel clinked my glass again, and I took another sip of the wine. It didn’t burn as much this time, and a warm relaxing sensation came over me. I set my glass back down on the table to free both hands to eat.

Leisel watched me for a moment. “Thanks for hanging out with me tonight. I know it’s not much of a party with just the two of us, but I really don’t have good friends to share my special day with. Isn’t that pathetic?”

Tears formed in her eyes, and she quickly brushed them away. I was still wondering what role I was supposed to play tonight. Did she want me to hold her hand? I was relieved when she reached for a decadent-looking cake instead.

“Like you said before—you’re the president’s daughter. You’re a very important person and it’s difficult for people to get past that.” I hoped this was what she wanted to hear.

“Do you really think that’s why no one wants to be my friend?” Her self-deprecating look told me the conversation was going in the right direction.

“I’m positive. You’re very kind and generous.” I tried not to choke on the words. The Holts had been anything but kind and generous to the Pit. “Letting my friend Summer go home tonight proves it.”

“You know the boys mean well—they think they’re doing you girls a favour by letting you into their little parties. But I think most of you don’t want to be there, do you?”

Most of the girls didn’t want to be there? Try none of the girls wanted to be there. I popped another piece of food into my mouth to keep from saying anything. I was afraid of how I might answer her question, so I just shook my head.