Sunset Rising

“Oh good!” Di said, startling us. “It’s just the two of you here. I had an epiphany last night.” She marched right past us and into the laundry room.

Crystal and I looked at each other in confusion before we scrambled to follow her.

“Anyone here?” Di called out to the empty room. No one answered. “You know, I think I would’ve messed my pants if someone answered back.” She laughed nervously. “I was thinking last night if we keep this place ru

I gave it some thought. We didn’t have many options. “It might work.”

Madi’s sca

“There are some carts over there for you to take up,” Di said. “Drop those off and pick up the dirty ones for us to work on today.”

Kai did as she told him. We worked for a few hours before a pair of Domers came strolling into the room. I assumed they were the ones being sent by West on Crystal’s behalf.

“We’re looking for Supervisor Madi,” one of them called out to the room at large. No one said anything.

“I expect to be answered.” Both guards raised their firearms.

“We haven’t seen our supervisor all morning,” Di said.

“Who let you in this morning?”

“The place was already open when I got here. Guess she had somewhere else to be.”

“Any chance you know where that might be?” the other Domer asked.

“No, sir,” Di said.

“Does anyone here know?” he called out to the room again.

I watched the confused expressions on everyone’s faces and mimicked them. The guards went back to Madi’s desk, rummaged through her things, and checked her calendar. One of them picked up her communicator and gave the other guard a puzzled look. Guards and supervisors were supposed to have their communicators with them at all times. I had forgotten about that. The guard holding the device typed a message into it. They were probably letting Madi know she was wanted for questioning. I was relieved when they left.

I had some hand washing to give to Crystal and made my way over to the sink.

“Do you think those were West’s guards?” I asked.

“Probably. I don’t know for sure.”

I still felt sorry for Crystal. As bad as my situation was, at least I had some freedom. But she was a slave every single minute of her life. During the day, she worked here under the supervision of a malicious woman, and at night she belonged to a man old enough to be her grandfather. I knew that if I had not met Leisel on that fateful night, I might have ended up just like Crystal and Summer. I think I preferred my death sentence.

“How long have you… belonged to West?”

“Two years.”

I remembered she’d told me she was fourteen years old. “You were only twelve when you were sent upstairs?” Even I could hear the revulsion in my voice, and I felt bad for making my feelings so clear.

“I know.” She hung her head in embarrassment.

“I didn’t mean it the way it sounded, Crystal. I know it’s not your fault. Was Madi the one who sent you up there the first time?”

Crystal nodded.

“Then I’m glad I killed her. The Pit is a better place without her in it.” For a moment my guilt at having killed Madi morphed into a sense of justice, and I relished the feeling.

“The Pit is a better place with you in it, Su

“Crystal, you said something last night —” I started to say, but she cut me off.

“People need to know what I know! And you need to get them ready.”

“Crystal, you’re scaring me. Just tell me what you know.” I tried not to sound frustrated, but I was. She kept hinting at something, and I wanted to know what it was.

Just then the bong bongs a

“We need to finish this conversation!” I told Crystal as we joined the queue.

“Finish what conversation?” Di asked as she came to stand behind me in the line.

I shrugged. “Nothing important.”

“Those guards that were here today looked official. Any idea where they came from?” Di asked.

“We think Mr. West sent them because of Crystal’s eye. She didn’t look very pretty singing for the bourge last night. They want to have a word with Madi.”

“Malcolm West?” Di seemed shocked.

I nodded. “Crystal’s owner.”

Di gave Crystal a look of understanding. “I owe you a big apology. I had you pegged all wrong, sweetie.”

“Most people do,” Crystal said, her tone defiant.

“Well, I expect they’ll be back when they don’t hear from her,” Di said.

“I think you’re right,” I said.

We halted our conversation as we collected our food and water and then returned to our stations to eat. The laundry room was every bit as hot as it always was, and I was relieved Madi wasn’t there to stop me from drinking water. I gulped the liquid down, and felt the moisture quench my parched tongue and throat. If I hadn’t been worried about the guards coming back, I would have been tempted to take off my vest and hat and let my skin breathe.

“Madi’s not here today. You can go to Crystal’s sink any time you want,” Di said.

“I hadn’t thought of that.” There were definitely perks to not having a supervisor around.

“What is it you’re wearing that makes you so hot?”

“Believe it or not, it’s a bulletproof vest.” I laughed. “It puts weight on my frame and makes me look less like Su

“Well, down here Su

“Di, you weren’t supposed to tell anyone!” Now the news would be all over, just as Jack predicted it would be.

“Why not? It’s about time someone stood up to the Madis of the Pit. That woman was a mean, nasty piece of work. Good riddance, I say.”

“But I killed her,” I whispered. Was I the only one who understood the gravity of that act?

Someone a

The day was almost over when the doors burst open, and the two Domers that had been there earlier marched in una

“Has anyone seen Supervisor Madi today?” one of them demanded.

“No sir. She hasn’t been in today,” Di said.

“When was the last time anyone saw her?”

“Last night,” I said. If anyone was going to be questioned, it should be me.

The guard came closer to me. “At what time?”

“About six-thirty. We finished late last night.” At least that was the truth.

“Was she here when you left for the day?”

“Yes.” The lie made me a little nervous.

“Were you the last one to leave?”

“We both were,” Di said.

“I’ll need both your names.”

“My name is Diamond Murphy,” she said.

He looked at me expectantly. There was no way out of this. I cleared my throat. “Autumn Jones.”