Page 37 of Beyond The Maples
I question my own true opinions. I surely don't agree with the distribution of resources. I feel the methods being used to reestablish ourselves aren't working. I see the corruption in the executions, the way the Council turns a blind eye to the missing residents. But I've never allowed myself to truly linger on these thoughts. Or maybe, more honestly, I've never had the luxury of time to dwell on it. Most of the people in Strayton are the same, other than Deacon's family and a few select others. There's no traveling in between towns and exploring. I'd never have known a place like this was real if I hadn't enlisted.
A thought creeps up on me. Did dad know? Is that another reason he was so hellbent on answers? I've been so angry with him over his obsessiveness. Now I wonder.
We turn another corner, wandering into a market and my breath catches. I am struck, feeling like I've been delivered back to another time. Vendors line the walls with booths, and I'm reminded of the booths at the Games––but instead of horrible offerings these seem to have real goods. I stop at a booth with produce. Mostly hearty things, easily grown; full potatoes, turnips, even a cabbage. My eyes widen as I see how healthy it all looks. The next table has green vegetables on it, and I suck in a breath throughmy teeth.
I feel foolish for being so confused, for feeling so in the dark, but I turn to Farra and I see her eyes have a watery sheen. She tries hastily to blink the emotion away and locks eyes with me.
"I haven't seen any... since I was a kid," she says just above a whisper.
I grab her hand and squeeze, hoping she hears the agreement I can't seem to say out loud. I wander towards the table with a few carrots, and a kind older woman sits behind the booth. She grabs three small carrots, holding one out to each of us.
I put my hands up immediately, trying to stop her. "Oh, I can't. We have no money, we can't afford this." I shake my head enthusiastically, smiling.
The woman scowls, a slight disapproving shake of her head.
"This one is on the house." She sighs, gesturing at the three of us with the carrots. "You lot deserve better."
Hesitantly, I take the carrot, seeing the finality in the woman's features and not wanting to offend her. My mouth waters. Even the cafeteria food, which is miles beyond what we ate in Strayton, is condensed. They need to get as much out of the produce as possible, so everything made into calorie and nutritionally competent servings. They don't just hand out whole produce. Farra is caught in a trance, staring at the carrot in her hand.
Leo, who's been quiet longer than I thought possible, asks delicately,"What do you mean, you lot?"
She hesitates, only briefly, and seems to choose her next words carefully.
"Those of you who live outside these walls, who risk your lives to protect those within. You deserve..." She stalls, but I know what she means. There is a glimmer in her eyes, and her words fall heavy over the three of us. They know, then. The citizens here know how the rest of the country lives.
A loud groan pulls me from my thoughts.
"Oh, fuck me, that is good. Thank you," Leo says this chomping on his carrot. Farra gives the woman an apologetic smile and thanks her before leaving, but I linger for a second longer. I search the woman's face for something—I'm not sure what—before finally turning away to walk through the rest of the town.
It's not long before we turn back, and I'm grateful. Our group seems quiet, somber. All of us stuck in our own heads as we make our way to the dorms. Leo hesitates, swaying while doing and undoing his pockets over and over. I can tell he doesn't want to part.
"Wanna come up?" I offer.
He bobs his head, his features relaxing.
"Yes! I've only been waiting for a sleepover invite since the first day we met." He grins.
Farra's eyes go wide. "Oh, no, she didn't mean to sleep over, Leo... I'm serious. You can come for a bit, but then you have to leave." She sounds panicked, but Leo is already jogging to the door, waiting for us to unlock it.
He scoffs at her, "I am a delight to have around. Stop acting like I'm a chore."
She rolls her eyes and stomps inside, making me chuckle.
Upstairs we all sit comfortably. Leo steals my pillow and makes himself a nest in between our beds. We sit idly chatting for a while, and I notice Farra's quiet differs from the usual. Thicker. I throw a pencil at her.
"Hey, you ok?" I ask.
She purses her lips. Considering what to share with her newly establishedfriends.
"Seeing the city like that today, it felt wrong. Off. It doesn't make... sense." She scrunches up her face.
I nod, waiting for Leo to pipe in, but he's quiet. Contemplative. Farra rolls suddenly, her hands cradling her head so she's facing us.
"The town I grew up in, I haven't seen an actual vegetable since I was a child. I haven'teverseen a market like that. I can only remember a handful of days where I could walk outside without dust clouds choking me." She looks pained when she says this, like she's worried we're going to have different experiences.
I look at her empathetically.
"Same. My family's been living on mostly protein rations for years. Any produce I've seen has been illegal and horrible looking."
