Free Exodia by Debra Chapoton Page A

go.”
    Barrett hissed, “But there was an order
for his execution.”
    “ Automatically rescinded,”
said the other kid.
    Lydia rolled that bit of news around
her head for a few seconds. An executive order could only be
rescinded if the one charged died before capture. She couldn’t
think of any other reason. She clutched at the first boy’s elbow.
“Tell us.”
    “ Bryer Battista is dead. No
one is looking for Dalton because the one in authority now is the
President of Defense.”
    The news shocked both Lydia and
Barrett. They looked at each other, their faces changing from
astonishment to elation to puzzlement.
    “ But – ” Lydia could not form the question.
She shook her head as if to jar something out. “You
mean – ”
    “ Nobody knows what would’ve
happened. The new Executive President might’ve let him stay in the
capitol with his mother or put him in the army. But he would’ve
been here, and Teague said he would’ve been in a better position to
inspire, lead, and fulfill the prophecies.”
    Now Barrett shook his head. “No, don’t
believe it, Lydia. We did the right thing. There’s a reason we had
to get Dalton out of here. Ronel will train him. Everything will
work out.” He turned to the other teens. “Screw Teague. He can’t
ground us.”
    “ Maybe not, but he can put
you in the same group of subversives that the President of Defense
just ordered incarcerated. They marched off
two hundred men, seventy-six women, and four kids our age–girls–to
be re-educated at the old factory south of town. Re-educated. You
know what that really means.”
    #
    Jamie’s father allowed him to visit his
mother once a week. She lived in the valley district where life was
several levels better than in the Red Slum. Populated solely with
upper-class Blues, the former Mrs. Truslow lived a pampered yet
fearful life. Jamie’s father would often show up unannounced and
he’d demand a reenactment of her role as submissive, and abused,
wife.
    Jamie, with his lopsided grin and the
same bashful eyes as his mother, sometimes witnessed his father’s
inexcusable behavior. Slowly the atrocious behavior seemed less
awful.
    “ Hey, mom,” Jamie said as he
entered through the front door.
    “ Jamie!” She jumped up from
the sofa and looked beyond her son expecting the larger figures of
a capitol guard and her ex-husband, the President of Defense.
Seeing no one else she visibly softened, hugged her son, and pulled
him into the dining room. She had set out for him a bowl of small
strawberries she’d grown herself.
    “ These are for you. I pick
them every day hoping you’ll come by.”
    “ Don’t lay a guilt trip on
me.”
    “ I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I
just don’t get to see you enough. I’m working nightshift now, so I
sleep days, but don’t let that stop you from coming.” She watched
him scarf down a handful of berries. “So … what’s new?”
    Jamie made a satisfied humming sound as
he chewed. He stuffed several more in and spoke with his mouth
full, “Drink?”
    His mother flew to the
kitchen.
    Jamie swallowed and called after her,
“I think I’ve found the right girl.” He took a couple steps toward
the kitchen, visualizing the beautiful girl his father probably
wouldn’t approve of.
    “ It won’t be cold,” she
said, handing him a glass of something warm and brown.
“Refrigeration has been down for several days.”
    Jamie took a gulp. The bitter liquid
burned away the sweet fruity taste of the berries. “This is awful,”
he yelled. He smashed the glass on the floor and slapped the hope
off his mother’s face.
    * * *
    “ I’m so glad this is the
last one.” Kassandra held the top edge of the car door frame with
both hands, keeping the whole thing upright as Katie dug out a
narrow trench. Together they lifted the make-do barrier and placed
it as straight as they could in the trench.
    “ Not deep enough.” Kassandra
lifted it out by herself while Katie grabbed the shovel.
    Both girls