Free Anna (Book 2, The Redemption Series) by S.J. West

nods.
    “And if I want to be visible again I just wish for that too?”
    “ Yes.”
    “ Sounds simple enough,” I say.
    I silently wish to become invisible and don’t really see anything happen.
    “Did it work? I can still see myself.”
    “ Yes,” Jered says with a smile, “it worked. No one can see you besides yourself. Come on. Let’s catch up to them.”
    Just as Jered predicted, the fog isn’t as thick now as it was when we first arrived. Jered and I walk a good distance behind Desmond and Brady down the nearly silent city streets. It’s still early in the morning and the day hasn’t yet started for most of the citizens of Dublin. As we walk, I can’t help but notice the stench of decay that permeates the air. After we turn a corner along the sidewalk, I soon learn where the smell is coming from.
    A shanty town made of ramshackle buildings put together by what looks like scraps of wood and whatever other items could be easily scavenged comprises a section of Dublin which stretches for as far as my eyes can see. The smell of human waste and death hangs in the air giving it an almost physical presence. I’m thankful I didn’t eat all of my breakfast earlier because I know it would have made a sudden reappearance considering how nauseous I feel now.
    “ Why are people living this way?” I ask Jered in a quiet voice as we walk among the decrepit dwellings.
    “ It’s all they have,” Jered replies. “Some don’t even have this much here.”
    “ But why would the Hallorans treat their people with such indifference? Wouldn't their citizens be more productive workers if they were properly fed and housed?”
    “ The Hallorans have never cared how they get their supplies from the down-world. All they care about is getting the things they want in a timely manner. They don’t worry about how the people who make their lives easier survive.”
    “ Does every cloud city treat their down-worlders with such apathy?”
    “ Nacreous is probably the kindest to the people living under their control. The others aren’t as bad as Stratus but not as good as Nacreous either. They all fall somewhere in between in their disinterest for the down-world. Sometimes people don’t think about others when they’re not a part of their everyday lives. It’s easy to forget about the down-world especially when it’s hidden from view.”
    “ I will never forget,” I promise Jered.
    Even though he can’t see me he smiles at my words.
    “ I know you won’t, Anna. You were built to have a long memory and empathy towards those who are less fortunate. You’ve been placed in a position of power that will help you use both of those attributes to help you change the shattered world we live in. And I will do everything I can to help you make it a better place not only for your children but for the generations that will come after we’re all gone.”
    Desmond stops in front of a small dwelling that looks slightly larger than the others around it. It still looks as if it’s only being held together by the grace of God, but the structure is sturdy enough to withstand the cold wind blowing in from the ocean.
    Brady opens the door which is made out of scraps of wood, old rusty metal sheeting and interwoven cloth to prevent drafts from squeezing in through the gaps. Even though Jered can’t see me, he holds the door open long enough for me to sneak inside.
    A rather plain looking woman stands within the dwelling walking around with a baby cradled in the crook of an arm, wrapped in a once white blanket. I hear no cries from the child and wonder if that’s a good sign or a bad one. Instinct tells me it’s a very bad thing.
    When the woman sees Desmond, I see her shoulders sag in relief. I know then she expects him to work some sort of miracle for the child she holds in her arms, but I fear she may have to face the reality of her situation sooner than she realizes.
    “ Thank God you’re here,” the woman says, a desperate sort of