Page 28

I was freefalling. The drop seemed to last forever until I felt branches scratch along my skin. My shackles caught on a limb, jarring my shoulders and making me shriek from the sudden pain. The branch creaked, then snapped under my weight. I hit more branches on the way down, spinning towards the Earth face-first. Another branch caught my arm, slowing my descent, and I spun around again until I finally hit the hard ground.

My body was screaming with pain. I couldn't move. This was a slower death than I wanted, but it was death nonetheless. Nobody would chase after me out here. Not even Trevor.

As my eyes stared through the thick foliage, I searched for Trevor through the rustling green leaves. I couldn't see him, which meant he most likely couldn't see me. I'm sure he thought I was dead, and as the blackness seeped in, I assumed it as well.

"Slowly," a voice whispered as my eyes opened to see a thin Asian woman staring down at me with a soft smile.

Immediate panic flowed through my veins. I jolted upright, ignoring her warning, and my head spun so much I could do nothing but barf all over the place.

The woman grimaced. "The nanites have done their job, but your head will still be a little fuzzy."

My body was stiff, but nothing else seemed to hurt. "You used nanites?" My voice was dry and horse.

"I couldn't just let you die out there."

I groaned, "It's what I wanted. I've tried everything. Slicing my wrists, overdosing, and jumping from a fucking wall, and nobody will let me fucking die!"

The woman shook her head sadly and murmured, "I've heard the stories about the servants in that city. They must treat you very poorly if you've tried so many different ways to end your life."

I glanced down at my wrists. The shackles weren't there, and there didn't seem to be a single mark left over from my fall. She really used nanites, tiny little robots that could fix broken bones and other bodily injuries, to save my life.

"My name is Virgiline, by the way. What's yours?"

"Isaac."

The woman started to say something more but was cut off by the door banging open. My body tensed, and I slid my arms around myself. The man who entered glared at me as he addressed Virgiline. "He's up. Now turn him loose."

"And do what with him?"

"Don't give a shit. He can roam around on the outer wall, or we can drop him off inside when we go trade. It's bad enough you used some of our nanites to fix him up."

"That would be cruel, Wilson."

"He had those shackles on, which means he was either thrown off the wall for being a criminal, or he jumped and wanted to die."

"I jumped," I whispered.

Wilson held out an arm in a "see?" gesture. "You saved him for nothing. He wanted to die."

Virgiline huffed, then asked, "Could you excuse us for a moment, Isaac?"

I nodded and watched Virgiline practically shove Wilson through the door. I could hear them arguing but couldn't make out what they were saying. Fabulous, even out in the Wastes, I cause trouble.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there, unmoving, but my butt fell asleep long before the door opened once more.

When it did, I could see sadness in Virgiline's eyes.

"Who are you people?"

She tried to smile, but it faltered. "We're scavengers. Traders mostly. We've visit several cities, from the Enclave to New St. Louis. Midgard City, Leviticus City, Michigan Paradise, and the Cleveland Stronghold. Eventually, we end up at Sin City."

I had heard of all the other ten or so cities, of course, but I didn't know much. New St. Louis was supposedly a paradise, at least according to other scavengers. Leviticus City was the opposite of Sin City. I heard they threw people like me off the wall or hung them publicly as a warning to others. It was hard to believe that people could care so much about who someone was attracted to. Sure, there were a few around Sin City who liked to make snide remarks, but they were a minority. As long as a person was at least eighteen, nobody gave a damn who a person slept with. Seeing two men walking hand in hand was completely normal. Same with women, for that matter.

Perhaps the scavengers would let me tag along with them. I'd do just about anything to get away from Sin City, even if I had to sit outside of Leviticus. It would be neat to see the other cities firsthand.

"Mind if I hitch a ride?"

"...We can't."

What was the point in saving me if they wouldn't take me with them? "I can't go back there." Tears welled up in my eyes. "You have no idea what they do to me! I've been raped practically every day for the past ten years. I'm forced to have sex with people for sinders. All day, every day. I can't live like that anymore!"

Virgiline's frown deepened, but her voice was unwavering as she stated, "We can't take you with us. This little forest may seem lush, but beyond it is a barren wasteland that stretches for hundreds of miles. Some of those places require us to wear oxygen masks. We don't have enough oxygen to take on another person." Grabbing my hand, she ran her fingers gently over my palm. "I can see you've never worked hard a day in your life."

I snatched my hand back with a hurt scowl. "What part of 'I'm forced to have sex,' don't you understand? I work plenty."

"We do a lot of manual labor. You're strong. You have the arms and body for hard work, but your hands tell me you haven't done much. You'll slow us down. Aside from the lack of breathable air in so many places, there are many other dangers. Wild animals and hostile trader groups who attack and try to steal what we have. Not to mention the cannibal tribes."

"The cannibal tribes really exist?!"

"Hell, yes, they exist! They took out six of us only a few months ago." Virgiline sighed, "Besides, we took a vote. We can't afford to bring you with us." She took my hand, and I had to resist the urge to recoil. "What we can do is sneak you back into the city. Sin City is a big place. If you have friends that can help, I'm sure you can stay hidden."

Maybe if I weren't famous. I would much rather take my chances out in the Wastes. I could just wander around the wall until I died of dehydration. But what if Trevor looks for me? It was doubtful, but there was still a chance he would want to see my body for himself.

If I snuck in with the traders, then what? I had a very small group of friends. Cherry couldn't take me in. That would ruin her life, and she would be thrown right back into shackles. Alex would help, but Hell's Gate would be the first place Trevor looked if he thought I survived the fall. And I had no clue where Alex lived, so he was out of the question. The only option left was Vic. As much as I still wanted to hate and resent him, I wanted to hear his side of the story. What was Alex trying to tell me before my bodyguard forced me to leave? Was it really just a moment of weakness?

A sense of defeat was drilling into my soul. "People are going to recognize me," I muttered to Virgiline.

"We can give you a makeover. I owe you that at the very least."

"You don't owe me anything."

"I do. I saved you when you didn't want to be saved." Her lips stretched into a thin line. "I thought we could take you along but wasn't aware how short we were on our oxygen supply." She nodded for me to follow her.

We exited a wagon attached to a large animal with horns. A cow or something. I couldn't remember what it was called. People ate its meat, but it was expensive since it came from one of the other cities. Sin City's main source of meat was chicken or turkey. There were a few delicacy animals, too, but I didn't know what they were, let alone have the chance to try them. Everything else was plant-based.

The traders had several wagons, each adorned with brightly colored flags. Men dressed in black stood guard at intervals along the perimeter; each held a gun. That was another thing I wasn't used to seeing. I only knew what guns looked like from history lessons ,old books, and movies. Everyone else around the makeshift camp was dressed in ragged clothing, mostly jeans and T-shirts. The group was a mix of ages, and I was shocked to see a child with a dog. Dogs and cats were a rare sight in Sin City. Only the super-rich had them. The only pet an average person was able to afford was a bird since several species flocked throughout the city.

Virgiline guided me toward a tall woman a few wagons down and asked, "Think you can make him blend in, Ava?"

"Blend in?"

"We have to send him back into the city, but he's afraid he'll be recognized."

Ava stepped close, giving me a once-over. "The only natural shade I have is black. The rest are all wild colors."

I looked at Virgiline for answers. "She can fix your hair, sweetie."

"Maybe I can give you a few fake face tattoos, too. Make you look like real trouble."

"I don't need to get the cop's attention," I muttered.

She shrugged. "It's what I got. Take it or leave it."

I only needed to keep the disguise long enough to find Vic, and he lived in Lowervill. There were plenty of people there with facial tattoos. Maybe if I looked rough enough, people wouldn't want to look my way. "Let's do it."

She escorted me into the wagon, where she lathered my strands with thick black gunk. The smell was horrid and stung my eyes, unlike the bright color dyes that smelled fruity. When Ava was done, my hair was as dark as an oil slick. Then she provided me with a new outfit to wear. It wasn't fancy, just black pants with a matching sleeveless, hooded shirt.

But then she tried to hand me a top hat, and I recoiled. "Can't wear that."

She shrugged, tossing it to the side.

"They are a huge fashion trend right now, but only the super-rich can afford them. If I go in with this, everyone will stare at me, or I'll get mugged."

Ava grinned. "Well, in that case, I'll take it with me when I go inside."

After my transformation was complete, I was led to a small fire surrounded by several people. Virgiline greeted me with a kind smile and a bowl of stew. It smelled heavenly. But the moment I took a seat, I was bombarded with questions. Mostly, they centered on why I jumped off the wall and why I was shackled. I shrunk into myself, nearly spilling the stew onto my lap until Virgiline silenced them.

"It is nobody's business why he jumped, and we all know what the shackles mean."

"He broke the law," growled Wilson. "We are feeding a felon."

Setting the food down, I got to my feet and shot a scowl at the older man. "Thank you all for the food, clothes, and stuff." My eyes passed over every individual around the fire. "But I didn't ask to be saved. I jumped from the wall because I wanted to die, okay?!" I had to close my eyes to keep the tears from falling. "Yes, the shackles mean I'm a criminal. When I was eighteen, I got into a fight. I knocked a guy's teeth out because I found the little twirp sucking off my boyfriend... I paid for what I did one hundred times over. I'm forced to shoot porn over and over again." I pointed to the wall. "In there, I'm the most famous gay porn star in the entire city. They call me the King of Gang Bangs! I have my own personal brand of fucking lubricant. There is a massive billboard with my face on it and posters all over the fucking city! But it doesn't stop there. Twice a year, I'm forced to sit in a box for eight hours while men shoot their load all over me, and I have to pretend that I like it. My sponsor sells me off to private clients who are allowed to do whatever they want! They can tie me up, beat me, make me bleed, all to get their rocks off! I'm not allowed to be with anyone I choose." The tears were running full force. They were so thick I could barely see the faces of the people I was yelling at. "I tried everything to dull the pain. I tried drinking and drugs just so I could escape for a little while. I wanted to ruin myself so that nobody would want me anymore! When that didn't work, I tried to kill myself several times. But for some fucked up reason, I keep surviving. I thought this time I would be set free!"

My gaze turned to Wilson. "I fucked up. I know. I lost my temper, but I am paying for it! I have been for ten years. To the people inside that city, I'm not a person. I'm either a criminal or an object to be played with. Nothing more. I didn't beg for my life. One of your people saved me without my permission." I glanced at the guards. "Why don't one of you just use a gun on me? Just fucking kill me. Leave my body out here to rot. I don't care. Please just do it."

There was a collective silence among the group. Nobody could look me in the face, especially not Wilson. Eventually, he cleared his throat and said, "We'll be heading into the city after grub. Eat, and we'll smuggle you in."