THOMAS:
Father opened the door to my room and cleared his throat, clearly demanding attention. I did not look up from my book. "Thomas, you're nearing the end of this school year. There's going to be a graduation party..." He started, inching closer to me. I turned my head away to acknowledge his words . "I'm going there... The school requested me to come along and hand out the certificates of graduation. They asked if you'd be coming too..." He continued. I looked up slightly, instantly hating myself for doing that. "I came to say that... you're not going," He ended. My head dropped again.
"But I want to go," I said in a gravelly voice.
"You can't, Thomas. It's not safe."
"But I want to go! Why can't I go? What's your problem?"
"Do you not get what's going on, Thomas?" Father raised his voice at me, exasperated.
"I do! I do I do I do! I know what's happening, I know what I'm supposed to do and I know what you're saying!" I lashed back, sitting at the edge of my seat, gripping onto its sides.
"Then why won't you listen, Thomas? What is the problem here?" Father questioned, clearly getting more and more impatient.
"The problem is that I don't want to carry on with this plan! I want to go back! My injury has healed, hasn't it? Peizer's been warned, hasn't he? Then what is the harm in going back, Father?" I demanded, fury coating my harsh words.
Wrath filling his voice, Father castigated, "I want to keep you safe, you imbecile! Don't look at it from a politician's perspective, look at it from a father's perspective, you uncultured, selfish swine!"
I snapped. That hell of a man is not my father. He is the man who ruined my life. He stopped me from seeing Leah and made me burden her life. And now he wanted me to think that he was doing it from a father's perspective? Over my rotting dead body!
A hoarse laugh escaped my dry throat. Glaring at Father's cold, grey eyes, I said, "You are no father to me."
~
LEAH:
"Listen up, Slaves. There's going to be a graduation ceremony for you worthless piles of dung next week. The Leader will attend it as well as his son would be part of the graduating cohort as well. Since this is not the legitimate graduation ceremony that you all will go through in 2 years' time, you need not cook for parents too, just for us. Do you hear me, you rascals?" Mrs. Canvas instructed.
As we all responded with a droning "Yes, ma'am," I looked over at Spike. His face was filled contorted in indignance and his lips were set in a thin line. He looked over and offered a weak smile. Giving him a look that I sincerely hoped resembled 'I'm sorry', I turned back to listen to Mrs. Canvas's 'delightful' lesson on integers.
If Master Brite is going to be there, that would mean that Thomas is coming back! Plus, I'd be able to see him at the ceremony! After days of not knowing what happened to him, it's refreshing to get this piece of news. I hope all's well on Spike's side too...
"Hey," I greeted as I brushed past Spike on the way to the exit. He nodded to acknowledge my presence. "It's next week. Don't already start pulling out your hair now," I comforted.
"It's just... what rights do the supposed 'Masters' have over us? We're all people! We're all supposed to be equal!" Spike expressed.
"I know, but we can't do anything. We're just a pair of insignificant teenagers, worth nothing to the world," I said dismally.
"We need a plan. We need to find a way to knock some sense into that fool of a Leader, Leah," Spike exclaimed suddenly.
Fear filled my voice and eyes as I insisted, "We can't, Spike! We could die - our family could die! Spike, rethink about what you're saying. Don't endanger your life!"
"But you want a change too, don't you, Leah?" He pressed.
I gaped at him, dumbstruck. Gathering myself after a few moments, I looked him in the eye and asked, "What's the plan?"
A wicked grin spread across Spike's face.
~
MARK BRITE:
"That scoundrel! Acting as if he knows better! Does he really think I'm that evil? He's a traitor, mixing with those wretched Slaves! Treason! This is utter treason! He's such a disgrace! We'd be better off without him! I'd be better off without him! This world would prosper without him! 'You are no father to me'. Who in this hellish world is he kidding? I was being so reasonable and he just disses me? The audacity!" I fumed, dismantling my usually orderly office. I placed my head in my hands and groaned. I was seething with rage at Thomas's words.
Closing my eyes, I tried to calm down. But to no avail. Whenever I closed my eyes, I could see Thomas's anger-stricken face. The warm brown eyes that were always filled with compassion were cold and icy, radiating hatred. The hoarse laugh that escaped his dry throat. The hurtful words that had come out in a snarl. "You are no father to me."
I roared out in frustration. He needs to go, I thought. "He needs to go."
"I must kill him."
YOU ARE READING
Sacrifice
Teen FictionA city that is torn apart into two castes is where Leah Spinnet lives. At school, she met a boy, who was part of the upper caste. Her life was turned upside down when her love for him seemed to endanger her life. Could she still be with him without...
