The City Of Death

Chapter Twelve- Macy

"Well, I can't get one made today. But we'll have one by tomorrow," he says as he finishes pinning up the jobs. "I don't know what you'll do today, but you're smart. You'll figure it out. Now, as for me, I've got a few things to do before everyone else wakes up. They should be up soon now that the sun is rising." 

"Is that the alarm out here?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"Everyone just gets up when the sun starts to rise, like a natural alarm clock?" 

"Yeah, pretty much. A few of us get up earlier. Me, Annalise, and Matt, just for an example. Maybe you'll be one of us who rises before the sun. Anyhow, I'd better get on those things I have to do. I'll see you later, hopefully. Good luck today," Atlas says, turning and walking towards Annalise's cooking tent. Is Rosalie with her? Atlas said that Annalise rises before the sun, but not Israel. I wonder if Rosalie wakes up with her mother or her father. Maybe she wakes up at a different time entirely. 

To distract myself from that thought, I look over the jobs that Atlas had posted on the board. I'll never tell him this, but I'm glad that Atlas is giving me a day before I get a badge and can take jobs. Truth be told, looking over the jobs, I'm a little overwhelmed. I don't know how to do any of these. And here I thought that this was going to be easy. Here I thought that I would settle in and complete my mission and that would be that. But if I don't know how to do these jobs, how am I supposed to settle in? Will I be ostracized for not knowing how to do these things?

"Dr. Macy!" I turn and see Aubriana walking over to the message board, giving me a soft smile. "Taking jobs already? You're ambitious. I waited a week before I did anything." 

"Oh, no, I'm not taking anything today. Atlas says he can't get me a badge until tomorrow," I respond, looking back to the board and sighing. "Truth be told, I'm kicking myself in the ass for that ambition. I don't know how to do most of these." 

"Well, that's not a problem. We'll teach you. That's part of why most people wait. They shadow other Renegades and learn how to do these things themselves. The truth is, none of us know what we're doing when we first enter the Outside. We learn as we go," Aubriana says, finding her badge at the bottom. "Why don't you come with me today? I'm going to... oh, here's one! Annalise needs someone to get some nuts and berries from the forest. Hickory nuts, walnuts, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries." 

"I'm not sure I could identify those or where to find them," I admit, and Aubriana smiles again. 

"Well, I can teach you that. After breakfast, meet me back here, and you can come with me to get the berries and nuts," Aubriana offers. "But only if you want to." 

"Yeah, sure, that sounds good to me," I say, and she smiles, patting my shoulder and heading for the firepits where several others have gathered. I smile to myself and make my own way over. Gemma and Savannah are at one of the smaller pits, already in conversation with Taryn. Aubriana is at another, talking with some Renegades that I don't know. I'd rather spend time with people I've met, so I sit down on a log next to Gemma. They all greet me warmly, folding me into the conversation easily. 

Other Renegades start to come up to the firepits, breaking off into their own groups. Some look alert and awake, others are still groggy and rubbing at their eyes. Some look at the message board, picking out jobs before they come over to the firepits. Eventually, I see Israel looking very tired, while Rosalie is pure energy contained in a small body. She runs around the firepits, greeting everyone, before finally coming over to me. 

She seems very excited to see me, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she talks about a dream she had. Once she finishes that, she asks me, very hopefully, if I'll play with her today. The refusal comes almost naturally. As much as I like Rosalie, she's a bit too much like Eliot. I can't imagine what kind of memories will be brought up by spending time with Rosalie. But the little girl looks so excited about the prospect of playing with me, I just can't tell her no. So, instead, I tell her that I'll play with her when I'm done doing a job for her mother.