By Any Other Name

The First One

The couple of days after the kiss with Sev were a happy blur. Things pretty much went on as normal, although now Sev stood lookout while I worked on the wall. He was the perfect distraction, since he drew attention by just standing at full height. And while everyone whispered about the horrible new things the captain was doing and all the ways she was cacking down, no one in Division 1 was all that worried. Everyone knew Divisions 4 and 7 were the biggest rule breakers. What did we have to worry about? 

And then they dragged 572 away. 

I didn't know 572 all that well. He was the thinnest of all the guys in Division 1. He rarely spoke and when he did, he was usually agreeing with someone else. It was a little annoying, but expected of a Division 1er. He was so... under the radar. And then they caught him binge-eating in the storage bay. 

It was common knowledge that we snacked as we worked. Pick a really bruised apple and it's a pretty safe choice to eat while you work. It's going to be thrown out anyway, who would miss it? Since the new captain had come on the scene, everyone had been a little bit more careful about it. But not 572, apparently. 

I was checking on the milking machines when I heard the commotion outside. I walked out just in time to see two overseers dragging a screaming 572 toward the door. 

"I didn't mean anything by it!" he yelled. "I'll work harder, you can take my Value, I swear!" 

"Why aren't they zapping him?" I asked with a frown. They usually hated it when we fought back. But he was still squirming. 

"They want us to see it," 211 said behind me. She stood in the door to the milking shed. "That's the warning." 

"The warning of what?" 

"They caught him sneaking in to storage," she explained. "Kid was eating eggs raw. Said he needed to bulk up for the Division 8 tests." I shuddered. 

"How do you know?" I asked. 

"Who do you think found him?" 211 replied with a raised eyebrow. 

"How did they find out?" They'd finally dragged 572 through the door. I didn't want to think of what was coming next for him. I looked over at 211, who wouldn't look me in the eye. A realization dawned. 

"You didn't," I whispered. "You wouldn't." 

"It was against the rules," she shrugged. "He had to go." 

"We all do it," I said in a low voice. 

"Yeah, well, maybe that should change," she snapped. "You know what the new captain is like. If they found out I knew and I didn't tell them, I wouldn't be here." 

I knew she was right. This was the way Division 1 worked. You didn't stand up for people, you didn't cover for their mistakes. But I couldn't help but think of all the times we'd snuck each other pieces of overripe fruit with a grin. Hell, 211 had done it for me my first week here. And now... was nothing sacred anymore? 

"C'mon," she said with a wave of her hand. "We need to get back to work." 

With wooden legs, I turned to follow. But before I could walk back inside, I heard a voice call my name. I turned to see an overseer walking towards me. My stomach lurched. How could they have found out already? 

"812," the overseer began. "Are you prepared for your Division 8 assessment?" It took me a moment to nod. 

"Good. Report to the training center tomorrow morning," the overseer replied. "Do not be late." And with that, he turned and walked away. 

I spent the rest of the day with a numb feeling in my legs. No one knew what Division 8 was, but everyone agreed it was bad news. There'd been some others that had already gone through with the assessment, but I didn't want to ask what it was. I was nervous enough. 

"It'll be alright," Sev assured me. "Worst case, you fail and stay in Division 1. It's not so bad." 

I thought about 572 screaming as they dragged him away. I thought about my closest "friend" who would sell me out to keep herself safe. 

"I don't know about that," I replied.