Pure - The Broken Society

CHAPTER TWENTY

"And so was the journey here, was it not? We came here with no protection at all, and look...we made it," irritation seeps into his demeanor as he leans forward on the table. "It'll be different this time."

"Yeah, well we ran here to escape the city, not go back to it," I heave a sigh of defeat, anger clear in my body language. "If you want to get killed, then fine, but don't expect me to help you. This isn't our fight," I state without thinking about what I'm actually saying.

"You're so damn ignorant!" Quinn shouts at me, and I jump to his sudden words, "This is what you don't get! This is our fight, it's all of our fight! They've been suffering down here with barely enough food to survive as they have every damn thing they need up there," he points in the direction of the city, still shouting profusely. "You even said it yourself that you want things to change! Well this is our chance for that!"

"When I said I wanted things to change, I meant in a non-violent way," I say, miffed.

"This can't be fought without violence, it would be like fighting fire with sticks. You're only feeding it!"

I throw my hands down on the table, irritation and frustration possessing me. "Fine, whatever, go fight with them, it's your life on the line not mine," I say, my eyes glassed over out of sheer fear.

"Madelynn-"

"I'll see you later," and with that, I stand from my chair, wiping at my eyes before any tears drip. My heart breaks as I stride away from the table, leaving Quinn with a look of sorrow.

"Madelynn!" Quinn shouts from behind, his heavy footsteps jaunting towards me as he grabs hold of my arm. "Madelynn, we need your help, too. We came from the city and we know it from the inside and out, they don't," he gestures to the people who walk by outside all donned in ripped clothing. "We need you as an excuse to get into the city when the time comes," he pleads.

I rip my arm from his grasp, turning to face him with an expression of betrayal.

"You-you went behind my back...to use me as a crutch without even asking me first?!"

"Madelynn, it's the only way-"

"No! I told you, I am not risking my life for a plan that will fail, Quinn," I take a deep breath to calm my nerves before continuing, "We made it here alive, that was our chance. We've already lost mom and dad, I can't afford to lose you too, you're the only family Becca and I have left," I plead to him, with hopes of persuasion, but he remains unfazed, his mind and heart already set on his decision.

"They accepted us in here, now it's our time to pay them back for it. We caused the attack, and now we must fight back against this never ending system of injustice and maltreatment. This is our chance to fix the broken society...I can't pass this up out of fear."

Defeated, I scrutinize his face, burning every feature into my mind as he looks at me hopefully.

"We need your help, Madelynn...you are the missing piece to this puzzle, please," he prays.

I stay silent for a moment, contemplating in my mind as I stare to the ground, my glassy eyes containing blurry vision. After a moment, I look back up at him, pushing my hair back behind my ear, "I can't," I say. "I can't lose you or Becca. If we both do this...she would be left with no one. Are you willing to make that sacrifice?"

"If it means promising her a better life for the future...then yes."

***

The walk to Sector four is one of disorientation and vexation. My nerves are a wreck as I think of all the horrific things that can go wrong. I haven't heard the full plan, but I know that somehow, somewhere, something will go wrong, and everything thought to have been safe turns into a trap. I can't fathom that, having to tell Becca what happened to her only brother once she realizes he's been gone for a few days. I just can't do it.