**Chapter One**
Water balance: 0.8 L remaining
Daily allowance reset in 06:58
"Hey Effie, get up. We're running late." Efiok opened his eyes. His head turned to the meter on the wall, seven hours was cutting it close. Sunlight streaked past the only window as the dome's artificial glow blurred slowly from night-blue to day-yellow. He listened to the low hum of the air recyclers as he lay on the thin mattress for a few seconds. He rose from the mattress, slowly bending his left knee, "Ayo?" He rubbed his face. Her black silky hair was tangled up and shooting off in every which way. Her eyes were bright with that dangerous glint she never quite managed to hide.
"It's tap morning. Let's go before the limit kicks in." She walked over to the sink beside the door, picking up one of the two drums underneath. Opposite the door on the wall, a single shelf with the last half-loaf of pap cake and three sealed water pouches stood beneath the high bar window. The pouches were stamped with a big green 'B' inside a red ring. Pushing through the numbness, he got out of bed and stretched and massaged his legs until his knee popped. He faced her with a frown, she was already at the door with the drum in hand.
"We're going to be late. I don't want to go through last week again." She folded her arms, frowning at him in return. Exhaling, he quickly pulled on his only coveralls. It was riddled with amateurish patches and there was a faded red patch on the chest that probably used to mean something before the ink wore off. Then he took one of the pouches, tore off the seal and measured exactly 200 ml with the little cap. He sipped it slowly, afraid it might disappear. Ayo took out her Slab, switching it on and off. He picked up his drum and inspected where he sealed it last week.
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"The lottery opens tomorrow. Did you hear about this cycle's benefits?" Her face was glued to her Slab. Efiok didn't even look at her. He capped the pouch and carefully placed it back on the shelf.
"They say the same thing every cycle," his voice came out tired.
"I know they say that but this time they showed a returnee on the holo-feed. She looked healthy and she was smiling." He felt the familiar tightness in his chest. The noose was always tightened when she started talking about the lottery.
"People smile when they're told to smile, get it out of your head." he gave her a stern look but she didn't answer. She never did when he said that. He pinched the bridge of his nose, they'd always done this little dance every year for four years now.
He stepped out of the cell into the dimly lit corridor and briefly glanced at the cell next door. The air was thick with the smell of recycled oxygen mixed with a faint metallic tang that meant the Flux filters were overdue for replacement. The overhead lights along the ceiling flickered on and off, the Outer-ring was rationing power again. A baby's hungry cry tore through the silence of the hall, someone else's problem. Efiok briskly walked down the hall toward the stairwell. He had to get to the public taps early if he wanted enough for both of them before the daily limit kicked in. Ayo's soft voice followed behind him,
"If I get picked, Efi… everything changes." He didn't turn around, he increased his pace instead.
"Timi also got picked, remember?"
"He's been gone for years, probably forgotten about us by now. I'm sure he's out there in the Middle-ring living his..." She was cut off mid sentence as he abruptly stopped walking, almost bumping into him.
"He would never forget us. He won't, I'm sure of that." His voice was low and cold and it seemed to shut the girl up. He clenched his jaw as he picked up the pace again.
He glanced outside as he walked past a window. Folks had already started going about their day. Voices were shouting over the machinery noise down below, metal shone softly in the early morning sun. Far in the distance beyond the walls where the sky couldn't reach, there was only darkness.
