Chapter Six

  Efiok stood still at the door, eyes locked with Ayo. Breaking eye contact, he walked over to the shelf. The Flux filters whirred tirelessly above.

  "You're not going anywhere." He put the pouch on the shelf, his back turned to her.

  "Effie, I'm volunteering." His heartbeat quickened but he didn't turn, his palms felt sticky.

  Ayo's words were cold, "I'm serious."

  "I heard you the first time." He changed out of his coveralls as he brought up his Slab; 03:57:36. Just four more..., he bit his lip. He walked over to the meter on the wall, her eyes trailing him;

  Water balance: 0 litres

  Daily allowance reset in 00:00

  His brows furrowed as he stared down at his Slab, at the zero token balance. Exhaling, he fished for a metal cup beside his mattress and eyed the drums under the sink for a moment, before reaching for the last pouch on the shelf. He filled the cup and turned to face Ayo, cup in hand.

  "How's Old Rick treating you?" He took a sip, pushing the water past his clamped throat, "that old man was a pain when I was still learning."

  She froze for a second before her eyes drifted down to her Slab, "fine." He took another sip before walking over to his mattress, "how's it? The fields are usually boring so I'm sure the shafts and machinery must be a change of pace." She shrugged. His fingers tightened around the cup as his mind raced but he said nothing. A long silence stretched between them.

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  "You see, the craziest thing happened today..." He started off with a smile.

  "I almost died today." Ayo said as her Slab blinked on and off. Efiok's eyes widened as he shot up.

  "What're you talking about?" His voice cracked. She looked up at him, "that's why I'm volunteering." He stumbled backwards to his mattress, the water caressing the edge of the cup. "Old man Rick's place is the safest around after the fields. That old man makes sure every inch is cascade-proof, you should have been safe there." He shook his head with a frown.

  "I got sealed out when the alarms hit, so I had to run all the way here. I barely got here in time though." Her Slab blinked, "I was so close to..." She looked up at him, "we can't keep living like this, I can't. I'm going to end up out there one day, pounding on sealed doors, while the Worm eats me alive." His trembling hands squeezed around the cup as he downed the remainder, he didn't respond. His Slab lit up red,

  **REMAIN IN YOUR CELLS**

  His eyes drifted to the blinking timer.

  "The cascade curfew's started, how many do you think died today?" She looked out the window as blinking reds sped by below. His mind went to the couple from the morning, then to the woman arched over on the street, the wet brown hair. "Probably a lot. Today's a level 4." He muttered as he swirled a drop of brown water around.

  "A level 4 hasn't happened in a while." She said aloud. Red lights streaked across the room as vehicles zoomed past below, "Effie, let's leave together."

  He looked up at her, his empty stomach churning. He recognized that look, it was the same one that Timi had the morning he left for the Blight. He shook his head as he massaged his knee, "no, I'm not leaving and neither are you. You're not handing your life away to those fuckers in the Middle." He hissed.

  They sat at opposite sides of the cell, holding their stares. Ayo's eyes slowly drifted to her Slab beside her.

  "I've volunteered already."