Tessa crouched low in the shadows, pulse racing as she watched her friend Ash stealthily climb over the perimeter wall. What was he thinking, attempting an escape alone at night? It was strictly forbidden, punishable by incarceration without trial.
She wanted to call out, to stop him from taking such a foolish risk. But to do so would only endanger them both. With The State's watchful security drones circling endlessly overhead, they were always listening. One wrong word could ruin both their futures.
Ash dropped lightly to the ground outside and straightened, glancing furtively around in the dark. For a tense moment he stood perfectly still, and Tessa feared the drones had spotted him. But then he was off at a sprint, melting into the night-time gloom beyond the settlement boundaries.
Tessa let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Part of her hoped Ash made it – no one deserved the oppressive life The State enforced within these walls. But she knew the harsh realities that awaited escapers in the wild frontier beyond. There were good reasons for the strict rules, even if some took them too far.
Now all she could do was pray Ash returned safely, or at least found a better life out there among whatever remained of humanity outside the control of The State. With any luck, he had not been detected, and she could pretend this transgression had never occurred. One way or another, her friend's fate was now in Fate's hands. As the dawn light filtered through the compound, Tessa went in search of Ash with a growing knot of unease in her stomach. She checked all their usual meeting spots, but found no sign of her friend.
Making her way to the central square, she saw a crowd had already gathered around the media screens broadcasting the morning announcements. Her heart sank as the headline scrolled past: "Unidentified Male Apprehended Outside perimeter – Identity and Motive Sought."
Pushing through to the front, she watched in horror as footage rolled of armed Enforcers dragging a limp form toward the detention facility. Though the grainy night-vision image was hard to make out, she knew with sick certainty it was Ash. His distinctive shock of red hair gave him away even in the green-tinted playback.
Dread overwhelmed her. If they identified Ash, he would face imprisonment and reeducation. His future would be forever destroyed. But if he didn't reveal how he breached the wall sensors, they would only intensify their interrogation methods. Ash was headstrong - he may not break, even to save himself.
She had to do something to help him. But implicating herself could ruin any chance of coming to his aid. For now, all she could do was watch and pray Ash found some way to protect both their fates. His reckless act had dragged them both to the edge of ruin., Tessa froze as the heavy knock sounded at her door. Peering through the security monitor, she saw two Enforcers standing sternly outside.
Steeling her nerves, she opened the portal. "How can I help you, officers?"
"We have some questions regarding the escapade last night," the taller one rumbled. "Ash Collins was apprehended attempting to leave the compound. You are listed as his friend - do you have any information on what led to his..erroneous actions?"
Tessa fought to keep her expression neutral. One wrong move and they would suspect her involvement. She had no choice but to deny knowledge, even if it meant abandoning Ash.
"I'm afraid I don't know anything about Ash leaving," she replied, keeping her voice level. "He didn't tell me he planned this. All I want is for my friend to be safe."
The officers exchanged a look, and she got the sense they didn't quite believe her claim of ignorance. They had eyes and ears everywhere - surely they knew of Ash's growing dissatisfaction with The State.
But without proof of her complicity, they could extract no further information. With warning looks that said this wasn't over, the Enforcers took their leave. As the door closed firmly behind them, Tessa slumped against the wall. She was trapped in The State's web of rules, with no way to help Ash without dooming herself as well. Tessa took a shaky breath as she was escorted into the stark interrogation room. The lead officer, Dawkins, circled her like a raptor sensing wounded prey.
"We know Ash told someone of his plans. Care to reconsider your story?" Dawkins growled.
Tessa stared straight ahead. "I have nothing more to say. Ash kept this to himself."
Dawkins leaned close. "Protecting dissidents does you no favors, girl. I can make this very hard, or very easy. Your choice."
Tessa's resolve wavered under his intense glare. She wanted to save Ash...but betraying The State went against all her instincts.
As if reading her mind, Dawkins pounced. "I see the cracks starting to form. Your loyalty is in question, thanks to your rebel friend."
Inside, Tessa reeled. Was her dedication merely a farce after all? She cared about Ash, yet couldn't condone his actions.
Dawkins circled again. "One name is all I need. Give it to me, and you're free to go. Continue lying and I'll charge you as an accomplice."
Trapped between loyalty and friendship, Tessa felt herself starting to crack under the pressure. For the first time, tiny seeds of doubt took root in her mind about The State and its methods. But there was no clear path forward that didn't endanger someone she cared for. Tessa breathed an involuntary gasp as a crash from the hallway interrupted Dawkins' badgering. Snapping orders, he wrenched open the door to reveal a crowd gathering around an altercation down the corridor.
Through the tussle of bodies, she glimpsed a young man being restrained by two guards, spouting defiance at the top of his lungs: "Down with the State! Freedom for all!"
As the commotion drew the Enforcers away, Tessa seized her chance and slipped out unnoticed. She paused to watch the spectacle, curiosity overcoming caution.
The rebel spotted her and froze mid-rant, piercing eyes locking with hers. For a long moment they studied one another, an unspoken tension arcing between them. He was unlike anyone she knew, visibly untouched by the State's dogma.
Then his guarded look broke into a roguish grin, as if privately amusing some joke at the guards' expense. Her heart skipped, confused by this reaction to one who so brazenly broke the rules.
Just then Dawkins returned, dragging the rebel off still smirking over his shoulder at her. But his name – Xander – and that electric spark had imprinted on Tessa's mind, awakening doubts about where truly lay the danger in this sanitized world., Tessa strode purposefully toward the interrogators."Officer Dawkins, a moment?"
He turned impatiently. "This had better be important, girl."
"Regarding the detainee, I recall seeing him in the maintenance bay earlier. Perhaps he simply got lost?" She conveyed calm assurance despite pounding hearts.
Dawkins eyed her suspiciously. "And why should I believe you?"
"The State values honesty. I have no reason to lie."
With a grunt, Dawkins released Xander and the guards dispersed. Xander rubbed his wrists, eyeing Tessa curiously. "Thanks for the save. I'm Xander."
"Tessa. You seem...different than others here."
He smirked. "Thought conformity wasn't your style. Yet you helped me."
Tessa shifted, unsettled by questioning her motives. "The rules maybe too harsh sometimes."
"Maybe." Xander studied her face, sensing conflicts within her polished veneer. "Fancy a walk, Perfect Tessa? I've a feeling you crave more substance than patrol routes."
His perceptiveness unnerved her, yet piqued curiosity about this mysterious rule-breaker. Against her instincts, she found herself agreeing., Something told her this stranger held answers to questions only starting to form. Tessa and Xander strolled in tense silence, both sensing the fragility of this new dynamic. As they turned down an alley, Dawkins' voice rang out: "You, stop!"
Tessa started but Xander took her arm. "Go, I'll handle this." A grin and wink told her this was far from over.
Heart pounding, she hurried off as the officers approached Xander. She dared a final glance back to find his gaze already on her, that mischievous smile still playing at his lips. Their eyes met, and something unspoken passed between them - a promise, a challenge.
Turning the corner, Tessa leaned against the cool wall trying to process the torrent of doubts and questions assailing her. This strange boy had awakened something within her she hardly recognized. For the first time, she saw past the State's polished sheen to the oppressive machinery beneath.
Most unnerving of all, some rogue part of her hoped for another chance encounter with the peer who so brazenly defied everything she had always held as true. What was this illicit spark, and why did the prospect of seeing Xander again fill her with part intrigue, part dread, and part exhilaration into the uncharted future? Little did she know it would shape the course of her life from there on out.