Page 88 of Sparktopia
“He insisted that there was nothing he could do because if the Maidens are not sent into the tower after the bells ring, the god will compel all the ones in waiting too. And the Little Sisters. And ‘are you that kind of person, Clara?’” Her voice changes here. Like she’s imitating her man. But she doesn’t answer herself.
“Well? Were ya?”
She turns on her side, propping her head up with her elbow. “What do you think? I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Yeah. Well, he could’ve just picked you up and tossed you through.”
Her eyes dart down, like she’s checking me out, then quickly flick up to meet my gaze. “Is that what you would’ve done? If you were Extraction Master?”
“If I had the power to kill people or save them…” But I don’t finish. I just sigh.
“Well. Your uncertainty has been noted.”
“It’s kind of a tough decision. Kill one to save more? Or save the only one you love?” I’m not looking at her when I say this. “I guess we know where your man stands.”
I expect her to object. Make up some kind of excuse. But she doesn’t. She blows out a breath, flops back on the bed, and stares up at the ceiling. “That’s what I said too.”
“What? That he doesn’t love you? It’s probably for the best. People in love do crazy shit to keep that love. In my experience, anyway.”
“You were in love once and did something crazy?”
“Me?No.” I kinda laugh. “I’m not into it. But I’ve seen lots of men do very stupid things for love. All you gotta do is watchthe fuckin’ screens. They’ve got those true crime shows running all the time. There’s a bar I go to”—I nod my head behind me—“down there, just past the ruins, and they play that true-crime shit on the screens all day and night. It’s a terrible idea if you ask me. They should just put a game on like every other fuckin’ bar in town.”
“A screen is…?”
I sigh. Because this has to be an act and I feel like I’m getting played. “A TV, a screen, a television.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You’ve never seen a screen? Your man never took you to the movies and got you popcorn and candy, then kissed you in the dark?” I’m joking, but not really. I am expecting an answer.
“What’s popcorn?”
“Really?” I cock an eyebrow at her. “That’s your answer? What’s popcorn?”
“I’ve never heard of it, I’m sorry.”
“You’ve never eaten corn?”
“No.”
My laugh comes out as a huff. “You’re winding me up, now. It’scorn. It’s in everything. It’s fuckin’ poison, if you ask me. But still, it’s in everything. Every city grows corn.”
She sighs, like she’s tired of this conversation. Or maybe I’m boring her. “I don’t know what to tell you, Tyse. Maybe we have a different name for it, and I would recognize it if I saw it. But I have never heard of corn.”
She’s not lying. If she is, she’s psychopathically good at it. She has either truly never seen or eaten corn or her memory is just fucked. Those are the only two explanations.
Either way, this is bad.
“So, Clara. What do you want to do?”
“I haven’t a clue. I don’t think I’m going home, though.”
“You mentioned friends? Other… Maidens?”
“Yeah. Haryet. But if she were here, wouldn’t she have made a disturbance as well? And if that was the case, she would’ve been in that room with me. Or you’d have been sent to find her instead of me. And you didn’t find her. So she’s not here.”
“Could she, perhaps, be in another room down there?”
