Read Online Reckoning by Kerry Wilkinson - Free Book Online Page B

heard of Martindale. He tells me about life in the city, where he and his mother live in a partially rebuilt tower block. He tells me his mum lost the use of her legs a few years ago and never leaves the flat, which left him to look after her. Although school is held more often in the city, Wray has not been in years. He doesn’t say it but, from what I can tell, it looks as if he gives most of his rations to his mother. He says his younger sister will now be looking after her and that although he is sad and worried to be leaving, his mum told him the previous evening that his selection was the proudest moment of her life. He gulps hard, his throat bobbing as he speaks.
    I ask if he wants some food but he says no, even though I can see the hunger in his eyes. I tell him I’ll get him something anyway and cross to the food table.
    The bigger male Elite is eyeing me again. He is talking with the others and I overhear one of them calling him ‘Rush’. As I look across the food, I try to ignore him until he actually speaks, his voice deep and gravelly and any similarity to Opie immediately lost.
    â€˜What are you doing hanging around with him? ’ Rush asks, loudly enough for everyone to hear.
    â€˜His name is Wray,’ I say, choosing two fruit buns from a tray. They are still slightly warm and I greedily smear butter across them.
    â€˜He’s a Trog,’ Rush replies firmly, as the girl in the blue dress sniggers.
    I spot a small plate of jam at the back and smile, thinking of my mother and Colt and the half-pot I’ve left for them at the back of the cupboard.
    â€˜He comes from the same place you do,’ I reply, not looking behind me.
    As I spread a generous helping of jam, I hear more laughing. ‘He’s nothing to do with me,’ Rush sneers. ‘He’s nothing at all.’
    â€˜We’re all Offerings,’ I say, putting the buns on a plate and turning around to face him. ‘We’ve all been chosen and we’re all the same. You’re no better or worse than any of us.’
    I see Rush’s face contort in anger, his top lip curling into a snarl. His eyebrow is twitching as he glances to Pietra, who is standing next to him, as if to confirm he has heard correctly. ‘All the same?’ he asks disbelievingly. ‘What are you? A Member? Why are you wasting your time with the likes of him? You should be with us.’
    Pietra nods approvingly, her eyes flickering beyond me towards Wray.
    I ignore them and return to the corner of the carriage, sitting next to Wray and handing him the bun. He must have heard what was being said but doesn’t rise to it, taking the food and biting into it hungrily.
    â€˜Have you ever had one of these?’ I ask.
    His reply is muffled as he tries to speak with his mouth full but he shakes his head. We both laugh as we eat. Wray gets through his entire bun before I am halfway done, so I let him finish mine off.
    We watch the scenery flashing past the window; factories with smoke belching from the chimneys are interspersed with patches of grass and small towns, villages and hamlets. Most of all, we see rubble: piles of bricks, tiles, wood and masonry – all abandoned years before and never returned to.
    â€˜I never realised there was so much carnage out here,’ I say as Wray points to what looks as if it was once a village that has been destroyed.
    â€˜It’s a lot like this where I live,’ he replies. ‘Some places have been patched together but mainly we live in what’s left.’
    I think about the house I won’t be returning to and, although it’s small, it is complete and provides adequate shelter. ‘Why don’t they rebuild these places properly?’ I ask.
    Wray doesn’t reply instantly, instead we both focus on the final, flattened remnants of the village. ‘If they don’t repair things, it keeps us all remembering what might happen if we go to war