Down and Out: A Young Adult Dystopian Adventure (The Undercity Series Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

told him about these places similar to our markets only bigger—dozens of stores selling hundreds of thousands, millions of items—clothes, dishes, batteries—whatever you could imagine, and it’s all waiting for us to find.” “If the stuff isn’t all trash by now,” Caden said.
    “Oh, no.” Pa smiled. “This is our moment. After so many years, this is our moment. Some of what we find may be use- less, I’ll admit, but there must be so much more.” He leaned forward, hugging Deb. “You understand what this means?”
    Ma studied him, her hands on her hips as though bracing for his latest endeavour. “What are you thinking now, Truman, dear?”
    He gave a wicked grin. “It’s time. It’s time.”
    “Time for what?” asked Jolon.
    “Oh, please. Tell us,” Caden demanded as he paused and winked.
    He tweaked Deb’s nose. “It’s time we got ourselves a brute. Yes, that’s the next step.”
    Ma’s face mixed with fear, disbelief, and hope. “Oh, Tru.”
    Teddy traded glances with his family, anticipation running through everyone and questions poured forth like the candy from a broken gumball machine.
    “Where do we get one?”
    “What are they like?”
    “Does it have to live here? I’m not sharing my bed.”
    That was Jolon and his practical nature. Teddy shoved him.
    “What? It might stink.”
    “Brutes aren’t an it; they’re people like us.” He glanced over at Pa, feeling a twinge of doubt. “Right?”
    His father ruffled Teddy’s hair. “You’ll get to decide for yourself when we go up.”
    He grinned even though his insides turned knots at the thought of getting to be a part of the purchase. All the rest of the day he flipped from excitement to dread, his mind active with scenarios ranging from happy-ever-after to doom and destruction. Sleep was a fitful friend who refused to linger and so when morning came, he sat near the kitchen table and waited.
    He fidgeted with a little plastic box his mother kept spoons in. His parents were awake; he heard them moving around in their bedroom right next door. Yawning, he listened in on their conversation.
    “Must we take Teddy with us?” his mother asked.
    “Yes,” Pa answered with his ‘don’t worry’ voice.
    “But....”
    “No, dear, I understand. The danger is real, but the boy must learn, he must make contacts. He’s old enough now, and Caden isn’t ever going to be strong enough.”
    “She’s bold enough in spirit.”
    “Yes, but if anything happened to....” His father paused.
    “Dear, you’re....”
    Their door opened, and she closed her mouth, ending their conversation as she caught sight of Teddy.
    “Well, ready to go?” Pa’s voice was cheerful, but his face unreadable.
    Teddy acted as though he had not heard them. “All set.”
    Ma gave a trace of an anxious smile as she pushed her hair out of her face and went to the cupboard.
    “Good. A helping of breakfast and off we go,” his father said with a wink. He sat and began sorting through some papers.
    Teddy waited, but if they wanted to share any concerns with him, they didn’t give any indications. After eating his food in silence, he followed them out.
    When they first stepped from the service lift connecting Uppercity and Undercity together, the sheer intensity of the place made his heart beat faster. The air was thinner, fresher while strange lights filtered down from half-covered windows high above. He wanted to get a glimpse of what lay beyond them, but the glass was all too murky and dim.
    A constant, annoying whirring pulsed under the clamour of people, reminding everyone their source of power belonged in the control of the Magistrate and the generators ran as long as they all behaved. It was an effective way to ensure a law- abiding society. Darkness was rare, relegated to corners where the streetlights didn’t reach. He wondered what made them glow. The streets were clean too, tidied every night by Underlings paid in rotting vegetables and ragged