A/N: Yeah, so, I'm not what one would call, "owner of a brain"(meaning I'm stupid). I had a sort of timeline worked out in my head, then I screwed it up. You may have noticed, I changed the years in Chapters 1 & 2 because I made a mistake. Just in case you didn't notice, that's why I'm telling you. If you discovered this story after I fixed it, sorry I confused you with this author's note. 'kay, moving on.
"Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err." -Mahatma Gandhi
Once we're out of the building, I can hear them turn the music back on. Jeb drags me by the wrists, his slave bringing the horse, until we reach the suburbs. No one is out in the open, and the music is fainter, but I know someone could jump us at anytime in the suburbs.
"Jeb, I-" He throws me to the ground.
"Why were you on my land?" He growls.
"I was playing with the stray cats!" I beg. "I'm sorry, Mr. Indie."
"What is going on here!?" I look to see Jamie. She walks over. "Let go of her!" Jeb lets go of my wrists, and I scramble over to Jamie.
"She was stealing my crops." Jeb says. "I thought she was the one they're looking for!"
"Well she's not, Jeb!" Jamie says. "Leave her alone!"
"Fine." He mounts his horse, and leaves with his slave.
"Norma, are you okay?" Jamie asks.
"Yeah." I say. "What are you doing in the suburbs?"
"Doesn't matter." She says. "Let's get back to the marketplace." We hurry back to her apartment, where Carrie is knitting blankets to sell. Jamie bursts in, tells me to keep my head down, shuts all windows and blinds, and locks the door.
"Jamie, what in the blue halibut is going on?" Carrie says. Jamie ignores her, and grabs my shoulders.
"Did they ask for your name?" Jamie says. I fumble and she repeats; "Did they?!"
"Yes!" I say. "I told them it's Norma Haish."
"No no no no no." Jamie says. "Listen to me, Norma."
"Jamie!" Carrie says.
"Avoid Guards at all cost, okay?" She says. I nod.
"Who's Rayna Klaga?" I ask. Carrie gasps.
"Someone Amanda Crystheart wants dead." Jamie says. "And Jeb thought you were her."
"Who's Amanda Crystheart?" I ask.
"Gorgol." Jamie answers. "Now, you're spending the day here. Maybe by tomorrow, this will have calmed down." I nod, scared. If I'm not who they're looking for, then why does it matter? And what is this name, Klaga, I keep hearing? After a few minutes, when Jamie isn't panicked, I ask.
"She said, as we left, that 'this rebellion won't be stopped if the daughter of Klaga is still free.'" I say. "Who's Klaga?"
"No one." Jamie bites back, kind of sharply.
"He's the one who took over this area and made it the way it is." Carrie says.
"Carrie!" Jamie snaps.
"Cousin, I know how dangerous this is." Carrie replies. "But she's not a little kid, she can handle this."
"Wait, you mean it wasn't always like this?" I ask.
"No, sweetie." Carrie says. "Why, it wasn't too long ago that you could listen to any kind of music, and there was freedom of speech, which meant you could say your opinion publicly."
"Carrie!" Jamie snaps again but I'm too focused on Carrie's words to pay attention to her cousin.
"You mean, metal music wasn't playing 24/7?" I ask.
"O' course not!" Carrie says. "Why, we were one of the most liberated countries ever! They still are, we're just no longer part of the country. We as in, what used to be called 'California'."
That's a strange name... I think.
"Now you're nineteen," Carrie continues. "So you were a tiny little thing during the war. May not even remember it." She's right. I don't.
"What happened?" I ask. "Shouldn't we have that now?"
"I wish darling, but sometimes things change." Carrie says.
"Yes, which is why things have to go back." Jamie sighs. I huff, then close my eyes and try to imagine a perfect world where people are free...