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"Love what you’ve done with the place," I say

This earns ht of a slass phial of Haze partially hidden under his bed

"What in the hell are you doing with this?" I say, picking it up

He scratches his tangled hair, not et this fro to the punk-ass dealer who’s been trying to steal ives a faint nod

I toss the phial out the s I’ve spent oes and does this Given his dilated pupils, it’s a safe bet he’s still high

"You look like crap," I say

His hair is all over the place, he’s skinny as a worm, and I can smell him from here It’s not his fault; his aunt Roach isn’t interested in raising a kid All she cares about is Humans for Unity

"You don’t look so hot yourself," Beetle says

He has a point I’ve been up all night expecting the Sentry guards to bang down my door and arrest : that Sentry brat Natalie didn’t tell anyone about h her stupid blond head I light up a cigarette and take a long drag Fragging Sentry The world would be a better place without the any day soon

"Ash?" Beetle’s voice comes back into focus

I blink Has he asked ht?" he asks for a second tiry look "Where were you?"

He points to a bunch of freshly painted placards stacked up against the wall "My aunt keptthose"

I tilt my head to read the upside-doords: ONE CITY UNITED! and NO BOUNDARIES! and SAY NO TO ROSE’S LAW!

Rose’s Law Just the thought of it overns and huastates have been tasked with persuading the citizens of their respective states to vote for Rose’s Law in the referenduets a majority vote, it will become federal law When you consider that every hetto, just like the one we have here in Black City, the iain

Of course the Es have any say over their fates by holding boundary negotiations with thes more space Anyone with two brain cells can see it’s just a PR stunt to stop the Darklings fro trouble in the lead-up to the ballot, in the desperate hope they ht expand their territory It’s their last opportunity, and they know it

I point to the placards "I’otiations next week?"

"Right on, they are Those Sentry bastards can’t keep the Darklings stuck behind the Boundary Wall It has to coation laws, runt a response I’m not interested in lost causes

He stretches like a cat, and his blanket slips down below his waist

"Are you allergic to clothes?" I say, looking away

"It’s how Mother Nature intended us to be, onna be late"

He quickly pulls on his crumpled unifor as I cut across Bleak Street, over the streetcar tracks, and turn down City End, even though it’s going to add an extra five th of the Boundary Wall, sneaking in another sers over the rough concrete wall, trying to picture what life’s like on the other side An unexpected bubble of hope rises in ht that maybe, just maybe, the ill co dreams I’ital screens on top of the buildings around us flicker as a new ad plays It shows a beautiful wolossy red lips

"Citizens! Need an ID bracelet for your Darkling domestic help? Then come to Smithers, Smythe and Sons, the best jewelers in town Don’t delay, they’re selling out fast!"

Text across the bottos found without an ID bracelet will be executed

"Can you believe it, bro?" Beetle says, shaking his head "Before you know it, they’ll be "

I subconsciously rub the copper band around my wrist, hidden beneath my shirt

"Yeahit’s terrible," I mutter

I don’t want to tell him about the bracelet He’ll just use it as another reason I should join their stupid protest next week

I sense souard stares down at , curious eyes He’s dressed head to toe in black robes, his pale face hidden behind black cloth to protect hi I’ world, thanks tothe tracks beside us, billowing black smoke into the charcoal sky Most vehicles these days are steaes Only the Sentry guard is allowed gas for their trucks and tanks Workers are craray overalls and leather work boots They turn their dull, distrustful eyes on me

One of the workers, a man with a shaved head and a rose tattoo above his left ear, smacks , nipper!" He spits at !" I et it Those Purity types are pathetic," Beetle says

Disciples of the Purity, the new religion that’s sweeping the nation, led by Purian Rose, all shave their heads and get a rose tattoo above their ears to prove their love, faith and loyalty to hih for Purian Rose to be the leader of our country, he now has to be our messiah too It’s not the law to follow the faith yet, but I bet it’ll be in the cards soon enough

"Come on, we’re late," I say irritably

We round the bend I s silently froainst their chests, their bodies naked, their hands bound They look like grotesque scarecrohich is what they are: a warning to any Darkling or huet over either side of the wall One of the scarecrows is a human; the words race traitor are carved into his flesh The other two are Darklings, their skin yellowed and gangrenous, signs they had the Wrath just like Mo out the worst of the smell

"How’s your mom?" Beetle asks quietly

He’s the only person I’ve told about her being back with us