Rats: Shai's Story

New Ideas

Author's note: Thanks to everyone reading! Sorry it took so long. Comment your thoughts, I'd love to hear them:)
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           Exhaustion was beginning to take over, but Shai wasn’t going to fall victim to it. She grabbed one of the pillows off of the couches and placed it on Jasper’s lap. She was staring up at the ceiling. Jasper was twisting strands of hair with his fingers. The bags under his eyes were clear, and she knew he was just as tired as she was. She was going to offer to let him go lie down for a nap, but she knew she’d fall asleep as soon he left. She didn’t want to be lying unconscious on the floor when Todd finally woke up.

           Mikko had left them about an hour ago. He said that he had better things to do with his time than sitting around in a chair. They could hear him moving about the house, but neither of them had bothered to get up and see what he was doing. ‘

           “Shai,” Jasper said her name softly. “What do ya think about the revolutions?”

           “Why?” she asked back. “It ain’t ever going to happen.”

           “It should,” he told her.

           Shai got up off of Jasper’s lap and spun around to look at him. He had taken off most of his Officer's uniform, and now he had on a dirty T-shirt and had kicked off of his shoes. He ran his hand through his hair and caused little tuffs of his light brown strands to stick out. She didn’t even want to think about what matted mess her hair was in right now.

           “There’s never goin’ to be one,” she told him.

           “Have you ever wondered why we’re Rats?” he asked her.

           She furrowed her brows and gave him a puzzled look. She had never questioned that before. The world had always been the way it was to Shai. She knew no way around it. She was born a Rat so she knew that she would always be one.

           “Because we aren’t Brighties,” she said.

           “And why aren’t we Brighties?” he asked back.

           “Because we don’t have any money.”

           “And why don’t we have any money?”

           “Jas, why does this matter?”

           “Because this is why a revolution would be a good thing. You’re right. The main thing separating us from Brighties is that we don’t have money. That’s why Rats starve while they live carefree. If we were allowed in Bright than we would never go hungry again. It’s an equal opportunity for everyone.”

           Shai reached out and grabbed Jasper’s hands with her own. She knew that since Mikko told him about rebellions and revolutions that it was all he could think about.

           “Brighties aren’t going to want that. You’ll get killed,” she warned him.

           “Excuse me?” he said raising an eyebrow. “Is this Shai I’m talking to? Because the girl I knew was always taking crazy risks. She’s the one dressing up like Brighties and the one who broke into a camp to break out a Prince. This can’t be the girl sitting in front of me right now because this one is trying to convince me that this is a bad idea.”

           “How do you think it’s even possible for us to start a revolution?” she asked.

           “Um…are you forgetting that an Archy is sleeping right there?” he asked sarcastically. “Tegan may be the most powerful person in Royale now. He knows how terrible the Slums are and he will have those walls torn down.”