A Walk Through the Lip

A honeyed breeze carried the chatter of finches as Azi lay on the green lawn. She stared above, deep in thought, her eyes tracing the honeycomb structure of the dome. The sound of footsteps padding snapped her out of her daze. She turned to see Ascot marching over. 

“Good afternoon Miss!” He announced himself and stood to attention in front of her, moustache bristling in the breeze. 

“Hello Ascot.”

“I’ve come to inform you that dinner is ready.”

“I’m reading at the moment, I’ll eat later.” She gestured vaguely to the book cast aside on the grass.

“Your father would like a word with you before he leaves, if you don’t mind.”

“And if I do mind?” Ascot said nothing. Azi shot him a sideways glance, then smiled and got up. 

“Fine, let’s go then.”

Azi walked along the hallway, the marble floor cool on her bare feet. Ascot’s footsteps echoed behind her. Streams of light cut through the kitchen, shining onto a long dining table where her father sat scribbling in his leather dossier. Azi sat down and took a plate before he glanced up, as if noticing them for the first time.

“Thank you Ascot.”

“Sir.” He turned and left. 

Azi began arranging food on her plate and her father went back to his dossier. After a few minutes he flicked it shut, sat back and stared at Azi. 

“Good afternoon Azi.”

“Hi Dad.”

He rested his chin on a fist.

“How was school today? Interesting?”

She pulled a face.

“Oh yes, another fascinating day learning about hydroponics.” 

A glimmer of a smile passed across her father’s mouth.

“Now, sarcasm isn’t going to get you very far in life. Besides, you might need that knowledge in the future - we always need more biochemists.”

“Hmm, think I’ll pass on that. How about the Senate?”

“I wouldn’t recommend it sweetheart. Long hours.” He smiled at her. “In fact that’s what I wanted to speak to you about - I won’t be home for a night or two, there’s an event on in town, unavoidable I’m afraid.”

“So? You’re always away.”

He paused and looked out of the window.

“I wanted to make sure that you’re comfortable with Ascot watching the house, I know he’s only new. I could arrange for some others to come if it’d make you feel more secure.”

“Dad, he’s been here for months. Besides, what do you expect to happen? Literally every house in this neighbourhood has guards. We’ll be fine.”

“Two months. And Azi, I'm not sure you’re aware but there’s been some serious trouble from the dust lately. A man of my office naturally has a target on his back, and that unfortunately extends to you as well.“

“Would you get over yourself? You act like you’re in the Inner Circle already, you’ve only been a senator a couple of months. I’ll be fine.”

He sat scrutinising her for a moment, then rubbed his chin, picked up his dossier and stretched.

“Fine, we’ll leave it for now. I’ll see you on Sunday.”

Azi closed her bedroom door and let out a sigh of relief. She paced the room, rehearsing the plan in her mind. After a while she heard the front door slam shut - her father leaving. She glanced at the clock - 6:45. She had an hour to wait. She went to her window and opened it, trying to relax. The sun was almost down and dusk appeared a greyish pink from behind the dome. She watched the evening sky descend into night between the metal beams and the air grew cool and moist. Birds stopped chirping, and it was just the rustle of leaves, or the occasional car driving outside the garden wall. She checked the clock again, it was almost time. She went back down to the kitchen and fetched a glass of water. On her way back she stuck her head into the security room.

“Heading to bed Ascot, having an early night.”

“Sleep well Miss.”

“Thank you Ascot.”

Azi had to refrain from running up the stairs to her room. She went to her wardrobe and lifted out lengths of rope. She checked the clock again - 7:45 on the dot. Time to go. 

Azi crept down the stairs and tiptoed to the garden. She ran along the side to the back corner, where the sycamore tree and elderberry shrubs gave some cover from the cameras. Then, tossing the rope ladder over a high branch she heaved herself on top of the wall. She checked that the road was clear, let the ladder down and quickly descended, tossing the rope back over the wall. She threw her hood up and walked two streets over. Only then she allowed herself a deep breath. She smiled with raw adrenaline. Suddenly she felt someone grab her shoulders and spin her around. A kiss on the lips. 

“Jesus, you scared me.” Azi laughed.

Kam beamed at her. 

“What did I tell you?”

Azi smiled back. 

“You were right, it was just that easy. How did you distract him?”

“I rang him and told him I was outside the front door and needed money.”

“Our front door?” Azi laughed. “How did he take that?”

Kam grimaced.

“Not well. He told me not to come to his “place of work”, I just played dumb. He’s gonna kill me when he comes home I’d say.”

His face erupted into a smile again.

“Oh well, worth it! How does freedom taste?”

“Mhm sickly sweet. Think I need to wash this taste out of my mouth.” They laughed, linked hands and walked down the quiet, leafy streets of Department 1.

They strolled through upper-class suburbia in the direction of the night district. Large walled villas gave way to storefronts, and bright street lamps were replaced with warmer yellow ones. More people appeared on the streets, milling from bar to bar. Kam took Azi into a quiet looking spot and they sat at a booth in the corner. They talked and laughed and drank, but as the night went on Azi couldn’t help but glance around the lowly lit bar. Kam touched her wrist.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s just a bit overwhelming - I’ve never been in a bar before.”

“You don’t say?”

“Shut up.” She pushed him, laughing. “I just keep imagining Ascot going to my room and finding it empty.”

“He won’t - how many times has he ever opened your door?”

“Okay, never.”

Kam peered at her from over his glass.

“You don’t like him very much do you?”

“I do! He’s just a bit.. wooden. You’re not very alike, you and him.”

“He’s just like that around you lot. Takes his job very seriously.”

“Well he doesn’t have to be, not much happens in our house.”

Kam looked away, picking at the rough wooden table.

“I don’t think you get it. Guarding a senator’s house - that is a good gig. A hell of a lot better than going outside.”

Azi’s finger circled the rim of her glass.

“Dad was saying there’s been trouble.”

Kam took a sip.

“There’s always trouble. They don’t tell you how much trouble. Half the guys in my intake know someone who's been killed.”

“Doesn’t that scare you?”

Kam swallowed the rest of his drink.

“It doesn’t matter. It's the best option so I’ll do what I have to.”

“You don’t have to be a soldier Kam, you could be -”

Kam slapped the table and shook his head.

“No. You can’t just go and do whatever you want. I’m lucky I can be a soldier. A lot of people would kill to be a soldier.”

He sighed. 

“I know it might not look like it from Department 1, but some people in this city are just scraping by.”

His eyes trailed away, Azi gripped onto her glass tightly.

“Okay, so show me.”

Kam’s eyebrows shot up.

“Are you mad? It’s bad enough I brought you here.”

“You sit here and lecture me cause I don’t know anything. So show me. I want to see it, I want to know what the city’s really like.”

“No way, Dad would kill me.”

“I think we’ve already crossed that line.”

Kam exhaled and checked his watch.

“You know what - okay fine. It’s early. We’ll go for a quick walk around the Lip.” He pointed a long finger at her. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

The noise struck Azi the most. Noise from every direction. Revellers roared aimlessly and swayed across her path. She glanced down dark alleyways from which escaped sounds of heated tones. She heard lives being played out above her in the screams and laughter that reverberated down from yellow bedsits. And all along the road engines rumbled hungrily as they belched out diesel fumes into the hurried night. She stumbled through, stunned, gripping onto Kam’s hand for guidance. They rounded a corner and walked away from the frenetic mainstreet. 

“Satisfied?”

She nodded her head.

“I think I need a drink.”

They looked across the road to a bar with low purple lamps hanging above the entrance. A burly man stared back at them.

“We’ll chance it.”

Kam took her arm and they crossed the road. He whispered something to the bouncer and Azi saw him slip money into his hand. The bouncer raised his eyebrows and opened the door. They walked through and down a set of stairs. Loud music vibrated through the basement. The air was heavy with dim smoke and people drifted through a labyrinth of rooms. They found the bar and looked around, Azi grabbed Kam’s arm.

“I don’t like it here.” She mouthed it at him as a scantily clad thin woman with sunken eyes glided past. Kam nodded in agreement.

“Me neither, we’ll go somewhere else.”

As they turned to leave some figures drifted out of the mist. Azi felt her heart plunge, a jolt through her nerves. She saw two young hollow-eyed girls gripping the waists of a man she did not recognise, and her father. His head turned in slow motion and she saw his face drop from laughter to shock and then guilt. Azi spun around and heaved Kam away. They ran upstairs into the night and back towards her house.  

They were panting by the time they reached her street. They stopped to catch their breath. Kam put his hands on his head.

“Oh fuck this is bad.This is bad. Do you think he recognised us?”

“I don’t know. I think so.”

“Oh fuck.” Kam rubbed his eyes. “I think I need to tell my dad.”

She touched his shoulder.

“Look, maybe it’s not as bad as we think - my friends sneak out all the time.”

“No, no, no, this is not good. You’re meant to be at home, not out at night. Definitely not out there and definitely not with me.”

“Kam I’m going to talk to him when he’s back, I’ll be able to talk to him.”

“We just saw him with a twenty year old hooker! How well do you really think you know him now?”

Azi stood with her mouth open. Kam continued.

“He probably has some boy already picked out for you. I have fucked this. We’re going to be exiled.”

His words hung in the air a moment. Azi took hold of him by the shoulders.

“Look, you’ll be fine. Let me just explain it to him. I’ll tell him it was my idea, that I forced you to bring me.”

Kam stared at the ground shaking his head.

“Give me a better option.”

Kam closed his eyes and exhaled.

“Tell him my Dad had nothing to do with this. Nothing.”

“I will. Now go and ring your Dad and tell him you lost your keys so I can sneak back in.”

Kam made the diversion and Azi slipped into the house. She lay on her bed and felt tiredness overwhelm her. She closed her eyes and she saw images of her father. Questions swam around her in head as she drifted asleep.

The morning light woke her up. A dry mouth and a dull throbbing behind the eyes. Azi recounted the events of the evening and her nerves returned. She heaved herself out of bed and gingerly stepped down into the kitchen. She found her father sitting at the table writing in his notebook. 

“I thought you weren’t back until Sunday.”

He looked up at her from underneath his brow and continued writing. She got a glass of water and downed the contents. She heard footsteps echoing from the hall and turned to see an unfamiliar man in guard’s uniform. 

“Your mail Sir.” 

The man set letters on the table beside her father.

“Thank you Quinn.”

“Sir.”

He turned and left. Azi stared at the door he left through.

“Dad, who is that?”

Her father continued writing.

“Dad, where is Ascot?”

Her father said nothing.

“Where the fuck is Ascot?” She shouted.

Her father snapped his pen down on the table.

“‘Where is Ascot?’ Where were you last night?”

“I could ask you the same question!”

Her father sucked his teeth and shook his head.

“Ascot was tasked with keeping you safe. He failed in his duties and so he is no longer with us. End of.”

Azi gaped at him blankly.

“What about Kam?”

He picked up his pen and went back to his journal.

“What about Kam Dad?”

Azi screamed and flung her glass at the wall beside him where it exploded with a shatter. Her father stood up.

“Quinn, come here!”