Chapter 2 – The People
Sam didn’t understand what trouble she got herself into but the only thing she knew was that if…. And that was a big if. If there was a way to change the rein of the planeters and a way to provide more supplies to the people, she would do anything to make that happen. She went inside the hut and told the old lady to wait outside for a bit. Sam lived with a small group of people where everyone had lost someone dear to them. The cottage was small on the outside, and inside there was a hole dug underground to make room for more people. The space made underground was kept firm by stones of the planet and needed furniture was also made by the stones. All cottages were build this way. Anyone seen in a big cottage would be arrested by planeters and accused of theft. Even if it was a pile of wood. “Hey Sam, who was outside?” Sheron asked. Sheron was one of the people who Sam knew the longest. When Sam was still a child, she would always go to Sheron for food and to learn how to gather supplies. Sheron is one of the few strong women, and mostly takes care of everyone who gets sick in the area. “It’s an old lady who needs some help to go back to her cottage”. Sam didn’t know what she was getting herself into by helping Anne, but she knew enough not to drag anyone else into trouble. Especially if it had something to do with planeters.
“Listen Sheron, I’m going to be away for a few days. The old woman’s place is far off the other side of the city.” Sheron looked at Sam as if she knew that sentence was just made up. “What are you up to Sam? You know far off means close to trouble” Sheron said. Sam let out a breath. If anyone could read her like book she knew it would be Sheron. “I know it sounds dangerous, but this could be important for all of us”. Sam signed at the other people in the room. Some were keeping busy calming the children of hunger and a few lay still of illness. The situation never bettered for the people. And every day it seemed to worsen faster. Whenever the planeters didn’t cause trouble, an unknown sickness did. And where food is scarce, medicine is unheard of. Despair was always on the people’s faces. Sheron looked at Sam one more time, focused on what this meant. “If it is, then you do everything you have to. Be careful” Sheron said. “Always am” Sam replied. That was their goodbye.
Sam went back outside to Anne who was constantly looking inside the cloths to check on the plant. “If we’re going to make this trip we are going to need supplies” Sam said. “Yes, that’s true”. Anne looked up. “I will tell you everything I know that this plant is capable of. Thank you for willing to help me” Anne said. Sam turned to her and said “I’m not doing this to help you, it’s to help the people. And I haven’t agreed completely just yet. I’ll know what to do when you’ve given me all the information. But we have to gather supplies so you can at least get your strength back. First we’ll go to a covered place nearby and then we’ll handle the rest”. Sam knew that if this woman was a planeter, she certainly lived in the center of the artificial city. All planeters do. And from the center it was a two day travel to the border where they were now. It surprised her that the old lady even made it this far. The way to the center was not only long it was also dangerous. The ground was not always stable and at some places between the border and the center the city barrier was breached, causing dangerously low oxygen levels. Sam walked away from the cottages to where the ground became gradually more covered with stones. Ever since she was little she had known and used a few hiding places. She had to…. The planeters that came here were not kind to lost children.
After they walked for a while they finally reached their destination. It was a small cave but it looked like a hill of stones. The opening of the cave was well hidden so she knew they’d be safe here if planeters came looking for the old lady. “We’ll stay here till we have supplies and sorted things out. I’m going to gather supplies now. I’ll be gone for a few hours at least. You can rest here, no one knows about this place” Sam said. The old lady nodded and slowly lay down. Sam looked at her for a few seconds and then left. The main object in this whole thing seemed to be the plant Anne was carrying. But to trust a planeter was not that easy. Sam needed information about the plant from someone other than the old lady. Someone who wasn’t a planeter. But the first thing she needed to do was find out where to get supplies. If Sam just needed a day’s food for the cottage she would have gone to her usual places to find it. But this would be a two day trip to the center. For supplies like that she needed an informant. And Sam’s informant was someone who taught her everything she knew about the artificial city. She knew she’d get all the information she needed from him, and possibly even about the old lady and her plant.