Page 49 of A Better World

“Daniella’s married to the CEO. Anouk’s dad is chairman. They work behind the scenes. We’re a block, the three of us. Our votes count. People respect us. Everyone here thinks perfect grades are what matters for their kids. Grades mean nothing. What matters is what you do on the side, and the people you know. What matters is the hustle. ActHollow is your hustle.”

“Thank you,” Linda said. “I appreciate that you’re making the effort to talk me through this. I can intuit it, but things always feel more secure when they’re explicitly expressed.”

“They’re short on frankness here. Everything’s an open secret, but then you actually say the secret out loud and it’s like you committed a felony.”

“How long has it been since new people came?”

Rachel closed her eyes, thinking. “By marriage and transfers, we get a few every year, but a new family with no company town roots? You’re the third since I moved here.”

“What happened to the other families?”

“They got kicked out.”

“Huh.”

“So, take the job,” Rachel said.

“I never needed any convincing.”

Late that night, she and Russell sat on the porch steps, knees touching. Fall had truly arrived, and the days felt shorter. They’d done this years ago when they’d been students, on the fire escape of a tiny apartment, oversexed and freshly in love. Before kids and bills and more responsibility than either of them had been able to handle.

The events of the past few days and weeks and, hell, months conspired. She started crying. Russell took her in his arms.

“It’s not your fault,” he said.

“I could have stayed. I could have helped.”

“She poisoned you, Linda. What if you’d passed out, and you’d burned with the house? I thank God you left.”

The times in her marriage that she’d needed him, he hadn’t been around. He’d been working, too busy to notice, too overwhelmed to take on her emotion. But he was here, now, and she was glad.

It was then that their devices both sang at the same time. Linda read hers:

This is Heaven Gelman from the Beautification Society. We had a misunderstanding last week! I didn’t know you were friends with Daniella Bennett! You can help any time you like. Please come to our next meeting!

“What does yours say?” Linda asked.

“It’s from Nanny. The complete files containing all the data I’ve been asking for. They say they just found everything. They didn’t know they had it… and their wife is wondering if you could put in a good word for her with ActHollow. She wants to be their secretary.”

Resident Guidebook for Greater Plymouth Valley

Festivals and Traditions:

Just as people hold certain values dear, so must a corporation.

The festivals and traditions of Plymouth Valley are collectively referred to as Hollow.

Hollow is a set of shared beliefs and activities exclusive to BetterWorld’s Plymouth Valley.

When our founder John Parson Senior built PV, he knew that this experiment of community was special, just as the land, shelter, and newly revived caladrius were special. Every year that this town continues to thrive, we pay homage.

Plymouth Valley celebrates four important holidays:

1)Beltane—The dark is over! Beltane celebrates spring’s longer days, ripe harvests, and warm sun. The event takes place on the north field, complete with maypole dancing, a talent show, and a bonfire. Each year, children suffering illness receive black ribbons in the hopes the collective will cure them. An adult Beltane King is chosen.

Beltane Crowning—this is new! A celebration of our annual king, with a show of speed, a crowning, and libations.

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