Page 58 of Sunshine & Ink

Shit

They weren’t fucking dry at all. They were loaded, goddamnsoakedwith water! So much water, absolutely gallons of it! The Elders were holding it back, to dole out to us in little drips and drops in accordance with our obedience.

For several long moments, I bent over the extractor stunned.

How many ceremonies had I been to where the Elders prayed over the extractors, sometimes making us come back day after day as they pretended to coax water out of the ground.

I was filled with a red-hot fury, and I bent down with my flask to fill it up, guzzle the holy water directly from the source.

This was a capital crime, punishable by death, but at the moment I didn’t give a shit.

These ancient old goddamn fuckworms.

I moved to the next extractor, broke that lock, and looked in.

The same thing.

And it was true of every extractor.

Gallons upon gallons of water. And even worse, there was evidence that they were in continuous use, for these soft-fingers fuckers to guzzle down themselves.

I heard quiet footsteps behind me, and I gripped the crowbar tighter, whirling around and smashing it in the face of the guard advancing on me.

He fell to the ground, and I left as I heard the alarm begin to ring.

An intruder has been spotted

When I arrived back, my brothers were drinking beer in the common room and I called an emergency meeting right then to tell them what I had found.

When I finished you could have heard a pin drop.

“You mean there is more water under the ground?” Builder marveled. I always thought that was just an old story.”

“There is,” I said grimly. “And I plan to get it all. I’m not letting the Elders keep us from it anymore.”

“Who is with me?”

There was silence for a moment.

“You seriously expect us to stand with you on this mad idea just because you want to marry a whore?” Apostle asked tightly.

I twisted to look at my cousin, and suddenly I saw him for what he was. A slick, slimy weakling who had used the cover of religion to hide who he truly was. And how he talked about Sunni should have been my first clue, only I was too stupid to pay attention to her warnings.

And suddenly I felt pretty fucking revolutionary myself.

“I’m tired of being their little bitch errand boy, and anyone who doesn’t like it can leave.”

“I won’t countenance this, Raker,” Apostle said, his mouth pressed together primly. “I’m not going to be a part of this.”

“Good. Get the fuck out.”

The other brothers were whooping it up, but it was Teacher I was watching. The other brothers were up for anything that meant more water, but Teacher’s approval meant the whole damn plan might actually work.

I watched Teacher’s big brain turn as he eyed me with an expressionless face.

Builder was pouring out big messy mugs of beer but I still watched Teacher.

“You’ll need more allies to do this,” he finally said. “Not the Righteous.”

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