Page 32 of Us Dark Few

Takeshi was in the nightmare. He stood silently in the background as her life ended in a bloody slaughter. She looked to him for help, but he remained poignantly still, his face set in a grim resignation.

Her mind spoke the truth.Trusting Takeshi would equal her death. He was the Captain for a reason. Now more than ever, she needed to keep her wits about her, or her worst fears would come to fruition. Fears.

Make thatNumber 66.

“Prisoner 317, you’re assigned to the library today,” George said.

Khalani’s eyes widened in pleasant surprise. A whole week had passed since she’d been assigned to the library. She was worried Winnie wouldn’t request her again because of what happened.

“Another thing.” George studied the electric pad. “We have a small group assigned for Apollo cleanup in a week. These are the prisoners ordered to join.”

Both Khalani and Serene’s numbers were called.

“Stealing some decent food this time,” Serene mumbled to herself and turned to Khalani. “That partly makes up for getting assigned waste duty again.”

“We’ll get to leave Braderhelm?” Khalani’s voice raised in hope.

“Just for half a day to clean up around the city. Under armed supervision, of course. It’s a way to make people believe the Council focuses on rehabilitation, not torture. And to remind everyone of the place they go if they step out of line. You ready?” Serene asked.

Leaving Braderhelm was the specific detail her mind centered on. A few weeks in prison equaled a lifetime. Walking the streets of Apollo wouldn’t free her, but she’d do anything to leave the hollow walls, if only for a few hours.

“Have fun dusting books while I clean up shit.” Serene gave her a salute after they arrived at the winding staircase, making good on her promise to walk Khalani to her afternoon shift every day.

“Someone’s gotta do it,” she joked.

Serene gave her the finger and left.

Khalani knocked on the library door, impatiently fidgeting with the side of her uniform. When no one answered, she banged louder, but minutes passed with no sign of Winnie. She glanced around briefly before trying the handle.

To her surprise, it opened.

The first thing she noticed was the sound of music—a strange melody filtering through the air, completely unfamiliar to her. Frowning, she walked between the bookshelves and found Winnie sitting at the desk, wearing her purple dress.

Winnie leaned forward in concentration, pushing buttons on a peculiar machine. The device, about the size of a small TV and covered in green metal, was old and rusted, with a single sheet of paper placed inside.

Next to it was a sizable brown box with an opaque black disk circling on top. A golden speaker connected to the disk, and Khalani realized the music was coming from the machine.

It wasn’t the recorded pledges each Apollo citizen had to recite as a child, nor the dull, monotonous music played at mandatory town events where they had to endure boring councilmen speeches. It was a woman singing passionately. The sound reverberated across the walls with breathtaking, vibrant energy. The melody started slow and built into a powerful display of raw emotion and fervor.

Khalani stood motionless, as if the woman's voice had cast a spell on her, leaving her in a dazed trance. She’d never heard anything so beautiful, heartbreaking, and utterly captivating.

Her gaze shifted to Winnie, who hummed along with the music, her back to Khalani as she continued pressing buttons on the green machine.

When the song ended, Khalani let out a breath. She didn’t want the music to stop; she wished it could go on forever, endlessly weaving into the space around her.

“What was that?” Khalani asked in a wistful tone.

Winnie turned in surprise and smiled. “Oh, Khalani! Glad you are here! Sorry, sorry! Winnie knows it’s loud.” Winnie leaned over and adjusted a knob on the music machine. “What did you say, dear?”

“What is that machine? I’ve never heard anything like it.” The words rushed out of Khalani, her excitement palpable. She lived in Apollo long enough toknowthat was contraband.

Winnie laughed, turning fully in her chair. “You like it, don’t you?”

Khalani’s mouth curved up. “I love it, Winnie. I honestly don’t even have words. But how…”

“Winnie got the machine from Charles. He works in the Archives and has a secret old-world artifact shop.” A dreamy look appeared in Winnie’s eyes, and she shook her head as if to wash away her train of thought.

“After Winnie was sentenced here, she managed to have it snuck in, along with this gem.” Winnie rubbed the silver machine adoringly.

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