Life Designed (Life Plan Series Book 1), Eliza Taye [great novels .TXT] 📗

make it through tomorrow, let alone the rest of my life.”

Opal’s heart broke for her friend. She didn’t want him to be forced to live like this, but she didn’t know what to do to save him. There was nothing she could do to save him. Declaration Day was over and no one could undo a Life Plan once it had begun. “I know, Garrett, but you have to find a way.”

Garrett cradled his head in his hands. “I know I will, Opal. It’s just that there’s nothing to look forward to. Only stress and anxiety. What kind of job will they give me tomorrow? Will it be enough to pay for the things I need? Will I be able to ride the transporter or will I have to walk? It’s a lot to deal with.”

Opal wrapped Garrett in a sideways hug, wishing she could do more to comfort him. “I know, Garrett. If there’s anything I can ever do to help you, let me know. Were you able to keep your interwave when they forced you to move here?”

Garrett nodded, pulling the interwave from his pocket. “It’s one of the few things they let me keep. Otherwise, there’d be no way for them to tell me which job I’d have next.”

“Well, if you still have your interwave, you can call me whenever you want.”

Huffing, Garrett responded, “If they haven’t blocked all calling from the Undecided sector to the Decided one yet. I wonder how much it’s going to cost me to keep my interwave. Probably more than a day’s wages for sure.”

“Garrett, you don’t know that for sure. Just give it a try right now and we’ll find out.”

Garrett called Opal and waited.

Opal held up her interwave as it rang to show him the call came from his interwave. “See, it still works. So, please, call me. It’s hard to think of you here. We’ve been together most of our lives and now my best friend lives far away from me, it’s hard.”

“I know it is…but at least you can come visit me. I’m not even allowed outside the Undecided sector after 8 or 9pm, I’m not sure which.”

Garrett’s mentioning of time made Opal’s eyes bulge. “Oh, my goodness, I need to go. I’ve got class at 8am tomorrow and I’m not sure which transporter line nearest to here is still operational.”

Garrett stood as Opal leaped to her feet. “I’ll walk you to the exit of the Undecided sector. The enforcers won’t let me go any further than that.”

Opal’s eyes saddened at her friend’s downcast face. “Thank you, Garrett. I’d appreciate it as I’m not quite sure how to find my way back.”

“I know, it’s a maze around here because they don’t have street signs or addresses like in the Decided sector.”

“Yeah it, is.”

Garrett led Opal out of his apartment and walked her to the exit of the Undecided sector. Few people were still on the streets, but those who remained were the shadier characters. Garrett noticed Opal shift a little closer to him as a few of the gruffer-looking men passed by. Grateful that April had showed him the secret to finding his way through the main throughfares of the Undecided sector after they bought his groceries, Garrett confidently led Opal along toward their destination.

When they reached the exit, Opal turned to him and gave him one last hug. “Take care of yourself, Garrett. I’ll come to see you again soon. You know I’ll be at the shelter every Fourth Moon. You should drop by sometime.”

Garrett hugged her back. “I’ll see if I have time depending on my work schedule for that day.”

Before Opal released him, she slipped something into his pocket and then walked off, passing under the tunnel bridge and into her side of the city.

Garrett waited until he was back in the relative safety of his apartment to see what she’d dropped into his pocket.

He drew out 25 trecins.

Chapter 26

Garrett survived his first week as an Undecided through sheer will and determination. Although each day started with a level of uncertainty, he discovered the first day was the hardest and it got easier from there. Opal’s donation of 25 trecins allowed him the luxury of riding the transporter instead of walking all the way to his job the following morning. The gesture had made a world of a difference to his aching body for which he couldn’t thank her enough for.

After work each day, he visited April at Darrington Library before heading home.

“Hey, April,” greeted Garrett, striding with confidence into the library.

“Upstairs,” came April’s muffled response.

Garrett jogged up the stairs and found April in the room housing the collections of old books.

“Hey, Garrett! So you survived your first week among us Undecideds.”

Leaning against the wall with the bookshelf closest to the door, Garrett responded, “Hey, you make it sound like I’m not one of you.”

April re-shelved one of the books from the pile in her arms. “True, I guess I keep forgetting sometimes. In my mind, you’re still the Decided guy who came to this room looking for answers about The Council.”

Garrett appraised the room, remembering the hours he’d spent going through the books researching The Council and trying to figure out how they worked. Had that really only been two weeks ago?

“Hard to believe it wasn’t long ago that you were a pre-submitter wasting your time researching The Council, huh?” April leaned against the bookshelf nearest to him.

Garrett couldn’t help releasing a small laugh. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

“So much has changed for you in the past two weeks, hasn’t it?”

Garrett stared down into her caramel-brown eyes, watching the small smile rising on her lips. “Yes, it really has.”

April cleared her throat and leaned away from the bookshelf. “I guess you never would have envisioned your