Another splash of the ice cold water dampened her body as she gasped for precious air, “Tell me what you know of the Resistance!”

The girl was tired and weak from the second day of interrogation but how could she tell them something she didn’t know. At this point all she could do was weep. She was devastated when her family was killed and now they are trying to break her down mentally although she had nothing to say, “Sir we have reports that her story is true.”

The gruff man let out a snort before bending down and looking the girl in the eyes, “If I find out you have involvement with the resistance, I will not go easy on the next time we meet.”

After the door slammed shut, the girl’s tears stopped flowing and she sat there waiting. She waited about an hour until some guards came to release her and gave her a towel to dry off her body that was still wet from the 72 hour interrogation. She was then taken to a small room and her old clothes were thrown in front of her, “Change.” The girl looked down at the clothes and then back up at the men, “I said change.” The man was firm with his words as he held up his gun...she had no choice but to change in front of them.

After getting out of the wet clothes, she felt a bit better but the fear was still present as she walked down the bare hallway to another door. Door after door, they were always mysterious to what could be behind one of them. This time, the girl entered an office and an older woman greeted her, “Welcome Comrade Jung. Take a seat.”

The girl sat down hesitantly as the older woman followed suit while looking at a few papers, “Now please forgive the Party for making a small mistake. We know your father and mother were astounding citizens and served the Party diligently but how could we not see you as suspicious when you were found several meters away from the collapsed building and are the only surviving member of your family?” The girl dared to look up into the woman’s eyes where she saw a fire of determination, “How about I drop the formalities? May I call you Jessica?” Feeling as if she had no choice but to agree, Jessica shook her head, “Alright now Jessica you said that Comrade Ok or Taecyeon walked you home and then sat near a government building until after curfew. We were told by Comrade Ok and a guard near that building that these events were true, but are you sure you never saw a member of the Resistance and how did you know to escape the blast?”

Jessica could see this was another form of interrogation. It wasn’t harsh and demanding like the last but nonetheless, the Party still seemed suspicious of her. Thinking about the events that night, someone saved her. That means the person who saved her knew the building was going to collapse and that only meant it was a member of the Resistance. However, mentioning that a member helped her, would bring even more suspicion to herself, “I entered the building gate but the night air was so calm, I went to walk around the building. I thought I saw something in the bushes so I approached and then the building fell behind me after a loud bang. I didn’t know what happened until I woke up here and was informed the Resistance did that to my family and neighbors.”

The woman continued to look Jessica in the eyes before letting them drop to her paper and wrote down some words, “Alright.” After putting her pen down, the woman leaned forward on her desk and folded her hands, “Due to your father and mother no longer around, you don’t have government access to living and the privilege to free education.”

“What?!” Jessica couldn’t contain her outburst but her body froze when the woman looked back up to her with icy eyes.

“Comrade Jung I would recommend you to sit back down.” Doing as she was told, Jessica took a seat, “As I was saying, education is no longer free. If you would like to resume education, you can pay 2 ration cards but government living is still only reserved for government workers so finding your own housing is your responsibility and not the responsibility of the Party. Although the Party would like to honor your father and mother for their duty, we will add them to the memorial.”

“H—how many ration cards do I get now?”

“As a jobless, non-government worker, you are awarded one as any other citizen.”

Tears threatened to flow as the reality of her situation settled in, “W—where to find work?”

The woman filed her papers into a manila folder before closing it and standing up, “Comrade Jung, I wish you well in the future.”

The woman’s heals echoed on the cement floor as she exited the room as Jessica tried to absorb her new future. Down to one ration card, no job, no education, and no family...what was she to do now? Did the Party really abandon her?

---------------------------------

Jessica walked the streets with little to no belongings since most was not recovered from the explosion. She thought of going to friend’s houses but most of them lived with their parents that were government workers. It was impossible for her to enter their apartments for that reason alone but her feet found her one place that didn’t require her to show government affiliation. It was well past closing so she made sure to knock hard on the door. At first no sound was heard from inside the shop but soon a light appeared and a man holding a roller appeared, “Miss we are closed.”

Jessica looked at the man with pleading eyes, “I am looking for Taecyeon.”

The man eyed up the girl at his door, “Oh is that you Jessica?”

Giving the man a kind smile, “It is I”

The older man put down his roller and opened the door, “I heard of your family. It is a shame that the Resistance did that to your family too.”

Pain struck her heart at any mention of her parents, “What is done, can’t be undone.”

Pulling out a chair in the dining room he ushered her to sit, “I will wake him.”

Jessica sat down while she waited at the table and took her time to take in the small home that was never seen before as it was hidden behind the shop she often visited for bread. Fermenting yeast was the overpowering scent in the home but it was comforting as it meant that the home felt rich as it held something almost as rich as gold; food. “Comrade Jung?”

Seeing Taecyeon, Jessica stood up, “Hey...”

“Please sit. What brings you to our home?” Taecyeon and his father sat at the table with Jessica.

“I need a place to stay until I find a job. I know it is much to ask but I have only known life under my parents before.” Jessica stated shamefully.

“What about the Party? They must have offered you something for your parent’s service to the Party?”

Not being able to look Taecyeon in the eyes, Jessica continued to look down, “No...even schooling privileges were revoked unless I pay like you. I need a job to go back and afford accommodations. I was only allotted one ration card.”

Taecyeon was shocked by the decision of the Party, “Surely that isn’t the case. The Party takes care of us well.”

Mr. Ok silenced his son, “Jessica we live by making bread. If you can help with the shop, we will help you for a small amount of time.”

Jessica’s eyes shot up as she looked the kind man in the eyes, “I will work hard.”

The older man stood up, “I know it is early but the shop has to open at 5am. We begin making bread at 3am so be ready at that time Comrade Jung.” Turning to his son, “Son...you will have to share your room with her for the time being.”

Taecyeon nodded as his father disappeared and then turned his attention towards Jessica, “Follow me Comrade Jung.” Jessica followed the boy closely as he showed her the bathroom and then led her to the single bedded room, “I will sleep on the floor as you are a guest. I will be here in the morning but school starts at 8am so I will be gone before that. Father will probably show you how to prepare the bread for our next opening time at 11am and then we open one last time at 4pm. Get some good sleep...mornings are always busy for bread purchases.”

Jessica looked around the small room one last time before preparing for a new life. However, her life didn’t look too certain anymore as she laid back into an unfamiliar bed.

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One roll, two, three, four....it was never ending. Collecting stamps from other’s ration cards while handing out loafs, rolls, and buns made mornings load and tiring. As she peered out the window, she saw the line was still strong but she guessed that there was only enough to serve 10 more people. They would have to come back another time when new bread was baked.

Another woman screamed at Jessica for not having her bread ready but all she could do was bow politely as they had no more bread for the day, “Comrade Jung...” Jessica looked up to see Taecyeon with his books in hand, “I will be back after classes. Father will help you for the day and I will be back after night classes.”

Jessica nodded bitterly as she was not allowed to go to class with him, “I will follow your father well.”

With the doors of the shop locked, Jessica went back into the kitchen, “Comrade Ok left, what can I do now?”

The man was rolling the dough in his hands, “Come here and I will show you.” Jessica went over to the man, “These need to be rolled into balls as so they come out evenly and don’t burn in the oven.”

Jessica took the dough in her hands and did as the man, “How many are we to make?”

“I prepared for 200 but only 50 can go into the oven at a time. I have the first 50 in the oven as we speak along with 10 loafs.” The man concentrated on what he was doing as Jessica continued to follow. They started small conversation which was a bit indifferent as the older man didn’t seem to have company for many years while he was making bread. However, Jessica was not used to doing such labor so she tried focusing on doing a good job for the kind man that gave her a home.

After an hour, they went through all the prepared dough, “We have to get more ingredients.” Jessica looked at the man who started jotting down some things on the paper, “I can’t leave the oven so you will have to go for me.” Carefully the man counted the ration stamps which looked to be in a great amount, “This should be the correct amount. I have been with these same dealers for many years so there should be no trouble. Just get them and come right back.”

Taking what she was given, she felt a great burden in her hands as she held enough to afford education and possibly a home. At this moment, she understood why Taecyeon could attend schooling without his father being a government worker.

Jessica hadn’t been in the shopping district much in her life as her mother would usually hold her ration cards and get what they needed. She also didn’t feel comfortable having so many ration stamps in her bag as it meant she was a target to thievery. Hesitantly she entered the street that had people yelling their products to the customers walking the bustling street. She thought that maybe she could find permanent work in a place like this but it saddened her thinking that she may only have such a low position when her dreams of working where her father once worked was almost in her reach. She was so distracted with the new environment that she didn’t notice a boy sneaking his hands into her bag, “Yah!”

The sound of someone yelling at her caused the boy to go running away with some of her ration stamps. The person who yelled started to chase after the boy as Jessica remained frozen at the foreign situation that she just became a part of. Knowing she had to reclaim what was not really hers, Jessica ran after the boy and the person in the black hat. However, not being used to physical activity, Jessica already lost the two people causing anxiety to course her body in fear of losing the stamps that belonged to the older man. The man might accuse her of thievery and kick her out of her place of living. Something she couldn’t afford to happen at this moment.

“Miss?” Jessica turned to see a petit figure trying to regain a normal breathing pattern, “These are yours?”

Jessica saw a hand filled with some stamps, “Did you?”

Standing erect Jessica could see that it was actually a girl under the black hat, “I believed you were almost robbed miss.”

Jessica took notice of the girl’s language as she didn’t refer to Jessica as ‘comrade’ but she assumed by the girl’s appearance, she might be one of the street kids, “For me?”

The girl stepped forward and took Jessica’s hand to place the stamps in her hand, “You need to be careful in this district. Street kids are known for thievery. I suggest you find a way to better hide your stamps.”

Jessica raised her eyebrow, “Aren’t you of the same kind?”

The girl started laughing, “Are you accusing me to be a kid or of one on the streets? Of which I am neither.”

Jessica looked at the girl’s black eyes but put her hand up to mock the girl’s height, “Both.”

Pushing Jessica’s hand away in anger, “I am not a kid! I am 24 years old and I don’t live on the streets!”

Jessica started laughing at the girl’s little temper tantrum, “Well thank you comrade for assisting me.”

“Taeyeon. I have a name that is not comrade.”

Jessica was startled by the girl’s determination to not use the proper way of greeting a citizen, “As I said before thank you...”

Jessica was about to walk away when a hand grabbed her wrist, “Don’t I get to know your name after returning your stamps?”

Looking back at the girl Jessica plainly said, “Comrade Jung.”

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Jessica started massaging her tense shoulders after running out of bread once again but this time it was the last of the opening hours and the shop could be locked for the rest of the night. She looked up at the clock noticing it was rather late and Taecyeon hadn’t returned from schooling yet. Not thinking much of it, Jessica went to the kitchen seeing the familiar scene of the man preparing bread once again, “Need any help?”

The man looked up and smiled at Jessica kindly, “I think you did enough for today. You could get some rest if you want.”

Thinking about being in the house alone with the older man didn’t seem right so she thought going to find Taecyeon and walking back with him might be nice to see what she was missing from school, “I think I will go for a walk...”

“Be careful and there is only an hour before curfew.”

Jessica put on her jacket before returning to the kitchen, “I will just go to the university and find Taecyeon. It isn’t that far.”

Not like the older man could prevent her from going, Jessica put on her shoes and left the house. The air was very cool from the contrasting heated house she spent most of her day in with the ovens never having a break. From the distance she could see the university lit up brightly as it was maybe a 20 minute walk from Taecyeon’s home.

Hugging her jacket tightly, Jessica started the walk towards the university. She enjoyed walks like this late at night although it wasn’t the safest time to be out on the streets due to the high crime rate but some would say that Jessica was fearless. She never feared the unknown but when the unknown came, she would fear it repeating.

For the first 10 minutes of walking, the streets were silent and void of people but she knew as she approached the university, the area would be bustling with more people. The noise grew louder in a certain area that caught Jessica’s attention. Something she never had seen before came from a lit warehouse causing Jessica to divert her path and head towards a noise she never heard before.

The clanking and high pitched whistling was accompanied by laughter and fast movements of people dancing. Not afraid of being caught looking into what Jessica would think of a secret event, Jessica stood near the broken window to look in on something she was not familiar with. The room was filled with so many happy people enjoying the fact that the music was catchy and their movements causing excitement.

Being of the Party, Jessica was always to devote herself to study and her parents were always to focus on work. Celebrations and parties were seldom practiced for her family and friends as they put their whole being into being a hard and diligent worker for the Party. If you were to smile, the smiles were because the Party was good to the family in a form of extra food or privileges. This...this thing before her right now was not normal.

“It must be boring to watch from the outside.”

Jessica jumped in fright when she heard someone behind her but the fear dissipated with the view of a familiar face, “You...from earlier?”

The girl looked up at Jessica and gave a smile, “Oh the girl with no name from the shops!”

Jessica’s eyebrows furrowed, “I told you my name.”

“From what I remember, you did not or at least not a name worth the label of a name.” The girl locked her fingers behind her head and went to walk towards the entrance of the warehouse.

Jessica gritted her teeth, “Jessica! That is my name.”

The girl turned around again with a huge grin, “Well now, that is a nice name.”

“T—Taeyeon right?”

Taeyeon held out her hand as if to shake her hand so Jessica took a hold of it but the girl held on tight to pull her towards the entrance, “Come on! Let’s have some fun!”

Author's Note

A fast update since it is a new story so you can see where this story is heading. No explosion this time but pleanty of time to add something like that later (wink wink). I hope to see some more comments and upvotes (aiming to hit 100! Fighting author!).