_{Previous parts: Prologue, Chapter One}

In her dream, she was at the School. She was in a dark room, a spotlight on her, there were three people behind a desk in front of her. Everything around her was dark, she couldn't see their faces. They seemed to be the only people in the room, even if there were more, she couldn't tell. It was the final exam for History, she would have to recite history in front of three teachers.

"The USA began running out of resources in 2184," Catherine began. "Since then, families have increased in poverty and have more trouble getting jobs that earn enough to get food. The only people not going hungry are Officials and people working for the government. The government has changed, so they control most of everything and there's no president, it's controlled by a group of people called the Grand Officials. Who becomes promoted into a Grand Official is chosen by other Grand Officials. Since the 2190's, more and more people have tried to attain government positions to not go hungry and because it's considered the best and most prestigious job. That is why it's so hard to get into the School. The government has more power than it did in the 21st and most of the 22nd century because of this. After the government gained more control, they made a blue orb full of top secret information only the Grand Officials can see, called the Code. Most of our country's income comes from trading with the Russia, which is why so many boats go in and out."

"Why are you here?" a feminine voice behind the desk said.

"Me?" She paused. She was confused, she knew a question like that shouldn't be on the test, but she still had to answer. "Because I want to have a job in the government."

"Why? You said it was difficult to get in, so you must have worked hard. Why?"

Catherine thought about it, her eyes widened and she felt a her chest tighten when she realized what the answer was. "Because everyone's told me that's the best and what I should do." She never thought about it before. She thought she was there because she wanted to, not because someone told her to. "No, there has to be another reason. I'm different from everyone else," she whispered to herself.

"Is that the only reason? Because someone told you to?"

"I... I don't know!" Catherine's breathing quickened. It felt like everything was spinning, and she felt like she was about to throw up.

Her eyes opened and she was in bed, tossing and turning. She groaned when her memory from the day before came back to her. She sat up and walked to the window. The sun was just peaking over the horizon which meant that it was around seven o'clock in the morning. She felt like she should have some sort of weapon or plan. After looking around, she found a piece of wood that was splintered at the end. She put it into the pocket on the inside of her uniform vest and be ready to pull it out in case Lot's intention weren't as good as they seemed.
Her feet clopped down the stairs. Lot was in the kitchen making pancakes. She quietly waited and watched.

"Good morning, Catherine," he put two plates of pancakes on the island between them, one on Catherine's side, one on his side. "Sit down, have some pancakes."

She sat on a wobbly stool. Lot turned around to grab the syrup bottle. With his back turned, Catherine switched the plates around and gave Lot the pancakes he originally intended for her, in case they were poisoned. When he turned back around and handed the syrup to her, she plastered on a smile and put the syrup on her pancakes. She handed the bottle to him and he did the same.

She stuck her fork in a piece of pancake that caused some syrup ooze out. She put it into her mouth and started chewing, it tasted sweet, much better than the cafeteria food she was used to having.

"Today we have to sneak in the building where they're recording and storing the videos of the Code Someone working there has to be the one who framed you," Lot said after a few bites.
"How? They would never let us in," Catherine questioned.

"Either we can find a way to get in without them noticing-"

"I doubt we could do that, they got so much security cameras that we couldn't even go through a window. And I think the windows can only be opened on the inside," Catherine interrupted.

"But maybe that means once we get inside, we won't be notice because they don't expect anyone to be able to get inside. We can find a way to get inside, but who or what would they let in that we could use?" He tapped his fingertips on the table.

"Trojan delivery box?"

"No, they'd think of that. Plus, they would notice how heavy it is or open it up, but that gives me an idea."

A few minutes later, they were in Lot's room, looking through clothes. They were digging through boxes of clothes. Most of the clothes seemed to be old and used. While looking through one of the boxes, a cockroach crawled out, Catherine panicked slightly, but managed to squash it with her shoe.

"Here it is," Lot pulled out old postal uniforms. "There's some tears in them, and none are big enough for you, but I think I have a sewing kit somewhere that I can use to sew the holes and make yours fit you."
"Sew? You mean what people used to used to attach one piece of cloth to another before a stitcher was invented?" Catherine wondered.

"When you're a hermit and don't have much money to spend on nice things, you gotta work with what you got. Especially not a nice thing like a robot that can hover over fabric and sew it for you," Lot explained.

"And can I be the one to adjust my own uniform," Catherine said as Lot handed her the dusty postal uniform.

"Sure. I can teach you how to sew it if you want me to."

"Yes," Catherine answered.

It took a little while for Lot to teach Catherine how to use the needle and to sew, it took longer to get it done because of that. He also needed to teach her how to change it so it would fit her, but eventually she got it.

"I never thought as would have to learn this," Catherine said as she cut a seam and began to tighten it. "Why do you happen to have these uniforms anyway?"

"I found those in a dumpster behind a post office. I needed more clothes so I took them."

"Either way, it sounds like you had this planned out already."

He paused for a second, "I'm just good at planning things out as I go along."

Stories written by me:
A Buck's Life part 1
A Buck's Life part 2
Winter Outcast Prologue