“Sorry. I’m getting your clothes wet,” Flint mutters, and finishes the dishes. “Do you need to go back to your house to get your uniform for work?” I nod, not taking my eyes off him. “Do you need me to walk you over?” 

“It’s literally forty feet away,” I say, squinting at him. 

“Well, it’s the thought that counts,” He mutters, a real smile back on his face. “And you never know what fiendish villains might attack you in a distance of forty feet.” I laugh. Oh, he’s so sweet. I’m lucky he’s my best friend. I don’t want anyone else as a friend. I think, then smile to myself. I leave his house, and walk up to mine, which thankfully has drained the water out overnight, but still contains the stench of mildew. 

If Mom would have fixed the holes in the roof like she was supposed to, this wouldn’t happen. I think, grabbing my dry uniform off the shelf.

I accidentally knock over my necklace jar while grabbing my boots off the shelf, and see that it’s empty, except for a piece of paper. Where are all my necklaces? They were here last night. I unfold the piece of paper and read it. 

Ferrum, 

This is the last straw. You were supposed to come into work yesterday, but you did not, and now there are consequences. I have put your family to work in my factory. You may bargain to get them back home, but be forewarned that you will get the lesser end of the deal, as befits your status as the lowest of the low. 

With no respect whatsoever, 

Nelson Mora 

Supervisor of the Metal Island East Workhouse, bringing you the cleanest iron goods to be found anywhere. 

I drop the note into the puddle in the center of the linoleum floor, and clap my hand over my mouth, tears filling my eyes. Flint walks in a second later, and I hand him the soaked note, unable to speak. 

“It’s not your fault. You forgot,” He says, after reading the letter. 

“It is my fault, and now Casey’s forced to work there until I bargain with him!” I sob. 

“Listen, Olive,” Flint says, making me look up at him. I wonder what his father looked like. “He kidnapped your family. The law is on our side. We should just be able to go to the town hall and tell them about it.” I nod, and he wipes my tears away, kissing my cheek. 

As we walk, I study Flint. His mother has blue eyes, so Flint must have gotten brown eyes from his father. I start drawing a picture in my head. Flint’s mother has light gray hair, almost silver, so Flint’s dark gray must come from a dark-haired father. I add dark hair, curly like Flint’s. He’s tall, with a pretty solid build, because Mrs. Sterling is tiny and thin. I wonder if she has a picture of Flint’s dad somewhere. 

Would it be weird if I asked her about it? Probably. His father would have to be an Iron, because when two people get married, the female takes the male’s status. So a dark-haired Iron with brown eyes. 

“What are you thinking about?” Flint asks, as we get on the bus, to take us to the nice part of town. He pays my fare as if it’s nothing. 

“Nothing,” I mumble. I don’t want to make him uneasy by talking about his father. 

Is he dead? Or maybe he was sent to the military? Or there was a divorce? I study the other people on the bus. I almost gasp aloud when I see a dark-haired iron with Flint’s build. 

Nope. That one has blue eyes. Nope. That one’s a woman. Nope. That one is nothing like Flint. I sigh after looking at everyone on the bus, including the bus driver, even though he’s a Bronze. 

“Come on,” Flint says, helping me down off the bus. I straighten my uniform and goggle at the size of the town hall. It’s made out of white stone, and is taller than the island itself, I think. Metal engravings are inlaid in the wall, and above the archway, each Subdivision is represented. 

An Iron plate engraved with a pair of hands, a Copper plate with coins, a Bronze plate with an open book, a Silver plate with the moon, a Gold plate with the sun, and a Platinum plate above them all, with the symbol of a crown. Well, that makes sense. They think they’re royalty. And we’re just the worthless peasants. Flint takes my hand and walks with me into the building. 

The marble tiles have many different colors, each for one of the different Subdivisions. I smile every time I spot an Iron one, with brownish grains among the gray. Even Rust is represented. The lowest of the low, and they still remembered us. 

“Do you need to speak to an official?” The secretary asks, not looking up as we move towards her desk. She’s a Bronze, a keeper of knowledge and art. Her brunette curls shake as she looks up from her computer. 

“Yes,” I answer, glad that Platinums, Silvers, and Golds aren’t the only ones here. Now, if only they had Coppers or Irons. 

“One of them is free for a quick meeting,” She says, typing something into her computer. “Top floor, last door in the hallway. Go through the security scanner, and make sure you wear these wristbands,” She says, putting two rubber bands on the counter. We put them on our wrists, and move towards the security scanners in front of the elevator. 

“Olive Ferrum. Age 17. Metal Division. Iron Subdivision. Occupation: Rust Worker.” The scanner says as usual, but it continues, saying stuff I don’t understand. “BL: 143. CW: 36%.” I stop listening, and it beeps finally, letting me through to the elevator. It scans Flint next. “Flint Sterling. Age 17. Metal Division. Iron Subdivision. Occupation: Steel Factory Worker. BL: 103. CW: 12%.” 

“I wonder what those other categories were about,” I say, as we ride the elevator up to the top floor. 

“They need more security for Platinums than Silvers, I guess,” He says, then squeezes my hand. We walk out of the elevator, and to the big wooden doors at the end of the hallway. I knock, then read the platinum plaque on the door, and put my hand over my mouth. Jackson Mountbatten. Mayor of Metal Division. 

“This is the Mayor’s office!” I whisper-yell, as the door opens. Flint’s eyes widen as we turn to see who is opening the door. 

“Hello,” Mayor Mountbatten himself says, smiling. “Come on in and make yourself comfortable, and then we can get talking.” Uncomfortable by his familiarity, Flint and I walk in slowly. My uniform is ragged in comparison to everything in the room. 

“I apologize, I… We, uh, didn’t know you were the official we were sent to meet with, sir,” Flint says, holding my hand. The mayor chuckles. 

“It’s fine. I’ll help anyone who needs it and comes to ask,” He says with a smile. 

The office is the most beautiful place I have ever been inside, besides the Gardens. The entire back wall is a window of tinted glass. The click-clack of my boots as I walk on the tile echoes around the room, but stops when I step onto the thick, fluffy carpet. A huge mahogany desk with papers scattered everywhere sits near the wall on the right, with a comfortable leather chair. 

The center of the room where we are has a thick rug, two soft sofas, and a glass table in the center with a green plant. A bookshelf and several giant potted plants are on the left side of the room, along with a little stone fountain that makes a delightful trickling noise. 

“Would you like a glass of water?” The Mayor asks, pouring from a pitcher into some cups that sparkle like diamonds, which are beautiful pieces of special cut glass that Golds and Platinums wear when they need to feel good about themselves. 

“Yes, thank you,” I say. Olive, don’t you dare get on this guy’s bad side. The Mayor hands us some cups of cold water, and sits us down on the couch.

“So what are your names?” The Mayor asks cheerfully, sitting down on the couch across from us. 

“I’m Olive Ferrum,” I answer, uneasy about the echo of my voice. I can hear my own racing heartbeat going around the room. “It echoes so much in here.” My hands shake slightly. 

“Yeah, I hate it,” The Mayor says with a smile. “It’s like everyone on the island can hear me in here.” 

“That must be good, since you’re the mayor,” I remark. He shrugs and sips his water, then turns to Flint. 

“Oh. I’m Flint Sterling,” Flint mumbles, tapping his fingers on his knee. The Mayor pauses for a second, then talks. 

“You guys can call me Jackson, then,” He says. “The titles and stuff is a bit much.” I smile. He stands up. “Is Sterling a… popular name among Irons?” He asks. 

“Not really. I think my mom and I are the only ones,” Flint replies. Jackson nods, still staring at Flint. 

“What about your father?” Jackson asks, and Flint almost chokes on his water. 

“He left when I was born,” Flint explains quietly. “Left for the mainland.” He refuses to meet my gaze. 

“I’m sorry,” Jackson says, his voice quiet. He clears his throat. “So what did you guys come to talk to me about?” 

Before I can answer, two children burst through the doors, running towards Jackson. 

“Sir, I’m sorry. I tried to keep them in their playroom,” A tired-looking nanny says, walking in after them. She’s a Copper, because wisps of red hair poke out of her white cap. The kids cling to Jackson’s legs. They look just like him, with black hair and big brown eyes and a wide smile. 

“It’s fine. You can go, I’ll watch them,” He tells the nanny, and picks the little girl up, resting her on his hip. The little boy smiles up at him. 

“Can we help you with your mayor stuff, Daddy?” The little girl asks, playing with Jackson’s tie. They’re both around six.  

“Of course,” He says, and walks over to the disorganized desk, carrying her. “In fact, why don’t you be the mayor?” He says, sitting her down in the big leather chair. Her little button nose barely reaches the top of the desk. “So what are you going to do, Mayor Audra, now that you’re in charge?” He asks, hands on his hips. 

“Free chocolate for everyone!” She cheers, bouncing in the seat. 

“Well, we will have to take a vote,” He says, then turns to the rest of us. “All in favor of free chocolate for everyone?” I smile and raise my hand. Flint does as well. The little boy raises his hand. “Your law passed, Mayor Audra,” He picks her up and spins her around in the air. “Why don’t you go play, and keep Adam out of trouble, okay?” Audra nods, and pulls Adam out of the room by the hand. He sits back down. “Sorry for the interruption,” He says. “Go ahead.” I take a deep breath.