The Bright
When she pressed the locket into my palm on her Last Day, my mother told me to keep it on me, tucked under the stiff, chalky clothing and out of sight. She insisted I only open it in the safety of our quarters, away from the Steward's prying eyes and eager cuffs. I didn’t have to ask why; they hammered that rule into me since before I was old enough to understand. Any unapproved possessions are a frivolity, and are therefore banned. It’s a miracle my mother managed to keep it hidden for so long, and her mother, and all the ones before. I don’t know how many mothers it’s been since we came to The Chasms. If I asked, they’d tell me that the first mother was born in The Chasm, and I would have believed it.
