“Yeah, that’s a good point,” said Sarah, pushing him along. “But how are you going to find your sister in the tower? Even people in the outer-rim can’t enter the tower-zone?”

“You mean most people,” said Max. “Some people can enter. The mayor. Politicians. Scholars. Archaeologists. People do get access to the tower. So that’s my goal. Study as hard as I can so I can get a job like that and get my way one step closer to the tower.”

“But what about all the monsters that exist in the tower-zone and the tower itself?” said Sarah. “Only climbers who can wield magic can survive in such a dangerous area. That’s why they have the walls in the first place.”

Two walls surrounded the city of Zestiris. There was the wall that surrounded the tower-zone and its inhabitants and then a greater second wall that encompassed both the tower-zone and the outer-rim.

“I’m not afraid of any of that,” said Max. “If Elle needs my help. I’ll go wherever I have to.”

Sarah went quiet behind him.

“That’s amazing, Max, really,” she said. “I wish I had a goal like that. A dream to pursue. All I think about is growing up and getting out of our orphanage. Away from Mr. Grimes.”

“Is he still looking at you weirdly?” said Max.

Sarah shuddered behind him. “He never stops.”

Their conversation soon moved onto lighter topics such as homework and random gossip from the students in Sarah’s year. Fifteen minutes later, they arrived back at the orphanage.

Sarah sighed. “Home sweet home.”

They were back in the foyer of the orphanage for less than thirty seconds when a horrible voice emerged.

“Look who’s come home? Useless,” said the voice.

That was Mr. Grime’s nickname for Max. Useless.

The group home manager appeared in the hallway. He was a slimy man with nostrils full of prickly nose hairs.

Mr. Grimes resented Max because his disability meant more paperwork and regulations to follow for the running of the group home.

The man came over and grabbed Max by the arm. He squeezed down right on Max’s bruises. The boy winced in pain.

“I received a phone call from your school today. You were bringing up the tower in class!? Talking about outer-rim citizens entering the tower-zone!?”

Max shrugged. He had asked a question during history class. He hadn’t thought it was a big deal.

“Are you crazy? If you weren’t in high school, the government would arrest you for that kind of talk.”

“I guess I’m lucky that I’m in high school then,” said Max. “Why aren’t we allowed to talk about the tower? It’s right in front of all of us. It’s crazy that we don’t talk about it.”