River placed her hand gently on the cold metal machine to try and see how long it had not been working. She felt nothing, no heat, no vibration. She looked over to the other machines and could see the smoke rising up and escaping through the vents in the roof.

Racing to her toolbox she flung it open and grabbed the wrench out, time was limited. If a machine failed and wasn't working it was on her watch and she would be in trouble. It was as if it was dead, with no lights and no movement River took the main panel off and began fiddling to find the problem.

She loved working with machines and knew them better than herself. Her eyes lit up when she could see the problem. A tug from behind her pulled her back in surprise almost making her drop her wrench into the machine. Arms and hands flew at her in anger as her superior signed to her, asking what was going on.

River looked back annoyed and signed as calmly as she could that everything was ok and she would fix it.

It didn't take long to fix It, after only ten minutes she could feel the vibrations and heat coming back. She smiled at herself and headed to her locker, her long stressful day was over.

It was always hot and sticky down where River lived, beneath the city. Sometimes when the sun was bright the rays would somehow find her and she would sunbathe in the tiny sunbeams even for just a few seconds, she imagined they were little sun fairies coming to rescue her and take her back up to the top. Only the Rich and important people got to live in the upper, mostly the government.

The small box, River lived in was clean and smelled better than the streets outside. A tiny bedroom and a small kitchen/living room. The world for River was grey, a small window hung high in the kitchen but it was dark out there, it was always dark.

A bright blue light flashed in a pattern as River drank her glass of water almost choking as she was so thirsty after her long day working.

The door opened and Jay waved with a big teethy grin.

"What's the point of ringing the bell if You're just going to let yourself in any way all the time Jay?" River signed at him as he gave her a cheeky look.

"Sorry but it's just me" He sat on the chair and waited for River to join him.

"Anything interesting happen today? River sat down on the other small chair she owned

"One of the machines broke and that was about all. I fixed it in record time"

"That place would not work without you there River, you are the best at fixing things" River looked back at Jay and her heart ached, she wished she could fix more than just machines.

Jay took a bag of biscuits out of his pocket with a big happy smile "Look what Mrs R made for you. She said thank you for fixing her mixer" River held the biscuits to her nose and took a big breath smelling the lavender shortbread "Oh my favourite"

A light flashed again this time an orange colour, orange was for messages. Jay looked shocked over at River " A message this late in the day" River quickly stood up half signing to Jay as she walked to the door "Any message at any time is never good"

Her message machine was next to her front door, a small panel with a screen and keyboard.

RIVER HUGHES

PLEASE REPORT TO THE TOP FLOOR ( NO 201) OFFICE AT 6 AM TOMORROW

River read the message three times over as her chest tightened, why would she need to go to the top floor? This had never happened to her before, she had never gone up only down, deep in the tunnels. She once lived in the uppers as a child but she tried not to remember those painful memories.

She walked back in and sat down next to Jay "What is it River you look like you've seen a ghost?"

"Jay, they want to see me tomorrow at 6 am on the top floor, in the uppers!" River swallowed and it felt like she was swallowing a stone.

"The top floor? Ok River, this has never happened before to anyone we know, only that funny guy who used to come to the bakery all the time. We never saw him again after that"

River punched Jay on the shoulder 'Thank you for making me feel better! Ok you can go now as I will have to be up early so I can make it to the top floor by 6 am"

Jay blew a kiss and left quickly feeling anxious for his friend, this wasn't normal, no one goes to the top floor.