Aruna smiled brightly and looked at the glowing sphere as a projection suddenly appeared above the machine.
A face formed in the air.
Small.
Young.
Unmistakable.
It was Rose.
For a brief second, Sector 11 remained completely silent, as though the entire square had forgotten how to breathe.
Then the silence shattered.
A sharp gasp escaped from somewhere near the middle of the crowd. Several women instinctively covered their mouths. A child began crying somewhere near the back before being quickly hushed.
Tansy's fingers tightened so hard around Rose's hand that Rose winced.
Their mother's face turned pale instantly, all color draining so quickly it looked as if even her blood had retreated in fear. Their father, who usually kept his expression steady even when pain gnawed through his body, stiffened like stone.
Rose herself stared upward at her floating face, confused at first, as though her mind needed an extra second to understand what being chosen truly meant.
