W: The Planner, The Chosen Read Online Free Page A

would take her through the end of the week. She wondered if her new government-furnished housing would require any sort of a deposit. She would work something out—now that she was officially employed she could get a very short-term loan from her parents if she absolutely had to until she got paid.
    As she lay in bed that night, it occurred to Kris that for the first time in years she would not have to worry about where her next payday was coming from. No more struggling to find a place to live or dodging phone calls from persistent bill collectors. No more putting up with some low-life like Nick because she had no choice. Tomorrow she would start training, and in three weeks she would actually be working in a new career with a regular salary. She would have a retirement plan. She would even have an apartment.  It would be a very modest apartment, no doubt, but that was fine.  It was hers—she did not even have to go looking for it.  The long, stressful nightmare that Kris had called her life for the past four years had finally ended.  The future was going to be great.

Chapter 3
     
    S even-thirty the next morning found Kris sitting at a small laminate table in an uncomfortable plastic chair in the training room of the Federal Municipal Planning Division Building. Being on time for a 7:30 class meant arriving at 6:30 to get through the army of unsmiling faces and the line of metal detectors which stood between her and her classroom. What’s more, unlike the other early morning meetings and training sessions she had spent years attending which rewarded those who got up before sunrise with sweet rolls and juices, FMPD did not furnish trainees with so much as a piece of toast. There was not even enough coffee, and there were only a few small paper cups. “Quit whining,” Kris chastised herself at her own disappointment when she discovered that she would not be getting a hot beverage—or any beverage at all except possibly a drink from the water fountain on the break.  “You can do anything for three weeks.  You’re lucky to be here at all.”
    As the training attendance roll made its way around the room, Kris examined the glossy red, blue, and white brochure in front of her. On the cover was an extremely attractive silver-haired couple seated on a wooden bench atop a grassy hill canopied by stately old trees. In the background other couples could be seen—walking dogs, chatting with friends and enjoying the outdoors. The couple in the foreground held hands—the man rested his head lightly on the woman’s shoulder.  In her other hand she held an electronic reading device as she enjoyed a book or magazine on what appeared to be a perfect summer day in a beautiful park. The picture was captioned , “You Worked Hard Your Whole Life. Now it’s Your Time to Enjoy the Stress-Free Future You Deserve.” Inside the brochure was another photo of the same couple sitting at a table in an elaborate dining room. A wait staff person dressed in white had just set a plated meal in front of them. The woman had dressed for dinner in a royal blue blouse and skirt and her husband was wearing a sports coat and dress pants. At other tables, similarly-attired couples were laughing and talking.  On each table a candle flickered atop a decorative centerpiece, adding just a touch of romantic light to stage the scene for what appeared to be a delightful evening. The caption on this page read, “ Savor the joys of worry-free living.”
    The attendance roster was finished. “Good morning, everyone, I am Janice Highwater. I am the assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the FMPD, and I want to congratulate all of you on your new positions as Planners. You have joined our Agency at an amazing moment; you are going to be a part of the most ambitious, innovative project that our government has attempted in over two hundred years. For the next three weeks, I will be your trainer, and I will teach you everything you need to know about how to