***
Drew sleeps on the couch as I help Shilah pack.
“I’m not sure about this, Allira,” Shilah whispers as if he’s scared Dad or Drew will hear him.
“I know Shilah, me neither. But do we really have any other option?”
“I guess not.” He lets out a big sigh. I think he’s tearing up again, but I don’t want to embarrass him by acknowledging it. Instead, I walk over to him, put my arm around his shoulder, and kiss the side of his head. He wraps his arms around me, and I know it could be the last time he ever will.
I can only imagine what he’s going through, and then suddenly I see it in my mind—me sitting on a bed in one of the apartments at the Institute, lonely and crying. It’s so clear in my mind, I know Shilah’s doing the right thing. I’d choose to run rather than suffer that fate any day.
We continue packing when I realise something, “How come you didn’t see it? That we were going to have the blood tests today?” I ask.
“I did, but not until we were already on the buses. It drives me crazy sometimes that I have no control over my ability. Maybe I should go to the Institute. They’re always telling us that they can teach that sort of thing, to get better control of it, I mean.”
“Shilah, I get the feeling when they say that they mean they’ll teach you how to not use it at all.”
He nods and continues packing his clothes into a bag.
“I think you’ve made the right choice,” I say.
He nods again.
“I think I’ll leave you to the rest. I’m going to go to bed.” I can sense he wants some time alone. His bummed-out vibe is radiating off him in invisible waves, and the feeling is infectious.
Weird.
The Institute Page 15