by Maguire, Ily
Pike notices me and smiles. I look down. My notebook is on the doorstep. My letters tucked in among the pages. I pick them up and clutch them to my chest. When I look back at Pike, he’s kneeling beside Hara, petting the lamb, too. They are the picture of perfection.
It’s settled. I’m leaving tonight.
19
“So you’re planning on leaving, are you?” JJ is in my doorway. I’ve opened it, ready to go. It’s like he’s read my mind. The common area is deserted. Everyone has gone to their rooms. Mine is the only one on the ground floor, which gives JJ more than enough easy access to me.
“It’s none of your business.” I state.
“That’s all well and good, but you’ve thought wrong if you think I’m going to let you leave. For what anyway? So someone else could capture you and do the same thing? The Beadledom will have you in no time. They are everywhere.”
JJ’s eyes dart around, spastic. They’re bloodshot and red-rimmed. There are thick veins bulging in his neck and they pulse. His hair is tousled and he hasn’t tucked in his shirt. He’s unkempt, but he laughs. He is deranged. Maniacal.
I have the letters tucked into my waistband. I don’t want to leave them behind. The candles are still in my pockets. My hoodie is pulled up over my head.
“I’m leaving, JJ. You can’t stop me.”
“Of course I can,” he takes my upper arms and pushes me back into the room.
“Pike said I could go home whenever I wanted to.” I flip his hands off my arms and with my own, I push him back. I’m a lot stronger than I thought.
“Pike doesn’t make the rules here,” he snarls. He digs his heels into the dirt just outside my door and I can’t push him back any farther.
“I’ll scream if you don’t let me leave,” I open my mouth to follow through with my threat. He moves in closer, but doesn’t touch me. His breath smells sick, like vomit. Like curdled milk and it makes my stomach turn.
“If you scream,” he whispers, “you’ll never get out of this place. I’ve got you. You need me. I can keep you safe.” JJ rests his hands on my arms giving me enough leverage to pull back my leg and ram my knee into his groin. The result isn’t immediate, but within a few seconds, he falls to the ground, doubled over in pain.
He gasps and coughs, sputters out an order, and I can feel the spit on my arms from his mouth.
“I will get you, Rose! I will get you and your code! You are mine!” He wheezes and then nothing.
I’m too far gone to pay attention now.
With all my strength and a surge of adrenaline, I bolt past the common area, through the first and second sets of doors into the lobby. I don’t look behind. No one is around. There isn’t any alarm. How was that so easy? I shove myself through the last set of doors and I’m finally outside.
It’s still light, but not bright. My eyes need to adjust. My room was so dark. I don’t know why I needed these candles.
The air is cool. My body is hot. I’ve got to keep going. Knowing that the fence isn’t electrified, I get a running start and scale it in no time. My toes barely touch the metal.
I land on the ground on the other side with a thud. I get up. I made it! I’m out!
Not bothering to dust off, I sprint now, through the sludge and grass toward the rails. I’ve got to get as far away as possible.
I hear the doors slam and now I know I’m being followed. Is Pike behind me or is it JJ? I don’t know and I don’t really care.
I make it up to the train rails without looking back.
Which way? Which way? Think fast, Rose! My head moves from side to side.
I don’t know which direction I should go in, but it doesn’t matter. I just have to get away from here, so I go in the opposite direction I came from. I think I hear Pike calling behind me, but I can’t risk being wrong and getting caught.
I run through tall grass. It still smells like rain. Like ozone. Ezekiel was right. I stomp through mud and it tries to suck my feet down, but my boots and my determination won’t let me. I have too much to lose if I go back.
I run and run until I almost cannot catch my breath. I hear a small bang and a crack echoes in my ears.
I know what it means. I know what Dory and Tithonus were telling me to do.
Something hits my back and I fall down.
I know who they were telling me to trust.
The grass beneath me is cool.
Trust no one.
Trust myself.
Then cold. I am numb.
I feel no pain.
I feel nothing.
End Book 1