by A J Rushby
‘Are there more of you?’ I ask him. ‘On the other side?’
He stares at me for a moment or two before answering. ‘Yes,’ he says. ‘More every year.’
Which explains the Society’s youth program push. Their numbers are dwindling. They need fresh blood.
I know then that my dad will give me the answers to all my questions. In good time.
I know something else too. Whatever this opposing faction is, he’s heading it up.
When Steen returns after his visit to his parents, we don’t talk much about what’s happened. But then, as we’re sitting on the porch one evening, he puts his book down and looks over at me. Eventually I can’t ignore his gaze and put my book down as well. ‘So, he says. You’re coming back to college, but have you decided yet? About the other thing? Have you handed in your membership card?’
I almost smile at the thought of the Society having a membership card. Maybe a little loyalty card as well—experiment four times and get your fifth experiment free! But I don’t smile, because there’s nothing at all funny about what I’m about to tell him and I don’t know how to put it or what to say. I have no proof. Only memories from my childhood. I’m going to sound crazy, for sure.
I re-position my book on my lap. ‘What have you decided?’ I ask him.
‘I’d personally be happy never to have anything to do with the Society ever again. Which sounds like your dad’s stance too, from the little he’s told me. But I wanted to see what your thoughts were.’
My heart jumps in my chest. ‘I … I don’t know.’
Steen’s eyebrows jut upwards. He places his book on the table beside him and sits forward in his seat, his elbows resting on his knees as he looks at me intently. ‘What? You seemed so sure before. What’s changed your mind?’
I take a deep breath. I have to tell him. I owe him the truth from here on out. The whole truth and nothing less. And the truth is, I’ll never get away from the Society now. It’s a part of me. ‘The thing is,’ I say, choosing my words carefully. ‘The voice we heard—the message from the President of the Society …’
‘Yes?’ Steen’s gaze doesn’t leave mine.
‘It was my mother.’
AJ Rushby is an Australian author of a whole lot of books. She is crazy about Mini Coopers, Devon Rex cats and high tea.
You can find her at http://www.allisonrushby.com, on Facebook, or on Twitter at @Allison_Rushby.
First of all, thanks to doctor Dave for putting up with all my, ‘But what would you research if you were allowed to do anything. As in, no rules at all? Like, really, really no rules!’ questions.
Thanks to Bella Pearson for her always brilliant notes.
Pats and pellets for the guinea pigs—Mum and Dad, Nilly and Paul, David and also Daniel Aziz.
Thanks to all at Omnibus Books and Scholastic Australia. Especially Clare Hallifax for reading immediately, grabbing the manuscript and not letting go, and Celia Jellett for her excellent editing.
AJ Rushby
Published by Scholastic Australia
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First edition published by Scholastic Australia in 2017.
This electronic edition published by Scholastic Australia Pty Limited, 2017.
E-PUB/MOBI eISBN: 978-1-76027-236-4
Text © Allison Rushby, 2017.
Cover design copyright © Astred Hicks, Design Cherry, 2017.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, unless specifically permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 as amended.