The Deathless Trilogy

2.11. Rewritten History

The ceiling in Cooper's classroom is covered in white embossed tiles, split only by Cooper's track, and golden embellishments encircle the room. Tall windows draped in blood red curtains allow southern light to illuminate shimmering chips in the paint. All of us Comforters face away from the ballroom entrance and toward an even grander golden doorway, behind which must be Cooper's bedroom.

As girls mingle around their desks, Celia sneaks up beside me and Nina. "Hi Isla," she says.

"Oh, hey," I say, "how are you? How was Mitchell's room last night?" I ask, and Nina nudges me.

Celia shrugs, smiling lightly, and says, "I stayed in the Comforter's quarters last night. It was a late switch." She bites her glossed lip. "How was your night? I'm glad you and Daniel can be together now."

"It was good, thanks. I really appreciate you switching."

I wish I sounded sincerer about it, but Celia doesn't seem to notice. She smiles. "That's what friends are for."

"I just met you yesterday," I say.

She shrugs. "I never had a true friend until Daniel, and he said you and I could be friends too."

What's this girl's game? "You really just want to be my friend?"

She smiles and nods. "That's why I helped you. I want to make a difference... like you."

I must look as confused as I sound when I say, "Okay." But I can't question her further, because our conversation is interrupted by a cacophony of gears.

The double doors we face open and George Cooper enters. The room silences. He stands in front of the doorway and raises his mechanical arms, signaling for all the girls to stand. Celia walks to a desk near Nina and I, and I mimic what the rest of the girls do. I don't want to stick out, not after my last interaction with Cooper.

"Begin," he commands.

"I pledge my allegiance," everyone starts in unison, their hands over their hearts, "to the goals of Roberts and Cooper, and to the rebuilding of our world. I vow to sacrifice my life and my mind to the efforts of our people, and to the advancement of our species."

As my gaze pans the room, I see the lingering smiles on Comforter's faces. Smiles of acceptance and belonging. They don't even realize what they're saying. Yes, they're part of a group, but they are part of a group that only hopes to use them, not value them. Though I'm not sure anymore if the Deathless was ever much better.

Cooper lowers his arms, and everyone sits back in their chairs.

"Good morning," he says.

"Good morning," the girls repeat.

"Yesterday we covered the history of terrorists to our cause." A quiet rumbling of yes's and mhm's rolls through the room. "I believe that today, we must discuss why it is so important for these terrorists not to conquer us."

This is for me, I think. So I know who is in charge here.

He steps forward, his reinforced legs stomping as he moves. "What is the goal of Roberts and Cooper?"

Hands shoot into the air. Nina and I are seated in desks toward the back of the room, and from our perspective, it seems like we may be the only Comforter's who don't live and breathe this place. The girls last night were right: We can't trust most of the people in this room. I have to shake the thought from my mind and remind myself that there is a group of us who meets in the drain.