984 (Complex Series, #2)

Chapter Thirty-One

Miranda stares hard at me for a second and says, “We have been delivered another dead Eeke.  This one didn’t have the luck of Sienna, she didn’t survive the poison given to her by the Officials.”

I swallow hard. It could be Brinn. 

Miranda asks me with apologetic eyes, “Would you be willing to come and see if you can identify,” she clears her throat, “the body?”

I press my lips together. There is nothing I would want to do less than see the possible lifeless body of Brinn, or anybody for that matter.  Josh’s corpse still haunts me.

I nod anyway.  There is nothing I can do about this Eeke being dead. I may as well try help Miranda and gain back some trust.

Miranda’s lips turn up in a ghost of a smile, “Thanks. Let’s go right away.”

I glance at Charlotte, her face pale. She bites her lip, “I think I’m going to.. skip out on this one. I really don’t want to faint and give the Nurses another thing to deal with.”

Miranda says gently, “Of course, Charlotte.”

Charlotte nods and scurries out of the door.

Miranda and I follow her without a word, but turn separate ways.  Miranda and I walk in silence, frightened tension between us.  I remember the rebellious Officials words: We can only hope. 

It’s not a very encouraging thing to say when you are about to see the possibly dead body of one of your closest friends.

We arrive at the Nurses’ Wing. I don’t think a day has passed where I haven’t been in here at least once.  I wipe my sweating hands on my skirt. I swallow the acidic taste of dread creeping up my throat.

Camilla greets us in the hall with pursed lips. She smiles faintly at us and then nods in the direction of the nearest door. I lick my dry lips as the door slides open. I walk in inside, keeping my eyes on the floor.

Trying to delay having to look at the body for as long as I can.

Miranda clears her throat and I force my eyes up. They land on the face of the deceased girl. 

Relief and pain rush through me.

It isn’t Brinn.

The number 991 is traced on her cheek with deep red blood.

It’s Annie. I recognize the face and the number.

I don’t remember actually meeting her, but I remember watching her on the Profession Test video the rebellious Officials showed us.

She was the one who had the mental break down after seeing the Ecru. She was the reason the Officials came in the room with the green, to calm her down and get her out of there. Bridget and I attacked the Official before they could get to her. Eventually the Officials did get to Annie, but they wiped her memory, and apparently her mental break down away.

My mind instantly goes to Sienna.  She was Annie’s roommate. In the video of the Profession Test, she was the one who comforted Annie. She cried and fought the Officials when they came for her. Is she strong enough to bear the weight of Annie’s death?

I become conscious of Miranda staring at me, waiting for my answer.

I answer, “She wasn’t my roommate. She was Sienna’s.  Her name is-” I catch myself, “was Annie.”

Miranda’s brow wrinkles, “How do you know? You never mentioned meeting with an Annie before.”

 “She was in the same Profession Test with us. I didn’t really know her at all. I only met her that once, and the true memory has been erased. I only have the memory of the video left.”