The Fourth Eaton

Chapter 21 🔪 Make It Stop

Anger boils in my stomach, but I stay still, completely still. My mind spins with confusion. Why is he mentioning my brother now? Marcus usually stays far away from the topic of him or his transfer.

I feel him grip my chin and force it upwards, so my face is an inch away from his. Everything in me screams for me to run, or punch him, but I can't. I'd either fail, and make the sim more painful for me, or manipulate the simulation, exposing both Tobias and I in the process.

"Answer me when I ask you something, Camilla."

His eyes are more black than dark blue right now. Then again, that could also be a figment of my imagination. "Yes, sir."

Apparently that was the wrong answer, because a second later, I feel the sting of a slap on my face. "That's not what you're supposed to say."
I take a step back, hoping that I spare myself some of Marcus' obvious wrath. But he steps forward. "He forsook his family for those hooligans, so we forsake him. That is why you can't go see him today."

And I swear the world falls away around me.

That is why you can't go see him today.

Visiting Day.

This simulation is set on last year's Visiting Day.

That means...

Oh no. no. No, no, no, no no no no no nononononono!

It can't be. It can't be.

I swore that I wouldn't tell anybody about this. Not even Tobias. Because, god forbid, if he ever found out, it would either break him into pieces, or send him on a murderous rampage to Abnegation. Neither of which I can deal with.

If I don't get out of this soon, not only will Tobias see it, all the leaders will as well. Complete strangers. Jeanine Matthews' puppets, looking for people like me. Possibly even Jeanine Matthews herself.

I take a step back, and another, and another, my heart beating so loudly that I don't know how Marcus doesn't hear it. I keep stepping away from him until my back is against the wall.

My throat is tight, making my breaths into short gasps.

Marcus steps forward.

My stomach threatens to empty itself on the carpet.

He takes another step.

I start trembling.

"We're going to try something new today, Camilla."

Those words.

Those eight damned words.

They're what make me lose it.

Memories start pounding at my carefully-built walls, threatening to tear them down with their force.

I can't let this happen. Not again. I have to get out, now, for my own sake, at least.

I bolt for the door, hitting Marcus with my shoulder, surprising him.

But just as I reach the doorframe of my room, something catches my arm hard, and I stumble, crashing into the floor.

No. Not again.

"Well, Camilla, you've never tried that before." Marcus huffs, towering over me. His face has lost his arrogant smirk and replaced it with an expression of pure anger. "Have you really not learned anything all these years?"

I can't answer him; I'm too consumed with terror at the sight of him standing over me. Right now, with me on the ground, he might as well be as tall as the Hancock Building.