984 (Complex Series, #2)

Chapter Twenty-Five

The words sink in.  If Sienna was sent to the Unknown, and she’s not here, than she is probably with the Ecru.  What if she is killed, just like Josh and Seth?

Does Ellen know about our sneaking out at night? Is she killing off everyone that is involved?  How long until Brinn is taken away?  Can she kill me here, in the Unknown?

With shaking hands I type, She’s not here. She must be in with the Ecru.  Another dead Eeke showed up today, Josh and Canton’s roommate.  I’m afraid that they are killing everyone who is involved. Is Brinn still safe?

Brinn is still here.  We’re worried about her safety as well. The Officials took Seth the night before last night.  It’s possible that the Heads are ordering Officials to take one kid per night.  If that is the case, Brinn would be next.

It sends shivers down my spine.  Brinn could die too.  Then it would just be Canton, Dana, Bridget and me alive.

Do you know why the Officials are sending us dead Eekes?

My Notice vibrates with the response, No, just because we are Officials doesn’t mean that the Heads tell us everything.  Only the most trustworthy Officials know Ellen’s plans.  We just follow orders.

I shudder at the thought.  If it weren’t for the rebellious Officials’ plan, I would be training right now to become a Renewal Official.  That’s all my future would have been, following orders.  Is the Unknown better?  I’m not even trusted here…

I respond, I just hope that Sienna and Brinn are safe.

We can guarantee nothing, we have nobody in the higher ranks.  We can only hope.  There is nothing else we can currently discuss. Get some sleep.  Good luck tomorrow. 

I don’t respond.  Their words are printed across my vision. 

We can only hope. 

I try to relax and fall asleep, but it is impossible. Sienna and Brinn could die. Sienna may already be dead.

I drift in and out of sleep the rest of the night.

˚˚°˚˚

Once again, Charlotte shakes me awake.  She doesn’t even have a smile on her face. All she gives me is a cold look.  She informs me, “You can set an alarm on your Notice, so it’ll wake you up.  You might want to consider doing that.”

Miranda most have told her about my ‘supposed’ lying. They do seem like pretty close friends, or ‘Rebs’. Is this how Charlotte is going to act towards me now?  Have I lost another friend, just because Miranda thinks I’m lying?

I wonder what Charlotte thinks about me. I thought she liked me, at least before last night.  But, does she automatically believe everything Miranda says?  She doesn’t even give me a chance to explain, to defend myself?  Can her opinion of me be changed so quickly?

I sigh and slide out of bed. 

Charlotte leads me silently out of the bedrooms.  I shower, change, and meet her in the Eating Hall.  The tension between us is growing.  I want to break it somehow, but I don’t understand Charlotte, I don’t want to break it the wrong way. I have seen the cheerful, bubbly Charlotte.  But I have also seen the mean, cold Charlotte, the one that came out around Heather, the one that is out right now.

We fill up our trays with food and sit in the back corner, where there is no one around.  I silently begin spooning the oatmeal into my mouth.  Charlotte sits across from me. We purposely avoid each other’s eyes.