I take off in a wordless run. Everything aches from all the running and fighting my body’s done today. A shout rings out behind me, but I can’t make out the words. I can still hear the pounding footsteps chasing after me.
Fingernails grip my arms and shoulders before I get more than ten paces. The Distress’s face immediately shoves itself in my own. I try to force my head away, but someone holds my skull in place.
An evil grin dominates his face.
I snarl, “What do you want?”
The Distress’s grin does nothing but grow, “Why, power, my dear. What else could I want?”
“My name is Claire. I’m not ‘your dear’.”
The Distress nods shortly, “Claire, then. My greatest apologizes, my dear.”
When I don’t say anything more, he continues, “This is the Unknown. There is nobody in charge here, no Officials, no Heads, no rules. That opens up a place for someone else to rule if they have the determination and bravery.”
“Or no morals.”
“Don’t you remember what I said? None of that exists anymore here. There are no morals, no time, nothing from our past life.”
I press my lips together and say nothing more.
The Distress takes my silence as defeat. He commands whoever’s holding me in place, “Let’s walk. We need to find ourselves some food.”
The fingers leave their spot on my skull, instead landing on my arms, pulling them behind my back. I can’t move without a tight pull on against my shoulder blades.
The hands keeping me still push me forward. I stumble, recover my balance, and follow them. I’ll have to wait for a better time to escape. I won’t succeed now, not when all they’re still wary from my last escape.
I count four hands along my arms. There must be at least three people here including The Distress.
I need to escape. That’s my only thought. I have to get away from here. I’m in the company of men, power-hungry, violent men.
I must appear strong and invulnerable. If they feed off of power, displays of weakness are probably exactly what they want.
I call out, making sure my voice is strong, “How many of you are there?”
“Three. So far. There’s Tooth and Greg behind you, and me, of course.”
I ask, “Tooth? That’s kind of an interesting name…”
The Distress loves the attention too much to not answer my questions, “When Tooth first arrived here, he was attacked by the Things, and his face was slammed to the wall. His two front teeth fell out.”
My eyes widen in slight awe. Although it’s strange, he’s different. He’s special. He’s already beat the Heads perfect identicalness.
The Distress’s voice drips amusement, “Hey Tooth, say you’re name.”
“Too’.” His voice is thick with embarrassment.
The Distress cackles, “Too’. Too’. He’s managed to teach himself to make a soft t-sound differently, but he can’t make the th sound. Isn’t that right, Too’?”
There’s no response to from Tooth. I stare in horror. How can The Distress make fun of something that happened to Tooth? Tooth is probably self-conscious enough about it without The Distress’s jokes.
YOU ARE READING
274 (Complex Series, #4)
Science Fiction-fourth book in the Complex series- Claire, known to most people only by her Complex number as 274, has always obeyed the Official's rules. You have to, unless you want to be sent away to the Unknown. Until, she meets Marie and everything changes. ...
