Free The Haven: A Novel by Carol Lynch Williams Page B

again.
    “We can’t afford any leaks,” Daniel said, his voice gruff. “We can’t be found out or we’re all doomed.”
    “Doomed?” My shoulders were heavy, weighted. I made myself speak. “A bit dramatic, don’t you think?”
    Daniel looked at Gideon. “I told you bringing too many people would make problems for us. And another female? Why did it have to be another female?”
    “What’s wrong with females?” Abigail asked but didn’t wait for an answer. “You know I wanted Shiloh here. She’s my friend. I want her to leave with us.”
    Head spinning, I leaned against the wall, steadying myself.
    Gideon almost stepped on Abigail’s words. “We’ve been over this a hundred times, Daniel. We’re doing this”—He waved his hand at me—“for all of us. I’d like her to come, too.”
    Gideon’s gaze was steady and I had to look away.
    “Sure,” Daniel said. He nodded, then shrugged. “If we survive, this is for all Terminals.”
    “So what’s going on?” I asked. My skin burned in the closed-in room. “Why are you watching TV in here?”
    “First, Shiloh, this isn’t a TV. It’s a computer. A way for us to store information and find out about the real world,” Daniel said.
    Abigail cleared her throat. “We’ve found some things out, Shiloh. About the Terminals here at school and other places, too. Around the country, around the world. Some of the hospitals are like our place. Others have horrible conditions for Terminals.”
    Gideon waited. Daniel peered at her when she spoke.
    Listen but don’t believe. “Go on.”
    She waited then said, “We’re being used. All of us here. We’re being used in awful ways.”
    For a split second my brain stopped. Everyone breathed the good air for themselves.
    We’re not taking both lungs. Just one.
    I don’t want to do this.
    It’s here for you.
    “That is crazy,” I said. My lips had turned to butter. “It’s preposterous.”
    I was hit with a memory, from how long ago, I wasn’t sure.
    “It’s preposterous,” Principal Harrison said. The Dining Hall was full of Terminals and Teachers. Along the edges, like they held up the walls, were the Whole who worked here, too.
    A break-in. Someone—a Whole male—grabbed a young female Terminal.
    “Do not begin to let it in your Terminal minds that we do anything illegal here,” the principal said in the microphone. “Haven Hospital and Halls is above reproach. We do more than other facilities in providing care.”
    Now, Gideon spoke. “Daniel and I’ve known for a while. We stopped taking our Tonic long ago. And we’ve thought of a plan. One to get us out of here and get help for the rest of the Terminals.”
    “What plan? This sounds like a lie.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I remembered more of that day.
    The Whole male hollered, causing a scene. “She’s all that’s left of my daughter.”
    “Whatever you heard,” Principal Harrison said, and he was yelling, too, “it’s all a lie.” He helped Security bring the intruder down.
    “You don’t own her.” That was Dr. King.
    “We paid for her.”
    “You both signed contracts.” Again, Dr. King.
    “Drink the Tonic,” Nurse said, and we all did. That meal. That night.
    All I wanted was dinner. If they’d just let me eat. The whole school was fuzzy. Flat.
    The memory jarred me and I stood with Abigail, Gideon, and Daniel and tried to stop remembering. It’s all a lie. I had covered my ears that day and now I raised my hands to stop those voices.
    “I swallowed Tonic until I threw up,” I said.
    “What are you talking about?” Daniel asked.
    I ignored him though I wanted to respond. “Do you have a way to leave now?”
    “Yes,” Gideon said.
    “And I want you to go.” Abigail’s face was soft in the light.
    I was a part of their secret. They had to trust me.
    Or.
    Protect this world we live in.
    I had choices. I didn’t have to do anything.
    “What else?” The wall was cool under my fingertips,