Free Sun Rose (Rose of the Dawn Series Book 1) by Ily Maguire Page B

cinderblock walls have been painted a light yellow and there are
flecks of gold throughout. The walls match the bedspread and the tapestries.
    “Where’re
you going so fast?” He tries to lead me back to his bed. Everything about this
situation has my head screaming no, but my body is reacting different than I
would’ve expected. There’s no fight or flight response here. I have got to get
a grip.
    “We
haven’t talked this over, yet, Rose. You don’t even know what you might be
missing. Rose, you’re very special. You could do quite a bit of good with the
right kind of direction. The right kind of management.”
    “You
mean my organs could make you quite a bit of money.”
    “Well
I didn’t say that, but now that you mention it,” JJ grins.
    “Harvesting
my organs?” I hear the shrillness in my voice. “That’s way worse than replacing
them altogether–”
    “No,
it’s not. With an AR your organs would be liquefied. In this case you’d be
donating them to say, science,” his grin widens.
    “No!
I won’t do it! I won’t become someone else! Something else.”
    “You’d
still be you, Rose. You’d still be you,” he grabs my shoulders.
    “Let
go!” I free myself, pushing past. I turn in the doorway to face him. Patience
immediately comes to mind. “Who else wants to use me in this sick little game?”
    He
pauses and takes a step back.
    “I
don’t know what you’re talking about, Rose. I don’t know why you’d want me to
perform more tests. It’s not necessary at this point.”
    “What’re
you talking about? I didn’t say anything about–” I squint at him. He’s pulling
a shirt on like he’s all the sudden modest.
    “What’s
going on here JJ? Rose, what are you doing?” Pike says. He and Ezekiel stand
behind me, almost accusing, like I’m doing something wrong or I shouldn’t be
here. What kind of girl does he take me for? I push past them and run down
the stairs to my room. Tears stream down my face. I’m angry. For some reason, I’m
sad, too.
    Patience
stands in the doorway of my room. The labcoat and goggles are gone.
    “Rose,
what’s wrong?”
    “Nothing.
I’d just like to be left alone.” I push past her and attempt to shut the door.
I can see Pike standing against the second floor railing looking down at me.
    “But
I wanted to talk to you,” Patience persists.
    “I’m
not really in the mood to talk right now, Patience.” I’m trying to be neurotic. I push her out of the way.
    “Oh.
Okay. I’ll come back later, then.”
    Pike
turns from the balcony and I can’t tell if it’s disappointment or disgust. He
has no idea about JJ and his motives.
    “Oh
Rose, I almost forgot,” she pushes a letter through the remaining crack.
“Another letter for you.”
    “Thank
you!” I snatch the letter, but before I can close the door she has pricked my
finger with something sharp.
    “Ouch,”
I yelp. The door closes. I put my finger in my mouth. There’s that metallic
taste again. Now it’s too dark to read anything. It’ll have to wait until
later. It’s the first time since getting here that I’ve outright cried like a little
girl.
    Like
the little girl I used to be.

15
    16, March
    Dear
Rose,
    Someone
came by today looking for you. They said they wanted to purchase natural
organs. Dad almost hit the roof. What’s going on? I don’t know what any of this
means, but Dad seemed to know. I’m going to say it – if you’re in trouble, make
sure you have someone there you can trust. I don’t know how safe things are or
going to get. I don’t think I can write anymore. Just be careful.
    All
my love,
    Dory
     
    I
had almost forgotten about the letter after the incident with JJ.
    Someone
wants to buy my organs. Someone wants to sell my organs. I shake my head
and jam the letter under the mattress with the others. For money. I’m
not sure I believe he would go through with it without my consent, but then, I
really don’t know him well enough.
    I
don’t know