Free Summer Wishes (Desire #1.5) by Kailin Gow

protesting their Life’s Plans. Hers was clearly the signal for something. I don’t know what, but something we don’t even have a clue what it can be.”
    He stopped to consider her words.
    “Whatever happened to her Life’s Plan, it had serious consequences, or at least the Committee anticipates serious consequences.” She turned away from Matthew, the gears in her head turning a mile a minute.  So much had happened in so short a span of time.
    “You're getting worked up about nothing, Jocelyn. Kama was dating the governor’s son, that’s why the Committee got upset.”
    “No, Matthew it’s more than that.  I don’t know what it is exactly, I can’t quite put my finger on what’s going on, but something is going on. Stop denying it. Those Enforcers…the way they were acting, it was like they weren’t human. They even spoke of us as though we were animals.”
    “Then that’s all the more reason to hurry up and get out of here.”
    “And leave everyone behind to deal with what’s coming.  This isn’t just about leaving Jacob behind.  What about Melanie… and the baby. What about our families? Do you think you can live with yourself if we leave knowing that death and destruction may come to your family?  Knowing you had wimped out and saved only yourself.”
    Matthew sighed out his exasperation.
    “So let’s head home and convince everyone to come along.  We can save everyone who is closest to us.”
    Jocelyn brought a finger to her pursed lips as she continued to consider the upheaval of Arcadia.
    Kama had always been a special little girl, even young Jocelyn had realized that. It wasn’t just because she was pretty and likable, there was something different about her… it was as though she had a knack of knowing what people thought sometimes, little things like that. And she was exceptionally smart, and brave, a natural leader in everything she did. She once overheard Liam tell Kama that she should be Governor of Arcadia rather than him, when he first received his Life’s Plan, which stated he would be the future Governor.
    “Kama has something that is scaring the Committee,” she said. “With her blank Life’s Plan, they realized she was a danger to them, a threat.  Maybe to their dogmatism, to their way of life, to their reason for being; I don’t know what, but she’s scared them of something.”
    Matthew resumed his stride, his shoulders rounded by defeat.
    “The battle we have to wage is right here in Arcadia, Matthew,” Jocelyn said as she came up beside him. “It’s not on the outside. Whatever is to become of the people here, we have to stick around.”
    “And what if you're wrong?”
    She shook her head. “Kama needs us.  Jacob was the leader of the Resistance from the outside. We have to work from within. Whatever is coming, Kama needs us to support and help her. We’ve seen the horror of what people will face if we don’t. After what we went through tonight, I think that is the only choice we can make. We make an awesome team, Matthew. We might be exactly what she needs to help save Arcadians.”
    “We have to take care of Melanie and the baby first,” Matthew said. “Remember, the Enforcers are probably already on their way over to your house. We need to get to her before they do.”
    Jocelyn nodded her agreement and they hurried as fast as they could, taking shortcuts all the way to the Ruby District.
    By the time they had reached Jocelyn’s neighborhood and then her street, they were exhausted. Despite their exhaustion, both Matthew and Jocelyn could not believe what they saw next.
    A large white van was parked in front of the house, and a group of Enforcers were lined outside with batons. Two Enforcers each held in their hands the leather leashes to two hungry-looking feral dogs…the same ones that Jocelyn and Matthew had seen inside the Old Coliseum, and they were headed inside Jocelyn’s house.
     
    *******
     
     
     
    Kama, Liam, Torrid, Jocelyn, and