Free Evadere by Sara V. Zook Page A

somehow these two cared more than the other Scaves. I wondered if it was because they were still young and not as damaged as the others who seemed to be coldblooded and cruel, or maybe they were just smarter. They had become friends themselves and now with me, an outsider and misfit myself here. Their friendship was one of a loyalty I had never known before. All of our lives were in danger, and it was my fault that this was so, yet they were still eager and willing to try to help. They no longer even had a home and yet wanted me to return to mine. I was being a selfish human. I did want their help even though I knew it could cost them the one thing they valued the most, their lives. I was being selfish because I missed Emry Logan and we had just started our own world together before such a cruel separation. I had no one else to turn to besides Jo and Rooney. Without them, Evadere would consume me, and I’d never lay eyes on Emry again. It was an agonizing fate to even attempt to contemplate. I wouldn’t accept that possibility. I had to keep trying.
    “Jo, it doesn’t matter if you left me here for a week, I’d never be ready,” I confessed. “Let’s just do what we have to do.”
    She nodded. “Up there in the distance is where the medical contributors live.”
    I squinted my eyes which were now burning from both the bright sun and the dust kicked up from following Rooney. I saw what looked like white tents, their open walls blowing gently in the breeze.  
    “This seems like such an idiotic plan,” Rooney huffed. “We’re just going to walk up to them and start taking their stuff?”
    “Got a better one?” Jo asked.  
    He didn’t reply.
    “That big building on the far side,” she pointed out. “That’s the one that holds the largest amount of supplies. I was in there before.” She turned around and grabbed my hand. “You okay?”
    I swallowed.
    “I wish I did have a better plan,” she said. “This is the biggest entrance though, going in the middle of daylight.
    I nodded. “Jo, before we go …”
    She raised her eyebrows.
    “I want to say thank you to you and Rooney.”
    “Don’t be getting all soft on us, human,” Rooney said sternly.
    “No, really, Rooney,” I continued. “It’s my fault you’re no longer with Karn.”
    “It was time to leave Karn,” Jo said. “It’s something I’ve thought about for a long time, just never had the guts to do.”
    “What?” Rooney seemed surprised. “You never told me that.”
    “How could I? You were like his little puppet,” she said.
    He looked hurt by her statement.
    “This war thing,” Jo continued. “Going on between him and royalty, it’s bigger than me. It’s something I’ve never been interested in being a part of.”
    “But they throw us away like garbage,” Rooney interjected.
    “I was born the way I was born. At least I’m still alive.”
    Rooney rolled his eyes. “Well, I don’t feel the same way. I hate royalty. I’m going to make that known once we’re at the castle, too.”
    Jo shrugged. “Good luck with that.”
    He glared at her.  
    “You have every right to be mad,” I said. “What has been going on here with Scaves versus contributors isn’t right. Something has to change. Rooney, you’re a good guy. Don’t let your anger change who you really are.”
    Rooney turned away from me and looked at Jo. “Are you ready then?”
    “What’s the matter, Rooney?” Jo grinned. “This emotional stuff too much for your manly heart to handle?”
    He stomped off as both Jo and I burst into a fit of giggles.

    Within minutes we were walking onto the land where the medical contributors lived. The large white tent came into view. It was the largest of the buildings and its color an illuminating brightness. We walked right up to it and stepped inside. There were contributors in there. Rooney and Jo separated, each one going the opposite direction in the supply tent. There were all kinds of bottles and different sizes