I recalled vaguely when I first was taken. Constantine was already here, and Eisley came later.
“No. I lived with the Mothers and Fathers. I was put in here the same day you came. I was the only other kid though.”
“You were born here?” Pieces of the puzzle were coming together. Why he was allowed out sometimes when we weren’t? How he seemed braver than Eisley and I. Could it be… “Constantine.” I crawled over to him and leaned over to cup my hand around his ear. While the Family could not hear us on the other side of the door, I was suddenly scared. “Are your parents here?”
“I’m not allowed to tell you.”
It was as if a large boom fell among us. My entire life, it felt like, was a lie. I scurried back, horrified. I stared at Constantine, taking in his features.
The Family was his family.
“I’m not like him.” Constantine stood and tried to come toward me, but I moved fast and he stopped walking. “I swear.”
“Him? Who? Which Father is it?” I demanded.
I scanned him up and down when he said nothing.Jet-black hair and blue eyes that were strong, but on another person, they were cold and scary. And then, it hit me.
He was the Minister’s son.Constantine put up his hands.
“Please, don’t be mad. I don’t like him. He’s mean to me too.”
I shook my head. “How can I trust you?”
“I don’t know. They hit me too. They don’t feed me too. I’m not special.”
“Then why were you allowed upstairs?” I demanded. “Why did you get to bring extra food down?”
“Those yellow flowers?” he yelled back. “Because no one saw me pick them! And being allowed upstairs is only because I don’t know where to go if I try to run. He told me that.”
“Who, your dad?”
“The Minister.” Constantine’s eyes darkened. “He doesn’t love me.”
“What about your mom? Which Mother is she?”
He shook his head. “None of them. She died.”
“When?”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember her. I swear, Kansas, the Minister doesn’t treat me special.”
Eisley began to stir, and we turned. She sat up, groggy, and rubbed her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Constantine and I shared a look. Both of us were still haunted by the movie his father had shown us. How could we possibly do that to Eisley? I didn’t even like to see her frown, let alone sob like the other girl had been.
“Nothing. Go back to bed,.” I said. She patted the bed.
“You guys too. I sleep better when you’re here with me.”Constantine and I shared another look and reluctantly joined her, sandwiching her between us. We covered ourselves with the blanket and closed our eyes, attempting to sleep.Our conversation wasn’t over, but one thing had been decided, as we lay with her. We’d figure out a way to get us all out.
Rule 48 - Kansas
Take an acting class.
Istared at my computer with my brow furrowed. I was exhausted. I reached for my hotel coffee. It was bitter and cold, but at this point, it was the only thing keeping me stable. I couldn’t sleep until my work was done.
Emi’s body was probably already found, along with her phone and everything else on her person. I’d stopped by her car on the way from the fire and found it unlocked. There was a backpack inside with her laptop and some notebooks. I spent an hour trying to unlock the laptop before finding a page in one of the notebooks with her entire list of passwords.
