Well, I wasn’tstarvingbut I could definitely use some water right now.
“I say we first try to find the proof,” Anika said.
“But if we do find food along the way, we’ll eat it,” said Seth.
“Wait—how will we know how to find the proof?” Cook.
“And what if the Timekeepers find us again?” Erith.
“We need a plan of action if that happens,” I said.
“And we need to know what to say if wedoget caught and questioned.” March.
A tick of silence as we all looked at one another.
“We tell the truth, don’t we? Timekeepers kidnapped us and brought us here against our will to search for proof,” said Levana.
“Except that’s notthe truth, is it? We were given an option.” Seth.
“We decided to come here on our own,” I reminded her.
Levana flinched. “But we can still blame them.”
“No,” March said. “If someone catches us, we’ll say we woke up here and we have no idea how. Someone attacked us, kidnapped us, and then we just woke up here.”
We thought about it for a second. That did sound good enough.
“It’s pretty close to the truth,” Mimi said. “I agree. This notebook is proof that whoever messed with us and ourmemories isheresomewhere, and we shouldn’t trust them.” She patted the pocket of her jacket.
“Guys,nobodyis going to find us.” Russ rolled his eyes slowly to make sure we all saw. “The floor caved in all on its own last night. We slept here, all of us, and nobody came to even check—you’d think they’d check the bedrooms, wouldn’t you? They’re not stupid. They would have checked here first.”
And he was absolutely right, they would have.
“That they didn’t means…theycouldn’t,”said Erith in wonder.
“Which means we’re going to be just fine—so long as we find some food,” Russ concluded with a nod.
“But how are we going to find anything here?” said Anika. “This place is enormous and we have no idea where anything is.”
Except… “We sort of do,” I said. “Seth found this place on the first try last night.” And it was clear to see that these wereourrooms, if we’d ever lived in this place. This was where we slept. Our bodies knew it perfectly well.
“Twelve doors,” March whispered.
“For twelve Hands.” I looked at all the doors we’d left open, and the three that were still closed—two on the right, and one on the left.
For a second there, I could have sworn I heard an echo of a voice—of laughter. Calls and shouts.
“Did they…did theydie?” Mimi whispered so low I barely heard her.
“But nobody dies in the Turning Trials. They’re…they’re safe. They’re just games,” said Cook.
He didn’t really sound like he believed his own words any more than we did.
“Come on, let’s go. Let’s try to find food,” Russ insisted.
“And proof.” Levana.
“Yes. And proof.”
