Vanquished (23 page)

“It was great!” Dad says. “The people clapped for her like you've never heard.”

My mom practically beams. “How did Jamie do?”

Pain stabs at my gut, but I recover quickly. “She did great.” I glance at Dad, but he doesn't acknowledge my statement.

“That's good. I'm so proud of you, Hana. I wish I could have been there.”

“I know, Mom. I wish you could have been there, too.”

“Keegan's in town,” Dad says. “He got in the night before last.”

My mom's face lights up a little more, or as much as it can. “Keegan? Tell him to come see me. I'd love to talk to him.” When she finishes talking, she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.

“Mom, just rest. We'll sit here with you.”

She doesn't respond, and I wonder if she's already asleep.

I meet Keegan and Mrs. Clem just before lunch. We agree to use some of our entertainment allowances to eat at the small restaurant near The Shops. We visit Baily's Bookstore after we eat. Mr. Baily runs the store today, and he smiles and waves at us as we browse.

“How many books have you read since I left?” Keegan asks. “Remember you said you would read at least ten books while I was gone? One for every month I was away.”

I smile at the childish promise. “I think I fell a little short.”

After the bookstore we visit the apothecary, and I show Mrs. Clem the new soaps made from flowers.

After that we head to the park to watch the kids play.

All of our talk centers on Keegan and his training, which suits me fine. I can't say anything important in front of Mrs. Clem anyway.

We say goodbye at supper time, and Mrs. Clem wishes me well on my Test.

“I'll see you later,” Keegan says.

I watch his eyes, and then nod once. “Right. I'll see you later.”

I get to work on supper, and Dad comes home from the hospital. His shoulders sag and he sits on the couch with a sigh. “Your mom said to tell you she loves you, and she's sorry she fell asleep.”

“Did you tell her not to apologize for that? I know she can't help it.”

“I did, but she feels bad anyway.”

Of course she does. But I can tell something's wrong, because Dad looks like he's been in a fight, at least emotionally. “What's wrong, Dad?”

He takes a long time to answer. When he does, he looks at me with sad, sorrowful eyes. “She was doing worse. A lot worse.”

That's all he needs to say. My happy afternoon fades away and is replaced with sadness.

We eat in silence, and I tell him I'm tired and head to my room. I'm anxious for the night to come, and I watch my clock for each passing moment. Around nine o'clock I hear Dad close his bedroom door. An hour passes. Finally, it's time to head outside.

Fog blankets the ground, which makes it all the scarier when Keegan slides up beside me in the darkness.

“Are you sure about this?” he asks.

“Yeah, pretty sure.”

“We don't have to go, you know.”

I'm not sure why he's trying to talk me out of it, but after the last three weeks, it kind of annoys me. “I'm going with or without you, Keegan. I would like to go with you, though.” And it's true. I want Keegan to hear this message as well—after all, I love him. What kind of person would I be if I didn't share it with him? Besides, I'm excited to have him with me, period.

“All right, all right. I'm coming,” he says. I imagine his grimace and sagging shoulders in the dark, because I'm sure that's what he's doing.

The thought makes me smile. “I'm glad you're home, Keegan.”

He pauses, but then he nudges me forward. “Me, too. Now let's get moving before someone catches us.”

I start walking and I know I should be quiet, I mean, I
really
know it—I've been caught twice past curfew, and a third time will probably get me in major trouble—but I've missed him and so I keep talking.

“You've learned to break a few rules yourself,” I say, thinking of his nudge, and how he came to my room with me the night he came home.

“Yeah, I guess so, but it's only harmless stuff. Nothing to get me arrested.”

His words remind me that he doesn't know everything that's gone on in the last few weeks. What will he think when he learns I
was
arrested? I don't want him to know, and for a moment I wish the arrest and everything leading up to it had never happened. I miss the happy life we used to have. I miss the promising, innocent me that I used to be.

We hurry through backyards, making our way to the levies and then the river's edge beyond. The summer is quickly approaching and this works to our advantage. There are no leaves to crackle, and soft grass has sprouted everywhere.

“You never did tell me where we're going,” he says.

I stop when I come to the street we'll have to cross. “The riverboat.”

“What did you say?”

I peek out into the dark street and glance both ways. It looks empty. “That's exactly what I said, but Fischer told me it was safe.”

Keegan is standing close to me. I'm not sure if he's looking for protection, or if he's trying to protect me. Either way, he's close enough that I see his frown, even in the dark. “Who's Fischer?”

“He's a medic at the hospital,” I say, glancing at the road again. I feel a little like I'm back at the guard station being questioned about breaking curfew. I don't want to talk about Fischer with Keegan.

“We need to cross now.” I bolt into the street and make it to the other side in seconds, but when I look back I see Keegan is still standing in the shadows. What's the problem? Then I catch a movement at the corner. A guard has turned onto the street, and is moving through the fog, coming our way. He's on Keegan's side of the street.

I slip behind a tree, thankful for my black clothing. I can just barely see Keegan do the same.

My heart thumps so loud, I'm sure the guard can hear it. I keep swallowing like I haven't had anything to drink in weeks. What if Keegan gets caught? It would be all my fault.

The guard is in no hurry. Step, step, step.

Finally he passes Keegan. He doesn't even glance in Keegan's direction.

When the coast is clear, Keegan shoots across the street. He grabs my hand and we head toward the levies. It feels strange, his hand in mine. I've never held hands with anyone. His is warm and soft, and it feels like it's swallowing mine.

I almost pull away, but I can't bring myself to do it. It would hurt him, and he trusts me tonight. I just don't know what I'm supposed to feel. On top of everything else going on, the last thing I need is boy trouble.

The levies rise up in front of us like mountains, and we quickly jog to the top.

I stop and stare.

The riverboat is at the bottom of the levy and along the bank, but that's not what has me stopped. The lights are back. High in the sky, and far in the distance, they blink. Blink. Blink.

“Do you see that?” I ask. Somehow I'd forgotten about the blinking lights in the sky.

Keegan doesn't answer, and so I glance at him. He's staring, his face registering confusion and shock. “It is—flying?”

“I don't know, but I've seen it once before.”

He breaks away from the flying lights long enough to look at me. “When?”

“A few weeks ago. I was out looking for Jamie.” Sharp stabs poke at my stomach when I say her name. “We have a lot to catch up on, but I hope this meeting will explain at least a little of it.”

Keegan doesn't say anything to that. We watch the blinking lights for one last moment, and then we start down the hill.

The riverboat is condemned, just like the rest of the riverfront area. Places like the Arch are crumbling, and pose a safety hazard to anyone who gets close. The guards warn us about the dangers regularly, to keep us from playing in them and getting hurt.

Is the boat really safe? Besides that, there is no electricity on the riverboat, and even if there were, we couldn't use it in the middle of the night. The guards would spot the lights and we would be caught. How are we going to communicate in a rickety old boat?

We sneak toward the river. A soft splashing sound comes from the water as fish jump at water bugs.

The misty fog is much worse at the water's edge, and I can barely see Keegan's form beside me. We climb the plank to the door of the boat and pause. Not a sound comes from inside.

Keegan looks at me and gives my hand a squeeze. “Are you ready?”

I swallow hard and give a sharp nod. “As ready as I'll ever be.”

 

 

 

 

 

42

 

I try the knob but it's locked. That's no surprise since the riverboat's not used and has been condemned.

“Knock,” says Keegan.

I tap lightly, hoping there aren't any guards nearby. Water laps around the ancient boat in the eerie darkness. It makes a splash. Splash. Splash.

The door slides open after only a second, and we step inside.

Blackness surrounds us, darker than the night outside. I stumble around in the inky room when someone gently takes my arm. “This way, Hana.” It's Fischer, and I exhale in relief.

“Who's this?” another voice demands.

“Get the door shut and then ask questions,” a third voice says. I recognized the voice as Mr. Elders.

How many people are on this boat? I suddenly feel frightened and claustrophobic. Fears race through my head. Maybe I shouldn't have brought Keegan. What if we're in danger? How well do I really know Fischer?

A lamp flickers on and the room is bathed in yellow, artificial light. A few men and women sit in old chairs, and Mr. Elders stands at the head of the group. Fischer still holds my arm, and a big guy holds Keegan back.

“Who are you?” the man growls.

Keegan holds his arms up, glancing around like a trapped animal.

“I brought him,” I say quickly. “I didn't know that would be a problem.”

“It's not,” says Fischer. “It's OK.”

The big man glances at Mr. Elders, who nods his head. “It's fine. Let him go, Vin.”

Vin lets him go, but scowls at him. “Don't try anything funny.”

Fischer tugs on my elbow. “Sorry about that. We typically know exactly who's coming, so there aren't any surprises. Come sit down.”

I begin to follow him to my chair but then a thought hits me. “How do you have lights?” Fear digs its claws into my chest and my breathing stops. The guards are going to spot us.

“It's called a generator,” Mr. Elders says. “It's from the Early Days, but it still works. It runs on gasoline.”

“But won't the guards see the lights?” Keegan asks. His voice sounds a little panicked.

“Take a look at the windows, genius,” Vin says.

Thick black material covers the windows. “Do they keep the light in?” I ask.

“That's right,” Mr. Elders says. “They're called black out curtains, and they're from the Early Days, too.” He steps forward. “My name is Jim Elders. It's nice to finally meet you, officially.”

He's holding his hand out, so of course I take it. I smile. “It's nice to meet you, too.”

“Who did you bring with you, Hana?”

“This is my friend, Keegan. He lives beside me. He's training in another city, but he came home on break. I thought this was an important message to share with my friends.” I'm rambling and so I shut up.

“You're very right. It is important.” He steps back to the front of the group. “We're all here now, and so we'll begin. Does anyone have questions?”

“How do you know the Bible is true?” The question is from a girl in the back. This must be a type of orientation meeting. Everyone here is new and learning.

“We take it by faith,” says Mr. Elders. He explains about creation and how God made the world, and he talks about heaven and hell.

Fischer talked about God making everything, so the concept isn't totally new to me. I glance at Keegan. He's frowning, his eyebrows pulled close together.

I watch his face, anxious for this to make sense to him. It seems more real that way, more concrete. If someone else from my world can mesh with this new concept, then maybe it's actually true.

Keegan nods as Mr. Elders speaks, and I relax.

Mr. Elders goes on. “Jesus is God's son, and He volunteered to be the sacrifice for us, so that we don't have to go to hell. His blood for ours.”

Tiny chill bumps prick my arms and I shiver.

“He came to this earth and lived as a human, and He was eventually killed. When his blood was spilled, our bonds were broken. We no longer had to go to hell to pay for our sins; we just had to go to Jesus. All we have to do is accept that gift of salvation.”

These words play through my mind in a swirl of confusion. This Jesus, the son of God, died to pay for my wrong doing. “Why would He do that?”

Mr. Elders's face smooths into a happy and peaceful expression. “Because He loves us. His love is all encompassing and perfect. He loves us like no human has ever loved.”

A burning fire starts in my chest and spreads down my arms, to my stomach and all the way down to my toes. I can't fathom someone loving me when He doesn't even know me. My dad's ready to give me up, and he's had me my whole life.

Some of the others start talking, and Keegan leans close to me. “I'm not sure I believe all of this.”

The fire in my bones fizzles out. “What do you mean?”

“I'm not sure. I have to think about it all.”

“But what if it's true?” I ask. Panic rises in my chest at the thought of him not believing. I need this to be real. It
must
be real.

Fischer lays his hand on my arm. “You didn't believe at first either, Hana. Everyone needs time to think it through. It's an unknown concept.”