The Eden Compound

The Eden Compound (Chapter Two)

Chapter Two:

            Siobhan stood up, trembling. She wasn’t sure what she was doing but she knew she wasn’t just going to go passively.

            “Me?” she asked.

            “Yes, ma’am. It’s been reported to us that you engaged in illegal activity just a few hours ago.” His businesslike tone and dark sunglasses didn’t show it, but Siobhan thought she could tell he was hiding a laugh.

            Now everyone was staring at them. Siobhan avoided their eyes. She wasn’t exactly the most popular, so they would probably just find this funny.

            Having contact with a peri was a shame on the person. Feeding a peri was just one step down from actually letting them in.

            “Well, if you mean they told you I fed a peri, they’re right,” Siobhan said, holding her head high. “If that’s illegal I don’t see why.”

            The policeman’s mouth tightened. It looked like he was trying to hold back a smile.

            I’m not going to let them screw with me.

            Siobhan stuck out her hands for the coding she knew she would have to get. The policeman took a scanner out of a loop in his belt, grabbed her wrist, and coded it so that they could always track her. Siobhan sighed. I’m officially a criminal now. There’s no escape.

            “Come with us,” the policeman said.

            “No,” Siobhan said, staying where she was standing.

            “Would you like to be handcuffed?”

            “I haven’t done anything wrong,” she said. I always have tended to be theatrical, but why now? she thought.

            “Come with us before we tranq you,” one of the policemen warned her. Siobhan complied this time. She was sure her face was bright red- at least, that’s what it felt like.

            She was vaguely aware of being marched down the hallways, outside, and into a squad car. She rested her head on the cool window, trying not to think.

            Mom’s gonna kill me. With Sarah gone and me arrested, I don’t know what her and Dad are gonna do. What am I gonna do? Will they put me in juvy or what?

            Her thoughts kept spinning around, but finally the car reached the police station. They got out and walked up the sidewalk to the door. When they pushed it open, the lay behind the desk looked up.

            “Oh, Matt, you’re back,” she fluttered at the taller one. “Why is she here, though? Vandalism or something?”

            “No, she’s the hangers-on we were talking about earlier,” he said, clearly loving the attention.

            “What?” The receptionist was clearly caught off-guard. “But she can’t be older than fourteen.”

            “I’m almost sixteen!” Siobhan said indignantly. I hate being short. They ignored her.

            “Yeah, well. It was reported by someone in her class, apparently,” the policeman snickered. Wait. Reported? They didn’t catch it on camera or something? That means…. Linn. I can’t believe her.