Now a digital pilot for SYFY
The Society knows when we're going to die. They imprint it on our arms at birth. I was supposed to die yesterday. I'm the girl who's Expired.
Winner of the 2020 Readers Choice Awards
Cover by @Forcade
The morning after the attack I'm sitting in the infirmary at Jonas's bedside. Ever since the doctor gave the okay for him to sleep, he's been unconscious. Faint bruising has begun to appear on his neck.
I hear footsteps coming from behind me, and when I turn to see who it is, Colton's standing over me, a plate of pancakes and eggs in his hand.
I tilt my head to the side, staring at him.
He holds the plate toward me, the eggs wobbling. "Take it."
"Is it poisoned?"
He rolls his eyes. "No. You need to eat."
"It hasn't been that long."
"I know but you seem like you're going to be the type to forego dining with anyone so you can stay here."
I'm glad to know he thinks I'm going to be dramatic. He clearly doesn't know how much I enjoy breakfast. But right now, I'm just not hungry, sick to the stomach rather. Still, I take the plate; he seems like the type to dump it on me if I refuse.
"Good. Now eat."
"Why do you care?"
"Because when he wakes up and finds you dead from starvation, he isn't going to be the brightest chap."
Now who's being dramatic? I take a hesitant bite of scrambled egg, still not entirely convinced it's not sprinkled with position instead of salt.
"Plus, if you're dead, who am I going to threaten?"
"You like having me around then?"
"No. I wouldn't go as far as to say that."
"But you don't want me to die anymore?"
"I mean, if you fall down the stairs and break your neck, I'll come to your funeral, but I won't cry."
"I don't think I've ever been so touched in my life." I rest my plate in my lap. "Have you learned anything from the rebels?" He's been leading the interrogations. At the thought my stomach curls, and the small bite of egg threatens to come back up."
"Not yet."
"Do you think the different groups are finally banding together?"
His knuckles pressed against his mouth, he studies his brother. "I hope not. But with Erik in the mix, who knows."
"Iris?" Jay-yeon pokes his head through the door into Jonas's temporary room. "Can we talk?"
