Priory // h.s.

chapter thirty-seven

I manage to avoid Harry for a couple of days, up until Thursday. It's not that hard, actually, considering how many presentations Reyna and I have been giving. When I'm not telling visitors about Priory's work, I'm doing routine maintenance on the exhibits, or snagging a quick snack from the vending machines.

Thursday morning finds me back in the Main Hall, standing in a corner as I try to make myself look as small as possible. After working all of yesterday and then going to a late-night dinner for all the scientists attending PCOS, I'm dead on my feet. Totally and utterly exhausted. If I'm lucky, Maura will forget about me, and then I can just go crash in the cafe for half the day.

Yes, that sounds like a wonderful plan. I think I'll go do that.

Careful not to draw any attention to myself, I edge out of the Hall and make a beeline for the cafeteria. 

It's empty, but right as I step in, I hear footsteps behind me. Turning, I find myself facing Reyna. Giving my partner a nervous wave, I mumble, "I-I was just..."

I realize how pale she is, how scared she looks. "What's wrong?" I ask with a gasp.

Clutching my arm, she whispers, "I'm so sorry, Amber."

Now she's freaking me out. "What happened, Reyna?"

Her lips press into a thin line. "It's Steve."

"Steve? The monkey?"

"He's- You might want to... just go see for yourself."

Confused, I say, "What does Steve have to do with anything?"

Reyna just shakes her head slowly.

A cold pit forms in my stomach. Without another word, I turn and run for the elevator.

 —

Lab 1 looks eerie, with all the lights off and no one inside; all the Lab Ones are downstairs for PCOS. I creep through, feeling like an intruder in my own workplace. In the dimness, Steve's cage is a dull iron color in the corner, the bars casting striped shadows across the floor.

My heart pounds like a drum, threatening to jump right out of my throat. I approach the cage and open the door, which, for some strange reason, is unlocked.

It takes my eyes a minute to adjust to the darkness. When I finally make out the limp form on the bottom of the cage, I let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Steve lies in an awkward position, his head twisted to the side and back arched. His arms are outstretched and his skinny fingers are curled in a position of pleading. His tiny body is limp, his eyes glassed over.

Dead.

"No," I whisper, refusing to believe it. I reach out and gingerly pet him. He's so cold that I shiver. 

Feeling like I'm going to throw up, I stumble backwards, clutching my arms around my chest. I have to get out of here. I have to tell someone. A perfectly healthy young capunchin doesn't just die. There must be some sort of mistake. Reyna's wrong. I'm wrong. Any moment now, Steve will sit up on his haunches and chatter at me, chiding me in monkey-language for being so overdramatic.

Still reeling, I stagger out of Lab 1, looking for anyone to help me.

The person that I see is actually one of the last people I want to.

Harry steps towards me, saying in an irritated voice, "There you are; Maura's looking for you, and she made me come find you. Reyna told me you were--" He breaks off. "Amber? Are you--what's wrong?"