What next?

8- The time I actually wanted to see my family

“Welcome to the Blue Mill.”

***

“We get a cabin? Score!” I shrieked. Guys my age aren’t the only ones who get voice cracks.

We were sitting around a campfire in cheap old camping chairs. And for me, it was quite awkward considering how short my dress was. Ladies and perverted guys will know what I mean. Finchy was the only other person in a dress, though hers did not cause any problems due to how long the light blue fabric was. Piper, Cross, Mere, Oak, and two people who acted like they had a lot of authority sat in the circle of chairs too. Cruz had been taken to what was hopefully a medical area, while the authority people escorted us to the sunny picnic area on the other side of the concession. The polished building was behind Piper and Mere, unfortunately giving them  protection from the sun. If I had to be blinded and sun burned, they should have to suffer too. Grass surrounded our feet, and the authority figures were trying to answer our endless questions. They had just introduced the fact that most “refugee” mutts stayed in the Long Lake hamlet.

“Well…yes, but first we have to come up with an explanation for your parents to basically never see you again,” the authority person with the sun visor explained.

“Done! Don’t have any who care. I might as well be dead for all they care,” Finchy exclaimed like she finished off a long checklist.

Why couldn’t you be an orphan? It would make everything way less complicated. Nayo noted.

But then I would be emotionally scarred and that would be terribly traumatic.

Aren’t you already?

No…

It would have explained a lot if you were.

Trying to tune myself back into the normal, out loud, conversation, I heard Mere ask why we wouldn’t get to see our families again. Right. That bit might be important. Sun visor man continued:

“You don’t want them involved in business, do you? Government’s trying to keep the whole ‘we sell our children bit’ quiet. Don’t want to wreck the Canadian image, bad reputation can lead to way bigger problems when you’re a country. So, they kill any witnesses.”

“But I saw people out there who were way too old to be mutts!” I broke in. It was common knowledge the oldest mutt known was only twenty-four, since the first test was twenty-four years ago. He was always on the news. “They’ve gotta be some mutt’s relatives! If they’re here, why can’t our families be here?”

“You want your demon-brother to be here?” Piper asked, shocked. I didn’t want my brother here. A life without that annoying and sometimes perverted brat would be fantastic. Before I could clear the issue, Mr. Sun visor spoke back up.

“They’re the parents or grandparents of mutts that are too young to go without guardians. These days even ten-year olds are being recruited. Toughenin’ ‘em up early. Far too early. You guys should old enough to be by yourselves in a house. How old are you all anyway? Sixteen?”

“Sixteen in December!” Finchy, Cross and Mere said in union. Cross and Mere were nearly a whole year older than Piper. And apparently Finchy was too. I would be turning fifteen in two weeks, though Oak still called me a child. Or a baby. If only she had been born one day later, I could be able to say the same things since she would technically only get older every four years. Her birthday is the day before the leap year, Febuary 28th. One day later and she'd be four years old.

“You owe me an ice cream cone.” I heard the other authority person whisper to Mr. Sun Visor. The man who had evidently lost a bet continued.

“Great. You can get your cabin today. That paralyzed kid‘ll be joining you. Hopefully that won’t be awkward. And don’t think for one second all you get to do is play around like a bunch of idiots. If we want to take down the Red Mill without exposing ourselves, we’re gonna need your help. You three are old enough to go on a mission, so don’t get too comfy.” He pointed at the three who had jinxed themselves by shouting their age. “Josh’ll show you the cabin that’s recently been vacated. I’ll let your families know you’re dead.”