The Rebel Teen's Guide to Her Dystopia

Chapter 16

There's a big glass case on our table. Blanche brought it home yesterday night after I went to the correctional facility. It's her special project from the Earth Science Laboratory, the infamous ant farm, and I have to stare at it over my oatmeal and fruit.

"They live in colonies," Blanche explains. "See this little pocket down here? That's the nursery. Those little white things are their babies, or larvae. This fat one over here is the queen."

"So when do we get to watch you mind-control them?" I ask, banana muffling my words. Mom gives me the table manners glare.

"Oh, it's not mind control. It's a form of communication. I simply suggest my thoughts to the ants, and they get it into their heads to do whatever I'm suggesting. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. It depends on how strong my thoughts are."

Normally, I wouldn't even dream of letting Blanche lecture me about ants, but right now I'm trying to distract myself with anything I can find. My mind is racing, and I can feel my hands trembling against the table. I don't want to go to the correctional facility today. I don't think I can. I'm too afraid of the possibilities.

"Aren't you hungry, Tara?" Mom asks, pointing to my oatmeal, which is getting colder by the second.

"I'm all right," I push the bowl forward.

"But you've hardly eaten anything. Are you feeling unwell? Do we need to go to the Medical Center?"

She presses the back of her hand against my forehead. I'm not feverish, and I'm not coughing, but I do have a headache. It's not a sick headache, though. It's a thinking headache.

I can't leave. I can't leave. I can't leave. I can't leave. I can't leave. No one ever has.

"You look tired," says Blanche.

I nod. "I am, a little."

"Then today would be a great day to kick back and relax," Mom smiles sweetly. "Maybe you could paint your nails a different color, or go hang out with friends."

"Mom, all my friends are working now."

Even Blanche, who I'd normally count on to stay home with me on days like this, is packing her things for the lab. Jeanie's at the farm. Cade is a Medical Intern, and I'm still here. Even Mom has a first-school class to attend to, since the Early Evaluations are coming up and they need to study.

"So maybe today is the day you get those papers out of the way and join them," says Mom. "Come on, Blanche. Let's catch the train."

I toss the two extra apples from breakfast into my bag and zip it up. I have to catch a train too, but every time I think about it, my nerves strongly disagree. I don't want to go. I don't want to think about the possibility I was presented with.

I could leave. I could do it. Scorpius left and so can I.

* * *

"Good morning, Miss Meridian," Captain Short greets me from her desk, and something tells me she knows. She seemed so friendly and motherly before, but now her dark eyes are piercing my thoughts. I'll bet she can read minds, and she's already picking out my solitary confinement cell. It'll be next to Scorpius's of course. Two treasonous rebels who dealt with illegal reading material.

"Here's your list of questions for today," she slides me the usual piece of paper. "Just get him talking. You're good at that. I tried again this morning, but he's not very open to me. I wonder if they teach manners and respect wherever he's from. Anyway, Joel has the day off for allergies, so you're on your own again."