Burning Day

Chapter 11

It turned out I was wrong.

Getting used to life at Fayfield was far from easy. When all my life I'd been trapped in rigid schedules and unforgiving rules, suddenly having minutes to myself rattled me. I'd always wanted choices, but for the first week, I felt that I'd been given too many. Not knowing exactly what I'd be doing within the hour, not knowing how I was expected to act, was unbearably overwhelming—like the world was constantly pressing against my chest, seeping away all the certainty and stuffing impending doom there until it ached.

When it all became too much, when I began trembling and my breaths would only come in quick spurts, Gwen or Holly would hold me by the shoulders, speaking in soothing tones as they led me to the attic, where three empty white closets were available to be used. Nikolai called them the Quiet Rooms, where you could play white noise, change the lighting, and simply breathe. I didn't need it all the time, but often enough. Gwen and Holly used them too, and though the Quiet Rooms didn't make everything all better, they did leave me less addled than before I'd gone in.

But I wouldn't change a thing.

Because for one week of my life, I had freedom. And I would never give that up.

***

It was now day 1 of week 31.

Gwen reminded me there wasn't any point in counting anymore, but it was just force of habit, I guess. Either way, it meant Nikolai was bringing someone home.

And I wanted to be the first to shake hands with whoever walked through the door. I knew how it felt to be thrust into a new place with people you never believed you'd see again. A place you could never have imagined.

In short? Very trippy.

"Earth to Kiara." Gwen gave my shoulder a light shove. "Pretty sure it's your turn?"

I shook away my train of thought, looking back at my hand of cards. Even after the others taught me several new games, the first one I ever played remained my favourite: President.

I eyed the top cards on the pile and rolled my eyes. Triple aces. She knew I didn't have any burns—how did Gwen expect me to play on that? I passed and peered at the clock above the television.

Any minute now, I told myself. Nikolai's fine.

We started a new round, and I bit my lip throughout the game. Something in me couldn't help worrying, which was stupid considering his mountains of experience breaking into the facility.

Speaking of...

"How does Nikolai break into the facility every week?" I asked Holly.

Holly didn't look up from her cards. "He short-circuits the locks with this weird stick thing and uses a gas to knock the staff unconscious. Once he enters the target dorm, he uses a little to knock the Subjects out too."

I raised a brow. "And the cameras?"

Gwen placed a joker onto the pile and swept it aside. "He sneaks into the surveillance room and shuts them and the alarms off."

"But he said he'd be back by now—what if something went wrong?"

Holly raised her gaze and planted a palm on my shoulder. "He's alright, Kiara. He'll be home soon, I'm sure."

Gwen nodded. "The guy probably isn't having much luck convincing the newbie, that's all. Don't worr—"

At the click of a lock from down the hall, I snapped toward the front door, which swung open. Stepping through came Nikolai, and following at his heels was a short, dark-skinned girl holding the hand of a toddler waddling beside her. A girl I recognized—