“Okay ladies, this is you.” Bogle said, opening the door to a round, white, padded room; bare except for seamless white bunk beds growing out of the opposite walls. We stepped in warily. Something was neatly folded on each mattress: crisp khaki overalls, in the right size for each of us. Next to each overall was a towel. As I picked mine up, a tall, wide, frosted-glass cylinder emerged from the back wall.
“That’s the bathroom,” Bogle pointed out, “Everything you need is in here … I’ll be next door with Mr. Sunshine,” he smiled sarcastically.
Hopefully, Adri had calmed down by now. Would he come with us tomorrow or stay behind? My head hurt at the thought of losing him again. 101
“I head out at dawn.” Bogle was suddenly serious. “Be ready.”
And with that, he was gone.
In under an hour, Luna, Esme, and I were bathed and dressed in our khaki uniforms.
A nasal announcement filled the air: “Workers and visitors: lights out in ten!”
Was it night-time already? As the sunlight coming through the ceiling panels faded, the softly breathing walls had begun to glow with their own golden light.
I had to admit that it was kind of beautiful.
I wondered how many children had been tested here. Where were they now?
Like plastic bags and bottles tossed on the side of the street, or into drains, rivers, and oceans, to the Council we were useful, then disposable.
I couldn’t wait to get out.
For now, we each got into our own beds: Esme in the bunk above me and Luna across from us.
“Try to sleep,” Luna ordered. “We’ll need it.”
The light in the walls flashed as if in warning. One, two, three … then lights out.
“Okay Zo,” Esme’s singsong voice curled through the darkness, “time to practice some memory-work.” 102
“Now?” I groaned quietly.
“Shhh,” Luna warned.
Esme ignored her. “Now’s as good a time as any! Try and see if you can go to a specific memory in my mind.”
“Which one?” I whispered, unsure.
“A night back at the training centre on Dragon Mouth Island … with all of our friends … It’ll help you see what we’re fighting for tomorrow.”
“How?” I asked, my voice shaking.
“Focus,” Esme advised reaching her hand down to me.
“Fine,” Luna sighed across the room. “I’ll keep watch. But we better wake up on time tomorrow!”
“Thanks Missy!” Esme grinned.
Luna sucked her teeth softly but clearly.
Esme chuckled under her breath.
“Are you guys always like this?” I asked.
Luna bristled, “How?”
I stated the obvious. “You argue all the time!”
“That’s just Lu’s love language,” Esme laughed while Luna snorted. “Don’t get it twisted. She’s the one who went back for you, you know, through the Dragon Door with those giant lionfish. She heard you call for 103help and that was enough.”
Luna cut in, “Could you all do whatever it is you’re doing? Quietly! Or we’ll all end up in the hot pot!”
Esme murmured cheekily, “Got you Sis. Love you!”
There was a long silence from Luna.
Then under her breath, a gravelly, “You too. Just hurry up.”
I could almost see Esme’s ‘Cheshire Cat’ grin.
Okay, she said, reaching down to me from the top bunk, “Take my hand. And remember. My last night on Dragon Mouth Island … Focus.”
It felt like I was on one of those amusement-park rides that zipped through a dark tunnel, with moving images on either side. The speed made me dizzy and nauseous.
“Come on Zo,” Esme’s voice boomed in my head.
Was she planning on talking to me the whole time? Why wasn’t she in here with me like before?
“You can do this!” Esme chimed in, as if talking over a loudspeaker. “I’ll focus on the memory of that night and all you have to do is hone in.”
The ride I was on seemed to slow down, then stop. Around me, the images faded and a large, dim room began to form. 104
“Time to go Es,” a shadow Luna urged.
Here, in Esme’s memory, her voice sounded different; more vulnerable.
I sat up carefully. It took a while to get used to the darkness. Where was I? My body felt like it was someone else’s. I was in one of Esme’s memories, stuck inside her mind, seeing things from her point of view.
But this wasn’t right. What had Esme taught me? I should be able to walk through her memories like an extra in a movie: not feel like I was trapped in her body.
“Zo … Zo!” someone said loudly.
I shook my head. It was Esme’s voice echoing in my brain.
“Close your eyes. Think about what you’re doing,” she reminded me.
“Easier said than done,” I muttered, but I took a deep breath and did as she said.
When I opened my eyes, things had changed. I was standing next to Esme as she sat on a low metal cot in what I guessed was a dorm of the Big House on Dragon Mouth Island.
This was the infamous “school” for gifted children 105that I’d been sucked into by the spyglass at the start of this crazy day. It was run by the Council and managed by Yara and Old Man Yancy. I spun around looking for either of them, but all I saw was a cavernous, wood-panelled room filled with rows of narrow metal beds.
The moon was the only source of light. In the shadows, a group of children huddled together a few steps from a huge wooden door. On the wall opposite me, an archway framed by broken tiles led to what looked and smelled like a much-used bathroom. The wall behind me had rows of tall, rusty lockers. At the very back of the room, opposite the door, were antique windows with sections of stained glass that would have been beautiful in any other place. Now they were covered with thick wrought-iron bars in intricate and fearsome designs.
Suddenly, the moon hid behind smoky clouds, plunging us all into darkness.
“Hey Lu, we can’t see,” Esme pointed out the obvious.
I grinned despite my fear. It didn’t take that much light to see Esme’s wide, freckled face, bold jumpsuit, and technicoloured hair. I’d even caught a glimpse 106of her chess-piece knight earrings. Her face radiated the same warmth as the Esme I knew. But she gave no sign that I was there and the loudspeaker in my head was silent. Clearly, after her initial guidance, Esme wanted me to learn to do this memory-visit on my own.
And to people in the memory, I was invisible.
“Shh. Fine!” Luna answered Esme. “Not so loud!”
My breath caught in my throat. I’d never gotten the chance to ask Luna about her gift, but clearly this was it … Her palms began to glow with a warm light, illuminating her spiky, half-shaved hair, her large, dark eyes and long, flint-like face.
“Better,” a guy not far from her grinned, running big hands through either side of his hair. “How do I look?”
I recognized his strong frame, set jaw and perfectly combed hair. This must be Shui Li, one of Luna and Esme’s friends who was now sitting zoned out in the Council’s bubble-tent prison.
Esme rolled her eyes. Luna ignored him. The other kids signalled frantically for him to pipe down, but one of the girls laughed freely. She was the one Luna had called Martí back in the bubble tent at the labs 107where the children sat like clones – a far cry from the kids in front of me now.
Martí looked like someone who didn’t much care what other people thought. She was petite, with wild eyes and two big afro puffs that framed her deceptively pixie-like face. She stood with her head cocked to one side and one hand on her hip, quietly blowing a bubble of bright pink gum.
Next to Luna, Shui Li and Martí, the other kids waited in various forms of silence: nervous, sleepy, expectant, and most of all … scared.
Fear crept up my neck. What were they about to do?
Luna muttered something about getting them all killed and spun around to face the group.
“Where’s Kendi?” Worry filled her voice.
On one of the cots at the back of the room, a little boy sat up quietly. Even with Luna’s light shining through the skin of her palms, I could barely see him across the cold terrazzo floor.
“Hurry up!” the others glared at him.
“Relax.” Esme went over to help the boy as he fumbled at the side of his bed.
She brought him over to the group. 108
“S-s-sorry g-guys,” he lisped, barely keeping his balance while putting on what looked like his only pair of battered blue sneakers.
He had a delicate bone structure like a bird, with a wide, flared nose and trembling mouth. His shadowy skin was slick with sweat. He looked like the youngest and most terrified of the group.
“Okay.” Luna ordered quietly, “Remember the plan … Martí, you go first to check things out. Let us know when it’s all clear.”
“B-but b-be careful,” Kendi stammered.
Now I could hear his strong Tobago accent: the bass drum of the island east of Trinidad.
“No kidding Ken … Be careful. Great advice,” Shui Li muttered.
He raised one hand slowly in front of him. I gasped, trying to accept what I was seeing. From a distance, with just small movements of his hand, Shui Li was making lines of sweat rise off Kendi’s face.
“Pull it together dude,” he advised, flicking the sweat through the air, making six or seven now-wet kids duck and grumble in protest.
So Shui Li was a water-worker.
What else could these kids do? 109
“Shui,” Esme said firmly, “that’s enough.”
Quiet! Luna signaled, clearly trying not snap.
The children settled down immediately.
“Ya, pana. Cálmate. For the hundredth time, I got this,” Martí flashed a lopsided, toothy grin.
She spoke Spanish! Why was I surprised? Trinidad was tucked into a corner of South America. There were Spanish-speaking islands in the northern Caribbean too, like Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Martí’s accent, though, sounded like she was from Venezuela, Trinidad’s next-door neighbour, visible from the tiny islands of the Bocas.
“Don’t worry ‘ee,” a familiar voice cut in, trying to reassure the others. “Martí small but she tallawah.”
It was Bogle, the tech kid with long dreadlocks, washed-out jeans, and a buttoned-down shirt, looking somehow more relaxed and ready than everyone else in the room.
“She’s got this,” Esme repeated confidently.
Luna still looked worried, but she took a deep breath and nodded once in Martí’s direction, like a general sending someone off to war.
Shui Li gave Martí a fist bump, then an awkward hug. Kendi stumbled through a prayer. There were 110no more jokes. Everyone looked as serious as stone, like this was about to be the most dangerous thing Martí, or any of them, had ever done.
It dawned on me. An escape attempt: that’s what this was.
The air was unnaturally still. The only light came from Luna’s glowing palms.
Everyone held their breath as Martí moved toward the heavy, shut door and in a split-second, disappeared.
I spun around. Where was she? The door was still closed!
Luna looked at the other kids, then turned off her light. I could hear Shui Li’s deep breathing and almost feel Kendi’s arms shake.
Everyone was on high alert, but the door didn’t budge. Where was Martí? My stomach flipped. After what I’d seen Yara do to Alice, turning her from a girl into a rabbit in seconds flat, I didn’t need to wonder how things would go for Martí, if she got caught in the hallways of the Big House this late at night.
Maybe I should leave this memory now. I’d seen enough.
Wait. What was that? The kids held their breath. 111A shiver went through the air. The moon pushed its way through clouds, bathing the room in silver light. I could see Kendi close his eyes, as if trying not to scream. A mosquito whined loudly in his ears. It must have come through a small crack in one of the windows, or the keyhole of the door.
The whine grew louder. Kendi jumped. His eyes flew open as he raised his hand to swat the pesky insect.
Suddenly, Luna grabbed his arm.
“Are you crazy?” she glared at him.
“The signal,” he moaned.
What signal?
In seconds, the other kids were back in their beds, giving every appearance of being fast asleep. Luna let go of Kendi’s arm and crept quickly into her bunk, scarred sneakers lined up neatly under her bed as if they had never been moved. On her own cot, Esme was breathing softly, like she was in the middle of a beautiful dream.
I stared at them, confused. What was going on?
I had just enough time to hear the buzz of the mosquito stop, as it transformed instantly into Martí, curling up under her covers as if she’d always been 112there. Wait. Martí was the mosquito? That was her gift?
Then it hit me. She was the signal and someone was coming.
Kendi was still not in bed. He wobbled over to the back of the room and his legs seemed to go limp. Thankfully, his bed was there to catch him. He slid onto the lumpy mattress and tossed his sneakers under the cot before closing his eyes.
Even though I was invisible and this was only a memory, I shrank back into a corner of the room. Now I could hear it: footsteps clipping stone floors in the hallway outside, the long skirt swishing louder and closer.
Bang! The carved door slammed open.
The children jumped to their feet and stood like soldiers. I could see Kendi looking at Esme for how to behave. My heart chugged like speeding train.
It’s okay, I told myself, it’s fine. Martí had warned them in time. This was probably just a random inspection.
“Goodnight students!” a musical voice sang.
“Goodnight Miss! Newt Dorm reporting!” the children shouted in unison. 113
They faced the door like well-trained pets, feet together, chests high, hands glued to their sides.
For a second, all I could see in the doorway was a whirlwind of fire and smoke. Then Yara appeared, fire dancing in her eyes.
Next to me, Luna quietly balled her fists. I prayed that no one cracked, especially Kendi. My inner voice was shouting at the top of its lungs, while Esme fought to keep the fear from her face.
I told myself: It’s okay, it’s okay, don’t panic. They got the signal in time.
But I wasn’t sure.
Meanwhile, Yara swept heavily into the room, glittering nails scratching at the jewelled choker around her neck, eyes blazing.
Enough. I didn’t want to see what happened next. I turned and ran out of the door into …
Splash.
What? I stared around, confused. Somehow the kids, Yara, the dorm; everything was gone. I was surrounded by the roar of the ocean–the music of men’s, women’s and children’s voices, the scrape and heave of boats being pulled ashore. At my feet in the surf was something that looked like a baby 114whale. It was longer than I was, flapping and twisting frantically, trying to get out of a net.
“Esme!” I shouted.
What was this? It was like I’d fallen into another one of her memories – completely different from the one I’d been in before.
Then in a flash, it was all gone. I found myself opening my eyes in the all-white room of the bubble tent, with its gently-breathing walls. I was back with Luna and Esme in our bunk beds at the Ostrich Labs, miles away from Dragon Mouth Island.
Esme, in the bunk above me, had let go of my hand.
“What’s wrong?” Luna whispered across the room. “Did you see it? Our last night at the school before they sent us on these tests … The night we tried to escape.”
Esme was silent.
“Wait. What was that at the end?” I asked her, trying to catch my breath. “Not the dorm, but the other place. The sea … the whale …?”
“Nothing!” Esme snapped like cracked glass. “Mind yuh own business, you nasty, spying …!”
“Es, stop!” Luna broke in.
I had never heard Esme talk like that to anyone. 115
“What?” I cried, reeling, “You’re the one who made me do this in the first place!”
There was a loud silence.
Then Esme whispered brokenly, “I’m sorry, Zo … I’m so sorry. Forget about it, okay?”
I paused. Clearly, I had stumbled out of the memory she’d been trying to show me, into one that I wasn’t supposed to have seen.
“Okay,” I murmured, stifling my hurt.
“I’m sorry,” Esme said again.
“Can we call it a night now?” Luna asked pointedly.
“Yes …” Esme sounded like a lost little girl.
I bit my lip, silently going over everything I’d seen.
Sleep was the farthest thing from my mind.