49

ALORA

JULY 4, 2013

Everything is a blur as I race along the forest path. I don’t know why I couldn’t wish myself to the rec department. Maybe there’s a trick to it, something I haven’t figured out yet.

I’m almost to the dock, ready to dive into the river, when a voice calls out, “It’s about time you got here.”

I skid to a stop and slowly turn around. The crazy girl steps out from the shadows, smiling in a way that makes me want to punch her. She’s still holding the gun.

“What do you want from me?” I ask.

“I already told you,” she says, sauntering closer to where I’m standing. “I’m here to make sure you die. That’s your fate.”

If I was smart, I’d try to stall her. But I’m pissed. I close my eyes and suck air through gritted teeth.

“Don’t even think about shifting. I’ll put a bullet in your brain before you figure out what to do.”

“What does it matter? You’re going to kill me anyway. For no damn reason.” My voice snaps out in a snarl.

“Oh, but there is a reason. You’re supposed to die today. But you know what, I’m feeling generous. I think it was cruel for our father to dump you in this hellhole, all alone. Poor little Alora having to grow up in a strange place away from her mommy and daddy.” She lets out an eerie-sounding giggle. “Yeah, I’m going to be nice. You really should thank me.” She advances closer and extracts a small black circular object from her pocket.

I step back.

“Stay still,” she commands. The gun is now pointed at my heart. “It won’t hurt. I promise.”

“What is that thing?”

“This will help loosen up those old brain cells. It’ll make you remember everything you’re about to lose.”

Ice-cold fear crawls over every inch of my body. All I can do is watch helplessly as she extends her other hand and holds the object in front of my forehead. A bright green light blinds me, and a searing pain builds behind my eyes, burning into my skull. I try to scream, but I can’t.

Just as quickly as it started, the pain vanishes, and forgotten memories start to emerge.

At first it’s just fragmented images. Me as a little girl, squealing as my dad chases me through a Green Zone. My mom—the dark-haired woman from my dreams—helping me with a drawing. Both of them tucking me into bed at night. Birthday parties. So many memories consume me.

I start to smile, but it melts away as my last memories of them surface. Mom and Dad arguing. Dad saying we need to leave with him. Mom sending him away.

Later that night, some people from the DTA showed up. Mom ordered me to my bedroom. I was crying. Then I heard Mom yell, “Please, don’t!” She had warned me not to come out, but I had to know what was wrong. I rushed to the living room and saw a blonde woman and two men. Mom was lying in a pool of blood.

I screamed at the same time Dad materialized behind me. He pulled me back into my room and locked us inside. “Do you have your Jewill?” he asked.

I reached up to my neck, touching it under my shirt. He just gave it to me a few days before. He told me not to tell Mom about it.

Dad kneeled and looked me directly in my eyes. “Alora, this is very important. We have to go.”

“But, Mommy . . .”

“Close your eyes.” He took both of my hands in his. “And whatever you do, don’t let go. Do you understand?”

I couldn’t stop shaking, but I nodded.

The next thing I knew, we were standing on the edge of a river at night. The heat was suffocating. He told me how much loved me and he needed to get Mom, but he had to leave me for a little while. I was going to stay with his sister—a sister I didn’t know he had.

I shake my head, fully understanding what happened. Even though my shifting abilities hadn’t emerged yet, Dad was still able to take me to 2003 because I was born with the time-bending gene. But Dad wasn’t supposed to leave me with Aunt Grace this long. He was going to save Mom and bring her to this time. The perfect way to escape the DTA.

“What happened to my father?” I ask.

The girl’s mouth curls into a cruel smile. “My mother made him pay for what he did.”

I want to claw her eyes out. I’d give anything to hurt her, show her what it feels like to have your life ripped away from you.

From out of nowhere, a deep voice commands, “Put the gun down.”