Chapter Thirty

I started walking quickly down the hallway towards David. I eyed him suspiciously when he looked my way. “What are you doing here?” I asked once he was in earshot.

“I have something for you.” David thrust some papers into my hands. I looked down at them. Ugh. Not again. Couldn't they at least give me a longer notice? “Her name is Gloria Stewarts,” he whispered.

“Why tell me now?” I hissed. “You could have told me this morning or a few days ago.”

“We were going to tell you tomorrow,” David explained.

“Well, why didn’t you?”

“We just received notice that this is her last day at school. It’s now or never. Get her to the Institution today,” he said quietly, and with that, he turned and left the building.

Annoyed, I watched him go then looked down at the picture. I knew Gloria to be the quiet girl who always sat in the back of my Spanish class. I hurriedly stuffed the papers in between the pages of one of my books and headed to class. How was I supposed to get Gloria to the Institution? I spent the rest of the period thinking about that instead of the lesson, and by the end of the day, I had a plan. It was a pretty lame plan, but a plan, nevertheless.

“Gloria!” I called once I saw her outside the building, starting to walk home.

She looked up and saw me, seeming confused about why I was talking to her. I wondered if she even knew who I was. I groaned inwardly. Embarrassment and anxiety were human emotions I was starting to become very well acquainted with.

“That road is really backed up with construction,” I told her, feeling the lie burn on my tongue. “When I drove by it this morning there was no room on the side of the road for anyone to walk.”

“It was fine this morning,” she said, her eyebrows furrowing in puzzlement.

“Well, I got here late,” I explained.

“Oh.” She didn’t sound convinced.

“I just wanted to let you know so you don’t get caught up in all that,” I said, trying to sound friendly. “Do you want to walk with me? The long way around passes by my house.”

She looked up and after a moment, smiled hesitantly. “Okay.”

Suddenly, I felt this terrible feeling gnawing away at the pit of my stomach, threatening to consume me. I felt so guilty about what I was doing. Gloria had no idea what lay in store for her. And neither did I. All I knew was that it wasn’t good. But somehow I found myself still leading her down the sidewalk, closer and closer to the Institution.

We talked a little on the way, not about much, just small things that didn’t really matter. Just things to pass the time and make the situation less awkward. I silently screamed at the creators for putting me through this, and at myself for wishing it.

When we finally came just a few yards away from the Institution, I blanked. What now?

“My house is that way,” Gloria informed me, pointing across the street where the road forked.

“Um, okay,” I said, trying to think fast. I looked frantically back and forth between Gloria and the Institution. What should I do?

They’re going to be so angry if I don’t get her in there, I thought.

A part of me told me to just grab her arm and haul her inside, but for some reason my body just wouldn’t move.

Do your job, Drew, something inside of me screamed. Just do it.

But before I could make any decision, the doors to the Institution burst open and about five androids ran out towards Gloria. I saw the curiosity in Gloria’s eyes turn to fear when she realized they were directed at her. She screamed and tried to run the other way, but they were faster and caught her quickly. Almost too quickly. The way an owl might easily devour an unprotected mouse.

“Drew!” she cried, looking at me in disbelief.

Her imploring eyes turned accusatory, but any words I might have said died inside of me and shriveled into nothing. I could only stare in horror as they hauled Gloria towards the steps, guilt entwining itself within me at the realization of what I’d done.

They dragged the screaming Gloria into the building and I ran after them. I watched as she was pulled through the doors at the end of the hallway like all the others. I grabbed one of the creators by the arm as he came out the door. “What are you doing to her?” I asked him.

He shook me off. “Nothing.”

“It’s not right, whatever it is,” I called after him. “It’s not right!”

He turned around to confront me. “Look,” he told me. “This is your mission. It’s what you were created to do. So do it.” He didn’t look happy. “This school you’re going to and your friends are getting in the way of all this. So unless you shape up, we’re gonna take you away from it.” He turned and headed out of the room.

I watched him go, not even sure what emotions were bubbling around inside of me. They weren’t nice emotions like I had first experienced—happy, laughing. They were cold and sickly, threatening to turn me into something evil I never knew I was capable of becoming. And it scared me.

“Just play it right to get what you want,” I heard Yvonne’s voice from behind me.

I didn’t even turn around to greet her. I wasn’t sure which Drew would spring to life upon seeing her; the old Drew, the rebellious Drew, or this new girl, full of anger and hatred and emotions that frightened me more than creators did and whatever they were doing.

I didn’t look at Yvonne. I just left the room.