“Luna!” Abigail calls urgently.
Startling, I jump back. Maria mirrors my response. “What’s wrong?” I ask, my heart pumping like crazy. “You frightened me.”
“I’m sorry, Maria. You have to leave.” Abigail takes her by the arm, and lifts her from her seat.
“But it’s only one, I still have half an hour of my lesson left,” I say looking at Abigail with confusion.
Abigail’s body is rigid, but her eyes are wild. “Get shoes on, and hurry up,” she says to me.
Maria leaves without even a backward glance. “What’s going on?” I ask. I don’t even have a chance to say goodbye to Maria.
“Just please, get your shoes on. We have to go.” I trust Abigail, and know this level of urgency means something bad has happened. Sliding my feet into my shoes, I find her pacing in front of the door. She’s on her phone, listening to whoever’s talking. “On our way now.” She hangs up, opens the door, and waits for me.
“Why are you so agitated?” I ask as we head down to where her car is parked.
“Someone leaked your story.”
“Is that supposed to mean something to me?”
“Remember those cameras taking your photo?” I nod my head. “We put a gag order on them, meaning they couldn’t say anything about you or they could end up in prison.”
“Okay, has that changed?”
“Someone from the station leaked your story. It’s out, which means the plan has to move forward.”
“What plan?” We get in the car, I buckle up, and turn to look at Abigail.
“I’m taking you to work. They need your help.” I look at her hands, and they’re shaking as she drives. She’s nervously biting on her lower lip. Her eyes are narrowed, and her shoulders are tight and back. This is the most tense I’ve seen Abigail in all the time I’ve been with her. This isn’t a side of her I know.
“Is it bad?” I ask, afraid of the answer.
“It’s not good.”
“Is Cain okay?” I feel the thumping of my heart in my ears.
She’s silent. Her lips flatten into a thin line. Oh no. Cain’s hurt. My worry is replaced with anger, and out of sheer hatred for them, I burst into tears. I’m so mad at myself. I should’ve done something to help. I should’ve done more. Anything. I’ve done nothing, not a single thing. It’s my fault. It’s all my fault. If I never left, he’d be okay.
“As far as I know, Cain’s okay,” her voice soothes. However, her eyes keep looking in the mirror, checking behind us. This isn’t good.
I exhale, long and slow. Thank you, I whisper in my head. The drive to Abigail’s work seems to go by slowly. My head is filled with jumbled thoughts of what could be happening inside God’s Haven. I really have no idea what the police are doing. They’ve told me nothing.
Abigail parks in the underground garage. She walks with determination and speed. “What’s happening?” I ask again, although I know my question will be answered shortly. I just don’t like the silence, or the way Abigail is tense with worry.
“They’re waiting for us,” she says as the elevator door dings opens. “This way.” I turn to follow Abigail, and suddenly I’m not feeling so well.
She walks down a long corridor, then turns and waits for me to catch up. I’m walking slower, watching everything happening around us. It’s busy, with people walking around. “What’s happening?” I ask again. I’m sick of asking, but everything is insanely intense.
“We’re in here,” she says and disappears into a room. I follow her into a room with walls that are made of glass, but I can’t see in because there are coverings over them.
I enter, and stop just inside the door.
“Oh my…” I say, startled.
“Welcome, Luna, I’m glad you could come,” Jason says as he approaches me.
This room is large, and I quickly count the people in here. I instantly recognize Jason, Alec, and Stacey. Those three are at the front of the room. More faces, men and women sit at other tables in the room. All eyes are on me, and I feel very uncomfortable.
Turning, I want to leave, escape from all the people and their inquisitive eyes. But something catches my focus.
“Wh… what is this?” I slowly walk toward a large white board at the front of the room. There are all sorts of things written on it. But what captures my attention are the photos. One of them is of Cain. He has his head slightly down, but I know it’s him. I step forward, reaching out to touch his face. “Cain,” I whisper and place my other hand to my chest. I try to take in what’s up on the board, but my rapid breathing and the tears in my eyes stops me from seeing anything but Cain. “When…?” I can’t finish the question.
“These were taken today,” Stacey answers my partially-asked question.
My body covers in goosebumps. “He’s okay.” I stare at him, so happy to finally see him. There are other pictures, but the only one I’m completely drawn to, is the one Cain is in. “Why does he look so sad?” I turn to ask Jason. He looks away, unable to answer my question.
It feels so good to see him, but also sad because I can’t hug him and tell him everything’s okay. I want to get him out, to show him how the devil, the one the Elders keep filling our heads with, is nothing but a great big lie.
“Luna?” I don’t turn to look at Jason, instead I nod my head while drinking in Cain’s picture. “We need your help.”
Tears slowly roll down my cheeks, and I can’t help the emotions boiling inside me. I’m a melting pot of overwhelming feelings, none of them good. Not one ounce of positivity is left inside me. I’m furious, not at myself, but at the Elders. They’ve lied to all of us. Every single person in God’s Haven is a victim of their dishonesty.
I gather every morsel of strength I have in my body, anger and hatred fueling the furious beast inside me. I take one last look at Cain, and turn to find Jason standing close as all the other eyes are still on me.
“What do you want me to do?” Elders, I’m coming for you.