Abigail has driven me to the holding facility where the children are. “You haven’t said much since you found out you and Cain are related. Two days of Luna not talking is something I’m not used to.”

“There’s a lot happening in my head. I know we’re brother and sister, and we can’t love each other like that, but how do I keep from feeling disappointed? I’ve asked Elise, and we’ve talked through it, but it’s still hard for me. For us,” I say knowing Cain is back at Abigail’s apartment with Elise right now. “I haven’t really had a chance to thank you for agreeing to take Cain in too. I know this must be difficult for you.”

“Until we can find the right placement for you both, it’s only right for you two to stay together.”

“Huh,” I huff as I look out the window. “Makes me wonder how many more brothers and sisters I have.”

“We’re studying the ledger. For the ones who are missing we need to do DNA testing.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“DNA is… um… This is hard to explain.”

“Should I look it up in my dictionary?” I ask.

She laughs. “Maybe it’ll explain it better than I can. But, basically, the easiest way for me to describe it to you is this; every person has saliva and blood. And every person’s saliva and blood is different. But, with family, there are similarities in their blood and saliva. There’s a link between relatives.”

I scratch my head and try to think how that would work. “Are you saying, your blood would be similar, but still different to your mom’s? But if you tested your and her blood, you could see you’re both related? But my blood and your blood, is completely different because we’re not related?”

“Exactly. So, for the children with no record, we’ll have to test their blood and saliva to see who their parents are, and who their siblings—brothers and sisters—are. It’s a long process, but I know we want to try and keep all the siblings together. No one wants to separate them.”

“Thank you for letting me talk to them.”

“It was Jason. The moment I told him you asked to speak to them, he was grateful.” We pull into a long driveway, and at the end of it, is a large house. “We’re here.”

I get out of the car, and my heart’s racing. This is all so new to them, I can only imagine what will be going through their minds.

Abigail takes the few steps up to the porch and opens the door. She goes in, and talks to a woman who’s here to greet us. The house is quiet, especially considering there are so many children here. I see Abigail talking to the woman, and I hear footsteps from a different direction. Turning, I see Jason walking toward me.

“Luna, I’m really happy you wanted to do this. The children are terrified of us. None of them are eating. Some haven’t even spoken. They’re barely sleeping. Anything you can do, would really help.”

I wasn’t prepared for them to be in such a bad state. “Is anyone talking with them?” I ask. “Like I have Elise, do they have anyone?”

“Yes, we have a team of counselors here, trying to talk with them. But not many of them are opening up.”

I try to think how I can help. “And they’re not eating?”

“I’m afraid not. And most are undernourished and need to eat. We’re terrified they’ll get sick.”

“Is there any way we can get some food now? Maybe out in the back, in the sun?”

“What have you got in mind?’ he asks.

“I’m going to try my luck and hopefully, get them to eat.”

“Anything you can do. I’ll get the cooks to prepare something.”

“Basic things. Some sandwiches, cookies, if there are any, and water. Nothing else. They’re not used to fancy food. Everything they have ever eaten has been prepared in the kitchens back in God’s Haven.”

“We know, but they’re refusing everything offered to them.”

“Can you take me to their rooms?” I ask.

“Sure, all the rooms are upstairs.”

He makes his way up the stairs and I follow. When we get to the first room, he goes to knock but I step forward and say, “I’ve got this. Maybe you can wait over there?” I point behind me. I don’t want the younglings becoming scared. They are already terrified to be ripped out of their homes. “If I can get them downstairs and eating, maybe you can have the counselors ready to step in when I think they’re ready.”

“I’ll go get the cooks started, and inform the counselors.”

He starts back downstairs, and I take a deep breath. I hope this works. Opening the door, I find three beds, and they have a youngling on each. Samantha turns her head to see who’s come in, and her face lights up. “Luna!” she shrieks.

“Luna? Is Luna here?” Julie calls as she jumps up off the bed.

“Luna?” Lauren squeals happily.

Before I know it, all the doors to the bedrooms are opening, and the young children are all coming out. This makes me so happy. They’re trying to get to me to hug me, some pushing others out of the way.

“I missed you all so much,” I say trying to hug each and every one of them.

“Is it really you?” Addison asks with tears in her eyes.

Suddenly, she bursts into tears, and some of the girls follow.

“Hey,” I say as I kneel down to hug them. “Why are you crying?”

“Because I’m scared,” Addison replies.

“Me too,” the other girls agree.

The boys look frightened. Standing back, unsure what to say or do. “Come give me a hug,” I say to them.

“But you’re a girl, and we’re not allowed to hug girls,” Adam says.

I have to let this go for now. They are dealing with enough changes already. But soon, I’ll have to explain how a lot of what the Elders told us was wrong.

“I don’t know about you all, but I’m starving. How about we go downstairs and have something to eat?” I back away, and take a step toward the stairs. The girls are still clinging to me, and I hold them as we slowly make our way down and out to the back yard. Already, there are tables with food and cookies and pitchers of water. I pick a sandwich up, and take a bite. The younglings watch me. “Mmm. This is so good. Who wants some?”

“Me!” Addison says, coming forward she waits for my permission to eat.

“You don’t have to wait for permission anymore. If it’s on the table, you can take it.”

“The men eat first,” she says looking over to the boys.

“No. Not out here. Out here, we all eat together.” I show her my sandwich and take a bite, trying to encourage her to do the same thing.

Addison picks up a sandwich, and while everyone is staring at her, she takes a small nibble. “Mmmm,” she moans in appreciation. “Yummy.”

“See, it’s good.” Soon, they all start to find their own courage, and begin to eat.

“Luna,” Addison says while she comes to sit beside me. All the children gather around, sitting on the ground close to me.

“Yes, Addison.”

“I’m scared to be out here,” she says and lowers her head in shame.

“Oh no, don’t be scared. Out here is nothing like how the Elders said it would be. Out here, there are people who want to help us. There are people to talk to about what makes you scared, and everyone is so kind.”

“But some people are different. Like I saw a man who was black. He had black skin,” Samantha says.

I have a little laugh, because I remember when I was first found, how I thought Abigail had a disease and her partner had been burnt. “There are all different types of people,” I say, but I can tell by the blank looks on all their faces, they don’t understand. “Samantha, you have dark brown hair, and I have light brown hair. Adam has blond hair and Lauren has red hair. We’re all different. People out here are different too. Some people have light skin, like all of us, some people have darker skin. It doesn’t make anybody bad, it just makes us all different.”

“The Elders told us you were sick,” Adam says.

“I wasn’t sick. I found a way to get out. And I’ve been out for a while now. And guess what I’ve been doing?”

“What?” they collectively ask.

“I’ve been learning.”

Some of the girls look at me in awe. “Can you read?” Samantha asks.

“I’m learning to, and I’m getting better and better. There’s so much more out here than there was in God’s Haven.” I watch as they all eat, and drink happily.

“When can we go back home?” Addison asks.

I place my hand on my heart, absolutely wrecked by having to tell them there is no more God’s Haven. Their home, my home, was never anything but a lie. “We can never go back,” I say slowly.

Some of the children look at me, as if I’ve given them the worst news of their lives. I suppose, for some of them, it is. “Why?” someone asks.

“Because God’s Haven wasn’t a real place.”

“But we lived there,” Addison adds.

“We did. And the Elders were wrong for doing what they did. They lied to us to keep us in there. And that’s not allowed.”

Samantha bursts into tears, and soon a few more girls do. They hug me, all clambering to get close to me. I’m the only face they know. To them, everything outside here is evil and dangerous. I have to show them it isn’t.

“Jason?” I turn to find him quite some distance away. “Jason!” I motion for him to come over to us and turn to the children. “This is my friend Jason. He works with people who want to help us.”

“Hello,” he says looming over all of us.

The children are too frightened to look up at him. This isn’t going to gain their trust. “Would you like to sit?’ I ask and pat the ground beside me.

Samantha moves back, making space. That in itself is something massive. “You can sit here,” she says in a timid, small voice.

“Thank you.” He pulls his pants up at the thighs, and sits on the ground beside me.

“This is my friend Jason. He’s special because he’s been helping all of us. And I’ve been helping him, too. I helped him get all of you out of God’s Haven. Do you know why I helped him?” Individually, they all shake their heads, but continue eating. “Because what the Elders told us was wrong.”

“Wrong? There’s no evil?” Samantha asks.

“Not like how the Elders told us,” I answer.

They look at me, at Jason, and then back to me. Addison gets up, grabs a cookie, and comes over to us. “You don’t look scary,” she says to Jason.

“Thank you, sweetheart. I don’t think I’m scary at all. Hmmm, that cookie looks delicious. Do you think I could have one?” he asks her. Addison stares at Jason with a wide-open mouth. The other girls do the same thing. They’re not used to a man asking. I’m about to say something, when Addison holds out her nibbled-on cookie to Jason. He takes it, and shoves it all in his mouth. “Thank you,” he says, chewing. Again, this isn’t something any of the children are used to. Courtesy.

“Jason has some special people here who want to talk to you. Do you think it’ll be okay if we bring them out, and maybe they can have sandwiches with us?” I ask the children. They trust me. “I know this is scary. But if you can let them help you, you’ll love being here. There’s so much to see, and do. And there’s so much to learn,” I say as I smile.

“I want to learn,” Addison says. It sends shivers down my spine, because inside God’s Haven, she’d never be able to, but here, she has infinite opportunities to do whatever she wants.

“Would it be okay with you, if I bring some of my friends over?” Jason takes the lead, and I’m grateful he has.

“Would you like another cookie?” Addison asks.

“I don’t think my tummy could fit another one.”

Addison gets another cookie, but this time when she returns, she sits right next to Jason. “You’re not like Elder William. He was always yelling at us. You don’t yell.”

“I do if I have to, but I don’t have to here.”

“When I’m of age, do I have to marry?”

“You don’t have to marry if you don’t want to. You can do anything you want.”

“I want to learn,” Addison says.

Something inside me melts. She’s a mini-me. I was like her, wanting to learn, and the Elders whipped me because of it. This is the very reason I decided to help the police. Because if Addison had stayed behind the wall, she would’ve ended up being nothing more than another of the Elders’ wives. And Addison, like everyone else, should be given the option to do whatever she wants.

Makes me wonder if Addison could also be my sister.

We’ll find out soon, I guess.