Considering how rushed he was last night, when he dropped me off, it tickled my heart that he took the time to write me a letter and drop it off. I wondered where he was at that moment, just how far he had traveled or if he wound up stopping somewhere that wasn’t too far away. I knew he couldn’t have ended up anywhere in the west because California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona were gone.
“Well, who’s it from then?” my mother inquired.
I hugged the letter to my chest to keep her from seeing it. “Nobody important.”
Frankie giggled. “I think Georgie has a boyfriend.”
“I do too,” my mother said to Frankie. “But let’s let Georgie worry about her own boy problems, okay.”
Frankie hopped to her feet. “Okay.”
My mother rose from the bed. “Get ready for breakfast girls.” She walked out of the room and Frankie followed her.
I waited until I couldn’t hear their footsteps anymore and then I tore into the letter, pulling the paper free from the envelope.
Then I scanned each word, like I was permanently embedding them in my mind.
Georgina,
I’m sorry our conversation got out of control at some point yesterday. Believe me, that was the last thing I wanted. Mark has given me clear instructions on where I’m supposed to go. Somewhere East. According to him, there is an area close to where Canada used to be that has been untouched by The Great Famine.
I guess he and his family will begin their journey there tomorrow—which is today for you by the time you actually get to read this letter.
I’ve truly enjoyed the little time I spent with you and I will think of you always .And if the place where I’m headed really hasn’t been touched by the asteroid or The Great Famine, I will come back for you, I promise.
Folding up the letter, I shoved it under my bed before any one of my family members had the chance to come in and catch me with it. Then I remained in bed soaking every word in.
A place untouched by The Great Famine. That had to be a distorted story or illusion Mr. Baker had dreamt up. The Great Famine had destroyed the entire world. Even though, I knew Owen was strong, him making the journey alone worried me. Real cannibals. The decayed ones. Both of those creatures would be out there past our little colony.
Thinking back to my time on the new earth, I remembered when I was out there alone, without Colin, and someone or something was toying with me. After my mother educated me on the decayed ones I realized that I’d had my first encounter with one. How did I know? Cannibals didn’t toy with their food. They killed you quickly, eager to ease the hunger pains in their stomach.
What I encountered in the middle of the desert/earth that day enjoyed making me afraid. They enjoyed watching me squirm every time they came too close. Definitely not a cannibal. Most definitely a decayed one.
Frankie busted through the door, interrupting my thoughts. “Georgie, come quick!” she squealed.
“What is it Frankie? Did something happen? Where’s Mom?”
“No, nothing happened,” she sighed. “The Bakers are leaving. I thought you’d want to see. All the colonists are gathered in the hall.”
Still in my pajamas, I hopped off my bed and stood in my doorway. Colonists lined the hall as the Baker family walked up the center, carrying all of their belongings .The remaining members of the council stood in front of the rope ladder and Mr. Baker scowled at me as he walked by. “You’re going to pay for this,” he growled. “This is all your fault.”
I smirked. “Why, because I wouldn’t roll over and play dead?”
He glowered at me and turned his attention to my father as my father helped Elise up onto the ladder. Mr. Vickers was waiting at the top, with the slab of boulder already removed for their departure. One-by-one, each member of the Baker family ascended until Mr. Baker was the only one left. “You will all regret this.”
I glanced down the hall. Several colonists shook their heads in disappointment. A few of them even flipped him the bird. I turned back toward the ladder as Mr. Baker began his climb. At the top, he took one last look at what he was leaving behind and never looked back.
Then Mr. Vickers climbed back inside, closed off the exit, and that’s when the entire colony erupted in a chorus of cheers.
Later on, after the harmonious celebration of the Baker family’s departure, I sought out May, her husband Ed, Grace, my mother, father, and Frankie. The secrets I was holding in were weighing heavily on me for the last few days. And now, I knew that I needed to tell them all exactly what I’d learned about a man named Mark Baker.
Huddled together in the tiny infirmary, I stood in front of them, all of their eyes on me as I cleared my throat.
“What is this about, honey?” my mother asked. Her eyes zoomed in on my fingers as I played with them. I was always fidgety when I was nervous and my mother could always tell. She’d say it was her “motherly intuition.” I’d say it was because she always kept me under tight wraps.
“There are some things that I need to tell you guys,” I began, “That’s why I called all of you in here.” I faced the Vickers family and let out a strenuous sigh. “Monica is dead.” I knew everyone assumed she might have been, but they were never certain.
When a person disappears, even though its most likely that they’re dead, people, especially family hope that they aren’t. Grace glared at me. “Is this some kind of joke?”
I didn’t know how to take Grace’s tone. She was my best friend. Why the snarky tone? Wasn’t she supposed to trust me?
“It’s not a joke,” I scoffed. “I would never joke about something like that.”
May’s eyes were watering up. “How do you know, Georgie?” she asked. At that point Ed grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.
“I overheard a conversation between Mr. Baker and Mr. Martin. Mr. Baker is an evil, evil man and he had this plan that started with Monica.” I continued on with my story, trying as hard as I could not to look at their faces. Every now and then, I’d catch a glimpse of Grace who was sobbing or May who was hysterical, burying her head into Ed’s shirt. Ed was doing his best to stay strong, but even he was having a hard time.
Then I went into the next portion of the story. “Supposedly, every kid in the colony has a censor that has been imbedded in their brain.” Grace and Frankie glanced at each other with funny looks on their faces. My mother’s mouth dropped open and my father was so angry, I could hear him grinding his teeth.
May stood up. All the color had drained from her face but she had stopped crying, for now. I knew that once the Vickers family was in the safety of their quarters, they wouldn’t have to try and hold it back. They could cry out every tear in their bodies for Monica. “Well,” said May. “There is only one way for us to find out about these censors.” She patted the metal table next to her. “Grace, honey…”
Grace cut her off. “You don’t have to tell me twice. If there is some censor in my head, I want it out!”
We all watched intensely as Grace laid down on the table. May moved toward her, a long needle in her hand. Then she inserted the needle into the top of Grace’s head. Grace winced as the needle went in and let out a woozy sigh when it came out. May placed her hand on Grace’s arm. “You okay, sweetie?”
Grace smiled. “I’m fine. You think that having a mother as my doctor would make me used to this kind of stuff by now.” Soft laughter echoed throughout the room as May palmed a scalpel.