I will not think of it. A song. I need a song. Fia sings songs. I will not think of it; I cannot think of it; I will not think of it.
“A pillar,” James says. “A statue. A skyscraper. A blimp.”
Don’t say it, I think, don’t say it.
“A sculpture. An airplane. An arch.”
My
mind snaps; I don’t think the word but it’s enough. Doris lets out a derisive laugh. “That’s it. She didn’t want you to say that one. A huge silver arch.”
“St. Louis. I need ten men. We’ll leave immediately.”
“Want me to put any Seers on it?”
“No use. Annabelle’s the only one who can see Fia well, and she’s already done her job. Thank you, Doris. That will be all.”
“I’ll go order dinner,” Eden says softly, squeezing my shoulder. “You feel like Thai? We’ll do manicures, and tomorrow…” Her voice breaks a little. I know she hates Fia, but she feels what I feel. She knows. “Things will be better. See you at home.”
I hear them leave, numb with despair. My own traitor thoughts have destroyed my sister.
“You should have just told me,” James says. “You make it so hard.”
“Please, James. Please. I saw her. And she was happy. Or she could be, at least. She was out, away from all this. You say you care about her. Let her stay out.”
“What about you? You know what it means if she doesn’t come back.”
“It doesn’t matter. She deserves a chance. Please don’t take it away from her.”
There’s a pause. It’s long, too long. Then he says softly, thoughtfully, “How do you know she was happy?”
“She laughed. Really laughed. And she let him hold her hand.”
“Him?” His voice is hard. I sink back into the bed. I have done it again. I have said the wrong thing and lost whatever chance I had. “She was with a guy? Who was he?”
“Please. Let her go. We can both let her go.”
He snarls. “None of us gets out, Annie. We are all too steeped in blood for that.” And then, when I am flinching for his next battery of words, he surprises me by sounding sad. “You said Adam Denting was bigger than you and Fia. So is what I’m doing. And I can’t let her go.”
I remember what Fia told me, about who the real Keane behind the school was. “What would your mother say?”
“That’s just it. Nothing. Because she got out and left the rest of us here to deal with this mess. Now get up. I’m taking you back.”
I will never get away, and Fia will always be dragged in because of me.
ANNIE
Six Months Ago
I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SEE.
So far, the information I’ve found out by being friendly and listening when I’m not supposed to is limited. Mostly things I already know. The school isn’t a school so much as a testing ground for psychic talent. Only girls, too. I thought they might have an equivalent place for boys, but for whatever reason, boys can’t do any of these things.
Which means thoughts and feelings are safe around security guards. It’s something.
Girls are quickly weeded out for not being skilled, thus the reason the classes get so small so fast. Those who have strong enough abilities are slowly but surely sucked in, and those who can be trusted are moved up and out to do who knows what for Keane.
They never come back.