Naomi Grim (The Silver Scythe Chronicles) Part 1
Page 9
* * *
Three days left. We were spending the next two days of our training going over academics. It didn't really matter what type of marks we got, but we didn't need to draw attention to ourselves by being totally clueless.
This was the most boring part, and after an hour, my mind shut down, refusing to take in any more information. There were so many topics and things to learn. I could understand that. Human children had to be prepared for whatever occupation they wanted to be, whether it be a teacher, doctor, lawyer, architect, or whatever. We didn't have that issue in Nowhere. Everyone was a Grim and that was it. All we had to study were the rules of the Covenant and our four core subjects.
Doyle had typed a list of subjects on the screen reflected on our living room wall—English, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, World History, American History, Economics, Chemistry, Biology, and so many others. Then we would also have to take something called Physical Education that sounded completely inhumane. There was no way I was going to take this all in by the time we would be dispatched. I pretended to study and look through the various textbooks Doyle had provided us. While the others read and took notes, I merely looked at the pictures.
When class was over, Keira came upstairs with me. She went through my closet so we could coordinate our outfits for high school.
I lay face down on my bed, my face buried in my black comforter, while Keira rambled on about today's fashionable teen.
"I'm going back to Litropolis," I blurted out, cutting her off mid-sentence.
"What?"
I sat up and looked at her. "I have to tell that boy's mother what happened. It's been eating at me since last night."
Keira sighed and shut my closet door. "Nay, let me put this in perspective for you. We were caught once going to Litropolis and we've already had years subtracted—your fault, by the way. We got caught again last night, and we both know how Dunningham reacts to repeated offenses. We got away with it, and you want to push your luck by going a third time?"
"Our luck. I need you to come with me."
"No." Keira folded her arms across her chest and plopped on my bed. "Absolutely not. You and Bram have dragged me there twice. Not again."
"Oh, come on, Keir. Think about those poor women, wondering where their sons are. They might think they're dead or something."
"I'm sure at some point they'll figure it out. I'm not going and neither are you. Nay, this is stupid. Why risk so much for something that's not really that important?"
It may have been stupid, but I honestly didn't think we'd get in trouble if we got caught. Reynold didn't seem to angry the night before.
I sat up. "Okay, but aren't you nervous at all about going to this high school? I mean, we've never had to do this before—live as one of them. We've always just lurked in the shadows."
Keira nodded. "A little. I just hope we fit in okay and nothing goes wrong."
"Like what?"
Keira shook her head and fiddled with a stray string on the sleeve of her hoodie.
"Like what? What could go wrong?" I repeated.
"Your family. You get too involved and emotionally attached, and Bram is a hothead."
I tried to push those accusations aside. "So what? You think we're going to blow our cover or something?"
Keira shrugged. "I don't know, but if there's a way to mess something up, you or your brother will find it. He's a horrible influence on Josh. All my brother talked about last night was how exhilarating it was to fight with those boys."
"Bram is a bad influence on everyone. I'm sorry that my brother is such a delinquent, okay?"
Keira stood and stretched. "I should get home and start going through my own closet. See you in the morning."
After Keira left, I slid on my boots and prepared to leave. I wanted to get to Litropolis and come back while it was still light out. Not that I had anything to be afraid of, besides being tossed into Gattica by the Watchers.
I left the house and walked briskly, hoping no one would stop and ask where I was going. I spotted Chase from a distance coming down the street—at least I thought it was him. He waved and I waved back before making a right turn and going out of his sight. I hoped he hadn't been headed to my house.
I walked through rows and rows of almost identical Farrington houses. Twenty-two rows I counted. The houses stopped, and there was still a little ways to get to the stream. I took the path through the shrubs as their sticks poked and prodded at me. I hummed to the rhythm of my boots hitting the ground until I noticed the sound of extra footsteps. I stopped. The other footsteps stopped. I walked again and the footsteps began again. I turned swiftly to see who was following me.
Chapter 8