Fallen

Chapter Eleven

~11~

            I tell him everything, starting with the conversation my mom and I had the day before she was murdered.

            Murdered.

             I still can’t process the thought, even though I know she’s gone.

            When I tell him about the note my mother left me he grows completely silent. I tell him how I cut off my Pod and how I immediately left. When I’ve completed my story, I look over at him.

            “I don’t think I will ever discover the secret,” I frown. “I don’t want to let her down. She trusts me.” Before I realize what is happening, I begin to cry. I put my face in my hands, suddenly embarrassed.

            Even though all I see is my palms, I can still hear Alex, “Listen. You are strong, brave, and courageous; I’ve learned that from your story. You will discover the secret. Trust me.”

            I do. I lift my face from my palms and wipe my eyes. I look over and can tell that he is sitting even closer to me now. I lean over and hug him, discovering that my head fits perfectly between his shoulder and neck.

            I quickly break away from our position, realizing this shouldn’t be happening. “What’s wrong?” he asks.

            “Nothing,” I reply. “Can I have a minute?”

            He looks upset, “Absolutely. I’ll just go take a little walk over there,” he motions to the area of the woods to the left of the site, where we came in. He gets up and pats his thigh with his hand, “C’mon Daisy.” She hops off the log and follows him, her coat shining by the firelight. They walk deeper into the woods until I can no longer see them.

            Then I break down.

            Tears stream down my face faster than they have in the last twenty-four hours.  I know that I shouldn’t be feeling this way. I just witnessed my mother die before my eyes and I’m worrying about a pity crush I have on a boy I just met! If my parents saw me now, they would scold me and tell me how foolish I’m acting.

            All relationships that happen must first be approved by the society.  The head of each town choose who they think would be happy together, and set them up on a date. If anyone is unhappy on the date, they can refuse to go out again, but they can’t just choose whoever they want to go out with.

            Then it hits me: I am no longer part of our ‘perfect’ society. I am not part of the same group of people that killed my mother and, possibly, Alex’s parents. I don’t have to play by their rules anymore because I don’t live in the town anymore.

            I don’t live anywhere anymore, not until I find my father and fix the society.

            “Rose?” I hear Alex crunching leaves as he walks back toward me, Daisy barking behind him, “Do you need me to go walk a little longer?”

            “No,” I answer when he’s back in the campsite. “I’m fine.”

            Perfectly fine.