Proper is Stupid Anyway

PROLOUGE

"Rylie, your parents haven't gone yet." All three looked at me.

"Let me think this through." I almost yelled. My parents are in the resistance, so are Lily' s and Maddy's and Lizzy's. All of their parents were taken already, and they stayed with my parents. If they all were taken, that means...

I felt my eyes widen. All of my friends looked at me, and the realization hit them. I took off down the tree house and started running to my house.

"Wait, Rylie! They'll see you!" Lily called from behind me. I turned around.

"They've seen me, all right. They've been watching us this whole time. They'll find us. But you know what, I really don't care right now!" I yelled. I continued running. Mom, please be home, dad too. Please. I opened my front door and ran inside. Crying, I heard a baby's cry.

I run into the nursery. "Jeremy. Thank god you're ok." I hugged the baby close to my chest.

I have to get him somewhere safe. Mrs.Hegstin. She loves him, which is better than what I could ever say for myself. But I can't talk to her, I have to do it the old fashioned way. I grabbed blankets and a basket, and quickly wrote a note.

I lugged him to her front doorstep and rung the bell.

"I love you Jeremy." I whispered and kissed his forehead. She's coming. I ran into the bushes to watch.

Mrs.Hegstin came out and picked up the note.

Please take care of him. He needs love and protection, and I can't provide that right now. Please tell him I love him.

She picked him up and brought him inside. It was done. He's safe.

I sulked away when Maddy grabbed me. We were crouching in another set of hedges.

"What do we do now?" Adele asked. They all looked at me. I'm the leader. I looked at all of them back.

"We find our parents."