The Warriors Of Eden

Chapter 6

I hear the bell go off but I don't move. I just close my eye, pressing the pillow against my ears, trying to ignore the sound. I wish I could sleep. But now it's time to get up, put on makeup, curl my hair... a bunch of things I could care less about. Well, today, I decide, I will not get up and do anything of the sort. I feel so empty. So lost. And I can miss a bikking day of school.

Two or three hours go by and I still don't get a wink of sleep. I think I barely blink. I just stare blankly at the ceiling.

The Centers torturers are very good at their job, aren't they?

I hear a knock at the door and I don't get up to get it. They knock again. Then again. Now I'm annoyed. There's a pause and the lock starts to turn on its own. Two possibilities run through my head. (A) It's Center guards coming to take me away or (b) it's Lachlan. Who else would pick my lock? Perhaps it's a burglar? Or someone obsessed with me? Whoever it is I'll just use the knife under my pillow on them.

The door slowly opens and I clutch the hilt of the knife, closing my eyes, pretending to be asleep. Whoever's entered my room is near me now. They take my blanket, pulling it higher up on my body, covering my shoulders. I jab my knife up, straight for the gut without looking to see who it is. He grabs my wrist, pinning it to the backboard of my bed. It's just Lachlan. He's raising a sardonic eyebrow at me.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have study hall?" I ask, propping myself up on my elbow. It's a Saturday so we don't have "school" but we have a mandatory study hall.

"Aren't you going to apologize?" He says, sitting on the edge of my bed. "You tried to kill me."

"Aren't you? You broke into my room."

"Only because you wouldn't let me in. And yeah, I had study hall but I noticed you were absent when your posse had their little parade," he says then brushes a hair out of my face.

"Oh, they took their walk without me? I'm sure they enjoyed that very much. Well," I let out a sigh, "I'll just have to punish them." I lay my head back down on the pillow, feeling dizzy. "But that's the least of my worries."

"What's on your mind?" He asks, laying next to me now. I hand him the vanilla folder from my nightstand and he takes a moment to read through them. After a minute he sits up, rubbing his chin. He takes another minute then sighs. "Bik."

"Who would have thought?" I mumble, closing my eyes, feeling suddenly relaxed.

"Hawk? She's had Hawk spy on you?" He asks. "I was starting to like that guy. What do we do? We have to take him to The Underground. We can't just leave him to spy on you. He could be reporting to Elena as we speak. We could be found out."

"And what will you do with him? Kill him?" I ask, angry but too tired to show my concern.

"Do we have a choice?"

"Yes," I say, turning around. "You don't know Elena as I do. She's a manipulator. She's probably told him terrible things to convince to do such a thing."

"I'm sorry Rowan but I don't think it makes any difference," he says and I can tell he's regretful. "I agree with you, he's a nice guy, but..."

"Let's pretend you're right, hmm? So what do we do? Kidnap him and take him to The Underground for questioning? The most popular guy in school? And then what do you think Elena will do? I can promise you she's not just going to stop. Listen! We know her plans now. We have a whole folder full of information. We know who she's having watching me. Lachlan, this is a good thing! Don't mess it up." I end my speech with a sigh.

"I suppose that's true," he says with a grin.

"What are you smiling about?" I ask.

"Nothing. Just you. Being so intellegent...and opinionated." He winks at me. "So I will agree with you if you answer a question for me."