The Society

The Society Chapter 2

Chapter 2

           When we finally made our way out of the white building Irina squealed. It was too loud. There were too many people. I didn't feel right. Tons of people walked past me. I lost Irina. I was caught up in the crowd. Somehow I found myself in a dark alley. Someone wearing a white hood came closer to me. I thought about screaming. But in our perfect world nothing went wrong. The person grabbed my hand. I tried to pull away until I realized the figure put something in my hand. The figure dashed away as quickly as they had come. I looked down at the paper in my hand. It was a slip. The same paper they used for the ceremony. I opened it. Chantelle Paige Markel: ELITE. Elite? What did that even mean? It wasn't a job. I turned to the back. Tell no one. We meet Monday. In the tower of  solstice. My eyes widened. Was I being picked for a special job? A job no one knew about? Ivy did say that maybe I could find a cure for the disease. I just knew that that was what it was about. I shoved the slip into my pocket.
        "There she is!" I heard Irina shout. I saw my friends running towards me. Irina hugged me tightly. "This is just so amazing! I'm an Entertainer! And you, oh Chan you're a Healer! Congrats!" She hugged me again.
        Daniel hugged me after. "Congrats, babe." I looked up at him and smiled. I looked into his green eyes and felt special. I just knew that when it was time to take the pill, I would take it with him.
        "Oh my gosh! How did I forget? Daniel, what are you?" I asked excitedly. He smiled at me.
        "You are looking at a future Law Holder," he replied. I gasped. Irina squealed. I hugged Daniel again. I knew that this was the beginning of our lives. I tried to picture a life for us. A life where I came home from a long day at the hospital to find he already made dinner for the kids. I tried so hard to picture it. I couldn't, but I hadn't taken the pill yet. I felt someone grab my arm. The warmth hit immediately. I turned.
        "Hey, Chantelle. We need to talk." I looked up at the dark eyes that looked into my own. I tried again to remember when Harlen's voice got so deep.
        "Oh. Um, hi Harlen? I'm just a little busy right now," I replied uncomfortably.
        "It's fine, I'll wait. I'll be at the bench, don't forget I'm walking you home tonight," Daniel answered. He nodded at Harlen. I smiled at him again. Harlen ushered me away from the crowds. He grabbed my hands and looked into my eyes.
        "Chan, we can't do this. It's getting worse. I can't go through with this. They're doing this on purpose. I think they know that I know," Harlen said. He sounded so panicked. He ran his hands through his hair.
        "What are you talking about?" I asked. He sounded crazy. He looked at me questioningly. I took my hands away. He looked down and I swear I almost saw a hurt look cross his face.
        "The Society? The memories? Hello Chantelle are you awake," he said rolling his eyes.
        "Um, I'm sorry Harlen. I really have no idea what you're talking about. Are you feeling okay?" I watched his face fall. He took my hands again.
        "They already got to you. When did this happen? When did they take your memories?" Harlen rambled. I pulled my hands away again. I took a step back.
        "Look Harlen, I have no idea what you're talking about. I think I'm gonna go. It's getting late," I said. I took another step back. His hand grabbed my arm, harder this time. I turned.
        "Chantelle, I'm sorry. I know it doesn't make sense. It will, I promise. Just-" he took a step closer and put his mouth near my ear. "Just come to the meeting. Talk with the Elite. Remember," he was whispering. His breath was warm against my skin. Somehow, I still shivered. I looked into his eyes. He was pleading. I nodded at him very slowly. I turned and found my way back to Daniel.
     *                                   *                                      *                               
        I was quiet the whole walk home. I couldn't stop thinking about my encounter with Harlen. How did he know about the Elite? I couldn't imagine Harlen being a Healer. Daniel must have sensed something was off, he grabbed my hand. I smiled at him, grateful for the gesture. We stopped outside my house. He turned me to look at him. He grabbed my hands the same way Harlen did. Daniel's hands were cold.
        "Hey, I know something's up. You've seemed off tonight. Whatever it is, you can tell me," he said in a serious tone. I should have been grateful. I should have been happy. For some reason I was annoyed. I squinted my eyes at him.
        "Alright, thanks for walking me home. Goodnight, Daniel," I said. I was anxious to go see my father. Daniel studied me. I didn't like the way he was looking at me.
        "I love you, Chan?" He said it as a question. I frowned. Daniel and I weren't able to feel love. "But I think our careers will pull us different ways." I looked up. I was not expecting that. He didn't look like he was dumping me. His words sounded like it, but his tone didn't. Finally, he smiled his Daniel smile and told me goodnight. I walked up the brick steps, and into my warm home.
        "Chantelle? Is that you?" I heard dad's voice immediately. I went into the kitchen and hugged him. He had made chicken and dumplings. I cocked my head. He only made that for special occasions. That wasn't my favorite though. It was-
        "Hey Chanty," I ran and hugged my big sister. Her long black hair fell over her shoulders. Her carmel eyes met mine.
        "Shay! What are you doing home?" I asked my sister. Shay was 21. She was never home. She was always at the capitol at school. Shay was studying to be a member of The Society. She was going to be very respected someday.
        "You didn't think I would miss my little sister's job selection, did you?" She smiled at me. Dad lead us both over to the table.
        "Stop leaving us in suspense, Chanty, tell us what you got!" Dad said.
        "I'm a Healer!" I squealed. Dad and Shay both told me how happy they were. After dinner I went to my room. My room was my safe haven. My bedspread was white. I had lights above my bed that were turned on. My fall scented candle was still burning. I sat at my desk and looked at my bulletin board. I looked at the picture of mom.
        "I did it mommy," I said to the picture. "I'm a Healer. I wish you were here to see it. They didn't even call your name. They act like you don't exist. I'll never forget your name. I'll keep you alive. Emberly." I whispered her name. I drooped my head until I heard Shay's muffled voice in the other room. I leaned towards the wall.
        "I don't know, Ivy. I don't think they would recruit anyone. I think that they're organization is dead. We have nothing to worry about. Plus, if there is anyone from the Elite, we'll just have to send a Roanoke. It's what they're here for," Shay whispered into the phone.
        I jumped back. They were going to send a Roanoke after the Elite. I wasn't a child. I knew what a Roanoke was. I knew it was their job to make people disappear. The Roanoke are highly trained assassins. And they were going to kill anyone that they knew was an Elite. The society was trying to kill people. The society was trying to kill me.