Chapter five

He unfolded the letter, it was on firm, plain white paper. His eyes scanned across it, becoming wider as he read. I hopped up, being careful not to fall over, and walked over to him, my feet making no noise due to the thick fuzzy carpet Finn bought for a tenner the other day.

“What is it Finn?” I whispered.
“Nothing we should be worrying about, yet anyway.” I asked if I could read it, but he shook his head. It went in the oven later (we had no fire) and then to the recycling, a bin so huge I wouldn’t be able to get it out and read the charred note. Finn’s pressure was released from him; it was easy to see, especially after I gave up on trying to get it out and returned to sitting on the sofa and reading. Then Finn asked me something I wouldn’t be able to refuse.

 

Two things in fact. The first was when I was half asleep, lying sprawled across the sofa, at about eleven at night. He joined me, but tried to give me space, which I refused and curled up next to him, snuggling into him. He whispered,
“Emberlyn, I need to get a job. We’re running low on money now.” He was right, we had less than twenty to make us last, and my all-consuming hunger for omlette, which I had now accepted as a craving, was costing us a lot of money, so it wouldn’t last long. I muttered a slurred yes before turning over and drifting into sleep.

 

The next day, Finn wandered down to the job place, I can’t remember names these days, to find a job. He was there a long while, deep within the heart of Dublin. I was scared the whole time he was gone, freaked out that he had been caught again, that he was in the back of the truck with no job. He might never come back to me, was what I thought at the time. But soon enough, he staggered through the door telling me that he was alright, and that he had a job. I asked what it was and he said,

“Something that will let us last, OK?” I nodded, “It’s hard to explain, but it will keep us going.”

“Yes. I know. But what?” I was determined as always.

“A handy-man. All my time at The Institution was spent working out how other things work, so hopefully this will work. Hey, I get a van and everything, and I start my driving course tomorrow! How cool?”

“Right. Is it white?”

“Yup.”

“Good. My favorite. Thanks Finn.” I slumped back and continued eating, one hand rested on my stomach. I sat up straight.

“What?” Finn sounded genuinely worried.

“It kicked.” My voice was whispered, nearly silent. Finn ran over to me and hugged me tight, talking to my stomach,

“Nearly there you little devil. Only three months now.” I sighed. How obsessed could a boy be with a child for God’s sake!

 

We also took to sitting in a canoe when Finn was off work, next to the mirror which was the water. This is when Finn tells me the second thing. He pointed at some ‘bird’ and of course I believed him. I span around, determined to find it and as I turned round, Finn had his head down, staring at something that my eyes followed. It was a ring he was holding up to me.

 

My first feeling was of course shock; I covered my face with my cardigan and started crying. He put his arms round me but I threw him off. I stood up, squeaked a yes and hugged him, pushing him backwards off the canoe. So there we were, engaged at fourteen and fifteen, girl six months pregnant and a cramped little house, swimming aimlessly around, splashing each other and laughing.

 

I did wear the ring. Finn continued working. I nearly forgot about the letter, and how scared Finn was about it. I could not forget Laura, Ryan, Emleh too of course. What had happened to Emleh anyway? So many questions, not enough time to get any answers.

 

Many evenings, Finn and I sang together. He bought an old, battered piano with the little money he earns, and we started singing and playing together, considering playing on the streets, entering a few competitions, but that would bring unwanted attention to us from The Institute. So right there and then, Finn decided we should change our names, legally as well, so we wouldn’t be spotted. So that was that, we changed to Leo and Rosa Harvey, just like that. I was quite happy with it, but it felt weird, like a dress that didn’t fit, or a tight squeeze into some jeans, just not wanted to fit. I adjusted in a week, and was happy as I was, as Rosa Harvey.

 

“Leo! You there?” Yes, that’s right; I had adjusted to his name as well. I heard no answer. “Leo?” I ventured down the stairs, I was sure I had heard a knock on the door, a key turning and the creak doubtful. There was no one there, the door was closed and I couldn’t hear anything through it, despite the cracks and holes in it. I shrugged it off, telling myself I had been hearing things and padded back up the stairs, my baggy jeans brushing the floor. When I got to the top, I heard a,

“Hello Miss Harvey… or should I say Miss Flint?” They had found us.

 

I was yet again shoved into a glass cage, against my will. I only gave in and didn’t fight for the child’s sake, but that does not mean that I was completely happy with my situation and did not want to fight back. It was madness. They trampled through the ‘house’, probably searching for Finn and anyone else here. They managed to turn the radio on on the way, so I started singing, to their upmost disappointment and irritation. I guess they wanted me to start screaming, or yelling, or crying �" one of the three. They wanted me to fear them, but I knew I could never do such a thing, give up on Finn, on Laura, on everyone I had devoted myself to.

 

Like my Mum.

 

Where was she? What had happened to her? Why wouldn’t Finn, the boy I trusted more than anyone, let me talk to her? There must be something wrong. She had to be in some sort of danger, but if she was, why wouldn’t Finn want to dive straight in? He usually did, because he loved fear, the terror, the adrenaline. I found it absolutely mad, but it was one of the points about him that I admired. So why hadn’t he? Why couldn’t he just jump straight in, head first, fearless? Strange. But they had taken my phone, so I couldn’t call her. While I was thinking this, I felt a long, cold needle press into me. They had injected me with something.

 

There I was again, wandering down this strange corridor, listening in through the doors, searching for something. Then it hit me; I was looking for my Mum! But why was I here looking, I mean, a huge, futuristic prison? What on Earth?

 

I woke up shaking, as always. This dream was repetitive, as was the one about Finn, so it was bound to come true, some day or another. As Laura always said, wait for it to come to you. This was exactly what I would do, as always. I did not take in my surroundings at all, instead focusing on my soft, fast breathing. I was sat with my arms around my legs, barefoot still, in this glass cage. I then glanced around, having flashbacks and memories of my last situation, about half a year back now. I was in a room similar to the on Laura had dreamed of, orb-like, with screen mirrors. I screamed for Finn, but he didn’t come.