The Twelfth Keeper by Belle Malory

Author:Belle Malory [Malory, Belle]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2013-01-21T06:00:00+00:00

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A small hiss escaped Kennedy’s lips. Dr. Sigly glanced up, looking mildly surprised by the noise. She swabbed alcohol on Kennedy’s knees with less pressure.

“You don’t handle pain very well, do you?” The doctor’s words sounded more like an observation than a question.

Kennedy answered anyway. Honestly. “No, not really.”

Dr. Sigly threw the red-stained gauze into a trash bin. “Good thing you don’t need stitches then.” She removed a tube from her desk drawer, uncapped it and applied a clear jelly-like substance to Kennedy’s right knee. “Liquid bandage,” she explained.

Better to just look away, Kennedy thought. Dr. Sigly’s office felt cold and sterile, as if it were normally vacant. She wondered why the white walls and the empty desk didn’t have any pictures of her family or friends. The place was mind-numbingly boring and could use some sprucing up.

Thoughts of family reminded Kennedy to ask about the telephone.

“Telephone?”

“Communicator, or whatever you guys call it. Isn’t there one on this level? One that connects to Earth?”

“Oh. Right. Of course.” She cleared her throat. “There is one available, but it’s extremely expensive. Each resident is allowed eighteen minutes a month. And you have to be scheduled in advance.”

Kennedy felt her face drop. Eighteen minutes a month. That wasn’t…much.

“Is everything okay?” Dr. Sigly asked. “You look a little pale.”

“Yeah. I just didn’t realize…”

“That it would be limited?” she finished. “Unfortunately, that’s the way of it. I can schedule you, but I recommend you get a little more settled into training first. Perhaps allow some time to pass so you’ll have news to impart to your family?” She plastered on a smile for Kennedy, but it came across as obligatory. Bedside manners, or something. “Also, you’ll need to get a message to them, to let them know what date and time you’ll be able to talk.”

Slowly, she nodded, trying to accept the inability to speak to her family on daily basis, the inability to speak to Hunter on a daily basis.

Eighteen minutes. That was crap.

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