Voiceless (The Shattered Dome Series Book 1) by Robert J. Crane & Nicholas J. Ambrose

Author:Robert J. Crane & Nicholas J. Ambrose [Crane, Robert J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ostiagard Press
Published: 2017-02-25T07:00:00+00:00

70

BANG BANG BANG!

Sleep vanished, and Hannah did not so much slip from its embrace as she was discarded from it.

Terror clutched her chest before she had even truly realized what was happening.

Someone’s at the door. Mediators. Sent to get me.

The hammering came again. Hannah drew her covers up to her face as though they might somehow protect her, staring out from a papery white face with bulging eyes.

This was it. The door would be broken down, and she would be dragged out by the hair. She’d fight, because people did, even people in the wrong, but it wouldn’t matter: a kick to the back of the knee would send her down, and she would be pushed into the dirt, just as she had been when she found Torrance Martins in the field. And then everything she had worked for—everything her parents had worked for—all of it would be over.

She’d never see Amy again.

And then, as if summoned: “Hannah? Are you in there?”

The thumps came again. Not the frantic slamming of angry Mediators come to take her in, Hannah realized; just the knocks from a worried friend.

Knot in her chest daring to uncoil, Hannah rose and flew into the corridor. She passed her parents’ room, skirting it a wide berth lest the phantoms came back to life and blast out upon her, and unhooked the latch on the front door.

She swung it open.

“Ames!”

She was on her, arms tight around Amy’s small shoulders, too tight really. She held, just like friends did, a happy friendly hug—and over her shoulder she peered fearfully down the street, pupils like pinpricks, darting up and down and scouring the few men and women walking, assessing whether they were looking this way, looking at her, knowing what she’d done—

“Damn, girl, you want to loosen up on me?” Amy was laughing. “We only saw each other yesterday; it hasn’t been that long. And why are you damp?”

Amy eased her off. Hannah went unwillingly, but assisted the disentangling.

Face-to-face again, she met Amy’s gaze with her biggest, falsest grin.

Amy’s bemused expression sagged. “God, Hannah, no wonder you didn’t come today. You look … kind of terrible. Have you got a fever?” She reached out and touched Hannah’s forehead. “You’ve got a serious sweat on. And your hair …”

Hannah ducked away from Amy’s touch. “I’m fine.” She swiped at the matted nest her hair had become.

“Is there a guy in there?” Amy asked suddenly, eyes flashing with excitement. She leaned to peer around Hannah’s shoulder. “Did he do this? Sheesh, I’m sorry to have interrupted—”

“No guy,” Hannah cut across.

Amy’s excitement faded. “Oh. Shame. I was hoping you could, like, tag me in or something. Or at least let me watch your little butt bobbing up and down.”

In spite of everything, an unexpected laugh bubbled from Hannah’s throat. “Perv.”

Amy grinned. “Seriously, are you all right?”

“Fine,” Hannah lied. “Just … slept badly, that’s all.”

“I can leave you to it?”

Hannah shook her head. “Nah. I should be up.” Not that she wanted to be. Spending forever in her bed sounded right up her alley just now, guy in there or not.

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