The Academy: Book 2 by Chad Leito

Author:Chad Leito
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Dystopian, Literature & Fiction
Published: 2014-03-30T22:00:00+00:00

22

Teddy Changes

The Multipliers had left the door to Asa’s dwelling open. Asa walked over, slammed it shut, and secured the lock. He leaned his back on the wood and groaned. His heart was still hammering, and he wanted to curl up on his hammock beside the fire, holding his knees to his chest in the fetal position.

No. Think! What is there to do?

Asa looked at the mess of pots, pans, and furs that Derden had thrown across the floor, and decided that he would have to clean his dwelling later. Right now, he had to think of a plan. He looked around at the stone, contemplating. He could see the Multipliers’ handprints in the soot below the secret compartment. They had been so close to figuring out what that was! I can’t let them come back here! Asa was sure that when they first noticed Teddy missing, they had searched his armband in their GPS system. The system had probably given them latitude and longitudinal coordinates that matched up with Asa’s dwelling.

It’s the altitude they’re wrong about. Teddy’s probably right above me.

Asa was also sure that if they didn’t find Teddy’s armband soon, they’d come back. And they won’t find it elsewhere, because it’s probably above me. The second time the Multipliers came to visit Asa, they’d do a more thorough search; he didn’t like the chances that they would overlook his secret compartment twice in a row.

And what will happen if they do find the secret compartment? Asa wondered. For a moment, he breathed, feeling better. I guess that there are no rules that say I can’t have a secret compartment. Maybe it’s okay. Maybe I’m just paranoid. Or, maybe there is something to be worried about. Teddy has been doing SOMETHING up there—he’s been drilling for hours every night. What if he’s been killing graduates up there? Or doing drugs? Or what if he’s been using the internet to tell the outside world about the Academy?

Teddy hasn’t been doing anything bad up there, Asa told himself.

Then why does he never talk about what he does all night?

It seemed like the room had suddenly grown cold. He had been concerned for Teddy since the beginning of the semester when he started making cynical jokes about killing his friends. Teddy wasn’t normal then—that was obvious. But his sporadic nature only increased as the semester went on, and now, Asa was able to admit that he was scared of Teddy.

“I’m very scared of him,” he said out loud, and then whispered, “terrified.”

More than that, he was scared of what he would find in the secret compartment above him. Bodies? Drugs? Weapons? Teddy’s corpse, eyes wide with a syringe beside him? There was no way to know without looking. He would have to go investigate. Otherwise, the Multipliers would be back, and they would discover his secret.

“And I’m worried about him. I love him.”

Asa stood still for a moment longer. He didn’t want to go up, through the cold water tunnel and discover what was up there.

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