SEVENTY-ONE
There’s a huge bed in here with a large window and a beautiful view of the ocean. It’s lovely, actually, how wide and expansive everything is. Lovelier still are its occupants.
Sonya and Sara are staring at me.
They’re perfect. Alive.
Just as beautiful as they’ve ever been.
I rush over to them, so relieved I nearly burst into tears.
“Are you okay?” I ask, gasping, unable to control myself. “Are you all right?”
They throw themselves into my arms, looking like they’ve been through hell and back, tortured from the inside, and all I want to do is carry them out of this ship and take them home.
But as soon as the initial hyperventilations are out of the way, Sonya says something that stops my heart.
“Kenji was looking for you,” she says. “He was just here, not too long ago, and he asked us if we’d seen you—”
“He said you got split up,” Sara says.
“And that he didn’t know what happened to you,” Sonya says.
“We were so worried you were dead,” they say together.
“No,” I tell them, feeling crazy now. “No, no, I’m not dead. But I have to go. Stay here,” I’m saying to them. “Don’t move. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back, I promise,” I say. “I just have to go find Kenji—I have to find Anderson—”
“He’s two doors over,” Sara says, eyes wide.
“The one all the way at the end of the hall,” Sonya says.
“It’s the one with the blue door,” they tell me.
“Wait!” Sonya stops me as I turn to go.
“Be careful,” Sara says. “We’ve heard some things—”
“About a weapon he’s brought with him,” Sonya says.
“What kind of weapon?” I ask, heart slowing.
“We don’t know,” they say together.
“But it made him very happy,” Sara whispers.
“Yes, very happy,” Sonya adds.
I clench my fists.
“Thank you,” I say to them. “Thank you—I’ll see you soon,” I’m saying. “Very soon—” And I’m backing out, backing away, rushing down the hall and I hear them shouting for me to be safe, and good luck, just behind me.
But I don’t need luck anymore. I need these two fists and this spine of steel. I waste no time at all getting to the blue room. I’m not afraid anymore.
I don’t hesitate. I won’t hesitate. Never again.
I kick it down.
“JULIETTE—NO—”