Uninvited (Uninvited, #1)(59)

This is my new life. We eat, work, sleep. Nothing more. Even Sabine has shaken off the effects of her thrashing. I haven’t heard her cry again since that first night. She even beats me downstairs most mornings.

We run a second time after breakfast. The grounds are vast, winding through thick trees, the mountains a great hulking shape in the horizon. The run lasts over an hour and they shout at us the entire time. I try to block them out, letting music fill my head as I lift one leg after another. Somehow, I’m not the last in the pack, which I like to think is saying something. Especially since we run as one group. Boys and girls.

“You’ll run together, sweat together, bleed together,” the guards yell from the back of ATVs. “Out there, your gender doesn’t matter! It’s not going to matter in here.”

Even though I’m not the slowest, I’m the slowest girl. Four boys trail me. One looks like he’s never missed a Twinkie a day in his life, so that is rather lowering. And worrisome. Especially when during one of my first runs, I see a guard with a stopwatch frown and jot down my time on a clipboard.

I have to be better. Each day this is my sole thought as my feet pound over the ground. Except I’m convinced my legs will give out any moment and I’ll fall flat on my face to be trampled by the boys behind me.

I push past pain. Past the stitches pinching my side.

Saliva floods my mouth one morning as I catch myself from falling. Staggering, I keep on and suddenly notice I’m not running alone anymore. Someone keeps an even pace next to me.

“C’mon. Speed up.”

Gasping, lungs burning, I turn my head. Sean runs beside me, his arms swinging lightly, his strides smooth and easy like we haven’t been running for an eternity. Of course this would be easy for him.

I huff at the sweaty hair falling in my face. “Just let me die.”

He gives a short laugh. “You’re not going to die.”

“Yes. I. Am.” I pant each word, marveling at how he can talk like he’s strolling in the park and not fighting for every breath. It infuriates me and gives me the strength to push my legs harder.

“Not today.” There’s something in his voice that draws my attention. A grimness that carries over the sound of my pants and the pound of feet around us. A quick glance at his face reveals Sean focused straight ahead, his stare fixed on Sabine. Her delicate face is still bruised and swollen, her lip scabbed up. His gaze slides to Addy. The stocky girl hasn’t hurt anyone else. No one has. There haven’t been any altercations . . . not since the guards used that electric prod on Addy. Word got around about that.

His gaze flicks to me and he speaks in a low voice. “You need to watch your back in here. The guards can’t keep us all in line. Not all the time. Some of these kids . . .” His voice fades, but I understand.

I look ahead, scanning the few dozen backs running ahead of me. All of them carriers. Some of them must be violent at their core. The threat of electric prods and the promise of a future won’t be enough to stop any true killer.

I start running harder, pushing past the burn, ignoring the tremble in my legs, the lungs that ache, determined not to be weak. To become faster, stronger. No one’s victim.

I don’t look to see if Sean keeps up behind me, but I sense him there. As I move ahead, I feel multiple sets of eyes on me, calculating, sizing me up. I don’t back down, don’t slow my pace, too aware that if I do they’ll remember that I can’t perform.

The only thing I need for them to remember is that I’m not weak. Not a target.


The following morning we’re led into the refectory after our first run. We fall on our breakfast like wolves. As usual. We’re always famished. It’s a constant state of being. My stomach rolls at the generous fare spread before us. Eggs and bacon. Toast, muffins, biscuits, waffles the size of encyclopedias. Clearly, they don’t intend to starve us.

I hardly chew before swallowing a mouthful. Still, I’m cautious not to overeat. I don’t want to be too stuffed. We have another run and more grueling activity ahead. You eat too much and then you’re left puking up your guts.

A tray loaded with food slams down in front of me. A massive, thick-necked boy sinks down across from me. His plastic chair creaks in protest. Sabine tenses beside me. She doesn’t talk much, but she’s always there, a shadow beside me. She especially doesn’t talk with Gil and Sean, eyeing them with distrust, but her presence has become reassuring. One of the few things I can count on.

“That all you’re gonna eat?” The guy nods at my plate of eggs and toast.

I take another bite of toast and shrug. Sabine has even less food on her plate, but he doesn’t comment on that.

“Saw you running. My name is Tully.” He fixes his gaze on me alone even though Gil and Sabine sit on either side of me. I haven’t seen Sean since our run. He’s probably still in line getting food.

Gil takes a loud sip from his coffee mug, his way of insinuating himself. I slide him a quick look before answering. “I’m Davy. This is Gil and Sabine.”

He looks Gil and Sabine over quickly. Dismissing them, he looks back at me. “Where you from, Davy?”

“Texas.”

He nods as he folds a slice of bacon into his mouth. “I’m from Oklahoma.”

I’ve noticed Tully before, but this is the first time he’s approached me. He’s one of the bigger boys here. From his size, I would guess he’s a jock, but I know better than to assume anything about anyone. I wonder what special skill landed him in here and not a detention camp.