Folsom (End of Men, #1)(59)
I put it out of my mind. I can’t go down that train of thought today. Thoughts of Folsom and what he’s going through, how much I miss him, and humdrum thoughts about one useless topic after the next have derailed me for entire weeks at a time. My brain has been mush while I’ve been locked away. It’s time I pull out of this stupor. I can’t afford to waste any more time.
We pull into the long driveway, and just seeing our house ahead makes me feel more alive than I have in months. Phoebe answers the door and pulls me into a hug.
“I’ve missed you,” I tell her.
She holds my face in her hands and studies me like she’s checking to see how bruised my insides are.
“You look well,” she finally says. “I needed to see for myself. They’re saying all kinds of things, you know…” She cuts off when Sophia clears her throat.
The three of us go upstairs and they follow me to my room.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I tell them. “Where would I go? Can’t I have even a minute to myself?”
“I promised I’d not take my eyes off of you,” Sophia says.
My closet is inside of my bathroom. I pull a bag off a shelf and begin shoving things inside. Half of what I take wouldn’t fit anymore, but I’m not here for clothes. I pull several bras out and set it all in the bag. I move to the cosmetics and go so slowly that Sophia’s sighs get louder and louder. She plops down on the bed.
“Hurry up. God, you’re taking forever.”
“Feel free to go do something else,” I call over my shoulder.
She scowls, and to my shock, eventually stands up and moves to the door. She’s still wearing skintight dresses and from behind you can’t even tell she’s pregnant.
“We’re leaving in four minutes. I’m going to my bedroom for some shoes. If you do anything that gets me in trouble, I’ll make you suffer.”
I roll my eyes at her and turn back to the drawers.
The minute she’s out of the room I move to the mattress. My hand stretches so far under without feeling it that I begin to fear it’s been taken. Suddenly, my fingers touch the metal. I close my eyes for a second and instantly breathe easier. Tucking it under my shirt, I turn to Phoebe.
“They’re keeping me prisoner. I’m under constant surveillance, day and night.”
Her mouth drops open and she grasps my arm. “What can I do?”
“Tell the people who are with me that I’m being held against my will. Tell them Folsom is being harvested. Demand that I’m—” I hear Sophia at the door and pull away, holding up my bag. “Just a couple more things from the bathroom and I’ll be ready,” I tell her.
Phoebe hovers next to me, but I’m not able to say anything else. Sophia looks at us suspiciously but doesn’t speak either. We’re pulling out of there a few minutes later, and I try to enjoy the moment of freedom. I feel a small hope that hasn’t been there since Folsom went missing.
THIRTY
GWEN
A few mornings later, the sound of glass breaking wakes me up. I sit up and don’t see anything out of place, but there’s commotion in the library across the hall. Another shatter makes me jump and my mother comes through my door to make sure I’m okay.
“What’s going on?” I ask her, following her into the library. A window is broken, and a maid scurries into the room to clean up the shards of glass.
My mother doesn’t answer. She’s mostly stopped speaking to me; other than the customary “how are you?” and “did you sleep okay?” we aren’t diving into any real conversation. I walk to the next set of windows and see protestors lined against the gate, holding their signs high. The driveway isn’t as long as ours at home, so I can read most of the signs clearly.
Some are chanting, “Free Gwen, free Gwen, free Gwen!”
My mother grabs my arm and leads me back to my room. “Stay away from the window—you could get hurt!”
“I’d rather be pelted with a rock than be a prisoner in this house one more day,” I respond.
“You know you’re not a prisoner here, Gwen…”
I turn and face her, hands on my hips. “Oh, I’m free to go then? Great, I’m leaving today.”
“When that baby is safely delivered, you can move out.” She smooths her hand down her skirt.
“I used to think you were doing all of this to give me the baby I’d always wanted…maybe even that you were with Pandora because of it…but I’m not so sure it hasn’t always been on your agenda to be exactly where you are right now. Maybe I was simply the pawn that helped you put the pieces in place. Sophia would’ve been glad to get you here, though. Never mind, I still don’t understand.”
Her lips press together and she shakes her head, moving toward the door. “Nonsense. Pandora mentioned it last night and I think it will be good for you: tonight we’ll go somewhere, get you out of the house for a little bit.”
“If I say no?” I’m merely testing her for sport at this point. Of course I’ll go anywhere just to be outside these four walls.
“You won’t,” she says, shutting the door behind her. She leans back in. “Oh, and your doctor’s appointment is in an hour. You should eat something before she gets here.”