The Taken, page 20
‘The cabinet is locked.’ He took a small step towards it.
‘And you have the key.’ I ran a finger against the iron lock. ‘Please, Cole, open it.’
He hesitated. Although I could see only his outline, I could feel his torment. ‘Why do you need a vial, for what possible purpose?’
‘To save my brother.’ I answered, my hand trembling. ‘I need to give to him what they won’t.’
‘What do you mean?’
I did not hesitate to tell him. ‘My mother left this Academy nearly nineteen years ago, your father treated her,’ I exhaled slowly, ‘and he fell in love with her.’ I felt Cole tense as he listened to me. ‘When she refused to love him back, to become the woman he was trying to change her into, she sliced her own face with his scalpel so that he was forced to reject her.’
‘He was her highest bidder?’ Cole stuttered.
‘Yes, and when she cut herself and made herself imperfect, he could no longer have her and she was sent back to our village.’ I couldn’t imagine the strength it would have taken for her to do that, to fight through whatever treatment they had given her to remain enough of herself to make that final choice. ‘Your father still obviously knows enough about her to know that I am her daughter and that my brother is her son……..her fifteen year old son, who is dying from a disease that he desperately needs medicine for to cure him.’ I felt my anger swelling once again as I explained to Cole just what his father had done. ‘Medicine that my parents were promised as compensation for me, compensation that your father has since refused to give to them.’
I felt Cole’s breath quicken. ‘What? No, he wouldn’t do that.’
‘But he has.’ I retorted. ‘He has intentionally denied them the treatment that will save my brother, purely so that he can hurt my mother. He has waited for nearly two decades to get revenge for her rejection of him, and his way of doing it is to take away not only her daughter, but also her son.’
‘What reason has he given for that, what has he told the council?’
I hesitated, suddenly shamed even though I did not believe I deserved to be. ‘He has told them that my worth has been devalued because I have been touched by a boy. Because of that my parents have been forced to choose an alternative compensation, as I am no longer deemed worthy of the medical treatment that my brother was to receive.’ I was glad of the darkness in the moment; I was glad that Cole could not see how my cheeks had flushed and my hands now shook.
For a minute Cole couldn’t speak. I wondered if he was as disgusted with me now as he had been raised to be; that I was now soiled and damaged in his eyes. ‘Was the boy who had touched you the one who came to take you back?’ He whispered.
‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘I had allowed him to hold my hand,’ I lifted my chin, ‘and I do not regret doing so.’
‘I’m so sorry.’ When he spoke, there was an audible sadness in his voice. ‘I am ashamed that has happened to you.’
‘What, that I’ve been touched?’
‘No,’ he shook his head, turning away slightly to face the cabinet on the wall, ‘that your family has had what they were promised as compensation for you denied to them.’ He inhaled deeply. ‘I don’t know what to say, that is very wrong.’ I exhaled. I had not expected him to say that, and felt relief overwhelm me that he knew that it was wrong too. ‘What is wrong with your brother, if you don’t mind me asking?’
I took a moment to be able to answer. ‘He has a disease, in his blood. It means that his white blood cells are attacking his immune system. He’s now so weak that he can barely stand, and if he isn’t treated as quickly as possible then,’ I shook my head, ‘well, he will die.’
‘That’s why you took the vial,’ Cole realised, ‘that’s why you’ve come back here to try again.’
I nodded, breathing into the blackness. ‘I need the vial of blood cleanser. I need to get it to him, so that it will cure him.’
Cole leaned against the wall; I could feel him only inches away from me. ‘I can understand that, Thea. Honestly, I can. But how could you possibly get it to him whilst you are in here?’ He fell silent. ‘Is that why your friend is here, to get the vial back to your family?’
I stiffened. ‘Partly.’ My stomach churned, almost afraid to ask what I was about to. ‘Have you found him, Seb, is he still in the forest?’ Cole’s silence was his answer, and I lifted my hands to cover my face. ‘Oh, please no..’
‘I have looked everywhere within a two mile radius, Thea. There is no sign of him anywhere.’
‘But, he can’t have just disappeared. Did you shout for him?’
‘Of course not,’ Cole sighed, ‘I couldn’t risk the guards hearing me, and I very much doubt that he would have responded even if he had heard.’
He was right. Seb would not trust Cole; he would not realise that he was trying to help him, and if he was still alive then Cole would be the last person to which Seb would make himself known.
‘I need to go to him, I need to find him.’ I reached forwards, placing my hand against Cole’s arm. ‘Please, Cole. Please open the cupboard for me. I’m begging you.’
Cole hesitated. I felt the muscles in his arm tighten beneath my touch.
‘Thea,’ he paused, stepping in towards me, ‘is it impossible for you to contemplate creating a life with me.’ He felt my body tense and rushed on before I could interrupt him. ‘Please, just hear me out. I know that you don’t want to be here, and I know that can’t imagine any other life than the only one that you have ever known, but,’ he stalled, his breath quickening, ‘I give you my word that if you stay here, if you trust me, I will make sure that not one part of you is changed. You can stay exactly the girl that you are. I will protect you, and I will make sure that no harm comes to you.’
‘Cole…..’ I shook my head.
‘I realise that you need your brother to be treated, and for your family to receive their full compensation. I can make that happen. There is no way for you to get that medicine back to him, not without risking your life to do so.’
‘You can’t promise me that, Cole. You do not have the power or authority to overrule your father.’ He sighed in frustration. ‘I know that if you could, you would, but he is not going to let you undermine him. You know that he isn’t.’
‘If I open this cupboard and give you that vial, there is no way for you to get it out of here. I’m merely handing you a reason to be punished, it would be completely my fault.’
‘No,’ I disagreed sharply, ‘you are handing me a lifeline. You are giving me something that my family desperately needs.’ I thought quickly. ‘How long will it be until the electricity gets turned back on?’
‘Probably a couple more minutes. I switched off the main power supply, and locked the door to the generator room. They’ll need to locate the key in the main office before getting back over there, it’s on the opposite side of The Academy.’
‘And whilst the power is turned off, so is the current that runs through the fence bordering the perimeter?’
He paused, realising what I meant. ‘For the moment, yes. But it could come back on at any moment. If you touch it when it’s live, the shock will be enough to kill you.’
‘Then why are we wasting time.’ I stepped towards him, so that he could perhaps see my expression in the shadows. ‘I need to go, now.’ I swallowed tightly. ‘The only reason that you want me to stay here, Cole, is because your father ordered you to bid for me. Whatever he has told you about the future he wants to design for us, it is not really what you want, it’s what he does. He wants me for you, because he couldn’t have my mother for himself.’
Cole was silent for a few moments. ‘Am I so repulsive to you, that you would rather die than stay?’
I faltered, before answering honestly. ‘No, I don’t think that you are repulsive at all. You are a good man who deserves to live a good life, but one that you have chosen for yourself, not one that someone else has chosen for you.’
His voice softened, ‘and what makes you think that I wouldn’t choose you, every time, over anyone else.’
The alarm that had sounded far away, suddenly began to ring in the corridor outside. I turned towards the doorway in panic, before reaching for Cole’s hand. ‘Please, open the cabinet and then walk away. I don’t want to get you into any trouble, it would be better if you left me.’
Cole inhaled. I saw a brief flash of silver when he lifted the key and slotted it into the lock. He quickly turned it, before reaching forwards to feel for one of the vials inside. ‘Here.’ He offered it to me, carefully placing the cold glass into my palm. ‘I don’t know if that will be enough to save your brother, or even how you are going to possibly get it to him, but I am truly sorry for what my father has done.’
Without thinking I reached forwards to hug him. When he reciprocated my embrace, I felt his body tremble against mine. ‘Will you be punished?’ I whispered into his ear.
‘I don’t care if I am.’ He leaned back, keeping hold of my hand. ‘I only care about what is going to happen to you.’. He began to pull me back towards the door. ‘You have about four minutes before the power will come back on. You need to get to the fence at the back of the building, where the guards hardly patrol. It’s your best chance of getting over it before they find you.’ He paused, his free hand on the door handle. ‘What will you do, if you manage to get over? There is nothing but forest on the other side.’
‘I will find Seb,’ I replied without hesitation, ‘and then I will find my way home.’
‘You do realise, that they won’t just simply let you leave. No one has ever left this Academy by choice, they have either graduated or were rejected. They won’t allow you to simply walk away and go home, every guard in this building will come looking for you.’ His grip on my hand tightened. ‘You will be hunted, and I have no idea what they will do to you when you are found.’
‘I won’t be found,’ I folded my fingers around the vial in my hand, before pushing carefully down into my pocket, ‘not until I allow myself to be.’
He didn’t believe me, I knew that he didn’t, but he was respectful enough of me not to say it. He pulled open the door, hesitating before stepping out onto the corridor, guiding me along with him. ‘Follow me.’ He ordered. ‘Keep as close to me as possible, and try not to make a sound.’
I had no choice but to trust him, as he guided me through the darkness; the alarm ringing in our ears.
When we finally reached a door that Cole pulled open, and the burnished light from outside finally came, it caused me to squint. He guided me out onto a pathway, the wind suddenly and gratefully stroking my face. We blinked as we turned to look at each other.
‘Are you okay?’ He questioned, keeping hold of my hand.
I glanced around, trying to find my bearings. ‘Where are we?’
‘At the back of the building,’ he turned to point to the fence a few hundred yards in front of us. There were no guards that I could see here, only the thick overgrowth behind the metal railings. ‘I’ve never been in that part of the forest before,’ he conceded, concern audible in his voice, ‘but if you find a track, it should lead you back around to the other side…..to where I left your friend.’ He turned back to look at me, his gaze sweeping my face. ‘It will be dangerous in there, Thea. Anything could happen to you.’
‘It’s more dangerous in here,’ I replied, ‘I’m willing to take the risk.’
The alarm began to sound around us, causing Cole’s grip to tighten. ‘You need to go, now, if you’re going to do this. The fence isn’t live, not yet. If they switch it on whilst you are climbing over the shock will kill you.’
He turned towards the fence, beginning to pace across with me. I pulled back on his hand, stopping him. ‘Go back inside, you’ve done enough for me, I don’t want anyone to see you helping me. I don’t want your father to know what you’ve done.’
He stalled, looking back at the building and then at me. ‘I’ll need to help you up, the fence, it’s too tall.’
‘I’m a good climber, I don’t need help.’ I gently pulled my hand away from his own, ‘I’ll be fine, go back inside.’
Cole’s breath quickened. He said nothing before suddenly reaching forwards to place his hand tenderly against my face. ‘Please be careful,’ his expression was pained, ‘and remember, always, that I never wanted you because I was told to, I wanted you because of the girl that you are.’ Reluctantly he turned and walked away, back towards the open door. I watched him go, before nodding and resolutely beginning to run towards the fence.
Breathless, I stared up at it when I reached it. It was five times the height of me, the ornate metal winding around up into the fierce spikes at the top. I could not hear the familiar faint buzzing that proved it was live, and tentatively reached out my hand to touch it, exhaling in relief when my fingers met metal that was cold against my skin.
I began to pull myself up, my feet slotting into the gaps in the metal and my hands gripping tightly as I heaved myself upwards. I grunted as I climbed, refusing to look behind me, concentrating only on the climb and the forest on the other side.
The rain began to fall once again when I neared the top, pelting against my body and causing my hair to stick to my face when the wind began to roar. I was high enough now to see more of the landscape, the tree tops stretching for miles in front of me. The air tasted of salt, the wind carrying remnants of the ocean that I could not see, only taste; the faint roar of its waves crashing wildly against a shoreline audible to the right hand side of me.
When my hand reached the spikes at the top of the fence, and I heaved myself up, I suddenly paused, allowing myself for the first time to look back. I could sense someone’s eyes on me, and quickly scanned the grounds before lifting my face to look at the window at the very top of the building behind me; the small window, clothed in iron bars, at what appeared to be a room which must have been in the rafters of the academy.
She was standing at the window watching me, unmoving, silent, and still.
‘Deena.’ I whispered, the rain whipping my face. The wind was now so strong that it began to push strongly against me, forcing my grip to tighten for fear it would force me off the fence back to the floor.
She did not move away, but continued to stare back out of me. My heart accelerated. I was now at the very top of the fence. All I had to do was fling my leg over and I would be able to climb down the other side. I looked back at her, taking her in, my beautiful, innocent friend. ‘Deena.’ I shouted her name. The wind collected it and smashed it against the pane. I had been about to turn away, when she suddenly lifted her hand and placed her palm against the glass. Although I couldn’t hear her, I saw her mouth open and her lips form around my name.
I could hardly breath as I stalled, inhaling deeply as the metal began to buzz beneath me. I could feel the fence began to heat and knew that I had seconds to decide what to do before they turned the power back on.
With one last look back at her, and with a roar of resolution I began to climb down, my feet slipping as I rushed to get to the bottom before the fence became live. I was only half way when I felt a slow surge begin to spread across the metal, and when it reached my fingertips I had no choice but to jump, landing heavily onto my feet before rolling backwards. When I looked up at the fence from my prostrate position on the leaf strewn floor, I could see the metal glowing red as the electricity that had just been turned on spread all the way through it, making it now impossible to touch.
I stood slowly, my legs shaky from the fall, and stared through the railings at the forest on the other side; the forest which I could now no longer get to. Turning to glance back over my shoulder, I looked up. She was still at the window staring down at me. Quickly, before the guards came for me, I once more began to run.
Chapter Twenty One
I pushed open the solid wooden door directly in front of me, wincing when it loudly slammed into the wall, before beginning to race up the staircase waiting behind it. It wound around like a corkscrew as it led me upwards to the only room at the very top, the lightbulbs sporadically hanging down from the ceiling suddenly turning on, one by one, every few steps that I climbed. When I finally reached the end of the staircase, there was only one door at the top, and when I tried to turn the handle, just as I’d known it would be, I found it to be locked.
I reached down into the pocket of my drenched, soiled dress; lifting out the bundle of keys that I had taken from Cole’s pocket when he had allowed me to hug him. Flicking through the fifteen or so brass keys hanging from a round fob, I tried each one in turn, my hands shaking, until the tenth slotted perfectly into the lock and the barrel scrapped back.
I had taken the keys from Cole as insurance, in case my plan had not worked and I needed to get back into the treatment room to retrieve another vial. I had also done it to protect him. He would be punished if his father knew that he had willingly opened the cabinet which held the medicine for me. At least this way, he could always say that I stole the keys from him.
I pushed open the door, squinting slightly as my eyes adjusted to the gloom of the room. No light had been switched back on in here, it was lit only by the watery sunlight that managed to penetrate the small glass window that Deena was still standing in front of; her back towards me as I slowly stepped into the room and closed the door behind me.
It was a small room, converted from a section of the attic. It held only one bed, for one person; a girl who for whatever reason they had come up with, needed to be locked away. That girl, for now at least, was Deena. I approached her cautiously, remembering the beating of a few days before. Her palm was still against the glass, her gaze fixed solely on the metal fence which I had almost managed to climb over.
It took fifteen tentative steps to reach her. When she still didn’t move, I lifted my hand to carefully place it against her shoulder. ‘Deena?’ She turned so quickly I didn’t have the chance to react before her hand gripped my wrist. ‘Deena, no, it’s me, it’s Thea.’
