(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)
Hours go by as I refuse to go to sleep. I don’t know when the Keepers will come but I want to be ready for them, which is why I don’t let sleep defeat me. I want to listen to them approaching. I’m sure that is the reason Leopold left, so the Keepers could come for me in his absence, he probably doesn’t want to witness my detention, he hates drama. The morning comes and neither the Keepers, nor Leopold arrive. The sun comes out like any other day, Baxter stretches his front legs as he yawns, everything is normal except for the fact that this might be my last day on earth… if I’m lucky; if not, I’ll spend weeks at the Detention Facility just like I did last time.
I get up from the bed and get into the shower. I let the hot water run down my body as if my fear and uncertainty could be washed away. The last time I was imprisoned I spent weeks withou
I feel a pang of anguish the moment I spot Leopold’s car parked in front of the house. I am not sure what to expect from him, yesterday he has infuriated but then he convinced Mother Addison to take me back, I don’t know if this means he is not mad anymore, I have no idea what is going on in his head. I go in the house uncertain about how to act in front of him.The house is silent, the light in the dining room is on but there is no one there. I notice the back door is open and I hear Baxter barking in the garden. I walk there and I stand under the doorframe, Leopold is playing with his dog outside. I watch them in silence, it takes Baxter a few seconds to realize I’m here. The moment his round eyes notice me he runs towards me enthusiastically carrying his ball in his snout, he is inviting me to join the game. I pat him on the head.
Leopold comes in the bedroom, his cold presence weights on my heart and body, I can’t stand this situation.“There is someone here to see you,” he says stiffly.I sit up in bed and look at him with narrowed eyes. Someone here to see me? An unsettling thought makes my blood run cold. Did Zack followed us from the park? Leopold studies me with his blue eyes, he is surely noticing my strong reaction, I must be pale as a ghost.“It’s your grandmother, but if you are feeling indispose I can ask her to come some other time,” he says.It takes me a second to get up the bed. Grandma is here.“No, I’m feeling just fine,” I say as I run down the st
I drag my tired feet to the front door. Just thinking about getting up so early tomorrow for Bearer’s Day is exhausting. I feel zero enthusiasm about the event, I wish I could opt out but of course, that is not an option.“Don’t drag your feet, Aubrey! It is inappropriate and it makes you look scruffy,” Matron Mary Ann exclaims behind me.“Sorry, Matron,” I mutter as I straighten my back.I’m already home, who cares how I walk? I do my best not to roll my eyes, I don’t want her to get mad at me.“You better improve your attitude for tomorrow, it’s a big day for all of the Bearers, you need to smile and look your best,” Matron Mary Ann comments.
The doorbell rings one more time. Panic washes over me. Leopold is home, I didn’t have time to destroy the letter. I can’t burn it now because if I do it the smell of burned paper is going to alert him. My hands are shaking as I try to think of what to do with the letter. The doorbell rings a third time. I hide the letter inside the fridge. The cold hits my face as I open and close the door hastily, the chill sensation makes me realize that whoever is at the door is not Leopold. He has keys to his own house, he wouldn’t be ringing the doorbell, he would just come in. As I walk to the main door I wonder who could be outside, I dread it might be Zack who got impatient from waiting for me to go meet him, it would be reckless for him to visit a commander’s Bearer and it could get us into a lot of trouble. I know he is silly enough to do something like this in spite of the risks, although I have to admit that part of me still longs to see him face to fa
By dawn we are already coming and going frenetically to get everything ready for the event. Everyone seems stressed, even the Matrons. It is not just our group, all the Bearers are in a hurry to be ready: the group in charge of the beverages, the one in charge of the food, the one in charge of decorations… all of them are stressed so everything goes perfect during the event. As I mix the dough I think how absurd it is to celebrate Bearers by forcing them to get up at daybreak and work like crazy, it should be the other way around, they should celebrate us by giving us a break from our daily responsibilities, not give us more.“The oven they assigned to us is not working!” Alice cries out clearly distressed.“What?! Why?” Paula asks.“It Wendy’s fault! She was messing with the knobs and now the oven doesn’t work,” she
Alice turns pale as a ghost while Wendy keeps calling her slut out loud. Although she is not technically calling her that, Wendy is merely repeating what Alice said a few hours earlier when referring to Melody; unfortunately, no one besides Paula and me knows it, so from everyone else’s point of view, Wendy is calling Alice a slut. The whole group and a few bystanders look at Wendy astonished. Alice’s son starts to cry hidden behind his father’s legs. I guess Matron Mary Ann was within earshot because she arrives almost immediately and clasps Wendy by the arm to drag her away from us while she scolds her for using that kind of language.“Wendy, I told you to be in your best behavior…” she reminds her as she drags Wendy out of the Forum.Once the Andersons get over the surprise, their eyes glint with malice. They are the kind of people that enjoy others
(Leopold’s P.O.V.) I storm into the main building fo the Ministry of Females, enraged. I look around me until I spot Mother Addison a few yards from where I’m standing. She is rehearsing the speech she is about to give in front of a Matron that smiles kindly at her while she listens. “Do you think you can mock me?!” I ask infuriated as I walk toward Mother Addison. Both women look at me perplexed, they are probably taken aback by my rude tone of voice. After all, she is the head of the Ministry of Females and I am just a commander. All of a sudden, Mother Addison lifts her chin proudly, letting me know she is not going to be intimidated by my Shark attitude. “Commander Mortensen, I urge you to reconsider how you speak to Mother
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)The show is starting, a thin and tall man appears on the stage. Along with the man, music starts to play and behind him, eight ballerinas come out from the back red curtain twirling graciously. The audience starts clapping as they watch attentively. Alice’s boy gasps, amazed by the slender ballerinas.The show consists of various types of dances one after the other. I’m so focused on watching them dance that I don’t notice Leopold until he sits beside me. He puts his arm around me and leans toward me.“Aubrey, we have to talk,” he whispers to my ear.I turn my eyes to see him. He holds my gaze and a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. I must seem surprised because I am. Why