Authors: Jen Naumann
Shymers (38 page)
A glimmer of shock reflects in my father’s eyes. I know exactly what he’s thinking—his daughter can’t be in love with
a
Shyme
r
. But I don’t care what he or anyone thinks. I will not be like everyone else in Society and write Harrison off just because he doesn’t have much longer to live. I still love him with all my heart. If he’s going to die sooner than his DOD, I won’t let him be all alone when it happens.
“You remember what love is, don’t you, father?” I snap. “Or have you forgotten? Whatever made you leave me and my mother alone in the forest, it certainly wasn’t love. Whatever made you leave your son alone in Society, that couldn’t have been love, either. I’m staying with Harrison becaus
e
I
love hi
m
. When you love someone, that’s what you do. Yo
u
sta
y
. You don’
t
ru
n
.” Tears stream down my face and drop onto my shirt.
Harrison steps out between me and my father, resting one hand on my shoulder for balance. His other hand strokes my face, slow and gentle, making my eyes grow heavy from the warmth of his touch. As much as I hoped to one day go beyond the Free Lands and meet a boy, I never imagined falling in love would feel anything like this. My heart flips in wild beats, feeling as if it’s swelling to ten times its normal size. The love I have for him consumes me to the point I feel as if I can’t breathe.
“Listen to me, Olive. We both knew I didn’t have much longer to live even before we came down here. You are right. I never really knew real love until I met you. Even though I tried everything I could to resist caring about you. But everything is different now. I can die knowing exactly what true love feels like.” His finger lifts my chin. “Look at me.” Through my blinding tears, I do. His lips are pulled to the side in a playful grin. “I made a playlist, like you told me to. Do you want to know what was on it?”
I nod slowly, mournfully.
His grin becomes even more crooked. “There was only one thing on there. I wanted to know what it felt like to kiss you. That’s it. Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would actually know you
r
lov
e
. But I don’t even care about a stupid playlist anymore becaus
e
nothin
g
could top this. Nothing could be better than the feeling I hold in my heart for you. I have no regrets, Olive. I would much rather die this way than be locked up in suspension by myself.”
Holding my hands to my ears, I cry out. “Stop! I don’t want to hear any more! We’re going to leave together! We’ll find a way out of here!”
He pulls down on my hands. “I know what it is you think you have to do, Olive. It only makes me love you even more—if that’s even possible. We still don’t know your DOD. I’m not going to let you die down here with me before you have a chance to make up for the time you missed with your father. You still have a chance to make it, Olive, but only if you run. You have to leave without me.”
Tears splash across my face when I shake my head. “No! I can’t! I won’t!”
“Please,” he whispers, bringing me close. “Don’t cry. I love you. And I won’t let you do this.”
I want to tell him I love him. I want to tell him I don’t care what he says, I won’t leave without him. But I am so choked up with this river of raging emotions that I can only shake my head. No words will come.
Everything I had hoped for—living beyond the Free Lands and taking Harrison away from Society to enjoy his last days at his side—slips away from me to be replaced with nothing but lies and harsh realities. With no way to travel across the ocean, there is nothing beyond the Free Lands other than more water.
How can I go with my father when I don’t know if I will ever be able forgive him? My family can quite obviously take care of themselves and don’t need me. And is my father even on the same side as my mother and Kendall, or is he only saving me from this awful place because I’m his daughter? What if we’re fighting for different sides?
My mind swings back to the orphanage—to all those living a sad, lonely life where they feel unloved. Others just like Harrison with little reason to live, little hope for a brighter tomorrow. Is there any way I can help them? Can the Rebels actually succeed in taking over and making things right?
If I reall
y
a
m
a Shymer, I may not have much longer to live anyway, so what would any of it matter?
All at once, Harrison’s mouth crashes down on mine. My heart feels as if it has leaped into my throat as I return the kiss with every ounce of passion I have left. I wish we could just melt into each other and forget the rest of the world—forget these horrible decisions that have to be made, forcing me to say goodbye to someone I can’t live without.
I have come all this way to find Harrison, only to lose him again.
He’s wrong—thi
s
i
s
the end.
A dry, forced cough in a female voice rings through the cavern. Breaking apart, we each twist around.
The girl standing behind my father has hair the same silky blond shade I always remember it being. It’s even styled in the familiar braid. Rather than the usual dress I remember, she wears tight black pants and matching sleeveless top of the same coarse, thick material shows off the smooth muscles of her arms. A bright tattoo spirals up her arms, coiling at the base of her neck.
My friend Taylor watches us with a shoulder resting against the wall, and a smirk playing across her lips. Her hands fiddle with some kind of metal weapon, small and black. The sparkle to her blue eyes has been replaced with something hard—something dangerous. She has changed.
“It looks like you got your birthday wish to meet a boy after all,” she snickers.
I pull in my breath.
###
About the Author
Jen Naumann lives in southern Minnesota with her husband and children. She is also the author o
f
What I’ve Don
e
an
d
The Day Zombies Ruined My Perfectly Boring Lif
e
.
For news and updates on upcoming releases visit
www.jennaumann.com
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