The Hourglass Page 11

  Her blushing, Sarah decided, was a serious curse. “Fine,” said Sarah. “He kissed me.” It felt good to get it out. The girls’ reactions were glorious. Marland shrieked and covered her mouth with her hands, and April choked on her food.

  “Are you serious? Mr Hot Body kissed you?”

  This time it was Sarah’s turn to laugh. “Mr Hot Body?”

  Marland waved a dismissing hand. “I was never good with code names, but that doesn’t matter. Give me the details.”

  “There’s nothing really to give,” said Sarah, this time a rich scarlet. “He kissed me, I kissed back, and then I pushed him away. I don’t… he’s actually a massive jerk.”

  “Yeah,” said Marland, “but a hot one.”

  “It wasn’t even that nice.”

  “Ah well. I can still dream.”

  Sarah giggled again. Marland, when she wasn’t a bundle of nerves, could be hilarious.

  “So do you think you’ll, you know, see each other again?” asked April.

  “Did you not listen to the part where I said he was a jerk?”

  April held up her hands defensively. “Just asking.”

  Sarah rolled her eyes. She looked back across the room and saw Finn bin his mess and return the mop before heading back over to them.

  “You can’t tell Finn,” she said. “Promise me, we keep this between ourselves.”

  “We promise,” said Marland, holding up her hand as a sign of integrity. April nodded in agreement.

  Finn sat back down heavily at the table. He looked angry. He glanced at the girls’ faces and settled on Sarah’s, who was still bright red.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  Sarah coughed. “Nothing.” She took a bite of her food.

  “Are you ok, Finn?” asked Marland, with a sideways glance at Sarah. “That must have hurt.”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just. This whole place is…” he struggled for a word. “It’s hell.”

  Sarah didn’t say anything. Justin was suffering some sort of mental breakdown and she was giggling with the girls about boys. She felt like an awful person.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The Job

  Two more days passed and Sarah was almost starting to hope that the Queen had changed her mind, and that she wouldn’t be required to do anything after all. Then one morning Sarah and Marland arrived at breakfast to find Finn groaning over his porridge. He had a split lip and was clutching his left side.

  “Oh no, not again,” said Sarah softly. “Finn, what happened?”

  He grinned painfully at her. “I was minding my own business. The guards had me mopping the floor. The King came by and shoved me on the shoulder. And don’t look at me like that,” he added, giving her a look, “I kept my head down, didn’t say anything. He seemed to find this offensive, however, and came back. He shoved me again, so I asked him what he wanted.” Finn gave a painful grin. “He was actually a bit surprised by that, I think. He told me if I wanted to prove myself I should beat up that guy,” he pointed to another table where an annoying looking fourteen year old was sitting and chewing loudly with his mouth open. “I asked why, he said because the kid has been giving him the shits, not that it’s any of my business anyway. I refused, and well, here I am.” He groaned. “I think I’ve broken a rib.”

  Sarah was both proud and exasperated. She didn’t know how to respond so she settled on the immediate problem. “You should probably get checked out this time.”

  “No way. It’s not just Boulder sprouting the tales about the infirmary. Haven’t you noticed it yet?” he asked, his voice dipping to a low whisper. “People go in and they do not go out.”

  “Gah. You sound just like Marland,” she said, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation.

  “Hey!” said Marland indignantly. “I’m right here!”

  “What’s happened to Justin then?” demanded Finn, ignoring Marland.

  “Maybe people like Justin just need extra care on the land?” offered Sarah.

  “So you’re both ignoring me now, is that it?” asked Marland.

  “We’re criminals, Sarah, and there is a war going on. Our health isn’t a top priority.”

  “But there would be families asking questions, surely, if people just disappeared?”

  “Oh my god,” said Marland, waving her hands, “can nobody hear me? Hello? Hello?!”

  “We’re on a boat with the worst offenders,” continued Finn. “They’re not like us. They have long sentences. And half of these people will end up joining the war effort just to get out of here and get killed anyway. They could just say that’s what’s happening to the kids who disappear.”

  Marland had given up trying to be heard and was now listening avidly with her mouth slightly open. She turned to look at Sarah with a knowing look in her eyes. “I told you, remember, on that very first night in the cell? They chuck them overboard.”

  “Marland,” began Sarah, but she was interrupted.

  “Ok, maybe I was a bit wrong and it wasn’t everybody, but the sick, the ones who cost money and aren’t of any use on the factory floor? Well, it just stands to reason that they would be chucked.”

  “She’s making sense,” agreed Finn.

  “Really?” said Sarah, surprised.

  “Our cities are controlled by the Covenant,” said Finn, caught up in the argument. “You know, ‘destroy the sick so the rest of us can live’ sort of business. It was pretty much their policy even before the Survival Wars.”

  Sarah gave him a dirty glare. “No one is being chucked overboard,” she declared, but now she was starting to doubt herself. After all, she didn’t have any proof that they weren’t.

  “I’m going to start a list,” said Marland enthusiastically. “Put everyone on it, note who goes to the infirmary and who comes back. Then we’ll know.”

  “No we won’t, they could still have gone anywhere,” added Finn, mulling it over.

  “You’re not seriously believing this?”

  Finn turned an appraising glance at Sarah. “Come up with some solid argument against it and I’ll listen to you too.”

  Sarah sighed, exasperated, and gave up. Marland had pulled a scrap of paper and a pencil from somewhere and was writing people’s names down. She looked like Christmas had come. All of her usual nervousness had disappeared. After a moment she paused and looked up at Finn meditatively, chewing the end of her pencil.

  “You know, what would really cinch the matter is if you agree to go to the infirmary and send us reports from the inside.”

  “No way! What if they take me away? What if they chuck me overboard?”

  “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

  “Well it’s not one that I am!” announced Finn, scandalised.

  Marland sighed regretfully and returned to her list, every now and then throwing an encouraging smile at Finn. This had the effect of creeping Finn out. As soon as the bell rang for them to tidy up and enter the factory floor he shot up out of his seat, only to collapse again clutching his side. Sarah picked up both their trays and deposited them in the designated area before returning and gently assisting Finn in standing. She struggled under his weight as they made their way up the stairs.

  “All we eat is porridge and protein bars,” she huffed, shifted the arm around her shoulder for better purchase, “how can you weigh so much?”

  “It’s all muscle,” he gasped out between clenched teeth.

  Sarah snorted in exasperation but otherwise didn’t reply. She was too busy trying to stop them from overbalancing and falling into the person in front of them.

  They spent a dull morning sorting the metal tubes before slowly making their way back down to the cafeteria for lunch. Sarah ate her potato and rice concoction with a lot of salt and tried to swallow it before her taste buds registered the flavour. Colt had joined them at lunch, much to Finn’s and Sarah’s annoyance, and had been flexing his arm muscles every time he took a mouthful. Sarah tried not to look but it was
mesmerising in a nauseating sort of way.

  “So Sarah,” said Colt, “have you been thinking of me?”

  “What?” said Sarah, aghast that he was talking like this so publicly. The others stopped talking immediately. Sarah wished the ground would just swallow her whole. She was acutely aware of Finn in particular looking at her out of the corner of her eye, but she couldn’t face him.

  “It’s just that I couldn’t help but notice you staring, and after we-”

  Sarah cut him off. “Colt, how is it that you even get through doorways?”

  This time it was Colt’s turn to be thrown off guard. “What?”

  “It’s just you head’s so big, it’s concerning.”

  Colt looked thunderous, then a sly expression slid across his face. “You didn’t seem to mind before.”

  “Wow,” said April, cutting through the tension between Colt and Sarah, “you’re right, Sarah, he is a jerk.”

  “What?” demanded Colt, rounding on April, but she was no longer looking at him. Sarah realised suddenly that the noise from the tables around them had died down. Sarah glanced up and nearly chocked. The Queen was standing at the end of their table. Sarah didn’t think that it was possible, but her lunch had gotten even worse. The girl made a jerky motion with her head and Colt, Marland, April, and Finn got up to move away. She made a small gesture at Finn, telling him to stay. Confused, he slowly sat back down again. Marland and April seated themselves at a nearby table, trying to eavesdrop without appearing to. Colt tried to sit next to April but she pushed him away. Sarah couldn’t watch further to see how that played out as the Queen had sat herself down on the bench opposite them. This time none of her bodyguards were with her.

  “Hello Sarah,” she said pleasantly. “Finn,” she added, nodding at him.

  They both forced a smile in return which only made them look more nervous.

  “Do you remember that talk we had, Sarah, just over a week ago?”

  Sarah nodded. How could she forget?

  “Did you tell your friend about it?” she nodded gently towards Finn, her eyes never leaving Sarah’s.

  This time Sarah hesitated before nodding. Although the Queen hadn’t specifically told her that she wasn’t meant to tell anyone about it, she had a pretty good idea that she was meant to keep her mouth shut. Apparently the hesitation was enough of a confirmation that the Queen needed, because she continued talking without a verbal answer.

  “I have a job that I think both of you can help me with.”

  If she expected a reply she was going to be disappointed. Sarah and Finn were both just staring at her now, waiting for what was to come next. Sarah was confused. She thought that this was going to be about the thieving job the Queen had told her about earlier, but she had no idea why Finn was there.

  The Queen now turned her head to look at Finn. “It has come to my attention that you are having some difficulties with Eric.” They both stared at her, confused. “The King,” she added for their benefit.

  “I-” began Finn, but he was cut off.

  “You see, I can help you with that. Eric and I have a working relationship.”

  “You can stop them?” asked Sarah, surprised.

  “Of course.”

  “I appreciate your offer but I don’t need your help,” said Finn.

  The Queen’s eyes flickered back to him. “Yes,” she said, staring straight at him without blinking, “you do.”

  There was a pause where nobody spoke.

  “What is the job?” asked Sarah eventually.

  The Queen smiled. It was a soulless expression.

  “I want you two to get me off this boat.” Sarah and Finn stared at her, flabbergasted. “You can, of course, refuse me,” said the Queen with a small smile. “But then I won’t be there to put a restraining hand on Eric’s fists,” she said, looking at Finn. Her eyes shifted to Sarah’s, “or any of my own girls’ either,” she added. Sarah didn’t need her to explain herself any further. She understood that the previous threat towards herself and Marland from before still stood, and that Finn’s beatings would most likely increase in number and savagery if they refused.

  There was a pause.

  “Tell you what,” said the Queen. “I’ll sweeten the deal. Campher is due back in two days, and let me tell you, she’s pissed. I’ll not only make sure that she’s in a different cell to your spirited little friend, but I’ll also ensure that there will be no physical retribution.”

  Sarah hadn’t needed any further motivation. She knew from the start that she would do whatever it took to prevent her friends from getting hurt, let alone prevent her own eye gouging. She just didn’t want to do it. Now that she knew that she could save at least two members of her group from active persecution, she felt less dirty about the deal. Here on this ship, so far away from her mum and uncle, her friends were the only family she had.

  Sarah met the Queen’s eyes. “How do you expect us to get you off the ship?”

  The Queen grinned. It was an unsettling expression.

  “There is a form, locked away in a safe in the infirmary. It has the power to send terminal patients to the mainland. I want you to get it for me. You already look broken and bloodied,” she added to Finn, “so it shouldn’t be too hard for you to get in there in the first place. You then get my little thief in and she’ll extract the document. Then I want you to forge the madman’s signature.”

  “The madman?”

  “The doctor who runs the clinic doesn’t have the right to call himself one,” replied the Queen in a voice so contemptuous that Sarah wondered what had happened to create such a strong emotion.

  “And you want Finn to forge a signature?” Sarah frowned but Finn surprised her by his next words.

  “I’ll need a copy of his signature to practise with.”

  “Then Sarah will have to steal that too. Also Eric isn’t to know about this, understand? If I find out that he got word of the details of this meeting, all of my promises will be null and void.”

  Finn nodded.

  “Good. I’m glad this was settled so amicably.” Her cold hands closed over one of Sarah’s hands and one of Finn’s. She squeezed them gently, then released them, standing up.

  “What if we can’t do it?” asked Sarah suddenly. She realised that she was wiping the hand the Queen had grasped on her pants. She stopped, hoping the Queen hadn’t noticed.

  “Then you’ll find another way to get me off. You have a week from tomorrow.”

  Sarah and Finn watched in stunned silence as she walked away.

  Sarah turned to face Finn. “What’s going to happen in a week? I mean, it has to be something, right> She’s too big on this ship just to give it up for no reason, surely?”

  “Who knows? And what’s going on with you and Colt?”

  Sarah blinked, studded. They had just been given the worst jobs ever and he wanted to talk about Colt?

  “Nothing.”

  “Right. Whatever.” Finn put his head in his hands and then ruffled his hair vigorously. “You said you’ve never stolen anything before, right?”

  Sarah nodded. “Yup.”

  “We’re going to die.”

  “Probably.”

  Their misery was interrupted by the return of Marland and April. Thankfully Colt was not with them. They sat down eagerly at the table and leaned forward so that they could whisper and not be overheard.

  “So?” asked Marland excitedly and worriedly at the same time, “what did she want?”

  “And why was Finn involved?” whispered April, who had been made up to date with all the gossip by Marland as they waited.

  Sarah gave Marland a look indicating that she wasn’t please about her spreading gossip. Marland brushed it off with a hand gesture. “Well?” she prompted.

  “She wants our souls,” answered Finn, his head still in his hands.

  Both Marland and April rolled their eyes.

  “No, seriously, what happened?” demanded April.

&nb
sp; Marland nodded in agreement. “How much trouble are you in? What did she want? Why did she come alone without her group? Tell us what happened!”

  “I’m not going to tell you if you go blabbing your mouth off to everyone!” said Sarah, exasperated. “I mean, how many people have you told already about my first meeting with her?”

  Marland threw her hands up in the air. “Only the people at this table!” she said loudly. A guilty expression flittered across her face as she realised that she was drawing attention and she returned to whispering. “Guys, I’ve not told anybody outside this group.”

  “Where’s Colt?” asked Sarah. She wanted to know exactly where he was before she started blurting out secrets. She wouldn’t have trusted him with a rock.

  “Look,” said Marland, pointing over Sarah’s shoulder. Sarah looked. Colt was sitting at the Queen’s table. He looked equally nervous and flattered. Finn was watching her and she looked away.

  “Good, I don’t want him involved,” said Sarah. She glanced at Finn and he shrugged as if he couldn’t care less. For a fleeting moment Sarah felt disappointed. She gave herself a mental slap and focused on the problem at hand.

  Finn cocked his head at Marland and April. “They could help find out a few things for us,” he suggested.

  “Yeah, sure, we can do that,” said April, hoping to prompt the story along.

  Sarah frowned, frustrated. Things were getting out of hand. She had to make them realise how serious this really was. “You have to swear on everything dear to you that this will not leave this table,” said Sarah. “And I’m not being overly melodramatic. If word gets out she will kill us and probably you guys too.”

  For the first time Marland and April seemed slightly less eager and a bit more sombre.

  “Tell us,” said April, “we’ll help if we can.”

  Sarah glanced around the room. No one was paying them any attention. She imagined any interest they had held had disappeared as soon as the Queen had walked away.

  “The Queen wants us to get her off the ship. We have a week from now,” she murmured softly. “There’s some document in the infirmary she wants us to steal about transferring terminally ill patients. We think, well, we think that something is going to happen in a week’s time. We don’t know what, she didn’t tell us.”