Page 158 of Always Us

The driver is wearing a black suit. I don’t know if he’s a member or just a driver. Pearce instructed me not to talk on the way there. The car has microphones and cameras inside and he doesn’t want the people watching and listening to us getting any kind of information about us, even if it’s just normal things, like stuff about school. So we sit there in silence for 55 minutes. I can’t tell where we are because I can’t see out the windows. They have some kind of covering over them that blurs the view. Some light filters through but I can’t see the outside. There’s a partition up between the front seat and the back seats so I can’t even see out the front window.

The car slows down and the driver’s voice booms through the back speakers. “Put the blindfold on the girl.”

Pearce picks up a piece of black fabric from the seat. I hadn’t even noticed it was there because the seats are black so it blended in.

Garret takes it from him. “Dad, what the hell? She’s not wearing this. She’s not going to tell anyone.”

“Garret, they won’t let her in without it. You know the rules.”

He sighs. “But she takes it off when we get inside, right?”

“Once we’re in the room, she can take it off.”

I’m feeling sick to my stomach. I don’t like this at all. The black clothes. The black car I can’t see out of. The blindfold. I feel like I’m being taken to my execution.

“I don’t feel good,” I say quietly to Garret.

He holds my hand. “It’ll be okay. I’ll be with you the whole time.”

“I really have to wear that?” I point to the blindfold.

“Not for very long. Just until we get to the room.”

“Why aren’t you wearing one?”

“I’ve been there before. I’ve already seen where it is.”

I nod and let him put the blindfold on me. As soon as it’s on, the car moves again. A few minutes later it comes to a stop.

I hear the driver through the speaker. “Mr. Kensington, your son will go first, followed by the girl and then you. The blindfold must remain on the girl until they tell you otherwise.”

I hear the door open. Garret helps me out, then takes my hand and I slowly walk forward, with him ahead of me. I feel Pearce behind me, his hand on my shoulder. I’m shaking now, fearful of what’s going to happen. Why do they want me here? I don’t understand this.

I hear another door open. It sounds heavy. It makes a loud creaking noise as it opens. We must be walking through it because the air suddenly changes and becomes damp and musty, like we’re in an underground tunnel. We keep walking, not saying a word. I’m gripping Garret’s hand and he’s rubbing mine with his thumb, trying to calm me. Pearce’s hand is still on my shoulder, so at least I feel somewhat protected having both of them surrounding me.

We finally reach another door, and as it opens, I feel warm air coming out. We go inside and the wet, musty smell is gone.

“Right this way,” I hear a man say. “Pearce, you may go to your seat.”

Pearce’s hand leaves my shoulder and I suddenly feel exposed, like someone’s going to come up behind me and do something. Garret leads me forward, taking several small steps and then stopping.

“Turn her around,” a man says.

Garret turns me the other direction, our hands still attached.

“Now go sit by your father,” the man says.

“No,” Garret says. “I’m not leaving her down here alone.”

I hear someone walking and then, “Garret, you need to sit down.”

He sighs, then I feel his hands on my face, his breath over my lips as he whispers, “I’ll be right behind you, okay?”

I nod, my body still shaking.

He kisses my forehead. “I love you.”

As soon as I feel his hands leave my face, I panic. I don’t know where I am or what they’re going to do to me. Someone’s behind me now, taking the blindfold off.

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