Page 103 of Blue Arrow Island
“No. Everyone has assigned jobs for it. You need to shelter in place in my room.”
I lower my brows, not liking his answer. “But you said there’s a lot to do, and I can’t even get into the room. I can help.”
“I’ll radio for someone to let you in.”
I back up a few steps, still facing him. “So I’m just going to find Nova, then.”
“Do you ever listen to me?” He glares at me, exasperated.
“I listened when you yelledfuck. Hacked off that mantis’s head. You’re welcome, by the way.”
Ellison fights a smile, putting a hand on his shoulder to try to lead him in the other direction.
“It’s gonna get bad fast out there,” Marcus warns. “When Nova puts out the shelter order, do it.”
I give him a confused look. “Of course I will.”
I turn around, letting myself break out in a full smile. I was wrong about nothing here being fun. Bantering with him is my entertainment.
“At least you listen to someone around here!” he calls after me.
I just wave, not turning back.
When I exit the tunnel, my light mood vanishes. The sky is a dark, ominous gray and the wind is stronger than before. People are running, some clutching children to their chests.
I don’t even know where to find Nova. Instead, I run to a woman trying to carry two toddlers, taking one of them from her.
“Where are we going?” I ask her.
“The Sub! But I still have to find another one who got away from me.” Her expression is pained, her cheeks tearstained.
“Give me both of them. I’ll take them to the Sub and come back to help you.”
“Thank you! The guard will know where you need to take them.”
She passes them to me. One of the kids clings to me for dear life, shaking, while the other one cries into my shirt.
“It’s okay, guys,” I assure them. “You’re safe.”
I race toward the tunnel, protecting the garden the furthest thing from my mind. Making sure everyone gets to a safe place is more important.
A gust of wind hits my back and I drop to my knees, one of the kids wailing.
“I’ve got you.”
I turn to see Vadim behind me, his hands on my waist to help me stand. He takes one of the children.
“They’re going to the Sub,” I tell him, yelling over the howling wind.
He nods, putting a hand on my lower back. We take off for the tunnel entrance together.
30
Human test subject males showed increased aggression and emotional volatility. Increasing procreation urges is proving difficult. For our next round of test subjects, we will increase the compound’s testosterone.
-Excerpt from the journal of Dr. Randall McClain
“Would you rather have no front teeth or a butthole that never stops itching?”
