I wake up to the sound of people stampeding in the corridor just outside my room. I climb off of my bed and walk over to the door, opening it slightly in order to find out the reason for the commotion. Just as I stick my head out of the door, Saint appears in front of me, wearing a red shirt with his name imprinted on it. His hand is raised as if he wants to knock on my door, but my appearance causes him to drop his hand and rather slip them in the pockets of his pants.

"Everyone goes to breakfast around this time. You can sleep in, but the food gets cold, and the kitchen closes up in a couple of hours until lunch." Saint scans my appearance. I'm still wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday. "I figured you wouldn't read the handbook."

"I'll be out soon."

"The clothes in the cupboard are for you."

I smile at him, trying to show I'm grateful for his help. I then close my door and move to the cupboard Saint mentioned. The cupboard is full with clothing and after looking through a few items, I notice that all of them are my size. It scares me to think that the Purus know my size. I assume the other cupboards are also filled with clothing, leaving me to wonder where they get all their funding from.

After slipping off my clothing and throwing them onto my bed, I put on a beige top and slightly darker pants. There are hideous pumps at the bottom of the cupboard, and noticing the rest of the shoes are even more hideous, I sigh before slipping these pumps onto my feet. I then grab a tranquilizer Saint gave me yesterday and inject myself with it before rushing to my door.

I open my door in a hurry and find Saint waiting outside.

"Your family went on ahead. I said I'd walk you to the dining hall."

"Okay," I say as I close the door behind me.

"The showers are just down the hall and to the left. You're about to see where the dining hall is. Breakfast is at ten and the other meals are four hours after each other. There's a clock in your room. Read the labels on the doors before entering the room," Saint shakes his head as he walks with me to the dining hall, "because I'm guessing you won't read the handbook."

"Thank you. You...you look more tired than you did yesterday."

"I never slept. Eve made me record a bunch of results on her patient last night. She'll see you today. Go to room twenty-three after breakfast, and I'll see you there."

"I assume you'll be recording my results too."

"Nope. I'm there in case you get out of hand."

"Saint," a girl I saw yesterday calls out to him from behind us. "I forgot where to find—"

"Nope," Saint emphasizes the 'p' sound of the word, "you should look at the handbook first."

I continue walking with Saint and start wondering why I haven't been addressed in the same manner, especially when he knows I haven't read the handbook and that I'm not planning to.

"Relax. It's not that I think you're special or anything." He yawns. "That one just irritates me. I don't like her and her family."

I now hear people laughing and assume we're near the dining hall. "What did they do?"

"You have to spend a day with them to know what I mean. I transferred from a different Purus compound just yesterday and thought I had left her behind. Just my luck, huh?"

We now stand at the entrance of the dining hall. I'm about to thank Saint, but he pulls me uncomfortably close to him and only moves closer when I take a few steps away from him. I try turn around to walk away, but Saint grips my hand.

"Your dad isn't pleased with your whereabouts right now." Saint's facial expression is blank. It's as if he's bored and doesn't seem to care about the words he's saying.

I look into his eyes, trying to find the humour or seriousness behind it, but I can't detect either. Saint releases me and I take a few steps back, still staring at the boy speaking about the father I haven't seen since the attack in my home. Saint speaks of the same father who approved of my torture.

He shrugs his shoulder, and once he turns his body to walk away, I grab him by his arm before mustering all the strength I have to pin him against the wall.

"Do you think you're funny?"

"Not any more than the rest of them," Saint says, and he easily pushes me away from him. "You need to do two things, Willow; stop taking that medication after Eve sees you today and try act normal, okay? That means you can't go hurting anyone."

I look to my family I've now spotted in the dining hall then look around the area we're standing.

"They can't see us. It's one-way glass. Willow," Saint regains my attention, "you'll need your strength when we get out of here. These people won't just let you leave. "

I try pulling Saint towards me, but he shoves me away before leaving me standing in front of the dining room door. I hate people like him; the kind of people who say dangerous things without elaborating on them, leaving the receiver of the information confused and angry.

When Saint is out of my sight, I turn to the dining hall and push the door open, looking for my family while doing so. I see my mother, Kane and Mathea at the table nearest to the fruits and walk straight to them, paying minor attention to the people surrounding me and the food I smell prepared for us. I force myself to look at my mother, still aware of how disappointed she is in me after yesterday's event. She avoids my eyes as we speak.

"Do you know Saint? He kept talking to me about Dad."

"Maybe he just knows who your dad is, Will."

"No, that's not it. He said my father doesn't approve of us being here. That can't be right, can it? Dad helped us escape."

"We can talk later, Willow." My mother stands up from the table, still holding onto secrets and not prepared to speak to me yet.

"Mum," Mathea grabs our mother's hand before she is able to escape, "you need to tell us these things."

My mother sighs as her last born addresses her with seriousness I've never seen in Thea's eyes before. "Your father must have put a tracker in you."

I feel around my body, confused at when he would have had the time to do that.

"You won't find it, Willow. It must be the new development he discussed with me once. The tracking chip dissolves only once remotely activated, spreading throughout your blood and only leaving the bloodstream after seventy-two hours. Many people won't be able to find it unless they have the necessary equipment."

Mum shakes her head. "He must have made your doctor put it in during your treatment and likely only activated it recently. We have been planning this for a while now, but he didn't know this is the location I planned on bringing you to."

My mum takes a seat before continuing to speak, "As for Saint, I've never heard of him before now. It is possible your father sent him to keep an eye on you seeing as your tracker will leave your system soon, and we're all unsure of how long our stay here will be."

"Why is he tracking me? Are you not keeping contact with him?"

"No, Willow, I am not."

"Why?"

"Your father would rather have you tortured than allow you to receive help from the Purus! I will not accept that anymore, Wilow!"

The table is silent, and a few people glance in our direction. In this moment, my only thoughts are of my father. He allowed others to hurt me just so I can keep my Gift—if I can even call it that anymore. This so-called Gift is resulting in more curses than blessings, and truly speaking; I'm tired.

I'm tired of the Foster government profiting from my talents that are only causing me pain. I resent them for the childhood they have taken away from me and many others, replacing moments meant for video games with training and forcing us to often part from our family when a mission is assigned to us.

I don't know if I have the right to think this, but I even hate them on behalf of Ankah and Topaz. The government forms horrific laws allowing a debt to be paid by the innocent, only caring that the debt is paid in the end.

I hate the Foster government for all those with disabilities. Not only are they belittled, but their death is promoted. No one should determine another person's use or if they get to live. I even hate the government on behalf of the leased children, because I'm sure the experimentation done to them is terrible.

If only hatred were enough to change a system, but the truth is I'll need money, power or the masses to do that, and I don't have any of those. I'm not enough to convince parents and supporting countries to stop funding the Gifted Program, and I'm not enough to force the Foster government to change the laws. I'm not enough, so all I'm left with is my anger.

Even if I were able to get through to the politicians, I'll have the citizens to deal with, and I don't know how to convince people to oppose of laws that have been helping them and, sadly to say, the development of Geode.

"Saint said I shouldn't use the tranquilizers anymore after my check-up today. I assume he wants Eve to detect it but doesn't want me so weakened that I can't be useful for our escape."

"You want us to go with him? Wait...why are we escaping?" Kane asks.

"We will not do that." Mother stretches her hand across the table to grab mine and looks at me as she speaks, "My baby, I should have never let them hurt you. We'll get the cure here, and when you're all better, the four of us will go home. Saint won't help you. Your father won't help us either, Willow."

"Saint said they won't just let us leave."

"We'll leave this place, my baby. I promise."

"I know, Mother. I'll burn this place down before I let them keep us prisoner."

"No survivors," Kane speaks, but I can't tell if it's a statement or a question.

"Not even me. Nobody will leave if we can't."

Mathea looks at me with wide eyes. It seems as though she realizes something. Well, she could just be scared. Even Kane looks frightened when he hears the words leave my mouth. I shouldn't have let him come with us. If all else fails, I need to get him out of here. Perhaps Saint could help with that.

"Wills, when do you get to see Eve?" Mathea asks.

"After breakfast. Room twenty-three."

"You need to eat. We'll all go to your appointment with you." Mother stands up and takes Mathea's empty plate. "I'll get you some food."

"Have you taken your medication?"

"I'm not going to hurt you, Kane." I angrily push my chair out and away from the table.

"It doesn't look that way, Willow."

I grab an apple, a water bottle and a slice of baked bread before moving away from Kane and Mathea. I don't want to be around them right now. I'll see them in room twenty-three.