Hunted (23 page)

His expression softened ever so slightly, then he sighed. “I’ll give you one last chance to prove to me that you’re a good worker.”

I forced a smile onto my face, which was difficult since I was trying to keep from crying.
 

“Now, get to work.”

I grabbed my cart and wheeled it out of the room and down the hall. I stopped by each bathroom, looking for Jessica, and found her in the third bathroom. By this point my frustration had morphed into fury that she had so blatantly lied and gotten me into trouble for something I hadn’t done. “Hey,” I yelled when I saw her hunched over a toilet with a sponge in her hand.

She turned and looked at me, her brows pulled together in annoyance. “Yeah?”

I stormed over to her and put my hands on my hips. “You lied to Kyle about what happened yesterday.”

She wiped sweat from her forehead and stood up. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

My mouth fell open in shock.

“You’d better close that or flies will get in.” She smiled.

Despite her rudeness, I closed my mouth. “
You
were the one who skipped work because you had homework. But you told Kyle it was
me
.”

“You’re crazy, Hannah. I worked the whole time.”

She seemed so confident in her answer that for a split second I wondered if I was crazy. But I knew what had happened. I shook my head. “No. No. You said you needed to do homework and that it was cool if you skipped work.”

She turned back to the toilet. “Whatever.”

Livid now, I stood there, my gaze burning holes into her head. She blithely went on cleaning the toilet, completely ignoring me. Finally I turned and left before I did something I would later regret—like shoving her face into the toilet bowl and flushing several times. The thought made me smile, which took the edge off my anger.

As I cleaned I tried to forget about the injustice of the situation and was glad when Kyle checked up on me several times. Jessica couldn’t claim I hadn’t cleaned that day, not with Kyle seeing with his own eyes that I was doing it. My mind wandered as I scrubbed a shower and I realized that the next day was Halloween. I hadn’t heard any mention of it though, and since candy was such an important part of Halloween, I could only assume the holiday had ended at the same time the laws regarding weight controls had taken effect, and it was no longer celebrated.

And if the next day was the last day of October, that meant there were only eleven days left until I
had
to be at the tunnel if I wanted to get back to my world. That wasn’t much time to finish what I needed to do here to the satisfaction of Jack and Dani so that they would get me out. I’d gotten some video for them with my glasses camera and I hoped they’d been able to hack into the wi-fi here and download the video. I’d also stashed several chunks of power bar that they could have tested at a lab, but I didn’t know if it was enough yet. I also didn’t know if the video I’d taken was enough to change people’s minds about the inhumanity of the F.A.T. centers.

In just a few days it would be Saturday, which meant the Saturday Challenge. That should be good for a lot of video that would get the attention of the public. But in the meantime, I needed to survive this place, gain Amy’s trust so that she’d come with me when it was time to leave, and make sure I was in position for the rescue.

I finished my shift and went to my room to work on homework. When it was time to go to lunch I heard a soft knock on my door. I opened it to find Amy standing there and I invited her in.

“I understand why you didn’t sit with me at breakfast.” She stared at the floor as she spoke.
 

My shoulders slumped. I was such a terrible sister. “I’m so sorry, Amy. I really wanted to, but Lori basically threatened me.”

She nodded. “Okay.” She looked at me. “What about lunch?”

I felt vile and cowardly. “I can’t.”

Her face seemed to droop even more. “Okay.”

“But let’s work out together after classes, okay?”

She seemed to perk up at the suggestion. “Okay.”

“I’m ready to go eat some lunch. Do you want to go with me to the cafeteria?”

“Sure.”

We arrived at the cafeteria together and got in line. About thirty seconds later I felt a tug on my arm and saw Lori standing there, pulling me.

“There you are, Hannah. I was looking for you. Come get in line with me and the girls.” Her gaze flicked to Amy, then back to me.

“I’m fine here.” I gently pulled my arm out of her grasp. “I’ll meet you at the table, okay?”

She looked uncertain, but after a moment she nodded and walked away.

“I’m tempted to sit with you just to see what she does,” I said to Amy.

“Do it, Hannah.” Amy’s eyes were bright with hope.

My heart pounded as I considered the consequences of defying Lori’s demands. What could she do to me anyway? And who was more important? Lori or my baby sister. “Okay.”

“Really?”

Grinning, I nodded.

“Cool,” Amy whispered.

At that moment I felt proud of myself. Something I was doing was making my sister happy.

We collected our food and went to her table. Chloe and Amber were already there.

“Wow. Look who decided to join us,” Chloe said. “I’m truly shocked.”

Amy laughed. “Stop it, Chloe.”

I glared at the little smart aleck, although of course she was right. I’d even shocked myself by coming here. As soon as I sat down I looked at Lori and her gang and saw them openly staring at me, and Lori looked pissed. I turned away and focused on eating my lunch, making sure to put a large chunk of power bar in my pocket.

During lunch I looked over at Lori’s table and saw Jessica sitting next to her and having what looked like an intense conversation. I hadn’t realized the two were friends, but then I realized I didn’t know any of Lori’s friends, except the four girls who sat at her table. Seeing the two of them talking worried me, particularly after what had happened that morning.

I tried not to think about it and tried to focus on the fact that in less than two weeks I’d be back in my home world with my family.

After I finished eating I stopped by my room and set the chunk of power bar on the bed, then pulled out the other pieces I’d stashed and set them next to the new piece. I turned on the camera and held it in front of my face. “I’ve collected some power bars now, just so you know.” Then I pointed the camera at the small pile of power bar chunks on the bed. I turned off the camera, put the pieces of the power bars back under the bed, and put the glasses back on, hopeful that giving that message might speed up the time for my and Amy’s rescue.

Next, I went to the supply closet/office to get my cart. Kyle wasn’t there, but I hoped he would check on me that afternoon so that he could verify I was working.

I worked hard all afternoon and kept my distance from Jessica, though I saw her vacuuming the halls at the end of our shift. When I dropped off my cart Kyle still wasn’t around, but I tried not to worry and instead got my backpack and headed to class.

My first class was English. Amy was already there and when I arrived she pointed to the desk next to hers. I turned in my paper to Mrs. Needham, then sat in the seat next to Amy.

“I hope Lori didn’t give you too hard a time about sitting with me,” she said.

“I actually haven’t talked to her yet.”

“Oh. Well, I hope she leaves you alone. You should be able to be friends with whoever you want.”

I nodded, liking this spunky side of her.

After classes were over I dropped off my backpack and went to the cafeteria. As I waited in line, I wondered if I should sit with Amy again or if I should sit with Lori. Then I remembered Amy saying that I should be able to choose my friends, so after I got my dinner, I walked toward Amy’s table. No one was there yet, but as I walked in that direction I heard my name and saw Emily motioning to me. Just she and Brittany were at their table. I stopped to see what they wanted, but didn’t set my tray down.

“Where are you going?” Emily’s eyebrows pulled together, like she was worried. “Are you going to sit with that girl again?”

“That girl’s name is Amy. And yes, as a matter of fact, I am.”

“But why?”

“What’s the big deal?”

“Lori is so pissed at you. Why do you want to make her mad?”

That gave me pause. I could tell she was mad when I sat with Amy at lunch, but I figured she’d get over it. Evidently she hadn’t. “I have the right to choose who I sit with, don’t I?”

“Well, yeah. But you need to be wise about it.”

Wise
? What was that supposed to mean. “Okay.”

“You don’t want Lori as your enemy,” Brittany said.

That was something I already knew, but I had to put aside my own fears and do what was best for my sister. That’s why I was
here
in the first place. I couldn’t let a bully like Lori keep me from doing what I knew was right. “I appreciate the warning.”

“So sit down.” Emily patted the table next to her place.

I looked at the spot she indicated, then looked at the line of kids getting food. Amy was in line and just at that moment she turned and looked at me, then smiled and waved. Then I saw Lori, her tray full, walking toward us.
Crap.
 

“Come on, Hannah,” Emily said. “Sit with us.”

I turned back to Emily. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

“What?” The look of shock on her face almost made me laugh, like the thought of defying Lori was not even in the realm of reality.

“I’ll see you later.” Then I walked over to Amy’s table and waited for her to arrive.
 

When she got there, she sat next to me. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to sit here when I saw Lori going to her table.”

“Like you said, I can choose who I want for my friends.”

She smiled, obviously pleased.

A few minutes later Chloe and Amber joined us. As I ate, I tried to ignore the gnawing in my stomach that manifested itself whenever I thought about Lori. At the end of the meal I stood and picked up my tray, but then was violently pushed from behind. I dropped my tray and everything on it, and fell on the floor.

“Pick up your trash,” a male voice commanded.

I turned to see Hansen standing over me and my heart rate skyrocketed.
 

He pushed me with his boot. “Hurry up.”
 

I quickly gathered the trash onto my tray, then stood. I looked at him and saw hatred plain in his eyes, but wondered why he would hate Hannah Jacobs.

He glared at me. “You’re such a waste of space.” Then he turned and walked away.

“What was that all about?” Amber asked.

I sat back down. “I don’t know.”

“Maybe you remind him of someone too,” Amy whispered.

I looked at her sharply, wondering if she was aware of the animosity Hansen had toward Morgan. But I wondered if she was right and that’s why he felt a need to pick on me.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Amy and I went to the gym together and I stayed close by while we worked out. I didn’t want to give Austin another opportunity to proposition her. The thought disgusted me—she was only thirteen—but he was a pervert and after what I knew about him and Alyx, it really didn’t surprise me.

The more time I spent with Amy, the more I considered telling her the truth—I wasn’t Hannah Jacobs, I was her sister, Morgan. But then I would remember how she calmly stated that she hated me with all her heart. Could the friendship we’d developed in the last couple of days be enough to overcome that? Or would she immediately scream to anyone who was near that I was really Morgan? That fear kept me quiet.

We finished our workout without incident, then after a quick shower I headed to the nutritional counseling class. The moment I entered the room, the teacher pulled me aside.

“Are you Hannah Jacobs?” she asked.

Wary, I answered, “Yes.”

“You need to attend Mrs. Reynolds re-education class.”

“What?” I would have thought this was a joke except I knew the staff here never joked.

“Don’t argue with me.”

I hadn’t realized I was, but okay.

“Good-bye.” Then she turned away from me.

I stood there a moment wondering why I was being sent to that class. I hadn’t done anything wrong that I was aware of.
 

“Why are you still here?” The teacher asked.

I glanced at her, then made my feet carry me toward the door, out into the hallway, and to the classroom where I’d been humiliated many times during my last visit to Camp Willowmoss. When I walked through the doorway, all eyes shifted to me. I scanned the faces of the kids in the room and saw Amy, who looked happy, yet confused, to see me there. And Lori, whose mouth turned up into a half-smile when I walked in, like she wasn’t surprised to see me there and I wondered if she could have anything to do with it.

I recalled how she’d interfered with my budding relationship with Connor on several occasions, and the lies she’d told to the group at our table, and knew it wasn’t beyond reason for her to do something to cause me to be sent here.

“Hannah,” Mrs. Reynolds said loud enough for everyone to hear. “What a great disappointment to see you here.”

And so it begins
.

“Don’t just stand in the doorway. You’re holding us up. Find a seat.”

There were a few empty seats, but none by either Lori or Amy, so I sat in the closest one, next to a boy with long hair. His hair reminded me of Billy, which made me miss him intensely. The last time I’d been in this group with Mrs. Reynolds, he’d been by my side.

Forcing thoughts of Billy out of my head, I fiddled with my glasses and turned on the camera. I knew how Mrs. Reynolds treated us and I wanted to make sure and have the camera going if something interesting happened.

“Why are you here, Hannah?” Mrs. Reynolds asked.

Her eagle-like stare focused on me and I felt the familiar fear trickling down my spine. Then I reminded myself that I knew something she didn’t. I knew I was really Morgan Campbell. I knew that didn’t do anything to help me, and if she knew it would actually be worse for me, but convincing myself that I had this great secret gave me the courage to speak up. “Actually, I don’t know.”