carefully.
‘Okay, this isn’t about me or us,’ I say, hating that my voice catches on the word “ us ”. ‘This is about finding Kayra. We’re packing up anything we need and leaving. Forget about getting married to me or Iris or any of this, and forget that “vision”. That’s not happening anymore. Papa is the only person we’re telling.’
I look away from him, not wanting to even think of him, and I climb out of the tent, not saying another word.
Within ten seconds of walking towards mine and Papa’s tent, Kai catches up to me. I don’t want him around me, and clench my fists as he walks in time with me, like he always has.
‘What’s the plan? Where are we going?’ he asks me awkwardly.
‘We’ll ask Papa, he will know,’ I reply, purposely not looking at him, and instead staring blankly ahead.
We pass Iris, who watches us walking together. She doesn’t say anything, and Kai seems to avoid her too. The other people around camp watch us too and it feels in the air like they know something is wrong.
We reach my tent to find Papa sat on his stool. He welcomes us, looking me over quickly as I sit on the dew-covered grass in front of Papa, sitting as far away from Kai as I can.
‘Papa, Kai and I are leaving to find Kayra. We’re leaving tonight and nothing you say will stop us from going. We need to know how to reach her,’ I say confidently, a hint of rebellion in my voice.
Kai doesn’t say a word, and avoids looking at me while I speak. I expect Papa to scold us, or remind us how foolish we are for wanting to go out of camp alone, but he speaks with relief and with hope.
‘She’s working with the government now. Since the earthquake, Unity became the entire government. Everything is controlled by them. In my last report from Henry, they were in what he called a compound, safe from the earthquake’s destruction.’
‘Henry?’ I ask, hope filling me suddenly. ‘My dad is alive... and you’ve heard from him recently?’
‘It’s difficult, but we communicate via phone,’ Papa says slowly. ‘It’s not important how, but I’m connected to the government’s network.’
‘Papa... can I speak with him?’ I ask hopefully.
He looks at me sadly.
‘Okay, though later. You need sleep now if you’re leaving tonight,’ he says. ‘Go and fetch us both something to eat from the fire pit.’
I walk out of the tent smiling, leaving Kai behind and putting distance between us. I’m going to talk to my real father soon, my father who I’ve always thought to be dead! The happiness of my father being alive forces away the pain of yesterday away and I begin to think of my mother. What if she’s alive too?
I change my course and turn back, rushing back to the tent to ask Papa. I hear voices inside: Kai and Papa.
‘...don’t think I can,’ I hear Kai say.
I sneak to the back of the tent, holding my breath as I listen.
‘Please, Kai. She can’t love you,’ I hear Papa say. ‘I have spoken to her father and he insists and remains adamant that we can’t let her fall in love. I gave her the choice and she chose you over her sister. Kai, sometimes one person’s hurt is needed for the greater good. I’m sorry, Kai. I really am.’
‘What? So heartbreak is the better option?!’ Kai demands. ‘You and I both love her, Papa! How can you just sit back and watch her get hurt? Or what’s worse than that is that you’re behind the hurting!’
‘You do not understand!’ Papa roars.
I’ve never heard him shout like that before. He always keeps calm.
‘You think Old World love is the most important thing!’ Papa continues angrily. ‘But maybe sacrificial love is equally as important! One sacrificed love could just save a whole lot of people and let these people
‘Okay, this isn’t about me or us,’ I say, hating that my voice catches on the word “ us ”. ‘This is about finding Kayra. We’re packing up anything we need and leaving. Forget about getting married to me or Iris or any of this, and forget that “vision”. That’s not happening anymore. Papa is the only person we’re telling.’
I look away from him, not wanting to even think of him, and I climb out of the tent, not saying another word.
Within ten seconds of walking towards mine and Papa’s tent, Kai catches up to me. I don’t want him around me, and clench my fists as he walks in time with me, like he always has.
‘What’s the plan? Where are we going?’ he asks me awkwardly.
‘We’ll ask Papa, he will know,’ I reply, purposely not looking at him, and instead staring blankly ahead.
We pass Iris, who watches us walking together. She doesn’t say anything, and Kai seems to avoid her too. The other people around camp watch us too and it feels in the air like they know something is wrong.
We reach my tent to find Papa sat on his stool. He welcomes us, looking me over quickly as I sit on the dew-covered grass in front of Papa, sitting as far away from Kai as I can.
‘Papa, Kai and I are leaving to find Kayra. We’re leaving tonight and nothing you say will stop us from going. We need to know how to reach her,’ I say confidently, a hint of rebellion in my voice.
Kai doesn’t say a word, and avoids looking at me while I speak. I expect Papa to scold us, or remind us how foolish we are for wanting to go out of camp alone, but he speaks with relief and with hope.
‘She’s working with the government now. Since the earthquake, Unity became the entire government. Everything is controlled by them. In my last report from Henry, they were in what he called a compound, safe from the earthquake’s destruction.’
‘Henry?’ I ask, hope filling me suddenly. ‘My dad is alive... and you’ve heard from him recently?’
‘It’s difficult, but we communicate via phone,’ Papa says slowly. ‘It’s not important how, but I’m connected to the government’s network.’
‘Papa... can I speak with him?’ I ask hopefully.
He looks at me sadly.
‘Okay, though later. You need sleep now if you’re leaving tonight,’ he says. ‘Go and fetch us both something to eat from the fire pit.’
I walk out of the tent smiling, leaving Kai behind and putting distance between us. I’m going to talk to my real father soon, my father who I’ve always thought to be dead! The happiness of my father being alive forces away the pain of yesterday away and I begin to think of my mother. What if she’s alive too?
I change my course and turn back, rushing back to the tent to ask Papa. I hear voices inside: Kai and Papa.
‘...don’t think I can,’ I hear Kai say.
I sneak to the back of the tent, holding my breath as I listen.
‘Please, Kai. She can’t love you,’ I hear Papa say. ‘I have spoken to her father and he insists and remains adamant that we can’t let her fall in love. I gave her the choice and she chose you over her sister. Kai, sometimes one person’s hurt is needed for the greater good. I’m sorry, Kai. I really am.’
‘What? So heartbreak is the better option?!’ Kai demands. ‘You and I both love her, Papa! How can you just sit back and watch her get hurt? Or what’s worse than that is that you’re behind the hurting!’
‘You do not understand!’ Papa roars.
I’ve never heard him shout like that before. He always keeps calm.
‘You think Old World love is the most important thing!’ Papa continues angrily. ‘But maybe sacrificial love is equally as important! One sacrificed love could just save a whole lot of people and let these people
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