Read Online United (The United Trilogy Book 1) by Jaci Wheeler - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jaci Wheeler
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know! We are so proud of you! I got you something; come sit with me for a moment.” She pulls me to the couch where she hands me a small jewelry box. I open the box and gasp. It is a beautiful gold necklace in the shape of some sort of animal, a green jewel where the eye would be.
“It’s a cougar,” my mother says, as if reading my mind. “Cougars stand for strength and leadership. This way, anytime you start to feel overwhelmed, you can just look at this cougar and realize how strong you are and what a powerful leader you have become.”
I couldn’t hold back the tears, now streaming down my face with intensity. “Thank you, Mom. I love it; it’s perfect!”
We left our parents at home, trying to hold back the tears while we walked to the train station. My mother had given me detailed instructions on how to get there and Wes had to take his half-way break, today more than ever. We found a fallen log and sat down, looking out at the trees and the beautiful landscape before us. I loved my home. It was green and lush and I felt safe. I sat there and wondered what it was going to be like living at the ministry.
“So, you ready for this Roz?” Wes looks down at me expectantly.
“Of course I am, off to a new adventure, Wesley!” I say with a smile. I’m pretty sure he can see right through me, but he humors me by standing up and grabbing his bag.
“Well, I’d hate to keep you from your adventure, Miss Thatcher. Shall we?” I stand up, grab my bag, take a deep breath and we plunge ahead.
We arrive at the train station. Wes and I stand outside just gawking for what must have been about ten minutes. Good thing he insists on always being 23 minutes early. The station was not made of glass and colorful window panes like most of the buildings are. No, this one is a huge brick building. We have seen pictures of brick buildings in our history books, but never up close. It is beautiful and once we walk in, the inside is just as pretty. The walls are painted a deep red, and there is gold writing above the check-in window that says Station 5. I wonder just how many stations there are.
We look around for someone to check us in, but all I see is a clear glass window. Well, that’s odd. My mother told me that once we got to the brick building we would go inside and check in, but I don't see anyone. Then it hit me: at school every morning we check-in by our hand scans. I’ve never seen a clear window scanner, but this must be the same type of check-in.
I place my hand on the window and instantly it goes from see-through glass to a glowing blue color. My picture pops up on the screen and an animated voice recites “Rosaline Thatcher, checked in at 7:45. Destination: Department of Ministry. Please place your bag in the slot below. Thank you have a nice trip.” Then the screen disappears just like that and before my hands let go of my bag’s handle, the floor seems to open up, sucks it in, and then closes with a thump. I drop my hand and turned to Wes. “Well it looks like they are expecting us; I am officially scanned in.” Dread pools in my stomach, there’s no turning back now.
Wes’s eyes light up like its Christmas morning. “There is a reason this has always been on my top five list, Roz. This is so incredible! Where do you think that chute goes? I mean, obviously it goes somewhere the train goes right? Or do you think maybe it goes straight to the Department of Ministry? I mean-”
I put my hand up, cutting him off. “Yes Wes, super exciting, awesome stuff. Please check in so we can go. You don’t want us to be late, do you?” My comment has the exact effect I was hoping, jolting Wes out of his geek love fest. He immediately places his hand on the window and scans in.
Once we were scanned and free of our bags, we took our seats in plush red chairs to wait for the train.
“You see now, Roz, why I prefer technology over
“It’s a cougar,” my mother says, as if reading my mind. “Cougars stand for strength and leadership. This way, anytime you start to feel overwhelmed, you can just look at this cougar and realize how strong you are and what a powerful leader you have become.”
I couldn’t hold back the tears, now streaming down my face with intensity. “Thank you, Mom. I love it; it’s perfect!”
We left our parents at home, trying to hold back the tears while we walked to the train station. My mother had given me detailed instructions on how to get there and Wes had to take his half-way break, today more than ever. We found a fallen log and sat down, looking out at the trees and the beautiful landscape before us. I loved my home. It was green and lush and I felt safe. I sat there and wondered what it was going to be like living at the ministry.
“So, you ready for this Roz?” Wes looks down at me expectantly.
“Of course I am, off to a new adventure, Wesley!” I say with a smile. I’m pretty sure he can see right through me, but he humors me by standing up and grabbing his bag.
“Well, I’d hate to keep you from your adventure, Miss Thatcher. Shall we?” I stand up, grab my bag, take a deep breath and we plunge ahead.
We arrive at the train station. Wes and I stand outside just gawking for what must have been about ten minutes. Good thing he insists on always being 23 minutes early. The station was not made of glass and colorful window panes like most of the buildings are. No, this one is a huge brick building. We have seen pictures of brick buildings in our history books, but never up close. It is beautiful and once we walk in, the inside is just as pretty. The walls are painted a deep red, and there is gold writing above the check-in window that says Station 5. I wonder just how many stations there are.
We look around for someone to check us in, but all I see is a clear glass window. Well, that’s odd. My mother told me that once we got to the brick building we would go inside and check in, but I don't see anyone. Then it hit me: at school every morning we check-in by our hand scans. I’ve never seen a clear window scanner, but this must be the same type of check-in.
I place my hand on the window and instantly it goes from see-through glass to a glowing blue color. My picture pops up on the screen and an animated voice recites “Rosaline Thatcher, checked in at 7:45. Destination: Department of Ministry. Please place your bag in the slot below. Thank you have a nice trip.” Then the screen disappears just like that and before my hands let go of my bag’s handle, the floor seems to open up, sucks it in, and then closes with a thump. I drop my hand and turned to Wes. “Well it looks like they are expecting us; I am officially scanned in.” Dread pools in my stomach, there’s no turning back now.
Wes’s eyes light up like its Christmas morning. “There is a reason this has always been on my top five list, Roz. This is so incredible! Where do you think that chute goes? I mean, obviously it goes somewhere the train goes right? Or do you think maybe it goes straight to the Department of Ministry? I mean-”
I put my hand up, cutting him off. “Yes Wes, super exciting, awesome stuff. Please check in so we can go. You don’t want us to be late, do you?” My comment has the exact effect I was hoping, jolting Wes out of his geek love fest. He immediately places his hand on the window and scans in.
Once we were scanned and free of our bags, we took our seats in plush red chairs to wait for the train.
“You see now, Roz, why I prefer technology over
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