Read Online Zoo by Tara Elizabeth - Free Book Online

to my
hut like Janice is doing with the other guy, but I do stay and
watch him to make sure he’s okay. I’m not so cruel as to abandon
him in his first moments here.
    “ You okay?” I ask him when
he finally gets into a sitting position.
    He cradles his head in his strong hands and
groans. I remember the feeling of waking up here and how awful my
head hurt. He answers me with another groan, “Yeah.”
    “ Oh good. You speak
English. What’s your name?”
    “ Kale,” he barely
answers.
    I point around the enclosure as I tell him,
“Well Kale, waterfall’s that way if you want a drink or shower,
toilets are that way, and food’s over there. There’s a vegetable
garden, fruit tree, and a fishpond. You’re on your own for sleeping
arrangements because they didn’t bring anymore huts when they
dropped you two off.” I’m so consumed with my disappointment that
he’s not James that I give him a horrible welcome.
    He stared at me the whole time I was
explaining where everything was with this look on his face like I
was some kind of angel or ethereal being. And he’s still doing it.
“Thank you,” he says as he tries to smile at me. “Thank you for
waiting here with me.” I look away, feeling ashamed for the harsh
welcome I just gave him.
    “ You’re welcome.” I am
about to smile, but realize that he could be being nice because he
knows what’s at stake if we don’t mate. Nope. I am not falling into
that trap. He may be cute and charming, but I can’t do what they
want. “Well, good night.” I throw a wave over my shoulder as I
scoot off to hide in my hut.
    I crawl into my private
space, which suddenly isn’t so private anymore as I listen to
Janice and the All-American guy talk in her hut. He says his name
is Greg Smith. “Figures,” I snort. He’s 17 years old and was born
in 1938. Greg grew up in the Chicago suburbs and had a mother,
father, sister, and a dog name d—you
guessed it —Spot.
    Janice is going to get bored with this guy
so quickly. She’s much too lively for him. They are complete
opposites. Eventually, Janice and Greg quiet down, probably having
fallen asleep.
    I’m still so angry and disappointed that I
almost forget to consider what’s actually happened to James. If he
isn’t here, then where is he? Maybe he did escape. I hope that’s
the answer and not that he got injured or punished. I fall asleep
thinking about his friendly smile and the way it lights up his
handsome face. Good thoughts before another long day of
misfortune.

BAD DAY
     
    Janice’s girlie giggles
wake me up. She’s flirting with her intended mate, Greg. It makes
me want to vomit. How can she so easily obey the Keeper’s demands?
How long will she wait to give them what they want? A BABY! The thought
makes me shudder. I won’t give in to them.
    Outside, Janice is cutting up fruit with a
sharp rock and grilling fish over the fire pit for our new
zoo-mates. Kale sits off to the side, not speaking to anyone. His
dark eyelashes hide his even darker eyes as he sulks.
    “ Oh, Emma! You’re awake.
Good. Do you want to join us?” Janice plasters on the biggest grin
I’ve ever seen her wear. Her happiness frustrates me.
    I skulk off without even bothering to answer
her. I can hear her making excuses for my behavior, as I get
further away. “Oh, she’s just upset about the protest that happened
before you got here. She thought she’d get to escape. She’s really
a nice girl. You’ll see.”
    But I’m not a nice girl—not lately anyway.
This isn’t like me, and it adds another thing to the
list-of-reasons to hate this place. My parents would be so
disappointed in the way I’ve been treating people. I judged Janice
when she was divulging all the horrors of her past, and then I
assumed that she would try to steal James away if given the
opportunity. I was completely rude to Kale, although if I’m being
honest, I know I will probably continue to question his
motives.
    The apple tree is full,