Part 12 (2/2)
”I can't.”
He frowned. ”Can't what?”
Tally looked up at Peris, clutching his hand. ”You see, they want me to tattle on a friend of mine.
Someone I got to know really well. After you left.”
”Tattle? Don't tell me this is all about some ugly-trick.”
”Sort of.”
”So, tattle away. How big a deal can it be?”
Tally turned away. ”It's important, Peris. It's more than a trick. I made my friend a promise that I'd keep a secret for her.”
His eyes narrowed, and for a moment he looked like the old Peris: serious, thoughtful, even a little bit unhappy. ”Tally, you made me a promise too.”
She swallowed and stared back at him. His eyes shone with tears.
”You promised you wouldn't do anything stupid, Tally. That you'd be with me soon. That we'd be pretty together.”
She touched the scar on her palm, still there, even though Peris's had been rubbed away. He reached over and held her hand. ”Best friends forever, Tally.”
She knew that if she looked into his eyes again, it would be all over. One glance, and her resistance would evaporate. ”Best friends forever?” she said.
”Forever.”
She took a deep breath and let herself stare into his eyes. He looked so sad, so vulnerable and wounded. So perfect. Tally imagined herself by his side, just as beautiful, spending every day doing nothing but talking and laughing and having fun.
”You'll keep your promise, Tally?”
A shudder of exhaustion and relief went through her. She had it now, an excuse to break her vow. She'd made that promise to Peris, just as real, before she'd ever met Shay. She had known him for years, and Shay for only a few months.
And Peris was right here, not out in some strange wilderness, and was looking at her with those eyes...
”Of course.”
”Really?” He smiled, and it was as bright as the daybreak outside.
”Yeah.” The words came out so easily. ”I'll be there as soon as I can. I promise.”
He sighed and hugged her tight, rocking her softly. Tears rose up in her again.
Peris finally released her, and looked out at the sunny day.
”I should go.” He waved at the door. ”You know, before the...thingies...all wake up.”
”Of course.”
”It's almost past my bedtime, and you've got a big day ahead of you.”
Tally nodded. She'd never felt so exhausted. Her muscles ached, and her face and hands had started stinging again. But she was overwhelmed with relief. This nightmare had begun three months ago, when Peris went across the river. And soon it would end.
”Okay, Peris. I'll see you soon. As soon as possible.”
He hugged her again, kissed her salty, scratched cheeks, and whispered, ”Maybe in just a couple of days. I'm so excited!”
He said good-bye and left, checking both ways down the corridor before departing. Tally looked out the window for another glance at Peris, and realized that a hovercar was waiting for him below. Pretties really did get whatever they wanted.
Tally wanted nothing more than to fall asleep, but acting on her decision couldn't wait. She knew that with Peris gone, the doubts would come back again and haunt her. She couldn't stand another day like this, not knowing if her ugly purgatory would ever end. And she'd promised Peris she'd be with him as soon as possible.
”I'm sorry, Shay,” Tally said quietly.
Then she picked up her interface ring from where it had lain on the bedside table all night, and slipped it on. ”Message to Dr. Cable, or whomever,” she said to it. ”I'll do what you want. Just let me sleep for a while. Message over.”
Tally sighed, and let herself fall back onto the bed. She knew she should spray her scratches again before pa.s.sing out, but the thought of moving made her whole body ache. A few dozen scratches wouldn't keep her from sleeping today. Nothing would.
Seconds later, the room spoke. ”Reply from Dr. Cable: A car will be sent for you, arriving in twenty minutes.”
”No,” she mumbled, but realized that it would be useless to argue. Special Circ.u.mstances would come, they would wake her up, they would take her.
Tally decided to try for a few minutes of sleep. It would be better than nothing.
But for the next twenty minutes, she never once shut her eyes.
Infiltrator
The cruel pretties seemed even more unearthly to exhausted eyes. Tally felt like a mouse in a cage full of hawks, just waiting for one to swoop down and take her. The trip in the hovercar had been even more sickening this time.
She focused on the nausea eating away at her stomach, trying to forget why she was here. As Tally and her escort made their way down the hall, she tried to pull herself together, tucking in her s.h.i.+rt and tugging at her hair.
Dr. Cable certainly didn't look like she'd just gotten up. Tally tried without success to imagine what a tousled Dr. Cable would look like. Her darting, metal-gray eyes hardly seemed as if they would ever close long enough to sleep.
”So, Tally. You've reconsidered.”
”Yes.”
”And you'll answer all our questions now? Honestly and of your own free will?”
Tally snorted. ”You're not giving me a choice.”
Dr. Cable smiled. ”We always have choices, Tally. You've made yours.”
”Great. Thanks. Look, just ask your questions.”
<script>