Part 31 (2/2)
Jordyn hugged Kaila. ”I missed you, love,” he said kissing her.
Kaila peered over his shoulder at Antonia and Toby. ”What are you two doing here?”
Then, strangely, Antonia and Toby put their arms around her.
”We like to feel too,” they said.
”Stop,” Kaila said extricating herself from the three pairs of arms.
”We mean it,” Toby said, his moon face grinning. ”No, not we. Me. I. I want to live. I want to love. I want to feel. I want to eat. To taste. To ride.”
Kaila backed away from the bald and ecstatic sta.r.s.eed.
”No fear!” cried Toby. ”I know you can feel me, Kaila. Yes, feel!” The corners of his lips turned up in a twisted smile. Kaila's heart turned over, knowing how he was trying to liberate expression.
”I realized we were a lie. I saw your Paw Paw,” Toby said.
”What!”
”Kaila,” Jordyn said. ”We saw it. We were monitoring you. Please understand. We never knew, never understood.” He gripped her shoulders. ”There is no harm here. You must trust that.”
”We tread strange territory,” Antonia said, glancing over her shoulder.
Toby said, ”We watched you, Kaila. I visited your horse, Perseus, who loves you. I thought, what an incredible animal and what a relations.h.i.+p you have with her. Then I watched your grandmother cry for your grandfather. And we marveled. The depth of the human heart, no matter if it hurts. I liked it! I saw Nan's whole life with your Paw Paw, how much her inside was warm and glowing. How she came alive when she was near him.”
Toby thrust his arms in the pockets of his silver overalls. He turned his wide face up toward the moon. ”And I want that. Why are we supposed to be these empty, rote creatures? Why give us a heart if we must deny?”
”Help us,” Antonia said, tugging Kaila's sleeve.
”Please,” Toby implored, his eyes moist. ”Help us.”
”We don't want to live on the s.h.i.+ps anymore,” Antonia said. ”We want this.” She gestured toward the field, the house, the woods, the pond.
”I don't know what to do,” Kaila said. ”Who am I? Mother Theresa?'
”Who's that?” Toby asked.
”Some random saint,” Kaila replied. ”I'm not a saint. I'm,” she paused. What was she? A freaking hybrid sta.r.s.eed.
”Help us.” Toby gripped Kaila's wrist. ”We don't want the old life anymore. We want to stay on Earth and live like you.”
Their heads turned as they spied lights up the driveway. Melissa and Pia on their bikes.
”It's her,” Toby said reverently, looking at the light.
Antonia turned toward the light, with hope.
Toby ran to Melissa. Kaila ran after him. Melissa screamed when she saw them.
Melissa and Pia dropped their bikes.
”It's okay,” Kaila called. Melissa and Pia backed up, holding up their palms.
”I like you, Melissa,” Toby said.
”Sure you do,” Melissa said, looking like she'd seen Vladamir the Impaler.
”You setting us up?” Pia called to Kaila.
”No,” Kaila said.
Jordyn approached Melissa and Pia. ”We're here to help you. And we will prove it to you.” He motioned to Antonia and Toby.
”They're going to remove your implants. Now. And then you can't be tracked. Ever. You'll be safe. Free forever.” He paused, allowing this to sink in. ”Do you want this?”
Melissa and Pia looked at Kaila. She nodded.
Toby approached Melissa while Antonia went to Pia.
”Don't be afraid,” they said simultaneously. ”We will help you. We vow to take away harm.”
Their eyes turned solid black. Melissa and Pia backed up in fright.
”Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid,” Toby urged.
Toby and Antonia concentrated their energy on Melissa and Pia. Energy buzzed about them as they extended their fingers to the girls' faces. They drew something out from a nostril.
Antonia took Pia's flashlight. Shone it on her palm. A miniscule chip was visible. It curled like a living worm and evaporated.
”How do you feel?” Antonia asked Pia.
Pia sniffed, considering. ”Good . . . lighter.”
”Me too,” Melissa said. ”Like a terrible spell has been lifted.”
”It has,” Toby confirmed. ”You can't be found, programmed or controlled now. You're free.”
”Why are you doing this?” Pia asked.
”To show you,” Antonia said, ”that we are sorry for what has been done. And that we will do anything to protect and make up for the harm done to you.”
”But,” Kaila said. ”Won't they know that the implants are gone? Won't they come after you now?”
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