Entanglement (YA Dystopian Romance) - By Dan Rix Page 0,82
the dark shaft.
Aaron took a deep breath, then stepped down.
And he found Amber at the bottom.
***
Suspended from the ceiling, dim bulbs flickered red-orange in wire cages. Moisture gleamed like blood on the rough cavern walls.
She was sitting on the operating table, dwarfed under the machine’s pulsating mass. She held her legs against her chest, and her hair fell loosely in front of her eyes.
She was waiting.
Above her, the machine idled, purred—it did something to the air, made it ripple. The edges of the black steel blurred in and out of focus, as if the structure itself was oscillating between worlds. A single green indicator light blinked on the side.
It too was waiting, like Amber. Waiting for the surgeon.
“Amber!” Aaron yelled, but the machine’s hum swallowed his voice. He ran to the operating table, and his footsteps faded behind him. Only when he touched her arm did she glance up.
Her mouth fell open. “Are you dumb?” she whispered. And suddenly her eyes glistened with tears. “You can’t be here!”
“I can’t let you do this,” he said, his breath misting.
“You think everything’s about you, don’t you?” she said. “I meant what I said on the phone . . . and I don’t need your permission.” Her eyes darted to the stairs then back again, almost imperceptibly. “It’s not like you’re my half.”
“Maybe I am,” he said. “The only reason you called is so I wouldn’t come.”
Suddenly, her tone changed. “Aaron, please—” She glanced behind him again, her eyes panicky. “Do you think I want you to see this?”
“See what? The operation? Or you?” he said. “After they’re finished with you.”
She just glared at him.
“Get off the bench,” he said.
“So now you’re ordering me around?”
“I’ll drag you off the bench if you prefer.”
“I already made a deal with him,” she said. “I made him promise, and you can’t do anything about it.”
“Promise what?”
“To leave you alone,” she said.
“In exchange for this?”
“He said it’s completely painless.”
“I’m sure,” he said. “And what about after?”
“Isn’t that the best part?” she said, smiling weakly. “Clive can do anything he wants to me and I won’t remember a thing.”
“You’ll remember what’s missing—” Aaron felt an itch at the back of his head, and he glanced back at the stairs. They were empty. “We need to get out of here,” he said. “It’s eleven o’clock.”
“Did you hear what I just said?
“I’m sorry,” said Aaron. “I made a deal with Casler first.”
“Too bad. He likes me better.”
“I’m not worth you throwing half of yourself away,” he said, and the itch in his scalp became a burn. “Now let’s leave while we both still can.”
She opened her mouth, but at that moment, Dr. Selavio, Clive, and Dominic emerged from the dark stairwell, and the halogen lights ignited like blue suns around the perimeter of the cave. They made the dimmer bulbs look like burned out cinders.
***
“Dominic said you’d come,” said Casler, flashing his dazzling white teeth. He stepped up to the operating table, set down a worn leather bag, and rested his hand on Aaron’s shoulder. He beamed at Amber. “You’re free to go,” he said. “Aaron’s volunteered to take your place.”
Figuring he’d play along until Amber was in the clear, Aaron nodded. As soon as she was out of the dungeon, he’d run for it, blockade the cellar door, and light the house on fire. Then he and Amber could split the country.”
Amber glanced between the two of them, horrified. “You promised,” she said to Casler.
“Clive, why don’t you take her upstairs,” said Casler, opening his medical bag. “She’ll be safer up there.”
“But Aaron’s supposed to be safe!” she said, and as Clive limped forward, she scrambled backward off the operating table. Clive circled the bench, grabbed her arms, and lifted her off the table.
“Let go!” Amber tore at Clive’s hoodie, and for a split-second, Aaron glimpsed the scabs on Clive’s shoulder—the ones he’d made the previous night with the car door—before Clive swung her around and clamped his palm over her mouth, choking off her screams.
Aaron felt his muscles tense, but he held himself back. He just wanted her out of the dungeon.
Clive paused halfway to the stairs and glared at Aaron. His pale eyes burned between his slitted eyelids, challenging him—daring him. Then Amber jerked her head against his chin, knocked him backwards, and broke free.
She ran to Aaron and grabbed his hands.
“Are you crazy?” she gasped, as Clive struggled to his feet behind her. “Why are you doing this?”