Author: Kate Leslie
Category: Other
Go to read content：https://onlinereadfreenovel.com/kate-leslie/page,18,561377-the_project_project_2080_book_1.html
He brushed a strand of hair from her face. “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.” A lie.
“You seem so serious.”
“I was only thinking about how nice this day is.” Another lie.
“And that’s why you seemed so serious?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
“Maybe.” She tried to smile.
Max sighed. He looked down at the daisy he was still holding in his hand. He leaned toward Mia and stuck the flower in her hair. “There, that’s the right place for this flower. A beautiful flower in the hair of an even more beautiful girl.”
They were silent. His gaze took in her face and then looked back at her eyes. She felt a tingling sensation. He leaned in. She could feel his warm breath. Her heart started to pound wildly. Would he kiss her now? Her palms were clammy. It would be her first kiss. She was afraid she might do something wrong. She closed her eyes. She still felt his breath. She pressed her lips together. Her heart was pounding even faster. Nothing happened. She opened her eyes. Max was looking at her thoughtfully. He had put distance between them again. Mia was overcome with disappointment. Did she do something wrong or misinterpreted his intention?
“We should go. It’s getting late.” Max sat up and put on his shoes.
45
Mia
“Where are you guys?” they heard Phil call out. Max gave Mia his hands and pulled her up. She quickly slipped into her shoes and took the flower from her hair.
Phil stood in the yard, searching for them. “I was sent to find and bring you home safely. Mia, my dear, you should definitely ride with me. It’s safer.” Phil went ahead to the vehicles.
He had parked the car next to Max’s motorcycle. He gallantly opened the passenger door for Mia. As she was climbing in, Mia managed to catch a glimpse of Max, who watched, then put on his helmet, and drove off.
Mia watched him go. Suddenly, she was depressed even though they had a nice time together. Her imagination must have played a trick on her. She had to admit that he regarded her only as a friend. She rested her head against the passenger window and closed her eyes.
Phil walked around the car and got behind the steering wheel. He started the engine and they drove off. The road was already in semi-darkness. In a good mood, Phil broke the silence: “Not long now and good old Max will get an ear full.” Grinning, he peered over at Mia before turning his attention back to the road ahead. “His dad was upset that he took off like that.”
“He didn’t tell anyone?” Mia asked.
“Not that he was taking you on an outing. At some point, he was missed. His mother was all worked up, afraid he may have had an accident. After all, he is usually so responsible. So, they made me search for you to see if you ended up in a ditch.” Mia lifted her head and stared at Phil. “But I see you’re in one piece.” He grinned at her. “Don’t look at me so disapprovingly! Everyone always acts as if it were my specialty.” His expression turned serious. “Please don’t be mad at me. I’m not blaming you. We think alike. We are young. We have a right to enjoy our youth.” He put his hand briefly on Mia’s arm. “Change will not come by itself. Everyone has to work toward it.”
Mia sighed. “I’m not angry with you. You’re right. Everyone must do their part to change the world.”
“And we’ll do our part,” Phil said. “I’ve already talked to Vi about it. We will do it tonight. Once our parents are asleep, we’ll leave.”
Mia nodded.
“Vi is worried about you. She thinks you should stay behind in our quarters.” Phil glanced sideways at Mia.
She straightened up. “I’ll come with you. I’m not letting you go alone.”
“Because you think we’re doing this only for you. Well, you might as well think again. We also do it to further our cause. You shouldn’t feel guilty,” Phil replied.
“I will come along,” Mia reaffirmed.
Phil looked at her. “Okay then.”
They reached the barn and parked the car. They had not seen Max even though Phil made good time. Mia thoughtfully regarded the flower that she was still holding in her hand. With her as a passenger, Max had driven slowly. Without her, he moved at a fast pace.
“Well, how was it?” Vi pulled Mia into her room.
“Fine,” Mia replied and fell onto her bed.
“You sure don’t look like it.” Vi sat down on her own bed. “Don’t be gloomy because a few people make a fuss about you being absent. You guys are still alive and it’s not that late. There was no reason to send Phil searching for you.” A new thought popped into her mind. “Phil didn’t say anything inappropriate? If that’s the case, he’ll get an ear full from me.”
Mia rolled onto her side to look at Vi. “No, Phil behaved well.”
“So you were admonished. And here I had hoped to intercept you and spare you all that.” Vi groaned and also lay down. “Don’t worry. Every thunderstorm eventually passes. Just be happy you had a nice day.”
They truly had a nice day together. It would have been downright perfect had it not been for the incident with the kiss. She had been wrong and read too much into his gaze.
“I envy you,” Vi said. “I wouldn’t mind going out on a date again. I miss that. Except for Max, the only young man here is my brother.” She groaned.
Mia regarded the flower again. Then she grabbed the picture frame off the shelf, opened the back cover, and placed the flower inside.
Once Mia freshened up and changed, she and Vi went to dinner. Many heads turned toward her. She received unfriendly glances especially from the table where Max’s parents, Becka, and her mother sat.
They went to their table where Phil was waiting for them. “It seems tonight we’re spared company. The shrew is sitting with her mother and good ol’ Max will probably stay in his room. Rumor has it he and his father had quite a row.” He beamed at the two girls. “What? Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t do anything.”
Mia wondered if Max stayed in his room because of the quarrel with his father or perhaps because of her?
Since it was only them at the table, they went through their plans for tonight again. They made sure to talk softly. Nobody was supposed to overhear anything.
46
Mia
After the meal, everyone went to their rooms. Once they were packed and ready, they waited. Mia and Vi talked quietly. Mia told Vi about her afternoon with Max, of course leaving out the incident with the almost kiss. After a while, they turned off the light and waited, lying on their beds.
Mia had almost dozed off when the door opened softly. Phil pointed his flashlight at her. “Come on. We can go now.”
Quietly, they left their quarters and crept down the hallway. Phil went ahead, illuminating the path with his flashlight. They had to be cautious on the stairs. They were made of metal. Here, footsteps would echo the loudest.
They reached the top landing and were relieved to leave the shelter. Since the moon was out, Phil could turn off his flashlight. It was bright enough to find their way without it.
When they arrived at the car, both Vi and Phil approached the driver’s side. Vi was the first to reach for the door handle. “I’ll do the driving, little brother. That way we’ll get there in one piece.”
“We’re just as fine with me driving. Ask Mia,” Phil protested.
Mia recalled how they almost veered off the road. She opened the passenger door and got in, determined not to get involved.
“No need to. I know how you drive.” Vi opened the driver’s door and pushed the seat forward so Phil could climb in the back. He grumbled but got in. Vi put the seat back, got in and they drove off.
Vi turned out to be a safe driver who would not let anything distract her. Though it took them a bit longer to reach the outskirts of the city, at least they never had to be afraid of ending up in the ditch. They parked the car and surveyed the area.
“Let’s get going,” Phil said.
“We have to keep an eye out for cameras,” Mia warned. “I’m familiar with this area. My former apartment is nearby. Let me show you.”
They made sure to walk in the shadows whenever possible. Mia pointed out the cameras to them so that they stayed out of their field of view. Fortunately, there were only a few here in District 2. In District 1, however, cameras were everywhere to assure the residents’ safety.
When they came up to the building where Mia’s apartment was, she stopped. She peered up the building wall. All the windows were dark. What if Ben was here waiting expectedly? Common sense told her that was not the case, but she needed to reassure herself. Together with Vi and Phil, she entered the house and climbed the stairs to her apartment. She put the key in the lock, but the door was not double-locked as Mia had left it. It opened after only half a turn.
Mia entered her apartment and turned on the light. The sight she was confronted with made her step back and bump into Phil.
“What happened here?” Phil asked, horrified. Deep down, everyone knew for the place appeared ransacked. Drawers were open. Things lay strewn about all over the floor. The sofa cover was torn open, dishes broken into shards. The same devastation reigned in the other rooms. Even the mattresses were slashed, everything else had been scattered across the floor.
Mia stopped in Ben’s room. She squatted, picked up one of his books, and smoothed out the pages. Ben. Her heart felt heavy. “I’ll never see him again,” she said to herself.
Vi placed a hand on her shoulder. “Come on, we should go. We’ll make sure you two are reunited.”
Mia carefully set the book back in its place. At the door, she turned and cast one last look at the apartment. She took a deep breath and closed the door. As usual, she double locked it.
They continued on their way. Always watching for cameras. Now they were in an area Mia was unfamiliar with.
She was thinking about the apartment. That moment she had turned on the light and saw the devastation, she became aware of something: her former life was gone for good. She would never go back there again. Too much had happened. She had become a different person, one who no longer accepted such a life.
Vi pulled her aside. “Watch out.” She pointed to a camera on a house wall. They heard footsteps and quickly stopped, hiding in the shadows. A man was approaching them. They remained completely still so as to merge with the shadows. When the man stopped, took out keys, unlocked a door, and disappeared into one of the houses, they breathed out in relief.
“That was a close one.” Mia put her hair under her jacket and folded up the collar. They had not seen another person. Most were asleep at this time of night. And shift workers would not get off until the early morning hours. Running into a stranger could be dangerous. She could be recognized. And who knew how that person would react.
“So,” Phil inspected his spray paint job on the wall, “that should do it. Now let’s get out of here as quickly as possible so we can catch some sleep. You can sleep in, no one would think anything of it. I, on the other hand, would be missed.”
Mia glanced at her watch. It was already half-past two. They had to walk to the car and drive back, so by the time they actually got there, they wouldn’t have much time for sleep. She observed Phil, who was still in the best of spirits at this time of night or maybe because of it. He always looked for variety and excitement. Now that he was no longer tense, he seemed to be in even higher spirits. Still, they could not allow themselves to be reckless. They could only feel safe once they were back in their rooms.
They still kept to the shadows as they headed back to the car while watching out for cameras. Phil talked too loudly several times and was reminded by Mia and his sister to speak softly. Vi went so far as to prohibit him from speaking altogether, which resulted in them starting a discussion in whisper mode that steadily grew louder. Mia heard a window open and calmed both down though with difficulty. It seemed to have been just in time because no one spoke to them. They’d soon be at the car and shortly after, out of the city.
They heard footsteps. This time not from one person, more like a whole group. About 400 yards ahead, a beam of light crisscrossed the road. Were they searching for them? Mia’s pulse quickened. The beam of light stayed on a house wall for a long moment. Probably on one of their sprayed messages. She glanced at Vi and Phil. Vi pointed to a narrow side alley. They crept into it. Slowly. They feared quick moves might draw attention to their location. They kept their gazes aimed at the steadily approaching beam of light. Now voices could also be heard, but they could not make out what was said.
Once they were in the alley, they looked around. Further back was a yard. The alley had no exit. They heard unfaltering footsteps approaching. There was no other option. They had to go further down the alley and hopefully find somewhere to hide. They passed a door. Mia tried to open it. In fact, it was unlocked. They quickly entered the hallway and waited with their backs against the wall. Through the glass window in the door, they saw the beam of light crisscross the courtyard and then back to the street.
Relieved, they exhaled and exchanged looks. They would stay there for a while before continuing to the car. After what seemed like an eternity, in reality, probably only five minutes, Phil pushed away from the wall. “I think it’s safe to continue now.”
Phil and Vi stepped out into the alley. When Mia wanted to follow, she was held back by an arm. The moon had moved, and the light revealed a man. He appeared to be around thirty. But it was hard to say for sure. He had all the typical features of a factory worker from District 2. Hollow cheeks, prematurely graying, and pale skin. He coughed, covering his mouth with the back of his free hand. Just as typical. Respiratory diseases were common. She tried to free herself from his grip but to no avail. She didn’t want to scream since unwanted ears might hear. They measured each other with looks.
He spoke first. “You are the girl they deem a terrorist.”
Mia continued to stare at him silently. Denying his accusation was pointless. He seemed to be waiting for her to confirm. So, she nodded, her gaze directed at his face.
He regarded Mia thoughtfully. Was he undecided if he should report her? The door opened again. “Mia?” she heard Phil’s voice whisper, followed by a strangled sound.
The man released Mia’s arm. She was about to turn and leave when he spoke to her again. “Mia, the girl who is searching for her brother. People swallow lies too quickly. They are too comfortable and are afraid to get into trouble even if it means giving up on their children. Now you’ve shown the people that they shouldn’t put up with everything, that they have to show initiative and stand up for their rights. So far, they’re still too afraid to rise up. But you’re on the right track. You’re brave. So don’t give up, eventually people will follow your example. You give them hope that things can change.”
“Are you coming?” Now Mia heard Vi. “The streets are clear.” She fell quiet when she noticed the man.
“I cannot give up,” Mia said. The man nodded as a sign of mutual understanding.
Vi did not turn on the headlights of the car until she was convinced, they had put enough distance between them and Filiae. They managed to sneak back into their rooms unnoticed and went straight to bed.
47
Ben
Today it would finally happen. They would escape from here. All day, Ben and Clara avoided making contact. They did not want to attract attention.
Now Ben stood in the shadows of the barrack, keeping an eye on the door that Clara would exit. She should have been here by now. Ben looked around nervously. He hoped she didn’t encounter any problems. Finally, the door opened. Ben pressed closer against the barrack wall. He exhaled in relief. Clara stepped out, glanced around, and walked slowly toward him. Ben scanned the surrounding area to make sure no one was watching her. When she reached him, he greeted her with a nod. She nodded back. Fearing they might be heard, they communicated as little as possible. Slowly and alert, they moved
in the direction of their planned escape route. They repeatedly stopped to look around and listen for noises. Ben’s breathing sounded too loud in his ears. His heart was beating so fiercely, the vein in his neck was throbbing. Not long now and they would be there. They would be in the free and clear.
Clara touched Ben’s sleeve lightly while holding a finger in the air in an attempt to signal, “Quiet, I heard something.” Ben stopped and listened intently. Now he heard it too. First soft, then louder. Approaching footsteps. He was panic-stricken. Clara stared at him with horrified eyes. They could not go back. The steps were coming from that direction. He searched for the next best hiding spot. They had to get off their route. As quietly as possible, he pulled Clara around the corner of the nearest barrack. She leaned against the barrack wall with him standing in front of her to shield her. They listened to the footsteps, hoping they would change directions, but they continued coming toward them. Now they could see a beam light searching the shadows between barracks.
“Play along,” Clara whispered, then leaned forward and kissed Ben. At first, he was surprised, but then took her face in his hands and returned her kiss, forgetting the world around him, wishing the moment would never end.
The beam of light played over them. “Who do we have here? Why aren’t you in your beds?”
Ben and Clara broke apart from each other and faced the guards. As one focused the flashlight on them, the other had his hand on his still holstered weapon.
“We’re sorry,” Clara said. “We shouldn’t have snuck out. But we just had to see each other.”
“Apparently,” the guard with the flashlight said. “Your meeting is hereby over. Now come!” He grabbed Ben by the arm and shoved him ahead while the second guard seized Clara.
They were led into separate rooms in the administration building where Ben had been questioned about Mia. Ben sat on the familiar chair with the guard manning the door. Someone wanted to talk to them? Question them separately? They had not discussed an alibi, though Clara already implied it was a romantic meeting to the guards. Ben would stick to her story. Let them think what they wanted.