Tell me you have a plan,I begged.
Not yet, but we’ll figure something out,he assured me.
You’re awfully confident for a dog without a plan, I practically growled.
It’s a gift,he replied in a snarky tone.Get in line.
Oberi guided me behind the other students as we slowed outside the infirmary. The area buzzed with chatter. I didn’t know how many students they’d pulled out of class, but it must’ve been close to a hundred. The infirmary was so crowded that people pushed past me to get out the door.
The Warden must be getting impatient, I remarked to Oberi.
Or he perfected his testing method, he theorized.This place is a zoo. I bet no one would notice if we left.
Probably not, but that doesn't help us,I replied thoughtfully.They must be keeping some sort of record. The Warden will know I wasn’t tested.
“This way!” a nurse called, and my group moved forward. “Your station just opened up over here.”
Several students in other lines groaned as we went ahead of them to a new station. It was pretty obvious no one wanted to waste any time being here.
“Your name?” another nurse asked the student at the front of our line.
“Anna Davis,” she replied timidly.
I heard the shuffling of papers.
“Anna Davis,” the nurse said thoughtfully. “Ah, here’s your record card. Hold your finger out. You’ll just feel a prick. It’ll all be over in a minute.”
It was less than a minute, and Anna was already done. The chair squeaked as she got up, and the next person sat.
I started to panic. There couldn’t have been more than five people in front of me.
Shit,I said to Oberi.We’ve gotta think of something— and fast. Give me a run-down of the area.
There’s one nurse per station. They’re pricking fingers and placing drops of blood into a solution. All the solutions are turning blue.
That must be a negative test,I said to Oberi.Mine won’t be blue.
They’re marking the results on a clipboard with a stamp,Oberi observed.
That’s it!I realized.Oberi, you have to get my sheet and mark it negative.
And just how do you expect me to do that—?he started to say, but he cut off as a cry broke out in the infirmary.
At the station beside me, a girl began screaming. “No, no! I can’t! Ihateneedles. Please don’t make me!”
“You need to sit still, young lady,” the nurse snapped. “This test was ordered by the Warden.”
“I don’t care!” the girl yelled. “I can’t. I’m gonna pass out! I— I—” She broke off as she broke out in sobs.
“Daphne,” the nurse barked. “I need help with this one!”
“I’ll be right there,” the nurse at my station replied hastily. A beat passed, then she rushed over to help hold the girl down. I heard the sound of a clipboard land on the ground, then noticed the flutter of pages scattering.
I shoved Oberi.That’s your cue. Go!
Oberi darted away from me, and my heart slammed against my rib cage. I held my breath, despite my fear of ever being without air. I was so nervous.
How’s it going? I asked Oberi in my mind.
