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The quickness hich Ky disappeared, hich the Markhams disappeared, hich il disappear, makes me cold It is as if we never happened And I suddenly remember a time back when I was smal , when I used to look for the air train hoh and we had paths made of low flat stones that led to our doors

This happened before This Borough keeps changing nas lie beneath the surface of our Borough? What have we buried underneath our rocks and trees and flowers and houses? That time Xander won’t talk about, e al took the red tablet--what happened? When other people left, where did they real y go?

They could not write their naain, so time I wil find Ky, and then I wil find that place

Once we are on the long-distance air train, my mother and Bram both fal asleep, exhausted from the emotion and exertion of the journey

I find it strange, with everything else that happened, that it was my mother’s obedience which spel ed the need for our Relocation She knew too much and she admitted it in that report She couldn’t do otherwise

The ride is long and there are other travelers No soldiers like Ky They keep them on their own trains But there are tired fah and talk excitedly about their jobs, and, in the last car, a fes of young wo on a work detail for a few irls who did not get work positions and therefore wil float around wherever they are needed for a time Some of them seem sad and faded, disappointed Others have faces turned to the ith interest in their eyes I catchover at them more than I should We’re supposed to keep to ourselves And I need to concentrate on finding Ky I have equipment now: blue tablets, the artifact cal ed a corandfather who did not go gentle

My father notices irls While my mother and Bram sleep he says softly, "I don’t remember what happened yesterday But I know the Markhah and I think that has hurt you"

I try to change the subject I glance over atmother "Why didn’t they use a red tablet on her? Then ouldn’t have had to leave"

"A red tablet?" my father asks, surprised "Those are only for extreme circumstances This isn’t one of them" Then, to my surprise, he says more

He speaks to me like an adult; more than that, like an equal "I’m a sorter by nature, Cassia," he says "Al the infor The way they took the artifacts Your ap ina war and I can’t tel who it’s against--people on the inside or people on the outside But there are signs of cracking" I nod Ky told oes on "And I’ve noticed other things, too I think you’re in love with Ky Markhaone" He ss

I glance over at my mother Her eyes are open now She looks at , and I realize: She knohat my father did

She knohat I want She knows and even though she would not destroy a tissue sample or love soh we have done those things

My father has always broken the rules for those he loves, just as my mother has always kept them for the same reason Perhaps that is yet another reason why they make a perfect Match I can trust into trust, a big thing to have had, no ive you the life you want," my father says, his eyes wet He looks at my mother and she nods at him to continue "We e could

But we can help you have a chance to decide which life you want"

I close th Then I open theht at my father "How?" CHAPTER 32

My hands are in the soil; my body is tired, but I wil not let this work take away hts Because that is what the Officials here want: workers ork but do not think

Do not go gentle