The Forsaken

starts yelling. “Thomas and Leah Shawcross, right? Dissidents like them were shipped here after the UNA got formed.” Markus wrenches the stick back and cracks David across his forehead. David yelps and tumbles back, hands pressed to his head.
    “Shut up with your nonsense!” Markus yells at him.
    “Let him speak,” I plead. But Markus keeps jabbing him.
    “All drones do is lie,” Markus says. “They’re liars and thieves and scumbuckets!”
    “But how could he know about my parents?” I ask desperately. “I never told him their names.”
    “I don’t know, and I don’t care.” Markus turns back and slams David with the stick again.
    “Stop— Don’t—”
    Markus isn’t listening.
    David is gagging. One of the blows caught him in the throat. I see that his lip is split.
    “You really hurt him,” I tell Markus as he steps back, sweaty and breathing hard.
    “Good. Us villagers are trying to make the best of things on the wheel. His kind are trying to make the worst.”
    “He only fell in with the drones because they caught him when he helped me and Gadya escape. Don’t torture him!”
    “Torture?” He sounds incredulous. “Veidman gave him the truth serum and still doesn’t trust him. They’re working on a stronger serum to give him next. And there’ll be a stronger one after that, believe me.”
    “Just let me talk to him one more time, okay?”
    Markus steps back, rolling his eyes like I’m an idiot. “Be my guest.”
    I kneel down. David is still choking, trying to get his breath back. I whisper, “I’ll make sure you get out of here. I don’t think you’re a drone, or a spy, or anything else bad. Just tell me what you heard about my parents.”
    The choking sounds resolve into words, forced out between gasps of air. “I think your parents were here—years ago, on Island Alpha. It’s not just for us kids.” He coughs and hacks, spitting out blood. “Grown-ups got sent here once. . . . I heard drones say that your name is carved on rocks. Near where they all break through the barrier into the gray zone—part of an old prison colony.”
    His words have become indecipherable to me. Fractured and incoherent. “A prison colony?” I ask.
    “He’s messing with your mind,” Markus interrupts, sounding frustrated and exhausted. “Alenna, I need you to head back to the fire pit now.” It sounds like an order. “And get your arm looked at too. Infections happen fast out here.”
    I don’t know what he means until I glance down and see that David’s fingernails have torn my skin. Droplets of blood dot my wrist like a red bracelet.
    I want to stay and help David, but Markus is firm about my leaving. There’s nothing I can say to make him change his mind.
    I decide not to press my luck right now, because I’m new to the village. Instead I just decide to lie.
    I look Markus square in the eyes. “Maybe you’re right, after all. Maybe he is just a crazy drone. He’s not making a whole lot of sense.”
    Markus seems relieved by my sudden change in attitude. “Exactly. All we gotta do is feed ’em and not think too much. If I still had my UNA earpiece, I’d wear it around the prisoners. I’d rather listen to Minister Harka’s propaganda than these drones.”
    I start backing away. “So, I’ll go back to the fire pit, then. Wash my arm. See if Rika needs help with anything.”
    “Good call.” Markus is breathing freely again.
    But he wouldn’t be if he knew my real plan: to sneak back to the kennels later on, tonight. When Markus hopefully isn’t on duty. I need to ask David more questions—and figure out how to convince the others to let him go free. I can’t decide yet whether I should tell Gadya about the things David said.
    Of course, I’m not sure I actually believe that my parents were ever on the wheel. I’ve never heard of Island Alpha housing anyone except kids who failed the GPPT. And there’s no sign of any adults here. But I definitely believe that David learned a lot more about the wheel from the drones than I’ve learned so far from the villagers.
    I wonder if Veidman knows that Markus beats the prisoners. If Veidman were considering letting David out, would he really let Markus treat him that way? But then again, if Veidman is drugging the captured drones like David claims, he probably doesn’t care.
    I keep all of these thoughts wrapped tightly inside my head as I say good-bye to Markus. With a final glance at David’s cell, I make my way