Unravel Me: The Juliette Chronicles Book 2

creaking through the middle of the pavement cannot be ignored and it’s like the jaws of life are stretching their joints, grinding their teeth, yawning themselves awake to witness our disgrace.
    The ground looks around, its mouth gaping open at the injustice, the violence, the calculated ploys for power that stop for no one and nothing and are sated only by the blood of the weak, the screams of the unwilling. It’s as if the earth thought to take a peek at what we’ve been doing all this time and it’s terrifying just how disappointed it sounds.
    Adam is running.
    He’s dashing through a crowd still gasping for air and an explanation for the earthquake under their feet and he tackles Castle, he pins him down, he’s shouting to the men and the women and he ducks, he dodges a stray bullet, he pulls Castle to his feet and our people have begun to run.
    The soldiers on the opposite side are stumbling over each other and tripping into a tangle of limbs as they try to outrun one another and I’m wondering how much longer I have to hold on, how much longer this must go on before it’s sufficient, and Kenji shouts, “Juliette!”
    And I spin around just in time to hear him tell me to let go.
    So I do.
    The wind the trees the fallen leaves all slip and slide back into place with one giant inhalation and everything stops and for a moment I can’t remember what it’s like to live in a world that isn’t falling apart.
    Kenji yanks me up by the arm and we’re running, we’re the last of our group to leave and he’s asking me if I’m okay and I’m wondering how he’s still carrying Warner, I’m thinking Kenji must be a hell of a lot stronger than he looks, and I’m thinking I’m too hard on him sometimes, I’m thinking I don’t give him enough credit. I’m just beginning to realize that he’s one of my favorite people on this planet and I’m so happy he’s okay.
    I’m so happy he’s my friend.
    I cling to his hand and let him lead me toward a tank abandoned on our side of the divide and suddenly I realize I can’t see Adam, that I don’t know where he’s gone and I’m frantic, I’m screaming his name until I feel his arms around my waist, his words in my ear, and we’re still diving for cover as the final shots sound in the distance.
    We clamber into the tank.
    We close the doors.
    We disappear.

FORTY-ONE
    Warner’s head is on my lap.
    His face is smooth and calm and peaceful in a way I’ve never seen it and I almost reach out to stroke his hair before I remember exactly how awkward this actually is.
    Murderer on my lap
    Murderer on my lap
    Murderer on my lap
    I look to my right.
    Warner’s legs are resting on Adam’s knees and he looks just as uncomfortable as I am.
    “Hang tight, guys,” Kenji says, still driving the tank toward Omega Point. “I know this is about a million different kinds of weird, but I didn’t exactly have enough time to think of a better plan.”
    He glances at the 2 3 of us but no one says a word until
    “I’m so happy you guys are okay.” I say it like those 9 syllables have been sitting inside of me for too long, like they’ve been kicked out, evicted from my mouth, and only then do I realize exactly how worried I was that the 3 of us wouldn’t make it back alive. “I’m so, so happy you’re okay.”
    Deep, solemn, steady breathing all around.
    “How are you feeling?” Adam asks me. “Your arm— you’re all right?”
    “Yeah.” I flex my wrist and try not to wince. “I’m okay. These gloves and this metal thing actually helped, I think.” I wiggle my fingers. Examine my gloves. “Nothing is broken.”
    “That was pretty badass,” Kenji says to me. “You really saved us back there.”
    I shake my head. “Kenji—about what happened—in the house—I’m really sorry, I—”
    “Hey, how about let’s not talk about that right now.”
    “What’s going on?” Adam asks, alert. “What happened?”
    “Nothing,” Kenji says quickly.
    Adam ignores him. Looks at me. “What happened? Are you all right?”
    “I just—I j-just—” I struggle to speak. “What happened— with Warner’s da—”
    Kenji swears very loudly.
    My mouth freezes midmovement.
    My cheeks burn as I realize what I’ve said. As I remember what Adam said just before we ran from that house. He’s suddenly pale, pressing his lips together and looking away, out the tiny window of this tank.
    “Listen . . .” Kenji clears his throat. “We don’t have to talk about