The Deathless Trilogy

1.5. What Happened

With Declan by my side, I tell Dr. Patel about the soldiers searching for me. Then I tell him my name.

"You're Isla Blume? I see why you felt hesitant to tell me. Do you have any idea what they could be planning? Did you overhear anything else from them?" Dr. Patel asks.

"No, just my name."

"I don't mean to sound like a jerk," Declan says, "but why would the government want you?"

I shrug. "I honestly have no idea."

"Were your family members significant people?" Dr. Patel asks. "I'm wondering now if perhaps they made it to the bunker alive, and are asking for you. Were they politicians or diplomats before all of this? Scientists maybe?"

I shake my head. "My grandparents were just farmers, and my parents were kids when it happened, but... do you think my family could still be alive?"

"It's too soon to tell," Dr. Patel says, "and I don't want to get your hopes up. This is a far-fetched idea, but then again, so is sending transmissions for a random survivor to be found."

"What exactly do the transmissions say?" I ask.

"They simply say 'Find Isla Blume.'"

"Patel, maybe we should let her rest. We just threw a lot of information at her," Declan says, resting his bony hand on my shoulder.

"Yes, of course. Isla, I will let our leaders know who you are and that you're fine. They'll likely want to meet with you, so I will be back later to clear you. I've already set up the bed beside your mom so you can be close. Rest for now."

He leaves the room and Declan helps me to my new bed. "Thank you," I tell him. "I thought my head was going to explode."

"No problem."

I pull the blanket over my legs and lie back. "Can I trust you to give me an honest answer?" I ask. He nods. "Am I in danger here?"

"Here, no. He would have moved you down to our detention center on the first floor if you were. But honestly, I don't know what's in store for you. This is a really weird situation."

"Do you think my family could still be alive?"

He frowns. "Maybe, if the government still need bodies to help rebuild, but... the soldiers you told us about were shooting survivors, so I wouldn't get my hopes up. Then again, how else would the government know your name?"

I shake my head and shrug.

He pushes his glasses up the slope of his nose. "Hey so, feel free to say no to this, but if it's cool with you—and only if you're up for it—I'd like to hear the story of what happened to your family. I want to know what it's been like out there for survivors."

I nod. "Okay."

"Okay, cool," he says. He stands to leave.

I laugh. "I can tell you now if you want."

"Oh, okay." He sits back down beside me. "You sure?"

I nod. "I haven't been able to talk about it with anyone." I check to make sure Mom is still sedated. "She never wanted to. I think she didn't want to consider the possibility that they were dead, you know? There would be days when I'd catch her staring into the fields for hours. I think she was waiting for all of them to come back."

He frowns. "I didn't mean to sound so pessimistic before. There's still a chance they could be alive."

"It's okay. It's enough just to be able to talk about it."