Zone Zero (Book 1 of 3)

Chapter 4

Beta Group is still on fence detail, so I spend the start of my day driving silently with Steele yet again. As we arrive, a fanatical Sage swings her door open hurriedly and makes a mad dash toward me. I can sense her urgency as she tries to contain herself.

"I have to tell you something Evie and it's really important." Sage tries to convey the significance of her news in a whisper so that Steele doesn't hear us conversing and I play along.

We make our way to the fence and continue to speak while we check for any damaged spots. Steele can't be annoyed at us if we work and talk at the same time.

"Last night Mother told me that the time has come. I am all set to be married." Sage explodes with her information and as I absorb her outburst, I notice the brightest of smiles fill her face. She is actually happy to be getting married off.

"Wow that is big news." Is all I can muster.

I can't even begin to bring myself to tell her that we share the same future because I know she will be over the moon when I am yet to come to terms with last night's events. If she were to know the truth then she would be screaming from the mountain tops, ecstatic that her friend will be taking the leap into motherhood with her and I just can't seem to wear that fake facade today.

"At first I was unsure about the whole 'arranged' thing but now I am kind of looking forward to see who my mother has picked for me."

Sage continues to explain every detail about how her mother told her this supposedly amazing news as I try to stay focused on seeming happy for my best friend.

"So tomorrow I won't be in group. Mother says that I am excused from group effective immediately and that today is to be my last day."

I stop mid-way through kicking one section of fence to test if there are any loose joins at the bottom and stand to meet Sage's cheerful smile.

She is so thrilled about all of this but all I can think of is how I am losing my best friend to motherhood. I don't want to break her mood so I manage to grow a small remnants of a smile across my mouth and fake some form of happiness.

How could someone be so happy to be married off to a person that they don't even know? I want to show my enthusiasm for her but it all seems a little bit mad to me.

"I guess your time should be coming soon too, you know being 21 and all. There is only so long you can get out of it before you kind of have to."

Sage's words cut through me, forcing me to remember when my Uncle practically said the same thing to my brothers when I was 18.

...

"She is of age and I think that you both need to let her go." Uncle James' voice rings through our house and even if I wasn't sitting at the top of the stairs listening I would still be able to hear him through the paper thin walls.

"I said no, Uncle James. Our mother would have wanted us to stick together so that's what I'm doing, I'm keeping what's left of this family together." Logan's determined voice overshadows that of Uncle James' and I feel relief that he has had the guts to speak his mind. Logan; the protector.

"Yes, but surely you can see reason. I cannot exempt her from the rules because you don't want to lose your baby sister. That isn't a good enough excuse! Besides, a suitable match has already been arranged."

I inch closer but remain in the dark so not to be noticed.

"She is only 18! She is practically still a child. How do you expect her to marry some politician's son and have kids when she is still a kid herself?" Logan's voice rumbles through the house once more and even though I hate when he calls me a child, I actually agree with him right now. What do I know about having a baby?