The Freaks

chapter nineteen

"We don't have a lot of time," I say as I peek out of the bedroom door, making sure Brianna isn't anywhere near this flat. Seeing and hearing nothing, I close the door and turn back around to face the girl.

"What is happening?" I hear her mumble, keeping her eyes on mine which no longer looks to be scared, just confused. Her dark eyes are back to normal, not so wild like they were before she figured out I was a Freak.

"I can't explain everything here," I reply, taking a few strides towards her. "I know a place where you'll be safe."

"Where?" she asks, brushing her wild hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Soldiers search every single building around here, looking for us."

"Ever heard of the Underground?"

She doesn't reply for a moment. Then she scrunches her eyebrows together. "The Underground?" she repeats, her eyebrows still furrowed as she shakes her head slowly. "We're forbidden to enter in there."

"Not anymore." I take one more step closer to her, shrugging slowly. "And besides, who's going to stop us?"

She doesn't say anything about that. I hold my hand out for her to take, but she just stares at it. She shakes her head once and says, "There's no way in there anymore. It's completely caved in."

I quirk her a small grin. "There's always a way in there." My hand inches closer to hers. "That's what makes the place so special for us."

She still doesn't take my hand. She looks from my palm to my eyes and takes the smallest step backwards. "I don't even know your name," she says, her gaze moving around my face.

My hand is still hovering between us as I say, "My name's Luca." I nod at her. "And you are...?"

She gives me a small smile, the first one I have ever seen from her as she takes my hand. "I'm Christina," she says, and I smile once as I close my eyes—

Letting the world shift and drop from beneath our feet.

I open my eyes and I'm back in the Ghetto.

Christina staggers and sways as she grips my hand even harder, staring at me and then her surroundings like it's not real. "Whoa," she breathes, shaking her head and making her hair fall over her eyes again. "That felt strange."

"Tell me about it," I say quickly, ignoring the pounding of my heart in my chest as I bring her down the hallway towards the main room, where I can already hear many voices. I cup my hands over my mouth as I shout, "I've got the first Freak!" to whoever will hear me.

The main room goes silent and for a moment I think no one will come to me, but then I see two Freaks—one male and one female who I don't know—peek their faces around the corner. The girl quickly comes to us and softly talks to Christina while the male Freak slaps me on the back once and then takes Christina from the girl.

Christina stops in her tracks and looks over at me.

I nod, giving her a smile. "You'll be okay. I promise." I look to the girl whose arm is around Christina's shoulders. "Get her something to eat and a change of clothes."

I step back and ready myself to head back up above when suddenly Christina hugs me tightly, wrapping her arms around my neck. I stagger backwards on my feet and hug her back softly. "Thank you," she whispers, "for saving me."

I look at her as she pulls away. "No one will hurt you down here, okay?" I say, nodding down at her once. "They'll take good care of you."

She thanks me again and walks back to the two Freaks, slowly looking at me over her shoulder before she disappears from view.