Days Like This by Alison Stewart Read Free Book Online

from the door.
    ‘The Committee … Lily sooner …’ Lily was frustrated by the low, unintelligible rumble of her father’s voice. She frowned at the mention of the Committee. Standing here in the dark, eavesdropping on her parents, Lily was suddenly overwhelmed with sadness at how much her parents had changed. Thinking back, they seemed to stop loving her and Daniel around the time the Wall went up about twelve years ago.
    Lily remembered when Pym and Megan had been loving and gentle, like normal parents. The funny quips and joking had stopped first. Then they seemed to lose interest when Lily and Dan hurt themselves or were sad and needed comforting. Then physical affection, like cuddling, stopped. Now it was as if Lily was an unwelcome guest. It was the same with Daniel before he disappeared.
    It hurt the most that her parents seemed to care more about the Committee than their own children. Pym and Megan were in awe of the Committee. Lily didn’t even know who this faceless group was or what they did apart from issuing rules and edicts, each more draconian than the next. All she knew was that they were all men and there were about twenty-four of them. She and Daniel had asked Megan and Pym for information, but their parents merely dismissed these requests.
    ‘Don’t talk about Daniel.’ It was her mothers voice again.
    ‘We must, Meg.’
    Her father sounded as if he was right next to Lily, right on the other side of the door. She sprang back, almost tripping in her haste.
    Get it together, Lily
, she told herself sternly.
    ‘We’ve done what we’ve done,’ Pym was saying. ‘We’re not the only ones and it’s not like the Committee really gave us much choice, you know that.’
    ‘I don’t want to be reminded,’ Megan whispered. Lily was surprised by the emotion in her mother’s voice. She hadn’t heard her express any real feeling for such a long time.
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous! We’re reminded every day by this.’ Her father was obviously pointing at something and Lily wished she could see what it was.
    ‘Yes, but we’ve done our bit now We’ve made our contribution.’ Megan’s voice rose again. ‘You said we might not have to do any more.’
    ‘It doesn’t work like that, Megan. We have to keep contributing to the harvesting. It’s mandatory, remember?’
    Harvesting? There was that word again. Lily shuddered. Were they talking about harvesting people, like Daniel and her and Alice?
    She snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of her father’s raised voice. ‘We have to make a decision soon, Megan. We don’t want to be cut off, do we? Not when we’ve come so far. Look at us.’
    There was a pause. Lily hardly dared breathe. She had to stop herself from barging in there and demanding to know what they were talking about. She knew they would never tell her.
    ‘All right.’ Megan’s voice was quiet again, resigned. ‘But tell them it has to be soon. I know there’s no choice, but I can’t stand the waiting. I want it over with. Not that we’ll ever be able to forget it.’
    The softness in her mother’s voice reminded Lily of how Megan had once been when Lily was small. Lily backed away, touching her bracelet, trying and failing to wrench it off.
    ‘I’m going to the kitchen for a drink, can I bring you anything?’ Pym said.
    Lily, thankful for the soft carpet, bolted down the corridor. She ran to her room as if all the creatures of the night were chasing her.
    Her parents’ conversation had been confusing, but it was clear that, like Daniel, Lily was in danger. She knew time was running out for him and probably for her. She also knew that once she left her parents’ house, she could never turn back.

    The next day, Lily waited for a chance to speak with Alice. When she was sure Pym and Megan weren’t around, she tapped softly on hersistes door.
    ‘Alice?’ she called out, slipping into the room. Alice stopped what she was doing – mapping the world’s longest remaining