Elysian Fields by Anne Gabriels Read Free Book Online

them.”
    “For who?” Allan asked with interest.
    “All those hot shots at the institute and the associated cloning lab, “Why don’t you try to expand your limits, Daniel? Why not use your exceptional qualities to achieve more? Why limit yourself to lab work, you and your microscope?” I tried again and again to tell them it was too much for me. I was having nightmares, dreaming of all those poor kids suddenly transformed into zombies, coming after me. Ultimately, I lost it and ran as far as I could,” he finished with an exhausted breath.
    “It’s over now, Daniel,” Mel tried to comfort him, getting up from the coach and sitting beside him. “We all have our nightmares, but we have each other to watch our backs now. And Allan, will you stop prying? It’s not good for him to talk about it.”
    “Hey,” intervened David. “Allan didn’t know he would bring up such memories. Take it easy, brother, there’s no hurry to do anything.”
    Allan suddenly felt very sorry for Daniel. “Look man, I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m truly sorry. I’ve had it easy my whole life, I can see that now. I can promise you one thing: if I don’t end up dead, I will do everything in my power to make a difference in people’s lives. Nobody should ever have to go through what you or I did.”
    “ Oh, Allan, you’re so full of it,” Jules replied in a bitter tone. “You’ll just end up enjoying your life once again and forgetting that this ever happened to you.”
    “I ’m really starting to wonder why you even bothered to save me, if you think so little of me!” Allan felt a rush of contradictory emotions engulfing his being.  “I was simply oblivious to what was happening in the world. All the other young Elites are just like me, but I can assure you I will never be the same, knowing what I know now. Give me a chance to prove myself before you rush to conclusions.” He stormed outside, all the while feeling the inadequacy of his words, especially coming from somebody not even in control of his own destiny.
    Mel followed him and looked at him with sympathy. Then she said: “Please don’t blame Jules. It’s so much better to say what you think than to keep it all bottled up. Don’t you see how good it is to see us, all from different classes, opening up in front of each other, on equal footing? At least here we can start anew, being totally ourselves with all our strengths and weaknesses. This is truly the beginning of genuine friendship. I wish you could see just how special she is. She doesn’t hate you, Allan, she hates the system. But she saved us all, even risked her life, as in your case. Let’s just enjoy an evening of friendship and we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”

7
     
     
     
    Allan woke up with his face tickled by the early sun rays, dancing on and off his face to the rhythm of the tree branches swaying in the wind.
    This is it. He felt a shudder in the pit of his stomach. He still couldn’t figure out the reasons for his ordeal, as hard as he tried to make sense of it all. He thought of his father and remembered wondering why he’d seemed more distant and preoccupied in the last few months. Does this have something to do with him rather than me? Maybe somebody is after him and somehow I got dragged into this, like David said.
    Realizing that he was going in circles again, he decided to get up, thank his hosts , and leave for his rendezvous with David.
    Jules offered to walk with him back to the city and he gladly accepted. Going through the forest was not the easiest thing to do, and besides, he wanted to see if he could convince her to stop being so angry with him.
    “How long have you been with the Scrappies?” he asked.
    “About three months. Do you remember the last snow in March? That night, Tom found me in the forest and took me to the house.”
    “ What were you doing in the forest?”
    “ Running away from home.”
    “ Why?” Allan asked before thinking.
    “ Didn’t like