The Registry by Shannon Stoker Read Free Book Online Page B

until she was certain everyone was asleep. Dressed in baggy sweatpants and an oversize white T-shirt, she tiptoed downstairs. She stopped in the kitchen and loaded her pack with some bottled water and whatever food would fit, paying little attention to what she was grabbing, and then slid out the back door.
    As she made her way inside the garage, Mia felt a stab of guilt. Whitney was right above her, sleeping. Not knowing that she was getting ready to enter a life filled with loneliness and pain. The stairs that led up to Whitney’s apartment were outside at the rear of the garage. Mia knew she needed to offer Whitney one last chance to join her. She was about to step out when she heard the side door swing open.
    The idea of getting caught before she even left the property was too much for Mia. She dropped to the floor and hid in the darkness. She felt around till she found a large metal rod and grabbed it. She was more than prepared to use the device on anyone who tried to stop her. As her eyes adjusted to the dark Mia was able to see the outline of the other person’s feet under the car. They were wearing a pair of fluffy slippers.
    “Mia,” Whitney said. “I know it’s you. I saw you sneak out of the house.”
    Groaning, Mia rose to her feet. “You scared me. I’m leaving. Tonight. Now.”
    “I’ll see you in the morning.” Whitney turned around.
    “I’m serious, and I have a guide, a real one.”
    “Who?”
    “Andrew.”
    “Liar.”
    “It’s the truth. I’m supposed to pick him up. He’s walking toward the highway; he wanted to travel before his enlistment date and he’ll see me to the border. If you want to come you still can, but it’s now or never.”
    “You’re full of it. I’m going back to bed.”
    “I am dead serious.”
    Mia spotted a pair of scissors lying on a workbench. She grabbed them and with one quick snip chopped off her entire ponytail, cementing her boy disguise.
    “Your mother is going to freak out,” Whitney said.
    “Don’t stay. Please come with me. We can do this together. You can have a better life somewhere else, a life of your choosing,” Mia pleaded. She felt tears welling up at the thought of Whitney working as a servant for the government or as a bride with no free will, blindly serving her mate.
    She decided not to wait for Whitney’s response. She needed to show her the escape was happening. Mia opened the door to one of her father’s cars and sat down. She pulled down the visor and a set of keys fell into her lap. She felt around for the ignition, hoping not to lose her edge with Whitney.
    “You are serious.” Whitney’s eyes widened.
    “I am going to sit right here for ten minutes. Then I am going to start this thing up and leave, with or without you.”
    Mia stared straight ahead. As soon as Whitney left the garage, Mia calmed herself and placed the key in the ignition. Her hand was shaking. She reached into her bag and pulled out the article, studying the picture. She closed her eyes and with a quick rip shredded the paper, knowing it was too dangerous to hold on to. And partly for her own relief. Mia knew she would continue to obsess over the article and not focus on her getaway if it wasn’t destroyed. She didn’t need it anymore. She looked at the tiny shreds and wondered if she had made a mistake, if this all was a mistake, but she couldn’t look back now. The article’s remains would be scattered along the road. Mia thought it was a fitting good-bye to her former life.
    Her mind went back to the car. She hadn’t been in one for a long time. It was rare that her parents took her off the property. The last time had been over a year ago. Mia had cut herself chopping vegetables and her father needed to take her to the doctor right away. He wanted to make sure there was no scar. She could remember only the pain in her finger, not how he operated the car.
    The vehicle didn’t seem that complicated, though; she’d watched plenty of her father’s